FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY

Well its been a whole year, so we had all six puppies with 2 siblings for birthday cake – each one is super duper and a lovely variety in them all.

I was enchanted to meet you

So how to conclude the blog about the Puppy Project? Here is a video by my niece Naomi that she collated when she visited in week 7 and then used some surreal video techniques which captures some of the puppy joy from a memorable summer. …

Round – up: The Potty Zone

Life, as usual, is dragging me behind it, as if I’d got my coat trapped in the door as I got out, so I have had to select only one subject, from those I planned, for the penultimate post.

The Misty Trails method of potty-training the puppies deserves a special mention as the outcome has been impressive.  I wouldn’t have expected to make headway with the puppies on toileting before 8 weeks but this method has got the puppies off to the best start.  The feedback, quoted below, from the puppy buyers is proof enough – and these 2 already own dogs they had from puppies so they were able to make comparisons.

A massive big thank you would be a great start but still searching for words that could mean allot more than that. [our puppy] is an absolute blessing. No need for potty training he goes out by himsel…he eats well, woke me at 4 to go for a wee and crawled back in and is still asleep

[our puppy] has eaten well since she first arrived, slept through the night and has only had one accident inside – we are very impressed with her and the work you did with her before she left Nina.

My conclusion is that if we bred puppies properly so that they are fully prepared to live with their humans  there would be far fewer dogs in rescue designated as “problem” – when the problem is the laziness and ignorance of their human owners.

Round- up; Using technology

The blog has been a good way to communicate – and record for posterity – the puppy project in far more detail, using different media, than other means, but we have used technology in a couple more ways too.

The IP camera feed  (AXIS M1114 – and Y-CAM) that streamed the video to any computer in the house and, after some hi-tech fumbling, to anyone on the internet that we gave the web-address to – was great – not only allowing us to keep an eye on the puppies while busy elsewhere (plus helpful calls from Surrey:  We can only see 5 puppies can you check….) but just enjoying the whole experience regardless of geography.

Selling the puppies was also done on the internet, starting with a website designed on wix.com –

http://missjgilbert.wix.com/puppiesbynina#!home/mainPage

– describing us and our hopes for the puppies, a page on Nina and another on Tommy and an email contact form.   It meant that most of the buyer’s questions were already answered and the buyers also had an illusion of competence.

I placed 2 adverts on Pets4homes and Champdogs after the ultrasound and had a waiting list even before the whelping.   We have continued to have enquiries for the whole 3 months, with the KC “find a puppy” facility providing my last buyer.

Emailing has allowed me to communicate with my buyers – the infamous questionnaire starting the process, to setting up meetings, to asking for approval of the sales contract.   I also hope that this will allow us to keep in touch with the puppies and their new owners.

Photography has provided us with priceless portraits of the puppies that will trigger our summer of the puppies for a long time to come – assembling them on Google web-albums is still a work in progress.

These 21st century puppies have had the complete technological treatment – and that has enhanced the experience.

Inside a puppy pack

The video shows the items that I choose to put in each of my puppy’s luggage. Link to it on YouTube One commitment made, if you joined the assured breeder programme from the KC, was to provide advice with details specific to your breed. I …

Raising the tone

Some culture for my more erudite readers, courtesy of Luther, from church, when he suffered from a wakeful night. You might say he tried counting puppies instead of sheep 😀

*******************

THOU NOBLE HOUND

O excellent Nina,
We salute thy rich fertility!
In the public arena
We have seen thy grand ability!

Ah see- thy six babies,
(In them thou delightest)
Not one bearing rabies,
Or ill in the slightest!

But vibrant pups, and bouncing,
And leaping; yea, and charging!
With joy we see them pouncing,
And ceaselessly enlarging!

Well done, thou noble hound,
For bearing, and for rearing!
Thy human kin have found
These things immensely cheering!

Alas…

They soon shall not be near thee,
Thy lovely pups, so young and tender;
But we’ll go on to cheer thee,
And aye, this special time, remember

kkkkk

kkkkk

kkkk

****************************

mmmmm

Puppy mini photo albums

With Joanna’s photos and Sarah helping make the albums we have made each buyer a keepsake album for their puppy packs. If you click on each of the photos below you will see the 6 mini photo albums.

 

 

Puppy Luggage

Flo, who is to be Truffle, and True Blue – Otto – are going to their forever homes tomorrow so they are all packed – except for the frozen food which will go in last minute. Hope I’ve remembered everything.

Going to the dogs – well the horses

Who would have guessed that the puppies were going to be terrible back seat drivers? Complaints and criticism all the way to Newmarket.   Although they had trouble seeing the action on the track they could see the tote board and their mood improved when they managed to pick 6 winners and the winnings increased their savings considerably so the trip was successful after all.

Nb Vet says they all have super duper eyes

Puppies in garden

We popped the ip camera outside when the puppies were in the garden with a visitor and visiting dog. Its a bit like an old film because the camera is static and the action moves in front of it but there are some lovely moments. …