Icelandic Sheepdog Puppies

The latest litter of Vinlands Icelandic Sheepdog puppies celebrated their four week birthday this morning - early. Mom had to go outside; once there all the pups decided it must be time to wake up. Here are a few photos of the four week old pups from this morning. Clicking on photos will enlarge them. (As much and as often as I tell them to 'hold that pose', they always move at the last minute. Oops. Managing to get both dogs in focus in a dual shot is virtually impossible.)

Kria, Birna, Katur looking down

Kria, Birna, Katur

So far, thankfully, the pups have decided that the risk of jumping over the barrier, (falling really) is too frightening. That will change very soon and then it will be hard keeping them in their whelping pen.  First one and then the rest will attempt a get away. I wonder which one will be first, which puppy will accidentally fall over the lip of their current home or actually jump over. Birna and Kria seem slightly more assertive but Katur is larger - and the first born.

Katur (aka Buttercup)

"They" say that the eventual color of a tan shaded pup can be determined by looking at the fur just behind the ear. Once the charcoal gray coloring has disappeared, that shade of the tan color will show up over the whole pup. It could be a light cream color, a tan, yellow, reddish, or any shade in between. Take a look at behind the ears of the last Katur photo below. Could that be his adult color? Maybe.

Katur (and Birna)

Katur 

The pups at only four weeks old are already working on potty training to a urinary pad. They don't always make it but they've started down the right road to housebreaking. The pad is behind Katur over his left shoulder. They are also working on crate training. Warning: neither of these accomplishments will be completed before they leave their birth home. IF they leave their birth home . . .  I am beginning to bond with them and would love to keep all three. However, Birna already seems to have seduced a great couple who adopted one of my girls many years ago. Miss T is about to lose her "only dog" status. Introducing a new puppy to a current occupant is not hard. Preferably it needs to be done on neutral territory. I have never had a problem introducing a new member to my pack. They are usually very happy to meet the newcomer and tell her/him how things work here - how to get around the boss.

Katur (and Kria)

Katur and his siblings Kria and Birna have a very diverse background with ancestors from Norway, Germany, Iceland, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, and the US. Their US ancestry goes back to the original Palmahaus line. All four of their grandparents are American Kennel Club Champions. Many of their European ancestors have Championship titles in several countries. They are already showing their great genes. I have a five generation pedigree available if anyone is interested in adopting one of the pups.

jaimehansen1@frontier.com

Kria

Kria

Kria is definitely the hardest one to capture in a photo. I do really love my tricolor dogs perhaps because they are less common or maybe more dramatic or perhaps more self possessed? 

Birna

Birna with her mother Kit

Birna (Katur)

It is going to be very hard NOT to spoil Birna. She is so cute, so lovable and really wants to be spoiled. Does she deserve to be cuddled, catered to, held, loved? Yup! Are you listening S and D? Hahaha.

One of my orchids had flowers that opened today and a seedling Clivia about five or six years old had its first flowers today too. 

I like to buy smaller orchids so they'll fit on the bookcases in front of my windows; they must flower in the winter. Preferably they'll also have a nice odor. I really appreciate the colors and the odor in late January and February. I've got plenty of flowers outside from early spring to late fall

Clivia seeds remain attached to the mother plant for about two years. When the seed finally drops it already has small leaves and a small root. Then it takes a very long time to develop. On the plus side, they live a very long time and, for me at least, they flower regularly with very little care. I treat my Clivia the same year round. (That's not what the experts tell us to do but it's easier for me.)