Talisman & Totem SportDogs

A whirlwind last few days in her short time on earth, for this puppy girl. Eyes on my pups often seem to open a few days after they are really up on their feet, starting around 12 days or so. Even with her belly, she is tottering around and climbing over things well.  Ears are traditionally (according to what you will find in documented developmental periods) supposed to open around 21 days. My pups' ears often open around 14-15 days.  So, little Miss Perfect has proven just how perfect she is...her ears opened at 13 days. Actually, 12 1/2 if we are counting time based on when she was born...but 13 is still pretty cool. I was working in the other room and heard her fretting. She is such a  good puppy and well-loved & taken care of by her Mama, wasn't sure why she was fussing. Thought maybe one of the cats had been visiting and maybe woken her up.  Went in to check on her, started moving some things around-decided to take a couple quick phone photos.....

I’m Single! I’m looking for love, because I’m all alone. Please keep me company. Ha ha ha, now that would be an odd conversation starter-if I were referring to me, can’t imagine ever announcing that in public like you see in the online dater ads, Oy! J   When it comes to a pup, whole different story!!! Please join me in welcoming this little one pictured at left, to the world! I had a singleton pup born a couple days ago and very happy to talk to the world about it. It is a first for me. Even though she can’t see or hear yet, I think she must feel alone. No littermates to snuggle with or roll around with. Luckily my first experience with this is with a fantastic, relaxed 4 year old but first time Mama in my Aussie-Maze & a pack who is dying to meet her! And, I like to go shopping. I expect that I will learn some new things, raising this little one. I’ve raised several singleton orphans in the past. That is a lot harder, to not only feed, stimulate to “go” and stim...

“I must say a word about fear. It is life’s only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life. It is a clever, treacherous adversary, how well I know. It has no decency, respects no law or convention, shows no mercy. It goes for your weakest spot, which it finds with unnerving ease. It begins in your mind, always … so you must fight hard to express it. You must fight hard to shine the light of words upon it. Because if you don’t, if your fear becomes a wordless darkness that you avoid, perhaps even manage to forget, you open yourself to further attacks of fear because you never truly fought the opponent who defeated you.” ― Yann Martel, Life of Pi I don't think any of us, or our dogs plan to wake up in the morning and to be afraid of something  But, we will often go through a day dealing with anxiety or a worry, or things happening to us that are scary! Our dogs can't intellectualize it, or process why they may be afraid-like we hopefully can. ...