Post by mommaof10 on Feb 4, 2011 11:08:43 GMT -5
Ruby, our female English Shepherd, birthed 13! puppies last night. This is her first litter, so we were rather surprised that they just kept popping out! I didn't get to bed until 2 am and I was sick all day yesterday to boot.
So far, they all seem to be doing well. We're watching out for the low dogs on the dominance scale to make sure they're eating. And we're praying that momma has enough milk for 13 pups!
If anyone is looking for an all around farm and family dog, please let me know. English Shepherds need family attention, are very loyal and loving and are your right hand dog with the livestock and farm order department.
They know where all of the livestock belong and let you know if someone is out of their place. They will put them back where they belong if you're not home and keep them there until you arrive to secure the wayward animal. They are a soft-eyed herder and can be trained to work the livestock as you want them to........not how they want to........which many other herding dogs are known for. They will not exhaust the stock either. They know how to calmly lay down and be quiet at the right times and when to become active and go to work.
Different lines of ES's are known for their dominant traits. ES's will have a combination of temperament, farm/livestock/herding ability, and guarding instincts. Copper, our daddy, comes from a temperament first line of ESs. He is truly the most loving and affectionate dog. His second dominant trait is watching out for the animals. I haven't seen him display any guarding against harm instincts in him yet, but he's not yet 2 and I'm told that the intact male dogs will start displaying this instinct around 2 yo.
Ruby seems to equally demonstrate all of the 3 ES traits. She is very loving.....once she gets to know you and approves of you ; ) She wants to mother the baby livestock and care for them as she does her puppies. She works well with Copper with the livestock. She is very intuitive about people and watching out for us if there are new people around.
Both dogs love our children immensely. We have truly been blessed by our English Shepherds, who are very much a part of our family.
My daughter is finishing the website for our English Shepherds. Ruby delivered a few days early so we're behind the curve on this. When we get it up, I'll add the url here. Until then, you can see a post on our family blog about Ruby and Copper, the parents of these pups at plymouthrockranch.com/blog/?p=2336.
I'll update when we have the ES website up and running...........I'm hoping by Saturday.
Blessings,
Laralee
So far, they all seem to be doing well. We're watching out for the low dogs on the dominance scale to make sure they're eating. And we're praying that momma has enough milk for 13 pups!
If anyone is looking for an all around farm and family dog, please let me know. English Shepherds need family attention, are very loyal and loving and are your right hand dog with the livestock and farm order department.
They know where all of the livestock belong and let you know if someone is out of their place. They will put them back where they belong if you're not home and keep them there until you arrive to secure the wayward animal. They are a soft-eyed herder and can be trained to work the livestock as you want them to........not how they want to........which many other herding dogs are known for. They will not exhaust the stock either. They know how to calmly lay down and be quiet at the right times and when to become active and go to work.
Different lines of ES's are known for their dominant traits. ES's will have a combination of temperament, farm/livestock/herding ability, and guarding instincts. Copper, our daddy, comes from a temperament first line of ESs. He is truly the most loving and affectionate dog. His second dominant trait is watching out for the animals. I haven't seen him display any guarding against harm instincts in him yet, but he's not yet 2 and I'm told that the intact male dogs will start displaying this instinct around 2 yo.
Ruby seems to equally demonstrate all of the 3 ES traits. She is very loving.....once she gets to know you and approves of you ; ) She wants to mother the baby livestock and care for them as she does her puppies. She works well with Copper with the livestock. She is very intuitive about people and watching out for us if there are new people around.
Both dogs love our children immensely. We have truly been blessed by our English Shepherds, who are very much a part of our family.
My daughter is finishing the website for our English Shepherds. Ruby delivered a few days early so we're behind the curve on this. When we get it up, I'll add the url here. Until then, you can see a post on our family blog about Ruby and Copper, the parents of these pups at plymouthrockranch.com/blog/?p=2336.
I'll update when we have the ES website up and running...........I'm hoping by Saturday.
Blessings,
Laralee