4. Junior

BIRTH NOTES:

Puppy #4 - 12:18 am, 1 lbs. recessive black male, head first in the sack,

GENERAL NOTES

This puppy is a deep thinker. He is on the serious side of life. He isn't goofy or playful, but likes to know the rules so that he can follow them. This puppy will play, of course, but he is measured about it. He does not like to be startled and is not as confident or bold as his brother. Did I mention that he is a deep thinker? This puppy will require a significant amount of TIME to sit and ponder things that happen to him which make him slightly uncomfortable. He analyzes the situation, trying to make sense out of how he feels about something. This puppy does not like to be restrained and has a strong sense of autonomy. He has become my buddy. I frequently turn him over and give him positive experiences in this position in which he can connect deeply with a human. In this way, I hope he comes to understand that humans are not to be thought of as unknowable. Instead, I want him to come to understand that he can relax and not be a rigid and stiff around uncertainty. This puppy needs a strong leader that is not going to be too pushy or overbearing. He needs a family who understands his need to take time to process life around him. He likes to observe. He would benefit from socialization training where you simply go out with him to different areas and environments so that he can observe life. Not interact with it physically, but so that he can observe it and analyze how life works in a human world. This puppy will bond deeply with his family and want the comfort of home life. He is not fearful, but neither is he innately confident. He will require the correct socialization training to maintain a good confidence level as he grows. This puppy will falter emotionally if pushed to do things that he is not ready for or that cause him too much anxiety too quickly. This puppy is kind and loving, but not overly affectionate. This puppy will not be highly motivated by food or play when in an unknown environment. He will require a trusting, bonded relationship where he can be himself in a deeply connected relationship. This dog will be a great dog for a quiet family who doesn't want a dog clinging to their every movement, but a dog who knows he is loved simply because they have come to understand one another. This dog would be great for an older couple who doesn't want a lot of chaos in the household. With a good leader who keeps clear boundaries, this puppy will thrive and be one of the greatest companion dogs out there.

TEMPERAMENT TEST #2

This puppy got up from a side-down position to lay with his feet under him during the rough pet, but he did not stand. Nor did he move forward, backward, or sideways to get away from the pet. This puppy was silent throughout this task. This puppy yawned once during the lift, although he was loose, still, and quiet throughout. This puppy got hurt slightly during the turn (pinched under the arm). This caused his to yelp out sharply. Even with that, he was initially still and quiet with his tail and legs a bit stiff. After about 8 seconds, he tested the physical boundary by trying to right himself. When he found himself locked into that upside down position, he cried out mightily for a good 30 seconds, trying with all his might to right himself and fight the strict physical boundary binding him. This puppy had to be consoled with significant time to calm down before the next task. When placed in an unfamiliar location and touched on the head, he was not stiff at all and remained quiet. This puppy did not move much in the basket. He sniffed the basket in front of him and slightly to the sides, but otherwise, he lay still, loose, and quiet. This puppy remained in a down position for quite some time when placed back inside the den away from his siblings. He was awake, but not looking around or moving, so the handler eventually placed her fingers in front of his nose to stimulate his senses and get his brain moving. At that point, he moved his head from side to side sniffing in all directions without actually standing up and moving. This puppy sniffed the handlers feet, but did not engage with them. He eventually moved toward the wall of the den, found a way forward, and headed back to his siblings.

This puppy receives an overall score of 7.5 for this temperament test. (Because of the freak out moment)

TEMPERAMENT TEST #1

This puppy was quiet for the first 24-hours after birth. This puppy was not wiggly on the scale and remained quiet throughout, although he did sniff around a bit. This puppy moved his feet some when turned, but otherwise was loose and quiet. This puppy went right back to his siblings and was quiet when placed back into the den.

This puppy receives a score of 9 for this first temperament test.

BIRTH NOTES:

quiet and still on the scale, quiet when placed back with his siblings. This puppy is unassuming, so far.

4 WEEK UPDATE

This puppy has brown eyes. He has a beautiful broad head shape with fantastic longer "cheeks", just like a wolf. This puppy has a beautiful dark silver wolf sable coat with short/medium length fur. This puppy will lighten up on his legs and muzzle over time, but his tendency toward a darker coloring will always remain. A very striking color combination. This puppy has small ears with a lovely short tail that doesn't have a tendency to curl much at all.

BIRTH NOTES:

This puppy is a recessive black color and will be solid black throughout life with no silver undertones. He is a large male with a long thin tail and no white spotting anywhere.