Fun and First Family

Last night we were in the living room talking and the puppies were just hilarious -- soon we had stopped talking and were just laughing at their antics. They had quite the game of tug-o-war with a leash going, but in about four different directions with nobody making any gains. Then Karma jumped in and that was very funny. They totally tag team her and she just plays along. One would have her tail and another an ear -- and then she would be buried under a pile of puppies only to emerge with dignity fully intact, if a bit slobbery. The puppies scamper off with toys, happily being chased by siblings. They wrestle, bark and in all ways are just very cute miniature dogs these days.

This morning was also fun. Cadi needs to nurse less as she is quite thin so I made them a breakfast of a chicken and banana smoothie. They had nursed at 1:30 a.m., 4:30 a.m. and this was 6 a.m. so they were not crazy hungry but they thought it was interesting enough. I usually feed puppies separately to avoid feeding frenzies but these puppies apparently are so well fed that they are not really all that frenzied about food so I used two big dinner plates and let them share.

After that I went in with them to take pictures and visit, and Zoey Rose came along to play. They love playing with Zoey -- once they all figure out there is no nursing opportunities :) And Zoey is great - she gets toys and tries to make them all chase her around, which they are happy to do. They wrestle and bite and bark and so on -- and just have a great time. So some played with her and some sat on me (i.e., chewed on me) and they frequently swapped places.

I keep forgetting to tell you that they are 100% with their potty area now. About one-third of their area in the living room is designated as a potty zone with newspaper covered with a fleece, and the rest is bare floor -- they only potty in their area! They finish eating or playing and race over to pee -- very accomplished puppies :)

So let's do pictures and then meet the first family -- yikes, it sounds like I am sending a puppy to the White House! Not quite! As much as I respect and support the Obamas, I do not think they fit my criteria for a puppy :)


This is Whitby, tired after the play session.


Here is Zoey facilitating a play session -- she is very skilled!


Toronto also getting ready for a nap (the best time to snap pictures, unless your hair is getting pulled, as it was).


Extra cute Sydney, who looks more and more like her mama.


Sutton found another use for the dinner plates!


Here you can really see how we identify Jamaica -- two dots.


A nice profile of Ireland.


Hudson trying to interest someone in a game of tug -- or maybe a walk?


Kaibab's Gonna Break Me Some Hearts (aka Hudson)


Finally, Geneva's reaction on being told that absolutely not -- she cannot be a cheerleader!

There are two puppies that will be placed as show puppies with the intention of becoming Versatility Dogs -- they are not being sold as breeding dogs. In fact, no breeding dogs are being sold to anyone from this litter -- not because the puppies are not good enough but simply because I have a closed breeding program and do not sell breeding dogs.

The first family we will meet is getting one of the show puppies -- a boy. They have been very dedicated and willing to follow all my crazy requirements. They even drove all the way to Montana so I could meet them, which was great because since they have kids I needed to see what kind of parents they are -- I was very impressed :) Their son was very well mannered and sweet with the F Litter. So meet our first Glitterati family:

"Hello! I'm Jennifer Graffunder. My husband Ralph and I live with our three kids Alex, Jakob and Marielle on a couple of acres in a little tiny town called Cove, OR. It's about 20 minutes outside of La Grande.

We have another Berner named Britta who is about 1 1/2 years old and we are currently working toward a goal of getting her novice rally and obedience titles. Britta often goes to work with me and our walks at lunch and during breaks help to keep me sane and balanced during my day as as a caseworker for the state child welfare system. I'm confident that she, too, will love the new puppy and that she will share her place sitting and laying on my feet. My husband was a past K-9 Handler for a local police department and, although he loves dogs too, the Berners are my special joy. I had another Berner in high school and college that I showed in obedience and Jr. Showmanship. Since then, my heart has always longed for others. I love Berners...their looks, strength, quickness, intelligence and gentleness.

I have been looking for a Berner baby boy that I could take in the the "beauty pageant" ring as well as do obedience and drafting with. I started looking early last summer. Long search, but short story later, I found Kaibab and started talking to Mary-Ann. I have learned so much about Berners, integrity and the art of raising puppies from her blog, website and emails. I was looking for someone who bred Berners for beauty, solid temperament, working ability and all of the things that they were meant to do and be. And, most importantly, I was looking for someone who loved their dogs and the puppies that they breed and who will stay involved with the new family and puppy. As you all know...Mary-Ann is that person!

My husband, Alex and I drove to Montana to meet the F litter and thoroughly enjoyed everyone we met there...puppies and humans! Now we hope for the snow to disappear for a while so we can get out of our valley and make the drive to Salt Lake City! Alex will be nine just two days after our trip and he is definitely convinced that a new Berner would make a great birthday present! He is getting interested in showing and will be ready for the Jr. Showmanship ring and 4-H in a year.

We are really excited to get a Glitterati puppy and very honored that Mary-Ann has chosen us for one of her very loved and cared for puppies!"

We are excited to have one of the special puppies go to be part of Jennifer's family, and know he will be well loved.

Thanks for visiting us today and I hope your day is filled with fun and good karma.

Pictures From Barb!

Barb made it home safely and only one speeding ticket! Sigh. She emailed some pictures from her visit, which was great because my camera was still at the wrestling tournament while she was here.


This is Kate holding her favorite puppy, Jamaica. However, when she discovered that her friend, Aidan, loved Geneva, she quickly switched loyalty so as to keep Geneva away from Aidan. Luckily they did not fight over poor Geneva but simply tried to get the other one to turn the sleepy beauty queen over through various trickery methods and manipulations -- it was quite amusing.


Hudson is anxious to learn his permanent name so he can start perfecting his autograph.


Here is the subject of 13 year old girl scheming -- cute little Geneva on the Christmas berner.


This one is for Heidi who is checking my house in Montana -- she likes the rude puppies. Poor Heidi -- things have been challenging up there and she has been a trooper :) Sorry you got stuck on our road, Heidi!!!


Here is Aidan safely in possession of her favorite, Geneva.

Assessment Continued

It is hard to talk about how I assess families because there is a danger that I will sound judgmental, and that is not my intention. I am not assessing whether a family is good or bad, but rather whether there is a good fit between the family and me, and the family and the puppy. So Denise wonders what is a good fit -- what does it take to be considered for a puppy?

Well, I clearly prefer families who are already involved with berners. There are seven Glitterati going to new homes -- one stays with me. Of those seven homes, six are already involved with berners one way or another.

I prefer homes that will do things with their dog -- "we want a family pet" gets about as much consideration as "got pups and how much?". There are wonderful family pets dying in shelters today -- adopting one is a much better lesson for children than buying an expensive purebred dog. (My guilt over not rescuing dogs is alleviated only slightly by rescuing cats, much to my husband's chagrin).

I like people to train and show their dogs in working events like obedience, drafting and so on because berners are a working breed and deserve the chance to live up to their heritage and their hard wiring. But there are other things that can help a working dog have an interesting life -- at least three Glitterati will be involved in therapy dog work, for example. So while I prefer working homes, I do not require that -- but I do require a plan for an interesting life.

I want owners who value the things we value, and therefore appreciate how we do things. I have found this usually translates into owners whose care for their puppies is more similar to how we do things, and this allows me to sleep better at night. In our first litter we had a new owner call the night before she was to drive to Utah to pick up her puppy -- she told me that she couldn't find the foods I recommended so she would be feeding XXX (junk) and that her vet insisted on the big combo vaccinations so she would be doing that. Yikes! Not a good fit and she did not get a puppy. I learned how important it was to be very clear about expectations well in advance.

I like homes in which the adult(s) have the time, energy and desire to give the puppy an interesting life. I know this sounds terrible but this usually translates into homes that do not have young kids. Now remember -- I have quite a few children of my own so I am not opposed to kids, but let's get real -- when both parents work and there are small kids at home -- how much is left over for a puppy? Good intentions do not translate into more hours in a day. This does not mean I never place puppies in homes with kids because I do -- but only if there is a darn good plan in place for the puppy and I feel really good about the parents and how they handle their children.

And then there is just how I feel about a person and/or a family. Part of my professional life is assessment -- I am usually pretty good at sizing things up -- not perfect, but usually good :) And so my interactions with people get filtered through my professional training and experiences, and my personal experiences, and I arrive at an impression that I continue to assess for accuracy. I am willing to change my mind and I have -- both to deny a puppy and also to include a family that I initially had concerns about. I think it is important not to get too set on an impression but to continue to collect information that supports or refutes the original assessment -- we all deserve that flexibility.

I prefer to meet new owners in person, and am delighted to say that I have met -- in person -- at least one member of every new Glitterati family, even though they live in seven different states! Yesterday Barb from Colorado got in her car -- by herself -- and drove all the way to Salt Lake City to meet the Glitterati! She was the only owner I had not met in person so it was great that she was willing to do that, and I know she will be a wonderful home for a special puppy. She spent a few hours with us and then got back in her car and drove home! Now that is commitment :)

Is it hard to get one of our puppies? Well, I guess that depends on who you ask but I hope no matter what is decided, people understand that the placement decisions reflect my commitment to my puppies, my breeding program, and to those people who own the dogs that are in the puppies' pedigree. I hate disappointing people and unfortunately I have, but that is part of why I really dislike the puppy placement aspect of breeding -- making people sad is hard on the heart :(

But the positive side of puppy placement is how incredibly happy people are to have a puppy. I will start introducing you to the Glitterati families tomorrow and I think you will be pleased that our adorable eight are going to such great homes. In the meantime, how about some pretty adorable pictures??


This is very cute Whitby.


Toronto and Sutton having some male bonding time.


This is Sutton -- do they get any cuter?!


Jamaica is trying to persuade me that she is the one by showing that yes, she can do metal scent articles, thank you very much!


Hunky Hudson showing off why we call him the Rock Star.


Not to be outdone by a girl, Hudson shows that he too can handle the challenges of utility.


Geneva sat in the crate and thought about being an obedience dog. She came to the conclusion that she could do it, as long as people knew she was pretty and not just smart.

I hope that people conclude you are pretty smart and smartly pretty today! Have a wonderful and relaxing Sunday, and let's all remember what Lisa had to say about the markings: "it's just hair" -- I suspect lots of things in life are just hair, so to speak...

Six Week Faces

The little sleepyheads were not at their best but they are still ADORABLE!


Whitby (aka Pugsley and Monkey Face)


Sutton (aka Sweetie Pie)


Hudson (aka Tank and Rock Star)


Toronto (aka T-Town)


Ireland


Geneva


Jamaica (aka Kaibab's Gift of Gab)


Sydney (aka Cadi Jr.)

Introducing Sweet Potatoes!

Hudson



Sutton



Geneva



Sydney

Puppy Assessment

Today's pictures are ones taken over the past few days that I did not post. My Dear Husband had to borrow my camera for a two day wrestling tournament (he coaches) so I was not able to get any pictures yesterday of puppy visiting, which was very sad as we had wonderful visitors. We will have the camera back later for the six week pictures -- I will post those tonight.

Can you believe the puppies are six weeks old?! Do you know what that means? Two things -- first, we only have two more weeks with them :( Second, they start eating solid food today! Yes indeed, we made it the whole six weeks with no supplementing or early solids -- good job, Cadi! I will wait until I can take pictures of the first meals so I can share that with you.

Thank you for your comments and I will address questions over the next couple of days; today I will discuss puppy assessment.

One thing I have learned is that a puppy’s personality does not just arrive – it evolves. And so the wild puppy of today is tomorrow’s sweetheart, and vice versa. What I am looking at is the puppy over time, knowing that personalities evolve even more after eight weeks. I do not have a crystal ball and so I have to make my best assessment about the puppy, and also about the families with whom they will live.

Obviously I assess puppies by watching them but I also like to get the feedback of others. Yesterday Cali said her favorite girl is Jamaica because she loves her attitude, and Kate agreed. Kathy loves Geneva because she is so sweet. Hudson is a favorite because he is so buff and big. But Sutton is a favorite because he is sweet and cuddly -- so is Whitby. It is nice to have input from people who visit frequently, but again, I know these things can change so it is important for all of us not to get a “profile” about a puppy stuck in our heads.

In addition to my longitudinal observations and the feedback of puppy visitors, the puppies will be assessed in at least two other ways. First, someone who has temperament tested three of my other litters is testing this litter; this will happen in a little over a week. This is not a pass/fail kind of test but rather a snapshot of a puppy exposed to different things in a structured way. It offers another data point, so to speak, on which to base the assessment of a puppy.

Second, Eden Jonas is coming out from Colorado to help evaluate structure. Eden bred the Glitterati's great grandmother -- my Abra. We will watch puppies, and we will also videotape the puppies trotting and stacked and study that. We will then rate the puppies in terms of their structure and select the show puppies. As I have said, I have zero concerns about temperament in this litter and so I will keep the girl that comes out #1 in the evaluation of structure.

There will be one other girl going to a show home, and there are two boys going to show homes; these puppies will be assigned based on structure. All of the show puppy homes are planning to also do working events, and I absolutely trust that the puppies selected for structure will also have the temperaments and abilities to earn working titles. That leaves two girls and two boys to match based on personalities. These matches will be made based on all the available data I have about the puppies, and what the new owners hope to do with their puppies.




This is Sydney killing the dusting thing.



I mentioned that Zoey can be slow to warm up -- I wanted to also share with you how incredibly friendly she is -- this is Zoey with Joan. Zoey is in a fear period now and so carefully evaluates new situations. But that confident, wild and crazy puppy we all knew as Rosebud has not disappeared -- she is just going through normal developmental processes for her. My challenge and responsibility is to help her get through this developmental period successfully and I have complete confidence that we will :)



This is Ireland.



A group meeting at the bush.



Faith is a natural Therapy Dog. She is sweet and gentle and very, very loving. And grey! But that is unrelated to her abilities as a budding Therapy Dog :)

Check back later for six week pictures and in the meantime, have a delightful day!

Some Complexities of Breeding

The choice of which puppy goes to which home is mine to make. Sometimes -- not knowing how this works -- people express a preference for a certain puppy, as if one could know the best match from pictures or a brief description. While it is okay to fall in love with a face, it is important to remember that each puppy has an emerging personality that may not be the best fit for a particular home. As the one who literally lives with the puppies, I am in the best position to work on the matches.

And something else that those of you who followed the F Litter -- or went back and read all the posts (!) -- know is that it tweaks me a bit when people that I barely know tell me what puppy they want. First of all, it reflects rejection of all my other babies. I know in my rational head it doesn't mean that but my heart and head sometimes do not work together well. Second, it makes it seem like I have a bakery and people are showing up to pick out a sweet. It doesn't work like that, which is why people who write and say, "got pups and how much" or "I want that one" get politely sent elsewhere. Third, if it is about markings I get really annoyed. I know that is not fair but it seems so superficial, and superficial is just not something I have a lot of patience for...

So there you have it -- some of the non-rational, emotional complexities of breeding and placing puppies. I hope that does not sound unkind. I know that most people do not "get" taking this breeding stuff so seriously -- but then again, I do not place puppies with most people so I guess that is okay. No matter -- it is how I do things. I do try to be mindful of when I am letting my heart get the better of me, but like most things in life it is a delicate balance. We need to be thoughtful and reflective, but never let go of the emotions and experiences that make us who we are -- finding that balance is a lifelong challenge for most of us. Who knew that breeding dogs would support personal growth and insight?!

Let's get some cute faces in sight, shall we? I took these this morning and was really struck with how dark some of the eyes are getting.



This is Ireland. One thing that I have noticed is that some puppies do not photograph well and she is one of them; surprisingly Hudson is another! Joan always remarks at how seriously cute Ireland's head is, and it really is but her darker markings make that hard to see in pictures.



This is extra cute and sweet Sutton.



Taking pictures is dangerous. You have probably noticed that I tend to be on level with the puppy -- when I was taking Sutton's cute picture, Ireland bit me on the head! My toes have holes in them and my shirt does also -- the price of art is high! So here is Sydney chewing on my jeans.



Geneva continues to be the smallest puppy but is a lovely, petite package and just as sweet as can be. She loves sitting in laps! In fact, I had to remove her from my lap and balance her on my knees to take this picture.



See the right paw and how dark it is? That is your clue that this is Whitby -- could he be any cuter?!



And here is the very handsome T-Town aka Toronto.



Hudson really wanted out of the x-pen this morning and here he is whining about it. It looks like he is laughing, but really he was saying, "I want out NOW!!! Where is the management???"



I normally do not like butt shots -- puppies may well be sensitive like the rest of us to such pictures! However, this random shot of Hudson's bum shows off the nice rears that are consistent in this litter.

Aren't they just perfectly more adorable than yesterday?!!! Thanks for your visit and I hope you new year is off to a great start, with lots of opportunity to become the person you want to be -- or at least really good at the person you are!

Puppy Visiting Times

Feel free to stop by to visit puppies during the following times:

Friday (tomorrow) between 3 and 4 pm

Saturday between 3 and 4 pm

Monday -- send me an email if you want to come on Monday

Tuesday between 2 and 3 pm

If you need different times, please let me know!

EXTRA! EXTRA!

I cannot resist sharing these pictures even though I have already posted for today.

We start with that crazy cat, Karma. It really is amazing how much she is like Noah (who is coming home from the vet this morning -- he got an infection and that sent his diabetes way out of whack). She likes to play with the puppies as you can see.




Jamaica kept a close eye on her to ensure that Karma did not try to steal any of the puppy toys.



Worn out from playing, the Glitterati -- including the odd looking one -- settle in for a nap.



This is Sydney. She wanted some attention so I played with her for a bit and then gave her to Cadi, who was sleeping on the kitchen floor. Sydney was not interested in eating -- she just wanted to have some fun.



This does not look nearly as fun for Cadi as it does for Sydney but Cadi -- one of the kindest creatures on the planet -- simply let Sydney play. Watching mothers and puppies has taught me that mothers RARELY get upset with a puppy -- and if they do, they simply get up and walk away. Tolerance -- not dominance -- is what you see in a mother with her puppies, and this is true even when they get bigger. There is a lesson in this...



This is a special picture that I will treasure -- it is Cadi's mom, Maize (age 8.5), with her granddaughter, Sydney.

I hope you enjoyed this Special Edition of the Blog -- have a great day!