The Puppy Confinement Area

I just wanted to share a bit about what kind of set up I recommend when you first get your puppy home. On our "Puppy Items" page on our website I show a couple kinds of containment areas; a portable exercise pen or an Iris pen.

Right now I have the Iris pen set up in my dining area. Our house has an open floor plan so this is a main area of the house for the puppies to see and hear what's going on. Plus it's close to the french doors that open to the back yard where I have a couple exercise pens set up for potty breaks.

This is the taller of the two Iris pens available. I am using six panels which is just big enough for a small crate, a litter box (more on that later), food and water dishes and some toys. In the beginning you do not want to give the puppy to much room and freedom; less room, less mistakes. As the pup gets older and is consistently using the litter box you can allow more room.

This is where the puppy should be unless he is with someone under constant supervision (playing with someone, attached to someone, etc.) When you're at home the puppy can be taken out for potty breaks (after waking from a nap, eating, playing etc.) But if you have to be gone for a couple hours or you work away from home this is the perfect set up to keep the puppy in. The puppy is safe, your house is safe and there are not a lot of options for puppy to make potty mistakes while you're away.

Our "Puppy Items" page on the website mentions the Ugodog potty system. This is a clean, professional set-up which works great for one puppy. I have found when raising and training a litter of puppies that what works better for me is the system you see here; a Rubbermaid container with wood pellets (the kind that are burned in a pellet stove). Just use a cat litter scoop to scoop out the droppings, the pellets will "fluff up" when they absorb the urine. You can change the whole box out every day, but I usually wait until the pellets have become fluffy before I change the whole container. The only disadvantage I find to this is, the fluff does get tracked around a bit when it sticks to the puppy's feet. Your puppy should be able to use either system.

Right now I have two Cavapoos  (Kai and Fritzi from Belle and Desmond's litter) that are waiting to go home so they are using this pen. They should have a jump start on potty training by the time they go home!

 And like children, puppies also like to rearrange their "room" and make messes!

I also like to use this as "Jennifer's Lazy Way to Crate Train a Puppy"! Seriously, raise your hand if you love getting up at night to take your new puppy outside to go potty! Yeah, I didn't think to many of you enjoy that. *wink*

Your puppy will not be able to hold his or her bladder/bowels for several weeks after you get him home (if you're getting the pup around eight weeks of age.) It's just not physically possible on a consistent basis. So if you're crate training them (which I highly recommend) you will be getting up at night to take them out. Unless, you use my "secret" system. And for only 6 monthly installments of $29.99, I tell you my secret. Just kidding!

Seriously, I've done this before and it works. Take your puppy out to potty one final time when you're ready for bed, then put him/her in their containment area and off you go for a good night's sleep. (Granted most puppy's will be a bit fussy the first few days as they adjust to their new home and routine, so be patient). Do not shut the puppy in the crate! (*For more crate training information, don't forget to read the "Puppy Info" that is sent home in your "Puppy Packet"). Most likely the puppy will go into the crate to sleep and when the need arises can then freely go out to use the litter box and put itself back to bed. When you get up in the morning, first thing, take the puppy outside to potty.

As the puppy grows and matures you will start to notice a clean litter box in the morning. When puppy is going all night without using the litter box, you know he/she is old enough to hold it all and and now can be closed in the crate at night if you wish. Simple and easy!

Training Puppies and Picking Raspberries!

The easiest way to train a puppy is to put a leash on it and attach it to yourself and have it with you most of the time.*Clears throat* Let me rephrase that. One of the most “effective” ways to train a puppy is to put the leash on and attach it to you and have it with you most of the time. (I’m referring to when you’re at home. And all puppies need nap/crate time away from you each day also.)

So since I’m in the process of training four puppies about the same age, I’ve decided the easiest thing for me to do is concentrate on one puppy per day. (The other three just hang out together in a puppy yard with their toys and each other. Don’t worry; they still get attention each day). But it’s just easiest to deal with one at a time.

Today, Jules (aka Juliet) is my partner and it’s time to pick raspberries. I picked our first little bowl on Friday, but today it was time to really "pick".

                                                             "I'm being good mom, aren't I?"

(Not a clear picture, but ...) She thought she needed to try them too or maybe she thinks she's helping ;)

It's going to be kind of tough getting between the plants and fence to pick back there!

Checking my work....

Ahhh....

She was trying so hard to get under the fence to see Moriah.

Yum! You just can't beat a fresh picked raspberry right off the bush.

Our Pooh-pervisor ;)

All done! And the only hazard of picking berries with a puppy; when you crouch down, bend over and your shirt raises just enough to show some skin, that's when puppy jumps up and plants it's cold, wet feet on your bare back!

Something new and different!

We decided to try something new and different and are super excited to tell you about it!

For those of you that love the Australian Shepherd but you've hesitated to get one because their personalities can be a bit "intense", (most herding/working breeds are.) We'd like to introduce our new litter of Aussaliers! Yes, that's right, they are half toy Australian Shepherd and have Cavalier King Charles Spaniel!

The mother, China is a blue merle toy Australian Shepherd about 10" tall at the shoulder and weighs about 13 lbs. She is a high drive dog (wants to herd the horses, is the best "mouser" around, etc.) a one-man (woman) dog, smart, energetic and we think, beautiful. She is CERF eye clear. This is a picture of her when she was a bit younger so her coat is not as full as it is now.

The father is our beloved, Noah. He is a gorgeous tri-color Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (heart checked clear). Noah is 13" tall at the shoulder and 19 1/2 lbs. Noah completed basic obedience this spring and earned his AKC Canine Good Citizenship Award. He is a typical happy, fun, gentle, sweet, more laid back, but playful Cavalier.

Puppies arrived on June 29 (so these pictures are at one week of age). We have two blue merle boys, one is mostly white with blue patches! Three girls round out the litter, with two blue merles and one beautiful tri-color. We guess that these pups will mature in the 15-20 lb. range (but will have a better idea when they reach 8 weeks of age as we have a puppy formula to guess adult weights). Dewclaws have been done and tails are docked like the Australian Shepherd. Some could have blue eyes, but of course we'll have to wait a bit longer to know about that:)



I'm excited about this litter and hope they will be a wonderful combination of mom and dad's personalities in a beautiful colored package!

 These pictures were taken in the afternoon sun, so unfortunately it kind of makes their colors look "bleached" out. But we will be making an album for these guys and doing new pictures weekly. Please contact us if you are interested in one of these unique puppies!

Our morning routine with the newborns

The first week or so is usually pretty routine with a new litter (unless there are little ones that need supplementing). Each morning when I let the mom (in this situation it's Belle) out for one of her potty breaks, I quickly (because mom doesn't usually stay out long and then she's banging on the front door to get back to her babies!) pull the babies out of the crate and put them in this little dog bed.

The whelping crate has a grate in the bottom so I am able to tuck a towel around it and lay it back down in the crate so mom doesn't mess up the bed with her digging and scratching. So while the babies are out I change the towel and check that her food and water are full.


Then it's time to weigh each puppy and record it's weight for the day. Babies' weights, color and markings are recorded at birth so we can keep track of each one and know they are gaining and getting enough to eat. This litter started out with weights anywhere between 5.7 ounces on up to 8.1 ounces. Here we are on day three and they are already between 7.6 ounces and 10.4 ounces. (If we had one or two that were teeny tiny at birth or were not gaining we would supplement them as long as needed.) Belle has done wonderful with this large litter. They all seemed to latch on and nurse well from the start and are putting on the weight!

After the puppies are all weighed and they each get loved on and looked over, it's back into the crate.

By now mom is ready to come back in. And in she goes to make sure they're all there! The babies wake up when mom comes in the crate and immediately start looking for breakfast!

Hope you enjoyed a look at our little morning routine!

He passed!

About eight weeks ago, Noah and I started our basic obedience class. 

Now, I had been a bad dog "mom" and the poor guy wasn't hardly leased trained at that point. Noah has what we call a "soft" temperament. Another word for "wimp" *wink* Usually when you leash train a puppy/dog and it's not used to the pressure of the leash, they will hit the end and stop or some will turn into bucking broncos! Noah on the other hand, would hit the end of the leash and yelp! Which made training a bit of a challenge.

So we started Noah off the first half of the class on a flat collar instead of the usual training collar. He seemed to catch on quickly to what was asked of him. I had to be careful with my corrections though, because of his sensitive nature. And use a lot of praise and encouragement!

Class gave us the basics; sit, down, come, sit-stay, down-stay, stand for exam, walking on a loose leash making different turns and staying together as a team. The teacher always likes to throw in some fun stuff too; relays, Simon Says, and fun agility courses. (I highly recommend basic obedience and CGC testing (if available) for all our Pinewood puppies and families!)

Last week she gave us a sample test of the basics that we had been learning and scored each one on how we did. Noah did really well and got in the 1st place category along with quite a few others.

Last night we received our graduation certificates (and treats for the dog!), plus the chance to go through the CGC test. For those who don't know, the CGC (Canine Good Citizen) is a test that the American Kennel Club (A.K.C.) puts on all over the country by various instructors.

Here's a quote from the CGC pamphlet:

"The AKC's Canine Good Citizen Program is designed to recognize dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. This rapidly growing nationally recognized program stresses responsible dog ownership for owners and basic training and good manners for dogs.

The AKC CGC Program provides an excellent foundation for training in other fun activities such as Rally, Obedience and Agility and results in a well-mannered dog who is a joy to live with. Some therapy dog groups require passing the CGC Test as a prerequisite, some insurance companies recommend CGC training, and and increasing number of apartments and condos are requiring CGC training for resident dogs."

So you can see what a benefit passing this test can be. There are 10 parts to the test that the dog must pass. Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger. Test 2: Sitting politely for petting. Test 3: Appearance and grooming. Test 4: Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead). Test 5: Walking through a crowd. Test 6: Sit and down on command and staying in place. Test 7: Coming when called. Test 8: Reaction to another dog. Test 9: Reaction to distraction. Test 10: Supervised separation. (AKC has a pamphlet with more specifics about each portion of the test. Contact them at cgc@akc.org)

Well, I was worried about Noah not passing the "down". This is one thing we've had trouble with. And I'll be honest, I hadn't practiced it as much as I could have. But, he passed that part and every test before it! The last part; "Supervised Separation", was the part I didn't think we'd have any problem with. You hand your dog's leash to another person and they hold it for you while you go out of sight for three minutes. He almost flunked! Whiner! But thankfully, he passed that portion also.

So now Noah's official title is "Rose City's Noble Heir CGC" (pending AKC approval)

Waiting our turn!

Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger

Test 2: Sitting politely for petting

Test 3: Appearance and grooming

Getting ready for Test 4: Out for a walk

Test 5: Walking through a crowd

Part of Test 6: Sit-stay

Test 7: Coming when called

Test 9: Reaction to distraction. (She used the walker around him and now is slamming a book shut). Test 8 (Reaction to another dog) was in this area too. We didn't get a picture of Test 10: Supervised separation.

Ahhhh...testing is over. Noah takes a break to play with his friend, Little Bear.

Good job Noah!

From Coco's mom

This was a recent message I received from one of our Pinewood puppy adopters...(totally unsolicited by me!)

"Why Pinewood Kennels is indeed the place to go for a puppy.

 

When looking to buy a Cavapoo we chose Pinewood Kennels May 2011, a decision we've been extremely glad we did.

 

From the get go, Jennifer was awesome to deal with. When we said we'd like to come see the Cavapoo we chose from pictures, she said, "sure, we'd be glad to have you visit." 

 

Our drive to Pinewood Kennels, took us across the State of Washington, and as we got closer we were as excited as two kids on Christmas. On our arrival, Jennifer warmly greeted us, showed us the puppies with their mother Buttercup and later Scout the father, as well as her other dogs. The love Jennifer and her family have for all their animals was apparent the moment we drove up their road.

 

It was important for us, not only to hold our puppy, but also to meet Jennifer & then see what is the perfect setting for breeding happy, healthy, and lovable dogs.

 

As promised, Jennifer kept us informed of Coco's progress. As scheduled, Coco flew from Spokane to SeaTac, accompanied by Jennifer's friend who met us at the airport. 

 

Here are pictures of Coco when we met her at 5 weeks, her drive home with us from SeaTac, one year on our riding mower, and at two years.

 

Forever grateful to Pinewood Kennels.   G, J and Coco too"

Coco at 5 weeks when they came to meet her.

Riding home from the airport.

A year old and ready to mow the lawn...just kidding, but she is smart ;)

Coco at two years of age.

I was thrilled of course to get "J's" email update. Here was our ensuing correspondence:

"J,
Thank you so much for this heartfelt letter of recommendation! You cleaned out my tear ducts this morning:) I'm thrilled that you so love your Coco girl and the experience you've had with us. I will definitely be sharing your note with others! Thank you, thank you!

Give Coco a birthday hug from her "other" mother:)
Warm regards~Jennifer"

 

 

"Jennifer you are certainly welcome.

 

G was hesitant in our getting a dog at our age (he will be 82 this July, and I will be 75 in June)  However, I knew he loved dogs and when he finally agreed there was no turning back.  Coco of course sealed the deal, the very moment we saw and then held her in our arms at your home.

 

The joy and love we've had from Coco, has been more than we could ever imagine. She keeps us young and active, makes us laugh, helps us relax (she loves sharing our chairs)

Alerts us to when someone comes down our driveway, gathers us up at the end of the day, or getting ready to go somewhere. ( a mother hen sometimes, cracks us up)

 

Have a great summer, enjoy your new poodles (they are adorable) We pray you continued success, as share your 'special dogs' with families everywhere.

 

J, G and Coco too!!"

 

 

And this is what it's all about! *smile*

 

What is "normal" anyways?

This is Abe.

I love this puppy. He is a beautiful sable color, playful, rambunctious, happy, super friendly and outgoing. He loves everybody!

But Abe is different. Abe was born with only one ear. He has cartilage on his left side, but no opening to the ear canal and no ear flap. His right side is perfectly "normal".

We don't know why this happened to Abe. Obviously something didn't develop right in the womb. He did have seven brothers and sisters crowded in there with him. 

Our vet has checked him out well and he's perfectly healthy and "normal" in every other way. I love the way our vet described him. When I said he had a disability. She said, "No, he has a different-ability." 

Abe doesn't know he's "different". Abe doesn't know he's suppose to have two ears. Abe doesn't know he's not like everybody else. Abe doesn't know he's not,  "normal". I guess we humans are the ones with the hang-ups. We see something different and we step back, we're afraid, we're cautious, we don't know how to react or what to do or say. Maybe we can all learn something from Abe. Love everybody whether they fall in our category of "normal" or not! Give everyone (including animals) a chance! Have fun! Enjoy life! What is "normal' anyways?!

"Can I read the paper?" (Actually he'd rather shred it!)

"Travis, turn me back over!"

Sitting at attention. He's staring at my son.

"Here mom, I'll hold the strap while you take the picture! I'm such a good helper."

Cuteness!

His left side without the ear.

"Haha, I got the kids toy!"

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father.." (James 1:17)

 Abe is a gift!