January 12th No Jumping!

Don't let that innocent face fool you! Moon is a jumper! She easily clears the fence for the puppy enclosure. Fortunately there are only a few reasons she will actually try to jump the fence. She prefers to run around the yard with Ace. Her and Ace are still the only two puppies that have mastered the stairs off from the porch to the wide world of the one acre dog yard. I almost can't wait until she is old enough to put in to harness! She is such a smart puppy, and I have begun training her with some obedience. I don't want to usurp her special bond with Jim, as she is the first puppy that has taken to him primarily, and I have been encouraging his relationship with her. So I'm teaching Jim how to teach her in hopes that she will be 'his' dog, since all the rest always seem to bond to me primarily as leader and care-giver. He has always wanted to be the prime for a dog. We tried with G'kar, but he too ended up bonding to me. Moon is special to him, and I hope to keep it that way.

Meanwhile I've started obedience also with Princess, and crate training has started with Christmas and Brownie. First is getting them comfortable and happy about going in the crate. Both of them have sat and played in the crate with the cool puppy toys hidden inside. When they start to get anxious, we let them out, so the crate is not yet a confinement tool, but a happy quiet play area they can retreat to away from the pressures of the other puppies and dogs.

Most of Samantha's puppies are now used to going outside to do their business in the day. Still working on the nighttime and Freya's pups.