Happy Campers

Today we have updates from our two Happy Camper puppies, Lucy Clover King and Pozy Clarkia.

Let’s start with Lucy — Kevin shares:

“Lucy is doing so well.  She is such a sweet puppy!  Our last adventure was camping at Bear Lake.  With Covid, we have spent a lot of time camping this summer, which means more adventures for Lucy!  She is starting to swim a little bit, and is still having so much fun with Sadie and all of us. 

She knows come, sit, down, and stay.  She has just about outgrown the kennel you let us borrow, has become much lankier and weighed in at 32.8 lbs yesterday.  We walk her almost every day out on the canal, and she plays with Sadie and the girls throughout the day.  We were just remarking we can’t believe it’s only been two months, it feels like she’s been a part of our family forever!!

We switched switched her feeding to three times a day, homemade BalanceIt once, Darwin raw once (her favorite) and kibble once.  Here are the latest pictures, some of which are repeats:

Lucy watching Clara...

We camped at a really shallow part of bear lake, one had to walk way out to get above knee level...

Camping can get a little dirty, but she doesn’t mind the baths when we get home!  We also bought a dremel a while ago to keep her nails in check.  She does great with it.

Always curious about everything and she always stays so close to us. 

Tuckered out after playing all afternoon when one of our friends in our social bubble had a very small birthday party for their son.

Thanks again for picking the perfect pup for our family!”

Thank you to Kevin, Lisa, and the girls for making sure Lucy is having such a Happy (Camper) Life.

Pozy spent her four-month-birthday on a camping trip with some of her favorite people…

I wanted to make sure I got a good site at a campground I had scoped out (first come, first serve) but there is no cell service or internet there — and I had things to do on Friday.

So, I did a webinar from home on Friday morning and then jumped in the RV and headed south. I did my Friday class from a parking lot in Challis, Idaho using my cellphone hotspot — and then kept going.

I got a great campsite and was settled in before dinnertime on Friday. I even figured out how to schedule blog posts — that is how and why there were updates while I was gone :)

Idaho is so beautiful! This is from the drive — the Sawtooths near Stanley, Idaho…

Sparkle and Pozy went along on the adventure. Because of all my RV trips at dog shows, I know that an x-pen yard is easy peasy and so convenient (and safe).

Berkeley to Pozy: “You are a good Digger!”

Like Lucy, Pozy also enjoyed getting nice and dirty while camping — as did the kids.

Pozy did great on her first camping trip — she is an easy, smart, agreeable, and friendly puppy.

First s’more. She did not like it and preferred to just eat the marshmallows (vegan — they were great!).

Another campsite had a doberman tied up that was NOT Berkeley or Pozy approved because he lunged and barked and scared them. Pozy does not like barking dogs at all. It really is the only thing I have found that worries her at this point.

Pozy has started to be much more aware of her surroundings, and you can see the wheels turning as she (and Berkeley as well, for that matter) processes all the new information her maturing brain is allowing her to take in. Fascinating stuff.

Love is Love. But the girls did not love that doberman.

We all love Pozy Clarkia — she is an incredible addition to our family.

Camping or not, I hope your day is Happy.

Lupine

Our next Wildflower update comes from our very own, Alex. He shares:

“Lupine has proven herself to be a little firecracker, maybe even more so than her great-aunt Mesa. Some members of the household (I won't name names) jokingly say they would prefer to have laidback cuddlebug but I love Little Lupine's personality -- she has a lot of spunk. 

We had some minor problems with Lupine's stools early on as they were on the softer end of spectrum, not terrible but not the best. A switch to Orijen from her original kibble (Nature's Logic, I think) fixed that. She weighed in at around 31 pounds last time we weighed her and is growing rapidly. Interestingly, though, she has not yet entered her awkward stage -- she is still very well proportioned.

As far as training goes I would say she is doing great! We have been working on basic obedience and Puppy U things and plan to start doing some basic scent work very soon. While Lupine is quick to learn things she's being taught, she is also quick to learn things that she hasn't really been taught -- incredibly smart in an independent-learning sort of way.

She has figured out that she can get basically anything she wants by being vocal about it, which is good when it comes to things like needing to go to the bathroom! But she also barks when she wants a gate open, is in another room and missing out on the action, or has jumped on the couch and can't decide whether or not she needs help getting off.

Obviously Lupine is at no fault for her new habit as I have inadvertantly encouraged it! Training her and getting trained BY her is a constant work in progress that we enjoy immensly. Lupine has added a lot of life to our household -- it's only been a couple months and I already can't imagine not having her around.”

Thank you, Alex! I know Lupine has a life of fun and love with all of you, and that means I do not worry one bit— thank you for that.

Four Months! Wildflower Updates Begin

The Wildflowers are celebrating four months on the earth! We begin our updates with Zeus. Penny sends along this report:

“Wow, how the time has flown! Hard to believe we are at 4 months old already.

Zeus is doing great and got a perfect report from the vet. Weighing in at 33 pounds, he is always ready for his next meal and continues to love his mix if Orijen, raw, and Balance It recipes. 

We are so happy to have the chance to take Puppy Kindergarten with Georgia. She is a wealth of knowledge and positive reinforcement, and Zeus relishes the opportunity to play with Buttercup and his fellow classmates.

Speaking of classmates, Zeus provides lots of support to the kiddos with their remote learning offering plenty of kisses and curiosity. Zeus is of course featured in all of Ada's family drawings and has made appearances in Kindergarten and 3rd grade Zoom meetings to everyone's delight.

Zeus's favorite activities are chewing on bully sticks, morning bone time, cuddling/gnawing on his new pink pig toy, and Kong chomping. He also loves exploring the yard, racing through his tunnel, practicing his tricks, and helping let the chickens out of the coop in the morning. Nap times all over the house, especially at my feet while I telework, are also at the top of his list.

We continue to find ways to socialize Zeus and introduce him to new friends. One day we took Zeus to the Olympic National Park Visitor Center and he was a real hit with the park rangers and visitors! 

Zeus brings us so much joy and we couldn't be happier! 

Best wishes to all, and Happy Fall!”

You know what brings me so much joy? Seeing what a wonderful life Zeus is having with his perfect family.

Thank to Penny and the rest of Zeus’s humans — and also to Buttercup’s Peeps for warmly embracing these new members of our Berner community.