Den Kreeper
JRT Puppies
Den Kreeper JRT Puppies
Media Player
Fun Stuff
Looking at my last posting, I guess it has been awhile. Well we have all been busy and doing stuff. The pups had their 1st puppy shot and vet exam, I took them to an American Working Terrier Trial, and had them out to my brothers farm. The vet gave them all a clean bill of health,, was a little surprised none of them flinched or yelped when they received their shot. They were all a big hit at the AWTA. Of course they were too young to compete in anything, I just wanted to get some good leash time in on them and exposure to some more stuff. Spanky fought the leash almost the whole time he had it on, the others settled down after a short while. Took them all by the Barn Hunt event, put the rat tube down very low in the hay, they each found the rat, and then lost attention or interest in it when it couldn't come out to play. Went by the Trailing Tracking event, where they chose and started to follow the trail baited with a fox/rat urine cocktail. We didn't visit the Go 2 Ground tunnels, the experienced adults were taking issue with the tunnels being flooded. At the farm they had their first exposure to horses and chickens. They did well. They are all very healthy and active, mastering new stuff every day. They all are able climb stairs now, Largo has mastered going down them. Spanky is the only one with a little difficulty using the dog door, but keeps trying. Lorelei I still let have almost unlimited access to them, and they frequently sleep and play together. I monitor them close when Kaitkandu and Calico Jack have access, and every one gets along well, so these should be well socialized when they go to new homes. I most excited that I see working potential in them at this age.
Mouse Hunt
I sure wish I could find a job that let me be wrong almost all the time. The weather forecast changed 7 times in the last 4 days, and it was still wrong. Any way. I scared up a few mice for the pups in their play area or outside quarters yesterday. Gruff got down to business pretty quick, which surprised me, since his attitude often resembles "ok, I guess I'll come too". The other three figured things out after a while, Spanky quicker then Loredo and Darla. One day this week I'll get some stacked photos of them, I enlisted the help of one of the neighbor kids. Look for them on Tuesday and Wednesday. Darla appears to be the most agile pup. She normally does everything first. I think just maybe they might all mature as unders. I remembering that some where I read that at 8 weeks, pups are normally 30% to 35% of their adult size. If that holds true....
A Tail in the Yard
7 weeks old and Darla was the largest pup. Spanky was still the smallest. Lorelei plays more and more with them. It is not uncommon to find Lorelei and all four pups sleeping together. They willingly wander through my G2G tubes. I've let them play with a fox tail and a raccoon tail. They are starting to chase the tail I have on a buggy whip. Spanky, at the moment, shows a stronger prey drive. They try to follow me everywhere. Largo and Spanky are the most clingy. Gruff is probably the most independent. Spanky is a bit cobby, his coat is most like Lorelei's, Gruff has a fuller rough coat then Spanky. Largo and Darla have much harder coats, and don't appear to be as rough as the other two, they just might end up as heavy broken coats. I like the shape of Gruffs head the best, it is very square. Spankys head is as square, just smaller. I wish they'd stand still, I might be able to get some decent stacked photos. I'm going to have to find some help when I shoot those.
A Snake in the Field
Weather permitting, the pups are spending 10 to 12 hours outside in their play area now. The have an abundance of toys, balls, rope bones, a tunnel, a teeter, and some fuzzy squeakers. When they aren't sleeping, they play on , in and with ever thing I have there for them. I think I'll introduce them to a swinging basket next. I've used a chain saw and a lawn mower around their 12 by 12 play area and they took it all in stride. When I open the gate to their pen they all tumble out and scatter in different directions. Lorelei seems to prefer them out in the yard, they aren't as likely to mob her like they do in their pen. Lorelei plays with them, leads them around and even shares food with them. Today she was leading them through the 30 feet of Go2Ground tunnel in the back yard. They run more then hop now. Took Lorelei on a lead, with the pups following, over to an uncut field near the house yesterday. Kind of amusing to watch them trying to follow, the grass was taller then they were, so they try to jump up to see. That was until one of them found something of interest. Shortly, Darla was leading the three boys out of the tall grass with a about a 5 inch garter snake hanging from her mouth. The boys wanted it, and she wasn't about to share. I had hoped to scare up some mice or find a gopher hole to excavate. No such luck, just a wimpy little snake. It's getting close to the time when I have to decide which one I'll keep, about 10 more days and they'll be eight weeks old.
Just Some Observations
The long weekend has allowed me to spend some extended time with the pups. None of them has come forth yet with a dominant personality, or leader of the pack. They all give as good as they get, and don't back down. They all rush over for the meet and greet. At any time any one may be off by itself, sleeping or exploring. They match up one on one with no specific pairings. I haven't observed a two or three on one challenge yet. I have observed that Darla or Largo are most frequently on the teeter, they'll both creep forward and backward on it to make it tip. Spanky I often observe using the PVC tube, sometimes going all the way through, sometimes coming back out the end he entered. Gruff has spent a fair amount of time trying to climb over or hop over the tube. Then there is the tub-of-war with the rope bone. They all will try and kill the squeaky. Since there are only two small fuzzy squeakys, there is always one that wants to steal from the another. I think this weekend I'll get them out in a field for a walk and see how they behave.
Toys
I put a few objects in the pups play area the past few days. A length of 6inch PVC, Spanky has almost moved into it. Need to check inside whenever he appears to be missing. I built a simple teeter for them. (Check the photo gallery) Darla is on it the most. They have all tried it, Darla just seems to be a regular on it. I've had to line the inside of the play area with one inch chicken wire. Darla and Spanky got very proficient at getting through the chain link. Largo and Gruff would manage to get their heads and one shoulder through the wire, Spanky and Darla just found a way to get all the way through.
They are trying to eat more solid food, Lorelei is only interested in visiting them a couple times a day now, and she has almost completely stopped cleaning up behind them. They each have their own space to eliminate in the play area, and they trot over to it when the urge strikes them. A lot of wrestling goes on, tails seem to be the preferred target. Spanky who is still the smallest is very good at dragging his litter mates around by their tails.
The Great Outdoors
The pups were 5 weeks old yesterday, and all but Spanky are over two pounds now. Yesterday too they spent the day outside. I move them outside, weather permitting, in the morning and back inside in the evening. Lorelei is doing her best to wean them. She gives them a quick check every 45 min or so, doing her best to avoid an ambush.
Looking closer at their coats, no doubt, Spanky and Gruff are definite rough coats. Darla and Loredo do not have the same coat that Spanky and Gruff have. I suspect that they may end up with broken coats.
Looking closer at their coats, no doubt, Spanky and Gruff are definite rough coats. Darla and Loredo do not have the same coat that Spanky and Gruff have. I suspect that they may end up with broken coats.
Nibbles and a Coon Tail
Yesterday, Lorelei let the pups start nibbling on solid food. That was a change, because before she would chase them off of it. What a mess!! Take a cup of dried peas or beans and just fling it across your kitchen floor. That is the mess just four puppies make with a bowl of food.
They started following me around when I'm in their room. They are very curious and try to play with almost anything. First they get their noses up on it, then tap it with a paw. Sometimes barking at it, sometimes scooting away.
I gave them a raccoon tail for awhile today. When I twitched it, they stayed back watching it, so I let it lay still. Soon Spanky and Gruff were doing the tug of war thing and growling. When they were distracted and momentarily left it, Darla stole it to try and chew, when she was distracted and shifted her attention to something else, Largo stole it, and hid it away from the others.
Largo has developed the same little cock of his head that Lorelei does when you speak to them.
A water bowl and Outside
The pups are starting to do the meet and greet. When you walk into their room they are immediatly up, and at least Spanky and Largo scramble over to see you. Spanky has taken an interest in the water bowl, trying to figure out what Lorelei does over there. They have all managed to stick a paw in the water and quickly pull it back.
Took them outside for about an hour today, kinda chilly, so I hung a blanket on the side of the x-pen to act as a wind block. They are all trying to do the play down. Any new sound is greated with a bark from one or more of them. Still a bit clumbsy, and they can scoot backwards faster then running forward. Amusing to watch them creep forward to investigate and suddenly be scooting backwards. I'm thinking that another week or so and I can give them a teeter to play on.
Brave or Bold
What a difference 24 or 48 hours can make. Spanky woke me up several times the other night with his whining, each time I found him wandering, or exploring outside the nest box. Adjusting the height of the entrance didn't keep him confined for long. He quickly developed the ability to scramble over the 6 inch barrier. I think he spent more time out of then in the box during a 24 hour period. During that same period of time, I only caught Darla out twice. The rest of the litter was content to simply peer over the entrance at him. Maybe he was doing advance reconnaissance, because yesterday they relocated themselves from the nest box to Lorelei's bed on the other side of the room.
I guess it's time to put an x-pen in the room for them.