New Play Things

I went to Walmart, bought two bags of small plastic balls, and made a ball pit for the mini-Trooper pups with the wading pool that had previously been their bedroom. Della's pups had taken to it immediately and really enjoying jumping in and making the balls fly as they played with each other.

The shepherd pups were curious, but much more cautious. I picked them one at a time and tossed them in, but they scrambled out immediately. Instead, they would reach into the pool, grab a ball in the mouth, and run around and play that way. When I went out the next morning about half the balls seemed to be outside the pool, so I'm not sure if one or more of them finally jumped in and played or if they were just unloading the balls one at a time. The Dane pups mostly left the balls alone, and in the pool, unless they got knocked out in the course of play.

The contrasts in the two litters is interesting. The shepherd pups climb in and out of the big water trough like the Danes had done with the ball pit. I don't think I ever saw one of the Dane pups do that. The shepherd pups really seem to enjoy the water. Sometimes I see one just sitting in there. Of course the heat we are having may explain that too. The shepherd pups are not as eager to come out of the air conditioned shed and are more eager to go back in after a brief play period outdoors.

Socializing the shepherd pups during covid-imposed isolation is bit tricky too. They all like being picked up and held, and we've been handling their feet and even trimmed their needle-sharp nails already. If anyone would like to engage in some socially-distanced puppy snuggling time, please let me know.

Meanwhile, over in the other part of Daneland, Kismet and Journey have found new playmates in each other. It took Journey a couple of days to get used to Kismet's Dane-style of play, but he can handle himself with her and he seems to enjoy it just as he enjoys playing with Maya. I haven't left him out there unattended for very long, but I'm trying it this morning and so far he's just hanging out with Kismet, laying next to the fence. I need to work out something that gets him more exercise and I hope this will be it.

I'm also going to try putting a rope harness on him when moving him to and from the outdoor space because he's about to kill my back with his jerking me on the leash. He shoots through the gate or a doorway going in or out of the house and doesn't stop until he reaches the end of the leash. That results in a big jerk to my back. He needs to get that under control or else live with someone younger, bigger, and stronger than me.