Good morning pup pals! Time for a week in review....
A good week it was. Finally I got the opportunity to meet the rest of the people on our reservation list or at least a representative or two... or several from each family. And we've got a few pup names to add.
April and her kids arrived to start things off on Thursday. It was pretty obvious within a short amount of time April's eldest daughter was the one who prompted the addition of a Doberman to the family. Bright kid who's obviously done a lot of research and holds high aspirations for the pup they chose. I'm excited to follow little miss Blue's progress. They've decided on the name Fendi for her.
Mike arrived Friday to claim his girl. Recently retired from the military, a pup is sure to keep him busy while he settles in to a new chapter of his life. Thanks for your service Mike. I can think of no better retirement gift to give oneself than the addition of a pup. Especially a Doberman pup. I have know doubt you will enjoy miss Green aka Khaleesi!!
Saturday we welcomed Miguel who simply came for a visit and to meet his boy Mr Blue. He's chosen the name Mathayus for him and is already planning to add a female to his small pack a year or two down the road. I hear that a lot actually. And I'm happy and proud to say often those who desire a second pup become repeat customers. Three in this litter alone actually. A pair of Dobermans really do round things out nicely within a family. But I do recommend at least a couple year age spread so the first one can get some training under it's collar and become a help with a new addition rather than a hindrance.
Saturday we also had a couple families who arrived for the sole purpose of a meet and greet with their pups prior to cropping. As it turned out the day was owned by the red heads. Mitch and Holly arrived to meet Miss Orange and have decided on the name Lady for her. Overlapping their visit, Dalanda and her family arrived to meet Mr Brown aka Chase. A name I once nearly chose!
Looking back I think I failed to mention the name Heidi as chosen by Meredith and her family for Miss Red.
That leaves us with Little Miss Gray who has grown leaps and bounds this week... Jennifer and family will name her Storm. An appropriate name for any dog from this litter I think. But specific to her, the name sort of jives with her collar color.
And were down to two pups. And I remain somewhat torn. I think I'll hold off a bit longer and ask my Cropping Vet what he thinks of the two. That possibility was discussed with Lori and Keith back when their selection was made. The drawback of not knowing.... until the very last minute. I don't doubt they're waiting in agonizing anticipation. Sorry guys. All I can say is the time is nearing!!! We do know one will carry the name Doobie.... and I've selected a name. I think. lol
All in all it was a great week. Hurricane and all! Great visits and a fun time. Pup selections and meet and greets are one of the things I cherish most when it comes to breeding. While I have lengthy discussions over the phone with people when they inquire about pups, it's not the same as a face to face meeting.
As far as the hurricane goes, i think she helped to change the weather patterns for NC Florida for the better. We had the typical calm before the storm and beginning Friday we've actually enjoyed some pretty decent weather. Finally!!! My dogs as well as myself and the pups have appreciated and enjoyed it!
On a side note.... I've had a few inquiries about nail care for the pups going forward. I'm a strong supporter of the use of Dremel for Dobes. And it's important to introduce them early to make the path ahead an easy one.
Additionally I'd like to take the opportunity to discuss proper nail length for the breed. Dobe's anatomy is such that they should have tight feet with a good degree of angle to their toes. Nearly 60 degrees. At least 45 depending on the particular dogs foot conformation. A short nail allows their foot to grow to it's potential and maintenance of those short nails promotes strength of their feet. If nails become to long the dogs are no longer using their toes to maneuver. More the back end of the paw. Allowed to grow too long it not only has an unsightly appearance, it also affects their mobility and comfort. I'll post a few pics to explain as it seems photos generally speak louder than words. To achieve this goal, I recommend weekly nail trims. If done regularly it's a painless and easy task. The dogs quickly get used to the routine and it's not a big deal. If you wait until you've got a 70-100 pound dog to deal with prior to starting nail care it's another story entirely! Not a good scenario for anyone. Additionally, the longer nails become, the longer the process is to get them back under control. Exponentially longer.
A good week it was. Finally I got the opportunity to meet the rest of the people on our reservation list or at least a representative or two... or several from each family. And we've got a few pup names to add.
April and her kids arrived to start things off on Thursday. It was pretty obvious within a short amount of time April's eldest daughter was the one who prompted the addition of a Doberman to the family. Bright kid who's obviously done a lot of research and holds high aspirations for the pup they chose. I'm excited to follow little miss Blue's progress. They've decided on the name Fendi for her.
Mike arrived Friday to claim his girl. Recently retired from the military, a pup is sure to keep him busy while he settles in to a new chapter of his life. Thanks for your service Mike. I can think of no better retirement gift to give oneself than the addition of a pup. Especially a Doberman pup. I have know doubt you will enjoy miss Green aka Khaleesi!!
Saturday we welcomed Miguel who simply came for a visit and to meet his boy Mr Blue. He's chosen the name Mathayus for him and is already planning to add a female to his small pack a year or two down the road. I hear that a lot actually. And I'm happy and proud to say often those who desire a second pup become repeat customers. Three in this litter alone actually. A pair of Dobermans really do round things out nicely within a family. But I do recommend at least a couple year age spread so the first one can get some training under it's collar and become a help with a new addition rather than a hindrance.
Saturday we also had a couple families who arrived for the sole purpose of a meet and greet with their pups prior to cropping. As it turned out the day was owned by the red heads. Mitch and Holly arrived to meet Miss Orange and have decided on the name Lady for her. Overlapping their visit, Dalanda and her family arrived to meet Mr Brown aka Chase. A name I once nearly chose!
Looking back I think I failed to mention the name Heidi as chosen by Meredith and her family for Miss Red.
That leaves us with Little Miss Gray who has grown leaps and bounds this week... Jennifer and family will name her Storm. An appropriate name for any dog from this litter I think. But specific to her, the name sort of jives with her collar color.
And were down to two pups. And I remain somewhat torn. I think I'll hold off a bit longer and ask my Cropping Vet what he thinks of the two. That possibility was discussed with Lori and Keith back when their selection was made. The drawback of not knowing.... until the very last minute. I don't doubt they're waiting in agonizing anticipation. Sorry guys. All I can say is the time is nearing!!! We do know one will carry the name Doobie.... and I've selected a name. I think. lol
All in all it was a great week. Hurricane and all! Great visits and a fun time. Pup selections and meet and greets are one of the things I cherish most when it comes to breeding. While I have lengthy discussions over the phone with people when they inquire about pups, it's not the same as a face to face meeting.
As far as the hurricane goes, i think she helped to change the weather patterns for NC Florida for the better. We had the typical calm before the storm and beginning Friday we've actually enjoyed some pretty decent weather. Finally!!! My dogs as well as myself and the pups have appreciated and enjoyed it!
On a side note.... I've had a few inquiries about nail care for the pups going forward. I'm a strong supporter of the use of Dremel for Dobes. And it's important to introduce them early to make the path ahead an easy one.
Additionally I'd like to take the opportunity to discuss proper nail length for the breed. Dobe's anatomy is such that they should have tight feet with a good degree of angle to their toes. Nearly 60 degrees. At least 45 depending on the particular dogs foot conformation. A short nail allows their foot to grow to it's potential and maintenance of those short nails promotes strength of their feet. If nails become to long the dogs are no longer using their toes to maneuver. More the back end of the paw. Allowed to grow too long it not only has an unsightly appearance, it also affects their mobility and comfort. I'll post a few pics to explain as it seems photos generally speak louder than words. To achieve this goal, I recommend weekly nail trims. If done regularly it's a painless and easy task. The dogs quickly get used to the routine and it's not a big deal. If you wait until you've got a 70-100 pound dog to deal with prior to starting nail care it's another story entirely! Not a good scenario for anyone. Additionally, the longer nails become, the longer the process is to get them back under control. Exponentially longer.
THIS!!!
Not This!
Photos
I was beginning to wonder if I'd get week seven photos done.... Getting down to the wire I've got to start gearing up for our cropping appointments.... preparing the pups, my truck and getting paperwork set and ready for go home day. Yesterday though, I had a marathon photo shoot and managed to get the whole pack complete. And Now the task of uploading. We did have a couple pitfalls mid day. One was funny... not funny. I heard a pup that sounded to be in a bit of distress while photographing Blue. While I took individual pups out for their shoot, the rest of the pack spent the day in the dog run getting some air and increased freedom of movement. When I heard something that sounded outside the realm of play I hurried back to find Heidi upside down in a space created between the fence and deck. She was wedged in there feet and leg flailing in the air with no way to maneuver herself out. I assume she was sleeping, rolled and slipped of the edge of the deck. It was kind of a funny sight and no harm done. But I did feel a little bad for her scary predicament. Pups definitely can get themselves in predicaments.
Hopefully I'll get the pup pages done this evening. We'll see. I've got a few other things on the to do list to complete too. Well, several actually but one is getting to the critical stage. I ordered a 25# of Georgia peaches a few months back. They arrived a few days ago and they too are getting down to the wire. Need to be dealt with! So this morning/afternoon I plan to give my first attempt at canning a go! This year is the second time I've ordered from the company and the peaches themselves bring back unpleasant memories of a year ago. My first box went to waste as I sat in a hospital bed with a broken foot and wrist compliments of last years 7 week photo shoot. Don't want to waste another box... that would be shameful. The peaches are incredible this year and I highly recommend The Peach Truck for those of you who may not have heard of them. They deliver to various spots throughout Florida. I picked mine up at the Rural King in Gainesville. I know Jennifer got some this year too and plans to order bigger next year!
Good stuff!
Hopefully I'll get the pup pages done this evening. We'll see. I've got a few other things on the to do list to complete too. Well, several actually but one is getting to the critical stage. I ordered a 25# of Georgia peaches a few months back. They arrived a few days ago and they too are getting down to the wire. Need to be dealt with! So this morning/afternoon I plan to give my first attempt at canning a go! This year is the second time I've ordered from the company and the peaches themselves bring back unpleasant memories of a year ago. My first box went to waste as I sat in a hospital bed with a broken foot and wrist compliments of last years 7 week photo shoot. Don't want to waste another box... that would be shameful. The peaches are incredible this year and I highly recommend The Peach Truck for those of you who may not have heard of them. They deliver to various spots throughout Florida. I picked mine up at the Rural King in Gainesville. I know Jennifer got some this year too and plans to order bigger next year!
Good stuff!
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