FreaPoodle

Puppy News:  The pups are 2 weeks old now.  They are starting to dream.  They run and yip in their sleep. 

 Some are starting to open their eyes.  They motor swim fashion around their Mama for milk.  And personality begins to show.  One is nicknamed “constant comment,” another is “sleepy.”  But my favorite is the blue boy who seems to have growing pains and needs his legs rubbed or he cries.  He flips on his back and sticks his feet up as soon as he smells my hands.  He can’t even see but already he is confident I can be trained to assist him.

2 1/2 weeks:  The first walker, silver girl, struggled up on all 4 paws today and wobbled toward her Mama.  They all have their eyes open and crane their heads to see any new things.

3 weeks:  The puppies are now walking in wobbly fashion.  Mama lies down across from the puppy pile and they charge over to get some milk.  Then she moves to the other side and they charge across again.  They get lots of exercise.  They are big enough now that a full belly doesn’t automatically roll them onto their backs.  But 2 of them seem to prefer this position. 

 They are starting their voice lessons.  Little growles, little barks, and little whines and indications of agreement with eachother happen every hour.  Two have started pouncing but sometimes go backward in the effort to raise a paw to jump on the sibling of choice.

4 Weeks:  3 pups are now interested in toys - both pulling them and moving them.  The current favorites are an old handkerchef with knots in it and an old soda can.  Teething is on now and soon Mia will nurse less if they chomp.  The tiny new teeth are like little razors.  I’m introducing goat milk. 
*The small blue girl is an instigator.  She will take on more than she can handle.  She pounces her giant silver sister’s butt when she is still too clumsy to get away fast.  She drags a toy the bigger brother likes.  And the entire time she is getting herself into trouble, her tail wags like she thinks it is a helicopter blade and she could take off.  She is a peace maker.  She will be very happy no matter where you go or what you do … “do” being the salient word here ….  She will persist in training you in how to play and be happy, whether you want to go to sleep or not.  
*The snuggliest one is the smaller silver boy.  I thought he was going to be blue at first but he seems to be coming out silver.   He is the one who needed leg massages during growth spurts and he really thinks that is what we are all about - puppy massage.  He sees me and comes over and tries to climb to me even if he is in the middle of nursing.  He is also unusually scent oriented.  He already spends time tracking.  If someone wanted a truffle dog, I’d pick him.  He also seems the most sensible, observant, and matter-of-fact.  He is interested in the goals the others have and is most likely to pick up on his little sister’s plans.  He allowed me to use the clipper to clip his paw without protest the very first time.
*The highest drive pup is the big silver girl.  She was first out of the den, first out of the containment area, and made it 20 feet to the back door when she was 3 weeks old.  How she got that far I will never know.  But she is the basis for the iron clad containment 1 week early for this litter.  So far her goals seem to be eating, traveling, pouncing her siblings, and escape.  She snuggles very nicely, until she sees we are in a different room and then she wants to investigate it. After investigation, she will again ask to be picked up and snuggle.  She is teething now and they bother her a lot.  She chomps on anything.  She is profoundly grateful when I rub her gums with a wet cloth that has been refrigerated.  They all like this but when I pick her up she opens wide, knowing I will help.
*I’m thinking the middle sized blue girl may be bigger than she seems.  She lags 2 days on all development including opening her eyes and the 1st tooth cutting the gum.  This may mean she was actually born 2 days early and will be as big as the silver girl.  She tries to keep up.  She likes to be at the bottom of the puppy pile and unlike the others pushes her head under the others to nurse.  This bodes well for wanting to snuggle although she is not as attached to snuggling me as her little brother.  I’d say she is the second snuggliest.  She is quite a clown.  She walked into the goat milk dish and held her paw up in horror today.  The milk was cold and she thought she had broken or injured the paw.  After shaking it off she sat down to lick it.  She liked that and now stands full in the dish to have a drink.  She doesn’t seem to think she can get the milk without standing in it.  After she had quite a bit of it she sat down in it to finish drinking. Needless to say I was in stitches.  Mia cleaned her off thoroughly.

*The biggest one is growing so fast she is tired more often.  She will growl in the play battles and climb on me with the rest but she gets tired soon and has to have a little lie down to sleep it off.  If  Moma is available she nurses the longest.  They are past the age where the belly gets so full that they cannot stay upright.  That being said, she is the most likely to end up asleep on her back after nursing.  She snores a little and runs in his dreams.  The little silver paws going a mile a minute, but she is sound asleep.  My guess is that she will be easy going and affable and will want to have adventures like the ones she dreams of.  Food will be her favorite thing to train with.  She likes to drag things and will probably love anyone who will play fetch with a fling toy (like Dad does). 

 5 Weeks:  The pups have learned that when you want to nurse it is not a good time to multi-task, when the secondary task is teething.  We had a couple of days when Mama fled.  But life has returned to normal.  Now they have the joy of chewing on bones.  3 or 4 of them will chew together growling happily with their tails going.  I think they enjoy thinking of themselves as baby wolves.  When they are tired of chewing, the bone can always be used as a tug toy.  They are eating some kibble soaked in goat milk.  They don’t like this as much as the bone but it is gone in the morning.  And they are covered with dried on kibble.  Mama licks and chews it off and tries to keep them clean.  But the temptation to roll in the kibble dish often wins out and at least one of them generally looks like an armadillo (today it was the big silver boy) in the morning.   They wake up slowly and stretch before coming out to recieve the adoration that is due to them.  The larger blue girl and the little silver boy are generally first.   They all want to be picked up together.  I used to do that when they were tiny but now they are all two hand sized.  I put my arms down and they all climb over at once.  It is a churning climbing mass of pups as they climb over an arm and topple on the other side and come up and over the other way again.  This seems to be much more fun for them than actually being picked up and held.  They will climb me and their Mama for 20 or 30 minutes if we allow it.  I see the climbing and toppling as puppy bungie jumping.  In a couple of days they will be so big that it won’t be a challenge.  But for now it is the fun of the hour.

6 weeks:  They have had their first baths and have each reacted differently.  The littlest blue girl after complaining about being washed, marched over to the showerhead once I put it down and investigated it.  Her big brother was at that moment trying to leave the tub.  The big silver girl objected to the shower head but liked the massage associated with shampooing.  They all liked bath while they could wade in the warm water 1 inch deep but didn’t like the shower head.  They have had visitors and were very happy to have the opportunity to climb NEW people for a couple of hours.   Then they slept most of the afternoon after their big adventure.

6.5 Weeks:  It had to happen sooner or later.  They are trying to fly.  The big silver boy and the tiny blue girl have almost mastered it.  They lie in wait for a sibling on top of the pillow in their crate.  At the appropriate moment they fling themselves into the air with a growl of triumph.   They land on top of the unsuspecting sibling and are (drum roll here) often right side up.  The landed on sibling usually cries out, growls, and then being already on the ground and unable to fly, opts for a case of the puppy zoomies.   (Did the word Flounce come from Fly and Pounce because it seems somehow more appropriate than the current meaning of the word.)  The larger blue girl walks by with studied nonchalance then opts for bouncing sideways like a kitten at play because she secretly knew they were there and is teasing them.  Mia lays on top of their crate/den and surveys the mock carnage below while gnawing on her bone.  They are eating kibble, goat milk, steak, bones, chicken, cooked carrots, and acorn squash like the tiny vacuum cleaners that nature intended them to be.  Zum Wohl!

I’m not coming out.  She’s got the clippers again.

7 weeks and 2 days:  They were exhausted yesterday after driving to Portland for temperament testing.  They played for a couple of hours at Jac’s and slept all the way back.  But the puppies are back at it today.  Only this morning I washed an oxtail bone with the puppy laundry.  Unfortunately removing oxtail bones from the pump in the washing machine is not covered by its warrantee.  It is easy to see how this happened.  The puppies are forecasting a long cold spring.  If it comes, you heard it here first.  Being industrious and hedging their resources against such a catastrophe, they are burying their bones in their blankets and towels against the impending turn in the weather.  Only 2 days ago I saw one of the girls quite please with herself as she surveyed the corner of the puppy pen.   She had pulled up the blanket and tucked the bone neatly under the edge.  She stood back and surveyed her paw-work from several angles.  She adjusted the lay of the blanket a couple of times, shoving it firmly into place with her little nose.  Could it be seen? - No.  Could it be scented? - No - there is too much bone scent in the air already for that.  She bounced away.  A little later it was gone.  I don’t know what happened to it.  Perhaps it was this bone that I washed.

Character:  If anyone is planning to purchase the small blue girl, she comes with a warning lable:  Do Not Drive Me In a Crate.  She told me about this on the trip to Portland.  She was quite happy on the front seat all the way home.  I know it isn’t safe but it was necessary.  Call me a Bad-Poodle-Mom if you will. 

8 weeks old:  They are big now and starting to figure out what it means to be a dog.  They think Wally’s ears are a great tug toy.  They had a busy week.  They got shots and microchips on Monday.  The vet diagnosis was that they are the cutest puppies on the planet, which means he has good taste.   As the pups are selected, each one gets a permanent collar.  Then on Friday they met a family and a little boy.  They ran and played like crazy with all the people they needed to attend to and entertain during this meeting.  The little boy had very tempting boots and a couple of puppies needed to put their heads inside of these.  Then on Saturday they had their eyes checked.  It seems that eye vets also need to have their faces thoroughly scrubbed by puppies.  The silver girls went to visit a dog named Scarlett in the park.  Scarlett wasn’t sure about puppies but by the end of the interview they managed to come within inches of her.  It was a breathtaking challenge and they struggled mightily to get to her.  She had tempting long silver ears.  But people kept holding onto them.  Then at one point Yellow tried to break free to potty.  But was restrained by me - the penalty was a potty in my lap.  Then I let her go and she ran off to finish her potty on the grass.   All the way home the song “Hush Hush Sweet Scarlett” kept playing in my head while the puppies slept.  In the morning they were not chewing on people but then this afternoon they had another family to meet and they all chewed on them for a while.  Then the silver boy went to meet a dog called Missy.  She graciously allowed him to smell her caboose end.   The family will take the little boy so he gets his Harley Davidson collar.  Now 4 of them have collars.  When the people left Mia was relieved to see that none of them were gone and checked them all quite carefully.  It will be hard for all of us to see them go.

When the sun is out and the puppies can play outside they are so happy.  They were outside for hours sunday afternoon.  Mia was in the little puppy pen with them.  They chased her round and round.  She has begun to train them.  Yes means yes and no means definitively no.  There is no way a human being could duplicate the detailed instructions she is laying down.  Apparently there is a ok level of tugging on an ear or tail but beyond that level of pressure, you are on your back facing teeth.  It is ok to pounce and play with your smaller sibbling but a serious level of yelp and you are on your back facing teeth.  It is ok to yell at your mother but when she tells you to be quiet because the big dogs are out next door and you continue to bark you are … you get the picture.  On the other hand forgiveness is instantaneous.  Going limp means they get to jump up and play.  Once the rules are followed everyone can play, sniff in corners, get a little nursing in, and chase her and chase her and chase her …  Further she has important skills to teach.  Digging was the order of the day.  Once the big dogs were out next door she decided they needed hidy holes and set about digging my rocky soil furiously.  The puppies helped.  As soon as 2 or 3 of them were working on a hole, she started another.  After an hour or two, they had built 3 little holes and she proceeded to force them to lie down in them.  And if you wouldn’t lie down in them you were on your back … again.  As evening settled I had also dug some soil and sifted it while watching them.  I let them out of the pen to come in.  They stared in wonderment at my hole.  I think it seemed a very good hole to them because they immediately offered to help dig it.  Little did they know all the equipment I had used, where they had done their holes with tiny paws.  Once inside I began making them dinner, only to find Mia had rummaged through the garbage and brought them some cooked chicken bones.  I knew these might splinter so I took them away while she glared at me in disbelief …  And then fed them.  She wandered after me giving me alternate sits and right turns for some left over puppy chow.  It was a good day.

I’ve started the training of being in a crate.  These little guys don’t like being without their little siblings.  Such a fuss!  They are studying for the role of Hundin Soprano.  Actually they are getting better.  Only 2 of them were singing on the way to grooming yesterday.  It goes better if they are completely exhausted.  So I let them charge around the livingroom.  Seems to take about 2 hours now.  Then as they are starting to collapse I put them each alone in a kennel with fresh bones.  They are sometimes ok for as much as 30 seconds before they notice the betrayal of their trust and raise their voices in protest.  But I’ve even had 3 of them fall asleep after periods of thunderous protest.  I’m also putting stinky treats like bits of cheese in the kennels so they check it out often.  To get them to go in and stay a little longer I spread peanut butter in a thin layer on the walls.  Still they are not easily fooled.  Way too smart for my own good.

10 weeks:  Two of the puppies left yesterday.  The puppies are so lucky to get such nice homes.  It makes giving them to their people almost easy.  The little silver boy went first.  He was pleased to see his people and wanted to make friends with his new sister dog Missy.  He was still excited and playing as they drove away.  The pictures that arrived the next morning show him playing with Missy and sleeping on the couch.  The little silver girl seemed quiet and concerned afterward.  She took a nap while we waited for her people and then was excited to see them again.  The news on her is that she stays within 5 feet of her new human companion and sleeps in his lap while he works - and that her new dog friend Scarlett is warming up to her.

Mia looked for the missing pups for about 24 hours.  Then she decided to focus her time on the remaining 3 pups.  Today she handled bones differently than 2 days ago.  She asks the puppies to move into the crate/den and brings the bones in and parks herself outside the den as if to say that she is keeping closer watch on the remaining pups.  When they are not in the den she is more strict on appropriate puppy behavior.  They are apparently no longer allowed in the livingroom but must stay in the puppy room.  The pups seem to like this game of being pushed back to the puppy room and challenge her a little more.  Once they are back where she thinks they should be they bounce up and stand on their back feet with their front paws on her back looking around like 3 little sentinels.  Wednesday another pup goes out and next week the 4th. 

It was a great 10 weeks and I miss their soft fur and quick kisses - even the sharp little teeth already.  But I’m getting emails with pictures and puppy stories.  I know they will be happy and that makes it worth the missing.

I’m getting reports back from their new families on all the puppies.  Lucy (little blue girl) has discovered that kibbles are actually little mice and must be pounced on before you eat them.  She also had an altercation with herself in the mirror.  She glared at her reflection and the puppy in the mirror glared right back and scared her.  A little later she discovered the body language had changed and made friends with the poodle in the mirror.  Ael (smaller silver girl) is learning to love everyone in her family including Scarlett (an older silver girl) and loves to race around her new yard.  I got to see amazing pictures of her standing in tall grass and sleeping on her new friend Scarlett and climbing on her people.  I’m told she only woke her people up once last night to go out to Potty!  Jerry (little silver boy) is getting to know Missy and his new family.  It was nice to get pictures of him sniffing in the yard with his new friend.

Two of the pups are still here.  Pink is waiting for her new friend to finish her exams.  Flower is waiting for her new friend to pick her up.  So Mia has some little fur balls to play with still.  For a few days she would not let them out of the little yellow room.  She herded them into the crate for fresh bones and laid down blocking the door.  I think she felt if she kept them closer they would not also disappear.  But now they all run together outside.

Here are some “Lucy Tales” I was going to try the bell on the door trick, but Lucy grabbed the leather lace that had the bell (a large ‘jingle bell’) tied to the other end and took off with it, and the bell CHASED her, not once, but twice.  After that she didn’t dare drag the lace around any more, but she hasn’t forgiven the bell for chasing her, and when she takes any notice of it at all, she barks to chastise it.   Lucy likes chewing on the ratty old rope toy that belongs to the big dogs, and is bigger than she is, but she loves dragging it around.  Last night Scout was starting to teach her to play tug with it.  He would dangle it in front of her, play-growling, and then be very careful to shake it only gently when she grabbed hold of the other end.

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Before you buy a puppy, please consider providing a home to a rescue dog.  This economy has been very hard on dogs.  There is a rescue page at www.pugetsoundpoodleclub.org 

Old Dog Haven now has 5 old poodles who need a home.  Old dogs have a very hard time finding a home.  If you would like to find a dog or make a donation to http://www.olddoghaven.org/ they have saved the lives of 23 poodles in 2009.  They provide permanent foster for many of these dogs.  I really couldn’t do the poodle rescue work that I do without them.

Pictures of Past Pups

Sadie has gone off to a pet home to do agility.

Taji has gone to a pet home to make everyone happy.

Pet puppies come with a current Vet health certificate, record of shots, micro-chip, five to seven generation pedigree, copies of the genetic background information, and a guarantee regarding genetic health.

All puppies being placed into pet homes must be spayed or neutered.

Purchase Considerations

I want my puppies to go to permanent homes. I give you your puppy during the period of time when it is learning how the world works. Your puppy has met lots of people, a variety of other animals, and has begun potty training. However, it is in a critical learning period.  From 8 to 12 weeks the puppies decide how to live in the world they know.  The things you teach the puppy and the way you care for the puppy help define its future abilities.

Service dogs

I love it when my puppies get to have a real job to do.  I give people who need a service dog priority over all other people.

Application

If you would like a puppy, send me an email (freapoodle@comcast.net) and answer the following questions:

Have you ever had a poodle before?

How do you train your dog?

How long did you have your dogs?

What living situation can you offer the poodle?

How will you care for the puppy/dog if you go away for a while?

Can you be with the puppy or have some other living friendly animal (another dog or cat) stay with the puppy 24 hours a day until it is 12 weeks old?

Will the puppy be in its crate in your room (or with another friendly animal) while you sleep until it is at least 4 months old?

Are you sure you can deal with the poodle coat?

Who is your vet? Can I call them for confirmation?

Why should I trust you with one of my puppies?

Tell me about your favorite dog ever - what kind of puppy do you want?

Please be detailed here so I can pick the right one. Puppies are as individual as we are so tell me everything.

Couch potato or agility dog?

Morning dog or cat like persistence with romping at night?

Sweet and quiet or rambunctious and playful?

Biddable or driven?

Barks a lot, a little, or very quiet?

Lots of companionship or pretty independent?

Mila and Marko are off to see the world because inquiring minds want to know!

At the end of the day, people are the best couches.

Ok - so you can hardly see him, but look for the little silver dog in 9 dogs from the right side of the picture in front of his beloved Lynn (red hair, blue shirt).  This is Toby when he got his certification to begin sheep herding.  I could not believe the sheep thought they should do what he said because he is so little.  But they went everywhere he told them to go.  The sheep have great handler attention.