It was a definite “Circle of Life” moment. On New Year’s Day we got to do the best-ever thing for dog people – we got to play with puppies! Our friend Emily’s Keeshond Poppy had two gorgeous little girls that are now about six weeks old.
Socializing – aka: playing!
Responsible breeders, like Emily and her mentors, make sure their puppies meet all kinds of people and deal with all kinds of situations as they grow. The puppies have toys that move, make different noises, wobble, hang in the air, etc. They have little tunnels to crawl through, different kinds of surfaces to walk on, stuff to climb over and tumble with. Well-raised puppies are busy little creatures, always being introduced to new stuff that will help build their confidence, curiosity, and socialization.
Emily was kind enough to invite us over to help with that socialization – meeting all kinds of people is part of the process. We were having too much fun playing with the pups, Miss B and Little Bit, to remember to take pictures, but Emily let us steal one of hers.
Patience is always a virtue when dealing with dogs – especially with young puppies. Like all of us, they prefer what’s familiar – looking to Emily and her husband Harold for reassurance rather than dashing off to see the strangers. But these adorable, well-balanced pups got used to us pretty quickly.
Soon they were playing with us – squeaky toy chasing, shoe-lace chewing, finger-gnawing and all the wonderful things that go with puppies. It was such fun to see them exploring their world!
Sweet when they sleep
Puppies don’t have very long attention spans, nor much stamina. Imagine how exhausting it must be to encounter something/somebody new every single day! Emily reports that the puppies slept peacefully for a good long time after we left. She was finally able to get some work done around the house! Lots of things get put on hold when there are new babies around.
Puppy playtime was joyous and fun. But that “Circle of Life” moment happened right when we arrived at Emily’s home. Our dear friend was wearing a shirt with the logo of the 2019 AKC Agility Invitational, which she did not attend.
Poignent moment
Emily and her wonderful Agility girl Peaches were eligible and received an invitation to the event. That piece of paper is now a cherished memento of her girl’s life. Because Peaches died of an uncommon type of cancer a few months ago. She was young and athletic, adored her “daddy,” and was a joy in their lives. And there was nothing anyone could do to save her – they tried.
When we left Emily’s house, we were smiling. Playing with puppies! And crying a bit. Because of that whole circle thing.
