Blog Archives
Sophia
~ A Little Story For the Blog
You brought Sophia to live with us on Tuesday. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were quiet days in our yard. Saturday afternoon, the two pre-teen girls next door were out in their backyard and when they were talking loud, Sophia barked and ran a few feet towards their yard, stopped and barked again and then ran a few more feet and then stopped and looked at their yard for less than a minute and promptly resumed play.
I told you the story of Azura, as a puppy, running and barking towards the perceived threat, so I thought you’d appreciate this one about Sophia. When Azura barks, Sophia promptly sits, alert, and watches where Azura goes and then runs after her to see what’s going on. This little girl is such a sweetheart, so smart, so alert and learns so quickly. Well, except for the biting thing!
Breeder Comment
Oh, Sophia is a smart one–and again, a shark-toothed girl, too. (Haha) Thanks for the cute story. Secretly I was deeply concerned about the expectations–what we were looking for in Sophia. Who can guess what will happen, but this story was unusual–and yet, here we go. She did the same kind of confident thing. (Hurrah!)
For anyone raising the Weimaraner, click here to read about the puppy biting thing. I highly recommend this read.
Arrivals
Hello Friends,
~Something to Make You Smile
I am working down the Wait List as Dixie delivered last Tuesday. It is probably the reason we are dragging a bit. She opted to have one of those all-night whelp situations. Sadly, we lost one of the ten pups–OwyheeStar mortality rates are generally low, but it is unrealistic to think you can save every puppy born. We were saddened. We quickly focused on the nine gorgeous, healthy pups. They continue to thrive. Click Here to view the photos we took of the pups on Day One.
Typically, all our pups are promised before they arrive. It is not the case this time for a multitude of reasons–primarily, people want what we didn’t get, or it doesn’t fit into their timeframe. There you have it! We know how little control we have. We rejoice in each arrival despite it not being what we might need for our waiters. What can I say?
At this point we have not promised any pups–but no doubt the two Silver Gray Females will go to someone on the Wait List. We have several families waiting for either a Gray or a Silver Gray Female. Some are hoping for a Gray or Silver Male. It is a process to work through the Wait List and discuss with each person along the way. I will probably be putting out the word that we have Blue pups available, and that we are accepting applications.
I know we will get a lot of requests for a Christmas puppy. Those that know me best, know I rarely think that is a good idea. We won’t go into the reasons, but if you know the breed, then you understand. These pups would be ready to leave on January 1st. I am not sure exactly how the departure will shake out–but probably on that weekend or the weekend after depending upon road conditions and what we can get scheduled. Honestly, I think that is the perfect time to get the Christmas puppy–after the holiday hoopla is over.
Luna
Joined her family
~ a few days ago
Thank you guys for the followup emails as we get going with the new pup.
This is all great. I got her chip registered this AM and she’s on the DN puppy food you recommend — the online Chewy.com shipping option looks nice for future reference. So thank you.
We also have a Vet appt next week and we’re so thankful for the clearly outlined vaccination protocol you recommend. We’ll work with the vet to get this completed without the unnecessary workups.She’s been a blast so far and kennel training has been a breeze. What a joy to have around!Thank again and we’ll be in touch. -Michael and Michelle
Breeder Comment
Introducing
Bear
I just want to thank you both again for bringing this little boy (“Bear”) into my life. He had a rough time in his first few weeks of life, and it was questionable if he would pull through. But he is a survivor and is definitely making up for lost time.We are having a great time bonding and getting to know each other. He is super smart and has already learned to retrieve to my hand (amazing!). He is such a fast learner. I’m impressed. We have many more things to learn together.You both do a great job and I am thankful for your gift.
Maker:S,Date:2017-10-18,Ver:6,Lens:Kan03,Act:Lar02,E-Y
Maker:S,Date:2017-10-18,Ver:6,Lens:Kan03,Act:Lar02,E-Y
I included some cute pics of Bear for you 😍
Breeder Comment
This pup is the little boy who gave us so much concern. A round of antibiotics and he bounced back with no sign of an issue. He has such a great personality. Not every pup gets off to the perfect start. No Breeder wants to talk about mortality rates. Places like AKC publish those statistics. We secretly are thankful our numbers are below average. Nonetheless, no one can avoid every problem. It is impossible.
We are happy that you folks wanted ‘Bear’ even knowing full well about his early challenges. We are blessed indeed to meet some of the planet’s best humans. Thank you, for loving this boy so much.
Life Changing
Remi
~ February 28, 2018
Just had to send you a quick update on how our girl is doing. She is so wonderful! Of course, the puppy stage is extra busy but she is doing so well with house training (only one accident!) and getting used to her crate. Last night she actually slept all night in her crate next to our bed without any whining and woke up so happy.
She certainly has a big personality and she has bonded very well with us so far. She follows me around all day and I just love it (velcro dog :)). It was really cute on the long drive home because she just wanted to be in the back of the car with the kids. They absolutely adore her! I think I told you that my oldest son cried tears of joy for about an hour after we picked her up. He said he just loves her so much already and it is a dream come true. I remember getting our Weimaraner as a kid when I was six and the instant love that I felt for her.Anyway, thank you again for a fabulous experience and all your work in getting her prepared for the transition. It’s clear that she had an introduction to house training and being in the crate and you’ve made our job easier!Thanks, Haley
Breeder Comment
Little Blue
And It Begins
The drive was as smooth as can be and he’s adjusted fantastically.
He is simply the best addition to our family. Oh….and we’ve found it he loves socks😆
Hope you enjoy this video and the pictures of his drive and first day here!
Breeder Comment
Dear Brooke, it was great to meet you face-to-face once again. It was a long time ago when you took home ‘Sterling.’ Now, you begin a new journey with ‘Blue”. How exciting. We can only hope he brings you the same type of joy you experienced with your first OwyheeStar. Of course, no one can guess how many years we will get. I think we all can agree each moment (while some can test us beyond our limit) is precious.
It looks like he settled into the little bed you created. It worked well with you making the trip alone. I am sure everyone at home waited breath-abated for your safe arrival. It is great that he has adjusted so quickly. We look forward to hearing about Blue’s life on occasion. Thank you, Brooke, for the update!
News of the Best Kind
Hello from Bremerton, Washington!
Freyja here just checking in. My big brother Odin has a toy I want that he won’t share so I’m up on the couch with mom pouting…lol.
Human speaking now: Freyja is such a joy! She’s adjusted to our little family rather quickly, she has great energy and is very smart & sweet-natured.
Odin gets along very well with Freyja, he’s happy he has a friend! He is her playmate and protector always wants to be near her. He is almost kind of taken a parent roll, making sure we are doing our job!. He goes outside with her and shows her where to go potty, even though she is on a long leash if he feels she is going in the wrong direction he just gently guides her with his paw where he thinks she needs to go…lol.
Freyja has really bonded to both Odin and me. Our little family feels complete with her here. Of course, we are running on fumes sometimes as Freyja is quite busy doing her puppy things. She is teething so she bites everything. I keep a toy with me always for a distraction as well as protection…lol. Feeding time is a challenge as she wants to eat out of her brother’s food bowl instead of her own..lol. Today she gets to go see the puppy doctor to get her next round of shots. Big brother gets to go too, he’s just gonna love that!…lol. killing two birds with one stone works for us though. Anyway, I could go on and on…thank you, Shela & Cliff, for all of your help and support and of course for our Freyja!! You guys have helped make this such a positive experience and we sincerely appreciate all that you do! Have a wonderful day! Jeremy, Jessica, Odin & Freyja💗💗PS: Just got back from the vets, she now weighs 18.2 pounds. The doctor and staff are in agreement with the shot protocol. She fell asleep during the exam she was so calm!!
Liberty Belle
Breeder Comment
Last week we shared about Libbie’s (Liberty Belle) trip home on the airplane, as well as her extraordinary initial adjustment. It was nothing short of phenomenal, but a lot had to do with how she began her journey. She learned to settle in the carryon bag–yes, I did work with her before she left OwyheeStar. Regardless, there is something to be said about the pup that settles–they can learn nearly anything. The carryon bag is like an extreme crate-training session–only you must succeed to be able to fly with them in the bag. Here are some photos of Libbie on her day of travel.
Finally, a calm follow through makes a lot of difference. So, there were two huge factors contributing to the excellent start. 1. There is the settling in the carryon bag. 2. There is the human factor where they stayed calm and followed through. Honestly, it is not all that easy, but it is effective. All the human emotion and excitement can be the unraveling the transition. (OMG)
Day One with Libbie
We got up this morning and started the daily routine. I took off work to help her transition to her work days with Scott, and get familiar with how it’s all going to work. As I’m typing this, she is sleeping and figuring it out.She has really done phenomenally so far with everything, I, we are truly amazed at her learning things and remembering them. It’s almost scary as to how smart she is, are we going to be able to keep up with her staying interested and busy learning more 🙂 ?!What an incredible gift you have given us! We are more grateful than you can possibly know! As I mentioned earlier, our family is complete again, and we owe it all to you. Thank you!!!!
Thank you for all of the suggestions! I’m definitely going to check out the AKC Good Citizen Title program, sounds fun and will help me keep Libbie learning and interested and obedient :)! Also, I’m going to start the standing process as well, what a great idea, makes total sense!
Breeder Comment
Liberty Belle
Is Home!
~ Boise to Las Vegas Flight
Libby at OwyheeStar
Breeder Comment
Julia Speaks of Boise, etc.
Libbie did perfect the whole day! Oh my goodness, I can’t believe how well she did!! I took her potty right after you guys left then we hung out in an empty area for a while to play, bond and work off some energy. I put her in the carrier, and that’s where she stayed until we got home. She didn’t put up a fuss, she was relaxed and slept most of the day and flight home, even thru rough turbulence.
Las Vegas Arrival
Scott picked us up at the airport, and she was continued napping for the 15-minute ride home. Once we got home, we went straight to the backyard to potty, ringing the potty bells as we went out the door. She instantly went potty as soon as she got off the patio, both pee and poop. She was praised and given treats, and then we went in for some food, water and family bonding time. Scott is in love with her too! There was no doubt that, our family is complete again :)!
Busy Day; Fun Evening!
We had lots of playtime and several potty breaks, each time she rang the bell to go out! I can’t believe it! At first, we thought it was coincidental because it could be a great play toy, but she went potty every time, except once, when I think she just wanted to go outside to play. Did you by chance train her with the potty bells? If not, we have one super intelligent puppy :)! I seriously cannot believe how fast she took to that!!
Our First Night
We did our usual bedtime routine and put her in the crate in our bedroom. She pitched a little fit for about 5 minutes and then went to sleep. She woke up around 2:30 and again around 3, whined a couple of minutes then she went back to sleep. I had made my decision before bed that if she woke up after 3:30 I would take her our potty. She woke up at 4, I went to the bathroom and then took her out of the crate, rang the potty bells and as soon as her feet touched the ground, she went potty. We went back to bed, she whined for less than a minute and went back to sleep. It couldn’t have been a better 1st night!!!
Breeder Comment (part two)
Julia, you and Scott, did everything right. Libbie is a lucky girl. No, she was not trained to the potty bells nor even to the door. It would not matter if she were because it was all new territory. We have countless stories (from past experiences) where we had pups housebroken and crate-trained only to hear that their new family was disappointed. Well, there is a trick to doing things, and while it involves follow through, it also takes a bit of knack. It requires the humans to go about business unfazed and matter-of-fact. The moment we humans hesitate the pup reads our hesitation and follows suit.
Libbie is a super smart girl–like her Mama. Ringing the bells upon arrival set the stage. For those that wonder–, you don’t want to ring them like a wild person and make it a scary thing. You want to entice them to want to use them. It is a fun thing. Shortly, it might be abandoned because the pup learns to ring them all too well. (ha!) Who can say? It facilitates the housebreaking process –that is the goal.
Libbie can hold potty for a while. As you saw on your trip home, she didn’t potty the travel bag. When she woke up, she needed to relieve herself. All too many folks are too quick to take their pup out in the middle of the night. Soon, the puppy wants to go every hour or two all night long. For some folks, this pattern continues for months. The concrete-thinking Weimaraner who gets the idea that they go out at night can make life tough for the exhausted puppy family. Habits form readily–good ones and unfortunately, bad ones too!
Getting off to a good start and avoiding the unwanted behaviors is the best approach. We talk a lot about getting the basics done. It cannot be overstated. We hope all of Libbie’s littermates are excelling.
Too Fun
Beginning with Bella
~some time ago
Prepared
Before Bella got here, I got a mattress. I laid it on the floor in the living room just because I know puppies like to chew things. (I had no clue about the Weimaraner (joined Weim Crime on Facebook learned a lot LOL) and how they love to chew things up don’t worry I wouldn’t change a thing I am so grateful to have her).
(I think I own stock in Bitter Apple Co. now, but I’m not sure, (LOL) The stuff works). I wanted to protect my antique wooden furniture in the bedroom, and I know dogs love to chew wood. Therefore, I figured I’d play it on the safe side. Well, the mattress on the floor thing has worked out awesome. We all sleep on the floor in the living room–Me, the old Levi and the younger Bella.
Gulping Her Food
The chewing was not the only challenge. Bella also likes to scarf down her food. I got one of those balls that you put food in she loves it. She rolls it all over the house– it’s good exercise, too! Every once in awhile she gets a treat. The other day Levi was laying on the bed which is up against the couch. Levi’s back was laying against the couch with her feet out the other direction. The food ball was around Levi’s tummy area. You get the picture. Something was about to happen. Well, Bella was right there trying to get little chunks of food out of the ball. Every time she would get a piece of food out, Levi would eat it. (ha) Bella would have this look on her face like what the geez did you just do? I worked so hard to get that food out and you (Levi) ate it. It was too funny!
Appreciating Differences
The difference between these two dogs is amazing. Levi is a lab mix. I am not sure what the mix is but the two dogs are so different. I got Levi at 6 weeks old, and she has been amazing. I don’t know if I ever told you this or not, but I had an elderly couple that had lived next door to me for nine years. They were living there when Levi came home. The older gentleman fence proofed the whole side so that Levi couldn’t get through the fence. I mean he was awesome with her–like they shared custody.
Plans Change
A few years back they moved away. Levi missed him so much, so she went and lived with them for approximately a year. After he passed away, I got Levi back. This happened just before I picked up Bella. I was not prepared to have two dogs let alone two big dogs, but I am adjusting. Actually, I love it! (LOL) I just had to share this story with you.
Breeder Comment
We all appreciate you letting us share this story. Everyone loves to read about other folks and their Weim’s antics and solutions that make a difference. The Bitter Apple –well, some Weims love it. They think it is ketchup on a hotdog. I was once told the best way to avoid this situation is to soak a cotton ball in the apple solution and pop it in their cheek for a moment. Then, the aversion to it happens quick. Yes, we tried the stuff on our outdoor wood posts, and they loved it. It was then I spoke to our Vet, and she is the one who told us how to prevent this scenario. Sometimes you need to give them the taste so they won’t go near it. This might help someone else.
It is so great that you were flexible and able to bring Levi back into the fold. Bella has never known life without her sister. I do believe, Bella enhances Levi’s golden years too. What a great job you are doing with the both of them. Thanks again for the share.
Owyheestar Weimaraner's News 