Collie Play Day

Okay, before I even get started...no I haven't named the puppies yet..really. This naming business is hard for me. (as in they have to have just the right name) I have lists and I try them out randomly, but so far nothing fits. And I'm pretty sure they aren't always going to be called Puppy 1 and Puppy 2, or Sable Pearl and Tri-Trops.


So a few weeks ago, I got an invite to Helen's to bring the pups for a collie get-together, which would involve evaluating Helen's eight week old litter. My girls were going for manicures and spa treatments...not really, but they would be getting their ears taped. From these first two pictures you can see how their ears are starting to run amok. Up and down, off to the side....everyday is a new day.


So this was the puppies first big outing, well, second if you count the day they got their eyes tested. A little background on the two puppies I am keeping. Sable Pearl, er, Merle is typical collie--lalala, I love everybody, life is a lark and made just to please a little puppy. Tri girl is the opposite. Very reserved, thinks too much about new situations, worries about new situations, has reservations about new people and going new places. (I can relate...) Both puppies are brilliant, of course, and already know lots of things. Right now I'm concentrating on getting both puppies out and about for extreme socializing--especially little Ms. Worrywart. She is already doing better, and she does love people once she gets past her shyness.


Well, with all that being said, puppies were loaded up for their big journey. We made it about 20 miles before the drooling and vomiting started. Nice. Fortunately I brought lots of towels, and plastic sacks to bundle up the messy stuff.

As expected both pups were glad to get out of the truck at our destination, and their reactions were also pretty expected. The Sable Merle jumped in and loved every minute of it (except the ear taping), whereas the Tri was prone to hang back and be hesitant. She finally started pal-ing around with the little pups and her Uncle Jeff.

Uncle Jeff & Sable Merle
This is Ashley's litter brother

A couple of other breeders/dog showers brought their collies too, and it was a giant collie free-for-all in the fenced yard. Great opportunity for dog socializing! The youngest were the six eight week old puppies, then my girls at 11 weeks. The oldest was Gwyneth at ten. I think there were 14 collies although a couple had to be rotated back and forth. Quite a sight.

While the dogs were playing, the puppies were evaluated and then my puppies had their ears taped. (This isn't a painful procedure--but does take a bit of time and consists of layers of tape, with the ear tips taped over.)

Three stages of puppy

My girl was the only Tri in a sea of Sable

After a bit we humans went inside and had lunch and visited. I enjoyed hearing some of the 'war' stories of shows past, and whelping puppies.

Gwyneth on the left, Sable Merle middle....Bella (also a Sable Merle)
on the right in front & I think Jeff behind.

All said and done a good time was had by all (well almost all...)

Meeting at the water cooler

I loaded up the tired puppies and headed home. No one got sick, but the Tri drooled some. The little Sable Merle lasted about a mile down the road before she keeled over sound asleep. Tri girl stubbornly refused to give in and stood rigidly for the first ten miles, then finally sat. She never did lay down, but she was so tired that she was nodding off.

Look Ma...no ears and all nose!

Ashley was pretty glad to see us when we got home and the puppies ate and crashed for awhile and were then 'good to go'. They did sleep awfully sound that night!

So...tired....Must not sleep....

They have now graduated to individual crates at night and there has been only one 'accident' in a week and half.

Lots of anxiety issues with this one.....

If you wonder why Ashley isn't traveling with us at this time it is because she has some 'anxiety' issues of her own about new experiences which I'd rather her not transmit to the puppies. Handling two newbie clueless puppies is about as much as I can do right now anyway! Ashley loves people, but traveling and going new places is not something she readily jumps into. During these next two months, I'll be taking the puppies as often as possible until they develop confidence in new experiences and ease with riding in the truck. Once they are confident then I'll add Ashley to the mix, as she definitely needs some socializing of her own. Hopefully by then she will look less like a wire-fox collie too. (She has shed out all her fur until all that is left is the longer, coarser outer coat..and well the kindest way to say it is she looks, a bit, uh, odd.)

Hopefully I'll some more pictures taken of the puppies. It's amazing how fast they are growing. They'll soon be entering a rather homely stage of all legs, nose and will lose that lovely plush baby fur. But I can still pick 'em up for a big squishy hug for a few weeks longer!