Shirley x Zero

Current Litter

GCH Invictus Nightmare Before Xmas, JC
("Zero")
x
GCH Luvakis Ekundu's Don't Call Me Shirley, SC, RE, CD, MX, MXJ, VC, HIC, CGC, CGCA
("Shirley")

We update this page with real-time information about our current litter and all their important updates and milestones as they grow and learn with us.
Please check back for updates or email us with any questions you may have.

All puppies from this litter have found their fur-ever homes.

Please watch our Planned Breedings page for updates and information about our next litter.

Mark Your Calendar: Important reminder dates for our puppy families...

Now: Tour, interview and meet the staff at local training centers and veterinary facilities in preparation of puppy's arrival. Ensure you've selected puppy's crate area in your home and begin to assemble all the things puppy is going to need once he arrives at his new home. Remember, there are lots of things coming with puppy. Click here for a list of items we will be sending home with you and your pup.
Once you've selected a training facility, remember to inquire about the start date for their next session so you can enroll your puppy early.
Once you've selected a veterinary facility, be sure to complete new patient information and have the reception staff start a record for your puppy; this will make things go a lot more smoothly and quickly at your first visit.
January 24th through February 15th: Schedule your family puppy visit. This can be at your home or ours. Remember, this is very important for us to match the right puppy with your family.
February 21st, 11AM: Puppy Party!! We'll have food and info out the wazoo, so bring your appetite and plan on about 2 hours before everyone is ready to head home with their new family member!
February 23rd: This is optional, but many folks like to head to their vet's office for an initial exam and a fun meet-and-greet visit. This is a great opportunity to meet the staff and for puppy to have a pleasant, cookie-filled experience at their new doctor's office... no unpleasant pokes or prods this visit.
February 23rd through March 13th: Feel free to fit in as many "fun" visits to the vet's office, as well as other car ride adventures before puppy goes for his next vaccination.
March 14th: Puppy's last distemper-parvo combination vaccine needs administered today. Schedule this as soon as possible to ensure you can make your appointment for the time that best suits your schedule.
April 18th: Puppy's rabies vaccine should be administered between now and May 30th. Remember most areas require puppy to have this vaccine administered and be registered with the county by 6 months of age. Again, schedule this as soon as possible to ensure you can make your appointment for the time that best suits your schedule.
May 30th: Puppy should have completed his first puppy kindergarten class; be sure to look into starting the next one in succession. And don't forget us! Have you called or emailed with an update yet? If not, please do so. We want to know how things are going for you and your pup. :~)

Watch Us Grow...

Week 12... We're headed home!

Thorin
Luvakis Shirley's Thorin Eikinskjaldi

Ramesses
Luvakis Shirley's Ramesses II

BroCode (Bro for short)
Luvakis Shirley's Legen- Wait For It -dary!

Week 11...

Lock
(AKA Thorin)

Shock
(AKA Ramesses)

Barrel
(AKA Bro)

Week 10...

Here are the commands we're currently working on...
Off = keep you feet off (of me, the furniture, the table, the counter, etc.) Off is NOT interchangeable with or mean the same as DOWN. Down means (lay) down, Off means (get your feet) off.
Sit = sit when told, anywhere, any direction, just put your butt on the floor
Down = down when told, anywhere, any direction, just keep those elbows and hocks securely on the floor
Stand (Kick-back style) = stand but when doing so keep your front feet planted and kick back with your rear end
Front = come sit between my front feet, facing me (No jumping allowed!) Do not practice front and Get In or Around together; this can translate to one continuous command to puppy and result in and automatic finish.
Get In = come into heel position by passing in front of me to my left
Around = come into heel position by passing behind me to my right
Let's Go = heel; move with me at the same time and at the same speed as me (REMEMBER TO LEAVE ON YOUR LEFT FOOT - the leg closest to puppy gives him the visual cue to move or not)
(Automatic Sit) = There is NO command for this. It is presumed puppy will automatically sit when you halt (stop heeling). Puppy does this by visual cue only. Remember to **slow** your pace in the last few strides to aid the visual cue; don't stop abruptly. Your left foot should be the last to come to rest and this should be at the same time as puppy's butt hits the floor.
Easy = slow down, you're forging ahead of me while heeling (low, slow tone)
Quick = speed up, you're lagging behind me while heeling (high, sharp, quick tone)
Stay (Sit or Down) = DO NOT MOVE! I will come back to you before we go again. (REMEMBER TO LEAVE ON YOUR RIGHT FOOT - the leg closest to puppy gives him the visual cue to move or not).
Wait (Sit or Down) = Do not move, I'll give you a command to move towards me in just a few moments. (REMEMBER TO LEAVE ON YOUR RIGHT FOOT - the leg closest to puppy gives him the visual cue to move or not). This command is most often used before a recall (Come).
Come = run to me and don't stop along the way! (No jumping allowed when puppy gets to you.) NEVER EVER USE THIS WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE IT UNTIL PUPPY IS 100% RELIABLE 100% OF THE TIME!!!! For some dogs, this could mean never using this command off-lead until they're two years old or older. NEVER scold him by using this command to call him to you; only good/positive things come from you when he responds to this command.
Stop = don't move; puppy can remain in any position, but they must stop forward motion. This again can be a safety command like Come. It is a great way to keep puppy from rushing over to investigate something hazardous you might have dropped (glass dish, chicken bones, etc.) or to prevent him from crossing a street to come to you. Ultimately, this command is given from quite a distance away to help puppy keep his distance from whatever it is that may be hazardous to him should he approach you. (This command can be modified to a "drop on recall" by always asking puppy to quickly assume a down position when the command is given.)

Please keep in mind, not all of these commands have been worked equally. Some have only recently been introduced this week, others we've been working on for better than a month.
Yes, we use a *LOT* of luring at this stage. The purpose of this is to help the puppy understand what is being asked of them and to ensure consistent success. Moving away from luring to actually testing their knowledge and rewarding correct behaviors will be the next step for them to transition to in the coming months. As willing as these puppies are to please, that transition should be quite smooth. Just remember to use lots of patience, practice and consistency; they really do pick things up AMAZINGLY quick!

Pardon the poor audio; please refer to the definitions to the left for clarification on any commands you cannot hear well.
Videos do expand to full screen, just click on the Full Screen button along the bottom menu bar under each video.
Yes, many of my clicks are not timed well. I don't do terrifically well trying to talk to the camera and concentrate on puppy at the same time, but hopefully you get the idea.
Again, if you have any questions or want to see something re-demoed, just let me know.

Front, Return to Heel and
Heel with Automatic Sit
(Thorin)

More Return to Heel
(Bro)

Sit, Down and Stand
(Thorin)

Long Sit (Sit-Stay) and
Long Down (Down-Stay)
(Thorin)

Come, Wait and Stop
(Bro)

Quick Drills - All Exercises
(Ramesses)

Lock
(AKA Thorin)
Now in ORANGE

Shock
(AKA Ramesses)
Still in RED

Barrel
(AKA Bro)
Now in YELLOW

Week 9...

Well, the puppies have had quite the adventurous week. Last Friday, Saturday and Sunday they visited Erie, PA for the weekend. On Saturday they visited the Erie Kennel Club dog show and participated in the Meet the Breed event where they interacted with many different breeds and met dozens of new people (see photos in the Week 8 slideshow). Sunday the puppies eagerly interviewed one of our fabulous puppy families, and Lock picked his fur-ever home with his new mommy, Alex.
Tuesday of this past week saw them back in Erie, and another successful adventure and long car ride under their belts.
This past Saturday they took a particularly long (four and a half hour) car tip to La Porte, IN to meet our other wonderful puppy family. The pups all had a wonderful time meeting so many new people and many new wonderful dog friends. After the puppies interviewed Stephanie, Jason and family, it was clear Shock had found his new fur-ever family, too.

Lock
(AKA Thorin)

Shock
(AKA Ramesses)

Barrel
(AKA Bro)

Week 8...

Week 8 is our structural assessment week.
Sorry, only boring stacked photos this week.
Candid photos with Simba will be back next week.

Lock

Shock

Barrel

Week 7...

Lock

Shock

Barrel

Week 6...

Just like the big kidz, the puppies are eager beavers when it comes to food, too! And yep, they've quickly graduated from just the addition of the potty pool to an entire play area!

Lock

Shock

Barrel

Week 5...

Sorry this video isn't great. I'm trying to get used to the new camera.

Thank you to my sister and her two children for visiting this past week and helping socialize the puppies, as well as take photos of the puppies after my camera went kaputz.