my new puppy

she is beautiful!

Today was fun. We took her to the lake. Juan rode in the back of the truck with her on a leash. Emma, the lab went with us too.

Blossom wasn't sure what to think as it was her first time at the lake. But she swam. With encouragement.. After 30 minutes or so, I carried her out in the water waist deep on me and held her and just bounced her around. She did great. We only stayed about 45 mintues so as not to get her too tired. I want her to enjoy it.. Since we live just up the road, I can take her every day if I want for 30 minutes or so.

Emma absolutely loves to swim. She floats on her back in the water totally relaxed with her eyes closed. First back floating dog I ever saw. I support her head for her. I will have to get a pic of her floating. It is most unusual looking for a big dog to feel so relaxed on their back in the water. I have never even heard of this before. If I am in the water, she is in the water watching over me. Very protective and wants to be close to me at all times.

Molly on the other hand only wades. She never gets over her head. Emma will swim after tree limbs and drag them to shore if I can throw them. Muffin the dauchaund also loves to swim but she stayed home today... She rides on Emma's back in the water.

They are now in the back yard drying off and sleeping..... Swimming is just hard work and great exercise for them.

I can't wait to see picture of her floating on her back.
That just sounds adorable.

25 lbs this morning.....

That's 1 pound per day so far.

wow! one pound per day? shes gonna be a big girl for sure

She is really liking the cats now and they like her with the exception of one.........Felix. But he doesn't like anyone. The other cats don't even like him. hehe

But yesterday everyone had their shots for this year. Molly, Emma and Muffin got their rabies as well. Blossom just got her first series....

They all got new matching collars for this year.... Blossom will probalby go through several collars this year. I had to disgard the pink one because it was fastening in the last notch... This one fastens third from the end so she has a little growing room. They all look good in green. They match our carpet and our floors....

Nothing like color coordinated dogs..........!

What a sweet picture.

Aww! She is so cute. Congratulations.

She is doing great at housebreaking. She has had a couple tee tee accidents but today for the first time, she scratched at the back door to go out and do her job.

The big dogs are teaching her......

I also am trying a new brand of puppy food. I still haven't made it to Springfield to really shop for her so today I got her some food called "Natural Life Puppy Lamaderm".

The main ingredients are:
Lamb Meal
Ground brown rice
Linseed Meal
Oatmeal
Poultry fat

Then it goes into the vitamins and stuff...

It's not the best but it's pretty good. She really likes it. Has no sugar, chemicals, flavor enhancers or food colorings. It also has no corn, wheat, soy, dairy, yeast, beef or beef by products. No fillers.

As soon as I can get to Springfield, it will change again.... But as far as walmart and reading all the ingredients on every bag, I like this the best.

I do not like Purina Puppy chow....

She is growing so quick..... I can nearly see her growing...

The NL puppy food is pretty good. Just be careful switching her food so much. She can develop sensitivities. I did with my Choco Lab & have been cussing myself since.

How cute is she!! What a gorgeous girl!

What a pretty dog!

Well, today Blossom had an experience.... It probably taught her something.

Husband got off today two hrs after I left for work. So, since it was a short period of time, I left her and Muffin in the house together... I shut off the back end of it so she only had access to the kitchen and the living room.

When Juan got home, he could not find Blossom. He looked and looked. He went outside and called. He thought possibly I had accidently let her out when I left and so before he told me that "Blossom was gone" ...he tried to find her. He looked for her for over an hr. Finally...........he found her. She had managed to get through the slats going from the kitchen into our bedroom. And that was not an easy task for her. Muffin fits through them easy but they are designed for her. Juan built the gates. And Muffin goes in and out of the cat's enclosure all the time too. She uses it to poopy in while we are gone when we leave her indoors. And she suns out there as well. The cats are used to her coming and going through their area. She is one of them. She thinks she is a cat.

However........not so with Blossom. Somehow after "squeezing" through the gate slats, she must have struggled and pushed and forced her body through their cat door and somehow got into the cat enclosure. Probably she saw Muffin go through it and she wanted to follow her. It is a not a large door. It is 8" tall and probably 6" wide. It is small. JJ, my big cat barely fits through it. How she managed to get through it is beyond me. It was probably comical. She weighs close to 30 lbs now and is up to my knees in height..... It had to have taken her some time to do it. I bet she got stuck and had no choice but to move forward........

She could not get back in the house. Juan had to go unlock the enclosure and still she would not come to him. He had to go get her out of the corner. I imagine the 'big bad cats' scared her to death during that time she was locked in their room........hahaha

I'm glad she wasn't scratched. But I bet she never does that again. Juan said she was absolutely relieved to be back in the house and the back yard. She said she took a long nap after her ordeal.

I have also begun training her in submissive ways. I am putting her flat on her back and sitting beside her. And she lays there for me. I am going to do this every single day so she will always knows that I can....... She does not struggle. She will simply lay there. Good lesson for her to know.

Oh my, I can just picture a 30 pound dog squeezing herself through a cat door.

She is happy, georgous, entergetic and smart.......

And she has long legs.......... She is slender and tall.......

JENN!!!!!!!!!!
There you are, I was starting to worry about you guys and the furkids.

Lovely pup you have there, I have been enjoying reading the blow-by-blow of her life with you.
Natural Life is not bad, but for the money Canidae is very good. If you are stuck buying food at WalMart then you might be able to get Nutro, which is not great, but it is better than most of what they have.

If you don't mind some more unasked-for advice handle her paws and ears as much as you can. Makes it easier for later when you need to trim nails and check inside the ears. And you are about to hit the puppt nipping biting stage (worst at 10-12 weeks) so be ready!!

Jenn, she is just beautiful

Today, she tops the scales at 35 lbs............

She is blossoming....... And we handle her all the time. She sits on command and then she falls over on the floor.

She is a handful of glee. One of the happiest little puppies I have ever seen. She bounces when she walks.

And something else I have noticed........ From the rear you know how big dogs carry their legs. That moving from the hip motion. She already has that walk.......

She is gaining on the average of 5 lbs weekly but she is not fat. She is lean. I can see her rib cage. Not in a skinny way. She is tall. The top of her head is already mid thigh to me. I am 5'5.

I finally have two days off in a row. Tomorrow she is going to the lake again and going for a morning walk....

Oh I absolutely adore the big dog walk! More pictures when you get the chance!