Raven, One smart pup!!!

Raven is the most valued gift under our tree

Raven is so SMART!!! She takes to training very quickly. I'm by no means a trainer, so I hope I'm not teaching her any bad habits or using confusing techniques. So far she's responding to my novice attempts well. At approximately 4 months old she already knows: "Sit", "Down", "Over", "Here", "Release", "Kennel", "Ahh-Ah",  (my sound for no),"Bed", "Up" & her name. Most commands she knows on both word & hand signals. The hand signals come in handy when I'm working form home on the phone. All I have to do is snap & point to her bed & she jumps in it.  Next we'll work on perfecting "Stay"&"Whoa".  She retrieves like a dream & no nipping or potty accidents. She sleeps in her crate up to 7 hours. Raven LOVES people, dogs, balls & toys. Not much of a chow hound? ... proof there is something other than Lab in her mix. She has learned to leave the chickens alone (unless they run, then she has a hard time resisting - we're working on that) I think her best characteristic is still her adaptability. Last week she had her 3rd vaccination so very soon she'll be ready to get out in public to get her exposed to the world. Her only set back has been a pesky spot of ringworm on her nose. Dr. Wilson, her Vet assured me this is a very common fungus that lives in soil & prevalent this time of year. None the less, it's difficult to get rid of & takes a long time to go away completely. Raven is very "nosey" - literally! She pokes her nose everywhere, it's no wonder that on her nose is where she got it. I thought seeing Jasmin, Lucy & the puppies go to new forever families was hard..... parting with Raven will be devastating! The sole motivating factor is knowing there is a bigger picture.



Holiday Update of Lucy & pups

Lucy is in the Christmas spirit!

Getting updates on Lucy & her litter is SOOOOO fun!!!! Seeing how much the puppies are growing & changing is very exciting. Poor Lucy had a difficult Thanksgiving Holiday. She came down with some type of tummy trouble that gave her new Mama a big scare... & a hefty vet bill. Thankfully she is doing much better now & is adapting nicely to her family. Baily is quite a character. Her family regularly posts her tales on facebook which I religiously follow. Bruce is the 3rd child in his family. I love all the snuggle shots his Mama posts on facebook. Cooper is over the hump in nipping & accidents. From here on our it's smooth sailing for him & his family. Bella is quite a beach bum. She gets lots of long walks in the sand to help her stay in swimsuit shape. Mojo is a spoiled little prince. Adelaide & Styx are enjoying each other & their new friends. Noah is best buddies with his brother Coach the Siberian husky.

Bruce the Snuggle pup

King Cooper on his throne

The O'Connor Family Christmas

Santa Littler Helper....reluctant helper!

Bailey on "Duck Patrol"

Raven after 3 weeks

Raven - Working on "Stay"

In the past 3 weeks Raven has shown off her adaptability. She's been to work with me & done very well. She now knows the blender, vacuum, dishwasher, dryer & garbage disposal aren't demons. She's still concerned about the garage door opener's magical powers of opening the whole wall. She is a great passenger in the car. The Salt/Pepper game is old hat to her. "Sit' is now part of her vocabulary "Down" & "Stay" are improving. She walks perfectly on a leash ... even on the treadmill! I'm sick of he extra 10 lbs I'm caring around so I've been spending some time on the treadmill & Raven joined right in ( in moderation, supervised - all safety precautions being taken) The chickens taunt her from the coop. When she goes with me at feeding time you can see her wheels turning "how can I get in there?"

Yesterday was her 2nd round of vaccinations. Last time her weight was about 17.5 lbs, now almost 23 lbs.! Her little spots of Demodex are gone - no meds needed, treated only with love. She really misses Lucy. Missy won't give her the time of day...so anti-social that Miss Missy! We've found that Raven is very "mature for her age" or "has an old soul." While she is a happy puppy, she doesn't display many of those annoying typical puppy traits - lucky for me! She is fairly crate trained. She will throw a fit if she has to potty - so there is no mistaken when she needs to be let out. Potty training in the house in about 80%. If I get busy & get off her schedule she'll have an accident, but no accidents in the crate.

Raven - Sleeping on the job

Raven the Working Girl





Fitness Puppy

Monkey see - Monkey do!

More Puppy brags

Mojo & his new friend "Jack"

Mojo - Living the good life!

Bella investigates "Jack"

Chocolate & Cinnamon - Sweet Bella

Bailey shows her Mama what she thinks of the
" No puppies on the sofa" rule

Fine time to leave me Lucille

Queen Lucy on her monogrammed throne

Our Lucy Chapter has now officially closed. Yesterday Lucy moved on to her new forever family. The past 3 months with sweet Lucy have been a huge adventure. She introduced me to so many new people & organizations. Lucy was my first taste of Basset mixes. She was an impressive ambassador to her breeds. I'll miss her dearly & am grateful for all she taught me & all the joy she brought to our home & the homes of her puppies families. Her new Mama is so fortunate to call Miss Lucy her Baby.

Lucy meets her new Mama

Lucy eyeing her treats

Raven & Lucy sit sweetly waiting for their last meal together

Grandpuppy Brags



Noah, such & pretty boy... & he knows it!

I love grandpuppy photos!!! I've been unable to update my blog or facebook page since last week. Late Friday night a car hit a power/phone pole on our road. We were without power or water until late Saturday night & phone/internet was just restored this afternoon. Joys of country living!  I'm amazed it took so long. We realized one thing quickly... we're scary dependent on the internet! I could no longer work form home & had to go into the office, w/ Raven in tow.


Coach & Noah taking a break between wrestling  matches

Styx in his Halloween costume

Bailey must not be a fan.... surprising since she was born wearing team colors!

Can't we all just get along?

Awwww....so sweet!!!!

Bruce all dressed up

Just like his Mama Lucy, Bruce loves a bone!

Service Dogs for Veterans Program

Raven showing of her stuff for Mary

Raven got the Green Light from Mary Cortani of K9 Coach Plus to enter the "Service Dogs for Veterans" program. We need to work on her confidence w/ exposure to lots of new elements & the salt/pepper game. I'm thrilled to be given an opportunity to help a puppy in need & honor our military. While Raven is still technically part of ACGSR rescue she will only be adopted out if she doesn't pass as an official service dog. She will either find a very lucky family or get to devote herself to a hero. This is the same little puppy who was dodging traffic on Highway 101. Fate keep her from becoming discarded road kill. It's become apparent to me that something greater than myself is navigating Ravens path. I've pledged to be her supportive co-pilot in this journey. Please checkout and support  ACGSR Rescue & K9 Coach Plus. Read more about the Service Dogs for Veterans Program .

Good Sit!

Like a baby

Not sure about Salt/ Pepper...we'll work in it.

In the car Raven had plenty to "say" but eventually settled in for a nap

Raven & big Sis Lucy - Sitting for treats... good girls!

Chill'n with an eye on the action

Meet "RAVEN" 10 week old Lab mix Puppy



Raven made herself at home quickly!



With some of the extra time I had on my hands I was tackling the feral cat issue around our property (..I'll be sure to get on my soap box & rant about that in another post) I took a kitten to the county pound. While I was at the counter waiting my turn, a lady walked in holding a jet black puppy in her arms. She found her running in traffic. Sue, the good Samaritan wanted to check if the pup was microchiped... she wasn't. Trembling with her ears plastered to her head she made a pathetic sight.  Poor lil' pup was terrified of all the chaotic barking. It's an unsettling sound for me, can't imagine what it sounds like to a puppy. Sue said she wasn't leaving the puppy there...nor would I. She said she had a friend who ran a rescue that she would contact. I had a hunch & to confirm it I asked who that friend was? As suspected, it was Viv with ACGSR of Hollister who I'd fostered Jasmine for. I knew Viv was tapped out of foster homes since I'd just turned her down for Oliver a week ago. At the time she asked I still had 2 puppies, but that was no longer the case & this little girl had already captured me. We got Viv on the phone right then & there. She would sponsor & make the necessary appointments & I'd foster. Off we go on another foster adventure!!



Raven keeps an eye on me while I clean up the kitchen

On my way home with this trembling puppy on my lap the reality of what I'd just done was comical. I went to the pound to drop off a cat & came home with a puppy! I promptly called my husband & recanted the whole story to him. He said it was fine & he would've done the same thing...what a gem!!! He asked what her name was? I looked down at the puppy & she looked up at me with her ears perked up like little wings & the sun shining on her black coat..."RAVEN". I gave her a bath as soon as we got home.No obvious fleas & fairly clean. Offered her food. She took a few bites but she was to distracted by Lucy. It was LOVE at 1st sight. They romped around the yard until the bath I'd just given Raven was in question. Viv called & let me know Raven had an appointment With Dr. Wilson in Hollister in a few hours. I got out the camera & started snapping away. I think I know why it's harder to get black dogs adopted...they're difficult to photograph well. So many of the pictures didn't capture how cute she is. It's hard to do her justice in pictures. In this video she is trying to get Lucy to play with her. She likes balls over the other toys. The energy you see in this video is quickly turned off when she is in the house. She sits sweetly while I clean up the kitchen.





Finally, a puppy that will leave Poor Lucy's nipples alone!



Dr. Wilson & Raven



At her appointment she got an exam, vaccinations & worm/flea treatment. Dr. Wilson gave her the green light "HEALTHY PUPPY!" He said she look to be a lab mix but would grow to be on the smaller scale. He also noted the areas around her eyes as  minor Demodex, a skin mite present in most dogs & NOT CAUSE FOR ALARM. When puppies have a compromised immune systems from various reason (like stress, poor diet) they have reactions to the Demodex mites which are present on nearly all dogs. In time with good nutrition & care it should clear up on it's own. He suggested I just keep an eye on it  so that is doesn't get any worse. Raven hasn't seemed bother by it at all.

Raven's coat glistens in the sun

He first night with us went amazingly well. She was very interested in Missy & true to form, Missy avoided her like the plague. Our whole pack settled down to catch up on some DVR episodes of CSI. Raven snuggled in her bed on the floor between us. She would have preferred being on our laps but we don't want to create any bad habits for her new family. She got the hint quickly that the sofa is off limits. At bedtime we crated Raven in the office in a crate next to Lucy. She complained moderately for about 20 minutes then sleep soundly until I woke her up this morning for breakfast.

After play time Raven is ready for snuggles

Love her perky ears!!!





Forever Families - Empy nest




Bailey (Dory) & her Forever Family


 One by one Lucy's puppies left our cozy nest & made their way into the homes & hearts of new forever families. Our home is so quiet...to quiet ...must fix that! Cooper & Bailey got an extra week of Lucy TLC. It did a world of good for Baily especially who spent most of the time getting "checked" by her Mama to teach her some better manners. Cooper keep us entertained with his endless charm.








Cooper (Nigel) & his new Mama

 Each photo & updates form all the families is like Christmas!!! The BEST reward.
Seeing Bruce sleeping in his Mama's arms, Styx & Adelaide on play dates, Bella at the beach, Bailey with her kitty brothers...all warms my heart. Stories of Mojo sleeping on his back in the kitchen, Noah(Nemo) breathing easier, Cooper sleeping through the night... all make me so proud!


Princess Bella

 


Neighbors Styx & Adelaide




Adelaide & her sister Savannah




Bella at the beach - There has been some concern regarding this photo. I found out that the wet sand on a beach is one of the safest places to walk a puppy since the tide is constantly eroding the soil (where Parvo lives) . As long as a puppy is carried past dry sand & allowed to only walk in the wet area the exposure is minimal. Interesting!



Styx & one of his many new toys

Styx & Adelaide getting cozy

Bruce has plenty of company

Bruce the blond blends well in his new family

Bailey's new crib

Bedtime for Bailey

Bailey the boozer...my kind of puppy!

Noah & Coach

Noah & Coach looking to cute!!