Arrrggggg!  The Mateys are “high and dry” and still enjoying shore leave!!!  Lots of climbing, hopping, jumping and running, and then power naps in my lap with a belly rub!  It is nearly impossible to keep track of them at the same time OR keep them from getting each other in trouble!!!  They also got to experience SNOW for the first time!!!  I don’t think they were really all that impressed, but it was fun to play in for a little while.  They were “LOTS” of help while I was trying to shovel the driveway!!!

Lots and lots of friends and family have been out to play with and spoil them all ROTTEN!!  Is that possible??? They get new toys to play with every day to keep them learning and preserve the toys!!!  They all sleep together in one big family pile and never, NEVER go potty in their bedroom, so I’m hoping they will have a good start on housetraining!!!  They are using their litter box really faithfully which helps keep their whelping box and playpen clean and hopefully teaches them that they need to go potty in only one place !!!

They are power eaters now, (I feed them using ice cream buckets!) and are not nearly as messy as they used to be.  They are completely weaned now of course, but I still use a little milk replacer in each meal to keep their fat content up.  Puppies should be CHUBBY!!  All pups are eating very well, 3 times a day for now, but down to 2 times a day by the time they are “Getting Underway” to your house.   I will send home samples of the food they are currently eating so that you can mix it with whichever GOOD puppy chow you have purchased to feed.

The Mateys went to the vet for their final check up.  They got their first puppy shot (OUCH!), wormed AGAIN (yuck!), and microchipped for permanent identification (BIG OUCH!!)   Considering the size of the microchip needle, it is pretty impressive how well our little sailors take it!!!   It helps that we rather quickly give them the good tasting wormer!!!   Don’t ask me how I KNOW that it is good tasting!!  I think we can safely assume that I do NOT have worms, rabies or distemper either for that matter!!  Stuff occurs!!!  The vets have a long check list with all body parts noted so that absolutely EVERY thing is checked and recorded.  After a rather intensive poking and prodding of eyes, ears, mouths, lungs, hearts, teeth and, for the boys, testicles, there is certainly NOTHING that has been missed.  Of course, a copy of the check list comes along with all their other health records so if there are any concerns, you and your vet can keep an eye on them.
 
Time to hoist the sails, Matey’s, and make some headway towards home!  

Anchors Away, my Friends, Anchors Away!

Wow!  The Matey’s act like they have come ashore for some “land lubbing” leave time!!!   They are loving their more spacious digs and now are very good at all things WILD!!!   This week they are getting to enjoy all sorts of different kinds of toys which gives their tails, toes, and noses a break! 

Karma put the sailors ashore and then set sail on her own this week!!  I think the Matey’s hanging off of her and the onset of teeth was the last straw!!!   Fortunately, all the pups are eating their puppy mush very well so the adjustment has gone very easily.   We feed them 3-4 times a day, and most of it actually gets INSIDE them, so it is not near as messy a process!   Speaking of teeth, all teeth are looking good so far, and will be completely in within another week.  By the time they set sail for their new homes, I will have them down to eating 2 times a day to help them make the adjustment to being in their new homes.
 
Another getting ready to set sail project is also going REALLY well – potty training!!!  They rarely ever go potty anywhere other than in their litter box - even when they are out running around they go back to the litterbox if they need to go! When we are outside, they of course go in the grass so hopefully house breaking will be easier at your house.  You will need to decide ‘WHERE’ the bathroom is at your house though, and be prepared to CARRY them to that spot for a week or so.
 
Another toenail trim and another yummy dose of wormer were the health projects of the week.
 
The Matey’s are PUPPIES in every way – barking, growling, wrestling and soooo much fun.  They get lots and lots of hugs, kisses and tummy rubs from everyone who visits!
 
The Matey’s are about ready to pull up anchor and set sail for far horizons!!  BATTIN’ DOWN THE HATCHES!
 
 
The AHOY MATEY’S
 
 
Perfect Females:
 
Beacon – Perfect ridge, very dark red, very full mask, big spot on chest, minimal white on feet, medium size.  Fun, goofey, and spunky
 
Fairwinds – Perfect ridge, extra crown on top of head!, dark red, full mask, tiny spot on chest, minimal white on feet, big.  Eager to please, confident, easy to be around
 
Tsunami – Perfect ridge, medium red, medium mask, big spot on chest, four white socks, big.  Playful, outgoing, happy
 
Pet Females:
 
Riggin’ – 3 crown/cowlick ridge, golden red, light mask, big spot on chest, little bit of white on all four feet, smallest.  Gentle, quiet, lap loving, sweet
 
Perfect Males:
 
Captain – Perfect ridge, very dark red, medium mask, medium spot on chest, minimal white on feet, big.   Happy go lucky galoot, laid back, easy
 
StowAway – Perfect ridge, dark red, full mask, medium spot on chest, minimal white on feet, medium size.  Gentle, loves hugging and snuggling, kind
 
Skipper – Perfect ridge, medium red, medium mask, medium spot on chest, lots of white on one foot, medium size.  Social, outgoing, confident, adventurous, curious
 
Admiral – Perfect ridge, golden red, medium mask, medium spot on chest, medium white on feet, big.  Loves attention, quiet, willing to please, calm
 
Pet Males:
 
First Mate – Perfect Ridge, medium red, medium mask, small spot on chest, minimal white on feet, medium sized.  Lap lover, attentive, game to do anything I asked