Why Have A Prearranged Sleepover?

At Royal K9 Korner we know staying over night can be stressful to some dogs and their parents.  We want to create an opportunity for new comers to feel comfortable when they have no choice in needing daycare.  We love trial sleep overs.  It makes the adjustment much easier when the day comes that mom and dad must leave town. Not everyone who visits has that opportunity and we certainly accommodate those, but we sure recommend it!

"The Bernie Brothers" Hoss & Festus had a sleep over.

Hoss,"When are mom and dad
coming back?

We were thrilled their mom and dad agreed to it. These two "brothers" were a delight to have over night.  We knew they weren't sure of all the evening routines, yet they accepted my leadership and happily complied. We spent time checking out rooms and sleeping areas. Even though they've visited before, end of day is so different. Things are winding down and tummies are empty. Regular playtime is over. It's a time to get ready for the evening and show where sleep time will be and the all important, where is my food bowl?

Hoss & Festus arrived later in the day and were already in relaxation mode.  They came in, said their 'Hellos' to The Royals, and did the usual walk through checking important things out. Like toys! They each had a drink of water and then were eager to find their designated eating spot.  I like to show them where their bowls are before its time to eat as a reassurance.
Don't worry boys, your mom remembered your food. 

We gave Lady May ample opportunities to stay in a safe area. Although she's already met the boys, it took her awhile again, to gain her confidence around them. They are big boys and she is not stable on her feet. 

Lady May makes a quick retreat to a safety area.

Festus,"Hey! Look, mom packed our food too?"

Once they know their bowls are in place it's easier to have a bit of quiet time.  After dinner, Hoss was sure to let me know, there should be a treat. Yes, you're right Hoss, mom packed it for you.  I love when dogs can tell me there is a routine they're used to. One that I should follow. I also love when moms and dads give me that information in advance. It makes for no guessing what that "thing" is.   I promise, boys, I won't forget your treats.  You sure deserve it. Besides it keeps your teeth healthy and your breath fresh!

Hoss crunching his after-dinner teeth cleaning treat
He chooses to be separate from his brother during treat time. Smart boy!

When all the mats and quilts had been tested, each found one comfy enough for a little after dinner rest. Another important time for social bonding.  I always watch for any beginning signs of anxiety or a lack of relaxation. Festus was ready to have a bit of quiet time.  He happily searched the toys for a good after dinner chew and quickly relaxed. Hoss was not so sure he really wanted to be here and asked to go out to see if mom and dad were coming back yet.  We took a few walks round the yard and checked out the gates. With some words of reassurance and cuddles, he decided mom and dad weren't coming back yet.  Hoss was ready to head back indoors for quiet time.  

After a deep sigh we knew Hoss was settling and would be okay

Hoss is a very loving boy with clear signals that make it easy to understand him.  He really didn’t want to be here but agreed to try it out.  We had lots of cuddle time and it didn’t take him long to show he was relaxed enough to stay and soon would be ready to sleep.  Good Boy Hoss. I know it's difficult for you. You can do this!

It was almost bed time before Lady May felt confident enough to allow the boys to lay beside her.  Hoss was a true gentleman and gave her the space she needed. Even though Festus is still a puppy, he was able to recognize her insecurity and responded accordingly to her social cues. Well done puppy Festus. You're a very good boy.

Lady May, "Gee mom, do we have to have boys here?"

When bedtime rolled around, we sauntered outdoors for a last piddle and then headed downstairs for the night.  Festus walked straight into the bedroom and chose his spot. Hoss was a little more reluctant about the sleepover. He headed for the stairs and looked back at me as if to say, "Ummm lady? I think I want my mom now, okay?"  We went outside one more time to check the gates and then back downstairs.  I took some time to cuddle him and reassure him he was safe here and redirected him back to the sleeping areas.  This time he walked into the bedroom and chose a mat at the foot of the bed and circled into a spot. Good boy Hoss.

Hoss, "Okay, I'll stay. I hope mom and dad don't forget me"

I believe its important to give new over night visitors a bit of reassurance without over indulging.  I need them to know there is no reason to worry. I use a calm "matter of fact" voice and gestures to show we are going to sleep now. New comers need to choose a spot. I don't allow dogs to sit by the door or pace.  That is a clear sign of anxiety and shows they are not ready for bedtime. I want to squash that immediately with redirection and sometimes another walk around the yard before bedtime. It can be difficult for some dogs to understand mom and dad are not coming back yet. Everything we do between after dinner and bedtime is setting up for this moment.  By sleep time I want visitors to be relaxed enough to have a good nights rest.  I keep a soft night light with me so I can watch to see that they're relaxing enough to fall asleep.
Fortunately, these two beautiful boys settled easily. They were ready to sleep. They had chosen a temporary spot and moved to different places through out the night. Each one of them left the bedside mats to lay in a cooler place. That's good info for me to have for their next sleep over. I'll be sure to have a more accommodating light weight mat positioned for them.  Thank you, boys.

The Bernie Brothers, Fast Asleep
(Yes, that's The Princess in the background, now wearing her BIG cone.)

By the time the morning came, they were well rested and more comfortable with our eating routine and fell into step for breakfast like perfect gentlemen.   

Hoss, "Hey Mrs, Where's my breakie?"

It wasn't long before they were ready for mom and dad to pick them up to have a wonderful day together. They knew it was time to go and they still complied to my request for calm before mom opened the door to greet them.  They were so good!! 

Pssst, hey bro? I think I hear mom and dad!

I believe these two fellas are ready and will be comfortable to the fullest when they need to return.  I sure hope mom and dad had as restful a night during their boys' absence.  Thank you for allowing them to have this opportunity!

These gentlemen will be visiting us again near the end of Dec

We are looking forward to their stay. Thanks for visiting boys. You were very good!!

Hazel Plays Hide n Seek

We have 6 month old little Hazel staying with us. She is such a sweetie. She's keeping us on our toes every day all day long. True to puppy nature, she's checking out everything that moves and most of those wonderful things that don’t. In the house we keep all doors closed and the gates stay in place. Everything is up beyond her reach and we're moved any wooden furniture she might find interesting.
She is as quick as a bunny and will reach for things she thinks look like fun. She has found my shoes and dish towels a few times. Fortunately, she's very good at showing you that she has them and is compliant about trading them. She drops them like an obedient little girl.  Thank you, Hazel. It's very hard not to laugh at her. She has such an expressive little face.

Hazel loves to help with the dishes

Outdoors she loves things that are easy to catch and so much fun to chew on. Our wood pile is one of her favourite places to investigate. She also loves twigs, leaves, raspberry canes, rope, cardboard and most of all, her lead, if you're not watching.  Yes, we've put her back on lead for a few times a day.

Hazel is so enthralled with the fun things in the yard, she's choosing not to come when called. Oh, dear Missy, if you don’t come, you will be on lead. Yep you guessed it, we're working on leash skills and recall.

Hazel,"How come I have to wear a halter and they dont?"

In the mean time Hazel is delighting us with all her silly puppy antics. One of our favourites is her love of being under the couch. At first, it was a game of throw my toys under and have fun retrieving them. Now it seems it's a cozy, warm and private place for her to keep her toys and rest.  We know Hazel will be a big girl when she's grown, how much longer she'll fit is anyone's guess.  For now, we giggle at her and enjoy the games.

Hazel, "I think I lost a toy under here"

Guess Who?

Hazel has also decided that she wants to be a crate puppy. As soon as one of the crates are vacant, she snaps it up and has a wonderful restful sleep. She's taken a shine to Lady May and will often choose a crate close to her. Or saddle up as close to her as she can get.

Lady May, "Will you hurry and lay down please. Im tired!"

Crashed but staying close to any possible action

Sleep well girls. See you in the morning.

 We know that Hazel's mommy and daddy miss her very much. I've been trying to capture some video of her to send them. The problem with that is, I can NOT be taking pictures while this little girl is playing about. She is a PUPPY after all!  I've pulled a few things out of her mouth several times. So I'm discovering that most of my pictures are of her asleep lol
Oh good grief! How boring is that?

I'll continue to try in between my laughs. She is with us for a few more days, so hopefully more videos will be possible.  You can visit her Facebook album. Here -  Hazel's Facebook Album.
I'll try to get  more posted asap.

Sadie Came For a Morning Visit

A few weeks ago 2.5 yr. old Sadie came for her meet n greet. She is a happy girl, polite, well mannered and was accepted by The Princess MollyDawg. 

Our Lady May had been a bit under the weather during her visit, so we only introduced through a gated off room. We know Sadie is quite social and didn’t further an introduction that day. We figured Sadie would fit in just fine but decided another short visit might be a good idea. We wanted to be certain there was a good rapport established before mom had to leave town and needed Sadie at day care.

We chose a day when she would be our only visitor.
Sadie lives across the street from us, our Mollydawg and her often stand by their fences and say hello. In much the same fashion as Master Rookie used to do. (RIP dear Sire)
Sadie can see the dogs coming and going and frolicking in our yard. If I could read Sadie's mind, I think she might be thinking, "Gee mommy, can I go over there too please?" So today was her day. 

Fortunately, the weather has been cooperating and we were able to play outdoors.   We opened our main gate to Sadie, and she came bounding in like a little freight train.
We played together outside for awhile and Sadie had an opportunity to enjoy the smells of the yard with out interruption of any other dogs.  It didn't take her long to figure out they must be in doors and asked to go in.  We kept Lady May behind the x-pen for an added measure of safety. When it was clear there was no need for concern, the gate was removed.

She continued to use polite manners even when she was outdoors. She kept her distance and watched all the clear signals that were being offered.

Sadie - "Hi! Can I come out here too?"

Sadie is a happy, playful girl and is still learning how powerful her body is. We left her harness on for awhile and added a long lead for easy correction if needed.  Our Princess MollyDawg is recovering from a lump removal on her back-right leg, so it was important to keep her safe from any rough housing.

As soon as I removed the long lead from Sadie, it was like I threw a switch and her energy came bounding through.  Time to go into zoomie mode!  That's just fine it was a perfect day for it. I put the Royals in the house so Sadie could run and romp and let it all out with out having to be corrected.
Her favourite toys seemed to be the balls and the squeakies. Good! Cuz we have loads of those!
Sadie is on a restricted diet so praise came in the way of 1 kibble bit and loads of the verbal and physical kind. She didn't seem to mind at all and absorbed all the praise I gave her.
When we came back indoors Sadie said a quick hello and then settled for a short nap.

I don't have to sleep long though right?

She didn't stay laying beside her buddy The Princess for very long. I'm pretty sure she thought it was kinda boring.  She asked for my help getting past the 'Sleeping Sovereign'. Smart girl sweet Sadie! The phrase, 'don't poke the bear ' comes to mind.  She sauntered into the living room and discovered the toys.

Isn't there s'posed to be cookies inside this toy?

 A kong filled with a squeakie kept her so occupied that she actually rolled off the 4 in mat. I happened to be looking directly at her when she toppled and seriously, I laughed out loud!
What a funny sight it was. The little sweetie decided it was best to stay away from high places and resumed her chew time on the floor. If only I had it on video mode before she toppled!

Sadie- ((sigh)) good thing it was only 4 inches!"

Sadie tried out a few other mats and finally decided the best, (possibly safest) place to sleep was smack dab on the floor.  

Sadie - "I notice there are scatter pillows here. Is that in case I fall again?"

Resting but not ready for sleep

A true Lady position. Legs crossed and paws tucked under the chin.

We look forward to a day when Sadie will visit for a longer stay. She is certainly welcome at any time!
Please visit her Facebook album  Here - Sadie's Facebook Album

Puppy Hazel Visits!

 Yep, there's an exclamation mark after that title. I just remembered how active a 6 month old puppy is. Little Hazel is an absolute sweetie! She is full of P&V and just as happy as can be!

Hazel - 6 mon. Bull Mastiff X

This beautiful little face kept me on my toes and was insistent on being a social butterfly with the Royals. We had so much fun with her. Were we exhausted when she went home? Yes. Are we excited to have her return for a visit! Oh you bet!

As with any of our puppy visitors, it's very difficult to capture still photos. They all turn out blurry!  I wonder why?! So instead we clicked the camera to video and captured a few precious moments.
This was Hazel's first day ever at day care! There was just so much she wanted to do! There was so much to learn and she was full of enthusiasm!
Now, ordinarily when a puppy visits we spend a great deal of time doing zoomies and running around in the yard full bore, blowing off steam! Right? Well, normally.
However, Hazel has just recently undergone her spay. We wanted to make very certain she kept that incision safe.  When Hazel first arrived we spent some quiet time playing ball in the yard. As I normally do with new comers, I kept a long lead on her for safety. She would play for a few minutes and then stop. She'd sit very still for a few minutes and stare at the gate. There was no doubt in my mind she was wondering where her mom was. A quick call from me and a ball throw brought her attention back.  We played back and forth and run around with many different toys and she quickly settled into just being here.

Where's mom?

We headed up on the porch and searched through all the outdoor toys. There were so many to choose from. Hazel made sure she nuzzled right to the bottom of the bin to find the very best toys.

Decisions, decisions!

We decided it was a perfect day to stay outdoors. The sun was shining and the leaves where calling to be raked. Ya, well, NOT! This little monkey is a rake monster, so that idea bombed very quickly!
Mom says she also loves brooms and mops so I guess house work is out of the question when Hazel visits. Yay!
Hazel played outside for a nice long time. When she came indoors she was ready to greet the Royals.  She was very excited to see them again and needed some guidance in keeping a polite distance. A halter made it much easier to redirect her with out having to tug at her collar or raise my voice. A firm, "no!" worked as a reminder and she asked to play in a much nicer manner. Good girl Hazel!

Hi! Wanna play?

We took playtimes easy (ish) due to her recent surgery. Her mommy has plans to be away soon and we don't want an incident before she leaves.  After a bit of quiet time, she was ready and raring to go again.  How can you tell when a puppy really wants to go out and being indoors is just not cutting it anymore? You only have to be present. It doesn't take long.

 With the weather so nice it was easy to burn off energy outside. So we went to the toys and decided on the very best one. Hazel dug down to the bottom of each toy box. She chose a different toy each time and made sure none were left out.

We went back and forth and in and out most of the day. Being 6 months old means Hazel still needs her short naps to re energize. I know, I really should have taken advantage of that to get some housework done right? Oh come on now. Who can resist taking a few more pictures of a cute puppy! 
So I sat and watched each time she napped. What a perfect way to re energize myself as well.  Thanks for the rest times Hazel!

Hazels keeps a toy close by for when she wakes.

Finding just the right position

Crashing close enough to grab a toy later.

Relaxation at it's finest

In between naps Hazel made good use of her time creating new games to play. One of her favourites is a retriever game. She loves to throw a toy under the couch and go hunt for it. This game lasted most of the day and varied with all the different furniture.  Oh if only I had the camera for each variation!

Then back for a nap and a perfect time for me to get some sewing done.

An allowable nap space while I did some sewing

The face of an angel

Oops, is this not an allowable nap space?

When you leave a tired puppy unattended for a few minutes, she will find a wonderful cozy spot to nap.  Nope that one is not allowed.  She only needed to be told and off she came with out a hitch. Good girl Hazel.  That's okay, cuz we know there is so much to learn. I promise to give you time to learn it all. Hazel will be back for a nice long visit in a few weeks. We are truly looking forward to having her stay with us.
I sure hope the weather holds out.
Hazel's Facebook album can be found here. Hazel's Album 
Watch for more pictures soon!