About Me

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Lansing, Michigan, United States
This blog will follow the life of the Sympa Shelties, as best as I can :) We are located in Michigan and breed, train, show, and love our Shetland Sheepdogs. You can find out more about us at : Sympa Shelties.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

8 WEEKS OLD

Dora- 9" & 6.1lbs
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Rylee- 7 3/4" & 4.5lbs
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Crickett- 8 3/4" & 5.7lbs
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TJ- 8 3/8" & 4.8lbs
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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

7 weeks

Well, for being 7 weeks old, everyone is in the gray on the Nobel chart ...

Dora - 7 3/4
Crickett - 8 1/4
Rylee - 7 1/4
TJ - 7 1/2


Dora=
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Rylee=
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Crickett=
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TJ=
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Did a bunch more videos in the past couple days as well --- Check them out here: http://www.youtube.com/user/SympaShelties

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Volhard Testing & Grrr- You Tube

YouTube is being slow at processing the videos included in the Blog... If you see a video with a true time value, its working. If it still says 0:00/0:00, it isnt processed yet - even though theres a thumbnail for it ...

YouTube's support says they will be processed in time, sorry I cant do anything else :(

** Supposedly, you can view the videos thru the SympaShelties Channel at This Link.

Some have wondered what the Volhard testing is... Here is a website for more information - http://www.volhard.com/pages/pat.php. The block quote below is taken from that website...

WHAT IS PUPPY TESTING?

Some of the tests we use were developed as long ago as the l930’s for dogs bred to become Guide Dogs. Then in the 1950’s, studies on puppies were done to determine how quickly they learned. These studies were actually done to identify children’s learning stages.

Top Dog Tips: The ideal age to test the puppy is at 49 days of age when the puppy is neurologically complete and it has the brain of an adult dog. With each passing day after the 49th day the responses will be tainted by prior learning.

Later on in the early 60’s more tests were developed to determine if pups could be tested for dominance and submission. These tests determined that it was indeed possible to predict future behavioral traits of adult dogs by testing puppies at 49 days of age. Testing before or after that age, effected the accuracy of the test, depending on the time before or after the 49th day.

We took these tests, added some of our own, and put together what is now known as the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test, or PAT. PAT uses a scoring system from 1-6 and consists of ten tests. The tests are done consecutively and in the order listed. Each test is scored separately, and interpreted on its own merits. The scores are not averaged, and there are no winners or losers. The entire purpose is to select the right puppy for the right home.

The tests are as follows:

1. Social Attraction - degree of social attraction to people, confidence or dependence.
2. Following - willingness to follow a person.
3. Restraint - degree of dominant or submissive tendency, and ease of handling in difficult situations.
4. Social Dominance - degree of acceptance of social dominance by a person.
5. Elevation - degree of accepting dominance while in a position of no control, such as at the veterinarian or groomer.
6. Retrieving - degree of willingness to do something for you. Together with Social Attraction and Following a key indicator for ease or difficulty in training.
7. Touch Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to touch and a key indicator to the type of training equipment required.
8. Sound Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to sound, such as loud noises or thunderstorms.
9. Sight Sensitivity - degree of response to a moving object, such as chasing bicycles, children or squirrels.
10. Stability - degree of startle response to a strange object.

TJ Volhard Test

Unfortunately, the video camera died before his test ... But, these were his results:

Social attraction = 1
Following = 1
Restraint = 3 <- lots of eye contact
Social dominance = 3
Elevation = 4
Retrieving = 2
Touch Sensitivity = 5
Sound Sensitivity = 5
Towel/Stability = 2
Umbrella/Stability = 3

Mixed results, but he is very people oriented, willing to please and would follow his person anywhere. The beginning of the test was somewhat skewed b/c he had just woken up and needed to potty (which he did during the test, then "woke up"), lol.

Crickett Volhard PAT Test

Crickett scored mostly THREEs, which means:
Mostly 3’s -

Can be a high-energy dog and may need lots of exercise
Good with people and other animals
Can be a bit of a handful to live with
Needs training, does very well at it and learns quickly
Great dog for second time owner.


Basically, very focused, not afraid, and very independent.

Individual test results
Social attraction = 3
Following = 2
Restraint = 3
Social dominance = 4
Elevation = 3
Retrieving = 2
Touch sensitivity = 5
Sound sensitivity = 3
Towel/Stability = 2
Umbrella/Stability = 2















Dora Volhard PAT Test

Dora scored mostly THREEs, which means:
Mostly 3’s -

Can be a high-energy dog and may need lots of exercise
Good with people and other animals
Can be a bit of a handful to live with
Needs training, does very well at it and learns quickly
Great dog for second time owner.


Basically, no fear, nothing really phases her, enjoys time with people.

Individual Test Results:
Social attraction = 3
Following = 1
Restraint = 5
Social dominance = 3
Elevation = 3
Retrieving = 3
Touch Sensitivity = 4
Sound Sensitivity = 4
Towel/Stability = 2
Umbrella/Stability = 3

Split up into sections:



















Rylee Puppy Volhard PAT Test

Rylee scored mostly THREEs, which means:
Mostly 3’s -

Can be a high-energy dog and may need lots of exercise
Good with people and other animals
Can be a bit of a handful to live with
Needs training, does very well at it and learns quickly
Great dog for second time owner.


Individual Test Results:
Social attraction = 2
Following = 3
Restraint = 4
Social dominance = 3
Elevation = 3
Retrieving = 2
Touch Sensitivity = 5
Sound Sensitivity = 3
Towel/Stability = 3
Umbrella/Stability = 4

Videos (broken into parts) below:









Monday, March 15, 2010

SIX WEEKS OLD !!! :)

Wow, amazing how time has flown by. I am sure going to miss these little fluff balls when theyre gone - even if having 4 pooping puppies is stinky and a mess to clean up after :)

Sometimes, I wish I was on the other end of the webcam (especially in the mornings!) so I wouldnt be able to smell the stink from overnight - PU :) They love their food! The other reason, sometimes the camera is muted so you dont hear this:



Crickett does sleep and TJ does play,though too:


New food bowl experience today, too:


I also took the pups for their first real car ride today... We went to the vet clinic to get weighed. WOW!
Dora = 4.9 pounds!!
Rylee = 3.7
Crickett = 4.6
TJ = 3.9
After that, we drove to hubby's work where they got to socialize in a new environment [outside] with his co-workers (and even some strangers that stopped to see the cute puppies) :)

And to end with a cute short video, hopefully this video will work!
"The Gate Escape" :)

Friday, March 12, 2010

Outside Time :)

In between the rain today I figured it was warm enough out to take the pups outside. This time I did 2 groups of 2 so I wasnt so overwhelmed :) They checked out the cement, gravel, snow, and grass !!

First out -- Dora & Crickett.


Next up -- Rylee & TJ

Thursday, March 11, 2010

More videos :)

Playtime with mom:






Then ... Escape Time! :)


And, Becoming an artist or composer with the piano :)


MORE VIDEOS CAN BE FOUND HERE === http://www.youtube.com/user/SympaShelties

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Monday, March 8, 2010

1st trip outside

Not in the snow...


Have to revideo the snow one, I was bad and kept turning the camera plus the glare from the sun, sorry!

Almost 5 Weeks Old! :)

All pups are doing wonderfully! Theyre growing like weeds and doing so many new things, too! You can browse the whole litter's photo album here : http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2053616&id=1412833940&l=cfb1a3612b ... In that album they have their first interaction with 'tunnels', children, new toys :)

Female1 = "Dora"

Female 2 = "Rylee"

Female 3 = "Crickett"

Male 1 = "TJ"

Friday, March 5, 2010

KIDS! :)

Visits from a 3yr old & a 5yr old today :)