Red Cedar Icelandic Sheepdogs and Norrbottenspets

Puppy recall!

Puppies had their first vet visit today! They obviously had a great time, and everyone is in perfect health. Can’t believe they’ll start leaving for their new homes in just a few days!

The puppies came to work with me and got to hang out while I was there! I was busy enough that this is the only video I have, but they got to meet new people and a couple of dogs, “help” me and another instructor teach (took turns getting carried around during class), listened to dogs doing agility, and played around with some new toys. They all thought the skateboard was pretty fun!

We’ve continued to work on the puppies getting comfortable in the water, and yesterday they finally decided it was hot enough that they wanted to give it a go. We rewarded with floating treats to help reinforce that the kiddie pool was a good place to be, and all of the puppies ended up getting in at least once!

We had a great visit with the puppies’ aunt Lizzie and assorted other dog and human friends. They got some great positive experiences in a new place, with wonderful and appropriate kids and older dogs.

These puppies are all getting ready to be great hiking companions! Doing adventure walks allows us to reinforce their natural inclination to follow (preparing for off leash walks in the future) and get the pups into new and interesting environments!

We put collars on the puppies for the first time tonight! After everyone had a collar on, they got some chicken feet to chew on. The collars feel weird to the puppies at first and they are tempted to scratch at them or roll around trying to get them off. Instead of letting them run around stressing about this new sensation, we give them something to help make it a positive one. Now they are happily chewing with their collars on, and not trying to get them off. I do not leave collars on puppies at this age because they generally end up becoming “toys” for the other puppies who will grab them in their mouth when playing, which can be very unsafe. But they will start getting plenty of supervised time with them on, and start to practice some leash walking!

Kibble scatter for dinner! This gives the puppies a more stimulating and energy using way to eat instead of just scarfing it down from a bowl. Using their noses to find food is a natural behavior for dogs that they enjoy and is great enrichment at any age.

Puppies learn from each other and their mom (and other safe adult dogs) how to properly play with each other, and have good bite inhibition. We supervise play and will assist if a puppy is being unfairly pinned down or crying, but sometimes short disagreements are best figured out amongst themselves so they can learn how to diffuse a tense situation. Having plenty of toys (or bags, lol) for them to interact with helps keep everyone busy focusing on buying the toys and not each other.

Puppy obstacle course

Puppy obstacle course in the hallway!

Because of the heat, we can only really do walks in the early morning or late evening, but it does make for a pretty backdrop!

The puppies got to visit our friends at Paw of the Family, a local family owned pet store. They all got a chance to get out one or two at a time, where they met a few people and got exposed to all the sights and sounds of the store. And I would say the store staff had some fun too!

Happy puppies on a short “adventure walk” this morning!

Water snacks

Storm is “bobbing for treats” in the splash pad! We introduced the pups to water today and the shallow depth and edges were perfect for their first time. They all ended up getting in and walking around, some more than others, but it was a nice start for all.

Corn popper

No worries about sounds here!

Puppy costumes

The puppies had a “dress up” day! We put them in various small dog costumes and clothes to get them used to having things on their body and a partial feeling of restraint. Collars and harnesses will be a part of this too, but even if these dogs aren’t going to be wearing clothes as an adult, early experiences like this can help prevent body/gear sensitivity in the future.

Puppy nail trimming

Rogue getting her nails trimmed while happily eating some canned food from a toppl. We do our best to positively prepare the puppies for husbandry behaviors they will need throughout their life.

Puppies with bubble wrap

The puppies show lots of interest toward anything new at this stage. The bubble wrap (under supervision only) really got their attention!

Puppies meeting new dog

We’re lucky to know so many lovely adult dogs for the puppies to socialize with. Lottie, an Australian Shepherd, is a great puppy “auntie” while she is visiting ❤️

We had an unseasonably cool day in Texas yesterday, so the puppies got to go outside for the first time! They all loved it - initially I brought them out one at a time and every puppy just shoved their nose in the grass and wagged their tail, excited about all the new smells. Such a big new world to explore!