# Charlie is Growing Up Fast!



## Pearce Pastures (Jan 13, 2013)

I cant believe how big he is getting already.  He has a great demeanor, nothing like I have seen in our previous dogs.  He sits and watches everything going on in the play area and the back acre, occasionally takes a walk around the perimeter, going in for a drink and then comes back out to watch some more.  

He is getting out much more with the goats on his own now that they have established some rules with each other.  He does not bounce up to them and they do not feel the need to pop him every chance they get.  He has his own area of the barn still of course to sleep, eat and drink, or just escape if he needs too.  

We are starting to let him out with our adult birds under our supervision too.  So far, he is doing great, pretty well ignoring them but lying down when they or the goats come by him.  A few of the birds went into his space and started to get into his food bowl.  He followed them in, sat down, and just waited (I got them out because they don't need his food anyway but I was impressed that he didn't pester them).  Learning curves and speed bumps are surely ahead but we are very glad we did this.


----------



## greenbean (Jan 13, 2013)

He is so cute!    I'd want to pick him up and love on him all day probably, how do you resist!


----------



## neener92 (Jan 13, 2013)

Adorable!


----------



## bonbean01 (Jan 13, 2013)




----------



## ThreeBoysChicks (Jan 13, 2013)

Sounds like he is doing wonderful.


----------



## goatsintheopen (Jan 13, 2013)

AW!!  He is SOO cute!! 

 Looking at those pictures makes you wanna to go and hug up on him. 

 they are absolutely Adorable as pups.. mine looked like teddy bears.


----------



## Grazer (Jan 13, 2013)

Like other posters said: he is so very adorable! It looks like you picked a winner 
His temperament sounds really promising


----------



## Tiss (Jan 13, 2013)

I'm in love! Pyr pups are just the cutest things EVER!


----------



## babsbag (Jan 13, 2013)

The chickens eating the dog's food is a daily battle. I can't teach the birds to leave the food alone so I let the dogs do it. I try to feed the dogs before letting the chickens out in the morning, but I have a few birds that don't sleep in the coop so they are always afoot at feeding time. Sometimes the dogs growl at the birds and other times they just nudge the birds out of the dish. I wish the birds would learn to just leave it be but I guess dog food is really yummy to them.

I do let the dogs protect their food from the chickens, but not from me, each other, or goats. But the goats are SELDOM where the dogs are eating.

He sure is a cute ball of fur.


----------



## WhiteMountainsRanch (Jan 13, 2013)

*The first pic is SOOOO cute!!! *


----------



## babsbag (Jan 14, 2013)

Don't you just love those punk hair-doos on those puppies?


----------



## Stubbornhillfarm (Jan 14, 2013)

Ohhhh....thanks for sharing!  He is super cute and sounds like he is off to an amazing start!


----------



## Pearce Pastures (Jan 14, 2013)

Thank you thank you!    He is gaining weight and height like I cannot believe!!

Just in case anyone decides to get one of these sweeties, and is a nervous nellie like me, the advice I got from the great people on here is dead on.  Here is kind of a summary of what I have learned so far (he is not by any means done training of course---it has only been a matter of weeks   ):

For the first few weeks, we penned him next to the goats almost 24x7 to let them feel each other out, and had supervised visits with the goats out of his pen a few times a day.  He slept, ate, and played inside his pen almost exclusively.The goats were terrified because our have never had a dog in their pen.  They were shaking, scared, and ready to attack this little thing.  It took about a week before they got past that stage and moved onto curiosity accompanied by warning butting him.

He did get knocked down a few times, but I did my best to not "save him" and focused on loving all over the goats in front of him to show him they were very important to me.  When our meat wether (who is kind of pushy) started to look like he might get too rough, I went over to the goat, pet him and steered him subtlety away from the puppy without letting Charlie know I was doing him a favor.

For about 20 minutes a day, we let him inside to practice obedience stuff (don't pee inside, sit, stay, come, down). He does NOT respond to an angry voice at ALL---the more lovey the voice and approach, the quicker he got it when we worked on these.  A few times a week now, we are taking him on a leash around the property and are doing more training outside.

This week, we are leaving open the escape door into his pen so he can interact with the goats all day, but get away from them if he needs to or wants to get a drink, eat, or nap.  

Also, I put a small, open faced brooder with baby chicks in it two weeks ago, inside his pen to establish some socialization with them very early on (poultry training, from what all I have read about and talked about with the pros, will take time though and I fully anticipate some future challenges once he gets older and wants to play with them more).  When we are home, we are starting some supervised visits with the adult birds in the yard (especially with our big rooster who will not take crap from a puppy).  

He is being wormed weekly with a tablet that covers 7 types of internal parasites, is on a vaccination schedule and few twice a day (the vet approved his worming schedule and medication).  For any new person reading this, all puppies have internal parasites and are usually born with them or acquire them almost immediately after birth through nursing on mom.  I did not know that


----------



## Shelly May (Jan 14, 2013)

Sounds like you have it under control, He is Adorable and I hope everyone interested in getting one follows your steps.
Good Luck with your baby.


----------



## poorboys (Jan 15, 2013)

So glad that you are enjoying him, so far out of about 40 puppies I haven't had any complaints, Sounds like your doing a great job on his training.


----------



## Pearce Pastures (Feb 2, 2013)

Charlie update picture...


----------



## Pearce Pastures (Feb 2, 2013)

One more...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




We got a bath today.


----------



## Straw Hat Kikos (Feb 2, 2013)

Gettin big for sure.


----------



## ThreeBoysChicks (Feb 2, 2013)

Is she thinking that if she does this ever week, she will always be able to do it.  I fear soon, we will not be able to see your daughter at all in the picture.

Wonderful picture and Charlie is very handsome.


----------



## Pearce Pastures (Feb 2, 2013)

ThreeBoysChicks said:
			
		

> Is she thinking that if she does this ever week, she will always be able to do it.  I fear soon, we will not be able to see your daughter at all in the picture.
> 
> Wonderful picture and Charlie is very handsome.


  Not sure what she is thinking---he is just about the same weight as she is now and he is going to overtake her probably by next week   He is so sweet and obliging about it though, which makes me happy because those kids are forever in the barn loving on all the animals.


----------



## Southern by choice (Feb 2, 2013)

You are so won over!   I love it! He sure is special isn't he.

Yep- getting big and purdier by the day! Wait til he's 4 months you are going to go...   and at 5...   and at six..


----------



## Grazer (Feb 2, 2013)

Charlie has grown a lot and he has such a beautiful coat. I can already tell, he is going to be one stunning dog when he fully matures and especially during the winter months.


----------



## GLENMAR (Feb 5, 2013)

He's sooo cute.


----------



## Pearce Pastures (Feb 5, 2013)

Thank you.  He does turn some heads at the vets office.  The vet took him out after his shot yesterday to show him to a few other people in the office, and to a couple who had a little terrier puppy who is the same age but so teeny next to our moose.  

LOVE HIM!!


----------



## poorboys (Feb 5, 2013)

he is pretty thanks for sharing updated pics.....


----------



## Pearce Pastures (Feb 18, 2013)

My little tough guy...he knew he heard something (me sneaking some pictures from the kitchen window).


----------



## alsea1 (Feb 18, 2013)

What a cute pup.


----------



## poorboys (Feb 19, 2013)

looks great!


----------



## Southern by choice (Feb 19, 2013)

Just brings a big smile!


----------

