"Text Book" Puppy!!!

At 8 months, Mya has been displaying  frustrating puppy activity ... sooo to the "Hastings/Rouse Puppy Development" book we go:

Family time on the porch ... Looks harmless ;o)
Emma & Mya asleep on bed ... Willow & Sutter on floor

Mya Distruction ... "Mom, we told her not to do it!"
 (in the company of her sisters and see the "chew bone")

SECOND FEAR IMPACT PERIOD  (6-14 months)

• fear of new situations
• teething as teeth set into the jawbone
• chewing and distruction!
• need for ongoing socialization, socialization and then more socialization!
• hormone surges
• increased excitability
• challenging authority
• desire to roam

... and that's only picking out the activities that Mya displays ... trusting her has been a challenge !!!

• if the doors aren't "double" latched, she's discovered how to push and let herself out onto the porch or outside!
• when outside with us, she likes to explore, both with her sisters and by herself !
• frustratingly pulling out clumps of lawn grass during play (Emma also did this)
• when visitors come, she excitedly jumps all over them (even with all her puppy training) ... also joined and encouraged by "bad examples" of her OLDER sisters !!!!
• the photo above clearly shows that she's not ready to be trusted access to the cool porch with Sutter, Willow and Emma while mom is away ... she enjoys chewing the shells/sand dollars and taking things off the porch table to chew!!!!
• when given a command to sit/down or come, Mya has started to just stare and "think about it" ... guess it's back to the long leash !

Remembering that every dog is different as they mature, Mya is proving that more "puppy proofing" (hook & eye latches, new barriers, crating when 4 girls are left on porch) of the "Camp" is needed ... beyond what was needed as Sutter, Willow and Emma grew up! Have been asking folks to "firmly make her sit" when she greets them!!!

New gate  (door is open to porch)

8 Months old Mya

Sleeping Angel ;o)

Mya finds a pretty Iris bloom ;o)
(No, she didn't eat it!)

LIFE GOES ON and EVERY DAY BRINGS SOMETHING NEW ... we welcomed the mosquito eating Dragonflies this weekend ... yeah ;o)

Picnic Table Project!

After replacing, sanding and staining many wooden picinic tables that eventually rotted over the years, the search went out for a metal picnic table ... "LIFETIME" makes such a table and it was available at a nearby Perkins Lumber ;o)

OK ... who's gonna read the assembly directions???

"Don't think this is right!?!"

"Whewww ... finally ... first sun & mosquitos ... then cloudy & sprinkles
 ... let's go inside and help get the burgers ready while it's raining!!!"

"OK ... we're ready ... bring on the Burgers!!!"
Thanks for the HELP girls ;o)

All Done!!!

Girl's favorite "dig to get cool spot" ;o)

WHAT's the NEXT PROJECT ;o)
(pieces of the old picnic table will be used to make a raised veggie garden that will be in the most sun location) 

Mya's Second Dog Show/Match and More!

It was a beautifully breezy sunny day and after Church, Mya and I had a special afternoon together planned ... a very small Cheshire Kennel Club "practice" Dog Show in nearby Keene NH (called a "Match") ... we strolled around to "settle down" and met various folks with different breeds of dogs ... every experience is time well spent for 31 week old Miss Mya!

1st in 6-9 month class, 1st in Golden Retriever breed and 3rd in Sporting group!
(Confession: only Goldren Retriever puppy in show!!!)

The ribbons & a fun experience together!

Spring Family Photo Update  ;o)
Sutter, Mya, Emma, Willow
(Everyone is smiling ... Wow!!!)

Mya before her Beginner Agility class ... 7 in class!

Lots of equipment to learn on!!!

Everyone gets a new bone!!!

Pillsbury State Park ... swim after workday before Park opens!

NEXT UP ... EMMA'S DEBUT in an AGILITY TRIAL the end of June (if we get in!) ... Update (WE GOT IN !)

Fabulous "Fur-Family" Mother's Day ;o)

Beautiful sunny day with a slight breeze to keep the pesky blackflies away ... the trees are just "leafing" out, there are 10 Jonquils and 5 Tulips open and there was no travel envolved ;o)

Helpers with some planting!

Swimming ... with "Lifeguard on-duty"!

Fire Pit, garden transplants,
2 gifted night-lites and greening grass!

Choosing a special spot for gift "Mr Turtle" nitelight!
(First Jonquil opens!)

Special shell from Salisbury Beach
found/detailed by God-daughter Jessica and Niece Pamela ;o)

"The water is great"
(Emma, Willow, Mya)

Nap time on the Summer Quilt ;o)
(Emma, Mya, Sutter, Willow)

Emma & Mya the awesome "Retrieving" girls!

"Come on ... we're READY !!!"

Emma gathering the toys ...
2 bumpers at once ... Good Girl Emma!!!

Grill is going and no one wants this fabulous day to end!!!
(But then there is tomorrow and every day after that!!!)

Return of the Hummers ;o)
(Rare sight of 2 on feeder at once!)

Happy 3rd Birthday Sweet Emma ... Looking Back ;o)

Mya Comes Home ;o)

First Night ... Sweet Dreams ;o)

"I can do that!"

"Ooops, guess I'm not ready for Prime Time!"

Emma's first day at school!

"Think I like kayaking"

"Me and the new family"

LIFE is GOOD ... and the JOURNEY HAS BEGUN ;o)

Mya's First Swim ... She's a Natural ;o)

All winter Mya has waded and splashed in the creek run off from the pond ... since the ice has melted, she has enjoyed romping along the pond banks in the freezing cold water ... today the water was just too tempting for all 4 girls:

Willow watches Emma retrieve
and Mya swims right out (without a single splash) !!!

Mya wants Emma's bumper !

Mya wants to get it herself !!!

Good Girl Mya ... one proud lil' girl ;o)

Yippppeeeeee ... a good "Rub-N-Roll"  ;o)

IT'S BEGUN ... BRING on SUMMER !!!!!!

The Awesome Moments of 4 Special Girls ;o)

Willow, Emma, Sutter

Mya

On certain Saturdays each month at 9am (rain or shine), Sutter, Willow, Emma and Mya hop into the Van and we travel to Bernardston Massachusetts (with lots of yummy chicken reward treats packed) to join the PVKC group for Scent Tracking sessions ... some Saturdays, some of the girls have a good session and some not so good sessions ... today's session wasn't good, not even "so-so" ... it was AWESOME ... even baby Mya worked like a "pro" on just her second time out Tracking!

Willow's Track ... 300 yds

Map may be difficult to see or understand but simply, it "Starts" on the lower left and follows the box line all the way to the "Finish" on the right side ... each dog has a differently configured map, the corners are marked with a small flag and the track is aged over an hour ... the "Track-layer" drops several objects such as a leather glove, cloth sox, wallet, or even something plastic along the way and the dog has to indicate or pick it up (and in return gets a treat reward) ... there may be deer poop, hiding birds that fly up, or even vermin holes along the track and with encouragement, the dog has to keep working and "pushing on"!

Next AWESOME day was Mya's first "Conformation" Dog Show ... a 2nd and a 4th placing:

Love this sweet girl ;o)
(Photo by Kara)

How 7mos  Mya poses for the judge!
(Posed by breeder Kara)

Ribbons & Toys ;o)

Fun Day!

TWO VERY SUCCESSFUL DAYS ... LIFE is GOOD ;o)