my furry feathery family

today i drove far for a little lady. a fluffy girl with sweet eyes, who licks my nose and is smaller than my cats (for now).
today i met my future daughter, first dog of my own. she doesn't have a name yet, but i am beyond excited! she is an australian shepard (aka. aussie) - a herding dog! perfect for my little farm of cats, chickens, vegis and art making.
i also visited a potential new home with lots of land for free range chickens, vegi growing, puppy hula hoop jumping, outdoor dining and mountain views... things are shaping up. and i can't wait till i get to take my pup home. what will my cats think of their new baby sister? my chickens will probably be a bit alarmed. any tips on the introduction process? tell me everything!
i am glowing with happy feelings today. there is nothing quite like a new addition to your furry / feathery family.

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12 comments:

  1. Elsie LauAugust 29, 2011 at 4:37 PM

    yaaaayy! i want to hug and kiss that precious puppy dog of yours. she's beautiful!

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  2. AlyciaAugust 29, 2011 at 5:15 PM

    oooooh! she's so adorable!! how exciting :)

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  3. AnnaAugust 29, 2011 at 5:51 PM

    oh my gosh, I've had MAJOR puppy fever lately. so I am tremendously happy for you and she is just adorable, Bianca!

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  4. UnknownAugust 29, 2011 at 6:29 PM

    Awww what a cutie pie! Well to introduce the kitties I recommend letting them sniff a towel or blanket that belongs to the pup so they can get used to her smell before they have to interact. Sometimes I recommend putting that towel near their food bowls (if they really enjoy eating) so that they associate puppy smell with good things. Make sure the pup doesn't tease the cats too much and that they get lots of attention so they don't feel left out.

    Whenever the cats tolerate the pup give them a reward of some kind. If they get super stressed out you can get a feline pheromone spray called feliway (or whatever you have locally at the pet store). Make sure the kitties have a safe place that the pup can't get to so they can retreat as needed.

    I don't have much experience introducing new pets to chickens but I would figure the same sort of logic applies. Let them get used to the smell and reward them when they are good.

    The hardest part will probably be keeping the pup from trying to play with the siblings all the time.

    Its all about rewarding good/desired behavior so they associate the puppy with good things. If you have any other questions please feel free to email me! (I work full time as a vet tech)

    PS-NEVER ever force them to interact if they really want to. And supervision with the chickens at all times is a good idea even though she is herding breed sometimes the predator-prey instinct is very strong until they learn otherwise.

    Hope this helps!

    peace.love.pawprints
    craftafarian at gmail dot com

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  5. UnknownAugust 29, 2011 at 6:31 PM

    That should read "never ever force them to interact if they really DONT want to"

    =^.^=

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  6. mother of purlAugust 30, 2011 at 12:24 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  7. mother of purlAugust 30, 2011 at 12:25 AM

    Oh My Word, she is just the sweetest little ball of fur I ever saw! Wishing you all a happy life together and I hope the new pad works out xx

    (sorry about above, I missed out an essential word!)

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  8. Natalie (NJ in L.A.)August 30, 2011 at 2:57 AM

    You've got quite the group there! xo

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  9. ann ladsonAugust 30, 2011 at 5:30 AM

    Australian Shepherds are wonderful, smart dogs. Totally adorable. Enjoy the puppy breath because before you know it, it smells rotten. My 7 year old collie could stop a mac truck with her mouth open. she is still really sweet though.
    Congratulations.

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  10. AnonymousAugust 30, 2011 at 6:32 AM

    i'm a new reader over here... and I WANT CHICKENS. how adorable is that puppy!?

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  11. bAugust 31, 2011 at 8:25 AM

    super duper thanks for all the love and support! i am very excited to share lots of new photos of my girl working it in the new garden - watched some you tube videos and she is going to for sure be a chicken herder!
    @Lindsay - these are AMAZING tips. done and done. thank you SO MUCH. :)

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  12. UnknownSeptember 1, 2011 at 7:32 PM

    PUPPY! I loveee puppies, she'd adorable! I love sheepdogs, they're so beautiful and loving. You'll find a wonderful loyal friend in her <3

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