The Great Puppy Saga of 2011 Continues... Puppy Cam, Part Deux!

If you're reading this, it probably means you missed the Rapture, too. I wrote this just for you guys, because I figured now that all the people who used to torture us about going to Hell because we loved Hallowe'en are gone, we'd need a form of entertainment other than annoying them to keep us occupied.

Yesterday dawned beautiful, clear and pleasantly warm. I had a pretty busy schedule, what with marking out my preferred looting spots and stocking up on my shotgun ammo, but I had scheduled time with Sandy at Sprague's German Shepherds to get my first look at the litter that has my Sam in it.

Again, we're looking for a low-energy, mellow dog, comparatively speaking, so it was important to us to see how they responded to new people, their mom being brought in, etc.

Click on the puppy pic for video. Not cute at all. Nope.

 We brought along friend and house/dog sitter, Stephanie, so that she could give us her impressions and so the puppy would know her from the very start. We talked about how we needed to be "calm-assertive" when we visited the pups, but were not very hopeful that we could maintain Cesar-Millan-like chill-ness in the face of extreme puppy cuteness. We sure tried, though!

 The one that friend Stephanie is holding is likely the guy we'll be taking home. "Yellow boy," from the color of the yarn around his neck, seemed, both on video and in person, a very cool, mellow little guy. So did dark blue boy. Yellow boy just laid on her lap and looked around, not whining or crying, just observing the goings-on around him. I'm really leaning towards him at this point, but I'll give it another visit before I decide...

The rare and adorable puppy conga line.

 After we left we headed to lunch and compared notes. All three of us agreed that both yellow and blue boys seemed to display the most quiet calm and would likely fit in best with our current kids. It was good to know that my choices were backed up by Mr. ShellHawk and Stephanie, because I know they are both very observant people and not likely to allow cuteness to overwhelm their good judgment.

Next Thursday or the following Tuesday, I'll head over and make the final decision as to who the real Sam is. Their personalities will have developed more and they'll be more active by then, too. I just can't wait!

The Great Puppy Saga of 2011 Continues... Puppy Cam!

Small bundles of furry cuteness are bouncing clumsily through my head these days. The "coming home" countdown has begun, and I've started to look at my house through the eyes of a puppy to see what needs to be put away, taped down or otherwise made inaccessible.
Sandy, the breeder over at Sprague's German Shepherds, has been very gracious and helpful in answering my questions about the pups, and has been posting pics and videos of the little critters on her website and on Facebook.

Shelby and the kids at three weeks. Sorry, couldn't get the video to play.

Sandy was also open to doing a little experiment a la Cesar Millan when I come for my first visit next week. In his book, How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond, Cesar had the breeder of the dog he wanted for his experiment on raising balanced dogs from puppyhood put all the pups in one room, then bring the mama in to feed them. By watching the order in which the puppies went for mom and fed, Cesar was able to figure out which dogs had the highest, middle and lowest energy.
Since he was looking for a middle energy dog for his experiment (and is an expert at this stuff, which I am not!), he was able to avoid getting what the breeder felt was "pick of the litter," a much higher-energy level dog than he wanted. I'd like a middle-to-lower-energy dog, because I'm not going to be training little Sam for schutzhund, agility (though I might get a couple of agility toys for the backyard), flyball or any high-energy sport- though I am thinking about taking him for herding lessons once he gets old enough. I think it's important for a smart dog like a German Shepherd to have something to do, since they're a working breed and not having a job makes for a dumb, bored, frustrated dog, and chewed carpets.

Mr. ShellHawk is tolerating my obsessive reading (great info from Dr. Sophia Yin here, btw) and subsequent information sharing with grace and the occasional glass of scotch. (I think there may be some eye-rolling when I'm not looking, but I can't prove anything.) I think it was helpful for him to be away at a conference this week, just for a break from my obsession! ;o) Even so, I asked him to start puppy proofing the garage even though I don't plan to have the little one out of my sight for the first few months. During a yard inspection, I found a space under our side gate that will easily be large enough for the little guy to squeeze under, so that went on Mr. ShellHawk's honey-do list, too.

His crate for crate-training is here, plus another, more open crate to put in the living room, so he can watch everyone from a safe, out of the way place. (I'd hate to squash his little toes because I didn't know he was right behind me!) It's good training for them to know they don't have to be in the middle of everything when activity is going on, but learn to be a quiet observer.

And before someone leaves me a nasty comment about how crate-training is mean, consider that a dog's natural instinct is to be in a den, which is far less posh than a crate with his favorite toy and a soft pad and blanket to lie on. It prevents you from stressing out because you don't know if your pup has left you a "present" while you answered the phone or went to bed (which stresses him out because your body language is freaking him out), and it also keeps him safe when you can't watch him. After all, you wouldn't let your toddler wander around when you couldn't watch her, would you? (BTW: playpen=crate for children.)

Bowls, leashes, and collars are standing by, and observing some local trainers is on my to-do list this week. I talked to my veterinarian this week about other stuff I need to have ready for his homecoming and how I need to feed him (large breed puppy food, she said). I think I'm almost ready.

Can't wait for Friday and the results of the little experiment! I'll keep you posted.

Stuff 'n' Things

Shelby and pups at one day old

Little Samhain is just over one week old, now. The final count of the litter was six males, and four females.

Shelby and her brood at one week old

Sandy over at Sprague's German Shepherds said Shelby did great and is feeling good. The pups all seem to have come through just fine, too. Here are some random puppy cuteness videos on the site, if you're interested. They will get to be more fun at about week three.

In other news, Saturday is the artist's reception for Feats of Clay. To say the least, I am very excited to be in the company of such talented artists! It still doesn't seem quite real to me that I could have a sculpture of mine chosen for a major show like this one after only having started working in clay three years ago. Wow!

I'll post pictures if I can.

The Great Puppy Saga of 2011 Continues... PUPPY WATCH!

"Hello out there! Can anyone hear me?"

The Great Puppy Saga of 2011 was not forgotten by yours truly. I've been lying in wait for news. Is Shelby pregnant, or must I wait for my little Sam longer? The scoop is, in the belly of Shelby, pictured above, there are an estimated eight pups, and hopefully, my Sam is among them. (That girl wouldn't dare have an all-female litter, would she???)

The other news is that the litter may be whelped this weekend! I am so excited! The down side is that in order to protect their health, we can't go see the puppies until they're four weeks old.

It is going to be a loooooooonnnng four weeks!

Click here for video of Shelby, the mom of my little guy. Hopefully, you'll be able to view it even if you're not on Facebook.

Hey, are they born, yet? ;oD

Mother Nature Does Me Again

Well, Mona the German Shepherd whelped this week (the father, Jacob, is pictured above, on the right) and had only one male (see vids of both one-day-old litters here). Fortunately, pups and dam are healthy and resting comfortably. Unfortunately, I'm out of luck in the puppy department for the time being. :o( Oh, well.

I told Mr. ShellHawk yesterday that this was God's way of giving us pick of the litter next time, assuming the next bunch of pups aren't all female!

In one of the puppy-raising books I was reading, there was a suggestion to look into the breeders connections, and that sent me down the rabbit hole (A.D.D.? Me? Never!) of looking at other breeders, just out of curiosity. Holy cow! I had no idea people could sell their dogs for that much money! Just glancing at the top of one page, I saw that one female was going for $5500! Who's got that kind of money in this economy? Not me, that's for sure. (It also tells me I'm in the wrong business. I mean, six pups at $5500 each...)

It brings to mind that some people's hobbies are far more expensive than mine. I have images of men in tweed jackets and hunting rifles ambling across vast expanses of green fields, too, but I suppose that's neither here nor there.

Oh, well. It's time to settle in to wait for the next litter, which has not been bred, yet. (Patience, ShellHawk. Patience!)

Countdown

Lotus, with her last litter of thirteen-thirteen!-pups.

Time is marching onward. Sometime this week, little Lotus is due to whelp. Amongst her pups will be my new puppy! My next-door neighbor is throwing the "puppy shower" on March 19th, and my new boy-Samhain-is due to come home sometime in the beginning of April. I am very excited! If you missed the big announcement regarding the new Hell Hound, you should see this post for the background 411.


Hutch, the proud daddy


After realizing it has been twenty-holy hand grenades, Batman! Twenty!-years since I raised a puppy, I have been brushing up on my puppy info by reading everything I can get my hands on. Things have changed since the last time I had a pup, and I realize how lucky I was with my last pup, 'cause I sure as heck didn't know what I was doing! I'm thinking I can do better this time, with Mr. ShellHawk's help.

With the permission of the breeder, I hope to visit the pups at four weeks old, to get a feel for their personalities. Although I don't have first pick of the litter, I'm still hoping for the lowest-energy male in the bunch, because I'm too damn old to deal with a high-maintenance dog!

I'm sure he'll be at least as cute as these little guys. Wish me luck!


Lotus's kids, age six weeks



Yes, I DO Torture My Dogs

One of them, anyway.
I was taking down the Christmas decorations the other day, it being the first day I felt slightly better from my cold, and the wreath went so well with his black fur. I couldn't resist! Yes, this is the dog that blew his knee out a few months back, but pity doesn't play much in this household!

 He is not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he knows when he's being made fun of. (He also is not a smart man, but knows what love is.) Below, he refused to look at me for the second shot. Seriously, I kept calling his name, and his ear would flick towards me, but he would not look at the camera! In the background, our Shepherd is concerned that she will be called upon for similar humiliations. After all, when he gets a bath, she gets one right after, so what else could she expect?

Because I am utterly insane, it looks like there will be a new addition to our family towards the end of March or early April. No, I'm not pregnant-that passed me by and I'm kind of relieved it did. Nope. We're going to get a puppy.

Our girl, staying warm in a patch of weak winter sun.


Both my current kids are rescues. My shepherd was about a year and a half or so when we got her from German Shepherd Rescue in Orange County. Some jackass had tied her up in the backyard and then moved away, leaving her without food for around ten days, give or take. She was still lactating, full grown and only thirty-eight pounds when we got her. Now, she's around nine years old and weighs in at a healthy 70 pounds.

Mini-rant: Please, people, would you do your research on your dogs before you adopt? DO NOT have a couch-potato lifestyle and expect a high-energy dog to match your energy level. You'll make the dog and yourself miserable, and you'll probably get rid of the dog. Of course, you could say the dog was crazy, but what's crazy is expecting a dog to act against its breeding. If you can get Animal Planet, there's a series called "Dogs 101" that will give you all the info you need to make an intelligent decision about what dog is right for your life. You can also go here, here and here for more info on dog behavior and how to pick a dog.

Our shepherd is smart, funny, and full of personality, she is convinced that our Lab mix is her dog toy. Since we're still rehabbing him (no, we did not go for the $3800 surgery for his knee, because he's eleven and a spaz who will only tear up the surgery, anyway), he can't play with her without undoing his healing. So, she needs a pal. We had planned to get another shepherd, anyway, because they're so smart, and this way, we get her help in raising our new little guy, and we figure our Lab (a.k.a. The Dog) will be less threatened (and less likely to hurt himself) by an eight-week old male coming into his territory than a full-grown dog he'll feel the need to fight with to assert his dominance.

I want to point out that this idea was originally my husband's. He's mentioned getting another dog several times since The Dog or El Doggo (not his real name, either) was injured, but I refused because I was so busy. Mr. ShellHawk works some very long hours, so the responsibility for training and assimilating a new pack member would fall to me, and I just couldn't add one more thing.

Who am I kidding? I still can't, but I will. I can't let our girl's talents go to waste, and she will be a big help in teaching the new dog how to behave. Since she was a mommy, and also is very social with other dogs, I'm sure she'll enjoy her new role.

I went back and forth with the rescue vs. breeder thing. We got lucky in some ways with both our rescues. Neither one of them came with food-aggression issues, they're both great with kids, and they're both very patient, sweet dogs. (Note the earlier picture of the wreathed and lit black dog... I still have all my fingers!) But there were some issues with El Doggo because it seems that no one did a damn thing with him before we got him at around age five or six.

He's stubborn, clingy, and pushy, and (for instance) even after having worked consistently with him for the last six years, he barks furiously at the door when the doorbell rings (like we have never corrected him for it, ever) and will not stop when corrected for more than a few seconds. Oh, and do you think that after consistently letting him know that it is not o.k. to charge the back corner of the property to get at the untrained Rottweilers, he would stop? Hell no. Did I mention the back hair coming up every time he meets another adult dog, and the fact that before his injury, we couldn't let him loose at the dog park because he's both an asshole and an idiot? Don't get me started on the barking, either.

I know that Cesar says that the behavior can be corrected when the human knows what to do, and I really agree with this. Clearly, I'm missing something.

There! I admitted I'm not perfect. Please don't tell anyone, o.k.? Thanks.

 Admittedly, he is much better than he was when we first got him, but he's still a hell of a lot of work. We figure he'll settle down three weeks before he dies, if we aren't forced to put him down because of catastrophic injury due to his low I.Q. (He's one of the few dogs in the world who may stupid/stubborn himself to death.) It's just who he is, and we still love him. No dog in the world sits prettier or snuggles cuter in the morning, after all! Shepherd has her own little quirks, but we're better able to handle them because she's smart and not stubborn.

So when the new dog idea came up, I began to think longingly of a dog that didn't come with a load of behavioral issues. With rescues, you roll the dice and hopefully come up with a great dog, like we did with our girl. But I wanted to be more sure this time. I want a dog that can hang out with guests at a party and not try to climb into their laps and breathe in their faces. I want to have a dog that I can leave the garage door open while I'm working and have him calmly in my shop with me while I work. I want to be able to leave the house for a few hours without coming home to the execution of every paper product I own. I'm also looking forward to taking the new pup camping, like I do with the rest of the pack.

I'm willing to work with a dog to make that happen. I'm not one of those people who thinks that the dog should just magically know what it's supposed to do. Though I have a couple of Cesar's books already, I downloaded a couple of his newer ones to get prepped for the upcoming changes. (Because I really needed more to read, LOL!)

I started some research into local breeders and came up with Sprague's German Shepherds, and was very impressed with the training they do with their pups from birth through eight weeks, as well as the research they had clearly done for early dog development. They also have hip and elbow guarantees, which was also a concern of mine. I took a look at their dogs, and fell for Hutch, a very handsome stud. I talked things over with Mr. ShellHawk once more, and then gave Sandy a call and e-mailed her my application form.

Long story less long (holy goodnight, is this post long!), Sandy and I talked for a bit and I found out there are two potential litters to pick from (she's waiting to make sure the girls are pregnant before she makes promises), both due around February 14th. Her prices are very reasonable (though I'm sacrificing a projector I was going to buy for my haunt this year :o() , and there are a few very minor details to iron out, but I think the new Hell Hound will join the pack in April! Maybe he'll look a bit like his daddy.

Hutch at 14 weeks

I can't wait to find out!