I spent the day working but certainly can't complain. We had an easy day and a pot luck feast fit for a King! For several of you Thanksgiving was your first full day with your pups under foot. Thinking about it, it may have been a bit of a challenge for those of you who also had the responsibility of preparing the largest meal of the year! At the same time, I'm sure it was a great day for some of you to get a good start toward socializing your pups. With the holiday nearly behind us now, I hope all went well and if allowed, your pups got their first taste of people food, maybe a chunk of turkey or ham used as a lure to a sit. For those of you who don't allow your dogs "people food", and I know there's at least one... I came across a recipe I'll share that looks to be a tasty and healthy dog treat. I personally did lots of baking for my dogs last winter and I will likely do some more this. Somehow they know there's something special about the treats that come fresh from the oven! And I like them because I know exactly what goes into them. Tomorrow Amos, my last pup from the litter with the exception of Remedy, will be claimed leaving me to again rearrange the habitat I share with my dogs. Remedy will begin her crate training and I'm hoping it goes as well as it went for many of you. Regarding the other pups, but specifically one, I know Purple tugged at some heart strings and every one was rooting for her! While she was the last pup to leave me, I truly believe she, like my pup Remedy, is exactly where she was destined to be. Her story is special. She is special! Way back when, as they say... Jenny and I had several conversations before she eventually decided to join the waiting list for the litter. In the meantime, while she was still in the "considering" phase a few other people were added to the wait list for females. In the end, I was overjoyed on Lexi's whelp day not to have to call and disappoint her as Lex had just enough females to satisfy all requests. When Purple began to loose ground though, I spoke with Jenny specifically about her. There was a time I didn't know which direction things would go with the pup. Although she was generally active and never seemed sick, I didn't understand or know the reason why she was falling behind in weight. Also, I came to the realization that while everyone was rooting for her, she would likely be the last pup to be chosen. Jenny decided to hang in there to see how she did. When the pups were four weeks old and shortly after Purple returned from foster care, Jenny, her husband and son came to visit and her son fell in love with her. Jenny shared with me that while I left them with the pups to retrieve something in the house, her son told her he wanted Purple. And he remembered her. He continued, I was told, to make his choice known through the additional four weeks of waiting. Naturally Jenny at the time couldn't guarantee his wish would come to fruition. But it did. When they came to claim their pup, I brought Purple out to go potty before returning inside to finish up the paperwork etc and J.R., Jenny's son, walked up, knelt down beside the pup to pet her and softly called her name. It was heartwarming! When I asked what they were going to name their pup, I was nearly blown away! Jenny rattled off a couple names they had tossed around but then informed me, that while she's wasn't sure where he came up with it, her four year old son informed her he wanted to name his pup "Noble". I was shocked actually that a four year old would come up with such a name but I think I was even more shocked when I heard it because I know her and simply can't think of another name that suits her so well! As I said before the pup has a certain presence... She might be little (now) but she is one proud pup! Noble she is! Below are a few photos I've received of some happy pups settling in to their new surroundings sent by some equally happy people. And of course a couple of Remedy too. And The Recipe When Nothing But Homemade Will do....Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats!
To begin, you’ll need… 1 cup wheat flour 1/4 cup canned pumpkin 2 tbsp peanut butter 1 egg 1/2 tsp salt 1 tbsp cinnamon Preheat your oven to 350°. Now, pop all of the ingredients into a bowl, and mix it up. The dough is going to be really stiff, but work those ingredients together! Then, add water to moisten to a soft doughy consistency – not runny, but not stiff, rather like bread dough before it rises. Next you’re going to sprinkle your work area with a healthy dose of flour. Turn the dough onto the floured surface, and give it a massage! LOL That’s right, you’re going to knead the dough for about 10 minutes to get the gluten in the flour to really hold it together. It should be soft and stretchy when you’re done, like elastic – so don’t add too much flour, just enough to ensure that it doesn’t stick. Pat or roll your dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Then use a cup or cookie cutter to make pretty shapes, put them on a cookie sheet, and bake for 30-40 minutes. Cool them off before you let Fido have a taste! Thank you to Sprouts Farmers Market for a great recipe! Now that I've had a few minutes/hours to sit back and relax, I realize that what I need tonight is a solid night of some serious sleep. I've received a few photos from people since the pups left the nest... It's good to see they are settled and already on their way to becoming spoiled! I had no doubt they would be. I'll post some of the photos I've received tomorrow night and will continue to add to them as they come in. And of course I'll be posting tons of photos of Remedy as she grows and maybe a bit of commentary to explain the some of the antics that I'm sure are in store for me... But for now it's goodnight...
And once again, I watched as each of you made some well contemplated decisions regarding which pup you liked the best, which pup would fit in best with your lifestyle and which pup had a tendency to gravitate toward you.
So far I'm more than happy to report I've heard from nearly everyone and I've got some happy people who's pups are adjusting well to their new surroundings. Adding a pup to a home can definitely turn things upside down for a few days but new routines, it seems, come quickly where pups are concerned. Raising the litter has been an enjoyable experience for me and each and every pup holds a special spot in my heart. It's always bitter sweet to see them go. The sweetness though far outweighs the bitterness when I see the smiles and obvious joy they bring to their newly acquired caretakers. I've truly enjoyed meeting the families they will be spending their lives with and hope to remain in contact with all of you. I will be here always for questions and for any concerns you may have which I hope and expect to be few. You are a great group of pup owners and I thank you for placing your confidence in me as a breeder! I hope you all have a fabulous feast and holiday tomorrow. Keep In Touch We've come a long way together! monsoon like conditions, power outages and a decisionRound two of cropping is complete. The girls did great and are happily sleeping off the after effects of anesthesia with full bellies and a clean bill of health.
I must say, not that it matters, I had the displeasure of driving to and then again back in monsoon like conditions along with everyone else on the road. And once again I say, all Ocala drivers should be required to attend and extra course in defensive driving. If I had to guess, there were roughly 20 cars pulled off to the side of the road scattered around about a 5 mile stretch of I-75. They had obviously been involved in fender benders of varying degrees. Things started to come to a slow down right around exit 350 and I said to my self, out loud even, "not again!". Fortunately, as it turns out, things weren't tied up nearly as tightly as they were when I was heading back to get the boys the day of their crop.... When I got to the clinic though it was pretty obvious it and the surrounding areas where in the midst of a power outage. Am I surprised, no not really.... Fortunately, I was told, they were just wrapping things up with the last pup when the lights went out. Well, maybe it would have more fortunate if they were finished but hey, Dr McBride does so many crops she could probably do them with her eyes closed so what's a little power outage right??? I learned my lesson regarding I-75 and took 301 home without incident. Glad to be home, I transferred each pup from the crate to the house with a plastic bag over its head to keep their newly acquired bonnets dry. And I sat down with another "phew"! The next task at hand... to pick my pup once and for all! I was hoping, Dr McBride would choose the same pup that Sharon and Jared and I decided on but hope was squelched. Hope now joins planning.... I won't say who Dr McBride chose because I don't want to influence any decisions. I will only say I choose Orange! Or maybe Orange chose me. She's the pup I've had my eye on from the very early days of watching. She's the pup that always comes to me when I call her. She's always the first to greet me, and she was the first out of the crate when we got home. Then there's that bit about her removing her own collar. She loves me and I realized it would be really hard, more difficult than any other, to watch her drive away with someone else. I decided I just can't let that happen. She's mine! Orange is my girl!!! I don't doubt that all of you with puppies underfoot are busy with... well, puppies. But on the off chance you are still checking the blog, maybe you can tell those waiting for the girls how your pups' first night went and what they have to look forward to. Might as well make the wait a little more agonizing. lol
And ready for round two! While the boys with the exception of Amos have had a chance to settle into their new surroundings, the girls and Amos remain safe and sound in their pup habitat in preparation for today's session of the ultimate in Doberman beautification.
Tomorrow, all girls with the exception of one will venture off to explore new horizons! I had Sharon and Jared over last night and Jared within about two minutes said "that's the pup". He chose the pup that I've had my eye on all along. The pup that just yesterday morning had managed to remove her own collar never to be found again... as if to say, I'm staying. I'm not one of them. I have asked Dr McBride to offer some input as well so I will defer announcing my selection until later this evening. I can only say, I'm as anxious as all of you to actually claim one of the remaining pups as my own! While Jared was quick to pick a pup out of the group, he started looking at each of the others individually, stating when looking at each and every one, "that's a nice pup too"... that's when things began to become a blur.... again. Regarding Purple, Sharon immediately spotted her and fell in love. And wanted her!!! Of course Purple already has a home and it's a good thing because if not I think I may have seen a battle. I'm happy to report Purple has presence and commands attention! Turns out the pup with the rough start is pretty well put together! I'm hoping to get these pups home in time to take some decent photos of the pups donning their new gear. Notice I didn't say "I'm planning". Nope, I said "I'm hoping". As of late, I've had better luck with hoping than planning! lol We Are Home With Health Certificates In Hand!
Time to come and get your boys! The Coneheads still have their cones and are politely using the paper I put down for them in their new habitat. They are now expert pill takers too! I've relocated them to the well broken in mudroom where they will remain, separated from the floppies, until they and one floppy now known as Knox, and another floppy, Castle join their new families Monday. Castle will become a Conehead or something similar the day before Thanksgiving and I'm looking forward to seeing ears done by another vet as he matures.
I forgot to mention, I weighed everyone one last time last night and Precious Purple has nearly made it into the double digits! She weighed in at 9 pounds and is a feisty little thing... She's doing great as the next pup in line, Red weighed in @ 11 pounds 11 ounces. I'm sure everyone recalls a time when Purple was half the weight of the next one up. I knew she had it in her and I'm really proud of her and impressed by her! I certainly hope I get a chance, through photo updates, to watch that little girl grow into a full fledged Dobe! In other news, we may have another name to add to the list as Laura is leaning toward Baron for her boy! And with that, I once again wish you all a good night as I head in for one myself! Insomnia, fortunately has never been a thing I've had to deal with. Pups or no pups. But speaking of, I hope your pups are as quiet for you as they've always been for me. Finally home... it took me four hours to complete the drive to Wildwood when normally it takes one. I got stuck in a mess of traffic and now that I and the pups are home safe and sound, all I can say is, while it wasn't exactly a pleasant day, it was a much worse day for someone else.
As far as the pups go, Big Blue, Nitro and Snoop were putting up quite the fuss when I arrived to collect them. And one of them cried for a while on the way back home. But all in all they came through surgery like the Dobermans they are, unscathed. I let them out of the crate to do their business once home and it was obvious they were overjoyed to again have some freedom. Unfortunately it was getting dark and the photos I had hoped to take didn't materialize. The pups are settled now and fed. They were hungry babes, likely why they were putting up a fuss. So, yet again I've lost more valuable time. I have to head out and make sure all the animals are set up for me to return for a day of work and I've got to get me ready for a day of work. So with that I leave you with some hungry puppies enjoying a well deserved dinner and donning their new gear. Off to see the Cropper! Photos of Nitro, What's His Name and Snoop to follow.
:-) Sorry if you can't spot your dog in the last group of photos... They are all present and accounted for I assure you.
Your pups have been busy messing up my sorta clean house but I think I've got 'em pretty well worn out and ready for bed! Mopping with a pup short of a twelve pack running a muck is a requirement but pretty much impossible at the same time. They have discovered they love the mop! They also like my kittens as seen in the video below and the kittens are more than tolerant of their antics. Keeper, the orange and white one lounging on his perch is usually the one to be right in there mingling with them like a snake but he was laying low tonight. Tomorrow night we'll see some cone heads or as my sister refers to them, whirling dervishes.
I've had a few people ask me what size collar to get their pups. I measured Yellow today @ 10 inches. The males will run a little larger and Purple still a little smaller. I recommend the nylon collars with the adjustable slide for the first few months because even with the adjustment built in they still go through them. Later you can all go shopping for a Proper Doberman Collar. I love the ones at Ellas lead! Sorta fancy to super fancy!
And was interrupted by a caller looking for a pup. He was bargaining after I told him all pups were spoken for. I don't think he realizes what it's like to wait weeks or months for a pup. Just thought I'd throw it out there though. If anyone is at this point not sure about welcoming their pup, let me know. Ya... I didn't really think so.
Selection of the boys is complete. Laura chose Big Blue and Maroon is headed to Melbourne with Roy, Wendy and their kids. Both pups will be joining seasoned Doberman owners as will Castle and Amos and a couple of the girls. The breed seems to enjoy a high degree of loyalty.
For those of you who have not previously had the pleasure of sharing your life with one, you're about to find out why loyalty and Dobermans go hand in hand. Behind the scenes things remain busy.... these little monsters are eating enough to keep a herd of ponies going and are going through bedding at such a rate that I'm beginning to fear for the welfare of the pine forests. OK so maybe I exaggerate a bit but not by much!
Tomorrow is a day for some housekeeping so my main living quarters, which haven't seen a whole lot of activity as of late, are at least somewhat presentable when people start to arrive to claim their pups. Thursday morning we'll drive down for our first appointment with Dr McBride. Nitro, Snoop and Blue will be included in the first round for cropping. I've also scheduled their Monday morning Vet appointment to receive an overall check up and obtain their health certificates. They should be ready to venture off mid to late afternoon Monday the 24th. Included in that appointment will be Castle and Maroon who will also be ready Monday to leave their nest to begin a brand new and exciting chapter in their lives. I'll do another deep clean of the pup room and begin organizing care packages and paperwork on Thursday while I wait for the pups to have and recover from surgery. I've still made little progress in my selection of which Dobergirl to call my own. I've asked some friends, who just so happen to be members of the GMBD family too, to join me for a simple dinner Monday in exchange for input on who to choose. Hopefully, with their help, I'll have made my decision come Monday evening. I hope you all are well and in general fairly well prepared to bring your puppies home. They will be underfoot a week from today... some even a bit sooner! Time certainly does fly! :-) If I've not mentioned it; I absolutely love getting updates from people and their pups. The slideshow below is compiled, in no particular order, with photos I've received over the past six months or so.. I will eventually get them all placed on their appropriate pages but figured everyone might enjoy seeing some Navigator x Lexi pups from their last litter at different ages.... and stages. If you look closely, you'll see a Doberman in just about every form imaginable with the exception, fortunately, of cropped and flopped. We have a few that are cropped and docked, we have a few with natural ears and docked tails. We also have a couple pups who remain totally au naturale with both natural ears.... and tails. Regardless which form is preferred by their individual humans it's pretty obvious all are pampered and very much loved! |
Got My Back DobermansAiming to produce quality pets for quality pet owners. Archives
December 2014
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