Week One: The Kishi Experiment

So Kishi is now eating only Steves Real Food. She's had it before in an attempt to solve the allergy issue. By itself it didn't work, but she does love the food! I also added in yogurt - about a Tablespoon. And I added a little fresh parsley to each meal. Right now she is getting the Nzymes Antioxidant Treats, Nzymes Ox-E-Drops, and the Nzymes Tincture of Black-Leaf mixed in with her food. Next week I will begin adding in Nzymes Fortified BacPak Plus as directed in the instructions from NZYMES.

I also used the Ox-E-Drops and distilled water to make a spray that I use on Kishi several times a day. So really, the only thing that has changed in Kishi's life was the addition of the Nzyme products and the yogurt and parsley. She's always been on a holistic, quality food of one brand or another. When dinner time comes she makes a bee-line to her bowl.

She is still taking her thyroid medication and her antidepressant.

What I've noticed this week: She is underfoot much more than in the past. Before, I always knew where she was - hiding under my desk like a big smelly lump. Now she is much happier and more alert and around us more. I have noticed that she doesn't smell as bad. The goop in her eyes is gone. And I don't see any red spots on her. She still scratches, but I haven't seen her rubbing her face on the floor or skootching her butt across the carpet. All are good signs.

The Kishi Experiment

Once upon a time I had a beautiful red shiba. This dog had personality, trainability, and an attitude to boot. She was my child before the human child. I was the doggy soccer mom, driving her to all her activities. We were buddies, partners and she was (and still is) my once-in-a-lifetime dog. Then at almost 3 years old, one week after the human child was born, I rushed Kishi in to the vet with a rash. The vet said it was allergies, and that very pivital day in our lives started 6 years of testing, antigen shots, antibiotics, antihistimines, anti-fungals, and prednisone and a variety of other drugs. The symptoms would disappear for a couple weeks after the medication ended, and then she would end up looking worse than she ever did before. It was not seasonal. It was something we dealt with everyday, all year around.

Black elephant skin took the place of her once beautiful orange-red coat. She would chew holes in her body, so she was forced to wear a cone around her neck around the clock. When the chewing became really bad, she had to wear a muzzle. I gave her baths with medicated shampoos several times a week. It almost feels funny to take a shower without her in there with me. And the worst thing... she smelled... BAD. So bad that when you walk downstairs in my house, you could smell her without being near her.

The vets seem at an impass. There is nothing left to do that hasn't been tried already. The latest thing, I think I mentioned on the blog was trying an antidepressant to see if that would break the chewing cycle. After 3 months of usage, I have noticed a difference in her attitude. She no longer hides. She wants to be with us and greets me at the bottom of the stairs (the dogs are all trained not to come upstairs). She's like the old Kishi again. But it didn't seem to break the chewing cycle.

So now I'm grasping at straws. She's almost 9 years old. What should I do to make her comfortable in her senior years? I was reading online about allergies and I ran across a website written by Linda Arndt, who calls herself The Great Dane lady. She had some good articles on holistic treament of allergies. One of them peaked my interest. It was all about systemic yeast. They showed photos of dogs with the exact same symptoms that Kishi has.

Great Dane Lady articles

I followed a link to another website.

Nzymes

I read each and every story about the dogs with yeast infections and every story sounded like Kishi's story. I researched back in Kishi's medical files and I found out that all of her problems started after a round of antibiotics that she had to take after she and my chow got in an arguement and she had a puncture wound on her leg. At the same time she received her yearly vacinations. I believe the two of them together overloaded her immune system and with all the additional antibiotics that she has had over the years, the yeast growth has just taken over.

So I ordered the yeast kit from Nzymes and I'm following what they suggest to the T. You can follow it on this blog and see if it works. I will update it once a week with photos of her progress.

These photos were taken the very first day of medication. Kishi is miserable. You can see it in her eyes. What you can't experience is how bad she smells. It smells disqusting. And very much like yeast.


This shows her belly and how bad it looks. The red spot is in an area she can't reach, so it wasn't caused by chewing.


Here is the spot on her back that she will chew a hole in without her cone around her neck. It has healed since the last time she got to it, but the hair has not grown back.

Is that a fox?

Why yes it is... I've heard that question so many times when it came to the shibas, and I always wanted to answer "yes" and see the person's reaction. So today as I was walking and came upon these adorable fox kits, I was able to say "yes, this is a fox" And how on earth do you confuse the two... shibas are way cuter and a little more wild!

I just had to share the photos... these kits pose for the camera even better than the shibas do. They sat still and looked right into the camera! Cheese.

Beautiful Day on the Beach

The one great thing about living on an island is that we have lots of beaches to visit. We went to Ft. Ward park today and took a walk through the woods and down on the beach. You could hear the sea lions off shore calling to each other. And we saw several young bald eagles practicing hunting for food. Tama likes to go to the beach and chase the waves in and out. She doesn't like to get her paws wet, so if she miscalculates the wave timing, then she gets this insulted look on her face like she can't believe the wave got her.

Concussion

What doesn't mix well with a 6-year old boy and a bat and a ball?

Well, that's an easy answer. A ball-crazed australian shepherd.

I probably don't need to go any further in my explanation. You can infer what happens when a small child throws the ball in the air and attempts to hit it with a metal bat. And at the same time, the dog goes after the ball.

And all I heard was this loud, ringing thud. Followed by a very painful "yelp". And as I ran around the corner of the garage, there was Farley, blood dripping from his mouth, with a tooth laying on his back, looking very dazed. I waited a few minutes to see how he was. Shock must have set in, because he started weaving back and forth and shaking.

Ed wrapped him in a blanket while I called the emergency vet. Away we went to sit in the veterinary emergency room for a couple hours. All in all, Farley is a tough old boy. He had a concussion, and one tooth missing and another one cracked, some bruising on his jaw and mouth.

The vet recommend getting the remaining tooth removed, feeding him canned food for a few days, and watching him for signs of sluggishness from the concussion.

Funny thing is, by the time we got home. He seemed fine. He even grabbed a cookie from Don Juan and ate it on the sore side of his mouth. So much for needing to feed him the canned food. If he's able to eat a cookie, he's able to eat kibble... oh, well. Maybe he'll get a canned food treat just for being a good old tough dog.

Happy Mother's Day!

And at 4-1/2 months old, Tomo is now as big as his mother, Tama. And it's a really good thing that he didn't inherit her TOUNGE! Happy Mother's Day!

Enough of the puppy pictures...

The big dogs are stomping their paws and demanding some blog time. After all, this blog is about them - right? So today Don Juan and I took a little walk. Conveniently I had my camera along and caught a couple of cute pictures of him next to the pond. We played in the park, chased birds and saw a mommy duck with her babies on the pond.

Azuki- 4 months

Here's Azuki at 4 months (boy #2). There's alot of little black hairs beginning to peak out. By george, I think we have a sesame! He's doing just fabulous. He's smart, he's fun-loving and he really can pose for a camera.

The puppy formally known as Piggy...

For the naughty little ankle biters...

A couple of the puppies are having an issue with their new owners about grabbing at pants legs and biting ankles, so I wanted to offer a couple of solutions. Try the first one and see if it works, if not, then try the second one. Always follow up with the "no" and a down stay. These puppies are almost 4 months old. They have been through one obedience class already. So at this point it's time to put an end to this behavior whether it's play or control.

First: When he goes for your pant legs, take your foot and stomp it really hard and say "no" in a low voice. You need to try to surprise him by giving him a negative reaction when he goes for your leg. Don't be shy about the stomp. It needs to be forceful and right by him. Wait to try it with children until you see how he does with adults doing it.

Second (if the first doesn't work): The other thing is whenever he gets close to you, I want you to try to walk into him. Dogs have a personal space that they don't like invaded. And by biting at your ankles, he is invading your personal space, and in a way, he's trying to control or manipulate you. He probably has figured out that when he grabs at you, you back away or pull away and then he gets what he wants - a little more control over your space which in his eyes means he is controlling you. You see this alot in herding dogs. That's how they move the sheep by taking away their personal space. So your dog is really just thinking of you as livestock. If whenever he comes toward you in the biting mode, you turn directly into him and bowl him over by walking briskly into him, you are taking over his space and taking control of the situation. Once again, don't try this with children until you see how he reacts. I'll tell you, I learned this in a seminar with my aussie who was controlling me in the agility ring by herding me and nipping at my heels, and the first time I got into his space, he bit me. My aussie was 6 years old and was purely trying to control me, so I doubt that will happen with a puppy, but be aware of it. While I want you to be forceful when you walk into him, even pushing him aside with your foot or leg pretty forcefully, just be careful. You are going for an element of surprise more than you are trying to harm him or put yourself in any danger.

Follow up: If there is something you don't like that he does, you need to let him know that. That means using a low voice to say "no". (low pitched voice means he's in trouble, high pitched voice is praise, and in the middle is the voice you give commands like heel, sit , down, etc), and following up with a punishment. For a punishment, I put my dogs in a down stay (which is a submissive position) just like a time out for a child. Even if that means standing on the leash for the 3 or 4 minutes that he is in a down stay. He needs to learn there is a consequence for misbehavior. And you need to do it consistently until he understands that you aren't going to take it.

If you are home, and he is out running around where you can watch him, I'd leave his leash attached to his collar for a few days when you try these methods, so you can step on the leash to stop him from running away when you tell him "no". Once you do it and put him in the down stay, then the next time he'll realize the consequence and most likely he'll want to run off. When you say "no" step on the leash so he doesn't get the opportunity to run. Just be careful if you can't keep an eye on him, that you don't leave the leash on him so he doesn't get tangled.

More cute shiba pictures...

Here's...hmmm.... Popeye, Bear, Chase... and now officially, TOMO. This poor puppy has more names than he is months old. No wonder he doesn't know his name yet. Anyway, he is absolutely adorable at 3-1/2 months old. Watch for him in the show ring in July!

Teaching Recall (Come)

Let's start off with a game. It's called chase. Except we're going to set the rules for this game - It's puppy chases me. I never chase the puppy.

So start off in a large fenced area. Let the puppy unwind, sniff and do whatever puppies have to do for a few minutes. When the puppy comes to you and begins to pay attention to you instead of the surroundings, pick up a toy, and a handful of treats, and start walking away from your puppy. As you are doing it, in a high-pitched, happy voice, say "come". Show the puppy the toy. If the puppy doesn't come, then increase your speed mvoing away from them and add some high-pitched happy chatter. It may take some time to get the puppy to understand the game at first, so don't give up. As soon as the puppy begins to move your direction, then stop and wait for the puppy to catch up. Celebrate and throw a puppy party when the puppy gets to you. Give them treats, play with them, use a high-pitched voice to praise them. Then repeat the game again. The next time the puppy should catch on faster and begin to come to you faster. The more you practice this, the better the puppy will understand the command.

If at any time, the puppy runs the other way, or begins to ignor you. Just be quiet and move away from them. You are above playing the game in reverse. Remember, you set the rules to this chase game. The further you move away from the puppy, the more insecure it will get and eventually it will come to you. When you see it starting to look for you or pay attention to you again, start the game up again.

Always make this game postive and fun, and pretty soon whenever you say the word "come", the puppy will come to you. Don't say the word "come" in a harsh tone of voice, or get mad or anxious when the puppy doesn't do it. Remember this should be a fun game.

Down the road, you can formalize the word if you want, but for now the word "come" just means you want the puppy to leave where they are and come close to you. You have plenty of time to train the formal obedience commands later on. But for now you are just trying to get a consistent response to the word "come".

A new update!

Kiko's (formally Squeekers) mom sent me a new photo of her. She has the face that can steal your heart!

And here's Boy #2 - now named Azuki

So grown up. He's the spitting image of his mommy at this age...

Puppy Update

I have several people that have emailed me asking for updates on the puppies. I haven't posted pictures of the puppies as I have been getting them from the new owners, but that is about to change. When I get new photos, I'll post them here. Here is Shimiko (nickname Shimmy). She is currently living in Arizona with this beautiful cactus flower to enjoy...



And the puppy that EVERYONE asks about, Squeekers, now Kiko. At last update, she was finally 3 pounds and enjoying the Arizona sunshine in her big yard with her puppy buddy and new family.

Motherly love

Even the best moms have bad days... especially when your child is out-of-control!

Another day, another medication

Poor Kishi. Over the past 6 years we have tried just about everything that is possible to relieve her scratching and itching. I took her to the vet on Friday for her annual blood test for her thyroid medication. Normally she wears an elizabethan collar to keep her from chewing on her body. I removed it since it was such a short trip and thought she could make it an hour or so without being self-destructive. But, of course, on her way there, she chewed two huge holes in her back. The vet looked at her and made a couple comments that I have thought for a long time. Chewing on herself is as much habit as it is allergy. Her skin looks healthy. In the areas that she can't reach to lick or chew, the hair is in, the skin looks good. But in any area that she can reach with the elizabethan collar on, it is black, scabbed and cracked and nasty looking. So, the vet suggested we try a different approach, keeping her on the medication that she is currently on, we have added an anti-depressant to see if we can break the obsessive-compulsive licking that she does. The pharmacist at Rite Aid looked at me like I was a little silly when I dropped off the prescription, but they filled the prescription anyway. I've also changed out the elizabethan collar to a muzzle to give her a little more freedom, but take away the ability to chew on herself.

Yes, I am an owner of a dog on anti-depressants! What is the world coming to.

Top O' the Morning

And a happy Saint Patricks Day from one of the cutest shiba puppies in the Evergreen State!

Teaching Down

Once your puppy knows how to sit, down is a very simple command to teach. When they are in a sitting position, with your left hand, gently hold the puppy's rear end in place so it doesn't move forward, and with your right hand, lure the puppy into a down position by pulling the treat down and forward so the puppy has to reach in order to get the treat. Practice this over and over, saying the word "down" as the puppy makes the down motion. Once the puppy has down figured out, then add in going from a down to a sit and vice versa, until the puppy can do this freely on their own without you touching them. Eventually wean them off being lured into position by using your hands to give hand signals instead of rewarding them with treats. The hand signals that I use are index finger points at ground means to down. Palm up lifts up to sky, means to sit.

Wow, time flies...

At almost 10 weeks, Chase (Kishi's Run for the Money) has developed a serious sense of humor. This dog is bright. He knows sit and down, walks on a leash well, and even takes himself for walks around the yard...



But while he is out, he takes time to smell the flowers.



So far in the past two weeks, we have started a puppy socialization class along with his brother (Boy #2). Chase has joined us on our walking group for our weekly 4 mile walk. And I have to say that he did very well despite stepping on a blackberry thorn, falling in a hole and getting stepped on a couple times because he was underfoot. But he walked most of it on his own with alot of enthusiasm.

And he got his first bath. A very traumatic time in the life of a puppy.

More puppy play time...at 8 weeks

It's Toenail Tuesday!

I've been clipping toenails every Tuesday since the puppies were born. So today is... TOENAIL TUESDAY. Time to clip your puppy's toenails. Each week I don't take much off the toenail, but the idea is getting the puppy used to having their toenails done on a regular basis, so when they really need to be done, they don't freak out. Also by doing a little each week, you are handling the puppy's feet so they get used to having their feet played with. That's just another part of socializing the puppy to something they may have to deal with later in life.

So here is what I do... When the puppy is calm, such as right after a playtime, or right before they fall asleep, I lay the puppy on it's back in my left arm with it's head toward my shoulder. I've been working with all the puppies, teaching them to be calm laying on their backs, even so they may struggle a little, but they all will eventually relax if you tighten your grip on them and rub their tummy. Play with their feet while you get them to relax. Then as you are petting them and they are relaxing, look at the lighter color toenails so you can see where the "quick" is inside. You do not want to cut into the quick or it will bleed and hurt the puppy. So notice it on the clear nails, and you'll have to guess where it is on the darker nails.

Take one paw in the left hand, the clipper in the right hand and trim just the end off the toenail making sure you don't cut into the quick. Make sure you get all the nails, and even if the puppy begins to squirm, don't give up. Reposition the puppy in your arm or ask someone to help you hold the puppy and continue the nail trim until you are done. By giving up, the puppy wins and next time it will be even more difficult to do a nail trim. And that scream they just let out... that wasn't from any thing you did. You've just been introduced to the shiba scream.

Once you are done, reward your puppy with a yummy treat and lots of praise. Then you can take a tylenol to rid yourself of the headache from the scream (just kidding - it won't be that bad, I promise).

Note: this works well for dogs under 25 lbs, any bigger they are a little awkward to hold in your lap! So please don't try this at home with your mastiff!

Here is Don Juan, our adult model, showing off the toenail trim technique...

Early puppy training...

As the puppies leave for their forever homes this week, I thought I'd post a little on what you can teach your puppy at this age. Puppies at 8 weeks can start to learn to sit on command. By taking a yummy treat (I use pieces of Natural Balance Rolled Dog Food), gently push down on their back end with one hand, hold the other hand over and behind their head slightly so you lure the puppy into a sitting position using the treat. While you are doing this, say the word, "sit". You will repeat this over and over and over. But eventually the word "sit" will sink in and the puppy will begin to do it on it's own to get the treat. If you practice this a couple times a day for VERY short periods of time, your puppy will pick up on it very quickly.

I expect my dogs to sit calmly in front of me to receive any food or treats. They are not allowed to jump up on me, or do anything else besides sit (unless I tell them to do something else. For example, sometimes I ask for more than a sit, like a shake paw, a down, or a roll over to get a treat). So for puppies, they can start learning sit right away. Don't put their food dishes down unless they sit. Do not give them treats unless they sit. Sitting is a sign of respect to you. And you should expect your dog to give you the respect you deserve.

But at 8 weeks, respect is the furthest thing from the puppy's mind. Even so, this is an excellent time to start the habit of "you need to work to get what you want" by gently teaching the puppy to sit to receive a treat or their dinner. You may have to gently remind them what "sit" is each time, but by the time they are 3 months, they should know what sit is.

As soon as the puppy has a grasp on sit, it is time to teach the puppy to stand upon request. For puppies going into the conformation ring, this is a must. For pets, this is just a smart command to teach the puppy if you ever need the puppy to stand. For example, when you take the puppy to the vet and the vet is doing an examination, it is easier for the vet to examine the dog while standing than it is laying down or sitting. Not to mention that it's easier for you to groom your dog if it is standing and not wiggling all over the place.

To teach your puppy to stand, go from a sit, pull the treat forward, and with the hand that pushed the puppy's behind into a sit, you now lift up slightly from under the front of it's back leg from the side. I use one finger, just to give the puppy the idea. With the other hand, pull the treat out in front of the puppy. You don't want the puppy to move it's back legs at all so don't pull the treat too far in front of the puppy. Once the puppy is standing, reinforce it with the word, "stand" and give them their treat.

I've had many show people complain to me that I teach both the sit and the stand at such a young age. But as far as I'm concerned, the puppy has 6 months before entering the show ring to figure out the difference between the two commands. And if the puppy gets them confused at 6 months, it's because you haven't put the time into the puppy to give them the solid foundation to understand the difference between the two. So who's fault is that really? LOL-I wouldn't blame the dog on that one. I firmly believe that sit and stand are two foundation commands that EVERY dog should learn at a very young age. And the time is right to begin the training.

Crate Training - REPOST

Since we're talking about puppies, I thought I'd repost my blog on crate training:

I can't believe how many times I hear people say, "putting dogs in a crate is cruel, and I just won't do it". And my response is always to each your own, but don't come asking me how to fix your problems if you won't try my solution. Crating dogs is only cruel if you leave them in there for long periods of time, and allow them to soil in their crate. If you crate train correctly, it is not cruel to the dog, and may relieve your stress at the same time.

Before domestication, dogs lived in dens. They used their dens for safety and protection. Naturally they kept their dens clean by soiling outside their living area. Crate training is based on the concept that puppies will do all they can to avoid soiling their living area.

Steps to crate training:
1. When buying a crate, make sure it is the correct size for your dog. For a puppy, an adjustable crate is the best. For an adult dog or a small dog puppy, you should size the crate so they can stand up in it and can turn around easily. If the crate is too big, your puppy may find a corner of it to potty in, and it will make housebreaking more difficult.

2. When you have the puppy and the crate, begin by placing a soft towel in the bottom of the crate for it to sleep on. Make sure that whatever you put in there is washable because no matter how diligent you are about taking a puppy out to potty, there will be accidents. You may also want to put a shirt that you have worn (and that you don’t care that it gets chewed on) in the crate to help comfort the puppy for the first few weeks.

3. Very young puppies need to potty every hour. Under a year old, they do not have full bladder control. To begin teaching them to go outside, set an alarm for every hour and carry them outside to the place you want them to potty. As they are looking for a place to go, use a word or phrase that means “go outside and potty” so they get used to hearing it. When they potty, praise them with a high-pitched voice and play with them with a toy. As the puppy gets older you can stretch this time to an hour, then two hours, then three (if necessary). At night while they are sleeping, you can stretch this 2-3 hours. They puppy will usually tell YOU when they are desperate and need to go.

4. After the puppy has gone potty, it is OK to bring them back in the house to play. Keep a close eye on them for sniffing and any signs that they may need to go back outside. If you can’t supervise the puppy, put it back in its crate. The idea is that you don’t want to give the puppy the opportunity to soil in the house until they absolutely understand that outdoors is the place to go.

5. On the occasions that you can’t take the puppy outside every hour. Never confine your puppy to its crate for more than 3 hours at one time. Like I said earlier, young puppies don’t have strong bladder control and they don’t like soiling their crate. After a year old, it is not uncommon for a dog to be able to go 8 hours between potty breaks, but don’t expect a puppy under a year to be able to do that.

6. Never scold your dog for mistakes, especially in young dogs, it is not their fault. It is the owners fault for not supervising them close enough. And not responding to the clues the dog is giving that it needs to go outside. As an owner, start watching for those clues. Most puppies will want to go outside after they wake up, after they eat, after playing and throughout the day at least every 3 hours. Watch for sniffing, running to the door, and a boost of energy followed by a pause. Always take the puppy outside after eating and sleeping.

Getting your puppy used to a crate:

Although dogs are den animals, your puppy will want to be with you instead of being alone. It has spent it’s entire life surrounded by litter mates, it’s mother and now you and your family. It does not want to be alone. Here are some tips to make the crate transition easier...
1. Before you put the puppy in it’s crate, take it out to potty. Then give it a good amount of exercise, so it is tired. If you put a puppy back in it’s crate when it’s wide awake and wanting to play, you’ll never hear the end of it...

2. When you put the puppy in it’s crate and it immediately starts to cry, ignore it. The puppy wants you to come back and let it out. If you break down and run in there, you’ve given in to the puppy and the next time it will cry even louder and longer. Don’t yell at the puppy either. Just go ahead with your daily activities and ignore the cries. Eventually they will stop.

3. If the puppy has been quiet in the crate for awhile and then you hear it crying, it may need to go potty. Try to get to the puppy before it starts crying for very long. Don’t wait it out to see if it will stop. If you do that, then all you’ve done is taught it that if it cries long enough, eventually you’ll come get it. This is especially important at night. Most people don’t want to set an alarm at night to take the puppy outside on a regular basis, so they wait until they hear the puppy crying. The quicker you get to the puppy and get it outside, the quicker you’ll get back to sleep. At night, after the puppy goes potty, it will most likely want to play. You have two choices, play with the puppy (consistent to what you are doing during the day) and wear it out before putting it back in the crate, or putting it back in wide awake and listening to it cry. Either way you’re not going back to sleep until it does!

4. The crate should be the puppy’s house and safety area. The puppy should eventually want to go in there on it’s own when it’s tired and wants to sleep. Never confine a puppy in crate for punishment. And don’t leave it in it’s crate for long periods of time. Puppies need exercise and interaction with your family to become well-rounded dogs.

The importance of socialization...

Shibas are a breed that need early socialization in order to have a well-rounded dog as an adult. While some problems that I have seen in all breeds may have a genetic basis, early socialization with people, noises, rides in the car, and the world around them outside your house could make or break the dog's disposition later in life. Even dogs that have some genetic propensity toward shyness or fearfulness, can be socialized to a point that very little bothers them. It is much easier to do this as a puppy than try to correct an adult dog that is shy or fearful.

Puppies, like little children, are sponges at this age. They are taking in everything around them and filing it away. The more you show your puppy, the less chance they will have of being uncomfortable in a new situation later in life. Puppies need to know that as long as you are there, no matter where you are or what situation you are in, they are safe.

I am going to give one quick warning. Until your puppy has all it's puppy shots, do not socialize them with unfamiliar dogs, or take them to places where dogs that you don't know may play. Common sense prevails when it comes to socializing your new puppy. You need to know that the dogs your puppy is playing with are free from diseases that may make your new puppy sick. But once those shots are completed, controlled socialization with other dogs and cats should be a priority.

BUT, while you are waiting for your puppy to have shots, it is still imperative that you take your puppy outside your house. Let them hear the roar of cars and airplanes. Let them see people outside of your home - Introduce them to young children, seniors, people on crutches, people that use wheelchairs, people that wear hats (don't laugh, I have a dog that is afraid of baseball caps and cowboy hats) or sunglasses. Introduce them to crowds of people, different noises, fast moving things like a balloon full of air being let go to shoot across the room. Walk under things flapping in the breeze like clothes on a line, or a shade tarp. And most importantly, let strangers pet your puppy. The more hands that touch your puppy in a kind and gentle way, the more that reinforces to the puppy that people are good and kind.

At this age (8 weeks), I carry puppies around instead of expecting them to walk on leash. That does 3 things:
1. It keeps the puppy away from droppings of other dogs.
2. It gives the puppy a sense of security as you are introducing them to new things
3. It gives you control of the situation (other dogs and people can't interfere with your training as easily-for example: it's easy to step on a small puppy if you don't know it's there)

When the puppy has all it's shots and walks well on a leash, then I take them out without carrying them. But you should still practice walking on a leash even at this age in environments that you know are safe for your puppy.

Playing with the big dogs...

I took Chase, used to be Boy #1, out to play with the big dogs. At first he wasn't sure what to think of them. But it didn't take him long to figure out that Farley, the aussie, is just one big play toy. If there is one good role model in this house, it is Farley, so I'm hoping some of Farley's good traits rub right off on little Chase.

Seven Weeks

Ouch... for our 7 week birthday celebration, we got to visit the veterinarian for our first shots. We also got our microchips which came in an even bigger needle. Not a fun way to celebrate. But we were all extremely good puppies and barely even flinched. Soon we will be meeting our new families who are anxious for us to come live with them.

Our personal updates:
Health checks are fine on the 3 bigger puppies. Squeekers, as we figured, has some neurological damage. But she is eating well and her heart sounded fine. She's walking, running, jumping, playing with the other puppies and even instigating play. The vet thinks she'll do fine in a loving, caring household. And we've found that home for her and they are very excited for her to be with them.

In the spirit of Valentine's Day...

Here are four of the sweetest 6-week old puppy faces you will ever see.

General Update: We are all eating real food, but the process of having mommy leave has not been an easy one. We love our mommy and scream when we see her. Tama on the other hand is ready to let her babies grow up. She has been an exceptional mommy, but she is ready for them to pack their bags and move on to their forever homes. Soon enough Tama. But for the human mommy, it's going to be a sad, and very quiet day, when my babies leave me. No one greets you when you walk in the door like the happy faces of four 6-week old puppies.

Boy #1:


Girl #1:


Girl #2:


Boy #2:

On the run at 5 weeks

The puppies are at a really fun age. They are exploring their world and are learning to run. And they love to go outside and play. The above picture is Piggy, racing across the yard at full speed. The puppies are beginning to regularly eat Mary's Marvelous Mash, which makes Tama happy that she has a break from those razor sharp puppy teeth.

So here's the overview of the week.

Boy 1: He is the thinker. He explores a little more cautiously than the others, but shows no fear or shyness. He and his brother play very loud and rough together when they are inside.


Girl 1: She is our explorer. She is also very, very sweet. She wants to be picked up and wants to be held and cuddled. And she's still the best one to give kisses. She climbed up our rock stairs from bottom to top, so I was able to snap this picture.


Girl 2: I saw alot of progress in her this week. She is nursing very aggressively and holding her own against the mob when they all make the mad dash towards mom. She is tasting the food that I give her but not eating much of it yet. She is walking very steadily. She is still behind the other puppies in many ways. Her teeth are just now breaking through. The other puppies have very painful little chompers, and have had them for at least a week. She is now 2 pounds.


Boy 2: He's outgoing, loves the outside and plays very rough with his brother. Cute as can be.

Dakota has a boy...

Sometimes you have to know when to let go when it is beneficial for the other person. In this case, for the other dog. As much as I would like to have Dakota stay with us for eternity, I realized long ago that I was not a border collie person. And while Dakota was easy to train and became my most titled dog, for the past 6 months we haven't touched a piece of agility equipment. Dakota needed and deserved more than being a pet. He wanted a job and a family that would cherish him. I have said for several years that Dakota would make the perfect junior handler's dog. With Dakota's patient personality, and being fully trained, he could help teach a kid to run a dog. So on Saturday, Dakota went to live with his new 12-year old owner and his family and three other dogs. He is headed back into the agility ring as soon as the two have time to practice together. As much as I might miss my black and white furry friend, I couldn't be happier that this worked out the way it did.

I received an email last night saying that Dakota is fitting in well, and that they are very happy with him. It is meant to be.