Category Archives: PUPDATE

END OF MAY 2019 – PUPDATE!


Tuesday, May 21st, 2019 | Filed under PUPDATE




So the puppies are now 30 weeks along… or 7.5 months old.  They are still TOTAL PUPPIES.

(reminder:  half Walker Coonhound and half Labrador – littermates.)

However, they are learning things… and they are very good at training us (well, me…), already.

EARLY TO BED, WAAAY TOO EARLY TO RISE…

The puppies go to bed around 8pm.  And, no matter how hard we try to keep them awake or wake them up to go outside at 10Pm… whatever we do, they still get up at 4:30am.  Not 4:31, not 4:28.  Nope.  4:30am on the dot.  Every.  Single.  Day.

I used to throw on a robe and walk them around in the dark outside (NOT RECOMMENDED)… but now I just fling open the door and give them a gentle boot while I wheel around and stagger back to bed.

However.  They really don’t wish to be out in the dark and cold – for long.  Just long enough for me to fall back asleep… to then awaken to their not-so-gentle whines outside.

So, I’ve given up sleeping in.  It just doesn’t work.  Now, I get up at exactly 4:30am and start returning emails earlier than anyone wants to read them.

Serious Vivienne.

Goofy, sweet and lovable Violet

WHAT THEY KNOW

They know the sounds of any kind of opening or rattling of any kind of food item.

They know to stand at the office door and whine – to be let in.  And, they know the reverse of that… whine to be let out.  Or just whine for something, even if the little puppy brain isn’t sure what she wants, in particular.

They know the phrase, “What do gooooood doggies do?”  means to “sit”.  Why be efficient?  Why not teach them the finer points of the English language?

They know how to ride in the car without throwing up, however, they choose to mostly throw up anyway.

And they have learned that if they poop all over where Mom walks, it is fun to watch her grumble as she picks it all up before her morning coffee.

Oh and of course, they know how to be exceedingly cute when they want something…

We think you have something in your pocket…don’t you?!!

WHAT THEY DO

Mostly, they run around and dig up stuff.  Or they tackle each other and dig up stuff.  Or they snorffle the ground and dig up stuff.

Usually, they are gone the entire day, and just come back for snacks or to tag home base – kinda like we did as kids.

But my biggest training accomplishment so far is:  Playing or roughhousing inside is not allowed – ever.  No more.  Done with that.  Nada.  If I even hear any kind of elevation in mood or play, I stop it immediately or put them outside.

This is what I mean by SERIOUS VIVIENNE. She is just so serious. Always a knitted brow and a concerned look. Here she is concerned about my driving… which of course, she should be since I’m driving and taking photos. (not really)

WHAT THEY NEED

Daily baths, which I don’t have the time or strength to wrestle them into.    They smell like stinky middle-schoolers, all dirty and hormonal.  Every day, they roll in manure and whatever dead thing they can find.  Puppie LePews.

Next month, after we return from our annual ranch vacation, and have time to monitor them, the girls will be spayed.

Until then, ONWARD PUPPY MAYHEM!

(They have it pretty good…).

Last weekend I took them to doggie Day Care. At least they napped on the way home… I hope they are invited back!

May Bucket Fund!  Our 3 mustang babies!  One attacked by stallions, one left abandoned in the hot sun and the other – an orphan. Click here for story.

All donations are 100% tax deductible!  Thank you in advance!



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PUPDATE – April 2019


Sunday, April 7th, 2019 | Filed under PUPDATE




Well, this week, the pups will be 6 months old!   (They are littermates.  Mother is a Walker Coonhound, Father was a Lab.)

To be honest, it is tough taking photos of these two unless they are asleep.  I’ve never encountered such active beings.  Never.  Even new foals are not as blurry active as these guys.

PUPDATE!  6 months old!

Violet knows that I’m not impressed with her handiwork.

Vivienne is going after a box of tack. Paper and cardboard seem to be their favorites. Oh and digging in houseplants. They also carry my boots around… and wrestle ALL. THE. TIME.

We are starting to let them free outside, with supervision. I’m still not convinced that they understand horses. Vivienne has found a delightful mole hole. Violet is down by the gate… asking for a walk outside (we have 10 acres but OUTSIDE is better, of course.)

Here we are in doggie detention. When I can’t take it anymore, they have sentry duty just outside my office windows. They get to watch the world go by for a while.

This is a favorite digging spot… the cats use the bark as a huge litter. Ugh. I always pull the dogs out of there. But, they always go there first. (You can see the miles and miles of vineyards where we live.)

Today’s upheaval and materpiece. I have to put everything up and out of puppy reach.

And still I cannot get an in-focus pic…

They are so silly!

This is my Mom in her home in San Francisco. I was there with her this past month – as we all ease into her dementia. I’m sitting on the floor with my brother’s new rescued dog, Sammy. Mom is an American Indian (Chippewa/Ojibwe) and you can see it here.

EMERGENCY APRIL BUCKET FUND FOR GRANNYPONY!  – the 35+ blind, perfectly mannered little pony – left at the meat auction by her family! Click here for story

Only $690 to reach our goal!   We are going to pay her vets bills, lab work, feet and future dental!

All donations are 100% tax deductible.  THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!  Click here to donate!

This 35+ year old granny pony was left at a meat auction to fend for herself in the huge pens with large horses.

 




HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth... if you like this, please pass it around!