03Jun
The puppies have gone to their new homes and Willow and Alaska have decided to come into season. I am very lucky that the male dogs are chilled out when girls are in season and that my dogs are content being on their own with a door closed. It does mean I am on my feet more, moving around to make sure everyone's needs are met but it will only be for a few weeks.
With the compliments and positive feedback about our puppies that I have received over the last week- I feel like I am on top of the world 😊
Not only did every pup travel well, with the majority travelling for over 3 hours, but they are adapting incredibly well in their new environments with new people and new dogs! I honestly wish there was a way I could communicate with them and tell them just how proud I am of them.
I had to focus heavily on car socialisation with this litter. Especially with Evie as she took a quite a while to settle down in the car. I tried every trick I knew, worked with her almost every day for weeks and she ended up having an even longer journey due to a motorway diversion and missing the earlier ferry to Northern Ireland. I woke up to receive a grateful message because she travelled well with no accidents and her journey took half a day! I cried happy tears as she did it! The car and ferry were not a problem and she arrived in her new home happy and settled in quickly.
Enzo's family could not be happier with him. They were a little worried about the journey home with it being a long trip and their previous dog never liked being in the car. Enzo travelled well, slept all the way and his car trips with them since have been calm and easygoing. Proud doesn't feel like a strong enough word. Ember's and Eclipse's family are over the moon with happiness with their pups. To hear the socialisation paying off and the genuine happiness radiating from owner's communications.. you cannot beat that feeling as a breeder. This is why I breed Pomskies and socialise them well. I cannot thank owner's enough for choosing me as the breeder and for giving my puppies the best home ❤️
Ellie is staying a little while longer so I can work on her confidence as well as further socialisation and I will get her second vaccination sorted. She is actually going to live with close family and we have come up with a solid plan. Over the last week, I created a plan around training the puppies with a settle mat. This mat will eventually be used when we and Ellie's family go out to cafes and new places. It will serve as a safe space where they will naturally relax. I did the first session a few days ago where I show them the mat has value. I kept it short and within minutes, both girls laid down and watched me. Interestingly, they offered this behaviour and this short training session was left on a high. I will continue with the mat sessions and if I see it as something that will be worth doing with younger puppies, then I plan on including this in my socialisation with the next litter. If it works, I will include each pups travel mat in puppy packs and provide advice to progress with the training. I have also started the puppies training with lead walking but without a lead to start with. I can build this up to more distracting areas and then include the lead. Then when we go outside, the lead and the way of walking next to me is familiar. The outside world is familiar as they have been out and about in the sling, my arms and the stroller. Even though the viewpoint from the floor will be different, there will be many positive associations already created.
We have had a lot of visitors over the last month or so and I am beyond proud of my adult dogs. They behaved perfectly- greeting people well, giving kisses, playing with young children (and silently too), and they made people fall in love with them. Astra always stands out to people. She knows how to work people, gently offers her paw to people and indicates they can stroke her tummy. She was wonderful with the puppies which melted people's hearts. Her temperament stands out clearly and one family said they want to be on the waiting list for one of her puppies 🥹 My heart felt full when people contacted after their visits, telling me how happy they were and how impressed they were of the adult dogs temperaments.
~ Claire 🐾
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