Everything about this puppy has just been so easy, and almost like I’m just along for the ride. Those damn BPs in classes were just so much fun and so easy to say, “I could totally have one of those”. Contacting Rayna and she basically picked out the puppy for me, and that puppy seemed right. And now that she’s home, yes, this puppy is amazing and so EASY to add into the household. So, yes, this was a hell of lot easier than making my own.
Haven had a bit of harrowing trip from South Carolina, the poor puppy nanny got stuck in Denver for 10 hours. But Haven showed up around midnight, none the worse for wear and ready for action – just happy and bouncy and wagging her tail constantly. We did have a couple nights where she was MAD about being an x-pen, even if I was right next to her on the couch. But she finally seemed to have a lightbulb moment that throwing a temper tantrum all night long was not getting her what she wanted. Yet she was totally calm and relaxed when in the crate in the car hanging out while I was teaching – go figure.
So, yeah, super nice little puppy – just takes life in stride, fabulous temperament, the dogs all quickly learned to love her in no time – and she made it easy, she’s fricken charming. Bryn held out the longest, she WANTED to be a stone cold bitch, but Haven just ignored her and was way too respectful so Bryn eventually just gave in and adopted her. The two girl together are adorable! The only member of the household put out about the puppy was Haru, who was horrified – go figure. But we really haven’t had puppies and guest dogs while he’s been with us, not many anyway. He’s getting better, and they have a weird relationship right now. I’m still hopeful he might play with her eventually, as she would really like to play with him. The other cats just ignore her, so she ignores them – or she did, once she met Costco and got appropriately smacked. She now has respect.
So, yeah, it’s hard to believe she’s only been with us for two weeks, Haven is just been a delight and so easy to add to the household. She’s super fun to train, very food and toy motivated – and naturally retrieves. She picks up on concepts quickly, and is very thoughtful but not worried when she trains. It’s really fun to have a puppy to train again, we’re doing ALL THE THINGS. I love having so many things to train, and at this age they just absorb everything like a sponge.
Haven sleeps on the bed at night, I have to wake her up in the morning. She’s sweet and friendly, but not exactly cuddly at this point. She’s got those puppy needle teeth and a lot of energy. But if you can get her sleepy, yes, she’s happy to cuddle. Not barky, though Bryn seems determined to make her so (Bryn has been EXTRA barky lately). Not at all reactive, as paps can be.
As for size, I THINK she’ll be around 15-16 inches. Or, at least, that’s my hope. She seems about half the size a border collie puppy is for this age. So at 12 weeks she was 8lbs and 11.5 inches. Definitely not small, she’s already bigger than all the borderpaps I have in classes I think. She feels substantial. I knew she wasn’t going to be tiny, so that’s not unexpected – but just HOW big is yet to be seen.
I did send off her embark, which the fricken post office has yet to deliver back to them after like 9 days (it’s in CA). Ah, we live in such high tech times. So waiting impatiently to get her DNA results, I’m assuming she’s going to come back as more BC than papillon. Though, much like the other borderpaps I have in classes, she doesn’t really act like either – she is her own totally different character, and I adore her. I don’t even know what kind of hair coat she has, I thought with both parents being smooth she would be a smooth, but with her being a multigenerational mix, I guess she could go either – she definitely has fluff! But not a lot. I’m thinking making a decorative fringe? Only time will tell …
So no regrets, it was not really the time to get a puppy, but it continues to feel right. No one has any complaints so far, but we may still be in the honeymoon stage. I’ve entered her in her first puppy seminar in September, very much looking forward to doing ALL THE THINGS with her. Structure wise, she’s … interesting. She’s just a puppy, so I don’t know how much it’s fair to judge at this point, but not the smoothest mover in the world. I’m enjoying the mystery puppy, and what she’ll be when she grows up. Ears have been up and down, but mostly one very prick, and one sort of flopped over – it’s a cute look – but, yeah, who knows at this point.
So far I’ve been giving it a go to keep her swimming. And she HAS swam all on her own, but often thinks it’s too cold – and she’s still a baby! We shall see, I expect a pap mix to not be that much into water, but I do love to have dogs that enjoy the water. She has already been all over the place, so nice to get her exposed, unlike the covid baby Bryn. Haven has made herself at home wherever we’ve gone with no worries and makes friends everywhere – that is one charming little puppy.
Meanwhile, puppy came home just in time for what has become my yearly Gauntlet of Trialing where I enter two back to back 3 day trials in Salem, as they are so close to home – and I’m on break from teaching, so I have the time. And we don’t get to trial much, so it’s novel. The results seem to be similar every year – Navarre gets ONE double Q out of 6 attempts – ha! At least I am more resigned to it now. Consistency is overrated, and not very fun. Shit happens, sometimes I didn’t cue something enough, sometimes Navarre was just being a dork, but it only takes one little slip. We still had fun, I haven’t been running Navarre so we got our groove back by the end. He even went high in trial for that one double Q, so, hey! It’s hard for me to tell if he’s slowing down, or I’m just used to the speed of the younger dogs. Maybe both, but he definitely feels slower to me these days.
Asher jumping has had a surprising upswing recently. Don’t know why, but he was actually jumping somewhat normal both at the seminar we went to, and at the trial. Now, there was no COLLECTION (by ANY of my dogs – ha!), but no ridiculous early jumping and launching. I was pleasantly surprised how comfortable he looked and felt to run. I don’t know what that’s about, but he was my most consistent dog and the one I felt most comfortable running. Boy, when did THAT happen? Contacts were good, weavepoles solid, he knocked a couple bars in a jumpers run, but someone said he slipped at the first bar and then was still recovering and his the second. Other than that, he also knocked one bar in another jumpers run when I called over the bar (my bad). He DID leave the table for no fucking reason, to add yet another NQ to the pile of NQs due to table faults. SERIOUSLY? He didn’t even GO anywhere, he just hopped off to get a bit closer. Lovely run otherwise. Well, other than the lack of collection. Wraps have definitely returned to AKC, and NONE of my dogs responded to ANY wrap cues whatsoever. I mean, seriously? So much ridiculousness. Sigh. Still, pleased with Asher, and we had a lot of fun without feeling like he was crazed lunatic. Maybe is really is at that magic age.
Finally, the Brynny-Wynn – OMG, she had the lightbulb moment and was really having fun and acting like someone had actually trained her. Six days of mostly happy, sassy and mostly NONFLANKY Bryn – holy shit! We started off just keeping the attitude, I didn’t care if she did the obstacles, hit her contacts, did any of the weaves – she was happy and with me and actually wanted her treats afterwards! If that was all she did, I would have been thrilled. But then she started actually responding to my handling cues, taking obstacles and being, well, fun and easy to run! She still couldn’t do weaves the first time, she would go up and run past them, but would nail them (happily!) the second time with lovely independence and speed. So, huh, she actually felt like an agility dog, and one that WANTED to be out there. Still some of the weird disconnection at the end of the runs, but would come back in for hand touches and super excited to get those treats at the end. Finally, she started to GET HER WEAVEPOLES. I had a dog that was actually excited to be there, responding appropriately to handling, nailing her contacts(!) and actually hitting her weaves – holy crap! Bryn QUALIFIED. Bryn had runs that were actually SMOOTH for the first time EVER in competition. I can’t tell you how thrilled I was!
Anyway, Bryn did end up finishing her excellent jumpers title, so she’s in MASTERS now. She even got a double Q, and ended up going high in trial too – squeee, go little thing! And she had SO MANY nice things. I don’t feel like she even runs like that for me in PRACTICE, where she was actually with me and not just flanking out and doing whatever. It felt GOOD, and I honestly didn’t know if it was ever going to be, well, fun to run her in trials. Well I am all sorts of encouraged now, that once we get our shit together maybe she really WILL be easier than the boys. Oh, so proud of the little Bryn – it’s been a journey, and one I wasn’t sure where she would end up – but I’m ever so hopeful for 4 with her. We have another year, but I’m thinking we’ll get there.
So, yeah, also went up to a new Sarah Baker’s place for an international seminar that ended up having a last minute opening, and, as I was on vacation, I jumped at. I had worked with Susan K online with Navarre with his contacts years ago and liked her. Expectations were low, with Asher struggling with jumping and Heather … well, I am sadly out of practice of actually PUSHING in agility. I was thrilled with Asher though, his jumping was mostly pretty good, some stuttering at hard backsides, but he did some really nice thoughtful stuff – and it was fun. And I am WOEFULLY out of practice actually pushing and running to get places, so that was a bit sad – but it was fun. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a dog I COULD take to seminars, but I think Asher actually can now. He had a great time, and maybe we’re not going to be on any world teams, but I’m alright with that.
The big news, once again, I decided to give Bryn a turn and expected her to be sensitive and flanky in this new environment. But, NO – she was pushy and loud and was doing all her things like someone had actually trained her! Holy shit, I didn’t know what to do with THIS Bryn! It also wasn’t pretty, as pushy Bryn needs very aggressive handling that I’m not used to giving her. But I was so happy to see her just joyful and fierce. Maybe it was a magical arena, I don’t know, but Bryn LOVED IT.
Now, I do think there are several things that may be going on with Bryn. First, we should be getting past the hormones of her last season, so that sensitivity may be related to that. Second, she is maturing – she’s going to be 3 in like a month! I also think the puppy has something to do with it too. Bryn has been ‘the baby’ for quite some time, and suddenly the puppy is getting all the training and the toys and I think Bryn is jealous and upping her game. I definitely hope this Bryn sticks though, she’s so much fun!
Also finished up this league session with Asher and Bryn. Asher got through the course cleanly, but I couldn’t get Bryn, unfortunately. I gave it a couple tries too, as it was a really good Bryn course, but wasn’t to be. Still, League has been really helpful for all of us, I look forward to signing up for the next session as well.
This has been the NICEST summer I can remember having in Oregon. No super hot streaks of awfulness, it’s been PLEASANT. Like, all summer. I have actually been enjoying it and being outside and not resenting the season for once. Now, we have a heat wave coming through next week, I may change my mind. But we are well into August, the end is in sight … if all summers were like this, I could get on board with them.
Oregon Dogs 