LITTERS
2008 UPDATE
Here at 'Kirbyholme' were are pleased to annouce that "Bayli', our gorgeous black/white girl has been mated to our handsome boy. "Deejay".
"Bayli" is due anyday now. This 'Springtime Litter" will be "Bayli" and "Deejay's" first union. We are expecting a quality litter that will produce wonderful companions and well as top performance dogs. Pregnancy has certainly agreed with "Bayli" and she is looking at her very best. Her coat is thick and has a glorious shine and, even though she is still fairly active she has induldged in some quality time-out in the sun where she has enjoyed being pampered and cuddled.
As soon as we have our new 'family' photos will be posted for you all to enjoy.
If you are interested in purchasing a puppy please fill out our questionaire and we will be more than happy to put you on our waiting list.
“Springtime Litter” now eight weeks old and are ready to tackle their next adventure, leaving home!
Here at “Kirbyholme” we do everything we can to ensure that our “babies” are healthy, happy and ready to take on the world. They are given every opportunity to develop all the skills that they will require to become well adjusted, confident and loyal companions.
Puppies at eight weeks of age are very impressionable and are capable of learning good and not so good behaviors! They require constant supervision so they don’t form inappropriate manners, they need careful, confident and clear instructions so they can understand what is expected of them, positive reinforcement, plenty of praise and heaps of patience will mould the puppy into the perfect companion that will fit smoothly and happily into their new life.
Eight weeks of age is the ideal time to take a new puppy home, but it is also the start of the fear/avoidance period which usually last for a couple of weeks. If the puppy feels insecure or gets unsure in unfamiliar surroundings he will instinctively seek out his ‘new guardian” (YOU) which, indirectly helps with the bonding process.Puppies will follow you eagerly and in doing so will gain confidence in their new surroundings.
Please remember that everyday objects that look normal to us, can in fact appear very scary to a young puppy, especially when they are so close to the ground! It is very important to make sure that you don’t inadvertently scare your puppy, for example: starting the lawn mower when your puppy is casually walking by, dropping something near the puppy, turning the TV or radio on full blast, starting up the washing machine, dragging the wheelie bin out, screaming at the kids, having children run about squealing, having a neighbors dog bark at him, move suddenly towards your puppy etc. Even the most well adjusted and laid back puppy can get a scare which can lead to major problems later in life. With careful guidance your puppy will become familiar and comfortable with these new experiences and together will have a wonderful life!
"Springtime Litter Update 6 - 7 weeks"
“Springtime Litter” now six weeks old and are simply adorable. These youngsters have been well handled and are quite happy to “pose’ for a group photo! Each puppy gets individual play sessions and through positive rewarding methods learn basic commands. |
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Vaccination, worming and a general health check is done at six weeks. These pups greeted the Vet with licks and tail wags and were just as happy afterwards! Early handling with confident, positive interactions with nice “humans” helps them form positive associations. Pictured is “Scout” receiving his vaccination, he was so good. |
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Puppies are finding new ways to amuse themselves and they can make a game out of anything! From now on the pups will test their skills of strength, determination and confidence and will pit themselves against each other. Pictured is “Star” and “Savvy” ‘attacking’ the broom! |
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Six week old puppies are like ‘toddlers’ and sharing doesn’t come easy! Again this game of tug-o-war was actually a test of dominance and will power…who was going to back down, who was going to win? Pictured is “Star”, “Skoota” and “Savvy”. (“Star” claimed the prize!) |
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Being able to explore and investigate their surroundings at night is just as important as during the day. Smells and sounds are different and shadows can make everyday objects very scary! Pictured is a very confident “Star” taking everything in. |
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Puppies love to “play’ and it stimulates inventiveness. It helps them problem solve as well as improving coordination. Puppies need lots of mental stimulation and fun activities. Pictured is “Savvy” with his treat ball. Already he has associated rolling the ball releases a tasty treat! |
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“Deejay” their ‘Dad’ is an excellent role model for his “children’. Puppies are very impressionable and need positive associations with their own kind as well as with humans. Pictured is “Scout” and “Star” having a wonderful conversation! |
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“Star” loves to ‘play’ and will amuse herself with whatever she finds. Here she ‘plays’ with a carrot….didn’t her Mam, “Bayli” tell her not to play with her food! Ha ha! |
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Puppies are nearly seven weeks old and their confidence grows daily. Everything is worth a closer look and some things are really interesting! Pictured is “Skoota” who is fascinated with a harmless spider! |
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Constant supervision is important as puppies, just like toddlers, will be amused by the oddest things. Puppies should never be left alone, even for a second, as their inquisitive natures can land them in a lot of trouble. Pictured are “Savvy” and “Scout” checking out the overflow pipe! |
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‘Springtime Litter’ is now seven weeks old. They are maturing into happy, well adjust and adorable youngsters. They all respond and “come” to their names, “sit” happily in-front and are now mastering the “down” command! They all love their cuddles and are very attentive. |
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"Springtime Litter Update 5 weeks"
From week 3 to 5 weeks pups become aware of their surroundings, their doggy and human family and begin to initiate play. Pictured is “Star” 4 weeks 2 days in a typical “play bow”. |
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By week 4 another important part of their social development/skills involves learning how to take care of themselves and how to become more confident and assertive; they learn how to be a DOG! Pictured is “Savvy” testing out his new wrestling technique on “Skoota”!
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Puppies explore with their mouths and nothing is sacred! “Savvy” keeps tight hold of poor “Skootas’ tail as “Skoota’ tries to get away! “Skoota’ got his own back later!
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Body language is a dogs’ main means of communication and by week 4 ½ “Star” has learnt that a lift of the lip and a turn of the head from her Mam, “Bayli” means, (in dog language!) “The toy is mine, go away! “Star” reads her Mam very well! We can learn so much from watching our dogs.
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Respect, showing submissiveness and understanding ranking are important social skills that continue to develop well into the pups first year. Positive experiences with well mannered and good natured dogs are invaluable so that the puppy receives positive associations. Pictured is “Skoota”, nearly five weeks old with his Dad, “Deejay” who quite happily accepts the youngster.
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Week 5 and ‘play’ can become very vocal and sometimes painful as their physical skills are refined. Bite inhibition is very evident now and a pup will end a game and walk away if nipping begins to hurt or ‘play’ becomes too rough! Again we can learn so much! Pictured is “Star” giving “Savvy” a serious lesson in wrestling! |
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Teeth and investigation go hand in hand with growing puppies! Nothing is safe; everything is fair game and will be checked out! Rule of thumb…if it is yours remove it, put it out of reach or else it is your puppies and it will be chewed, ripped, shredded and trashed! Not your puppies fault! But Yours!! Pictured is “Savvy” testing his new ‘chew skill’ on a wicker basket….his!!
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Also by five weeks the pups’ mobility has improvement and they can walk and run very well, although stopping at ‘fast pace ‘still needs a little practice as does knowing when to duck their heads when running under tables and low bushes! Exploring their environment is exciting and rewarding but needs to be full of positive encounters. Pictured is “Star”, “Savvy” and “Skoota” exploring their backyard.
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Puppies are now five weeks 3 days, and even though they are tucking in to five meals a day the ‘mobile milk bar’ is hard to pass up! Pictured is “Bayli’ allowing her ’kids’ to enjoy a milkshake!
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Pups are nearly six weeks old and are very adventurous; love new fun experiences and have very little fear. Their personalities are becoming apparent. Introduction to different sounds and novel/physical stimuli encourages their development. Pictured is “Scout” having fun running through the agility tunnel!
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"Springtime Litter Update"
“Kids” now 20 days old are enjoying their first solid meal! Their little teeth have erupted and within days they will be as sharp as needles. Not only will they be able to enjoy a variety of foods but they will begin to learn the importance of bite inhibition! They are able to urinate and defecate without the help of “Bayli” and they have functional hearing. |
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| “Savvy” and “Skoota” now 3 weeks and doing a lovely “Sit Stay”. Early training is so important! These little guys will be proficient with very basic obedience of: ‘sit’, ‘down’, ‘come’ and ‘heel’ by eight weeks! |  |
| Week 3 and another weigh-in and toe nail clip! Puppies’ nails grow very quickly and need to be trimmed regularly. Pictured is “Savvy who weighs a healthy 1 kg 650 gms! |  |
| By week three the pups movement becomes more co-ordinated and directed as both nervous system and sensory systems mature. To aid their development “Bayli” teaches her “kids” to stand or sit to drink which helps them learn to balance. This is the weaning process. |  |
| Three and a half weeks and the “kids” hit the outdoors for the first time. Their little nose work overtime as they take in all the different smells and their fragile ears pick up all the new sounds. They really enjoyed the experience. |  |
| It’s very tiring learning how to become a ‘dog’. All that mental stimulation really wore them out. Pictured is “Savvy” and “Star” literally flat out! |  |
| Even though “Scout” is only three half weeks old he is already showing a confident attitude and is very happy to check out his new training crate. |  |
Week 4 and the “kids” have their regular weigh-in. This also incorporates their third worming treatment with two more to follow at week 6 and 8. Pictured is “Star” who tips the scales at 1 kg 850 gm, quite a respectable weight for a young lady! |
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"Springtime Litter"
Here at “Kirbyholme” we are delighted to introduce to you our “Springtime Litter”.
“Bayli’ gave birth to a lovely litter of four, one girl and three boys. Over the next couple of months I will add photos and news of their development and adventures.
| “Bayli’ has settled nicely into motherhood and although giving birth was a little daunting at first, she soon got the knack of welcoming her new family into the world. Puppies are born only with a touch and taste sensitivity to the sugar in the milk and a burrowing reflex. They cannot see, smell or hear! Pictured is “Skoota” literally seconds old. |  |
| “Babies” are now four days old, putting on weight and know exactly where the “milk bar” is! “Bayli” is a terrific first time Mam and is loving every minute. They also received their first toe nail clip so as not to scratch “Bayli’s” teats. |  |
| I begin my “babies” worming regime at week 1, and then fortnightly from week 2 through to week 8. Weigh-ins are essential so that the right amount of worming formula is given. Pictured is “Scout” who weighs in at 600gms (birth weight 250gms!) |  |
| All are “babies” receive plenty of internal and external stimuli, conditioning and socializing. Their first ‘doggy’ visitor at 10 days old was their very proud Dad, “Deejay”. He just loves ‘babies’ and it was a mammoth task to get him out of the whelping box! Even though they couldn’t see him the warmth of his body helped them find him. Very soon they were burrowing into his long fur for a snuggle! |  |
| “Babies” are now 2 weeks old and have been quite mobile. They are able to co-ordinate movement and can initiate ‘play’. They do tire very easily and soon it’s time for a ‘puppy cuddle’! |  |
| With week 2 comes their first fortnightly weigh-in and second worming. Pictured is “Skoota” who now weighs a very healthy 900gms (birth weight 350gms!) |  |
| “Babies” are now 16 days old and “Bayli” is loving being a first time Mam. In preparation for their weaning she is beginning to sit while they ‘drink’ rather than lie down. By doing so she is helping them strengthen their muscles. |  |
| By day 17 all pups can stand, sit and lie down quite easily without losing their balance. Pictured is “Star” in a very nice sit position. |
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| As the days pass the ‘babies’ begin to be more adventurous and explore their surroundings. They vocalize now like little dogs rather than kittens and are beginning to show their ‘herding’ and ‘stalking’ instincts! Pictured is ‘Savvy” as he practices his climbing skills! |  |
| Our “Springtime Litter” is now 18 days old and are looking grrr-eat. Pictured the happy foursome with “Savvy” showing off his erupting teeth! |
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EARLY 2008
Our lovely red/white girl,"Diva", Jessomine Blaizn Amaizn and our stunning blue/white boy, "Koda", Kirbyholme Debonaire CD HIT produced a remarkable first litter, all black/white, all nicely marked and all with strong bone and lovely heads.
This"'union" promised a unique mix of quality, substance, and soundness together with attitude and personality and that is exactly what we got.
These "babies" were home reared with lots of TLC. as are all of our 'babies'. At four weeks of age they "camp out" in their outside enclosure where they are carefully introduced to novel stimuli, the inclement weather, socialised and conditioned to the rest of the "Kirbyholme" family, and where they are introduced to puppy training! When our "babies" leave us they are happy to "Sit". "Down". "Come" on command and are used to their collar and are semi toilet trained! Pups come on limit register CCCQ, fully wormed and vaccinated, Border Collie info, puppy training homework, diet sheet, collar, puppy pack and more!
‘Kirbyholme Love Song’ our last litter.
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LEVI |
LUCY |
LACEY |
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LOLA |
LOUIE |
LEXY |
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LULU |
LEAH |
DIVA |
‘Kirbyholme B' s’ previous litter.
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BARNEY |
BOSLEY |
BODIE |
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BOBBY |
BROCKY |
BENNY |
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BINDI |
BING |
BONI |
This litter, of nine gorgeous “babies” were all adopted into wonderful new homes.
We miss all our 'babies' but know that they will give their new “families” many years of love and joy. Kirbyholme Border Collies are “born to please”!
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Border Collies are very versatile, our little darlings are no exception and will happily fit into any lifestyle and will enjoy many of the numerous activities that are available.
Our questionnaire is designed to help us understand your household and what qualities you are looking for in a puppy. Please do not be offended by these questions, as we take placement of our puppies very seriously.
If you are interested in purchasing a Kirbyholme Border Collie, please copy the questions below into an email and answer them honestly. Then email them to us at: kirbyholme@iprimus.com.au.
General
- When did you first become interested in owning a Border Collie?
- Where are you situated?
- Do you have a fenced yard?
- Do you have children? If yes, please list number of children and ages.
- How many hours during the week will your dog spend alone at home?
- Is this dog going to be inside/outside?
- How many dogs have you owned in the past 5 years?
- What breed?
- Do you have other pets now?
- What type of activities are you planning to do with this dog?
Performance buyers: Obedience, Agility, Tracking, Fly-ball, Herding etc.
We feel strongly that all performance dogs should be trained using positive methods. We do guarantee that the dog you are buying is mentally stable and suitable for your performance needs if using positive reinforcement methods. Please tell us a little about your training methods.
- If you are purchasing for a companion only, how do you feel about spaying/neutering?
- Have you ever bred a litter?
- When would you start your puppy in obedience class
- Do you have a crate in your home?
- Do you have a doggy seatbelt?
- What is your main goal with this puppy?
- How would you describe your daily activity level?
Describe your neighbourhood dogs.
- What does your ideal Border Collie look like?
- How would you define an active dog?
- How would you describe an intelligent dog?
- Describe the ideal temperament of the Border Collie that would fit perfectly in your household?
- How often, if you have any other animals, do you visit your vet?
- If you have other animals, how are they going to adjust to the new addition?
- Do you travel/holiday frequently?
- What provisions would you make?
Border Collies can live well over fifteen years, (ours have!). Are you prepared for a life long commitment? We are committed to placing our puppies in the best home possible. We will be glad to answer any questions that you may have about us.
Thank you for letting us get to know you better and we will reply to your email a.s.a.p.
Woofs,
Cora and Dave.
