Nine weeks and more goodbyes

Nine weeks often brings a few more departures.

Some puppies leave right at eight weeks, others stay a little longer depending on travel plans, finding the right families, development and timing. But slowly the pack begins to shrink.

Each puppy leaves with their own personality, their own little quirks and their own set of memories made here in these early weeks.

It is a strange feeling watching them go. You spend weeks completely immersed in their lives, feeding schedules, cleaning, weighing, socialising and watching them grow.

And then one by one they head off to the people who have been waiting for them.

There is always excitement when they go to the right homes. Families who understand the breed, who are ready for the chaos, the energy and the commitment that comes with raising a German Shepherd puppy.

But there is also always a moment where you notice the quiet.

A missing puppy in the pile. One less set of footsteps racing across the yard.

The pack slowly changing shape.

I send all of my puppies home with all the things to get them started, there first bed, food they have been on, toys, there first collars and leads, supplements, introductory pet insurance, training pads… It is important to me that they get the best possible start in there new homes, and not to mention they grow out of these things so quickly that I would hate for owners to waste money in the beginning when they have the dogs entire life to spoil them.