The puppies are 6 months old! They are just about as tall as our Golden Retriever and definitely bigger than our 30-pound hound mix, much to his dismay. They play with both older dogs, and seem to be much more gentle with the Golden {she’s going to be 13 in April and can be a little grouchy}. She doesn’t chase them around, but they jump around her, nipping at her while she “barks” at them. I’ve tried to catch it on video but haven’t gotten it yet. The hound {he’s 12 this spring} seems to like being with them, but he still enjoys his solo “hunting trips” and lounging around in the warm house. They play a similar game with him, but more aggressively, and sometimes I’m not sure if the old guy really likes it, or is just a good sport.

They have learned to “back up” so I can open the door and “wait” when I open the door so they don’t go rushing in ahead of me, knocking me down. They sit for a treat. They do not come reliably when called {especially if they’re after something}, or stay for that matter, but they definitely know “leave it” which I use for just about anything I want them to leave alone. Chicken scrap bowl, on the ground outside the pen? They’ll just sit and look at it. Toys, indoor cats, shoes – they’re generally really good about leaving what we ask them to leave. But the outside cats? Not so much. Plus, Kep is a counter surfer and Finn likes to run upstairs when {he thinks} no one’s looking and eat the cat food. The kids say both dogs have a bad habit, but they’re not bad dogs. I totally agree, I just wish I could get them to quit!

We got our sheep last month and the pups were CRAZY for a few hours, barking and carrying on, but gradually they got used to having the girls around and now they walk down with me every morning and even to check on them. We haven’t let them in the paddock yet and don’t intend to until they’ve started some training at around 10 months. I’m still looking for somewhere local to get them started if you know of anyone…

My biggest question right now is – what next? I used to bring them in at dinner-time and keep them in their kennels for the night, but I have been letting them back out at night for the past few weeks, to get them used to being outside at night. Not overnight, but just till I go to bed. Generally, they bark and bark and bark off an on until about 10:30 when they relax and usually sleep on the front porch {which is off the living room, where I usually hang out in the evening}. We lost our only remaining original hen last week {the one that hatched the eggs!}, and another one today, and both times the pups were inside. SO – when do I leave them out for good? I fed them on the porch today, so I wouldn’t be tempted to kennel them for too long, but they don’t have a dog house yet, so they’ve been doing their regular snooze/play/chase thing all day without a solid nap. They seem tired. I left them in the fenced front yard when we headed to town for an hour today. {They often chase me or Tripp down the driveway when we leave, so I figured leaving them in the yard would help get them used to “staying” without the risk}. The pups and our hound mix were in the yard when we got back and seemed totally fine {and thrilled to see us}.

I am really looking forward to working these dogs this summer. We still talk about whether or not one {or both?} will ever be an “inside dog.” They are just so nice and loving and sweet – it’s hard to imagine them living outside 100% of the time! We spend a lot of time outside, so we get to be with them often but it’s just not the same. When they are inside separately, they will often lie down in whatever room I’m in and just hang out – it’s so dang sweet! When they are inside together they rarely sit still… Findlay seems to be a little more high strung and paces. But, I used to think Kep was the more active one, so who knows what personality will ultimately stick!

Either way, we are all so in love with these dogs. I’ve always thought I’d have a Golden forever and ever, but these boys are so darn smart, and they barely shed… I may be rethinking my earlier promise…especially once we start breeding… {OvO}

McCaulay {Kep} and Findlay {Finn} came home Saturday September 13th. They were excited to be in a new place and exhausted by the end of the day. Mom slept on the couch with them in a kennel together, hoping to take them out as soon as they whined to use the potty. Unfortunately, they whined a lot that night. Luckily, no one peed in the kennel. Mom slept on the couch for night #2 as well, but that was the last time – mamas need more/better sleep than what can be had on our couch with two whiney puppies by your side… The pups spent the next few nights on the screen porch, and only had one or two accidents overnight. {The screen porch is directly below our bedroom window, so I could hear them and let them out as soon as they whimpered.}

A few nights ago Findlay had the hardest time falling asleep and it was 11:30 before he finally settled down. For a few nights, the pups had been sleeping in kennels in the playroom {it’s starting to cool off here at night}, and were doing really well from about 7pm to 6am. But that night, Finn just wouldn’t quiet down. I’d let him out of the kennel and he’d go outside and just lie down on the patio. I started to worry he was refusing to sleep indoors! I tried putting him on the screen porch but he just kept pushing on the door {bang…bang…bang…}. Even though I really really didn’t want to, I offered to let him sleep outside. He was barking {for the first time ever} within 10 minutes. Finally, I moved his kennel out to the screen porch, locked him in, shut the house door and hoped he’d be quiet. He was. But at their 2:30am potty try it was really chilly out there, so I brought his kennel back in, only this time I left the door from the playroom to the porch open. I’m thinking he was just getting hot because he’s at least twice as furry as Kep. Knock on wood – he’s been sleeping fine every night since then {in his kennel, in the playroom, with the house/porch door open}.

The pups don’t seem to enjoy their inside time very much – at least not when they are together. We can’t let them have free run of the house because they are chewing EVERYTHING. Kitchen towel, rugs, couches, table legs, EVERYTHING. So I put up a gate to confine them to the kitchen only {cookbooks, the island, the recyclables…} but they still don’t want to relax, so they often head back outside. Outside they wander around the yard, wrestling, digging for voles, chewing on tree roots… They stay very close to the house and as long as Hickory doesn’t take them on any adventures, they very rarely leave the yard without a person.

I take them for a walk every morning, to practice their leash manners. Even though they are primarily farm dogs, they will have to leave the farm from time to time, and I need them to be respectful even when restricted to a 6-foot leash. I usually take them one at a time, so they can focus on me, down to check on the “animals” {just chickens right now} in the field and in the pole barn. Right now they are walking “okay” on a leash, and prefer eating chicken poop to actually checking on the chickens, but they are getting much better. I have had puppies before, but never a pup that I expected to do any particular work, so I’m flying blind here – I think they’re doing great!

One last thing – I’m amazed at how different their personalities are. I have had dogs my whole life, and I know dogs are different, but there is something fascinating about seeing two litter mates behave so differently. Kep is needy, and affectionate, and very bidable. Findlay is incredibly smart, but a little stubborn and more independent. Just like with my human kids, I am trying not to “label” them, for fear of creating a self-fulfilling prophesy situation, but it’s hard not to. I am eager to see how their individual traits serve them as they move into their roles as working farm collies.

Food: They are eating Taste of the Wild Puppy. It’s available at Tractor supply and the price point is good – plus it’s grain free! They’re getting between 2 and 3 cups/day. I measure a cup in the morning, give “a little” at lunch time, and then measure a cup for dinner time. I feed them in their kennels 100% of the time.
Sleeping: Right now they are sleeping in separate kennels side by side. Of course I thought having them face each other would be “better” but it actually made them whine/bark more and more, as they fed off each other’s excitement. Placing them side by side means maybe 10 seconds of whining then quiet; when the sun goes down, these boys are hungry and ready for bed. Lesley {of Mountain Wave Farm} suggested keeping them indoors until about 6 months of age, while they get potty trained and learn their family, so I have a few more months before I have to come up with a plan for that…