Tyme Pups ~ 5 weeks

Pups are now 5 wks old and waking/play time has increased to about 1 hour at a time. Since their mobility has increased it was time to introduce them to the hoop, right at floor level. They were quick to investigate this new 'toy', and not an issue to go through it.

Crate training begins .... 5 pups in a small crate

No one's told them yet that Plough---ing to the other end of the plate isn't better food ~ you just get your feet all wet!
Guess it's time to bring out the round metal food bowl ~ tomorrow ~ then they can't plough thru it as easily.

We have more play fighting happening, more standing over one another in a dominant posture ~ will try and get a pic of that ~ more things in their mouths!!! like dust bunnies when they're out to play!

In comparison, here's the white faced girl of Bliss (sire Whistler) 11 days younger. This litter is just starting to get up on their feet with a bit of mouthing. Sleep & nursing are still their priorities.

something furry to cuddle with ~ makes them feel secure

Clean, clean, change, mop, launder are the words of the day, even more now ~ mom isn't doing much of the work now!

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Learning Really Starts to Ramp Up Now

Many people don't know how puppies start out day by day in their abilities, and how it starts to escalate week by week as they mature. Hopefully I can shed some light as we follow Tyme's litter along. I'll do my best to post these changes.

Tyme's pups are almost 5 wks and their abilities to do all kinds of things are starting to ramp up. They can't run, just waddle. They are just starting to explore spaces that are a bit larger, but that can be scary, each time they are out to play they get more confident. Toys are still small as they can't do too much damage with their tiny teeth and lack of jaw power. They don't know how to carry items yet either. Small toys that make noise, like rattles for babies is good. Just like babies, everything goes into their mouths.

They are still at the point that if they are uncertain, they will drop and stop, just as if they were in the wild and a bird of prey flew over head ... get down, stay low and still ... it's in their genetic make-up.

Bite inhibition starts now too as they play fight with one another.

They are still on softened puppy food mixed with baby pablum, although the percentage of soft puppy food is being increased each day. Mom is not with them on a regular basis now, but spends on/off time with them during the day, sleeping in her crate at night.

checking out the taste, texture of a shoe ~ does it squeak, yelp, with this amount of pressure? Let's try it.

human skin ... humm .. what's it taste like?

the MOP!!! funny smell ... texture ... OMG it can move! wonder if we can stop it?
What can I say ... Yes, I'll admit it, between the mop & the broom keeping their life tidy & clean - it's the only bad habit my puppies learn! Owners must 'undo' this once the puppy comes home or they'll help you house clean in ways you don't want. It's an easy fix with consistency.

hummm .... this moves and makes a noise

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Xmas Count Down

Tyme's pups are now just over 4 wks and it was time they were moved into a large x-pen area. After exploring, playing with new toys ...

Oopps! who put that in my way!

hummm ... will it squeak? maybe a treat in there?

time for everyone to crash ~ 31 days of sleep till the Big Red Man called Santa Claus comes

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Winter Booties For Dogs

Winter is on it's way ~ whether we're going to like it or not!

I get asked many times about whether shelties need booties for walking in the winter. My general answer is no, not usually. One of the biggest keys is you need to keep the hair trimmed on the bottom of their feet. Below is a pic of one foot that's been trimmed, the other still to be done. One of the areas dogs sweat is from their paws, (did you know this?) and thus with the hair & their sweating it all leads to those big snow balls that collect between their pads. This can cause small cracks in the thinner areas between their toes. Not to mention all the sand/salt they pick up! Dog's pads are meant to be rough and able to handle most surfaces ~ just think ~ they can run through dried grass, prickly weeds, woods with who knows what on the ground, over rocks and we don't consider protecting them during this time.
So, when might booties help? If you have no choice but to walk on heavily salted streets every day, and especially when we have those minus 30C consistent days, they can help. Those icy days we get can help with traction. Or maybe you have a senior dog, arthritic dog, that needs help with traction.

There are two problems with booties - one will the dog walk with them on??? and two will they stay on? There are many kinds on the market. You need to 'train' your dog to accept them on their feet. Don't just put them on the day you need them as many will shake, pull them off or just fail to move! Train them in the house, one bootie at a time, a few good treats to distract them and make it fun. Maybe play with a toy, so they aren't thinking about them. Work up till they accept all four.

These are ones I've seen in action. I have one in my dog class, with a waxed floor, there is a Rotti that will slip on the sit. She wears these and they stay on for the full hour, no matter what she's doing.
Check out this site ... click on the pic from their home page ~ Pawzdogboots.com
Biggest question, where can you get them? I plugged in my location and found Pet Value carries them. They come different sizes ... but hey! take your dog and use it as a training/socialization situation at the same time.

Enjoy winter! and don't forget to groom those feet.

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Saying Good-bye

Maybe this post will help heal the pain I'm feeling.

Sassy was a major part of our life, returning for boarding many, many times. She was raised here as one of our own, but went on to her new home around 6 yrs of age.

Ceilidh, Sassy, Teegan

She lived with 2 other dogs, unfortunately Ceilidh passed to the Rainbow Bridge this past spring.

Sassy @ 4 yrs of age

She was in for boarding, and altho we knew she had not been doing well since early this spring, each time she seemed to rally back. Yesterday it was not to be. I captured the above picture early yesterday ... it's almost as if the stuffed sheltie is saying 'I feel for you'.

I had the hard job of seeing her get her wings, to run free and to visit with all her previous friends. As I drove home with tears in my eyes, the sun was setting, a bright red sky that I'm sure was welcoming her.

Sassy .. your sweet face, loving pokes with your nose will be missed not only by us here, but your real family. A special thank-you to our Almonte Vet Hospital for all your care and support.

Golden Hylite's Spit Fire
Dec 6, 2000 - Nov 15, 2011

" Every time I lose a dog, they take a piece of my heart with them. And
every new dog who comes into my life gifts me with a piece of their heart.
If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog, and I
will become as generous and loving as they are"
author unknown

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An Xmas Surprise is Coming

We've confirmed by palpation that our Gralochs Blueberry Tart is pregnant! She's been bred to one Canada's Top Stud Dogs in the 21st Century ~ Am/Cdn Ch Apple Acres Expedition ROM/ROMC. This breeding can not only produce blue merles and tris, but also bi-blues and bi-blacks.

Needless to say, it made for that all important decision, our family's xmas dinner will have to be held at our place this year.

Too bad ultrasound can't yet predict colours :)

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Tyme Pups 2.5 wks Old

Still a warm day for early November, the sun shining at the moment, so I took Tyme's pups out in 2 groups to get some pictures of them @ 2.5 wks of age. We've now progressed from Saturday with their eyes opening then, now their ears are opening and they are able to hold their heads up better. They still can't wag their tails! I had a hard time picking which pictures to put up.

3 of the smaller girls from Tyme's litter

sun feels so good

this pup now able to hold her head up is sniffing the air ~ one of the best things they do from birth

hello pretty one

the 2 larger girls
"Cocoa" named by the "take your kid to work day"

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Tyme Pups 2 weeks old last Saturday

As we follow Tyme's pups as they grow, here are some updated pictures of them @ 2 weeks of age. Iif you remember, they easily fit into this red donut bed; they now fill it!

eyes and ears are still shut

warmth, sleeping, mother's milk and huddling are their activities in life at this stage;
they also have a twitch, flicking their limbs, which is the body's way of exercising at this stage if you don't see it, then a pup is in trouble.

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Bliss's Pups Have Arrived

I've been tardy in getting our most recent news of our new litter up ... life with dogs has that way of loosing time.

Last early Wednesday morning, after a long night with Bliss's delivery we had to head to the vet for assistance. We had a large stuck pup coming feet first and I knew I'd exhausted myself, and Bliss to get this pup out. We needed a c-section, without too much time to waist. Ultrasound showed we had slower than normal heart beats on the remaining pups. With many hands on deck, and I mean many! as not only did my girlfriend Marylou spend the night up with me & go to the vets, but Mary-Anne ended up taking that day off work to attend to the crew at home. (yes, if her boss is reading this ~ I can confirm this was her reason for not being there ~ I understand this is a new one for you :) ) Then there was 'take a kid to work day', which I had one coming to the house that day to learn the ins/outs of kennel life, plus there were several at the vet clinic also. Other than the vet, the assistants, the vet tech and the receptionist I totally lost track of who I was handing pups to, asking them to rub them and make them cry, keep them warm, remove wet/dirty towels ... the list went on. I thank all those that stepped in, without time to think, or a drink of their coffee, as they arrived at the clinic with all this going on. In the end, we came home with 3 perky girls.

BPIS Ch Shelamo's Riding The Sky x Ch Shelamo Hearts Delight

3 females 1 day old

the 3 girls 5 days old
(thanks to clients for this picture)

here they are, now 1 week old

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