Lucy's pups week 7: Rob is available

Rob is still available to the right home. He has a lot of toy drive, is a charming and a quick learner. He is intense and should succeed at any sport his new owner chooses. He is a people-person and would really like to be a housedog, close to his people. Here are some 6 week photos of Rob. His ticking is coming in nicely and he is really a striking, flashy little dog.

Rob play-bowing to me.

Rob doing his "innocent" act.

In other news:
Another week has passed, and the pups continue to grow. Each pup is 6 lbs or so by my estimate. They are 6 and 1/2 weeks old now. They play vigorously and are now awake for hours at a time. They are running, climbing and generally chaotic in their joy for life.

I introduced the clicker as a marker for behavior this week, rather than just charging it. Pups are learning to sit automatically for a treat (dog kibble) and to do nose touches.

Rob imitating the puppy to my left (the one I was actually working with)
wondering just how this whole sit = treat thing works.

They figured out how to do stairs this week and love running around in the yard. On Tuesday, I will separate them for sleeping so they have a week of sleeping individually before they go to new homes. Rye will move into our bedroom for sleep and everyone else will sleep in side-by-side crates. Yes, I have earplugs.

Also, Rye has started doing Lucy's happy grin!! I have not captured it on film yet. All 5 of her previous pups do it, so I imagine these pups are likely to as well.

Rave and Rob tugging.

Rob narrowly avoiding the slashing jaws of Magick ;)

Magick and Rob playing.

Rye and Rob making faces during play.

Good thing puppies are cute.... Sheesh, Reba!

Magick continues to be the best nanny dog ever.

I decided to try and get some basic headshots of the pups as well. Here is the result. I am satisfied with 2 and not with the other 2. Will get some better ones when the weather is nicer and we can get good lighting outdoors I hope.

Rob

Reba

Rave

Rye

And what happens after a puppy potluck: zzzzzzzzzz. even our toes are sleepy!

Lucy's pups week 6: Rob is now available

Lucy's pups were 6 weeks old yesterday. Here are some photos from last week. Sorry for the late posting, but I wanted Zora's victory to have the blog for the weekend.

In other news, Rob is now available to the right home. He is red and white with heavy ticking in all of his white. He will have a smooth coat.

Rob is a little freckled devil with a sparkling personality. Very loving and playful, Rob is equally happy to be snuggled and held or to tug like a fiend on his favorite toy (or pantleg).

Rob should be well-suited to a working or trial home in stockdog work or any canine performance sport. My first priority is a pup having a forever home whenever possible. If you would like to know more about Rob, email me 77dogma@gmail.com

The pups will be ready to go to their forever homes 2/8/2011.

Rob is rakishly handsome!

He has a special expression and is very people oriented.

With plenty of toy drive since just 4 weeks old,
Rob is showing signs of being an enthusiastic partner.

Rave is going to live just outside Portland, OR with his new mom Diana.

Here he is, resting between play sessions during the potluck on Saturday.

And here he is after everyone has gone home. Zzzzzz.
He has a white stripe on his ear just like his grandma, "Star."

Reba will be going home with Diane at 8 weeks old.
She is a toy-hound.

She is a PRINCESS.

She is also a redhead and has a wild streak.
YES THAT IS MY CAMERA STRAP.
Reba, It is NOT A TOY. Thank you.

In other news, Rye is definitely the pup staying here forever.

HI MOM HI MOM HI MOM HI MOM HI MOM!!!!

Not to be outdone, he will both sit on a toy and carry one in his mouth.
Two-fer-one toys.

And in between his wild extra happy moments, he continues his campaign
of making sure I understand he belongs with us.

Lastly, here is the video from last week. CAUTION: This video contains extreme cuteness previously unrecorded.

Announcing NATCH2 Zora

Photo by Carolynn Harwell -- Look Back Photography

We had a wonderful weekend of agility on Saturday and Sunday. Miss Zora earned 10/12 qualifying rounds and earned her NATCH2 (NADAC Agility Trial Champion level 2). Since we only trial about 5 times a year, I am very proud of her. She earned her first NATCH in late 2009.



In addition, she completed a distance bonus in Elite tunnelers on Sunday as well as nearly completing a distance bonus in Elite jumpers (I had to step over the line for 2 obstacles to assist her).

She finished her NATCH2 yesterday by completing a very difficult round of Elite Chances. Only 6 dogs in the Elite class qualified on that course. I am perhaps more proud than anything of the fact that 2 of the other 5 people were MY STUDENTS!!! I am so proud of them.

But I will take a moment to appreciate my own success as well. I think I have one of the finest 8" distance dogs in the country.

Congratulations, Zora! I am proud to call you my partner.





Love you.

Lucy's pups - 5th week of life

More fun for the puppies this week. They are playing vigorously with one another and the adult dogs. Magick and Lucy have formed a puppy care coalition and often rescue one another if all 4 pups decide to go for a single adult dog. Teamwork!

We introduced potty pads this week and the pups are about 70% on using them on their own. WOO.

Aunt Lora sent a fun cow toy and a balance board. The pups race across the balance board - agility is in your future!

It finally warmed up enough for the pups to go outside, so they are spending some outside time each day. The first day they were a little overwhelmed during the first 2 minutes or so. Now they are trying to figure out how to get up and down the big step in and out the door. Also, they can RUN now.

Another puppy potluck gave the pups a chance to visit with new people, and the owners of the pups to see their babies again this week. I think the new owners really enjoy getting to visit the litter.

Without further ado: This week's installment of photos and a nice 3 minute video of PLAY-PLAY-PLAY!! If you have time, watch the video all the way to the end. Magick employs an ingenious trap for one of the pups. She will be 12-years-old in April and I am so grateful to be getting all this video of her playing with the puppies. Recent events have taught me how much I will treasure those videos one day....

Rob says, "I did not do it. I did not chew the blanket..."

Rob: If I can not reach the toys, I will just chew through the metal bucket!

Rob making sexy ears with Magick

Reba rearing up to a play-bowing Magick

Magick and Rave going in circles

Magick swallows Rye's head... nom nom nom nom

Rye and Rave using the balance board. Thank you Aunt Lora!!

This is why we call him Robert The Savage!

Rye offers to help: Here, let me fix your desk.... Um, thanks.

Reba playing with the GIRL toy.
(a gift to the butterfly dog Zora when she was a pup, almost 7 years ago)

What happens after a puppy potluck?
Rob falls asleep in the leftovers.

This made my entire day. It's not in focus, it's a terrible photo.
But it *IS* Rye (33 days) and Magick (11 3/4 years) play bowing about 6' apart.

What happens after all that play?
Rye needs a soft pillow.

Can you guess which puppy wants to stay with us?



Here is your puppy porn for the week:

Lucy's pups - 4th week of life

Lucy's pups are 25 days old today, and we had our first puppy potluck tonight. I think everyone enjoyed playing with the puppies, and they got to meet all sorts of new people and have new experiences.

Here are a few pictures and a couple of videos from this week.

Highlights from this week:
- first time meeting strangers
- second bath
- second nail clipping
- first real play with Lucy and with Magick
- first real play with toys
- increasingly vigorous play with littermates
- visual tracking is improving (toys, littermates, adult dogs)
- outgrew the whelping box
- exploring a fleece play tunnel
- investigating a cat (Gershwin)

Aftermath of second bath

Reba trying out a toy

Rye trying out a toy

Rave killing the orange hedgehog

Rye playing with Lucy

Lucy and Reba playing

Lucy and Reba

Rave and Lucy playing

Lucy chewing Rye's leg off ;)

Rave testing out a toy

Wonder what color Rob's eyes will be?
His are different from all the other pups.

Potluck aftermath: SLEEPY puppies.

Rye behind bars

Puppy pile. Clockwise from top: Rye, Reba (upside-down), Rob, Rave

Reba sacked out

Crashed out in a crack.

Rave sleeping with his eyes open.

Reba snoozing in the tunnel

First time with solid food:





Play and hijinx -- 23 days old: