The ZinKuties

Five months old and growing up quickly -- tails first, apparently

Craig reports that Maya's tail is three inches longer than Teaka's. So I had to measure, and found the same thing: Faith's tail is two inches longer than McKenzie's. (Teaka, by the way, is McKenzie's sister, so I've always wondered if Maya (formerly Miss Pink) recognized the resemblance and thought Teaka was kinda McMommy to her.)

It is very strange -- to me, anyway -- raising a puppy who has been here all her life. Faith is so bold and comfortable, a resilient problem-solver who acts as if she owns the place. The only one of the dogs who informs her that she does not is her mother, although in general they are so adorable and sweet with each other, their wild play in the yard punctuated by extremely loud rounds of bitey-face. 

OK, the latest pictures. Top: Keen (formerly Miss Purple). Middle: Dooley (formerly Blaze Orange Bob, a/k/a BOB), and Faith, a/k/ FayBee (Faith plus Baby) the former Miss Red with McKenzie.

Got more? Send 'em. I was talking about the puppies to a friend of mind, and how glad I am for the experienced, loving homes they're in, and how I can't help but to wonder how they're doing. She isn't a dog person -- or a pet person at all, really -- and she thought that was somewhat strange. It never occurred to her that the kind of breeders we long to be and to work with NEVER stop caring about the dogs we bring into the world! -- Gina

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ZinKuties 4-Ever: The big wrap-up

Keep an eye here over the next month or so, as I'll be posting pics of the puppies with their new families as they come in. But for the most part, this blog is done. The puppies all have names, and they're all doing very well, according to their new families. I did the best I could, and now it's up to these puppies and their families. I know they'll do well.

The names, by birth order:

Yellow Boy: Jack (The Zipper)
Green Boy: Parker
Blaze Orange Boy: Dooley
Purple Girl: Keen
Pink Girl: Maya
Red Girl: Faith

I love all the names, and they're a lot more appropriate than the nicknames they had here, such as "pee-head."

Faith, The One Who Chose Me, is doing just as well as her siblings. I wrote about her adventures in training on the PetConnection blog, here.

Everyone is HOME!

Just off the phone ... Keen has been picked up from the airlines and is in the car for the ride home with Ronnie. Couldn't get much information, since the puppy was letting Ronnie know she has had enough crate time for the day. Nothing wrong with her lungs!

Still a couple of families yet to settle on a name, but here's what we have:

Yellow Boy: Jack (The Zipper)

Green Boy: Parker

Blaze Orange Boy: Presto, but not for sure

Pink Girl: Still working on it

Purple Girl: Keen

Red Girl: Faith

Today is Faith's first day without siblings. I'm sure it'll be hard on her, since she so much enjoyed the last couple of days with her sister.

Tomorrow, I'll break down the puppy pen and put it away. I still can't believe how quickly the time passed.

Heather asks: Are they still here?

Faith (staying), Keen (leaving in the morning) and Heather, who is sooooo over the puppies. The ones who are already in their new homes are doing well!

Two puppies are easier to manage than six

Yellow Boy -- now named Jack the Zipper (ha!) -- arrived in New Jersey in fine, happy shape, says his new family. Pink girl is likewise settling in well in Minnesota, where she joins the family of her Auntie Teaka. Blaze Orange Boy and Green Boy  -- now named Parker --  are also in Minnesota, with Katie. Parker will stay with Katie (and his dad, Zin), but Alyce will be in Minnesota soon, driving from Iowa to meet BOB for the first time. (Probable name: Presto!)

Purple Girl -- now named Keen -- has a date with Delta Airlines for Thursday, and then she'll be home in Utah.

With just Faith (who's staying) and Keen here, it's sure quiet. I worked at home today and they asked to go out every time they needed to. Not a single indoor puddle or pile. Good puppies! (But tomorrow will be different, just because I'll be exceeding their capacity before I can get home for lunch.)

My babies have flown ... er ... are flying

Just back from SF, where I saw Yellow Boy onto a Continental flight to Newark. Katie is en route as well, flying to Minnesota with Blaze Orange Boy, Pink Girl and Green Boy.

I immediately fed and pottied the two remaining puppies, Purple Girl, who'll be get a long car ride to Utah later this week, and the former Red Girl, who's now permanent Faith.

Updates from their travels and families as I get them.

For now, though, I'm going to take a nap.

Three puppies make as much noise as six

Well, they do when the three quieter ones are gone.

The three Midwest-bound puppies are now on a plane for Minneapolis, with Katie nervously in the seats above. One new family will meet them at the airport. The other will drive to Katie's house Monday. The third puppy is staying with Katie's family, which includes the puppies' dad, Zin.

I'll be leaving shortly for San Francisco, to put one puppy on a plane to Newark.

That'll leave two here: Faith, and the final puppy who'll be traveling to Utah by car.

They are no longer The ZinKuties: They are Faith and Jack and Parker and Keen and two other names yet to be decided. I have done my best to make them someone else's prized family member, and I trust that's what they will become.

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Admin notes: Puppy people, please send me your mailing address ASAP. I have free two-month pet insurance policies for you. The rest of the material will come from Katie or Mary ... I don't remember where we left that. (Or rather, which one of them left with that!) The AKC reg forms have not yet arrived, but they'll be turned around the same day and out to you when they do.

^^^

I can't thank Katie and Mary enough for their advice, support and help. Frankly, it's a privilege to watch Mary spend a day evaluating a litter inside and out. I have been living with these puppies for weeks, but I know them much better after watching Mary with them for a day.

I'm also so grateful to Katie for making such a fuss over Heather. Heather's sister Cali was Katie's heart dog, and Heather is mine. Katie took Heather back to the hotel both nights and made her feel like it was all about her ... massages, treats and gentle walks. Made a 12.5 year old retriever very happy!

More later, including all of yesterday's pictures. But I have to get ready for the long drive to SFO now.

Below: Katie, a ZinKutie and Mary:

We're done!

We've been working with the puppies since 7 a.m. this morning, and while they rested between sessions, we compared notes. After this morning's temperament and ability tests, this afternoon was mostly about movement and structure.

They're zonked. We're off to the restaurant to make the final decisions.

Red IS staying here. She will become: Windfall's Question Everything, call name Faith.

Update: All the decisions are done. Four of six will be in new homes tomorrow, the fifth joins her new family Friday.

More pictures soon -- including those from new families!

'No duds in the bunch,' says Mary (with her typical bluntness)

Whew!

First round of temperament and aptitude testing this morning, in the courtyard of the Motel 6. Lots of different surfaces, distractions. They all did very well, all retrieved -- including retrieving a completely new object: A pearl onion! All tugged, all rebounded nicely from noise.

Hardest test: Mary put them at the top of an open ourdoor stair -- air where risers should be -- and encouraged them to walk down. They all did it!

Now Mary is working Woody out back, and then conformation evals. And then: Phone calls for consultations.

One thing is pretty set: Red puppy is likely staying here.

The others are all up in the air.

Mary's here!

She got in about 8:30 p.m. last night, and she took a quick "first impressions" look at each puppy individually. Then we all went to the hotel to have some wine and talk. The big evaluation is today, and then ... decision time!

Hold tight. All will be known soon