Well, it's about time to say goodbye to these sweet little hounds. Even with the lack of sleep, the "poop" clean up, a few worries here and there and the little bit of stress finding just the perfect families for these little guys and gals, it's been a fun ride. I have mixed feelings about them leaving- how could anyone not love these puppies? I've been the primary caretaker of them -well, besides momma Joely- since they were born. She pretty much turned over the big chores to me a couple of weeks ago but still keeps a watchful eye out for too much rough-housing and doesn't hesitate to put a stop to it.
I've watched these puppies grow physically and mentally and socially. From the day they were born and unable to see, hear or do much more than crawl with their front legs to now over seven weeks old and RUNNING everywhere they go. They each have a unique personality, each their own little hound doggy self, but each so sweet and lovable. They are fun, full of energy and seem pretty bright. I'm grateful for family and friends who have stepped in to help out and cared for them as much as I have.
It's going to be hard to let them go but I take great comfort in the fact that each family - the Bartlett's, the Anderson's, the McLeary's and A. Wilhelm love their new little four-legged family member as much as I love Joely & Bronco. I have no doubt that "Bailey", "Hobbes", "Kida" and "Copper" will be well-fed, kept safe and warm and if they get hurt or sick, given the care they need and deserve. I'm hopeful that at least for the first year each of you will send a photo now and then and short note on how your baby is doing. I'm sure Joely & Bronco, Grandma & Grandpa and all of the extended family will want to know how they are doing as well.
You'll notice I mentioned just four families waiting for their baby. There is one little gorgeous female still waiting for her forever family. She looks exactly like Joely, is very bright, healthy, energetic and interacts well with the litter, Joely, Bronco and everyone she has met. She is a special little girl that promises to provide a lot of love, fun and happy memories for the family that she chooses and that chooses her.
While we wouldn't mind at all keeping this little princess, I am pretty sure she would prefer a family with kids to play with and grow up with. If you know of a family that would love her and be thrilled to have this pretty little girl, please direct them to this blog and give them our contact information.
Have a safe and happy Memorial Day as you remember and honor all who have given so much for our safety, liberty and peace.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Puppy Selections
If you noticed the new photos below I have removed names of the puppies. My intent was originally to identify those puppies that have 1)deposits placed for them and 2)potential families had indicated to me that they were interested in a particular puppy and had provided a possible name for that puppy.
Since none of the pups have actually left and been physically placed in homes they are all still "pending" adoptions. However, there are some situations that have required me to make a decision to place a puppy with a particular family because it is the best fit for the puppy. For example, if there was one that has a dominant personality and is more aggressive than the others, I would simply not consider placing that puppy in a home with small children or perhaps any children at all.
So my work is geared towards making what should be the BEST possible match for the success of a new family member going to a forever home. But that doesn't apply to just one puppy, one family. It is my job to place each puppy in what will be their forever home and family. What is a forever home?
To me, that means that even when there are "accidents" in the house, even when he needs out at 3am, even when he is sick or gets hurt or eats someone's sock or chews up the family favorite DVD...that means he is ALWAYS going to have that family. It means that even if he needs correction or redirection that it is done in a firm but loving way, followed by a lot of love and reassurance. A forever family will set appropriate boundaries, not set their dog up for failure that only leads to bad habits. Bad habits take a lot of time, effort and expense to correct later on and must be done with a lifetime of commitment. You can't just "give up" on your dog.
A dog without behavioral boundaries doesn't stand much of a chance to be a successful and happy family member. If they are not trained, taught with firmness, love and patience, they will not be the well-mannered dogs they have the potential to be. I refuse to place a puppy in a home where I do not feel in my heart they will be able to stay forever. They will instead end up being mistreated, "given away", dropped off at a shelter or even abused.
Here's a real life example of that. I know a really great family with 5 great boys. They had a dog...a beagle. He was cute and sweet and friendly and smart. I'm not sure how they ended up with him but he wasn't a puppy when they got him. So he had to have at least been in one other home prior to coming to them. Recently I heard from one of the boys now almost 17 years old. I asked him about "Doogie". Here's what he told me :
"We lost interest in him a few years ago and gave him to our grandfather. He took him to his landlord so the landlord's kids could have him. Doogie ran away from them and no one has seen him since."
"Lost interest in him"? Here's the thing in this situation. Good family, really good people, good kids. But they are NOT a dog family. They were not willing to be a "forever" family for Doogie. I'm sure they didn't know what they were getting into, the commitment to train with patience, everyone helping take care of him, the walks, the play time, the brushing, the feeding, the cleaning up after him. And then he got bounced to someone else. Why did he run off? Who knows. But these stories happen too often and are sad.
My job- and my FIRST responsibility to these puppies is to do the work to meet with all family members, to see them interact with the puppies, to get a "feel" for them. If it doesn't feel right, I will return a deposit or turn down a request to purchase one of our puppies. For a placement to be the right one, it needs to feel that way to me. This is not a one-sided puppy placement situation. The family or person seeking a puppy is not the only person deciding if or which puppy they will take. A positive placement is agreed upon by both sides as well as the puppy responsiveness.
The process we follow includes multiple visits to see the puppies, to meet the sire and dam, to see how the litter interacts and then in one on one situations with the potential family. Today I saw some distinct behavior from one such interaction. It reconfirmed in my heart and mind that THIS puppy needs to be with THAT family. And that family will provide everything she needs to be a happy, well-adjusted family dog. I trust them enough that if I had to place either of my own dogs for some reason, that family would be at the top of my list outside some of my own extended family members.
Hopefully this isn't coming off sounding harsh or elitist. It is not my intention to offend anyone but those who know me know I am very direct. I am very passionate about doing what is best for these dogs. Since I cannot keep them myself and never had any intention to do so, I have made a commitment to do the very best I can for them. The bar's too high? Maybe but I prefer to err on the side of caution. I owe them that.
I'm just hoping to provide clarification for the process and why my approach is what it has been. For those who "just want a puppy" there are plenty of places that will sell or give a puppy to anyone. Idaho Iron Rod Beagles isn't one of those places.
Since none of the pups have actually left and been physically placed in homes they are all still "pending" adoptions. However, there are some situations that have required me to make a decision to place a puppy with a particular family because it is the best fit for the puppy. For example, if there was one that has a dominant personality and is more aggressive than the others, I would simply not consider placing that puppy in a home with small children or perhaps any children at all.
So my work is geared towards making what should be the BEST possible match for the success of a new family member going to a forever home. But that doesn't apply to just one puppy, one family. It is my job to place each puppy in what will be their forever home and family. What is a forever home?
To me, that means that even when there are "accidents" in the house, even when he needs out at 3am, even when he is sick or gets hurt or eats someone's sock or chews up the family favorite DVD...that means he is ALWAYS going to have that family. It means that even if he needs correction or redirection that it is done in a firm but loving way, followed by a lot of love and reassurance. A forever family will set appropriate boundaries, not set their dog up for failure that only leads to bad habits. Bad habits take a lot of time, effort and expense to correct later on and must be done with a lifetime of commitment. You can't just "give up" on your dog.
A dog without behavioral boundaries doesn't stand much of a chance to be a successful and happy family member. If they are not trained, taught with firmness, love and patience, they will not be the well-mannered dogs they have the potential to be. I refuse to place a puppy in a home where I do not feel in my heart they will be able to stay forever. They will instead end up being mistreated, "given away", dropped off at a shelter or even abused.
Here's a real life example of that. I know a really great family with 5 great boys. They had a dog...a beagle. He was cute and sweet and friendly and smart. I'm not sure how they ended up with him but he wasn't a puppy when they got him. So he had to have at least been in one other home prior to coming to them. Recently I heard from one of the boys now almost 17 years old. I asked him about "Doogie". Here's what he told me :
"We lost interest in him a few years ago and gave him to our grandfather. He took him to his landlord so the landlord's kids could have him. Doogie ran away from them and no one has seen him since."
"Lost interest in him"? Here's the thing in this situation. Good family, really good people, good kids. But they are NOT a dog family. They were not willing to be a "forever" family for Doogie. I'm sure they didn't know what they were getting into, the commitment to train with patience, everyone helping take care of him, the walks, the play time, the brushing, the feeding, the cleaning up after him. And then he got bounced to someone else. Why did he run off? Who knows. But these stories happen too often and are sad.
My job- and my FIRST responsibility to these puppies is to do the work to meet with all family members, to see them interact with the puppies, to get a "feel" for them. If it doesn't feel right, I will return a deposit or turn down a request to purchase one of our puppies. For a placement to be the right one, it needs to feel that way to me. This is not a one-sided puppy placement situation. The family or person seeking a puppy is not the only person deciding if or which puppy they will take. A positive placement is agreed upon by both sides as well as the puppy responsiveness.
The process we follow includes multiple visits to see the puppies, to meet the sire and dam, to see how the litter interacts and then in one on one situations with the potential family. Today I saw some distinct behavior from one such interaction. It reconfirmed in my heart and mind that THIS puppy needs to be with THAT family. And that family will provide everything she needs to be a happy, well-adjusted family dog. I trust them enough that if I had to place either of my own dogs for some reason, that family would be at the top of my list outside some of my own extended family members.
Hopefully this isn't coming off sounding harsh or elitist. It is not my intention to offend anyone but those who know me know I am very direct. I am very passionate about doing what is best for these dogs. Since I cannot keep them myself and never had any intention to do so, I have made a commitment to do the very best I can for them. The bar's too high? Maybe but I prefer to err on the side of caution. I owe them that.
I'm just hoping to provide clarification for the process and why my approach is what it has been. For those who "just want a puppy" there are plenty of places that will sell or give a puppy to anyone. Idaho Iron Rod Beagles isn't one of those places.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Preparing to take Your Puppy Home
Just a few comments to help you start preparing to bring your little beagle puppy home. Here's a list of items to begin pricing out and gathering so you are well prepared for your little hound dog:
Also, take a look around your home and puppy-proof cleaning products, fertilizers, lawn & garden-care products and things like anti-freeze, oil, gasoline, etc. Keep them out of reach of your puppy and securely locked away. Even if they are in "child-proof" containers with locking lids, PUT THEM UP HIGH. Puppies like to chew and can chew off locked lids or through containers and hoses of all types of material. These items can be fatal and are often enticing to dogs.
On another note, if you have a garden be conscious of the type of compost you are using. There is a popular "cocoa" based compost sold at WalMart, Shopko, Home Depot and other stores that is DEADLY to dogs but they LOVE the taste. You might also want to consider securing your garden from your puppy or they will enjoy the fruits of your labor before you do. Joely decided last year that the strawberry patch was HER personal one and besides fending off the birds, she trampled a lot of berries and ate a whole lot more! Bronco decided he enjoyed crunchy baby brussel sprouts...I'll leave it to your imagination to come up with the killer-odor that resulted from that!
As far as indoors goes, be prepared to keep cell phones, portable house phones, remotes for tv, stereo, etc, car keys, shoes, slippers, belts, pillows and books out of puppy reach! I once rescued the tv remote from Bronco who thought it would make a great chew toy...outside...in the snow...at night! Books, movies or CDs on the bottom two shelves of a storage unit are in danger as well! Check and see where your electrical and phone cords are located. Anything exposed is at risk of being chewed.
More photos and notes to come. Please let your friends or family know we still have one puppy available for reservation. It's easy to make that deposit, just click the "Pay Now" button to the right.
We want all of our puppies to go to their forever families - where they will be loved, trained, fed healthy DOG diets, walked, snuggled and have as many belly rubs as they need for their lifetime.
- Veterinarian Formula Puppy Food (this is the food they will be eating in about 2 weeks - VERY important to keep them on the same food!)
- Dog crate/indoor kennel - your puppy will grow to about 25-28 lbs as an adult and stand about 13-15 inches at the shoulder - Make SURE you get a crate that will be big enough for an adult beagle. A crate is the proper size when a dog can stand up and turn completely around in it with ease but not a lot bigger than that. Look on Craigslist, zidaho or other online classifieds for a good used one or be prepared to pay about $100 for a new one from a pet store.
- 6 foot leash and an adjustable collar (waited until I had my dogs to get a feel for their personality and what color of collar I thought would look good on them)
- Food & water bowls (I recommend metal bowls with rubber bottoms on the outside - non-skid type)
- If you want a dog bed, shop around. The "bean bag" type beds have been a favorite of our hounds because they allow "nesting" and they can kind of sink into them. Drs. Smith & Foster is a good resource as an online store and offer high quality beds and other items.
- One or two small puppy toys - I have some recommendations for "chewing" prevention on your personal and household belongings!
Also, take a look around your home and puppy-proof cleaning products, fertilizers, lawn & garden-care products and things like anti-freeze, oil, gasoline, etc. Keep them out of reach of your puppy and securely locked away. Even if they are in "child-proof" containers with locking lids, PUT THEM UP HIGH. Puppies like to chew and can chew off locked lids or through containers and hoses of all types of material. These items can be fatal and are often enticing to dogs.
On another note, if you have a garden be conscious of the type of compost you are using. There is a popular "cocoa" based compost sold at WalMart, Shopko, Home Depot and other stores that is DEADLY to dogs but they LOVE the taste. You might also want to consider securing your garden from your puppy or they will enjoy the fruits of your labor before you do. Joely decided last year that the strawberry patch was HER personal one and besides fending off the birds, she trampled a lot of berries and ate a whole lot more! Bronco decided he enjoyed crunchy baby brussel sprouts...I'll leave it to your imagination to come up with the killer-odor that resulted from that!
As far as indoors goes, be prepared to keep cell phones, portable house phones, remotes for tv, stereo, etc, car keys, shoes, slippers, belts, pillows and books out of puppy reach! I once rescued the tv remote from Bronco who thought it would make a great chew toy...outside...in the snow...at night! Books, movies or CDs on the bottom two shelves of a storage unit are in danger as well! Check and see where your electrical and phone cords are located. Anything exposed is at risk of being chewed.
More photos and notes to come. Please let your friends or family know we still have one puppy available for reservation. It's easy to make that deposit, just click the "Pay Now" button to the right.
We want all of our puppies to go to their forever families - where they will be loved, trained, fed healthy DOG diets, walked, snuggled and have as many belly rubs as they need for their lifetime.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Just Joely
Flight of the Beagles!
.JPG)
.JPG)
