New Puppy Pictures and Updates

Oscar Wilde wrote, “Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative.” So, at the risk of being labeled "unimaginative," I'd like to know, what in the world is going on with this weather? Today is January 31. Presently, it is 61 degrees in Macomb. Am I happy? For sure! I hate the usual winter weather. I'd rather be outside in 61 degree weather than outside in freezing temps, snow, sleet, icy rain, or any other horror of winter -- and I am pleased that our furnace isn't running constantly and that there is no snow to shovel. But, hey, this is the Midwest and the middle of winter. I can't help but wonder how nature is going to get even with us sooner or later!

Okay, so I know the real reason you checked the blog out today is that you are wondering why I haven't posted anything for almost 2 weeks. Well, not much interesting has been happening for one thing. It's hard to write about life when it's rather dull. On the other hand, better a dull live than one full of stress!

Many of you are also awaiting information about the puppies.

So, here goes: The puppies had their first baths on Friday night in preparation for a visit from Loretta and Tom, who came on Saturday to select a puppy. The bathing and drying went well. I stayed dry during bath time, which made me happy. None of the puppies fussed or decided to leap out of the sink or to jump on my shirt. (I think they were too busy wondering what the heck was going on!) Sebastian left on Saturday. Gracie leaves Friday.

My plan right now is to keep Olivia and hope the potential she seems to have for the show ring actually comes to fruition.  That, of course, leaves Rafe, Griffin, and Gabe. I am waiting for the perfect homes to come along for each.

The puppies are into a routine now, which makes things a little easier. They have the run of our utility room when we are home. Puppy-proofing it has been a challenge. This litter has some definite explorers and problem solvers. I have a cat tunnel that our cat totally ignores so it's become a puppy toy. They're having a good time going in and out through the various holes and frequently I find a couple of them curled up sleeping inside. Their many toys are strewn across the room and they are into chewing on the white bones I give my dogs. They also love untying shoelaces, nipping fingers, and grabbing pant legs of the unsuspecting. We've more or less perfected the puppy shuffle, which seems to be the safest way to get across the floor without stepping on a puppy who was across the room only a second before we put a foot down. The shuffle protects them from being stepped on and us from stumbling over a wayward puppy.

By the way, an article that focuses on teaching bite inhibition to puppies is "Angel Days and Devil Days" by Vickie DeGruy. You can find it at http://www.canismajor.com/dog/bite2.html

Sebastian

Rafe

Gabe

Griffin

Gracie

Here are the new photos, taken Saturday when the puppies were 8.5 weeks old. None of them appreciate our photo sessions, as is apparent by the expressions on their faces, ranging from curious to not amused to down right irked! 

Olivia

Sebastian was still here at the time of the photos so I am including his picture also.  Since Sebastian has left, it has been interesting to watch how the dynamics of the litter have changed. Rafe and Griffin now vie for top spot. Griff is a little braver than Rafe when it comes to exploring the environment. Rafe lets Griff solve the problems and learns from his discoveries. Together they make the most mischief! They both love to hide behind the recliner and run in circles in the family room. Olivia does it too. She puts her little tail down to make herself sleek and aerodynamic and off she races! Gabe is the quiet cuddly one. He has more of the Lhasa personality the standard describes."Chary of strangers," Gabe was the puppy who stood back and watched as the other boys vied for Loretta and Tom's attention with their antics. Once he decided they were okay, he approached cautiously and greeted them. Then went back to watching. Gracie is the more outgoing of the girls. I'm hoping Olivia will blossom once Gracie leaves.

I tried to get some short video of the puppies last week and, for the most part, succeeded in that I got some video and it was of puppies, but none of them were doing anything too exciting --playing with toys, having a puppy battle, stealing toys from each other, etc. I did catch one of Gabe which some of my Facebook friends thought was cute. 

Thanks to all of you who read this blog!

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you.

Joyce

Most Recent Puppy Pictures

Hi! The puppy's pictures will speak for themselves I suppose. I don't have much to say this week, except it has been a week of firsts for the little guys. Their mom has been separated from them for most of the day and she seems happy with brief visits. I would be too if puppies with sharp teeth descended upon me in a horde looking for a quick meal! Dancer is so sweet and tolerant. She lets them maul her and when she's had enough, she looks at me with soft, expressive eyes that basically say, "Please, get me the heck out of here! Now."

The other firsts involved the first car ride, the first visit to the vet clinic, the first check up, and the first vaccinations. Everyone did well except Griffin, who was the only one to squawk when he got his shot. The puppies were a big hit with the staff at the clinic. It was good for them to be passed around and socialized.

They are now nearly 8 weeks old. Time has flown. As Dancer's work decreases, it seems that mine has increased. The little rascals can get into the strangest places and predicaments! The potty training is coming along. They seem to be getting the hang of it -- more or less! LOL  Their personalities are emerging. Gracie is the more outgoing of the two girls. Olivia is spoiled by our granddaughter, who claimed her when she was only a few days old. (Guess which girl I'm keeping?) Sebastian has appointed himself CEO. Griffin is second in command. He is the scout and the explorer. Gabe is the quiet one who sits back and takes it all in. Rafe is a cuddle bug and likes nothing better than to be held in the crook of my arm on his back. A couple tummy rubs and he is in dreamland.

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!

More later.

Joyce

Gabe and Rafe

Sebastian and Griffin

Olivia and Gracie

The Latest Puppy Pictures

Okay, so where is winter? Not that I love cold weather, ice, and snow. Not that I enjoy scraping car windows and scooping the driveway, Not that I appreciate icy winds and below zero temperatures, but this is really weird weather for Illinois in January! It makes me wonder what big, nasty surprise Mother Nature has in store for us in the coming months.

How well I remember last year at this time. Our October puppies were old enough to leave home and their new owners had difficulties getting to Macomb because of the snow and extreme cold. We stayed home from the usual winter dog shows because we were fearful of late night travel in the cold and thought the trips just were not worth the hassle of loading and unloading dogs and equipment in the freezing temps or the risks of the bad roads and blowing snow.

Olivia and Gracie, 6 weeks

About the puppies -- they are growing and becoming more rowdy. They love to explore and manage to get into places I never imagined. You would think that after all the puppies we've raised in this house that I would have a better idea of how to puppy-proof things, but the problem-solving ingenuity of these puppies is hard at work! Their personalities are emerging, and getting to know them is interesting. We have a couple of rabble-rousers and a couple of "I'll hang back and watch and see what happens" types, and a couple that are in-between, depending on the circumstances. Their attitudes adjust quickly from day to day. They move fast and more than once I've nearly tripped on, stepped on, or shut the door on one of them. They've discovered the thrill of chewing on shoe laces and tugging on pant legs. They've met the cat, who was not happy to be approached by a horde of curious puppies. You would think he'd be used to puppies after living here for 4 years. He just leaps onto the highest perch he can find and watches them, sometimes with an evil look in his eye, crouching in attack position as if he were some kind of cougar ready to spring.

Gabe and Rafe, 6 weeks

We've begun to wean them, although Dancer is none too keen about being away from them very long. She is a good mom! They like the mush that the puppy food becomes when mixed with hot water, but they still mob their poor mother every chance they get. She is calm, tolerant, and easy going in her approach to mothering. She loves them, and it is so sweet to see her curled up napping with the puppies cuddled against her.

Our granddaughter loves the puppies and I appreciate her interest. It is great to have puppies around young children again. Klara is 5 now and is doing a nice job to help us socialize the puppies. I did not let her help me name them. Her choices were by far as odd as my own children's choices used to be!

Sebastian and Griffin, 6 weeks

We're working (it's going slow) on paper/piddle pad training. It's hit or miss, but a couple of the puppies are making really good progress and manage to get in the general vicinity of the piddle pads the majority of the time! Unfortunately, it is not the same two each day! One step forward, two steps back -- never a dull moment.

The coming weeks will bring more "firsts" as we begin to extend Dancer's time away from them by a few hours each day and introduce them to more new things. The next planned 'first' comes at the end of next week when they get their first car ride -- to the vet's clinic for their first shots. 

I hope you enjoy the photos. More later!

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!

Joyce

Puppy Pictures - 4 Weeks

Hi Everyone! I hope each of you had a lovely Christmas. I was bemoaning the fact that Erikka would not be home for Christmas, but technology in the form of a laptop and Skype brought us together and was the next best thing to being here in person. We put Erikka (on the laptop) under the tree so she could take her turn as we unwrapped gifts. God bless the person(s) who invented Skype! We still missed her actual presence but Skyping made Christmas Day less lonely.

Thanks to all of you who sent pictures of your Joyslyn's Lhasas, either in your Christmas cards or as email attachments. I enjoy seeing how the dogs have grown and appreciate that you took time to send a card or email and a photo update.

Western Illinois University closes between Christmas and New Year so Lynn and I have had time off of work. I've read, groomed dogs, checked email occasionally, and accomplished the daily tasks I've set for myself. I've eaten too much and will be glad to get back to the regular routine before my jeans get too tight!

As I was grooming and bathing Walker today I thought again about making some grooming videos, something I always wanted to do but I've never been quite motivated enough to get a plan made. Someday…

Sebastian and Griffin

The puppies are growing and getting cuter every day, as you will note when you see the attached photos. They have names now. If you recall my last posting, I was laboring over names related to Dancer and Walker, but then gave up. I'll save that kind of brainstorming when it comes time for the more formal AKC registrations. Meanwhile, each puppy now has a call name to distinguish him/her from littermates. The call names are posted by their photos.

I plan to keep a girl. I have no idea which one at this time. The other girl has been spoken for. Of course, I am falling in love with the boys. Why does that always happen? But I do not intend to keep one so I hope people come along who want males so my temptation can be removed!

Gabe and Rafe

Olivia and Gracie

Their personalities are blossoming. The most inquisitive one is the light gold and white parti-color male, Sebastian, followed closely by Griffin, the other parti. The fastest one is little Gabe, who got "lost" last night when my back was turned for 30 seconds and was discovered under the recliner trying to figure out how to get out! The one who is the least ambitious is Rafe, the red male. He just wants to sleep, thank you very much! The girls are both very sweet, and our granddaughter is spoiling them and ignoring the boys.

Enjoy the pictures. I'll post more in 2012!

Have a safe and happy New Year's Eve!

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you! May you be blessed with Lhasa love in the coming year.

Joyce

Merry Christmas! (and Puppy Pictures)

God bless us, every one. ~ Tiny Tim, from Dicken's A Christmas Carol

Christmas Greetings to All. May you have exactly the kind of Christmas that is, in your opinion, "perfect." (I just hope that people who live in my town do not think a white Christmas would make things "perfect!" I'm all for no snow!)

I do not know where 2011 went, but it sure went quickly. The months seemed to roll into each other faster as the year went by. No matter how it happened, 2011 is nearly gone. As we head into 2012, my wish for all of you is for peace, prosperity, happiness, and success in whatever form you define it.

On to things "Lhasa:"

The puppies are now three weeks old, exploring their environment, trying to get up on wobbly legs, and totally enchanting our 5-year-old granddaughter who loves to hold them and pet them. She is trying to name them too. Why do kids come up with the weirdest names for puppies? My own did it and now she is doing it too! I keep saying, "Nope, not that name. I'll think of something and let you know." Inspiration has not yet struck. Perhaps over the Christmas break my mind will be more focused on "What to Name the Puppies." I keep lists of possible names and have two lists for names related to the parents' names. For this litter, I'm using the lists related to "dance" and "wind" in honor of the dam, Joyslyn's Dance Sensation, and the sire, "GCh. Joyslyn Mi Toya Wind Walker." Perhaps by the next time I post photos, the puppies will have names instead of "the girl with the white feet" and "the chubby red boy," etc.!

Here are the most recent pictures. Enjoy!

The parti-color boys:

The gold/red gold boys:

The girls:

Merry Christmas!

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!

Oh…and God Bless Us, Every One!

Joyce

Puppy Photos - Age 2 Weeks

So...unless you want to hear my frustrations about Christmas shopping and a son who has not yet sent me a Christmas list (which I am going to assume is not on your list of things you want to read about today), my only news is that the puppies are doing just great, eating a lot, sleeping a lot, and growing! They complained this AM when I  roused them and tried to get them to pose for pictures. Some just decided to go back to sleep, which is too bad because their eyes are open now.

Here are the two parti-color boys:

Here are their brothers, neither of whom wanted to wake up to have their picture taken. Please note that the guy on the right never misses a meal!

Finally, the girls, awake but not thrilled about it.

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you!

Joyce

Puppy Pictures - 1 Week Old

It's time again for puppy pictures. The puppies are a little over a week old, eating well and growing. Dancer is a great mom and takes good care of her babies.

This first picture is of the two parti-color boys.

This photo is of the other two boys. One looks as if he might have more red in his coat, like his sire.

Finally, the two girls.

Enjoy the photos! Good luck with the rest of your Christmas shopping! More photos next week...

Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you.

Joyce