Crabby Goat Farm

12/13/2023

What a cutie.  Even Maple thinks so! (Maybe she's biased like I am with my kids?  Ha.)

Now that we're down to the one pup (phew!), it was time to reset the puppy pen. We moved everything, scrubbed & sanitized everything, and replaced the plastic flooring with waterproof mats.  This is where Growler/Peanut/Snuffleufagus stays overnight.  

I don't really recommend leaving young pups in crates all night, though I do like crates for certain purposes.  But for young pups that still need to move and play a lot, I prepare a safe play pen space: litter in one corner (tiny bladders need to be emptied often!), and a play/sleep space on the other side. 

I keep food and water in with the pups close to 24/7 when they're super little - if their bodies want food, I want them to have it!  I normally stop putting food and water with the pups overnight shortly after they wean (8-10 weeks). However, if they are in the pen more than 8 hrs a day (perhaps they need to be contained during someone's work shift, and then also overnight), they need food and water as well. 

Does this delay housebreaking? Sure. Does it do so detrimentally?  I don't think so, we haven't had that problem. Young pups are willing and able to learn, and can do so when there is someone able to be with the pup all the time.  But accidents still happen at this age, and ensuring that the pup has an approved place to go potty consistently is better in the long run than crating for long periods of time and having messes in the house when someone has a tricky schedule - that makes potty training difficult and confusing for a young dog. And that confusion is much worse when the poor pup just wants to do the correct thing for its humans!

Some days I'm able to spend more time with the young pups, and so I have them in the house and watch them, and they go outside every hour or so. Other days... well, I just don't have that time, so I keep them contained in a smaller area of the house. But the pups are safe, have good rules to stick by, and have the space to play and eat and potty and sleep. 

And as you'll see in the photos - yes, the pups are indeed litter trained!

Happy Training!

12/11/2023

Well, *that* didn't take long... that little black pup found her new home about 7 seconds after I posted her. (The sister of one of my earlier puppy owners - who has been eyeing this pup the whole time - finally decided to grab her.)

But I'll feature this little snuggler tonight. We're not sure if we're calling him Growler or Peanut (any other ideas out there?), but he's staying with me until I find just the right home. He will be perfectly fine eventually, but needs surgery to open his super-tight nostrils (you get that genetic malformation sometimes on the shorter-nosed dogs). Thankfully, he hasn't let that slow him down, and will run and wrestle with even my adult dogs.  Sometimes we breeders have to deal with these special ones, and we have the responsibility to place them properly. But if anyone wants the most snuggliest, loving little pup that will smother you with kisses, I can't recommend this little guy enough - talk to me if you think you're his person.

What should we call this little fluffer pup?

12/11/2023

12/08/2023

Will someone please help me figure out why my favorite pups in each litter are always the last to go? This little girl is the sweetest, and so regal. And she loves us people! This business of puppies is so funny sometimes. Who needs a perfect little dark brown doggie?

12/05/2023

Well, you can't very well tell a puppy that wants to go outside in this weather that he can't get muddy.
..well, you can, but it won't get you anywhere.

Just so you know, these dogs have *white* feet.

12/03/2023

Did any of you know that Shih Tzus sometimes get the nickname "chrysanthemum dogs"? As any one who owns one knows, their nose hair grows in as one big outward circle - like a chrysanthemum. Well, these pups are finally getting their first big nose trim, and losing the little flower noses! It's nice to finally see their eyes again. :)

(A trained groomer I am not, but I try to trim up the pups before they go to their homes, and I keep my dogs short and trimmed. It's not easy trimming under the eyes of these little wrigglers, but we make it work!)

11/25/2023

Its a perfect sunny Saturday when you have a new toy!

11/24/2023

Thankful for many things today, among them being a lovely day to walk in the woods, one last turkey of our own that we were able to partake in... and fluffy little dogs that are not nearly as muddy as they were yesterday.

11/07/2023

In case anyone wanted proof on how much our dogs and cat get along...

10/29/2023

Mama Maple standing sentinel as we pack her pups to get shown! One more pup has a forever home in December. I love these days, meeting new families and helping them pick their new pups!

I remember picking up so many critters, such happy days. Do you all remember the day you met your animals?

10/29/2023

There's always one moving...

10/27/2023

Just enjoying the last of this beautiful weather! I think these pups blend in nicely with their fall surroundings, don't you? :)

10/20/2023

A little sun and pups getting older means... their first day outside! Oh, how they enjoyed burrowing in the grass and discovering dirt. I can't wait to see them start jumping and running!

10/20/2023

And with that, one more pup goes home! Nibbles found his new people, and since groomers are sometimes booked quite a ways out, I trimmed him up before he left. Look at that beautiful brindle! I'm always so torn on whether to trim them close and get their color, or leave their longer fur. How do you all trim them up?

10/20/2023

A couple of wet doggies.

10/17/2023

Anyone remember that Wile E. Coyote cartoon where the Sheepdog and Coyote clock in to their job with the sheep? That's what I think of every time I see Nibbles after his bath with his top-notch out and his hair all across his face.

Bonus photo of Father and Son 8n the shower. Not super pleased, but at least I can get their photo. They're such good boys. The girls... well, I can't even get their photos. They might as well be cats, ha.

Anyone have a Shih Tzu that tolerates baths? They're definitely not Labs, ha.

10/14/2023

FYI, the Barn Cats do not approve of the rainy wet weather, -974/10.

10/05/2023

4 months old today! And just moved into their mid-age pen. It's time to start getting litter trained! Mostly, they figure it out themselves, and are still litter trained when they go home around 3-4 months. And Maple can get in and out, but also has a nice wide perch to lay on and see her pups, but be away from them if she wants. But really, mama dogs will still want to be around them and nurse them way past the typical 8 weeks when people are normally encouraged to take pups home.

Have any of my clients kept the litter training going?

09/19/2023

Wow. Okay, so I know you all are probably mostly here for the cute animal photos, but I can't help it -- look at this bumper crop of crab apples! Our trees are loaded this year with sweet-tart crabapples. The kids can't get enough! And while I keep getting requests from my kids to make them into applesauce (pro tip: don't try it, you'll be pitting those little things for daaaaays), I'm making a simple honey crabapple jelly - just simmer them with water, strain the juice, cook it to jell, and can it up. I may experiment with adding chamomile? That'll be a treat with biscuits in the winter. :) Have you ever eaten or used crab apples?

09/12/2023

Five plump little Shih Tzu dogs, all in a row...

There aren't nearly enough poems out there that begin like this. :)

09/07/2023

Oh... I don't know what's cuter. Nibbles with his new little short lion haircut, or... Maple's NEW PUPPIES!!! Five cute little wrigglers, born Monday. She was a champ! Three are our standard black and white (sure to fade to a tan or grayish brindle) and two are a solid dark brown. Except on has a few little hairs of white on his forehead and chest. I can't wait to see how they grow and change over the next few months!

07/16/2023

Well, we finally did our GlamourShots for Mr. Nibbles. :) He's the last one of our latest litter, almost 5 months old -- he is a cutie, and super good with the kids. And almost housebroken, for anyone who doesn't have time or patience for a teeny pupper dog! We always seem to have someone come along after most of the pups are gone that want and older pup. It's always harder to let them go at that age, but we know he'll be loved in whatever home we find for him!

06/04/2023

And with that, one more litter starts to find their new homes. Always bittersweet, some of the kids are able to handle it better than others. And of course we get attached. But knowing we're raising personable, well-raised, happy dogs that are ready to go to their new homes... that's the part I love. Always more sweet than bitter. Happy Going Home Day, young pups!

05/05/2023

If a happy fluffy pup running at you full speed through the dandelions is not enough to put a smile on your face... well, you'll need even more puppy than that. Stay tuned for the grooming and wet puppy videos!

05/03/2023

Now don't get me wrong, I have a hard time picking favorites among any of my critters, farm or pup. ...but these two little fluff balls are special to me this time. They represent what can happen when you're committed to doing things right - we have a return customer and a referral that reserved these two within a week of the litter being born! It feels good knowing that people love their pups so much after I've spent time preparing them for their new homes.