Puppies' First Big Adventure

So yesterday, Yishai asked me if I would like to walk with him up Bishop Peak. Then, I thought, "What a perfect puppy adventure!" I felt really bad about leaving Fury and Rexy behind, but five dogs is quite a handful sometimes, so they chilled at home (they get fun times today), and I leashed up the little rascals and went to pick up Yishai and his kid and headed up the peak.


Here it is:

While the photo makes it look incredibly rural, if you just look over the hills in the midground, you'll find houses. Bishop peak is about a twenty minute walk from my house or a five minute drive. The hike starts at the chapparel line and you end up on the top of the rocks there.

Y watches as they take off Wet-Aussie-Gremlin-style down the path. "PUPPIES! COME BAAAAAAACK!"


So then, once we got them back on leads, it was a heck of a time getting them up over rocks and such until they learned how to negotiate it all. Once we got higher up on the mountain, I let them off lead. They're very obedient - something everyone who stopped noticed. I have to say, though, if, at 12 weeks they don't come when called, sit and chill while I do whatever I need to, I didn't do my job. They're supposed to be biddable.


As soon as the leads came off, Moto managed to hurl himself into a bush and get stuck. Emma felt bad for him and went in after him eventually, but not before he got himself extracted (never help them, they gotta learn to do it themselves, these adventure dogs).

Saaaaaave me!

THey kinda looked like those little remote-control 4-Wheel Drive trucks going up over this stuff, especially as they got more tired. Rrrr, rrrr! I was really impressed with Emma on this one. She's usually slower and dopey compared to the other two, but she consistently charged the rocks, figured out the tricks and stayed ahead of the pack on the trails. It's amazing what she continues to bust out. I'm glad that I got to keep her longer to find out that she is, while often overlooked, a totally awesome little Aussie.


Then we get up to the summit blocks, and they just aren't big enough to do it themselves yet, so Yishai hoists them:

A

And we're on top! It was really windy, not that the puppies cared:

And back off again. At this point, Moto's all legs, and gangly ones.

 While the girls eagerly follow Yishai as he trots down the hill, Moto says, "I give up."

And so, like a good momma bringing up the rear, I pick him up and carry him until we catch Yishai (you don't catch Yishai, he stops and waits for you), at which point I told him that he had successfully deflated Moto's ego when he got left behind. What a bad breeder dad. And Yishai's like, "But the other girls wanted to charge, he was left with you, it was fine!" "And just how does that make you feel, that poor Moto had to get stuck being carried, and left out of the fun!" Ahh yes, just a preview of our parenting skills at work. Poor Motzi. Soon enough, he will be knocking Yishai out of the way, and then we shall see, won't we?


Oh, on that note, unless something crazy happens, I'm giving up and taking Moto for my own. I'll leave him posted as for sale, but there are only a couple homes I can imagine him going to. I think he's too awesome just just place in a pet home and heck, Yishai and I are in love with him. Three dogs in the family isn't too many, right? But I said I only wanted to be a one-dog gal! AHHH!


Also, i feel like a real breeder! This was in my inbox this morning:


"Hello i am JACK MOORE i saw an advertisement, and am interested in buying,do you still have the pet for sale? if yes, please i will like you to email me more information about the advertisement and the final asking price.my email address is jack2moore22@yahoo.com and phone number is 206-339-4965."


And my immediate thought is, "Scammer." The pet? The listing that the guy got off this is in a cattledog section, and the price is listed. But follow up, right?


Me: More info on Moto can be found at http://www.maculated.com/Tara/litters.html. He is $800 firm. I am looking for a stock or trialling home for him.


Jack: Thank you for the reply, i want to know if you accept money order payment get back asap.


Oh yeah, it's a scam: http://www.puplistings.com/pages.php?page=8


But you never know, so I write: I can. But I would like to know a lot more about you before we talk about payment.


And he comes back with: Thank for the reply, i live in Ca and i am a business man with three beautiful kids two boys and a girl. what more do you want to know, also i will want to explain the shipping process to you get back asap.


Yeah, no deal buddy. There's no shipping process that you're dictating, especially not in California. And 206 is a Washington number. I told him to shove it and find someone dumber than me. No response. Surprised?

I am so legit! I got the puppy buyer scam!!

Rippa and Moto's dumb ears

Today, I would like to discuss Rippa's stupid ears:

"what YOU lookin' at?"

I have never, in the history of me knowing Aussie puppies, ever seen an ear sit naturally like that one on her left does. The right ear oscillates between the triangle ear, rose, and high triangle, but the left ear is like, "Yo, I am so high, but I fold over. But weirdly, toward the middle of her head. Isn't is awesome?"

No, it is not awesome. I am neurotic about such things. Yishai has agreed to wait a week and if there's no change, the ear glue comes out. I am all for natural, but lack of symmetry is not my favorite. Especially when, despite a crummy bite right now that I'm hoping she'll grow out of, she's got awesome conformation and I would love to get a championship with her if possible. Yishai just wants a WTCh. Just. But I'll take it. :) 

Moto, on the other hand, has a weirder problem: he spends 50% of his day with them inside out. I have, again, no idea why.

Emma remains adorable and perfect and will be going to her new home in a week. (YAY!)

This week, the puppies discovered mirrors:

And they all party down:

Puppy training

Wow, just wow.

So I've always been impressed with the speed at which Fury learns things and how consistent she is once she learns. I've not really been training the puppies here at home because I have never tried to do more than one dog at a time. But, the day was nice, I had some Natural Balance treats, and I thought I'd go out and give a whirl at both Emma and Moto.


Yishai's been working with Rippa a bit, so she's sitting and staying and coming on command pretty well. She gets pretty distracted when she comes over here, though.


But the other puppies haven't had any formal treat or command training until today. In ten minutes I had them sitting, staying, and laying down. Emma, I have been wondering if she is a little dumber than the other puppies as she's always slower to react and is not as athletic. It turns out she's just really, really mellow. 

Puppies are fun!If Moto doesn't find a home, I know I'm gonna have a good time with him. He's a little softer than I like, but maybe he'll grow out of it. It will be cute to do lessons with Yishai and Rippa . . . that's for sure.

Day . . . who cares?

So when people ask me how old the puppies are, it feels really weird and exact to be like, "11 weeks." Really, what does that mean to someone? Oh well. I realize counting days is getting harder as I am less regular with my accounts here. As well I should be - puppy whelping is giving way to dog raising and that's not the most uber interesting thing anymore. Most of you reading have had a dog at this age in your life so what's news? Nothing.

Confirmation that my theory that puppy personalities are sealed by seven weeks: my parents randomly dropped in last night (they live four hours a way and were on their way home from visiting my brother, but it was a surprise) and my mom gravitated toward Emma, saying, "This one is just like Fie" (whom she saw at four weeks) as she was so friendly, went straight to her. "Mom," I say, "That IS Fie." The other two puppies are getting kind of guardy right now. When I walk into Yishai's house, Rippa will bark at me intensely, and for a while, when it's clear she should recognize me. Moto likes to bark at strangers in the street and then go wiggle to them. I'm not pleased with either behavior, but it's a fear period so I am not correcting too much, except to pick them up and give them to the person they are barking at. Emma, however, remains calm as a cucumber.

I'm taking them outside now on walks. Or rather, Yishai usually does. Friday, I took the puppies on a field trip to Chris(my photographer)'s work a couple blocks from my house. Walking puppies on  three-leash tether system really teaches them how it's done as they correct themselves for the most part.

Saturday, we tripped the day fantastic by walking them downtown. Also my roommate's dog. And Fury. I felt like a total dog crazy with Yishai and I truckin' along with five dogs. Prior to that ALL five were in my room rocking out (they are at the age where both Rex and Fury find them to be immensely entertaining). Turns out that a pile of dogs is manageable. In only a few short weeks I went from one dog to five.

I will be glad to be back to one (or two)  ((or is that two and a half?)).

Yesterday was Pi day (for the non-nerds, Pi is a number used for circles: 3.14159 . . . and yesterday was 3/14), so my nerdy pals had a Pi party (ie, we made pies and had a picnic). The puppies came along. I'm still wary of putting them on grass, but it's not the dog park so I took the risk.

I'm glad I did. They need to get out and get a lot more socialized. Yishai's doing fine with his dog, but Moto and Emma kind of hang out at home most of the time and I don't think it's good for them. Moto especially, as he is an attention sponge but also getting reserved. Emma, well, I keep thanking God for having Emma be one of the last puppies living with us. I cannot believe that Emma and Reid came out of Fury. So mellow and friendly. The other four puppies are hard-chargers like she is. 

CHASE ME! Notice the other two puppies have already switched directions. Poor Emma is always a little slower than the others.

And then they discovered pie crumbs, which were super exciting . . .

 . . . but physically draining to eat, so it was naptime:

And then it was time to mess with sleepy puppies.

In other news, my mom was telling Yishai all about how I used to obsess over my puppies' ears and what a dog nut I was. He had to admit that he was considering letting me glue Rippa's ears -which are currently pretty wonky:

We both prefer the right ear in the photo - high and forward. SUPER cute. I guess I taught him well that he cares, too. For some reason Rips is not photographing super cute these days. Oh well . .. puppy uglies have commenced!

Day 76 - Sun again!

I woke up this morning and walked the kids out to the backyard and found it had rained overnight. Crazy. I also felt amazing. My schedule is back to "sane" and I got everything done yesterday. Feels good. I can only imagine what being a new parent feels like. Much respect.

We've been monitoring personalities of the puppies given that Fury is very reserved/protective and Yishai noticed this morning that Rippa, on her customary morning walk, was not so keen on strangers for the first time. Like, pulling AGAINST the lead to get to the mail lady that had a cookie for her. Going to have to watch her. Yishai's gonna be bummed if Rippa ends up like Fury, but at least we're prepared for that. I haven't gotten reports from other homes that that's the case. He's going to spend the day socializing her while I'm at work. I do know that you can't push them, but she was a very social puppy so maybe it's just fear periods or something.

Or maybe it's just because people keep asking Rippa if she is a toy/mini Aussie. Really? REALLY?

Anyway, it's been really enjoyable that all my puppies have so far gone to people with Facebook (not Emma, though). The steady photos/videos are awesome, but one thing I didn't think of was the constant praise for their cuteness/temperaments that others are giving to their new owners. I am so, so proud of this litter.

I am also really surprised at how DIFFERENT my puppies look from some of the conformation line puppies around their age that are posted there. So fluffy - little tiny eyes! My dogs look like small dogs. Amazing how that happens. I'll be curious to see if they mature that much differently, but I don't think so.

Anyway, let photo-tastic-ness begin!

First we have a couple from our out-easters:

Here's Curry in the snow looking like a viable stockdog on a wide outrun. :) 

Awesome headshot!

Playing with Bohdi.

And some of Piper:

Looka me - I am so faaaaaaaast!

No photos of Reid so far . . . oh wells.

Here's some twilight photos of the kids here in SLO:

Emma - sweet incarnate.

Oh, breederdad, I lick you!

I lick you, too, Moto.

See? His ears went back!

Raawr.

No, seriously. Rawr.

Yo, what up?

I am adooooorable.

Balance on my hind legs for you!