When Friday’s pregnancy was confirmed in September, the announcement email went out to 91 people who had previously expressed an interest in a future Barrett puppy. Within a week, I had 57 positive responses and of those, 26 approved applications on file. By the end of September, quite a few more inquiries and applications had trickled in. Obviously, we didn’t deliver 30-something puppies, so for those of you who were either wait-listed or asked to stay on the list for a future litter, I’m so very sorry. To those of you who are getting a Torque x Friday puppy, congratulations!!! Below is a summary of our first two weeks together:
- October 11th – We started bio-sensing the puppies, and we’ll continue to do this daily until they’re about 16 days old.
- October 12th – Puppies were Weimarized (tails docked and dewclaws removed)
- October 14th – We had our first nail trimming. 16 toes x 7 puppies… 112 clips!
- October 18th – I finally decided on a litter theme. Since this is Friday’s last litter, I wanted to go with something “fun.” So, a Circus theme, it is! For now, everyone has a critter name.
- October 19th – Eyes are starting to peep open on some puppies.
- October 20th – Froggie (Green Collar Boy) and TeddyBear’s (Blue Collar Boy) eyes are halfway open. We think Froggie can hear, too.
And now, some pictures of the first two weeks:
If you are new to Weimaraners, please continue reading. If you’re a seasoned veteran, feel free to gloss over this next part.
Recommended reading. My favorite Weimaraner book of all time is Weimaraner Ways, by Virginia Alexander (who also happens to be Friday’s breeder). For our breed, it’s the most comprehensive book out there. If you don’t have this book yet, please consider buying a copy from www.justweimaraners.com; if you enter the promo code (provided via email), you get a 10% discount. Oh, also, for those of you who are unfamiliar with the Just Weimaraners website, please head over and take a peek (and sign up for the periodic newsletter!). This site was launched by my mentor and friend, Anne Taguchi, and is an incredible resource for our breed. If you look hard enough, you’ll even find a couple of articles written by yours truly. You may also notice that our very own Miss Friday is the supermodel for many of the articles!
What to feed your Weimaraner puppy. I wrote an article on the subject, here. In summary, this works for me, and I hope it works for you. Every puppy in this litter will be going home with a full bag of Wellness Core and some sample packets from The Honest Kitchen. For diet consistency purposes, please keep your puppy on this food until the current supply runs out. After, you’re welcome to switch brands if you find another one that you like better.
How to choose a veterinarian. If you don’t already have a veterinarian you trust, please read this article, written by my friends, Anne and Meredith. Make a short list of potential candidates. Then, take a look at the Weimaraner Club of America’s Vaccination Protocol. Print out the protocol, and take it with you when you go talk to your potential new vet. Ask your vet if they’d be willing to follow this protocol with your new puppy. IF THEY SAY NO, OR TRY TO CONVINCE YOU TO FOLLOW A DIFFERENT PROTOCOL, OR IF THEY TRY TO TELL YOU IT’S OKAY TO VACCINATE DIFFERENTLY, PLEASE WALK AWAY AND FIND A NEW VET.
Vaccinations. Speaking of vaccinations, puppies out of this litter will be vaccinated with Merial Recombitek C4 at 8 weeks of age.
Recommended Southern California veterinarians:
Orange County:
- Brook-Ellis Pet Hospital. Huntington Beach/Fountain Valley. Dr. Heidi Tschauner, DVM. (This is Heinrich and Wally’s vet.)
- North Tustin Veterinary Clinic. Tustin. Dr. Kali, DVM, Dr. Leong, DVM, and Dr. Wentworth, DVM. (This is Britta, Friday, and Boulder’s vet.) New clients get 50% off the first exam. Click here to download the new client form.
- Dr. Robert Woods, DVM. Garden Grove. (This vet used to practice with Dr. Kali and has since moved on. He sees a lot of local Weimaraners.) Click here to download the new patient form.
Los Angeles County:
- Rose City Vets. Pasadena. Dr. Dana Bleifer, DVM. (This is Jasper’s vet.) New clients receive a FREE Initial Wellness Office Visit ($50 value).
Homework: Start interviewing vets now, and make an appointment for your puppy’s first visit, which should be within the first three days of bringing your puppy home. Also – LOCATE THE NEAREST 24-HOUR EMERGENCY VET TO YOUR HOME. Keep this information someplace handy. Suggestion: Store this information as a contact in your cell phone. When it’s an emergency, you will want to figure out where to go, FAST, without Googling where the nearest facility is.
Recommended training facilities in Southern California:
- Jump Start Dog Sports. Yorba Linda.
- Wags and Wiggles. Tustin and Rancho Santa Margarita.
- Penny Scott-Fox. Pasadena.
Note: Facilities such as Petsmart or Petco aren’t generally recommended because the quality of the instructors is very hit and miss.
Homework: Within the next few weeks, please research a few trainers in your area. You’ll also want to start scheduling your first basic puppy obedience for sometime after December 31st, since that’s when your pup will turn 12 weeks old (and have his/her second round of shots).
Things to buy:
There’s a Barrett puppy wish-list at Wag.com to help you identify things you might need for your new puppy. By no means is this list exhaustive, it’s just a starting point:
http://www.wag.com/w/wishlist-102036394
Note: This link doesn’t work from mobile devices. Also, you may click here to get the .pdf version of the print-out. And – Don’t pay particular attention to crate, bowl, and leash brand names. We’re just making general recommendations… holler with any specific questions.
If you are getting a girl, you’ll want a 36″ crate. If you are getting a boy, you’ll want the 42″ or 48″ crate. If you’re not a fan of wire crates, I also recommend Vari Kennels, which aren’t listed on the wish-list. Also, please review this article from Just Weimaraners about different crate recommendations.
Also, buy these nail clippers instead of the one added to the wish-list. These are the right size, and better in quality; it’s what I have. If you want to get super fancy, you can also buy a Dremel and use the little sandpaper bit to file down your pup’s nails. I have one and use it, too. Here is a FANTASTIC article about Dremeling your dog’s nails.
Homework: Collect these items within the next few weeks. If you have a question about what specific item to buy, please shoot me a message. Reminder: Your puppy will be going home with a collar, so you’ll just need a leash!
Socialization checklist. You’ll get a copy of this with your puppy packet, but for you eager beavers (hi, Alex!), here’s a link to the checklist so you can see what it looks like.
More soon. In the meantime, additional picture updates are at www.facebook.com/trailingfriday
Cheers!
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For ALL posts and updates about these puppies, please click here.