Chance at another litter and fun times for Knightley

Knightley: 1 year 1 month 2 weeks 5 days old
New prospective pup: 10 days old

Wow, more than two weeks without a new post! What a very bad girl I am. I have been very busy, is my only defense. I've been doing a LOT of work on my Oz Working Dogs website, adding more and more products to it. It's coming along well, and I'm just about to have a sale in a bit. I've been selling fairly well, wouldn't mind business picking up a bit more .... but it'll get there I'm sure. I learnt from this blog it takes a while for a website to get popular and start really being read, so I'm expecting another couple of months before the hits really get up there.

Poppy and puppy

So, the good news is that there is a chance at another litter. It has four males, but we don't have first pick. However, the breeder certainly seems to really try to raise confident pups, so I live in hope of finding a suitable prospect. Unfortunately, the litter is all the way up in Taree, which is a pretty long drive from here. Slightly longer in distance than we went to get Knightley, but about the same in time.... about 7 - 7.5 hours one way. We'd have to do it twice too, one to temperament test at 7 weeks, and then two weeks later picking up the pup at 9 weeks, as the breeder doesn't let the pups go til then. I don't have a problem with waiting until 9 weeks (apart from having to contain myself), as they'll have better bite inhibition from being with their litter and mother for another week anyway. Which is a GOOD thing when you consider those nasty little puppy teeth. I was so pleased when Knightley lost his puppy teeth and got his big blunt adult teeth.

Poppy the tired milkbar

The litter is currently about a week and a half old, and looks little more than creamy slugs with squashed faces and little tails... LOL. Despite that, they are rather cute. There's quite a variety of colour within the litter, from a light cream to a few very goldy goldens. While I'd prefer another lighter golden, I don't have the luxury of choosing on looks. The mother of the pups, Poppy, is a lovely gold colour. I wouldn't mind her colour. The sire is lighter, like Knightley... and in fact looks very similar to him. These pics are from the last four days or so, some of them are just from yesterday.

Awww how cute. Not long until they start opening their eyes now.

So that is good news, even though it will be a big drive which hubby is NOT looking forward to. We have worked out that we will be going up to Sydney for a wedding the weekend we were going to pick up the pick (if there is a suitable one). So we've decided we'll likely just go onto Taree from Sydney, which at least saves us doing a big drive all in one go on the way up. On the way down with puppy in tow we'll just do it in one long fell swoop.

Knightley getting a bath last weekend so he'd be
gorgeous for today!

Today Knightley had a bunch of fun. Our vet had an open day, and people with their dogs were invited. There were stalls selling things, a stall from the Golden Retriever Rescue people, dog/owner look alike competitions, and all sorts of bits and pieces. Knightley was VERY excited. We had a good chat to the golden people with the rescue organisation, who absolutely loved Knightley's looks (why wouldn't you!). He got a lot of attention, people saying how beautiful he was and trying to give him treats (he turned his nose up at every one... I did tell them he was picky!). We also bumped into the vet who broke the news about his hips and she was amazed anew at how well he moves despite what is going on underneath. We gave him a good bath last weekend, and I even clipped his paws, legs, tail and ears neatly afterwards to make sure he would be gorgeous for today.

One more puppy pic! One of the puppies after its very first nail cut.

Knightley also had a heap of fun yesterday with our neighbours dog, Jet. Jet is a minature schnauzer who was terrified of Knightley when she was a little puppy, but recently has become a lot more bold! She and Knightley had a massive romp in the neighbours backyard, so much so that when I got Knightley home he just lay on his side panting hard but refusing to move. It's like having a dog park on tap!

So all is going ok here, things are a bit up and down but we are getting through them. I do spend a LOT of time on Oz Working Dogs stuff, but expect more blog time with the new pup. If we don't find a suitable pup up in Taree, there's a litter in Sydney due to be born in about 10 days from a breeder hubby and I really took a shine to that may be the answer. We'll see.

Knightley, happy at my parent's place.

Knightley has been going over to my parent's place quite a bit recently, he spent a trial night over there, as hubby and I were meant to go to the snow together. Of course then I got sick with laryngitis so it didn't happen, but they took Knightley for the weekend anyway because I was pretty sick. Knightley is feeling quite at home there, and seemed to enjoy his time lazing on this chair on their expansive deck! I can't wait to see how he goes in the pool this summer! Especially with having another dog. I think craziness will ensue.

Until later internetland! I'll try to not let it be so long next time.