Weekend Pupdate

The weekend started off with the departure of Hank on Friday evening.  Hank is going to live with a new PWD friend, Bojangles, and his owner Stevie.  Stevie and Bo run agility and hopefully Hank will some day too.  He and Bo took to each other right away and Hank checked out some of Stevie's agility equipment when he got home and went to hang out at an agility trial on Sunday.

Hank visits with Stevie and Bo before heading home.

On Saturday afternoon, we decided that Cabot and Capri needed an outing, so we took them to the river near our house.  They were a bit overwhelmed by all the new sounds and sights at first (small waves on the shore, other dogs, ducks, scary cars driving by...), but quickly got more confident.  Capri went for a little swim, and Cabot went for a really deep wade.

Cabot and Capri check out the river.

On Sunday morning, the Maxin family came by to pick up Cabot and head home with him.  Look at those smiling faces!  We think Cabot will be very well loved.

Maxin family before departing with Cabot

And then there were two...Capri and Cabot.

We forgot to take a going home photo of Karen and Lilly (was Pixie), so they stopped by for their picture and a quick visit.  Karen says Lilly is doing really well and is a very confident little girl.  I think in the photo Karen may be saying "No, you can't have her back!".

Karen and Lilly

 Sunday afternoon was pretty relaxing, with the pups alternately playing and napping.

Jasper waking up after a nap in the Adirondack chair.

Capri has the cutest face.

Another pup sets sail...

Max (was Gordo) left for his new home with Bruce yesterday.  Max is in great hands with Bruce and, since Bruce's daughter Jennifer is a vet at the clinic we take the dogs to, we are pretty sure he will get excellent veterinary care too.

When we give the pups chicken wings at breakfast now, they eat almost the entire thing.  Only the largest pieces of bone are left.  It is pretty amazing to hear their little teeth crunching up the bones and makes you realized how strong their jaws are even at this tender age.

We've been adding photos to the Week 9 set on Flickr: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjH2noiX

Leaving the nest

Three of the pups departed for their new homes on Friday.  It is usually a tradition to take "going home" photos, but Karen and Pixie (now Lilly) will have to come back for a visit because we forgot to take their picture.

I was gone for the weekend at a water trial with Stoker and Delta, so didn't get as many photos as usual.  I got some of everyone except for Gordo (now Max) and Hank tonight.  I will have to try to get some of them tomorrow.

Carolyn going home with Fargo (now Zander)

Kate before leaving for Canada with Ranger (now Ripley)

Cabot is pretty relaxed.

Cabot

Capri

Jasper

Sweet dreams

Hank and Cabot

Ranger and Jasper

Going a million miles an hour one minute and sleeping sweetly the next....that's how puppies roll...

Week 8 photos

I started a set of photos for week 8 and will continue to add photos throughout the week: 
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjGSgVK8

Time flies! Now we are 8 (weeks).

Cabot gives kisses.

Holy mackerel, where did the last week go?  It was a whirlwind of trying to keep up with the 8 little Tasmanian Devils, getting paperwork and goody bags pulled together in preparation for their departure over the next 2 weeks and still fitting in work and some time for the adult dogs in the house.  They are terribly cute, but we will need a vacation once they depart!

This weekend, all the pups got their nails trimmed again.  This time around, they also got the hair trimmed from the bottom of their feet and on their faces and several of them got the worst of their cowlicks tamed.

Kass and her son came to visit on Saturday, along with Linda and Karen.  Our good friend Dick and Ginny, who own Ecko's brother Reef, came on Saturday and stayed overnight.

Fargo

Tomorrow the pups go in for their first vet visit and will get vaccinated and micro-chipped.  On Thursday, the pups go to the eye specialist for an eye exam.   On Friday, the plan is for Ranger to hop a plane to Canada to head to his new home there.  Friday afternoon, Pixie and Fargo will head out with their new families.  Stoker, Delta and I are headed north a few hours for a water trial this weekend, leaving Jan to hold down the fort at home with the remaining puppies.  Several more of the pups are schedule to depart over the following week.

Tummy rubs for Jasper.

Kass with a puppy.

May we come out now?

Now we are 7 (weeks)

It was an uneventful weekend, though we did have a few visitors.

Amazing the entertainment value of a rope and a milk jug - Ranger

Here are some pics from the weekend:

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjGGevGx

The pups are very active and noisy in the mornings.  After the babies ate breakfast this morning, we lobbed a couple of raw turkey necks into the pen with them.  It has been an hour and they are entertaining themselves quietly by gnawing away on them.  Ahhhhh, silence!

The "Rule of Sevens"

Pat Hastings, AKC judge and author of The Puppy Puzzle offers these hints for socializing very young puppies.
By the time a puppy is 7 weeks old it should have:

• Been on 7 different surfaces, such as: carpet, concrete, wood, vinyl, grass, dirt, gravel, wood chips, newspaper, etc. 
• Played with 7 different types of objects, such as: big balls, small balls, soft fabric toys, fuzzy balls, squeaky toys, metal items, wooden items, paper/cardboard items, milk/soda jugs, etc.
• Been in 7 different locations, including: front yard, backyard, basement, kitchen, car, garage, laundry room, bathroom, crate, kennel, etc.
• Been exposed to 7 challenges, such as: climbed a box, climbed off a box, gone through a tunnel, climbed up steps, climbed down steps, climbed over obstacles, played hide and seek, gone in and out of a doorway with a step, etc.
• Eaten from 7 different containers: metal, plastic, cardboard, paper, china, pie plate, frying pan, etc.
• Eaten in 7 different locations: crate, yard, kitchen, basement, laundry room, bedroom, x-pen, etc.
• Met and played with 7 new people, including children and the elderly.

Early socialization, including stimulation from a variety of sources, is important and can go a long way toward producing an outgoing, confident adult.

Week 6 pics and update

I hope everyone had a fun and safe 4th of July Celebration.  Things were pretty low-key at our house.  Jan golfed in the morning and I took Stoker and Delta for a quick water training session near the house.   Julie and Cooper (Ecko's brother) joined us at the water and came to visit the pups afterward.

We are fortunate that none of our dogs are bothered in the least by the noise of the fireworks.  The pups did not seem to notice them either, and hopefully they will be equally calm about them next year when they are off in their new homes.

Ecko sporting her patriotic bandanna.

Here is a link to an album with some pics from week six:

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjGBj45M