August 23, 2017
We’re not a commercial breeding operation so we do not expect to have puppies available very often. The 2017 pups went to their new homes in mid-late October.
The puppies were socialized to a variety of people, animals, objects, sights and sounds. They were taken for a ride in the car and received the beginnings of house breaking / potty training.
We used the “Misty Method” of potty-training. Followed by formal crate training. Our pups began at 4 weeks of age. By the time the pups went to their new homes at 8 weeks, they had been in potty-training for a month!
We’ve practiced natural rearing. I’m happy to say most of the homes are implementing a grain-free diet and many are willing to try the raw food diet for their new pups.
This litter is registered with the UKC.
Some of the activities we did
October 12th — Another great week of new experiences. The pups heard nearby gunfire and everybody was solid. We’d done sound-sensitivity training before the pups were 4 weeks old, and I’m happy to see it’s paid off. They have started actual crate training (in pairs so it’s less stressful being away from the rest of the pack). These are just the beginning steps, but I hope it makes your job easier. Pups also “helped” a lot in the garden. Well, do 9 puppies actually help? 🙂 Maybe not, but it was lots of fun. They walked on the chicken wire. They were also taken for a very, very short ride in the garden cart (a few feet). Why do I do things like this with the pups? It builds their confidence and trust in us. See the lovely family photos at 5 weeks! And photos at 6 weeks. And now at 7 weeks.
The Girls
The Boys
If you are interested in adding any ES to your household…
• Read all you can about the English Shepherd breed here and elsewhere online and see if the breed is right for you.
• Read all you can about natural rearing including the “Biologically Appropriate Raw Food Diet” and discussions about over-vaccination in dogs.
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WE ARE NOT PLANNING A LITTER THIS YEAR. SO SORRY.
PUPPY BUYERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
Thank you for taking the time to answer the following questions. “Required” just means a response is required. There are no wrong answers. This information will help us find the best puppy for you and hopefully keep the pups out of a puppy-mill. (200 ESs seized in Montana. If you visit the story link and get a survey, try reloading the page or select “prefer not to reply”.)