Today, December 10th is the third birthday of my beloved Arnie and Anneliese! Hubby and I were there to see them the moment they were born, and we have been with them ever since., and most importantly, they have been with each other all of their lives. Their relationship is a wonderful thing to behold. They are closer than two peas in a pod! In fact when Anneliese had puppies, she allowed Arnie to come into the whelping box to babysit.
In this short video you will see them from birth to the present. Happy Birthday my sweet puppies!!!
It was the last day our friends from Australia were with us. We began the morning with a full breakfast and coffee before packing up a lunch to send them off to the airport with. Still, as we played with the pups for the last time, it was sad knowing that we would not see them for a bit. I do wish Australia wasn’t so far away!
Me and Jill with four of the five pups.
Once they were off, I played a bit with the pups, in between loads of laundry.
Two of the pups are now 4 pounds. Curt and Calvin. Schnapps is weighing in just under four pounds, and Wally and Fenway are 3 1/4 pounds. They are adorable, all of them!
My own doggies continue to make me smile. I bought Fritz a new toy, which was stolen by Arnie.
Meanwhile, Anneliese is into her second week with her heat and enjoying the softness of the sofa and the doggy blanket. Oh yes, and the taste of a juicy bone!
The plan for the rest of the weekend is to finish up the laundry, and get my life organized for the week ahead. We have puppies going to the Vets for their first shots, Fritz going to the Vets for his booster shots, and a visit to the beauty shop for me for…ahem…obvious reasons!
We arrived home about 4:30 this afternoon. Was I tired after such a long, long ride. Arnie and Anneliese are such great little travelers, and good company too. Sometimes they rode in their crate, but when I felt lonely they came up front with me, Anneliese on the passenger seat and Arnie riding shot-gun on the arm rest. He watched every single thing that happened as I drove along.
My GPS worked out amazing well on this trip and I liked having it. I will, however, bring an Atlas next time, just for reference. I have just related to Hubby that he was correct. I do LOVE maps!
Now a little more about the show. It was good to see the people I have come to know in our club. A few have become dear friends and I look forward to catching up with them each year. The area of Pennsylvania is just beautiful, and I love the Pennsylvania Dutch atmosphere.
The show was held at an in-door riding ring. It was very small this year and when I was up showing Anneliese or Arnie I felt like I was walking in a circle for miles!
I thought several times I might just fall over in a dead faint!
The dogs were examined on the table too, and they were perfect Angels while being examined.
I was really proud of them.
After the show I learned that there is another amendment to the rules for breeding. It doesn’t affect Anneliese, as she is already in the breeding program, but it affects Arnie and I am perplexed. I have so many options right now, that I am not sure what to do.
The drive home was long, but good. Sunny and cool and delightful, and I got home in pretty good time. That is totally wonderful!
With Hubby at home caring for Fritz, Greta and the puppies, I am off to Pennsylvania with Arnie and Anneliese for the German Dog Show. All the primping and preening I’ve been doing should help. Oh yes, and I’ve groomed the dogs too! lol!
We’re going back to the site of last years show, in Reinholds, PA. It’s really lovely there. The show is held at an Equestrian Center in the middle of rolling pastures. It’s such a pleasure to go there.
The Judge this year is a man I have shown under before. He rated Greta three years ago. He is a kind man, who enjoys the dogs and is very fair. I’m happy to be able to show both Arnie and Anneliese to him.
I’ll be posting all weekend from Pennsylvania. Yes a Dackel Princess road trip! Complete with pictures and up to the minute stories of life on the road with two dackels!
Here is Greta when she went to the show three years ago.
Today was one of those busy days. I had a doctor’s appointment, a business affair to attend, and then cooking I needed to do to use up the abundance of tomatoes from our garden.
I made 5 quarts of sauce, saw my doctor, dressed up for the business affair and went and then convinced Hubby to take me out for salads and Sweet & Sour Calamari at “Canoe”. Busy, busy, busy, but all good. Especially the Calamari!
The day started off with Arnie and Anneliese horsing around with Hubby. They both climbed in his lap and cuddled and fooled around with him.
Here they are with Hubby in his chair. And below is Anneliese. Isn’t she just beautiful?
But then she is a little devil, and I caught her laughing in this picture!
So tonight, after such a long and busy day I am pretty tired. Tomorrow I promise more puppy pictures and perhaps a video!
It all started innocently enough. I kissed Hubby, and said my good-nights to him and returned to the puppy room to sleep. After all, we know that Greta still wants me to be with her, so I am sleeping in the puppy room. I want to be in my nice, big, comfy, bed, but until Greta is ready, I will be camping out on the twin mattress and boxed spring in the puppy room.
Hubby and Anneliese are fine with my being absent from the family bed. Apparently Anneliese has been stretching out and enjoying the room, but Arnie misses his Mommy something fierce.
Last night I was settling in, and Arnie came into the puppy room. I shooed him away, anticipating Greta jumping up and shredding his little face! But he kept coming back. I would shoo him off, and again he returned. Finally I drifted off and I felt a little body cuddle close to mine. “Oh well”, I thought, if she comes after him, we’ll all die together!
You can see the whelping box behind me, but this is my little corner of the world right now. I do miss my big bed. It’s king sized and has a comfy, cushy foam topper on it. The sheets are crisp and soft against my skin, and the blanket a wonderful medium weight cotton weave that I wrap myself in.
Isn’t that strange? Dreaming about your own bed at night?
Greta seems resigned to having Arnie in there now. She didn’t growl at him and as long as he stays up with me, she is happy.
Now back to Mr. Arnie. He has been at my side constantly, and I realized that he is my boy. Oh, I always knew he was my little guy, but what I am talking about is that he is dedicated to me to the point that he will risk being ripped apart by Greta in order to be at my side.
Arnie is my soul-buddy. I had that with Shubi and I never believed I would have it again. Certainly not with a boy dog. I have always been a female dog lover. Don’t get me wrong. I love all my dogs, but Arnie is earning an irreplaceable position in my heart.
The pups are doing great. All over a pound now and in a few days their eyes will begin to open. Then the real fun begins.
Makenna has been a big help, coming over and sitting, patting the puppies. Little by little they will get used to children and look forward to her visits.
Here she is with Claus.
Well, I’m actually enjoying this whole time. Camping out with Arnie, Greta and the puppies, is a lot of fun. Of course, I will be happy when I can return to my “dream bed”. Along with Arnie!
The dackels (all of them) woke me at 6 this morning. I was awake anyway, so I didn’t mind starting the day so early. I walked all the dogs and the puppies, cleaned the puppy room, and then made the puppies their breakfast. They ate and then immediately went outside into their pen. I can leave the door open and they can go out and come in at will. They love it and I sometimes find them collapsed in the sun sound asleep.
Fritz will go out and do his inspection of our yard and our neighbors yard and then come back and lay down by the puppy pen. Good old Uncle Fritz, babysitting the puppies.
Since I decided to spend today doing all the things I have been putting off, I amazed myself and completely cleaned the puppy room (including washing the beds), vacuumed and washed the kitchen floor and then because I felt the need to prove I truly am “Super Dackel”, I did 7 loads of laundry, and took my darlings out twice in the yard for good long runs.
Anneliese was out with us today and she was amazing. She kept all the puppies in a group, when they were playing too hard, she corrected them with a little bump, and then the sweetest thing, at one point she lay down with all four of them and cuddled. It was such a sweet moment.
After that she came in and snuggled with her Daddy in his chair. The position was too cute not to capture!
Makenna arrived and we played with the pups and ran them around some more, after which they fell asleep and stayed that way until dinner time.
Greta is still in the throws of her heat, and poor Arnie has really needed to be locked away. He hates this, but it is for his own safety, and hers. In the meantime, she lounges on the sofa cuddling her ducky.
Tonight I’m spoiling Hubby with a new recipe for potato salad, broiled pork loin and broccoli! Then I hope to make it an early night.
More pictures of my darlings tomorrow! Have a good week everyone!
Memorial Day found me going back to the Craft Fair with Arnie. He did very well. It was funny though because he ignored the small dogs, but when he saw a huge Leonberger he went over and started barking wildly! Yeah, that’s my boy. Find the biggest dog in the area and pick a fight. The Leonberger looked at him and turned away. I mean why waste your time with a little thing like that!
Arnie also saw his first parade and I think he actually enjoyed seeing all the kids with their musical instruments making a joyful noise!
I found the prettiest Tiger Lily for the yard, and I got Hubby some more Splenda Apple Pie. Fabulous Friend brought some the other day and he loved it.
The afternoon found me playing with pups and doing laundry. I also took out the pups and let them feel the grass under their feet for the first time. They liked it very much!
Another friend came over today and we cooked steaks on the grill, corn on the cob and potato salad! Yum! But I admit that we ate late and probably won’t be up for much of a meal come dinner time. At least I won’t be.
I’ve been watching the “Jon & Kate Plus 8” marathon this weekend and one thing I think Kate should do. Lighten up! She is so critical of Jon and the kids and she needs to remember that she too, is human and full of flaws. I hope these two can work it out for the kids at least.
The sweetest thing in the entire world happened today. I’d been cleaning the puppy box and then placed them back inside it with a new puppy toy, when Anneliese came in and went about nursing her babies. A couple of them fussed and before I could react, Uncle Arnie jumped into the box and began licking the babies.
Now here is the beautiful part. Anneliese never growled, didn’t react at all. It was perfectly natural to her and she accepted his presence and his care for her babies.
I’d always wondered about raising sibling dogs like this. How it would evolve over time. What their relationship would become. Well, I can tell you that Anneliese and Arnie truly love each other, trust each other and care for each other.
Arnie has become the Uncle to Anneliese’s babies. He loves them like they were his own and watches out for them in a really loving manner.
These wonderful dogs teach me so much each and every day. I am so blessed to be a member of their pack!
I’m starting to believe that I simply cannot keep up with the incredible wee-ing pups! It seems that no sooner do I change the little plastic whelping box than the pups wee on the pads. This is sort of a transitional time. They are still too small to be running around the box and selecting a dry spot, and yet their little bladders have matured enough that they now go without the help of their Mommy.
They roll around, they crawl quite well and they growl. Yes, if you try to move them away from their Mommy for any reason, they make the cutest growling noise.
After my sister and Mom left, I started in with the usual puppy laundry as well as the additional stuff one does after guests have been with you. However. I admit to being a little tired and so I also lay down on the sofa with Arnie to watch my Soap Opera (All My Children) and just lay low for a while.
Arnie is doing great. He is all recovered now from his bad tummy and is his usual happy go lucky self. He adores Anneliese’s puppies and they love him. They will see him enter the room and actually crawl over to the edge of the box to see him.
The puppies and Arnie.
I can see that Arnie will be their playmate when they are a little older.
The great thing is that Anneliese loves having Arnie in there with her. Perhaps it is because they were litter mates and they have always loved each other. Even as babies they would curl up and sleep together.
Arnie and Anneliese as babies.
At night when we are without puppies, they still do sleep together in our bed. I have to say. I don’t have a lot of room when all the dackels take up my space! Just look what they do when I nap on the sofa!
So the day went on. Leftovers for dinner, and a DVD for entertainment tonight. The puppies are asleep, the dogs are fed and the day is done!
