...And now here they are!
The most daredevil group of daffy drivers to ever whirl their wheels in the Wacky Races
Competing for the title of world's wackiest racer
The cars are approaching the starting line
First, is the Turbo Terrific driven by Peter Perfect
Next is Rufus Ruffcut and Sawtooth in the Buzzwagon
Manoeuvring for position is the Army Surplus Special
Right behind is the Ant Hill Mob in their Bullet Proof Bomb
Then there's ingenious inventor Pat Pending in his Convert-A-Car
Oh! Here's the lovely Penelope Pitstop, the glamour gal of the gas pedal
Next we have the Bouldermobile with the Slag Brothers, Rock & Gravel
Lurching along is the Creepy Coupe with the Gruesome Twosome, and right on their tail is the Red Max
And there's the Arkansas Chug-A-Bug with Luke & Blubber Bear
Sneaking along last is that Mean Machine with those double dealing do-badders Dick Dastardly and his sidekick, Muttley. And even now they're up to some dirty trick
And they're off... to a standing start. And why not, they've been chained to a post, by Dick Dastardly, who shifts into the wrong gear

And away they go... on the way-out Wacky Races

It is absolutely unbelievable that we are already at the point where I am planning for these little “Wacky Racers' ' to take off from the start line and begin their wild adventure with you. I say this every time, and I mean it every time, I have no idea how we are ALREADY at puppy pick time. This is Bella’s retirement litter and I couldn’t be happier with how everything has worked out. These are some beautiful and intelligent puppies. I’m surprised to say that these puppies haven’t been as rambunctious and eager to challenge rules and expectations as much as anticipated. Her last litter with Magic, there were a lot more overachievers in the mischief department.

I know for you the time has been probably dragging and you have been counting down the days like a kid at Christmas, but for me, it has flown entirely too fast. And now, here we are, already at the moment when you must make the significant decision of choosing your precious poodle puppy. From the first tentative wobbles on unsteady legs to the playful antics that have become a cherished part of our day, the time has come to embark on this exciting chapter of welcoming your newest family member into your loving home. As the clock ticks, it's time to take a deep breath, trust your instincts, and make the choice that will forever change your life for the better.

This is a VERY LONG pupdate and has tons of great information. Please take your time and read through everything carefully. There are currently FIVE reservation spaces available, it is anticipated there will be 1 female and 3 males available. Once all deposit holders have made their selections, we will update the Available Puppies page of our website.

I want to take a moment to brag on Bella for a moment. Magic gets bragged on ALLLL the time because he is involved in so much and has become such a prominent part of the poodle community and my program, but Bella doesn’t really get near as much attention as she should.

Bella is an amazing intelligent and intuitive girl. She is one of the smartest dogs I have owned with excellent problem-solving skills. She is also tenacious and eager to please. She is willing to retrieve from water and will brave those THIIIICCCCKKKKK bramble bushes to find sheds and other retrieval objects. She is friendly towards all strangers and other dogs, making her an excellent companion for walking through a busy park.

As a mom, she is patient and attentive, without being overbearing. She teaches puppies by example and gives good, solid corrections. Her puppies have gone off to become service dogs, therapy dogs, hunting companions, and overall nice family companions. She has a puppy currently working as a seizure alert dog. And another as a service dog for her family.

This being Bella’s last litter, I am proud of the legacy she has made and I’m sure she is going to enjoy retirement immensely. She will remain with us and help to guide future puppies through her example and teaching style.

Alright, sorry I digress, let’s get back to business.

All the gathered data is viewable in the spreadsheet. Push the button below to view the spreadsheet. As we move through the process, I will be highlighting and adding the family’s name to the column for each puppy, as they are chosen. After all reservation holders have made their selection, the remaining puppy(ies) will be made available to those interested.

Alright, so you probably opened that spreadsheet and went “WOAHH, what am I looking at!?”. I know I would. You’re probably wondering what the heck does all this mean? Don’t worry, I gotcha!! Keep reading.

BAB Puppy Evaluations

In the past we have done the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT). This was a great test and provides a lot of great information, however, there were a few things in that test I didn’t like and I felt that the test was not the best at honoring the puppies and building trust. One of our primary goals is to teach puppies that the world is safe, people are good, and other dogs are kind. In the Volhard PAT, there are a few steps to the test that work in direct contradiction to that goal. We’ve begun using the BAB Puppy Evaluation designed by Jeanette Forrey of 4E Kennels. This evaluation is more thorough, honors and builds trust with the puppy, and tests the puppy in a more “real” setting.

How Is The Testing Performed?

The puppies are placed into a room they’ve never been in before, on a new surface, and surrounded by new distractions. The tester sits in the middle of the floor, the puppy is placed into the testing area and is given a few moments to wander around, engage with the tester, check out the toys, or just sit and look around. If the puppy hasn’t wandered over to the tester after a few moments, the tester will begin coaxing the puppy to come greet her. After the tester and the pup have built some trust, the tester will begin the test by asking the pup to play with the toys, work on the equipment, walk on a new surface, experience wobbly surfaces, engage with startling objects, handling, and unstable situations. The test is free-flowing and there isn’t a set order for the pups to be asked to complete the activities. If a puppy becomes too stressed, the test may be stopped to allow the puppy to de-stress.

Definitions

Human Assertive - This is not aggression. Assertiveness is the dog’s willingness to invade your space. Highly assertive dogs will be dogs that will sit in your lap, try to steal your pizza, and will likely want to meet most all people.

Prey Drive - This could be something like chasing cats, but that is not the only thing that comprises Prey Drive. You can train away from chasing your kids and cats. Prey Drive could also be called intensity. Does the pup focus on his toys? Does he pick them up and shake them? Prey Drive is an indication of intensity and focus. Dogs with high prey drive will need a way to channel that safely.

Nerve Strength/Resiliency - This is an indication of comfort and ability to recover from new situations and new environments. This is an adjustable trait and can be fostered in a pup lacking this particular trait.

Tenderhearted - This is a big one. This is an indication of how this particular dog will handle big emotions (Huge Family Celebrations, PTSD, Depression, High Anxiety). Dogs that are extremely Tenderhearted will break down if put in home environments with a lot of extreme emotions. These tenderhearted dogs will feel responsible for your emotions and try to fix them.

The Recordings

Rather than uploading the videos directly to this webpage and slowing down the load time considerably, I have linked each video to the cover photo below. Please click the cover photo for each pup to be taken to Youtube where you can view the videos directly. The scores for this test are found in the sections labeled Stable Traits and Adjustable Traits on the spreadsheet.

Males

***Best Suited For:***
* Performance Home
*Hunting Home
*Service Prospect
*Classroom/Facility Dog
*Emotional Support Animal
*Therapy Dog
***Well Suited For:***
*Active Couple/Individual
*Relaxed Couple/Individual
*Active Family w/Young, Respectful Kids
*Relaxed Family w/Young, Respectful Kids
*Active Family w/Teenage Kids
*Relaxed Family w/ Teenage Kids
When I talk about a do-it-all kind of dog, this is what I mean. Grue is a great all-around type of puppy. He is smart and intuitive. When people ask which puppy I would pick, this is the puppy I would pick. That being said…Just because I would pick him, may not make him the best fit for your family and lifestyle. This is a puppy who will need a job and training. He has the makings of an excellent service dog.

Watch Evaluation Video

***Best Suited For:***
*Active Couple/Individual
*Relaxed Couple/Individual
*Active Family w/Young, Respectful Kids
*Relaxed Family w/Young, Respectful Kids
*Active Family w/Teenage Kids
*Relaxed Family w/ Teenage Kids
***Well Suited For:***
*Performance Sport Home
***Most Challenging:***
*Hunting Home
*Service Prospect
*Therapy Dog
Dick is kinda a lazy, couch potato, generally easy-going fella. He will bond very deeply and intensively to his family and be down for their adventures, but he is also content to hang around on the couch and make sure the TV still works. Dick could be encouraged to engage in Performance Sports or could probably be trained to be a decent hunting dog, but really he is more of your go with the flow and just participate in life with you type of dog. He will love rides to the hardware store and working on projects. Heading for a hiking/camping trip, he is all in. He has a great moderate energy expenditure that lets him be up for anything.

Watch Evaluation Video

***Well Suited For:***
*Active Couple/Individual
*Relaxed Couple/Individual
*Active Family w/Young, Respectful Kids
*Relaxed Family w/Young, Respectful Kids
*Active Family w/Teenage Kids
*Relaxed Family w/ Teenage Kids
*Performance Sport Home
*Hunting Home
*Service Prospect
*Therapy Dog
Rufus is an interesting pup. He doesn’t scream “Make me a service dog” the way that Gruesome Twosome does, but he definitely shows a capacity and strong drive for it. He would do well as a service dog, but he could do equally well as a regular home companion or performance sport guy. He has a sweet and loving disposition. He will cuddle right up to you and sit for hours, but when it is time to get up and get moving he is ready to go.

Watch Evaluation Video

Females

Photo Albums

Picks will be done in order of deposit received/commitment to the litter. As a reminder, the order is as follows.

Robin Hylton
Sarah Wagner
Justin Merrick
Open
Open
Open
Open
Open

Following the receipt of this e-mail I will begin reaching out to individuals to discuss and confirm their selection. This could be as simple as an e-mail stating “I want Penelope Pitstop, please” or a more complex phone conversation. Please plan to have an appointment within the next 36 hours. The document that tabulates all the testing details is changeable on my end. As puppies are chosen, I will begin marking them as unavailable on the master list. I will also make announcements on the Valaurah Farms Facebook and Instagram as well regarding chosen puppies.

If out of state, make sure you have made travel arrangements and communicated them to me. Keep Lookout for a Follow-Up E-mail Regarding travel requirements.

·Please send me the details you would like listed on the Microchip

Don’t forget to get your crate, toys and other goodies ready.

·Time to puppy-proof your house.

·Order your Baxter & Bella Lifetime Subscription. Use Promo Code VALAURAHFARMS to receive 25% off the subscription cost.

·Schedule your vet appointment for within 72 hours of receiving your puppy.

·Stay Tuned for More Pup-dates and Additional Communication