New Food and a Play Date

Sailor LOVES his new food. He can't get enough of it, but we are very careful to keep him to his allotted amount and on his feeding schedule. Good thing that he can have a snakerel or two to keep the hunger pangs at bay. haha

Even though the food smells a little fishy, his breeds natural need for fish is definitely an attractive plus to Wellness Core Ocean, a grainless food with moderate protein and fat content, but so healthy for him we believe. He sure is growing well on it.

Today Sailors nephew King came out for a visit and they played so well with each other. And, the went on great walks together that were easy strolls with lots of activities along the way, By the end of the day, Sailor slept soundly for 2 straight hours before he even made a peep. He really enjoyed his play date.

Inch by Inch, Step by Step

Sailor is having a little trouble with the potty schedule. Or, should I say, I am having a little trouble with the potty schedule. We've had a few setbacks today starting with first thing this morning and lasting into the evening hours. It seems I am just not quick enough to satisfy him. Oh, well, inch by inch, we'll get it together.

His walks have increased in tempo a little though. I have to step it out pretty good or he is stepping on my feet from behing. He is such a good boy though, and never gets ahead of me. He always wants to be right by me wherever I am. Mr Mann is not pleased with this at all, so he has to be even faster to get to my side quicker. Quite the sibling rivalry I must say.

Sailor's Momma will be home tomorrow finally after 4 days being away to spend time with her Mother and Dad. She won't even recognize her boy for all the growing he has done. In just those few days he has amazed me.

His new food arrived today and even though I only added about an 1/8 cup to his regular food, he was so happy with it. I've never seen him clean up his food so good. He was wanting more, but his tummy was so full. Good think I soak the food ahead of time or he would bloat himself.

All is well here, hope all is well with you dear reader. We look forward to sharing more with you another day,

Man and the Moon

Can't you just feel the love from our cat Dee? Not much joy that this new boy is here. haha

My how Sailor is growing. I have followed the breeder's feeding instructions to the letter so that he doesn't grow too fast for his own good, but I think he's put on about 5 pounds since we got him a week and half ago. I am only guessing at that, but he has really jumped up in height and weight.

We have been doing some leash training and a little bit of walking around the place. Not too much, but enough that he feels like he has worked a little bit for his supper. He loves it outside, and frolics freely with our Yorkie, Mr Mann. There is a cartoon character I once saw while I was in Japan, I think she is here too, named Sailor Moon. I often call our guy Sailor Moon because of that. So with Mr Mann, we now have the Mann 'n the Moon! Sometimes I think I am so clever. haha

Tomorrow his new food arrives so we will start the very slow transistion to the new from what the breeder's had him on. I am excited for him as I think it will be better for him in the long term. I realize that this food thing is a bone of contention for some out there in the Newfy world, and that it is an individual choice but for me, I'll be happier when he is on more meat and less corn.

Long Day for Whoohie

Long Day for Whoohie, originally uploaded by donja_29.

Whoohie just doesn't quite know what to do when Sailor wants his play time with his new big brother. Whoohie got something caught in his throat here and Sailor thinks he can give him the puppy Heimlich Maneuver. As you can tell, I think only the grass can help Whoohie cough it up. Haha.

Potty, Potty, Where is My Potty

Sailor is learning his potty training rules very fast. However, this only started going well when we confine him to a smaller place and not have free roam of the whole house. He now has about a 12'x12' space that we will gradually expand to include more and more of the house until he is better prepared. Accidents have almost stopped as long as Mom and Dad are paying good attention to the signals.

When we first started thinking about a newfoundland puppy, Momma had all kinds of plans for getting puppy to go potty in the tall grass that surrounds our yard. This is a great goal, that may eventually be realized. For now, Sailor has decided that his potty area is as close to the front step as he can possibly get. Right in the middle of our rock garden. The only one getting trained to go to the tall grass so far is Daddy whi carries the poop when Sailor is done! And, we are slowly losing our rock garden one or two rocks at a time. haha

Truly, Sailor is doing a very good job for a 10 week old puppy and we are so happy with him.

Raindrops Are Falling On My Head

Sailor was outside the other day and for the first time since he has been home it was sprinkling a little bit. I caught him sitting on the walkway with his mouth in the air trying to bite at whatever it was that was tickling his head. Sure was a funny look for him. I think he thought it was flies, or something. haha

He is walking a little farther every day, but when he realizes how far he is from home, he makes a b-line as fast as he can back for the front door of the house. His fast running looks a little like a slow motion video, but he thinks he's moving like a rocket. So very fun to watch him growing.

We finally got a bag of his food that the breeder was using just as he ate his last cup of what was sent home with us. We're happy about that. We have decided to switch his food very gradually to a food we can get more readily here and recommended by www.foodanalysis.com. Wellness Core Ocean will be his new food mixed with his old food very slowly as we transistion him. We'll post more about this change as it progresses.

What's In a Name

Sailor was first known as Light Blue because the breeders put colored yarn on their necks to tell them apart. We had known which colored yarn we wanted before we arrived at the kennels, and it wasn't until I saw Donna with the puppies did I understand that she would not pick any of the ones we had thought we would come home with. She would be coming home with the one who picked her from the very start.

On the way home from Cabot, AR we had thought maybe Oliver, Moses, or maybe Noah for all the rain we had to go through in order to get to him. We stopped at a gas station that had been closed down to get in under an overhang from the rain. However, our little light blue didn't really care that it was wet and soon he had a little mist on his fur and water dripping from his legs. Donna ruffled his head and said that he looked like a little man coming home from the sea. Her little sailor man. And, his name has stuck with him. Our little Sailor man. Our Angel Bear, our Honey Bear. Sailor Boy. We love him so.

Who'll Stop the Rain

Sailor was adopted at Wilbon's Newfoundlands in Cabot, AR on the day of the most torrential rains we've ever witnessed. 8 inches in 24 hours, water over the roads, and fields full of water that floated cars that had been washed from the roads. The weather forecasters called it a Legendary Rain.

Even though it took us over an hour to go 15 minutes to pick up our new boy, we were so excited and pushed on through water that was sometimes up to our headlights of our mini cooper. And, when we got to him, we had to fill out PAPERWORK before we could scoop him up into our arms and make him our very own.

Thank you Bill and Bonnie of Wilbon. We wouldn't have been able to do this without your caring and love for the Newf breed. We look forward to your continued guidance and support.