In late October a little fluffy and very pregnant girl was found as a stray. It was believed she'd give birth very soon. Fluffy Dog said "we'll take her" and as soon as transportation could be arranged she started on her journey from the Alabama shelter to her Northern Illinois foster home. Thing is, those pups couldn't wait and they were born during the car ride. Holly did a great job having the pups and she and her 3 boys and 3 girls were soon snuggled into a warm room in her foster family's home.
Now, here we are eight weeks later and the pups and mom are ready to complete the last leg of their journey, into homes of their own. Here are some pictures and info about Holly and her pups.
We believe Holly is a 4 yr old Shihtzu mix. She looks like a Tibetan Terrier, Lhasa Apso, Shih tzu mix. She is about 20 pounds. We have not seen any shedding from her. She is a low key gal in the home. Maybe that's because she's been busy the last 8 weeks raising pups but she enjoys naps, belly rubs, snuggling on the sofa and the occasional walk. She likes chew toys and is good about sharing them with the other dogs in our home. She will bark at other dogs when we're on a walk but once she gets to meet a dog she's fine and is indifferent to them. She is housebroken and will bark when she needs to go out. She met my mom and her partner (outside) over the holidays and did bark at them at first. I think it may have been because they were wearing masks. After a few minutes though she was relaxed and accepting pets from them, even though they still had their masks on. She has been a very easy girl to have around. I do believe she was someone's pet. When she arrived she was wearing a well worn, pink rhinestone collar. I believe she was someone's princess at one time. But not being spayed she likely went wandering, got herself knocked up and then lost. That's my guess.
We don't know who the daddy was. He must have been a big fella though because the pups are large for such a small momma. My estimate is that the girls will be in the 40 pound range and the boys in the 50-60 pound range.
They have been typical puppies. They eat, sleep, play, potty and repeat. Because of COVID we have not had visitors into our home so they have only been around my girls, my husband and myself. I imagine they will be a little shy or frightened around new comers but in typical puppy fashion they'll quickly get over it and want to play.
Like all puppies they are going to need obedience and socialization. You will want to ensure that as adults they have manners and are not fearful of new people or new situations. In the Chicago area I recommend A Sound Beginning for training. They have been offering some classes virtually so even those in WI can take their classes. In the Waukesha area I understand that HAWS has a good program. When selecting an obedience instructor select one that uses positive reinforcement. Obedience is an important investment in your dog's future and one that shouldn't be dismissed. A Sound Beginning. HAWS Training
Right now they are all teething and are chewing everything they can. I've found that wrapping paper tubes are fun for them. They chew, tug and run with them. :-).
They will get their second immunization the day that they are spayed and neutered so because they haven't had the second shot yet they have not been outside. They have been very good about using the potty pads (about 90%) and understand that they should keep their sleeping area clean. (They'll be spayed/neutered on Jan 5th)
Unlike their mom, all the puppies do shed. Dad must have been a shedding breed.
We knew that the mom and pups would be ready for adoption right around the new year so we gave them holiday and winter themed names, including Holly.
Keep scrolling for pictures of mom and pups. The pictures with the red background were taken when the pups were about 5 weeks old. The others are more recent.
If you didn't see the videos about Holly and her pups on petfinder you can find those here
Aspen- he is the largest boy. He is the gentle giant of the group. At about 7.5 weeks old he's about 11 pounds. My guess is that he could end up being a 60 pound dog. To me he seems like an old soul. Don't get me wrong, he likes to play with the others but is also just as interested in my family members and cuddling with them. Truly he is my favorite. I just melt when I look at this fella.
Winter- She is currently about 8 pounds. She might end up being around 40 pounds I believe. She is the female version of Aspen. She likes to play but can also be found just quietly chewing a bone in the corner while the others run around playing. She likes to cuddle and just has the sweetest face.
Jack- he kinda looks like winter but has a little white on his face. He is a typical middle child. You kinda loose track of him because he blends in with everyone. He is a great mix of loving to play and wanting cuddle time with my family. Just a great boy. He's about 8 pounds.
Finn- He has the most unique markings. He might end up being a little fluffy like his mom, Holly, as we can see whisps of longer hair mixed in with the short. He'll be a good looking dog. He loves to play with Ivy and Noelle and he is vocal when he plays. He growls and grumbles when he plays to add to the fun. He's currently about 10 pounds. He might end up being about 50 pounds.
Ivy- she is the party starter! She is the most adventurous of the group. She was the first to explore the stairs. She is one of the smallest at about 8 pounds. She is curious and always wanting to know what everyone else is up to. She too likes to cuddle when she begins to wind down.
Noelle- she too is adventurous and wants to be included in everything. She has a "fear of missing out" and will whine if she's not in on the action that the others are enjoying. She is small at about 8 pounds currently.
