A Wildflower Update! Can you believe they are five-months-old?!
Bridget sends us this report on the puppy formerly known as Sage:
“Kitsap continues to be a light in our lives. He’s got a great set of lungs and can be rather insistent when he wants our attention, a meal, or to go out, and he doesn’t think addressing the situation quickly enough to suit him. Yet, when we are out for a walk a dog living along our route can bark at him and rather than bark back he sits down to observe. He is definitely one to sit down and survey the scene, once he decides to engage, then he is all in.
He plays every Saturday with his buddy Hasley, the English Springer Spaniel, tug with a rope toy is part of the routine after much running and romping. Now that he’s a little bigger we have added another playmate Freye, an Australian Labradoodle. Freye lives in our neighborhood so we can’t walk by without sitting and waiting to see if Freye will come out to play.
Speaking of walks, after checking the weather (see photo) Kitsap has gotten over his hesitation to leave the yard and we enjoy at least one walk in the neighborhood each day. I do still need to bring my patient self along because it takes a bit to move beyond sniffing our yard and the neighboring yards and checking out every bush, stick and tree. We have also been to the DePauw Nature Park to explore.
The other day the neighbors raked a long leaf pile the length of their property to the curb for the weekly leaf vacuum to collect. Kitsap went straight to the pile and bounded down through the length of it with with joyful abandon before burying himself in it. The leaf vacuum came by before he could do it again while I had my phone to capture the moment.
He still has wisps of his grey baby fur on his ears and his hind hocks, right now it adds great character to his look. The white on his tail is down to just a hair or two as his tail has grown and gained strength. When he wags it with reckless abandon and it thwacks against a hollow door or drywall you hear it throughout the house. His Swiss cross on his chest is still really distinct.
Kitsap is solid on sit, touch, circle, spin, come front. Come is quite joyful, but we have work to do to be sure we come each and every time no matter the distraction. We’ve got a short stay and are working to increase our time. Stand and down are both good as long as we lure. He continues to be good at come front ending with a sit, as well as walking with me with great attention as long as there are treats in my hand. We continue to practice the figure eight around the flag poles. While we continue to develop skills, we haven’t approached NTD with any focus yet. He is good about going into his crate, if someone gets out cheese he will go in without being asked to see if he can mooch for extra treats. He is always hungry and remains lean and lanky as he grows.
He still has all four puppy canines but he’s lost all the puppy teeth between the canines and has beautiful adult teeth coming in top and bottom. I haven’t managed to find a tooth yet hoping to get a chance to save a least one along the way.
Reading a recent Buttercup update on the blog, I see so many parallels, a puppy who loves to chase crickets or other bugs, a puppy who must be kept busy or he will find a task and I probably will prefer the task I direct over the one he chooses, he’s growing like a weed.
Hoping everyone in our extended Wildflower family is managing to stay safe and healthy in these difficult times.”
Thank you so much, Bridget! I know how crazy our lives are these days and so appreciate people taking the time to update all of us. Kitsap looks great and is clearly having a wonderful and interesting life :)
I hope all of you have a wonderful and interesting day!