Breeding plans, Dog training and news
OUR BREEDING PLANS
We still plan to have a litter this year. We expect Grace to come into season in spring (sometime around April). If her hormones march to a nice predictable rhythm then she will give birth around June or July and this means her puppies will be ready for their homes August or September. That is as specific as I can be at this point. – I will not be looking for applications for that litter until we know she is definitely pregnant and we will have had a scan to confirm this and show likely numbers of pups.
This will be our last litter from Grace. After that she will be “retired” from breeding and will be spayed and remain with us continuing in our home as our pet.
There will then be a break of several years before Faithful Friends has any more litters of Cockapoos to offer but we do hope to get another breeding bitch in the future – so this will only be a long break not the end of Faithful Friends puppies.
OTHER FAITHFUL FRIENDS HOME NEWS
Sadly one of the dogs that live in our household, (our little Yorkshire / Maltese terrier mix) died unexpectedly shortly before Christmas. This means that we are now a 3 dog household. Grace the mother of our puppies, 2 year old Jolyne (one of Grace’s cockapoo puppies from her first litter) and Jazz our 11 year old big black Cockapoo who first introduced us to the breed we would become so connected to!
Jolyne was spayed last week as we never planned to breed from her. She is well and recovering quietly – currently curled up next to me in her surgical onesie!
NEW SEASON NEW CONCEPTS
So as you can see in many ways it is coming into a new season for all of us!!
I am currently working on a Pro Dog Trainer course with a fantastic training organisation called Absolute Dogs. I will soon have the PDT qualification and I hope to run some classes locally. The PDT approach is quite different to most other dog training establishments. It is “Concept training” rather than “obedience”. The quick way to explain this is to say that dogs are constantly making choices every day (to sit quietly or bark at the neighbours dog etc) – by enabling them to grow in certain concepts we can give them the tools to make the right (pleasant for owner and dog) choice!! – “concepts” are things like confidence and optimism and calmness and focus. Everything that we encourage the dog to grow in is taught through games. Pro Dog Trainers call ourselves “game-changers” because we can help dogs become the lovely companion the owner always imagined through games. Its win win because the dog and owner can fully enjoy the experience of growth and it is wonderful to see the changes that can be made.
If you like the idea of playing games with your dog, you can join in too… Join the Sexier than a Squirrel programme for lifetime access to 30 videos of games you can play with your dog, join here: www.faithfulfriends.online/squirrel
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT THE FUTURE IS FAITHFUL FRIENDS
I do plan to continue to keep Faithful Friends website, emails and blogs going with plenty of tips for games that encourage concepts as well as specific cockapoo care tips as always. My Dog training classes will also be run under the name “Faithful Friends” as that is what we are all working towards creating – right?
I am also planning on creating some resources to help people who are considering getting a puppy to consider everything and to prepare fully. Please let me know if you have any tips or ideas that might help with that! – What do you feel you need to know to prepare for welcoming a puppy to your home?
One other area that I am wondering about offering from Faithful friends is my services as a “litter advisor” (or some better phrase to describe the act of being hired by someone to visit a litter with them). I find that people are very nervous of getting a puppy from a backyard breeder unawares and I can bring expertise as a breeder to give them peace of mind and I can offer information on what I observe in the temperaments of the puppies too. – I would love to hear your thoughts on this new area of Faithful Friends business too.
Email me if you have any thoughts as I develop these new areas of Faithful Friends.
Please enjoy some PUP-DATES pictures from our lovely puppies and family as they continue to grow up.
Bob from 2018 litter enjoying the snow!
Judy from 2016 litter. Saying, “Happy New year Faithful Friends fans!”
My 3 Dogs.
Jazz (11 year old black cockapoo at the back)
In the box, left to right, Jolyne aged 2 (from 2016 litter) and her mother, our only breeding bitch, Grace