Puppies on the Move!

Today, our intrepid little explorers made their biggest move yet of their young lives. A day trip out into the large, enclosed grazing area next to the kraal! They weren’t too sure at first and didn’t even want to follow mom, Aleya. After much encouragement (and by that I mean having to carry them!), they were safely ensconced in their new environment. But they weren’t happy about being somewhere strange and, at first, tried to find a way out through the fence!

We left them for a while to settle in and to make friends with the dairy goats, and then all went quiet. Who needs a huge field when there’s a lovely spot of shade next to the water trough and under a lovely tree? These little guys aren’t stupid, that’s for sure.

They will spend every day for the next couple of weeks out here, getting used to a bigger area and being able to stretch those short, stumpy legs! Good training for when they go off to their new homes. We’ll keep you updated on their progress! 

Puppy Visits!

The puppies that went to their new homes a couple of weeks ago were due their 12 week rabies vaccinations so a dog road trip was in order. The puppies had been placed in the Otjiwarongo, Okakarara and Grootfontein areas so I was able to do a circular trip over two days. I was also visiting four adult dogs for their annuals and boosters.

The trip started nice and early on Monday morning (5.30am) amid a crashing thunder and lightning storm. But the sun soon came out and the temperatures rose! It had rained overnight in certain areas and what a strange sight it was to see great puddles in the road.

I am happy to report that all of the puppies have settled in well at their farms and they are all working well with the young goats and lambs. They have also grown at a rapid rate. One of the females is very advanced for her age and is already going out for a couple of hours in the morning on a leash with the herder! 

Apparently she loves being out in the bush and she’s already becoming an excellent guard dog.

They all received their rabies shot, some more calmly than others, and I gave them a spot-on formula (Advantage Multi) for fleas, ticks and internal worms and parasites. Thanks to some generous donations I was also able to leave de-worming medication for the puppies to ensure they are kept healthy during our hot, wet summer season.

The puppies will receive another visit when they reach six months to check on their progress and we’ll post another update then.  

--Anja Bradley

The donations that Anja is referring to is an example of our "Wish List" in action -- click here and see if there is something that you can donate to assist our team in Namibia.

Puppy Day!

It’s amazing how quickly time goes, especially when you’re a little puppy! But Feliz’s little ones have grown big and strong, and it’s time for them to make their own way in the big wild world of a livestock guarding dog.

At CCF we hold a ‘Puppy Day’ for our future owners of the puppies. This gives us a chance to hold informal training sessions on raising and training, problems and advice as well as basic healthcare and nutrition. This day gives CCF a chance to get to know the farmers and is always good fun for all! Especially when it comes to choosing which puppy to take home.

This time round we placed five puppies: three females and two males. One of the females has been placed as a future breeding dog for CCF so we look forward to reporting on that once she is fully grown and ready to have puppies of her own!

The puppies will be closely monitored over the coming months with a visit at 12 weeks for their rabies vaccinations, followed by a six month progress check. They will then be visited at a year old to receive their booster vaccinations and to check on their progress as by this time they should be mature working dogs.

In the meantime we wish them luck in their future careers, protecting small-stock from predators  and helping to save cheetahs across Namibia! 

-- Anja Bradley