Six-Month Puppy Update: Growing, Thriving, and Loved

July 21, 2025 marked a special milestone for our litter — six months old!

It feels like just yesterday these little ones were wobbling around their whelping box, and now they’ve grown into vibrant, happy, and very loved family companions. Each puppy has developed their own personality and quirks, and nothing makes us happier than hearing updates from their families.

To celebrate this milestone, we’ve gathered words straight from their owners. Their stories remind us why we do what we do, and we are so grateful to each family for loving these puppies so deeply.

Dakota (aka Dakota)

Dakota is thriving! She’s completely housebroken and doing well with her ongoing training. She walks beautifully on a leash and is improving with off-leash commands. Her favorite things are ice cubes, the kiddie pool, the dog park, and “mommy.” She’s super sweet and gentle when not in play mode, but in the park, she can be a “beast,” which is so fun to watch. Dakota loves people, especially kids, and has grown to accept strange dogs without any fuss. We are thrilled every day to have her in our lives. She even lets us sleep through the night. We are blessed.

Juno (aka Paris)

Here are some words we’d use to describe our baby muppet Juno: sweet, cuddly, playful, friendly with other dogs, great with kids, trainable, goofy, alert, and truly the best companion ever. She loves to steal socks, napkins, and hand towels, and she still enjoys shredding toilet paper (we’re working on that one!).

Charley (aka Austin)

Charley is fully adjusted and coming into his own. He’s very smart and learns quickly, though he can be stubborn at times, as puppies are! He definitely has the herding mentality and can be vocal and mouthy, but it’s just his way of communicating. Charley is great with other dogs and people, and wonderful with kids. Recently, a 7-year-old visited, and he stayed glued to her side the whole time. We’ve been doing lots of training and walking, which he takes to really well. He’s also a bit of a jumper, but we’re working on that. Overall, he’s just a big, happy goofball.

Tedy Ray (aka Berlin)

Tedy Ray is a social butterfly! He loves meeting people, animals, and even fake ducks. He also enjoys catching a breeze. He’s currently in PetSmart beginner classes and doing well. We’re still working on jumping and counter-surfing. We walk a mile and a half in the early morning after he eats, and again in the evening once it cools off. He is very solid and strong. Love my little boy.

Jake (aka Oslo)

Jake passed his AKC Star Puppy test, he did so well! Aylin handled most of the test (sit, down, cuddle, ear/paw inspection, recall), while I did the loose leash walking. High-value treats definitely helped. He loves water (and mud, as Paul’s picture shows). On walks, he jumps into creeks without hesitation. Just the other day, I brushed him before a walk, and he immediately got himself wet and muddy again! He genuinely enjoys being brushed, which is a huge bonus.

Charlie (aka Rio)

Charlie is amazing, beautiful, and super smart. He’s been working with a trainer who comes to the house and just had his fourth lesson. He can be very sweet and cuddly, and loves to jump into our bed! At home, he can be a little too rowdy with Franklin because of his strength, but we’re working on that. For the most part, they play well together, especially outdoors. He gets plenty of exercise running around the barn and yard, and he’s already herded the goats a couple of times when they escaped; he was a natural! All in all, things are great. We love him.

Ellie (aka Madrid)

Ellie is doing great. She’s energetic, smart, and strong-willed! She loves walks and running, and is a quick learner. She also loves to “talk” to us when we aren’t picking up on what she wants. Ellie enjoys a challenge; she’ll place her toys out of reach just so she can figure out how to get them back.

Gracie (aka Geneva)

Gracie is doing wonderfully, and we’re thrilled with her. She’s settled in nicely and is very comfortable in her new environment. She does great around people and dogs, playing well with both neighborhood dogs and her doggy daycare friends (she goes once a week and sometimes for overnights).

No surprise, she’s high-energy, so she gets plenty of exercise. She tends to play rough and mouthy, especially mornings and late afternoons. Once she burns off her zoomies, she settles down and behaves well (for a puppy!). Recall isn’t her strongest skill, yet. She listens well unless distracted, in which case she tugs to get her way. We’re working with a trainer to help improve recall and soften the rough play. Otherwise, she’s been great!

Sal (aka Jericho)

Sal is doing great, and we couldn’t love him more. He’s full of energy and always ready to play, but he’s also the sweetest boy. He runs over to give kisses, flops down, and paws at our feet for attention. He’s a total goofball and keeps us laughing. Sal is great with people and other dogs. He can get a little over-excited, but he listens well and is wicked smart. He’s learning not to jump up on people and to take breaks in play to calm down.

His funniest quirk? He drags every toy (and sometimes shoes) into the backyard. We pick them up, put them in a bin, and he immediately empties it again! Training is going well. He nailed the basics quickly, and we’re now working more on recall and leash handling. He’ll do anything for a piece of string cheese. We’re so lucky to have him.

Lucy (aka Venice)

Lucy is such a GREAT pup! She attends doggy daycare regularly and is thriving.

The Journey Continues

It’s hard to believe that just six months ago, these puppies were tiny bundles depending on their mother for everything. Today, they are confident, playful, and thriving in their forever homes. Each update from their families brings us so much joy, and we couldn’t be prouder of how well they are growing.

As many of you already know, our sweet Autumn is expecting again, with her next litter due on September 4th. Watching her first puppies blossom into such wonderful companions makes us even more excited for what’s ahead. Both litters are incredibly special to us, the first because it began our journey, and the second because it carries that love forward into a new generation of Azorean Heritage Barbados puppies.

To all the families who have shared these stories and photos — thank you! You are giving these pups the love, structure, and adventure they need to flourish. Watching them grow alongside you is the greatest reward of all. Here’s to celebrating six months of love and looking forward to the new adventures just around the corner!