Every child should grow up with a dog:)

Merry Christmas from Remy and Louie!

Two handsome brothers, Remy (2011 litter) and Louie (2013 litter) all dressed up in their Christmas best.  Thank you Bob for the beautiful photo!  Such handsome doggies!

Louie and Remy , Christmas 2013

Christmas Photos from Liam

Here is Liam with his family at Christmas time.  Thank you Erin for sharing your lovely photos with us!

Liam looks so handsome in his Christmas tie!

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DIY Poinsettia Collar for Dogs

I have been wanting to get my doggies holiday collars for a long time.  I have admired all kinds of adorable collars on Etsy, but when I add up the cost for all my doggies to get a new collar with a bow tie or flower embellishment...I just cannot justify the purchase.    So this Christmas I decided to give it a try.   I made Poinsettia collars for the girls...and a Bow Tie collar for Toby.







Making the collar:

Rather than buy several kinds of fabrics for each dog, I found a Christmas fabric that had many designs combined into one fabric.  Now all the dogs will color coordinate with each other.


I cut the fabric 4 times the width of the collar I want to make and twice the length of the finished collar.  I folded each strip in half lengthwise and ironed in the crease.  Then I folded the sides toward the crease to create the hem.  And folding the hems together I sewed down the length of the collar to create the collar band.  Then I threaded the ends of the bands through the buckle and sewed them in place to the finished width of each dogs neck.  Since these collars were just for a few weeks of indoor use, I didn't bother using adjustable parts and D rings for collars. If I wanted stronger collars for walking the dogs, I would use nylon webbing inside the fabric.

Meet our newest puppy....Misty!

Misty is 5 months old.

I have been wanting to introduce the newest member of our doggie family for some time .....finally.....
here is our adorable Misty!   She and Coco will be the future mama's of our Schnoodle puppies.  

Should have been named ANGEL!

Misty is a Miniature Schnauzer who comes from Schnauzer lines bred for AKC conformation.  So her adult shoulder height will be 12-14" and her weight will be about 14 lbs.   She is only 5 months old at present, so she has not met her full size potential....but she has already grown taller than Coco (our Toy Schnauzer).


So let me tell you about Misty!  In one word, she is a dream! 

Coat: Misty's coat is beautiful soft and wavy. The cost of the silky fur is that she does need to be brushed more often as this gorgeous fur does tangle rather easily.   She is a beautiful bright white...and she will produce lovely apricot shades when bred with the Red Poodle. 

By nature, Misty is laid back and easy going.

Temperament:  Misty is super sweet loving and docile.   She loves everyone, is super quiet...and so far, doesn't even bark when strangers come to the door.  That is unusual for a Mini Schnauzer.  This breed is typically characterized as a watch dog.  I am really happy she is a quiet example of the breed.  My Toby's barking is so loud, he is all the watch dog we need in this house!   

I have to say, I have never met a puppy that can do NO wrong.  But Misty is one in a million.  She has never had an accident in the house. She only chews on her own toys. When we go on walks she doesn't pull on the leash.  And when we walk off leash she follows close to us.   And I did not teach her any of this.  She was like this when we first brought her home at 11 weeks old.

Coco and Misty are best friends!

The only thing I am still working on his her COME command.  It is as if Misty is on a satellite.  I call her and it doesn't register for about 3-4 seconds.  She has to think about it...and then she comes running  at least she comes with great enthusiasm.  I am already seeing much improvement on this.   Coco, on the other hand, always beats Misty inside, because Coco ALWAYS has to be first....LOL!  But this really works to my advantage, because Coco is teaching Misty to respond quickly to the COME command!  (Ha ha!  Love that!)

Whenever I call the puppies inside the house, the routine is they run over to the treat cupboard and I drill them on their SIT, DOWN and STAY.  I never call them inside without their treat routine.  Some day I will be able to wean them off the treat expectation.  But for now, I just want to ingrain the right habits.   I don't ever want them to associate COME with a negative (having the door shut behind them).  I want them to get way past the door, and put their minds on something else.   By moving into training mode, it turns the negative of coming inside into the positive a fun time with Mom.  Since my puppies go outside a lot during the day, it helps me remember to work with them throughout the day....and it really takes very little time.    

Love having 2 puppies to expend puppy energy on eachother!

Coco was already about 9 mths old when I brought Misty home.  It is always easier to train one puppy at a time.  So this way, Coco was already potty trained and leash trained, and chew trained before the second puppy came home.  When you have two puppies at the same time, it can be especially more difficult to potty train.

When I brought Misty home that first day, Coco was thrilled!  Finally a puppy that was smaller than she was (though not for long!)   Dixie and Toby don't seem to care or notice the puppies if they can help it.  They mostly just hope they won't be jumped on...LOL!   So Misty and Coco run and play together all day.  It is nice.  They will always be good friends.   Of the two Coco is the bossy one.  If Misty is getting any attention, Coco is sure to push her way into the mix...and try to take over.  Coco is definitely my alpha female... a big dog in a little body:)





It is wonderful to have a few silly little puppies to bring our family laughs.  I so enjoy watching them wrestling with each other around the house....stealing toys from the other one....getting into a tug of war.  I love it when I sit down and feel a fuzzy little bodies curl up on my feet.  I sometimes think I am super lucky to have such fine little dogs....but then I remember how much time I spent in searching for the right puppy from a quality breeder....and I realize that quality is no accident.   Good breeding and a breeder who starts good habits from the beginning, makes a huge difference in the resulting puppy.

Dog Puzzle Toys

Paw Hide Treat Toy

I suppose this post may be a bit late.  As many of you have already got your furry friend a Christmas gift.  I thought I had posted this note a while back...but somehow it never left the 'draft' mode.  I am sharing  it now as a last minute gift idea:)

I had never bought dog puzzle toys and was so intrigued when I found out how much Jackson was enjoying them.   I asked his owner to share the links of the toys that they were using.

She has graciously sent me the links from Amazon, and I have added them into my Store so that we can find them easily in the future.  It looks like something that will be so much fun...especially for puppy quiet time.

The two toys that Jackson have are variations on the same theme.  His owners put treats in the blocks and Jackson has to figure out how to get them.  The first toy takes one step to get the kibble.  The second one takes two steps to get the kibble.

Jackson really loves his puzzle toys and gets really excited when they take them out.  Below are two links to the puzzles that Jackson has.  Thank you to Erica for sharing this idea with us!

Nina Ottoson Dog Brick Interactive Puzzle Toy  ($7.49 shown above)

Paw Hide Treat Toys by Kyjen ($24.71 shown below)

Pukah update - 6 months

I received an update from Pukah's family!  It is so great to hear that Pukah is doing well!    Here's the  news!.....

"As of the 3rd of December, Pukah weighs 18.5 lbs. and I think he's probably slowing down on the growth.  He is starting to calm down (a little) and has learned 'sit', 'down' and 'stay', but come still needs some work.  He also got neutered about a month and a half ago."

"Pukah has become a great traveler and has been to Western PA and New Hampshire in the car in the past month.  He slept in his crate the whole time except for rest stop breaks.  He was a big hit with all the family and has a very sweet nature under all that energy.

Unfortunately his first haircut was a disaster (the groomer ignored everything I asked for.  And now he looks like a very sad old poodle.)  So we're waiting for his hair to grow out again but I'm attaching photos from our trip to PA about 3 weeks ago."

----Julie

Thank you so much, Julie, for sharing your photos and news!  Sorry to hear about Pukah's haircut.  He sure looks huggable in his shaggy look:)  I can can imagine it would be a shock to loose all that adorable fluff!  I am sure he will grow into his haircut soon.  Best wishes to you and all your family!  --Mary

Puppies turn 6 mths Old! Liam's update

Liam Passes Puppy 1 class!

Last summers puppies are now 6 months old.  How time flies!
I just got an update from Liam's family.  Do you remember Liam....he was called Biscuit when he was tiny, because he was the color of a biscuit.

Liam is doing great!  He has passed Puppy 1 class, and is now in Puppy 2!  Good job Liam!

But you may not recognize Liam now.  His color has darkened so much as his adult fur has came in.  I have to admit, I probably would have thought he was one of his siblings.   Isn't it interesting how his color has changed!

Just look at how much darker Liam is then when he was little!

Biscuit/ Liam at 6 weeks old

Liam is the light colored puppy in this photo.

It gets pretty cold in Boston so Erin has fitted Liam with a winter coat.  The one Liam has on this photo looks pretty cozy to me!

Erin was kind enough to pass along Liam's 5 mth old measurements so future puppy owners can have an idea of how big their puppy may grow.

Weight:  14.8 lbs
Chest:  17 1/4"
Shoulder to beginning of tail:  16 1/2"
Waist: 15"     Neck:  11"
Floor to top of shoulder: 15"
Floor to top of head:  18"

Of course, Liam is still young.  It is unlikely that he will get much bigger, but he may put on a little more weight as he gets older.

And here is a photo from Halloween!   I forgot to post it earlier.  But I am so glad to share it now, as it is absolutely adorable!

Liam's first Halloween 2013

It is also excellent news, to hear that Liam is getting along well with his kitty cat family member.  In my experience, cats will adjust well to a new puppy if they have never had bad experiences with dogs.  Our cat also gets along great with our dogs and puppies.

Who says dogs and cats don't get along?

"Liam and Jasper are best friends.  They play all the time together.  It is so cute to watch!"

Erin also reports,

"Liam is getting neutered this coming Wednesday.  Little does he know!  We'll make sure to give him extra treats this week!  He is such a great dog and we're so thankful for him!"

Thank you, Erin, for taking the time to send us these lovely photos and news!  I sure enjoy watching my puppies grow up!!!

Just as a final note, I would like to remind everyone that if they haven't neutered their puppy yet, they shouldn't wait to do so.  Most males come into sexual maturity between 6-12 months of age.  And you don't want your puppy to start exhibiting unwanted male behaviors.

Take Charge of Your Pets Health when Visiting the Veterinary

Hi all!   I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving!     Recently I saw an ABC News report called "Profiteering Veterinarians."  This report confirmed exactly what I have experienced with veterinaries over my lifetime of pet ownership.  It really pays to be knowledgeable about your pets health....and to be choosy about your vet.   Some veterinaries are out to make a profit and do not have you or your pets best interest at heart.  Veterinaries can increase their profit margins by pushing unnecessary services,  annual teeth cleaning, and over vaccination of pets.   If you are unsure, it is wise to ask your vet whether a procedure is really necessary or just a recommendation. 
 
 I always encourage my friends and customers to call and visit several veterinaries before choosing one.  It is also good to ask friends for references as well.  You will find there is a vast differences in costs from one veterinary to the next.   Ideally you will find a reasonable veterinary that has wisdom when it comes to your pets health.    By being choosy about your vet, you will save your pet unnecessary risk and stress, and save yourself money as well.

Watch the ABC News report, when you have the chance...

It is always good to remember that veterinaries are businesses...and some of them may not have you or your pets interest as their highest priority.

Congratulations to Remy for excelling at Agility!

 I just got a note from Remy and Louie's owners....What a great job Bob is doing with the training of his Schnoodles!  Wow!  Look at all those ribbons!!!  Congratulations to Bob and Remy!

Remy got his 2 Novice titles in agility 2 weeks ago so now we are on to the "Open" level where he has one qualifying run so far. Remy and Louie rough house constantly so the house is noisy but they have fun.

Flying with a Young Puppy

When I bought Coco, she came from a breeder in Texas and I knew I would have to fly her home.  At first the idea of flying a puppy sounded outrageous, but when I realized she she could travel in the cabin, I felt much more at ease.   

I found a breeder who used the services of a handler to personally fly the puppy to me.  (Few breeders offer this kind of service!)  So my puppy was able to travel in a dog carrier under the seat in the cabin of the plane.  The handler had a special puppy purse, and no one even knew she had a puppy in it!   When she walked off the plane we identified each other, she handed me my puppy, and got right back on the flight to head home!

Onlookers in the waiting area were a little stunned to see this woman walk up, hand me a puppy and get back on the plane.   I was rather surprised myself.  How easy was that!

To make the arrangements I spoke with my handler over the phone before the trip.  I asked a lot of questions because I wanted to understand what my puppies day would look like.  In Coco's case the handler picked Coco up at 12:00 am from the breeder.  The flight took off around 1 pm and arrived around 4 pm in Richmond Airport.   I found out my puppy had slept in her lap on the airplane all the way.    I knew it was true...the puppy smelled like her perfume!.  My puppy arrived very well loved and cared for.  She was not much different than a puppy that had traveled by car.  

Unfortunately, being such a small breeder, I cannot offer the services of a handler to fly our puppies. But what I did learn from this experience is just how easy it is to travel by plane with an 8-9 week old puppy.  (Coco was almost 9 weeks old. )  This is a good option for buying a puppy that lives far away.
 
Here are some other things you will need to do to fly with your puppy....
Call Your Airline:  Requirements vary by airline, so make sure you call ahead.  Ask what the rules are for traveling with a pet in the cabin.  Delta says maximum carry-on kennel dimensions are determined by your flight, so you must contact reservations to determine the appropriate size.
BOOK EARLY Airlines limit the number of pets in the cabin, so don’t wait until the last minute to book.

List of Airlines and their Dog Travel Restrictions... by AKC

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT CARRIER The maximum size for cabin pet carriers on American Airlines is 19 inches long by 13 inches wide by 9 inches high. Animals must be able to stand up, turn around and lie down in a natural position in the carrier.

Sherpa Pet Group, known for its pet carriers (from $40 to $156) offers a program that guarantees that its carriers are compliant with airline rules and will refund the cost of your airline flight and your pet’s travel fee to those who sign up at Flygob.com.

Fees:   Typically the airline charges $100 above your regular ticket price to include a puppy as a carry on item.

Talk to your Breeder: 
 Discuss travel plans with your breeder before purchasing tickets to be sure your plans fit with the breeders schedule....especially if you need your breeder to meet you at the airport.
 


Do I ship my puppy's?
I prefer for customers to pick up their puppy at my home.  But I certainly understand that sometimes driving distance is too long for a person to drive.   If air travel is your best option, I am willing to meet customers at the airport with the puppy they choose.   

I am accessable to the Richmond, VA airport  (RIC). Feel free to discuss other airport options if necessary.  Extra travel charges will apply depending on the distance I have to travel.  

Reagan National, and Dulles Airport are within a few hours.  Shannon Airport in Stafford, VA is less than 30 minutes away for private jet planes

I do not currently offer cargo shipping of the puppies.   I believe a buyer should purchase a puppy in person whenever possible.


PREPARING YOUR PET FOR TRAVEL  Before I send the puppies home I always take some time to acclimatize the puppies to the carrier by placing it on the floor of the car so the pups can feel the vibrations of traveling.   On the morning of the trip, I let the puppies run about the lawn for 30 minutes before they get in the car.  The idea is to drain the pups energy before the car ride and  flight. The more tired the puppy is before the trip, the more likely he will be to sleep and relax during the ride home.

That's all there is to it.  In some ways traveling by airplane in the cabin does not feel much different to a puppy then driving in a car.  The puppy has the comfort of someone with him at all times, and he can usually sleep during the trip.  These days, it can be very difficult to find a breeder that you trust that is close to home.  Flying home with your new puppy may be your best option.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
BEWARE OF INTERNET SCAMS!!!  I do NOT ever recommend that anyone purchase a puppy over the internet without good information verifying their authenticity and quality.    In my case, I knew several breeders who had had very positive experiences with Coco's breeder, and one had inspected the facility personally...I was dealing with a well-known  REPUTABLE BREEDER.   If you do not have solid recommendations, you should personally visit the breeder.   Especially do not send money for a puppy using WESTERN UNION.  Also, using Paypal does not ensure you will receive a refund...because the fraudulant account holder can just close out his account.

I just wanted to clarify this, to protect my readers from this problem.

 

Update on Jackson ---15 weeks old!

Jackson and his boys!

Hi all, I recently received an update about Jackson's family.  Jackson lives in a tall apartment building near Central Park in Manhattan, NY. It sounds like he and his family are having such a great time together.  I am so pleased to see they are thoroughly enjoying these puppy days!   Thanks for sharing this news and all the lovely photos!

Learning to walk on leash!

We all can't thank you enough for the gift that Jackson is for our family.  He is loving, smart, sweet and really so so cute!   There isn't a person who meets him (friends and strangers alike) that aren't taken with him.  Literally everyone on the street stops to admire him and almost everyone says he looks like a stuffed animal!

Jackson you smart boy you!

Jackson has picked up commands easily and has already learned sit down, stay, drop, leave it and come (well sometimes!) -- he is starting to do shake too.  












Jackson loves to play fetch.....











... and at a trainer's suggestion we got some dog puzzles that he also loves.  Other favorites are kyjen's squirrel toy and a cube with balls.  He really loves his toys!   

Jackson loves to chew his bones-- especially his white nylabone.

Having fun watching baseball!

 Jackson has definitely found his voice and often has something to say!  (We are working on him having a little less to say :))  He has a great appetite -- and has grown so much.  






I would guess he weighs almost 12 pounds now -- he hasn't filled out very much but he is really getting longer and taller.  We haven't had a playdate with Cheetos yet, but it is on my mind to make that happen.  I can't imagine how cute that would be!

We constantly check your blog --it is always full of such great information and we love seeing Jackson's adorable brothers.  We feel so lucky:)

Hope all is going well with you and your family!

---Erica

Liam (Biscuit) Update (9 weeks old)

Liam and Jasper take naps!

I got an update from Liam's mom and it sounds like Liam is having a great time!   Here's the news...















Liam is growing like a weed! He and Jasper (the cat) are becoming better friends.   They both love the space heater and it's already getting colder here at night, so I will definitely be turning it on!

Liam started puppy training class and he mastered sit and down.   We've had some issues him eating, so I added some wet food to his kibble which he loves!  He still doesn't have a huge appetite.  But he's active and growing and happy.  So we'll just keep at it.  

 







 


Liam has made lots of friends at puppy playtime and doggie daycare.  Everyone loves him. 

Liam at the beach!

 We went to the beach the last 80 degree day we had up here (Mass.) and he did NOT like the cold water, but loved to dig!

Thanks, Erin, for this lovely letter and the awesome photos!   I know everyone enjoyed it as much as I did!

Gumbo Update (at 3 months old).

Sept 20...Gumbo at 3 mths old

When Gumbo turned 3 months, I received an update from his mom.   She says that Gumbo is doing terrifically.  He is growing like a weed, and he is so full of energy.  They love him more and more every day. He brings them so much joy!


I appreciate this update so much and absolutely love receiving pictures.

Did Puppy have an Accident? ... The Best Carpet Cleaning Options

With puppies and rescue dogs there are bound to be a few accidents if you have rugs. When accidents occur it is important to clean them up right away.   Wikipedia has a some good instructions on 3 Ways to Remove Pet Urine from Carpets.

Here is a basic video on a Home Remedy for Urine Stains on the carpet using a Wet Dry Vac. 

Pukah update (4 mths old)

Hi Mary,

I thought I would give you a little update on Pukah. We were at the vet this week and he is already 11.5 lbs, so he's been growing very quickly. He is very sweet but so energetic and "on" whenever he's out of his crate that we are keeping him on a leash at all times in the house when he's out so that we have better control. He's not bad, just very much puppy and won't settle down for any naps or quiet time unless he's crated. He doesn't want to miss a thing!

He's been having fun at puppy playtime at Petco on Saturdays and we have been taking him on at least two other outings each week to meet new people. He was a big hit at my husband's office and my son's Taekwondo class.

I am a huge fan of the hooves for chewing! I've never used them before but they are terrific and not only does the puppy love them, but my 13 year old lab mix who was never a chewer, even when young, likes them too!  Pukah has never tried to chew any furniture with these around. Socks are another story.

We've been having a lot of fun with him and I've attached a couple of pictures, although getting a photo of him is very difficult because he just never stops long enough.

Julie

Sammy's photos and update (from 9 weeks old)

Here are some photos shared by Sammy's Mom.  Sammy (Cheetos) visited his half sister Maya on his trip home to Manhattan.  He also enjoyed a visit with his new Grandma for a few days.  

Thanks for sharing the photos.  Sammy is so adorable!!

Sammy loves his nylabone!

This is Sammy favorite place to sleep on the porch!

Maya (half sister) shares her squeeky frog with Sammy

Sammy enjoys Maya's old bed.