March 1, 2014 - Puppy Personalities at 8 weeks

Hannah, Heidi, Hella, Hecate, Horand, Hektor, Heineken,and Helsinki are doing beautifully.  They are teething and playfighting between sleeping and eating.  This is a very loving group.  They interact well with potential clients when they come to visit.  As their personalities develop, we'll see what drives and traits start to emerge. Right now, each puppy has a personality consistent of the other pups:  friendly, assertive but not aggressive, communicating well at this early age with licks and little barks.  Hektor and Hannah vocalized extremely well, but not irritatingly so.  Nerves appear to be very good for most, except a few that hold back a bit and cling to each other (like when I run the vacuum or play wicked loud heavy metal music).  The hesitant ones recover quickly and take new experiences in stride.   We try to expose them to a lot of differents sounds, textures, sights and smells.  They meet the horses, the birds, the cats, the other dogs.   They sleep a lot at this age, but this group either lays around or plays around and they are indeed, really, really, really good puppies.  As a lover and a breeder, I always want to keep them all.  It's not feasible, but we always seem to keep one or two from each litter anyway because it's part of our breeding program.  And because we love them.  I keep what I can afford to feed and care for, and it's truly  a worthwhile and rewarding experience.  When I hear how one of the dogs we bred passed a test or trial, or is destined for something noble like law enforcement, military or search and rescue, it makes me extremely happy.  These puppies will go to good homes and grow up to be doctors, lawyers and indian chiefs too.