The Importance of Being Kind

As I sit here at my desk, I can easily see both litters. I look right and see the Bright Stars…

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…and to my left is the new Moonshadow compound…

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The flooring above is vinyl over agility mats, and the whole room will soon be the designated indoor play area to be utilized by both litters.

Ariel

Ariel

Right now, the Moonshadows would not benefit from too much space and in fact, too much space all at once can be scary for a puppy. An alone puppy in the wild would be an easy meal — they are biologically programmed to not want to be alone and a big, new space lets them get too separated.

Buck and rePete

Buck and rePete

Remember this when you bring a new puppy home — don’t expect them to love being alone because it just isn’t how they are made. Being alone = Terrifying when you are an easy meal.

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Puppies (and tiny humans) need what they need in each developmental period, and it is the job of ethical, intentional, and smart adults to meet those needs.

Remember this — it is 100% appropriate to meet the current needs of a puppy, understanding that they transition successfully through developmental periods ONLY when the developmental needs are met. Deny a human baby what they need and go ahead and start saving for their future therapy bills.

Perseus and Heze

Perseus and Heze

Puppies are not different — they need what they need, and denying them the chance to be developmentally appropriate is not only setting them up to have issues but it is also just plain mean. #bekind

And so let the puppy chew.

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Make sure little puppies have company.

Hunter with rePete

Hunter with rePete

Manage your housetraining expectations.

Lyra

Lyra

And in all ways — let the puppy be a puppy.

Nova running off with a star

Nova running off with a star

The life of a dog is quick — don’t waste one second being unreasonable in your expectations or disappointed because a puppy behaved in ways perfectly compatible with normal development and their DNA.

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Life with Dogs invites us to be and do better. I love that.

Have a kind day.

Evening Pics

Arche

Arche

hmmmmm….

hmmmmm….

Daisy and Ariel

Daisy and Ariel

Zaniah

Zaniah

Orion — in the water bowl!

Orion — in the water bowl!

Heze

Heze

Puppy Grand Central (Updated with Three Week Photos)

The Moonshadows have left the whelping box…

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Their new gating arrives tomorrow and so we improvised until it gets here. I will work on their three week photos over the course of today.

This is Claire with her adventuring brood…

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CLaire and pups 2-19.jpg

Miss Piggy is a big hit…

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Rosebud doing some coaching…

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And to the person who sent this — THANK YOU. Seriously great timing…

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Have an amazing day — you deserve it.

Evening Photos

Here are the Moonshadows at Three Weeks…

Ariel

Ariel

Portia

Portia

Metis

Metis

Kale

Kale

Neil

Neil

Buck

Buck

Arche

Arche

Hunter

Hunter

Andy

Andy

Titan

Titan

Thank you, Friends, for the spiked balls and also the wonderful stars…

Capella

Capella

I so appreciate the community around these litters — thank you so so much.

Quick Pics (Updated with Four Weeks Pics)

Some of the puppies are going on a quick road trip this morning because their cheek swab for yet another genetic test requires the veterinarian to watch/sign off. As you might imagine, that involves quite a production and so enjoy these morning pics with more tonight…

Moonshadows — note the one with the great hair…

Moonshadows — note the one with the great hair…

Heze

Heze

New stuff!

New stuff!

Note the first thing they do with something new — chew it!

Note the first thing they do with something new — chew it!

Bright Stars at Four Weeks

Zaniah

Zaniah

Nova

Nova

Lyra

Lyra

Capella

Capella

Sirius

Sirius

Mirak

Mirak

Perseus

Perseus

Heze

Heze

Sun

Sun

Orion

Orion

Moonshadows at three weeks — tomorrow.