Thought you might like an update.  Buddy is doing well and I think looking forward to spring (we all are!)  He was "fixed" last week so he is still healing but you would not know it at all.  He did very well in surgery and was his usual puppy self the next day.  He is hating having to "take it easy" and wants to run and run and run! We opted to have the vet perform the optional pre-surgery testing on all of his vital organs and bloodwork just to be safe as well as to establish a baseline in case he is ever sick.  All of his tests came back fine.  He did have roundworms, however, when they wormed him so I thought you may need to know that as the vet says this usually is passed from the mother to the puppy.  He is fine in that area now, also.  The boys have learned to feed and walk him and he does pretty good for them.  He has learned very quickly and with little direct teaching to walk on a leash, to sit and wait for his food, to sit before we open the door, and to lay down quietly to be let out of his crate.  He does get crazy when all three boys are running around, but no more than any puppy would :)  If he is barking, I just have to look at him and he stops and lays his head down on his paws. He loves fetch and I think he believes he invented it because we never taught him..it was his idea.  He adores the park and the few warm days we had he was so happy to walk the 5 blocks next to the stroller and play with all the kids.  He's still a little timid with strangers but warms quickly especially if I hold him.  He never nips or growls at strangers and he loved meeting the other children at the park.,He seemed to sense that some of the little ones were afraid and he would kind of put his head down so they could pet him and then really slowly lick their hand, it was really cute.