TALKING TO THE PUPPIES

First thing in the morning once the adult dogs are out, I check on the pups and spend time talking to them. They get pretty excited and talk back with tails wagging furiously. The tail wagging has really come on this week. Personalities are beginning to really emerge. This is the fun stage of puppies but also the work stage. Mom is getting tired of cleaning up and now that work falls to me. They need to be changed several times a day and the puppy laundry mounts up. Soon we will progress to papers with blankets in the corner for sleeping. They basically try to be clean and not poop where they sleep. You probably wonder why I talk about this but the amount of work is so much more than you think. It is on going all day. Aside from the feeding and cleaning is the socializing, which is so important. There is so much for them to experience and their little minds take it all in. Each week there is so much progress and by the time they are 8 weeks old their little minds are like sponges and will absorb as much as you want to teach them. I usually start house training at 8 weeks and I also teach sit and a couple of basic commands. Within a couple of minutes they understand sit so well and get so excited, praise them profusely. They will never forget this time. 
Once pups get into their new homes 8 weeks to four months is a critical time.  They need the most socializing during this time, they need to do things that build their confidence.The pups have a basic foundation and now it is up to you to take over and help them become awesome pets and well adjusted. So much of their development now depends on you. Socializing should continue through their lives.
I am getting ahead of things here. Next week I will get the little cat tunnel out and let them play with running in and out. They love this and don't forget the tunnel as they grow. 
I hope to get more pictures when they turn five weeks. Their coats are coming in and they are looking more like Shelties. I love watching them develop and their instincts are amazing.
Mom still spends time with them as their interaction with her is very important. She teaches them so much, they need her to learn to be dogs. 
Raising Shelties is an on going learning experience, something new always comes up.
Seeing pups turn out as you hoped that they would when you planned the breeding is so rewarding.
                                                                      

BACK TO NORMAL, IF THERE IS A NORMAL!

My sister returned to California yesterday. We had a wonderful two weeks, we felt like we were in a time warp as the time just flew by. It was so nice having someone in the house that could speak more than dog! Thankfully her flight was yesterday as it is snowing here this morning.
The dogs will get back into their normal routine, although they were not out of it by much.
We spent time with the pups and had so many laughs over their antics. They are getting more steady on their feet but more comical. They are beautiful pups and have such wonderful calm temperaments. They will be wonderful companions for their new families.
The pups are four weeks today so time to get busy socializing and getting them used to new things and experiences. I have my work cut out for me but I love it. I will be busy but it will be good for me, since spring does not want to stay, I need to be busy.
It has been a long winter for me but also for the dogs. I know they have cabin fever. I put a couple of bales of hay in the dog yard to cover the ice that is still there and that gave the dogs good footing so they could run some. My large area is still snowed in, it will be awhile before I can get them out to really run. It will be soon I hope. 
I did breed Rosie to a son of Ch Jesstar Raseri and I am hoping it worked, but Rosie is a little older and it may not happen. This is a line that I really want to bring into the line that I have.
I spend a lot of time researching pedigrees and trying to find pictures of the dogs in the background. It is very rewarding and gives me a direction to go in my breeding program. I try to breed closely to the standard to improve the breed but mostly I want to produce healthy and sound pups, mentally and physically. Most of my pups become family companions and the families deserve pups that will live out their lives, healthy and happy.
Health and temperament are priorities whether show potential pups or family pups.
It is amazing to watch instinct take over with the pups. They know mom is in the room before she even gets through the door. Pretty amazing.
The breakfast time clocks are starting to go off. They definitely have inner clocks and they are now ready for breakfast. They don't have much patience.
Hope to get some more current pictures soon. I should get going before the little yips turn into full blown barks. They have been so good while I was writing, so time to end.
 
                                                                 

                                                                        3 weeks

NEVER LAUGHED SO HARD

The pups are developing so fast and finding their feet and attempting to play. My sister and I sat and watched them and just laughed, they are so funny, trying to play, barking, growling at each other, trying to grab tails and howling. One little girl loves to howl and it is the funniest sound you ever heard. Nothing like puppies to boost your spirits.
They are doing pretty well with their puppy mush, mixed with goats milk, best thing to use for weaning pups. Mom has quite a job cleaning up after, as both front feet go into the food, then one will walk through it and quite a mess. Topaz loves the food so she cleans them up so you would never know they had made a mess. It is amazing how fast they do develop. They are responding to " puppy,puppy" , tails beginning to wag.
By next week the visiting girls will be going home, hopefully to have pups in the summer.
We will have peace here again, the boys will calm down and it will be one happy pack of Shelties again. 
Our snow is very slow to go so still can't get out to our large exercise area. I believe that the Shelties suffer from cabin fever just as I do. I have a smaller fenced area off the house and they do run and play some but really need the space to run flat out. 
My sister and I are heading to Illusion farm this morning for a short visit to see the lovely English Shire horses and Kathleen's stunning Shetland Sheepdogs. I purchased my foundation girls from Kathleen years ago and that was the start of my beautiful Shelties. 
Kathleen has been fighting cancer for two years and recently had scans and she is all clear, we are thrilled for her. 
The dogs are reminding me that it is breakfast time and their inner clocks are never wrong.
All for now. More photos soon.

GROWING SO FAST

The pups had their very first meal yesterday. Today they will have two meals and I will be using goats milk along with puppy mush food. This weekend they will get their first worming. They did quite well with lapping their food. So they are ready even though a little young, it is normal to start food between three and four weeks.
Their personalities are coming out, they try to play with each other and it is so funny, they are still a little wobbly and often just fall over. They are starting to climb on the rail of the puppy pen, they will soon be very agile. They bark, they growl and they howl which is the funniest thing you have ever heard.
It is so nice to have my sister from California visiting. It has been a year and a half with no one in the house but my shelties and that is ok but really nice to be able to carry on a conversation.
I do talk to the dogs all the time and sometimes I think they know what I am talking about. 
Another week and the pups can have visitors and that will be good for them to meet more people. My granddaughter will be here on Saturday and they will get all kinds of attention.
Two girls that I have here for breeding will be going home next week and we will have a peaceable kingdom again. My Shelties are very much routine oriented and when out of their normal schedule things get a little hectic around here. 
We are still buried in snow, it is melting slowly but still not enough to get out to the exercise area. Soon I hope.
We have bred Rosie but I am not sure this will work and I am not counting on her but if she should have pups one of those will stay here. She is the last of a very old line that I would like to keep.
Need to get started with morning chores and wishing a wonderful day for all.

                                                                

PUPS ARE GROWING FAST

Just a quick update on the pups. They are growing fast and eating so well. Mom is beginning to learn what it is to be a  mom. By her next litter she should be all set, hopefully!
I should have more pictures soon. They have their eyes open and their ears are open and now for socialization. They hear us come into the room now and get right up. They are walking but a little wobbly. Just way too cute!
I hope to have time to write a little more this afternoon.
It is very busy now, my sister is visiting and I have two girls visiting for breeding. 
Looking forward to the weather really warming up.
All for now and hope to be back soon.

CATCHING UP

I have been busy teaching Topaz how to be a good mother and she is getting better. She is a young dog and just wants to be with me all the time.With new babies that does not work, so I spend a lot of time sitting with her and the babies and that works well. 
I will not be writing here for a little while as my sister from California is visiting and we have lots of catching up to do. When I have the time I will write a little about the pups.
I wish that I had a pup for everyone on my list but mother nature had other ideas.
They are doing well, and growing like weeds. Eyes have just opened and they are trying to get on their feet. Going into the really cute stage. Will start them on mushy food so mom does get a little free time from them.
I will try to keep the pups progress updated whenever I get a few extra minutes.
Check back for new pictures soon.

DID NOT REALIZE HOW LONG

It has been quite some time since I have written.  Topaz was due mid to late February and I was beginning to worry about her, she was past her due date, yet all seemed to be fine and she was not in any stress. I started sleeping on the couch so I could hear her, but nothing happened.  So I got out the baby monitor for my bedroom and set it up next to the puppy pen where Topaz sleeps at night.  This way I could get some sleep and still wake up when I heard sounds down stairs. Every time I heard her I would get up and go check on her. Needless to say I was not getting the sleep that I needed. As we headed into March I was quite worried but she was not in distress at all. The pups just were not ready to come.
Finally the evening of March 5, Topaz still seemed fine, I put her to bed and at 11 pm heard a lot of digging and moving around. She was in labor, and now to just sit and wait and watch. Finally by 1 am I could see a little foot poking out.  This pup was coming breech but we needed both feet to come. Just what I needed  in the middle of the night. Fortunately I had recently read Myra Savant Harris's book on reproduction and the section on stuck pups. I put on a glove and went in to feel for the other foot. I could feel it and was able to pull it down some. Topaz was also pushing, finally both feet appeared, I was so relieved as I knew that the pup would come now. It was a larger pup and Topaz was really pushing, I had learned a method to help massage the birth canal to help move the pup down, it worked and shortly the pup arrived. The first one always seems to be the biggest and the hardest to deliver. Thankfully all was well. It was a little boy. Between 1 am and 3:30 am she delivered four more pups. Only one was a little large but had no trouble being born. Finally we were on our way. I would give Topaz a little vanilla ice cream between pups, the ice cream gives her some calcium which helps  to keep the contractions going, also a little fluid for her and glucose for the pups.
A little after 3;30 all was well, Topaz was resting and the pups were trying to nurse.
Now the pups are a week and a half old and growing like weeds. A few more days the eyes and ears will open and they will become aware of the world. It is so wonderful to watch them when they first see and hear. I will post when that event occurs. Topaz is very young and not too sure about being a mom so I spend a lot of time sitting with her while she cares for the pups. She is learning but it is slow. I am tired but all so worth it.

                                        TOPAZ AND PUPS, MARCH 6, 2019
                                               FOUR GIRLS AND ONE BOY