Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you and your fur babies.

Here is a picture of Palmer (top) and Sam & Kathy (bottom)

Love getting photos of these pups

Merry Christmas from Chance (Mr. Black)

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

Love and good wishes for a Happy, Healthy Holiday

Chance (Mr. Black)

Linda (Owner)

We are doing great

Happy Thanksgiving

Ok so I know I am a few days late but better late than never....I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving. This year I am extremely thankful for all of you. I could not be happier with the families that these wonderful puppies went to. It means so much to me to know these sweet babies are loved by so many. Thank you again from my family (including the 4 legged members) to yours. 

Here are a few photos of Sam (Mr. Red). Thank you Kathy for sharing :)

Harry (and his stick)

Sam (Mr. Red)

Sam (Mr. Red)....I love his napping spot

Kathy thank you for sharing :)

Chance (Mr. Black)

Chance (Mr. Black). Such a sweet little guy :)

Thanks for sharing, Linda

Pearl (Ms. Blue)

Here is Ms. Pearl.....almost 4 months old. Love this picture. 

Thanks for sharing, Tracy

"She's still such a love!  She brings joy everywhere she goes and she goes everywhere with us." - Tracy

Taffy

Taffy....she looks so much like her momma

Harry

Mr. Harry.....he is such a cutie

Pearl

Pearl's favorite way to sleep.....too funny

Palmer

Here is a photo of "Palmer" (Ms. Purple). I love getting updated photos of these pups

Puppy Pictures

Thank you all for the updates this week. Here are a few of the photos I received....I can't get over how much your puppies have grown.

"HARRY" - Mr. Green

"PEARL" - Ms. Blue

"SAM" - Mr. Red

Update on "Chance" Mr. Black

Good morning Alyson,

     Just wanted to give you an update on how my sweet puppy Chance is doing.  He is just the most loving, wonderful pup in the world.  He is completely house broken, knows the difference between saying" go out" (meaning back door and down the deck steps to the yard) or "want to go for a walk?"  Then he runs to where his leash hangs and sits so good while I get him ready and then tears through the house with his ears flying to the front door for his walk.  He loves going for walks...he watches everything.  Planes, birds, squirrels and especially for other people and dogs to say hello to. He is such a happy outgoing, independent puppy.  If something scares him, he is right back by my feet and in my arms, though his body is getting long and his snout and him just all over!!!  He has gained a lot of body mass and if I sit back and look at him, I can see the beautiful adult dog he is going to be.  Right now he is sitting on my feet under the computer, just waiting to see what we are going to do next!!  Chance has brightened my life and has filled my heart with love and happiness.  He is still eating 3 times a day, loves his food dry and when he is done, goes to his water bowl.  Chance is happy and full of life and mischief discovering new things everyday.  I will let you know his accurate weight in a week or so when we visit the Vet again.

Talk to you soon....hope you and your family are well.

Linda

"Sam" - Mr. Red....enjoying his life in California

Thank you Kathy for sharing these wonderful pictures of Sam

Puppy Pics

"Harry"- Mr. Green

"Chance"- Mr. Black and his mama

"Sam" Sailing

LOVE this picture of Sam on his first sailing trip.....he is definitely smiling

Update on Taffy- Ms. Yellow

 Hey Alyson and Drew,

Taffy was a trooper on her 12 hour journey home. She did better than we did.  And let me tell you about her welcoming party at 10pm when we arrived. Family, neighbors, and friends came to visit along with Sloan (service dog) and Cheddar (the cat). She was a little nervous to begin with and within 10 minutes she was running thru the house like she had always lived there.  Her big personality was coming out of that little body.  She has learned how to sit, down and working on her name recognition. One smart little bugger! She loves playing with Sloan. They wrestle, bite and run thru the house. Fudge would have loved his little sister, also.  He sent us a full rainbow on our way home to show his approval.  Taffy went to her vet visit where she did great and everyone loved her.  Weighed in at 15 lbs! This week she will be going to both Middle and High school to meet plenty of friends. 

The funniest part about having Taffy is when its time for her to eat.  She sasses me if it's not ready in time. She will bark and lay down where her bowl is going to be. Then get back up and come get me letting me know she is going to die if she doesn't get her food NOW.

She has been such a ray of sunshine for my family and I can't thank you guys enough for all the love and attention that has been showed to this litter of puppies. You can plainly see how much they were loved by the well behaved pups they have become for their forever homes!

Give Cally extra tight hugs from us.

Ron, Angie, Kole, Tanner, Sloan, Cheddar, Honey and the Diva "Taffy" In Virginia

Update on Sam- Mr. Red

Hello Alyson and all you puppy parents!

 

Sam (Mr. Red) has done so well considering the hectic and stressful day we had getting home to California!  He, my daughter and I spent 12 hours driving, in airports and flying after flight diversions, delays and layovers but we made it home around 10 pm Sunday night after leaving that morning.  We picked him up Friday 9/5 in Columbus and spent 2 nights there.  After arriving home, he knew he was "home" and started being playful right away.  He started off by going in the bathroom and dragging out the bath rug into the hall way. He is very good about going out and doing his business right away which is good since he has to go down stairs, out the deck and down to the yard and today was better.  I gave him a bath at the Hotel and one when he got home Sunday night and he keeps trying to get in the bathtub.  He loves his water and stands in his water bowl every chance he gets.  I am up to 6 dishtowels cleaning up the water today but we are working on this!  He pretty much comes when we call him and knows his name.

 

He does not like his crate but will settle down if it is next to me while I am working on the computer out in the living room.  Last night he cried and yelped for about 10 min and then settled down but was not a happy camper!  I thought he did well considering he lost 3 crate nights when we stayed in Columbus on Friday and Saturday. Sunday night I was getting him ready to put in the crate around midnight and he was already fast asleep by the bed and I made the mistake of letting him sleep that way, which he did until 6 a.m. so I really didn't start him at night until Monday, but I am sticking with it.  I am wondering if the other parents have the crates in the bedroom or away from them?

 

He has had many family and friends over to see him but we are staggering visits and limiting numbers.  I can tell it's too much for him right now and he needs more time to adjust.  He gets quiet and is not very playful when there are too many people around and he will go off in a corner or under/behind the couch, etc. He is essentially crating himself, so I don't know why he doesn't take to his crate at home, however, I know that has to do with the big travel day on Sunday.  Plus we were near Fort Benning and had a lot of young military guys with their families who all wanted to see him while in the Hotel which was too much, but how can you not share such a love when these boys have all had to leave their dogs behind? 

 

So far, he has gone to breakfast at our favorite spot and fell asleep under the table and today I took him for a 10 mile walk/run in a dog stroller with a stop at a park where he could lay in the grass.  He did well in the stroller and it was the best of both worlds where I got to run and he was with me!  He had his Vet appointment yesterday and he weighs almost 17 lbs!! I am not surprised as my arms feel like they have been beaten up just having this to carry him through the airports!

 

Enjoy the photos.  I really wish we lived closer to some of the other parents so we could visit.  I know if Sam met up with him mom or one of his siblings 10 years from now he would know them!

 

Sincerely,

 

Kathy Sliff

Palmer- Ms. Purple

Palmer- Ms. Purple- decided this would be the perfect napping spot LOL

Update on Harry- Mr. Green

Hi Alyson- Harry is doing great! He is eating well and doing his potty business as soon as we go outside. He hasn't had any accidents in the house! He loves playing outside and is so sweet and playful with the kids. We had lots of friends and neighbors stopping by yesterday to meet him, and he loved it. He was not thrilled to get in his crate last night at bedtime, but only cried for a few minutes. Here's a photo I just took this morning of him with three of our kids (my teenager is still in bed). This is our first dog so we don't have anyone to compare him to, but we think Harry is the best dog ever! We love him SO much. Thanks for taking such good car of him in his first weeks- it's clear to see he was well-loved!

Leslie

Time went by tooo fast

WOW how time flies. Here is a picture of Mr. Green the day he was born and the day he left for his forever home at 8 weeks old. All of the puppies have joined their new families....boy do I miss these little guys and gals already. Thank you all for the wonderful emails...please keep them and many pictures coming. Can't wait to hear all about your new family member. 

Update on Pearl - Ms. Blue

Alyson,

Pearl had a FANTASTIC first night and day.  All her business has been outside, she slept through the night with our old Boston Terrier, Junie, by her side and has just been the best puppy we've ever had.

Thank you so much for giving her a wonderful start in life.

Warmly,

Tracy 

Update on Chance- Mr. Black

Chance (Mr. Black) is now with this new mama in New Jersey...thought I would share an update on how he is doing. I would love to continue the blog with updates and pictures of the puppies once they join their forever homes.

Hi Alyson

Chance is a dream puppy….we had so much company yesterday…everyone just loves him to pieces.  He is loving and great to everyone…he leaves no one out. He knows where he eats he also knows where the door to the deck is…. and thanks to you he goes down the deck steps by himself and goes into the yard to do his business in the grass.  Unbelievable puppy.  Would you believe he slept well last night.  I had to wake him up to take him out.  He would go, come back in and right to sleep.  He had his breakfast around 6: 30 am ….he loves to eat.  Right at my feet waiting….also when I sit down, he lays across my feet and sleeps.  I gave him his first bath this morning also…he is towel dried, but were out on the deck in the sun, he is sleeping on my feet…loves the deck and the yard.  When he dries I will give him a good brushing.  Also, he loves to watch TV.  He sits in front of it and watches…so cute.  He is never far from me, he makes sure of that.  I love it. I am truly in love with Chance ….my buddy, my friend.

He has a round leather collar with the American Flag circle hanging from it with his name ..address, and phone number.  He wears it proudly.  I am soooo  Happy.

Talk to you soon,  the Vet on the 10th.

Linda

Puppy Schedule

I can’t believe that this time next week all of the puppies will be with each of you. Next weekend will definitely be an emotional weekend for me so please make sure you send lots of pictures and updates on how your new puppy is doing.

Now down to business…First we will start with food. Of course you know by now that all of the puppies are eating Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy Food. The puppies are still sharing a bowl as of right now and each one gets about ½ a cup each. You will need to soak their food in warm water- about ¼ cup of water- for about 10 minutes before feeding them. You will gradually reduce the amount of water over the next week or 2 until they are eating only the hard puppy food. The main goal is the keep them lean. You need to be able to feel your puppy’s ribs and when viewed from above you should be able to see a defined waist. This should be the case when they are adults too. Your puppies eat 3 times a day which is listed in the sample schedule below.

Crate Training- All of the puppies have started the crate training process. We place them in their own crate each night at bedtime. Let me just say it is not quiet at our house during this time. Your puppy is going to cry and at first you are going to think this may never stop but I promise that if you stick with the process it will pay off big time. Just remember no matter how much your puppy cries do not take them out of the crate. When you take your puppy out to potty at night it should be all business and no play. We are currently taking them out around 11:30pm and 3:30am…yes you will be sleep deprived for a little while but it will fly by. At night when you take your puppy out make sure they are on a leash- take them to the same place that you wish your puppy to always go…remember if you train them to go potty right by the door then this is where they are more than likely to go when they get older so make sure it is a place you want them to use. Take the puppy to the potty spot and use a command- we have been saying “Go Bathroom”. Continue to repeat this until your puppy uses the restroom. Once this happens praise your puppy then place them back in the crate. This is not a time to play but to use light praise so they know they have done the right thing. We set an alarm to take the puppies out at night- we do not wait for them to cry. You will continue to move the alarm back and you should be down to only one potty break within one month. Eventually your puppy will be able to hold it all night…this is when you will look back at your sleep deprived nights and feel proud- I promise it is worth it.

Here is a look at the schedule we have your puppy currently on. You do not have to stick to this exactly but your puppy will need a set schedule.

6:00am- Take all puppies out to their potty spot. Highly praise them for going to the bathroom.

6:15am- Feed all puppies and offer water. Play after then potty break followed by nap.

9:00am- Offer water, Potty break followed by lots of praise, play time, then nap

12:00pm- Feed all puppies and offer water, potty break followed by lots of praise and play time, nap

3:00pm- Offer water, Potty break followed by lots of praise, play time, then nap

6:00pm- Feed all puppies and offer water, potty break followed by lots of praise and play time

Before bed- Potty break at potty spot- light praise then place in crate

Middle of the night- Take puppy to potty spot- light praise then place back in crate.

And remember the most important thing is HAVE FUN with your puppy.

Week 8 Video

Hey Everyboy- Here is a quick look at all the puppies. They are busy little guys and girls now. I will be posting to the blog our daily schedule which includes feeding, potty breaks and playtime. I know everybody has different schedules but this will give you an idea of what the puppies are use to. All the puppies are doing really good with their crate training and our middle of the night potty breaks have been successful. They are all looking forward to meeting their new families this coming week :-)

Week 7 Video

Hey Everybody. This week we did a slide show of the puppies instead of a video. Everybody is doing great and getting big. Do you have a countdown on the days until your pup joins you?!

Puppy Supplies

OK so it is getting close….and that means time to go shopping. Here is a list of some of the must haves for your new puppy.

Leash and Collar. Your puppy will need a collar that can be adjusted easily. The collar should fit snuggly so it won’t slip off but not too tight; you should be able to fit two fingers between the collar and the pup’s neck. Make sure to check this frequently because your puppy will be growing quickly. A leash is needed for walks, potty break and training. I would recommend a short leash in the beginning so you are in control during the training process….you do not want a dog that is going to pull you around the neighborhood- you want one that will walk by your side.

Crate and playpen. We are big on crate training and playpens not only because it keeps your puppy safe when you are unable to watch them but it also helps with the potty training process. For those of you whose puppy is flying you can use the crate they arrive in for a while. It is the perfect size for when they are little. I would recommend a 36” crate for the females and 42” crate for the males. Here is an example: http://www.petsmart.com/supplies-training/crates/midwest-icrate-dog-crate-zid36-7142/cat-36-catid-100086?var_id=36-7142&_t=pfm%3Dsearch. These crates will be too big for your puppy at first so make sure you use a divider to section the place off where your new puppy will sleep. You do not want them to have the whole crate because dogs do not like to go potty where they sleep….if they have the option to go to the other end of the crate to potty then come back to sleep that makes the potty training process a lot harder. Make sure your puppy is able to stand up, lie down, turn around and stretch inside the crate.

Food and Water bowls. There are many different types of doggy dishes to choose from. I would recommend using a stainless steel bowl because they are easy to clean and sanitize (unlike plastic bowls which can easily get scratched and hold bacteria and residue in these areas). They also cannot be chewed up by a new teething puppy.

Food. We feed Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy. It is the light orange bag. Check our blog for a visual of the bag

Grooming. We use baby shampoo on all of our puppies and adult dogs. You will also need a brush, nail clippers (make sure to only cut the hook of the nail off. If you are uncertain have your vet show you the proper way) and tooth brush. Start a regular grooming routine as soon as your puppy joins you- this will make the process a lot easier when they are adults.

Toys. Puppies love toys. We recommend strong durable, well-made toys (like kong toys) that are sized appropriately for your dog. Cheaper is not always better- you do not want a toy that your dog can easily take apart and swallow small pieces. Rope toys are also good as they help floss teeth while the puppy plays. Also make sure to get fetching toys such as tennis balls.

These are just the basics that you will need for when your new puppy joins you. Happy Shopping :)

Vet Visit

Hey Everybody....All of the puppies received their 6 weeks shots today and did great. We are all healthy and ready to meet our new families soon. Mark your calendar for 3 weeks from today...September 10th...that is when everybody is due for their next round of shots.

Week 6 Video

Here is your week 6 video...hope you enjoy :-)

AKC Information

Hi Everybody- We have the AKC papers for each puppy so I need everybody's information so we can fill the forms out. If you are picking up your puppy then we will give you the form then...if your puppy is flying then we will mail all the information to you. Once you receive the AKC form you will need to sign it and mail it back into the AKC.

The AKC requires each dog to have a unique name (this is not what you will actually call your dog). Each dogs name will start off with Southland's...(the name you decide). We would like all of the puppies to have a summer theme since they were born in July. You can choose anything from a summer time song, a place you visit in the summer or anything that makes you think of summer...it is up to you.

Please email me the name you choose.

I also need the following information for the AKC (you can email it to me):

New Owner's first and last name (if you want more that one person listed please send both names)
Mailing Address, City, State, Postal Code
Telephone number
Email Address
**If the information above is different for the co-owner (if there is one) then I need that to. If not just tell me the information is the same for both owners.

Can you believe your puppy will be 6 weeks old next Tuesday :-)

Playful Puppies

Everyone was VERY ACTIVE this afternoon so we decided to get a video for everyone to see the puppies playful side. We had to put up our small play pen so we could video them....trying to video 6 puppies scattered in a large area is almost impossible. Anyways...here are some playful pups

Puppy Food

Here is the puppy food that we feed all of our puppies. It is Blue Buffalo - Life Protection Formula- Large Breed Puppy. It is great and I would highly recommend it. We feed our adult dogs the same but just the adult large breed (the bag is also orange so make sure you get the puppy for now). Hope this visual helps when you go shopping :-)

Week 5 Video

Hey Everybody- Here is our week 5 video. I will be contacting everybody this week to start our picking process. We should know by our next video which puppy will be with each family :)

These puppies are AMAZING...they are doing so well with potty training...I am one proud (2 legged) mama. We still have plenty of messes- and you will too- but the fact that they are choosing to go outside and also away from where they sleep is GREAT. 

I will have a post this week with the information I need from each of you for the AKC papers so keep an eye out for that. These weeks are flying by (at least for me)...only a few more weeks til one of these adorable fur balls joins your family.

Messy Puppies

Ohh how they love to eat, play, and get messy in their puppy food :)

Fun Outside!!!

Hey Everybody- Here is a quick video of all the pups (and Cally) playing outside today. Hope you enjoy :)

Week 4 Video

Can you believe we are half way to when your puppy will join you...time is flying by. All of the puppies and Cally are doing GREAT. They are really starting to act like little puppies now. You will see in this video they just had their first bath (just water to rinse off the puppy food). This video isn't as long as the others because we were outside and a thunderstorm was starting to pop up so we had to hurry back in...we will post more videos this week. Hope you enjoy the video :)

We love the outdoors

Here is a video of our first time in the grass...they are sooo much fun now and they keep us VERY busy. Sorry it's not the best quality- I only had my phone to video with

Week 3

Here is our week 3 video. Hope you enjoy :)

Ms. Yellow loves her "human" friends 

Happy 2 Weeks

WOW....it has already been 2 weeks. They have grown so much...they use to easily all be able to eat at the same time

Week 2 Video

Hey everybody here is our week 2 video. Hope you enjoy

Have you decided on a name for your puppy?? If so, I would love to hear it :)

Dog Pile

Check the blog this weekend for another video of these cute puppies

Mr. Green

I am absolutely in LOVE with these puppies. It is going to be soooo hard to let them go in 7 short weeks but I know they are all going to great homes. Their puppy fur is coming in and let me tell you...they have some of the lightest coats I have seen....they are absolutely beautiful :-)