Puppy Paws

It’s been a little while since puppy paws have pattered through my kitchen.  Meet Jasmine (Jazzy).  She’s also a double merle sheltie.  She is able to see, but it’s hard to know exactly what at this point.  She can see to follow us and play with toys.  But if we get too far away she seems to not know we’re there.  She appears to be deaf, as I have not found any sound yet that she responds to.  And she’s 12 weeks old. 

I have had gorgeous weather for the end of November to start her housetraining.  It’s been close to 70 degrees every day since I brought her home!  And sunny!  All that is supposed to end tomorrow, so I’m thankful to have had four days of nice weather to get her started on a routine.  She now knows to potty quickly once outside, which is nice.  I’ve introduced the touch cue for go potty, now that I know she will go quickly. 

We’re making progress with leash training.  I’m teaching her to come along with light pressure in various directions instead of fighting me at the end of the leash.  This will hopefully translate to wonderful loose leash walking later on.  She’s learning to accept sleeping in the crate quietly and staying alone in her puppy pen.  The first couple days were pretty rough with many temper tantrums on her end!  But today she actually slept quietly in her crate for a nap, and once in her pen as well.  Progress!

She’s learning which of the dogs will play with her, and in what manner.  She likes Brinks who plays and wrestles all day long.  She is also playing with Treasure, but doesn’t understand yet that she has to continue to make contact with her or she won’t know where Jazzy went.  She follows Grace, but Grace is not so sure about why this fuzz ball is following her everywhere, so isn’t playing with her yet. 

Now that the tantrums are lessening, she’s really a delightful puppy.  She entertains herself with bones and toys and then takes a nap wherever she is.  She will chase toys, but has no interest in bringing them back to me, so we are working on that.  She will play tug.  In fact, she will tug things around that are much larger than she is!  And of course, there are puppy zoomies!!  I love puppy zoomies! 

More to come of Jazzy’s adventures!  Stay tuned …

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wow!  How did it get to be Thanksgiving again already?  These dogs keep me very busy, and it seems like time just flies!  We have much to be thankful for this year, as always ... good health, a wonderful son who is growing into a fine young man, the best of friends, and an abundance to fill all our needs.  I hope you and your family find time to be thankful for each other this year.

This is my beautiful girl, Grace.  When she's clean, she is so very white.  But, her absolutely favorite thing of all is to play in the mud puddles in the yard, which right now are VERY plentiful!  (I am not so thankful about that!)  I hold my breath every time I let her back inside.  I never know just what I am going to find! Here are some pictures of her ... happy and muddy; and, did I mention happy??