Bad Dog Mommy

I am a bad dog mommy. I haven't posted since we got the puppy! But really, that makes me a good dog mommy, as I've been focused on that sweet little button face and pumpkin butt. I just love that special little girl. Things feel right in the household again, and Dreamer has lifted my spirits in inexplicable ways. She is not a replacement for Legan, but she's a good diversion...and so much fun!

In her time with us, Dreamer has:

• Attended two private obedience lessons
• Been to a new place every day for socialization
• Visited the vet for her first round of shots
• Met our co-workers at the ad agency twice

Dreamer is a big hit at work. She's been taking it all in and seems to be taking it all in stride too.

Tonight she'll venture into the neighborhood for National Night Out. It will be a quick and easy socialization spot for her. We are supposed to take her to a new place every day until she is 12 weeks old, at which point socialization opportunities supposedly end. We've been doing very well in taking her to new places. It has been a sacrifice that will hopefully pay off.

Here's a gallery of her for you photo lovers out there:

http://www.pbase.com/madrona/denali_dreamer

Whammy

Well, we arrived in Oklahoma yesterday to find that Linda, the breeder, wanted us to consider a whammy she was throwing our way.

The whammy was that Pink had an underbite and a potentially wonderful "pet quality" home with someone else if I wanted to consider Orange...with a few strings.

We took Pink and Orange outside for some focused interaction. I wanted to keep my mind open and pay attention to both girls. I had paid a great deal of attention to Orange a few weeks earlier when visiting the puppies, but I'd pretty much set my mind on Pink. During this second visit, I found myself preferring Orange over Pink. The strings of picking Orange over Pink would mean co-ownership with Linda and an agreement to possibly breed Orange in three or four years. I'd get a puppy from that litter for free, but Orange would spend five weeks at Linda's home...and it's hard to let your pet go for any amount of time. It hurts your heart. There are many stipulations to the breeding, and I agree with all of them. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Orange has a nicer looking head than Pink and is definitely a show quality pup. I was surprised at how little thought I needed to say that I was happy to take Orange. I really like Linda, I agree with her puppy raising philosophies, I respect her opinion and expertise, and I think we will have a very successful partnership with this pup. Oh, and I really LOVE Orange. She is adorable -- so wonderful, sweet, and cute as a button. What I love most right now is the satisfaction I feel from a win-win situation. To make others happy makes me happy, but it's awesome when we can all be happy and in agreement about something. Everybody compromises in the deal, yet everybody gets something they want out of it.

So Orange is at home now, and she's starting to adjust to her new surroundings. She's very very bad. It will take some time for her to adjust to her new friends, toys, routine, etc. She's confused about some things...most notably that the majority of her toys and accessories are pink. I'll have to find some orange things for her. We didn't sleep last night, so we're all hurting today, but we'll get past this adjustment phase and into some really exciting territory in the weeks and years to come. I'm just happy to have a Terv in the house again. It feels right and it feels good.

Week Seven

During Week 7, the puppies went to PetsMart. Here they are in a shopping cart. Pink is in the upper left, thinking about how to climb out of the cart:
Can you imagine??? I think it takes guts (and a little help from friends and family) to gather 8 puppies and take them out in public. I'm so glad that the breeder makes such a big effort to socialize these puppies. She is a brave and ambitious woman.

Here's a photo of the three girls in the cart. Notice the "Unconditional Satisfaction" signage on the front of the cart. How clever. Pink is in the middle, where she can have control over everything and everyone. Do you notice how somebody's hand always seems to be gripping her in these photos...like she is trying to escape and is being restrained? Imagine that. I don't even want to know where the 5 boys are and what havoc they are wreaking...
It's unclear whether the puppies purchased anything on their big shopping trip, but here's Pink considering the adult food she might want to get a head start on eating now. Actually, she doesn't seem to be too hungry about the idea, does she?
I'm not 100% sure, due to the blurring speed of this puppy, but I think this is Pink tearing down the dog food aisle. She looks pretty tiny in that wide aisle. Little puppy in a big world!
And here's most of the brat pack running around the breeder's property. If I had to guess, I'd say Pink is the one on the right behind the orange girl, biting her back in an attempt to wipe her off her feet:
I've received a few phone calls this weekend from supportive friends who have informed me that my life is almost over. Pink is coming home in 5 days, it's true, but I'm ready and waiting. Let the madness begin!

A Week Away

A week from now, I'll be driving back to Oklahoma to get Pink and bring her home. I'm nervous because it's been so long since I've had a puppy in the house, but I'm excited to be starting a new chapter in my life with a new puppy to love and adore.

I feel really blessed that I've found such a nice, knowledgeable, and responsible breeder to work with, and that I'm bringing home a great puppy out of a great litter.

One interesting thing that the breeder told me last week during my visit was this: The Tervlets start holding their ears up at six weeks. The smaller the puppy at that age, the sooner the ears seem to go up. I find that to be a really interesting observation. Pink was not the smallest puppy in the litter. I think the yellow girl was the smallest, and it does seem like the yellow girl was holding her ears up most frequently. It's all fascinating -- the birth, the growth, the development. I'm in awe right now and ready to make this dream come true.

Let the Preparations Begin

I have just arranged a time to pick Pink up. I'm going to take Friday the 12th off work and drive up to Edmond to get her. Then she'll have a whole weekend to cry, pout, and adjust to her new home. I realize that her crying, pouting, and adjusting will take longer than a weekend...

I am really missing the puppies since our visit, so I guess that means I'm ready for one. At the very least, it's a good sign that I'm ready to move on. A part of me feels guilty for seeking out a purebred when there are so many shelter dogs in need of rescue. But I want a Terv, and a Terv rescue can be really hard to come by. We have two Heinz 57 rescue dogs in the house, so theoretically we have already taken on two good deeds...or two irresponsible pet owners' dogs.

What I love about Tervs is that they're all the same. I mean, they're all a little different in looks and personality, but their characteristics are the same. I like knowing what to expect in a dog and having a history behind its behaviors. I've also found that "wanted" dogs -- those that have come from solid homes -- are easier to understand and live with because they've always been loved and have never suffered. There's something comforting about welcoming a born-privileged pet into your home.

And now the preparations for my privileged little Pink will begin. The breeder told me that an exercise pen, or ex pen, will save my sanity. An ex pen is the equivalent of a baby play pen. Rather than have a puppy in a crate when you can't watch her, the ex pen allows her to have a little freedom while still being contained and safe. I think I'll be spending my weekend at PetsMart in preparation for Pink.

I know that I keep calling her Pink, and it would be cute to name her that, but my significant other and I have come up with another name. The breeder has set some restrictions on the registered name, which is common and helps breed enthusiasts keep track of different litters. Legan's litter had a gambling theme, and all of the puppies had gambling names, but obviously I didn't stick with that theme for her call name. Pink's litter is following this format: Tacara's (Kennel Name) + D_____ D_____. That's a tough one, but we've come up with Tacara's Denali Dream for the registered name. We can call her anything we please, but I really like to have a call name that ties into the registered name. We're currently tossing "Dreamer" around for consideration. If you have any suggestions that tie into the mountain Denali or the word Dream, please leave a comment! There's a part of me that wants to call her Pinky, but my honey informed me that "Pinky" basically means "dead rat" in the animal research world. I think I'll pass on Pinky.

Week Six - and a Visit!

The photos came in really late last night from the breeder. I didn't care so much, as I'd made a long road trip to and from Edmond, Oklahoma, to see the pups in action yesterday. First of all...wow, what an amazing litter of pups. I'm glad I feel strongly about wanting a girl because there are only three to choose from, and even each of the five boys are sweet and special in their own way.

I took two dog show friends to visit the pups, and one of them took a liking to the blue boy:
The breeder was trying to persuade me to give the blue boy a look, but I don't want a boy dog. Been there, done that. He's adorable, though, isn't he?

The breeder told me that she had a pup in mind to keep for her daughter, but she kept her preference to herself so as not to influence me. I appreciated that she wanted me to spend time with the pups to see which one I liked best. Luckily, she liked the orange girl best and I liked the pink girl. Don't ask me why. Pink is trouble:
See that crazed look? I guess I'm the one who is in trouble!

Pink is a little crazy and is definitely the leader of the pack. But she doesn't seem like a typical alpha dog. She wants you to pet her and seems well mannered. I'm really impressed with how the breeder has already taught the pups some simple things and has socialized them well with a variety of people. It's cute when the pups have to go back inside and they all run together to the person who calls them:
The pups are wild, full of life, and lots of fun. We spent about two and a half hours with them...until they passed out. Pink, of course, is the last to close her eyes. She wouldn't have it any other way. You can see her here on the left, with her head resting on another pup. They're all passed out, apparently water logged:
The breeder has quite an obstacle course set up for the pups in her back yard. She bangs things around to get them used to common sounds. Here's Pink posing in an iron barrel. Or perhaps she's stalking her next unsuspecting victim:
The puppies weigh about 8 pounds and seem smaller in person than in photos. I wasn't able to take any personal photos, as I was preoccupied with observing the puppies and deciding which one I liked best. Oh, yeah, and the camera batteries were dead!

The winner will most likely be Pink. She might be coming home with me as soon as two weeks from now. Eeeek! Get ready to come over and be used as a chew toy!

Week Five

Well, here they come at five weeks. They seem...like puppies...
The breeder had many problems getting them to pose for photos. They are either into everything or are sleeping. Here's a classic, crazed, "Don't cuddle me, I'm busy" Terv look:
The girls are awfully cute and seem to be walking all over each other. I love it:
The Tervlets are busy exploring. They're also trying to carry things and wrestle with each other. Remember the face-biting diva from last week? Here she is being a true posing diva:
Make no mistake: She's still trouble. I can't wait to see all eight of these troublemakers next weekend! Stay tuned for a live report...

Week Four

It's Week Four and the puppy update is here! I really love how the breeder takes the time to photograph these puppies and send commentary with the photos. It can't be easy to get four-week-old puppies to pose for photos.

Here's what the Tervlets have been up to this week. The girls are adorable, bubbly, and sweet. The breeder says that she LOVES the girls. The girls are very happy (for the most part, anyway) to sit politely in the chair for photos. Life is becoming more exciting. The Tervlets are having fun exploring, complaining, arguing, sniffing, chewing, pulling...

They are also trying to run, but they get nowhere because they fall over. Their legs don't cooperate with the idea of running yet.

Here's a group shot of the girls:
We'll be going to visit the Tervlets for the first time on Sunday, August 31st. They will be six weeks old and lots of fun to play with. I can't wait!

Here's a puppy pointing at the camera. Oh, yeah, she's a diva.
Correction: She's a face-biting diva and is trouble!
I feel dreadfully sorry for the cats in our household. They shall endure great suffering very soon:

Little Terv Terrors

Tervlets look like little hedgehogs for the first several weeks of life. Luckily their antics begin to demonstrate that they are Terv Terrors in the making. See for yourself. The proof is in the pictures.

WEEK ONE:
Each puppy wears a collar made of a different color of yarn so that they can have an identity. They really do look the same in their early weeks! The boys in this litter do awfully cute things right now, but since I am getting a girl, let's start to make a wager about which girl I'm going to get - yellow, orange, or pink:
WEEK TWO:
The breeder says that the Tervlets have doubled in size. They are chunky and beautiful (not two things that you usually find flattering together if someone is complimenting you, right?). But I see what she means. They are chunky. They are beautiful. It's all good. The pups have "nice dropping legs" and "great shoulders." I take those as good things. Their eyes are open but are not focusing on things yet. The breeder, whose husband is a veterinarian, also reports that the pups have been wormed. They are getting new collars frequently to match their rapid growth. They spend all of their time sleeping and eating. They had their first toenail trim this week. It was a busy second week and you can see the exhaustion in their faces:
WEEK THREE:
The breeder says that the puppies are changing quickly. They're bigger and more active. They make more noise and seem surprised by their sounds. I'll take her word for it. They try to walk, but if they go at a speed faster than an amble, they fall over. (Insert collective "Awww" here.) Here's something to appreciate from a distance: Mush is now a part of their diet, but they tend to wear it more than eat it...

Sundays

I love Sundays for too many reasons to list.

Now I have another reason: Dreamer was born on a Sunday. If you must know, she was born on July 20, 2008. The litter is out of Tacara Tervuren. The mother gave birth to five boys and three girls.

Here's the very first photo taken of the "Tacara D___ D___" litter:

Yes, it's a little grotesque to see that these less-than-one-hour-old puppies are wet (and probably smelly).

Here's a photo of the girls the next day, after they've been dried off by a very caring and meticulous breeder:
I'll be very excited to see these puppies progress through their early puppydom at Tacara, and of course I'll be posting updates every Sunday, which is when the breeder sends photos and commentary about the Tervlets. Dreamer should probably come home to live with us by the end of September -- maybe sooner, maybe later. Can you feel the love? I can.

Legan - My Dream Come True

Welcome to Denali Dreamer, the blog about Belgian Tervuren and all that is wonderful and true about this beloved breed of dog.

Meet Legan, my first Terv and dream come true.
Legan was born on April 19, 1996, which was:

• The one-year anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing
• In a suburb of Oklahoma City
• Right around the actual time of the bombing

I lost Legan on October 10, 2007, after 11.5 amazing years. She had GI lymphoma, and the only good thing about it was that I had time with her. I knew something was wrong with my girl, and I had time to come to terms and say goodbye.

It was the worst day of my life.

Over time and through lots of tears, I realized that saying goodbye to Legan was only the beginning of my love for the Belgian Tervuren. I still miss her every day. I have no choice. She was "the One." Never before had I felt this type of bond with a dog. Every day, I would rush home from work or an errand with the anticipation of seeing her. To see her happy, goofy face was the undeniable highlight of my day.

I am in the process of getting my second Terv now. Her name will be Dreamer for reasons that I'll explain later. I am anticipating Dreamer's homecoming in the next month or two, but this anticipation cannot replace the love that I felt for Legan. She was a dream. Through Dreamer, I can keep the memory of Legan alive, and I am ready to love and dream again.