​AM raw Goat's Milk to help wakeup and a little review of sits and stays for the Diamond Litter! Going to meet Miss Deb today at a new location away from home and complete the Avidog Temperament testing. It is always so fascinating to see how each pup thinks, learns, and experiences life! It also ALWAYS amazes me how different their personalities are when they are "bold in the pack" and then separated from littermates. Like Jekyll and Hide in the difference sometimes. But the main point of temperament evaluations as they are only ONE piece of the puzzle, is to identify areas the pups need to focus on in the remaining weeks with us. Sometimes it is obvious that a certain dog would do better in a less active, or more active home, or in a performance home who does sports etc., or a home who might need a therapy dog etc. so the tests are helpful but NOT end all.  

And some scenes from the actual evaluations!

3 AM slurps from the Diamond and Emerald Litters!

In today's training sessions the puppies worked on "through" and wobble board, "take", and (of course ... the usual) "drop it"!

Here are some scenes from our stacking practice as the pups get ready for their 8 week evaluations. (They'll get better at the stacking over the next 2 weeks!) The puppies are loving playing and exploring new environments and challenges. Here are some shots and videos of them at 6 weeks of age. Honestly, they are all show quality and we are seriously considering keeping a pick from this litter as any of them could finish an AKC championship easily and quickly and be an asset to our breeding program. The faces .... the heads .... the cobby bodies ..... the pigment ... tails ... dark eyes ....wrinkles and expression. Sigh. So beautiful. But, to keep us honest and objective, we've lined up some amazing people to help us with the 8 week evaluations including a breeder/handler/judge who is not a pug breeder but a stickler on breed standard as well as proper movement and structure. 

Here they are having fun exploring a new room and another barrier challenge!

Here's Mr. Green Jeans getting used to the new stacking box. (Yes, his "Outdoorsy" sweatshirt is getting a big snug lolz but dressing up for early stacking practices makes it less pressure and more FUN....for the human ;)

This video is a little old, from when they turned 4 weeks old. They each got a chance to smell all sorts of things outside, without getting on the ground of course (parvo). All 3 pups really seemed responsive to the rosemary bush smell!

For the last 2 weeks the puppies have had a couple of trips to the church and got to meet (in very sterile and clean environment -- people wore scrubs and booties and washed hands etc.) all sorts of people from age 4 to adults. Even a 1 year old got to wave and be near (though of course wasn't allowed to hold). They are getting used to riding in a car, too and getting that "whatever response" going strong.