Growing up...first heat, club visits...where did my puppy go?

[Ronda]

Title says it all. Saphira is less than 10 days away from the 7 month old mark. She came into heat this past Friday and I guess it just hit me, how much she's grown up in just a few short months!

She got to go back to the French Ring club last week and has been 3 times already. After the first visit, she got a spiffy new agitation harness that makes her look mighty serious and grown up!


Saphira is good with people, although getting very alert and aware of her surroundings when we are out and about, especially at night. Doesn't bark or growl at things but watches very intently and then goes about her business. She will get vocal sometimes when she is on leash at other dogs but has shown no actual dog aggression...still plays with her 20lb puppy friend and adult golden retriever friend. Not too worried about the barking, the dang dog has always been loud and when allowed to get closer to the dog, she shuts up and makes nice.

She settles in the house much quicker and as embarassing as this is to admit for a (former, I guess) NO dogs on furniture person, sleeps in bed with me and cuddles on the couch. Doesn't bother my cats and in fact, befriended the crazy one upstairs.

Saphira is still madly in love with my 6yr old and is crazy if the kid goes out of sight when we are in public...she makes a fuss until the kid is back within about a 5 foot radius of her. I swear the dog judges my parenting!

I'm just feeling nostalgic..... Tell me how all of YOUR puppies are growing up. Show me what they looked like then, and what they look like now!

Here is Saphira on 5/7/11...just a tad over 7 weeks old on our way home. 15 lbs of "lab puppy"



And here she is a week ago...53 lbs of fierce Darkness!



Hamming it up on my bed


Ronda

[TankGrrl66]

I hear ya. I'm having enough of a trip seeing my pup grow like a little weed...I can't imagine watching children grow up like that

[MaggieRoseLee]

Oh my gosh, doesn't even look like the same breed! Growing up beautifully.

[Klamari]

Wow, your pup has grown into quite a beauty!!!!

Oh my gosh I feel ya. Rayne just hit 8 months yesterday My baby girl is growing up so fast! It seemed like just yesterday she was in her puppy collar and harness, with her high-pitched yapping, and doing bitework on a puppy tug.

Her attitude and mannerisms really haven't changed that much, but now I can see those little hints she would give me when she was younger have solidified into a definate personality. She is still very social with dogs and people, but our bond has grown much stronger.
And it's apparent that she won't let just anyone handle her anymore. Like at the vet last week, they needed to do a test and needed to hold her head away from it. It wasn't going to happen without mommy's help though. She wasn't growling or anything, she just squirmed so much and so hard that the techs weren't able to hold her still. But she would let me restrain her without any problem. The vet was like "wow, she really trusts you". I didn't think of it like that until she said it, but it definately warmed my heart

Well here is a pic of my girly at 9 weeks old, I think 16lb.



And here she is just recently at 7 months. Last week she was 60lb!!

[bocron]

Uma turned 10 months last week and is currently going through her first heat as well. She has turned out to be the light of my life. While she is in heat she is spending the nights in our kennel (too many intact male dogs in the house) and I miss her terribly. I spend all day with her in our training facility, but at night when I tuck her into the her kennel I am so bummed. I'm guessing she'll be done by Friday, so yippee.
Her training is going wonderfully, she is such a hoot to train. One of the "genetically obedient" dogs I always heard about but never believed until I got her. I hate to say it, but she has pretty much trained herself to fuss and she just loves the work.
Her tracking has been a lot of fun, and is coming along very nicely.
Bitework is hysterical. She has an awesome, deep, calm grip. But is very dramatic about the whole thing. She keeps me smiling the whole time.

Here she is the night we brought her home, snoozing on the couch with my daughter:



Some puppy work at the club:



And a few weeks ago:

[Ronda]

Awww, everybody's little girlie pups have turned into such beauties!

Rayne looks so mature and grown up in the barking pic!

It felt like it was taking forever to get to another week or month older but now, it seems like it was over in a flash! Saphira is even losing some of the gangly awkwardness, not all though, she still runs like a spaz and eats it sometimes but she's figured out how to trot gracefully again.


[QUOTE=bocron;2286008] She has turned out to be the light of my life.

That about sums up my girl as well...I went in wanting something totally different and can't say how pleased and happy I am that I ended up with Saphira...she is my heart. I have to refrain from sending my breeder crazy stalker emails detailing her every accomplishment and thanking him over and over for steering me to her because I don't want to scare him off when its time for another pup.


Her training is going wonderfully, she is such a hoot to train. One of the "genetically obedient" dogs I always heard about but never believed until I got her. I hate to say it, but she has pretty much trained herself to fuss and she just loves the work.

Now you have me jealous. I don't think Saphira is genetically obedient. She's a bit of an independant "free spirit" (read--> delinquent)....maybe the biddability is being smothered by her, uh, "personality".


Ronda