No, I haven't forgotten about my AWC updates and I promise I will definitely finish them, but for now I have a completely different update I need to do.
For those that don't know, I have actually been planning a puppy for a very long time. Volt definitely got me addicted to the whole 'small dog thing'... they are pretty cool once you get over the 'try not to squish their heads while you are running' concept. And I am definitely planning to alternate my dogs in the future, but that ofc means that the next pup must be a large. And Chaos is just over 6 now, so I really needed to start thinking about a pup (I was thinking 2013, but as per the usual life happens). Regular readers will know I moan (let's be honest, it is really more like B!TCHING) about South African bred dogs and health and work ethic and build and bla-bla-bla. The other problem we have is that many, many of the sheep farmers and active sheepdog trialers (who have nice imported stock that I like) are not willing to give puppies to Agility people. And for a very long time I have been chatting to a few of these breeders. For a long time I have been chatting to European breeders and I craved a pup from one of these breeders, but after returning from the AWC trip and re-assessing finances etc, I realised that I would have to try locally. As luck would have it, one of the afore mentioned sheepdog people just had a litter with two dogs that I really liked... and so a puppy was booked.
But the story doesn't end there! By the time I booked a pup, I had a choice of 5 puppies (from a litter of 9) and I liked the looks of Pink Girl the most. So on Friday I packed my little car and took on the 800km (almost 500 miles) roadtrip to the middle of nothing and nowhere to visit the breeder and pick up the pup. The farm is STUNNING! One day there felt like a week holiday. I got to meet the dogs, help work some sheep and discuss training (particularly the difference between herding and Agility). It was divine.
When I first arrived we spent a couple of hours with the puppies and I have to say that I was quite impressed by how spunky ALL the puppies were. Honestly, I would have taken any of them to work! Pink girl was for sure the prettiest puppy. However watching them all, Orange Boy and Yellow Girl were the two that stuck in my mind (coincidentally the breeders also said, without me mentioning a thing, that those two were their favourites), however I was happy to take the pup I had booked. But after long discussions, the breeder said he would really love for Yellow Girl to come home with me and he thinks she would be the best choice for me, so he spent hours convincing the other owners to swap puppies with me. I really appreciate his interest in his puppies and my needs honestly. And in the 5 days since she has joined our household, I could not be happier. Thus far, she is MORE than I had hoped for. And that is a lot coming from me, because I will be honest... normally I only REALLY starting liking my pups from 4 months onwards... puppy breath and cuddles are cool and all, but I like it when they start becoming DOG.
I love getting to know my new pups... I love picking up their little oddities and preferences... Psych prefers to play with rocks above all other toys... something which I will have to try and curb, you know the whole 'dogs kind of need teeth' thing. She is very strong... strong enough to drag Delta (17kg/37 pounds) across the floor by his tail. Psych does NOT like being picked up. She sounds like a chicken when she screams... but seriously now, no jokes.... I will stop for now, because I am still going to drive you coockoo for coco puffs with all of these little observations... so for now, welcome to Psych! And ofc no Alett welcome would be complete without a video!
