Hi Folks!
Well, at last a whole day at home! Yesterday I managed a stockdog trial at the local fairgrounds - it was a lot of fun, just exhausting! Last night we had terrific thunderstorms and this morning everything is soaking wet. That doesn't stop the puppies from running like little banshees and 'helping' me clean the yards around the house and kennel. I am pleased with this litter -- they seem very even in temperament thus far ie: good natured and social. I am seeing some differences now in their personalities - the black female is pretty much nonstop into things...digging, dragging stuff around, barking when she can't figure something out - the grey female is a little more easy going but we'll see how that all goes in a couple weeks. Of the males, I seem to notice that the pup with the green collar is similar to the black female. The other male pups seem more similar to the grey female but then again, they change so much from now on that it's difficult to make predictions yet.
Crystal has been spending a LOT of time with them, handling and brushing and generally fooling with them; a great bonus for all of us to have a kid around because as you know, kids are kids and will often do things adults don't. I mean, I haven't thought of dressing up a puppy in doll clothes for a while now.
The pups are now in the kennel building at night with the dog-door open 24 hours a day. Unless there's a terrific rain storm they are clean inside and poop outdoors on cement. During the day they are up by the house in a big x-pen (4 xpens hooked together) as well as loose in the kitchen and porch. If I am gone - which I am sometimes now that Crystal's here and I take her to dog class and horseback riding lessons twice a week - the pups are in the kennel with the puppy run off to the side. They are safe and clean there.
I have just started doing some little focus work with them - hotdogs and cheese used as treats up by my face - and marking the behaviors I want.
Unless the day gets away from me, I will take them out by the ducks today (not IN with the ducks) just to let us see how they respond to the movement. No sheep or cattle :-)
If anyone has questions, please feel welcome to send a note ~
