two pups at their new homes & one on the way to work!

- thanks for the photos!

Individual updates can be found below (as of July 25th)

Just some day-to-day photos:

First photo directly below shows size on July 13th compared to June 19th (37 days old compared to 12 days old) They grow fast!

Yellow

Yellow is living at her new home.

Purple

Purple is now at her new home.

White

Update, August 9th - White is now at her new home

Pink

Pink is now at her new home.

Orange

Orange will soon be at her new home.

Green

Green is living at his new home.

Brown

Brown is now at his new home.

Blue

Update August 9, Blue is now at his new home

This video was taken sometime around July 12-14th. I just found the usb cord on July 21st so I could upload it... :)

New puppies

New puppies - litter was born the night of June 7, and early morning of June 8, 2010. Luna (on the right) had 5 females and 3 males. All are healthy and mom is working hard to keep them growing. (Dad, Rodney, is on the left.) Like Ursa and Tucker before them (see below), Luna and Rodney both come from lines of genetically cleared ancestors, some of whom were also champions. Rodney in particular has good hips in his genes, which is important since hip troubles in dogs seem be more common in larger breeds, and Rodney weighed in at 153 lean pounds at a recent vet visit.

In case you are curious about coloration, Luna's mother is Apricot and her father is black. Of course, Rodney contributes all black, with rust markings. All the puppies were all born black - see below for subtle rust markings that can appear as pups mature. I will post puppy photos soon...

Traces of rust markings on adult Rottle - NOTE - BELOW THIS POST IS INFO ON AN OLD LITTER. STOP HERE AND ONLY READ ABOVE FOR NEW LITTER INFORMATION>

.

Foxy and Barda Blue ("Yellow & Blue")

On top is Foxy ("Yellow") in her Halloween costume - clever disguise! She lives in Michigan and is "growing like a weed" - 34 pounds currently. She sits, shakes, and lies down, but her best trick is to have a treat placed on each front paw, then she will wait until she is told before she eats them. Below her is Barda Blue ("Blue") who was weighed a couple of weeks ago at 25 pounds. She is certain to more than that now! Blue has been trained to fetch, sit, lie down, and offer her paw. She bounds and hops around the yard when chasing her ball. She also has a boyfriend, some sort of red retriever. They stare at each other through the fence, but now seem to be trying to tunnel to each other. Out on the street in Spokane, people will guess at Blue's breed. Some of the guesses have been Portuguese Water Dog, Giant Schnauzer, and Bouvier. No one has guessed Poodle/Rottweiler, and I predict they probably never will!

Harkes and Scarlett ("White & Red")

From the top you can first see Harkes ("White"), and below him is our Scarlett ("Red"). Harkes is the "big boy" of the litter, weighing 35 pounds last week. He lives in North Carolina where he is in puppy school and he has learned a number of commands. Harkes also loves to play "fetch". He is very good with children, easily trained with treats and overall just a "happy go lucky puppy". Scarlett lives with us in Aurora, Colorado, where, as I type, she is battling with her mother just like she used to do with her littermates. She is "partially housebroken", needing a close eye when running loose. She weighs 30 pounds and her coat is starting to shed a bit (she is one of two pups that had really no evidence of a "poodle-like" coat). She is in her adolescent stage right now, losing teeth, getting bolder, and going through growth spurts - and we love her.

Update Dec 31, 2006. Re: Shedding - when I wrote the above it was after Scarlett had gotten a bath. Hairs did come out then, but we have no loose hair in our house and never find it on our clothing when Scarlett has been on our laps - so I say "VERY little shedding"; less than I imagined from a first generation cross. Scarlett weighs 45 pounds today and is still a bit shorter than her mother, though with a wider bone structure already - for example her hips are noticably wider than her mother's hips. We have also noticed that her head is large and so is her mouth! (Rottweiler side, I guess). These puppy days are going away fast - it's been fun - but I can't wait to see her stature when she is fully mature.

Four month reunion

We are having a reunion of sorts, by posting photos and updates online from our litter over the next few days. However, we also had a real reunion when Finn ("Orange") and Scarlett ("Red") got together at our house on October 25th. By the imprecise - hold puppy and stand on the bathroom scale, then subtract your weight - method, they both weighed about 30 pounds at this time. In the photo above, they are shown in a rare moment of standing still.

Finn and Zeus ("Orange" and "Green")

Directly above you can see Zeus ("Green"). He lives in Pennsylvania and currently weighs 30 pounds. Zeus is very agile, fast and energetic, and is doing well in puppy kindergarten - usually sitting and staying when told. On top is Denver-resident Finn ("Orange"), who now weighs about 30 pounds. Finn loves people but is not as fond of other dogs, although he sure had fun at our house with our three when he visited. Finn is the only puppy of the group that is already fully grown ;) - we "know" this because someone looked at him and said he wouldn't get much larger! Finn's family is planning to cut a new doggie door that he can just barely squeeze through, based on that advice ( just kidding!!)

King Louie and Marshal Tucker ("Black" & "Pink")

Here are four-month photos of Marshal Tucker ("Pink") at the bottom, and King Louie ("Black") shown above. Marshal lives in Arizona and he's had some grooming, as you can tell! He weighed 26 pounds around the time of the photo, but his owner was one of the first to reply and we suspect he has put on some more weight since then. Louie lives in the metro Denver area and he is a quick learner and is very gentle with his family, including two small children. He is also respectful of the family cat - wise choice Louie!

Update: Early Autumn

Here are new photos taken of Harkes (formerly "White"), living in North Carolina, and our Scarlett (formerly "Red"), living in Colorado . They are each wearing a similar red harness, but upon closer inspection you can recogize Harkes by his fuller and longer coat. If you could pick them up, you could also tell them apart, as Scarlett weighs 19 pounds and Harkes weighs 23 pounds! Thanks to Harkes' family for the photo and update - and in another month we will be emailing all the new families to request updates as the puppies hit four months of age.

Harkes is in the top photo; Scarlett below.

On the way home

All the puppies from Ursa's litter have new homes, except Red, who we are keeping. Here are the homes for the first puppies to be taken: Red (Aurora, Colorado), Yellow (Michigan), Multi(So.Cal) , Pink(Arizona), Green (Pennsylvania), Black (Westminster, Colorado). We will miss them when they are gone; tears have actually been shed here, but they are going to good homes and they will have diverse and interesting lives.

Update - here are where the other puppies will be living: White is going to North Carolina; Purple lives nearby in Littleton, Colorado; Blue lives in Spokane; and Orange will be living in Denver.

Check back for updated information regarding future litters (We are getting requests already regarding a waiting list!) Our email is: sclaeson@yahoo.com

A day in the life

All the pups have been to several neighbor's houses, as well as to friends not quite so close. We have kids coming in out house or yard all the time as well. Today they went down the street (a quiet side street) behind their mother (she was on a leash, they were not) and then they all got back in the yard without too much fuss! Yesterday it rained fairly hard here, and they all went out in it, some hung out more under our porch overhang than others. We emptied our ice-maker's storage bin on the ground too, so they could get a sense coldness underfoot - we will do this again soon, so winter won't be a complete surprise to them. Today we did not get much rain, but we had thunder booming right overhead. None of the pups seemed to be concerned.

We keep them in the kitchen with baby gates at night, and two nights ago we heard a crash (not that unusual), but a few minutes later I heard a puppy sound from where there shouldn't have been one, so I went to the head of the stairs and looked down. The living room was filled with puppy activity, which is prohibited at this time of day. Someone, maybe their mom, had knocked the bottom of two gates out and they escaped underneath, while mom obediently stayed in the kitchen. Time for another round-up, then back to bed, for all of us.

Their nails/claws have been trimmed three times now, and they need it again. Last time, Rosemary used both the Dremmel and clippers so they could get used to both (cautious grinding is really a great way smooth them down). We really haven't thought about clipping them, because their coats are still growing out. Rosemary is the "groomer"; she already told me she doesn't want to "mess up" their coats, but I think just a touch of clipping would be a good experience for them. I'll update this if I get my way on that one!

As I write this on August 3rd, they will be six weeks old tomorrow. We will be weighing them again then, I know we will have several into the seven pound area, or maybe beyond.

Profiles of all 10

Here is a photo of our daughter's latest brainstorm, sold to us as an example of "socializing" - camping out in the kitchen with the puppies.

Below are some of our observations of each puppy. We have been getting observations from others throughout the puppy period and will add to the profiles during the week leading up to August 18th.

Green

Green, the boldest explorer, very alert, pays attention to everything, confident stride, calm when nails are groomed, long nose, coat is more wavy, he has a more poodle-like face with a relatively "slim" build (see comment on Blue below), but still looking muscular. He is pack oriented, likes play fighting. (In some photos the bright green ribbon looks yellow, but it really is green). Update: Green is now Zeus and he lives in Pennsylvania.

Black

Black is more independent, quiet, has a mid-sized, more muscular build. His coat is slightly wavy, his nose and set of his eyes are both more poodle-like. He has a upright and powerful Rottie-like stride.

Update: September 3rd. Black went home today, and Rosemary gave him a much needed bath in honor of the occasion (our vet said it's OK, they can regulate their body temperature now). Drying him, she noticed a tighter kink in hairs on his coat, not a Poodle coat, but very much a needs-clipping coat. We will have photos of him as he grows and we predict he will be clipped at least some in those pictures as he matures. Many of his littermates should be similar, especially White, Purple, Multi, Blue, and Green, and maybe even Orange and Pink. Red and Yellow will be interesting to watch, as they have relatively shorter coats, but still wavy.

Black's name is King Louie and he lives in the metro Denver area. The top photo above, is him at four months of age.

Orange

Orange is compact but strong, like a “pint sized rottie”, he would be the “runt” but for his powerful build, (he has the smallest body in height, but is quite wide, and has the shortest muzzle of all). He has a middle-of-the-road disposition, is calm during nail grooming, and his hair is more straight. He is the most unique dog of the group, and except for his dimensions, he is the most Rottweiler-like of all. We, of course, won't name puppies that will be living elsewhere - but we have nicknamed him - "Mighty Mouse". (For a look at his "other end" see the post below titled: "trying hard to do it right").

Update: After the Puppy Aptitude Test, we discovered that Orange is among the "hardest" in temperament. He got all 3's except one 4 (elevation dominance) , and two 2's (sight sensitivity and stability). He will be a great dog for someone who has some dog training experience and who is willing to devote the time (even 15 minutes every day). The ideal new owner will be able to develop one of those dogs everyone admires when they see him - radiating confidence and loyalty.

I cannot believe we still have him available, but if you are interested in him, please be aware that we want to be sure potential owners are prepared to train him. If he is not trained he will be a handful with his drive and intelligence. We do not want him to end up as an unruly young adult and at the animal shelter when he is nine months old. He will be a great guard dog and excellent family member as well, if you help him develop to his considerable potential.

Orange lives in Denver and his name is Finn. His tongue is always hanging out when I've photographed him because he's running around so much. With his plush coat, his tongue is his primary "cooling system".

Pink

Pink, wins play fights but not overly aggressive, huge and powerful, but agile, male (the largest one of all), very confident, has a rottie body with a “hybrid face”(medium nose, more of a "poodle-set" to the eyes), has more of a straight coat, loves to explore, very friendly and human oriented, wags his tail the most, loves to nuzzle and kiss.

White

White, likes to cuddle, middle-of-the-road disposition, medium to large sized, not among the tallest, but still 2nd heaviest on July 25, by a growing margin. More square, Rottweiler-like face, hair is starting to get wavy, eyes are dark, not bluish as in photo. He is very calm, as puppies go he can be described as "relaxed", it is easy to trim his nails.

Update: White has always been the quiet one, he is the calmest of all. His hair is now certainly the longest and bushiest of all, he will need trimming or will be the "shaggy dog". He is easily trained with treats, and should be very good (with your continued socialization) with children, older people, or in a crowd. Although heavy, he still bounds around like a puppy, and should have some of that bulky-agility of Rottweilers.

(Note: regarding eyes, these puppies all have eyes that are now quite dark in real life, but the camera still lights them up blue - I guess it is flash caused "blue eye"? - like human "red eye"?)

White now lives in North Carolina, where his family has named him Harkes after the Hall of Fame soccer player, John Harkes.

Multi

Multi is very vocal – he barks, squeals, and growls, very affectionate, even tempered, very playful (one of the most playful), head and build more rottie-shaped, hair is wavier, he is confident and a very happy tail wagger. He is now firmly established, along with Pink and White as one of the "big boys"; in fact he is only two ounces under "big Pink" and only one ounce under White as of August 9th, and could easily become the largest at any moment.