25Apr
The last few days have been fairly busy with new activities for the puppies. They were introduced to the sound of the hairdryer a few days ago and today I used it on them (low heat with a gentle setting at a distance) and they did not notice it. Sound desensitisation is ongoing with a wide variety of sounds that they will encounter in the future. A crate has been added and puppies naturally go in there to sleep. New beds, with a variety of types, textures and comfort levels have been added and the fluffy donut ones have been their favourite.
I have carried them into the garden one by one for brief sessions so they can look around, and smell the new scents before they can safely walk outside. They also said hi to Willow who calmly greeted them for a little sniff. She was the cutest girl who waited by the door to see who would come out next.
Alaska has calmly greeted and played gently with the puppies on a few occasions over the last week. Eclipse seems to adore her as he runs up, wags his tail fast and puts his paws up to her. It is a heart-warming sight to see Alaska, a Raven and Drake baby from their first litter, interacting beautifully with her full siblings. She could not make me any prouder with how well she socialises the puppies.
There are noticeable differences between the puppies that I have observed whilst doing different activities. I am making notes which will help me get a good idea of temperaments and the kind of homes that would suit them. It also helps me to tailor socialisation activities to each puppy so I can work at their pace. Ellie needs socialisation at a slower pace than her siblings. I am not worried as Colton (a Willow/Drake baby) also needed socialisation at a slow pace. At 6 weeks, I thought he would be a shy puppy but I worked with him up until the day he left and I could not be happier with him. He left as a confident puppy who travelled well and he took everything in his stride. I could talk a lot about him because I get to see his life via Instagram and with how he adapts to road tripping around Europe, sitting at the front of a fast boat, jumping through deep snow.. I feel like I did the best by him and his family have continued to provide him with good quality socialisation.
I find this interesting and it may sound quite daft. There are some puppies that do not stand out. They aren't shy, noisy, not scared of anything- they are the kind of puppies that go with the flow. They accept changes to their environment, welcome new dogs without getting in their face, and are so easy to socialise. Alaska was one of those puppies and what I find quite strange is that people don't remember her when they meet the pack. It would be easy to feel offended but I think this is actually a positive thing. She is amongst the others, well behaved, going long without demonstrating any perceived undesirable behaviours and with no obvious quirks, she does not get remembered. Willow will ask for things by using her paws- everyone loves that and remembers it. Raven licks people a lot and huffs and puffs. Hendrix looks cute and may make certain sounds that people cannot forget. Astra knows how to make people fall in love with her and she is the master at it. I need to video it one day as it is truly precious. In Alaska's litter, I can recall the words I used to describe the puppies on their 6 week profile post. Amber was similar to Alaska and it was actually quite difficult to write a lot about her. I remember saying she was a dream Pomsky with how well she adapts and I will never forget her new mum messaging me months later- she had always been a dream puppy. Artemis was another puppy who was perfect. I remember her mum saying how easy she was as a puppy and even now, she tells me how amazing she is. You know that feeling in your chest when you feel like your heart could burst with pride- that is exactly what I feel when I hear these stories about my puppies. Not only did I socialise them well but I managed to find the right homes for them. That is a massive responsibility to me. I would be heartbroken for the puppy if I placed them in the wrong home as I want the very best for each of them.
I have been itching to find rows of cherry blossom trees in the hopes of taking good photos. I came across a place in Harrogate and I decided to get my oldest sons to puppysit whilst I took the male dogs for a walk and a photo session. I haven't had the time to go through all the photos yet and even though my lenses need calibrating, I managed to get some photos that I am happy with. (I will try to remember to add more when I have gone though them).
I feel like one of my favourite TV shows need a mention. The Bad Dog Academy on Channel 4 makes an incredible, insightful watch. The dog trainers and behaviourists really do highlight key things dog owners need to look for and do with their dog. Learning to communicate with your dog, interpreting what your dog is actually saying, how to engage with them to get the desirable behaviour, strengthen the bond between owner and dog, utilising lickimats, and kongs to enrich their lives (to mentally tire them as well as to work with your dogs natural abilities). It truly is worth watching and it makes my heart sing when they say or do something that I have written sections about in my advice booklet for owners. I feel like I am getting it right as a dog owner and breeder. I also love how the show talks about the breed of the dog and what they were bred to do. Many people see a dog, like the look of it and will buy one. It is easy to forget that this breed was bred for specific purpose when they look cute. But there are traits to every breed and those traits can make them appear "naughty" in the wrong home. Working dogs are intelligent, need a job and will seek something to do if that particular need isn't being met. I could go on and on about this show but I will stop before I go on too much 😊
(My other favourite TV show is The Yorkshire Vet. Not only have I picked up tips but I love the way the vets genuinely care for the animals they treat. The respect they have and the way they communicate with owners and farmers, is what a vet should be. I think every episode has made me emotional. Happy tears when an animal pulls through a tricky operation, cries of relief when a calf takes their first breath and sad tears when nature takes a sad turn.)
~ Claire 🐾
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