Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Coming from high elevation New Mexico winter, Gemma had a great fur coat but hasn't had very much experience with snow.  We've had two big snowfalls since she has been here and snow is now her favorite thing ever!  Snowballs to chase, snow berms to burrow in, bounce in, and piles to play queen of the hill.  She rolls down slopes and likes to slide on her back.  For a short legged dog, she can still move fast in snow higher than her head.  She is a great winter pup!

Things I like to nibble on

"With my sharp little puppy teeth I have to be very careful - they are like razors.  I try to be very dainty with them as Mom yelps horribly whenever she feels them on her toes or fingers!"

On the plus side, Gemma isn't (yet) a destructive chewer, she likes more to nibble and suck on things, with a bit of tearing apart reserved for tags and cardboard tubes.  After breakfast in the kitchen we have some playtime and practice our skills.  "Sit" has been solid since 10 weeks, but "down" still puzzles her.  

Sooooooo cute!

Gemma is so cute she pulled TSA agents to her at the airport security screening in Albuquerque.  

She attracts people from across the parking lot - lots of them!

Complete and total strangers offer to take my dog off my hands.

Complete and total strangers leap forward and massage my dog without asking.

Complete and total strangers will swoop down and scoop my dog up in the store and squeeze and hug her.

*** A serious note to all of you out there - this is not a good idea, while G is well behaved, there are no guarantees - ALWAYS ask an owner's permission before touching their dog, and limit it to some patting.*** 

The warehousemen at Lowe's know her by name.

Construction guys stop working to come visit.

It is actually a little disturbing.  I hope she grows out of this svengali draw sometime.

Travel pooch

At 7lbs, Gemma fits under the seat in airplanes for easy transport back to Anchorage. The soft carry-on case will work until she hits 20lbs or so - or becomes noisy in the cabin. This time I had a pocket full of treats to slip her more or less continually through the top of the case to reduce the trauma of the experience. G got out in the Salt Lake airport to stretch her legs, do some playing, and have a sip of water.  
Scared to death now that I had sole responsibility to take care of my puppy, I had a whole stash of toys to use in succession to cut off any whining at the pass when she figured out that she wasn't going home to mom and siblings again. The crinkle ring and cow hoof took care of it.Now the carrier is Gemma's car carrier, a great place to keep a squiggly puppy contained instead of squirming under the brake pedal, or to fall asleep while running endless errands.

Introducing Sippiwisset Stormy Dawn

But her name is Gemma.

Picked up my 9 week old puppy this weekend in Santa Fe. When I saw the litter of 6 the first time, all the others were sniffing my feet but MY puppy was looking up at me as if she knew

 who I was.  My breeder has been a champ, letting me stay with her and get boned up on all the Corgi care basics and not-so-basics.  We even went to our first puppy class!  Gemma and her brother had no fear.  

FYI - my GSD's AKC name was Russet Dawn...and Julia's Sippiwisset kennel names are nautically (ie Storm Surge) or astronomically related so Gemma's official name is connected to her greater family in several ways.

<--Mom : Sophia 

Dad - Duffel -->