He's here....meet Bond!
  The trip home was uneventful. Daddy Becket's breeders came down to see Becket's puppies, and they brought Bond on the 1st 3 hours of his drive. Then Chewie and I met them in Tomah, WI and finished the last 3 hours drive home. He was perfect in his crate: ate dinner, napped, had 2 potty stops, and not a peep out of him.  His registered name is Masquerade Madness Moonraker, with the call name Bond.  Here is a video of him meeting Riley - sorry it's dark, I didn't have any lights on close to him. It was cute though! He has had a good time checking out the house and meeting the dogs.  checking out Riley's crate -    and 2 I got using the timer on my camera - Todd was at poker night....   He is going to meet Sammies Gabby and Dillon tomorrow and ride in the van when we go carting. He also has a visit at the nursing home near us where Chewie and Riley do therapy dog visits every week on Thursday...his busy life has begun!!  |
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Looks like James Bond. Worth stealing as well  .  |
Bond is adorable!  Congrats!!!!! Cindy |
| How old is he now? He looks...large....and very cute. |
| Pam, he turned 3 mos old yesterday. But, yes, he is a big boy. And apparently a LOUD one! I had been blaming it all on Becky, but it appears the little bugger was egging her on, because we had a very quiet afternoon until I played this video and my guys heard Bond barking and almost went nuts. Too funny! As for the much maligned Becky the Big Mouth, perhaps I need to reevaluate the Moonlight Serenade part of her proposed registered name  Thanks for sharing, Dawn. That's one of the things I love about you: I never have to wonder how the guys are doing!  And he hasn't spent the first 13 weeks of his life on his duff. He's audited obedience and agility classes and a seminar, been to 4 puppy parties, gone shopping, visited numerous vet offices for health screening and vaccs, generally been a really social kind of dude. He'll love the activity at your house. No martinis yet, however, neither shaken nor stirred. Kristine |
| YAY! He's ENORMOUS. Keep him small until I can get there to visit, please! I need to get in some puppy time! |
| Adorable! |
| Bond is too cute! Love the barking, he got my Asia going. lol |
| congrats dawn he is one lucky boy to have lucked out with your family what does chewie think? |
| Chewie - he's somewhat ignoring him still. He thinks he's great fun to play with outside, but still not loving him jumping on him in the house when he's just chilling. But nothing major, just a curled lip and growl...Bond gets it pretty quick. He also tried it with Tipup the cat...who sat on the coffee table and batted him on top of the head a couple times...he figured that out pretty quick too! Smart puppy He also has the toy bin figured out and is busy emptying it of stuff I haven't seen in ages...so that's nice. Right now he has the crinkly cow (empty plastic water bottle inside a stuffie)...so it's kind of noisy! He did well overnight, just woke up earlier than I needed to be up on a day off. Let everyone out, and then returned to his crate and ate breakfast. He wasn't sure he really wanted to stay in there, but he settled and I got another 1.5 hours of sleep |
| Congrats Dawn! Bond is one handsome guy |
| What a cutie!!!!! and I LOVE his name~~~~ |
Congratulations Dawn!  Bond is cute and has a great personality.More pictures please. peg & howie |
| Handsome boy! He looks very relaxed and at home already. Weird question but, do younger dogs learn something like agility just by watching the bigger dogs? Will it be easier to train Bond because he will have spent time watching Chewie go through a course or two? |
| Somehow if there was an official announcement that you were getting Bond I missed it. Caught on from a few things Kristine said but just waited to see what was happening. Congratulations, he's a great looking fella. I saw the bassets checking him out, what do they all think when another puppy joins the group? Will look forward to the pictures. With all these puppies joing the group I'm feeling sorry for Butchy being alone, might have to re-think things. |
Kim - I can probably answer that, not that Dawn can't: they don't really learn by watching per se, though I have older dogs who "show" the pups how to go through tunnels. Actually, I think they go in there thinking they'll get away from the little sharks, and, oops, the horror, they follow.    Then running through tunnels becomes part of litter play as they chase each other through. None of this can't be caught up later though. I.e. puppies raised this way may catch on a little more quickly when you start actually training agility, they are probably a bit bolder, but it's not like a puppy who didn't start out this way is going to have any problems catching up. Though it doesn't hurt to have some toys for pups to play on (hint hint  )What I do when I have a litter is set up a tunnel and some low ramps, an agility table (set low) and a tippy board and a ladder and make that part of their play landscape. I also like to take them to classes so they can hear the teeter slam and get used to barking dogs and staying calm even when there is great excitement going on around them. Again, it's not like pups who don't do this are deprived in any way, but it doesn't hurt, so once you can safely bring Gracie to any of Mady's classes, that's not a bad thing (herding too) But you need to be mindful of manners or it's counter productive and you can risk ending up with a dog who barks and carries on. Lucky for you, there are two of you, so while one is working Mady, the other one can be quietly working with Gracie. I'll take some pictures of the play room later. I make no promises pups will actually be in them unless they are asleep, but...  Normally I have more of this stuff in the play yard, but I knew these pups would come of play age in Dec/Jan and figured we'd have three feet of snow but, I was wrong. So far There are drawbacks to raising puppies this way as they are more likely to get on furniture unless strongly discouraged. Just this morning Luna jumped onto my coffee table and onto a sofa I did not want her on. That's when gates come in handy. I removed her from the den but am secretely pleased, so small wonder they get mixed messages about furniture dwelling in my household. Dawn, great update, thanks so much Kristine |
| Bond is a very handsome dude! Congrats! |
| I would love to see those pictures, Kristine. I think that I need to start looking for some used agility equipment. I might contact my club, someone might have some stuff in the garage just taking up space. Next, to buy some sheep! |
| LOL! Most of my stuff, except tunnels and weave poles are home made (well, obviously, no sheep ). Any handy people in the family...? KB |
| Kristine's basement is a great puppy playland! All that fun stuff, plus the washer and dryer are there for getting used to noises, the gooming table and stand dryer too...so lots of activity possibilities. As for taking Gracie to classes - I hope they are open minded and allow it. It's a great learning opportunity for pups. I of course can take Bond (as I do my other dogs as puppies) to my own classes. They hang out, get used to a variety of sounds, dogs and situations. He is EXPECTED to come to agility class....my goodness, they would mutiny if I left him at home! We have this Tuesday off (no class - kennel club meeting night), but next Tuesday he will be there. There are many of us who are experienced puppy raisers, and we make sure the puppy behaves when the owner is working their other dog(s). It's like a whole extended family helping get the baby off to a good start! Then you end up with a puppy who has been going these places, doing all this stuff, and sees it as something normal and even exciting. They can't wait for their turn! |
| Congratulations! He is absolutely beautiful! |
| Congratulations he is a cutie!!!! I like his markings. |
| Congratulations! Bond is adorable Sheepiepalooza is going to be so much fun this year with all the new puppies! |
| Dawn can I ask why you didn't get him at 8 weeks? Knowing you and Kristine, I am sure that there is some reason for waiting until he was a bit older. And are you hoping to do agility with him? I can't wait to meet him, he just looks so huggable. |
| 007 - He is soooo cute and you look so happy!!! Joy listen to his barking and she liked him....... she really wanted a puppy here too. |
Mady wrote: Dawn can I ask why you didn't get him at 8 weeks? Knowing you and Kristine, I am sure that there is some reason for waiting until he was a bit older. And are you hoping to do agility with him? I can't wait to meet him, he just looks so huggable. Aren't you glad I keep butting in? There are a number of reasons: 1) New puppy vaccination protocol: 8, 12 and 16 weeks. I wasn't about to let any puppies go before they've had at least one set of shots. 2) I check hearing, eyes and hearts of litters before they go anywhere. You don't want to drag them to misc. vet office totally unvaccinated, and it takes a while for vaccinations to kick in, so I didn't start doing health screening till they were around ten weeks and three different vet visits in two different states means appointments were spread out. 3) stud dog owners and co-breeder wanted to see entire litter - there is a lot of interest in this boy. i'd already made it clear he was going to Dawn no matter what, they just wanted to see him. 4) I was having too much fun with them and was in no hurry for them to leave Plus time with littermates and mom is worth its weight in gold in terms of future dog skills.5) I let my bitches decide when they want to wean them and Mace was still feeding them sporadically (they were eating regular puppy food by then) till 10 weeks old. I figure her puppies, her decision. I knew she was only going to be bred once, she deserved to enjoy them as long as she wanted to. Most pet owners want their puppies by 8 weeks old while they're still little and cute, even though there are good reasons to keep them longer. Most breeders I know compromise and let them go at 10 weeks, give or take. By then you've generally figured out who you want to keep and if you don't loiter like I did you can probably get any health screening done prior to ten weeks old. There are, however, a couple of good reasons why 12 weeks is better. But breeders let their puppies go at different times between 8-12 weeks and there are any number of reasons why the different time frames are equally valid when all is said and done. Bottomline, breeder's choice. Kristine |
| Thanks, Kristine, I always enjoy learning from your answers! I thought you kept some kind of magic solution in your house (some kind of magic went into making Chewie, that is for sure) and the potion had to ferment for weeks and weeks! Can you tell that I have a bit of a crush on Chewie? I hope Bond isn't as lovely, to be honest, otherwise I might be tempted to go out and get me a boy sheepie! |
| You are so in trouble Kim, as he seems to be equally sweet and wonderful........ He met 5 new people today, and already has them wrapped around his fingers....goes right up expecting to be loved and kissing their faces. He also met 3 big white fluffy dogs (Samoyeds Gabby, Dillon and Tasha) and did nice play bows and was perfect with them. Tomorrow night he gets his 1st trip to The Paw for class - he will just be observing and hanging out. |
| Oh, the magic Chewie potion! Why didn't you say so?! Yes, here is the secret of Chewie: the right dog in the right home. They were meant to be together, plain and simple, and luck, karma, whatever you want to call it made it happen. I took a bunch of pictures of playroom etc this afternoon. About to upload them . Will post in advanced behavior section as it's probably not of general interest. Kristine |
| Dawn, I love the pictures of Bond. He's a very nice looking puppy. He certainly looks like he is settling in nicely and adapting to his new "digs" easily. Keep the pictures coming (I know you will!) they are great. Linda Zimmerman |
| Kristine; can I ask a question about the 12 weeks vs. 8 weeks? I was checking out your puppy gym photos, and Momma and her pups looked very cute and somewhat attached to one another. I always wonder about the trauma of separating pups from dams. Is it LESS traumatic for all involved when they are older? Like maybe they've gotten a bit more time together and Mom doesn't mind the break and the pup is less dependent and is ready to see the world? Or is it more stressful, because they had that extra month together? We got to see Tonks and Luna as teeny puppies, since our breeder (I use the word generously) was right here in town. And we brought them home on the early side; Tonks was 8 weeks, but Luna was only a day or two over 7. So we've had our teeny puppy experience, which was great. But I often wonder if that time with the dam wouldn't have maybe helped with some of their whacky behavioral issues. For our next puppy, I hope to be so fortunate to find a breeder like yourself; someone that has a tremendous amount of knowledge about the breed, and uses that knowledge to send well adjusted and well bred dogs out into the world. |
| I'll sneak in this time... My thoughts and experience show that there really are variables. Is the bitch a good mom? There are varying degrees of maternal instinct and ability out there, so how much "help" mom is can vary a lot. Some are so ready to be "done" with the pups after they are weaned, others continue to nurture and teach. Littermates teach a lot - that's why "onlyies" tend to have behavioral issues as they grow up. So the longer they have this interaction, the more it should help the pups learn. Having other good stable dogs in the home also is a plus. Also - how much effort are the humans putting in? If they (pups) are just existing and not getting any education, would they be better off in their new home? My thoughts are that if the mom is continuing to mother, the littermates are teaching as well, the home environment is stimulating and the humans are getting the pups ready for life, the older age isn't a negative at all. Really a negative in my book is a barely 8 week old going to a new home, with no other dogs to continue the education process, and a human who is clueless....one can hope they have good resources and get out and about and interact with other dogs and people and someone takes them under their wing and helps them. But too often, it doesn't happen.  So often (a LOT) I get calls as a trainer from people who got that 8 week pup, and now at 10 months, a year or two old, are seeing bad behaviors and want ME to fix it!  I do think things are getting better in the pet world - more people have heard the word and realize it's not just a trendy thing..it really is important and will mold and set your pup up better for life. Also - the new vaccination recommendations do back things up a bit. Too early messed with maternal antibodies. So I'm really glad to see them being moved out to later in life. |
| So Adorable and Dawn can actually be the new Bond girl |
| I agree with Dawn, it is really important to continue the socialization that the breeder already started, whether you take your pup home at 8 weeks or older. I wouldn't worry about that with you, though, you are such a diligent dog owner! Having had the experience of bringing home an only dog at 8 weeks, Mady, and now a puppy along with her mother and Mady to help out, it is a different but equally wonderful experience. |
| Welcome Bond! You are as cute as you are HUGE. |
  He is ADORABLE! Congrats! |
Darth Snuggle wrote: Kristine; can I ask a question about the 12 weeks vs. 8 weeks? I was checking out your puppy gym photos, and Momma and her pups looked very cute and somewhat attached to one another. I always wonder about the trauma of separating pups from dams. Is it LESS traumatic for all involved when they are older? Like maybe they've gotten a bit more time together and Mom doesn't mind the break and the pup is less dependent and is ready to see the world? Or is it more stressful, because they had that extra month together?. I'll add to what Dawn said - one of the reasons I let my bitches decide when they are ready to wean the puppies - I don't want her or the puppies upset, and there's no reason for it in my case because I'm not in a hurry to get them out the door. I can see that mom and littermates are doing continuing education (and other dogs help too) even after they are weaned, but when Bond left, did Mommy notice? Sad to say, not that I could tell But that's really not a bad thing.Then again, I'm not breeding unless I plan to keep a puppy for myself, so all of my bitches (not that there are that many, just saying) who have had a litter still have at least one kid still around and are probably thinking one is PLENTY, thank you very much! They do remain pretty close throughout their lives. Kristine |
Mad Dog wrote: I'll add to what Dawn said - one of the reasons I let my bitches decide when they are ready to wean the puppies - I don't want her or the puppies upset, and there's no reason for it in my case because I'm not in a hurry to get them out the door. I can see that mom and littermates are doing continuing education (and other dogs help too) even after they are weaned, but when Bond left, did Mommy notice? Sad to say, not that I could tell But that's really not a bad thing.Then again, I'm not breeding unless I plan to keep a puppy for myself, so all of my bitches (not that there are that many, just saying) who have had a litter still have at least one kid still around and are probably thinking one is PLENTY, thank you very much! They do remain pretty close throughout their lives. Kristine Virginia and Gracie are really close, though we're trying to "intervene" a bit because we want Gracie to bond with Mady and with us and not just with Virginia. Virginia was done with nursing her pups by 8 weeks, a few times Gracie would try and Virginia would give her a donkey kick like "no way kiddo, you're on your own now". She is still doing behaviour training and tries to clean Gracie a lot. I'm sure the presence of Virginia and Mady is the reason why Gracie is NOT a nipper at all (to think back to Mady at the age where handling her felt like handling a porcupine sometimes ). A lot of times though, Virginia seems to be saying "oh god please crate her already I've had enough". And we do. |
| He is absolutely lovely. And thanks guys for all the background info. Really interesting. Debs |
| He looks adorable. Lucky boy to be in a wonderful home! |
| Dawn congrats on your new boy. He is a big one. Should help chewie pull the sled in no time. and thanks Dawn and Kristine for all the info on every thing. I havent been on in a while (crazy busy with kids hs band stuff) I forgot how helpful this forum really is. |
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