Big Day

It was a big day all around today. It started early because we all know that my little darlings get me up at 5 AM, and after my second cup of coffee, I was awake and watching the TV. I checked my email, but no one is writing me anymore because since my laptop died, I have been a terrible correspondent. I appologize to you all, especially my cousin, Janet!

After I had breakfast with Hubby and fed the pups and walked them, off I went to the fountain of youth for my monthly visit. I came back feeling like a new woman!

As Hubby and I sat having our lunch, Mr. UPS Man arrived with my NEW LAPTOP COMPUTER!!! I forced myself to finish my salad, do the dishes and then walk the puppies again before I even opened the box. Slowly I unsealed the packing tape and slid the inner box out. Then I opened that box, and with trembling fingers pulled the laptop from it’s sleeve! Yes, I am in total heaven!

After I’d been loading things on to it for a while, the puppies woke and we took them outside. One by one we introduced them to Deer Hyde.

Jone 11 09 023

The dog who tracked it the fastest was Belle, she just knew right where it was. The others found it too, and enjoyed the game. Here is a video of the event.

You all know that I breed with the hopes that my pups will not only find loving homes, but can be used by hunters to help locate wounded game. All four of these dogs have shown me a good nose. I hope that they will continue to progress in their new homes.

After dinner and another outing with the pups,

Jone 11 09 016

I settled in to download programs onto the laptop. Slowly but surely the machine will get set up and I will be back in business!

Now as the day is closing I need to do a little scanning for Hubby before I call it a night, but I am so happy and so excited to have my new machine! (And 4 little deer loving puppies!)

Big Doggies Now

On Wednesday I rearranged the puppy room. After all they are getting to be big doggies now.I opened the whelping box, placed Fritzi’s old dog bed in there, and spread the newspapers. It’s all working out quite well. The puppies seem to understand that the newspapers are the place to go to do their business, and so aside from picking up newspapers and washing my hands constantly, this works out well for all concerned.

Here is a picture of the room now that I have rearranged things.

June 10 09 002

I can still open the door to the outside pen, and they can watch me in the kitchen when I am cooking or cleaning up a meal.

June 10 09 001

Best of all, I can capture these little moments when all the puppies are asleep and snuggled up. Just too darn cute!

The Puppies Are Moving…

The pups finally cooperated in showing you all how they eat!

Can you hear their little licking noises?

I swear these guys are so adorable that you could just do nothing but sit and play or gaze at them. I know I could! Although today I bit the bullet and actually did some much needed house work, like vacuuming, laundry and cooking. I took time off to do a little computer work and to actually drink a cup of coffee while watching an early morning movie on Encore. (The English Patient)

I also tried to photograph the pups. I came out with three that are pretty cute.

June 9 09 011

This shows the pups all playing while Ali sleeps on the right.
June 9 09 Belle and Ali
Belle in the back and Ali in the front.
June 9 09 016 Ali
Ali.

I think tomorrow we will convert the puppy room into a full room for them and get rid of the whelping box. They need a place to run and jump around on these rainy days, and they really do prefer to sleep stretched out on Fritz’s old doggy bed.

They have gone to sleep now and probably will sleep until the morning. 5 AM! Oh that comes awfully fast! I think I need to get to bed a little earlier.

The Puppies Visit The Vet

Today was the puppies six week check up at the Vets. They began their shots, and were weighed and de-wormed. All went splendidly for the pups, and Anneliese too, as she was with us and her mastitis is responding well to the antibiotics.

But then, as we prepared to leave and put the pups into the pet carrier I closed the door. I turned to ask the Vet a question and then I heard it. A squealing puppy! I ran back and there he was. Baron. He had tried to gnaw the metal door grill and gotten his lower jaw caught! He was screaming and I started to cry.

The Vet and her technician ran back into the room and slowly, carefully freed Baron from the door. I immediately opened the door and took Baron out and held him.

June 8 09 001

In fact I held him all the way home. Of course he was fine and had just scared himself (and me!), and once we got home I placed him with his siblings in their bed and they all fell asleep. Here is a picture of Belle, sound asleep.

June 7 09 024

They’ve been quiet since they got back, although they were up and running around dinner time. Then one by one they crawled onto their bed and fell asleep.

June 8 09

From left to right we have Bogey, Baron, Belle in the green collar in the back and Ali (Birgit) in the front far right.

Now it’s time for me to sit down and put up my feet. It’s been a long day and I am really beat, but happily so. The babies are all happy and healthy and progressing right on target!

Sunday In Puppyville

As promised I have pictures and a short montage of the puppies. They are the cutest things in the entire world and I keep thinking how lucky we are to have produced these splendid little creatures!

Today we got the exercise pen out and set up outside the door of the puppy room. This means I can open the door, and let them outside while I clean their box or mix their food, without worrying about them too much. It’s taking them a little while to get used to it, but this will be such a help for me now that these guys are so mobile.

The pen.

June 7 09 087


Exploring under the watchful eye of their Mom.

June 7 09 093

It seems the little ones are sleeping for an hour or two then up for two playing and then sleeping a little then up again raising all heck. It’s wonderful to watch even if it is a bit tiresome. I kid you not when I tell you that I am on my feet racing around most of the day. But happily so!

I have a new little friend who comes by. You will see her in the montage. Her name is Makenna and she is the daughter of our neighbors. She is almost seven years old and quite a joy to have around.

Have a great week everyone!

They Grow So Fast

The days seem to be falling into a pattern. Me up at an ungodly hour, pups to be fed, and walked, a box to be cleaned and then the puppies play for about 2 hours before they fall back asleep and I can sit down.

I am so thankful for our mudroom. I can gate it and then allow the puppies to play in that room. It works out so well.

During the day we take them out. I think today we actually had them out 4 times. They love it and run and jump in the grass. Bogey does this really cute thing where he runs, jumps and then somersaults. He’s a wild guy. His sister Ali (Birgit),

June 4 09 035

is almost as athletic. Baron likes to run around, and when he gets done he stands in front of the sliding glass doors and wants to go in.

June 4 09 045

Baron

Belle is running around now too and she will follow you like a…….little dog! LOL!

I like to feed them outside because as soon as they get done they need to use the grass. It saves newspaper, and I like the idea that they are learning to do their business on the grass.

June 5 09 008

June 5 09 009

So for now I plan to get my pajamas on and watch some mindless TV until I fall asleep. I imagine that will be long before the sun sets.

I hope that when my new laptop arrives next week I will get back to commenting on every-one’s blogs. Please forgive this rather exhausted Granny! I promise I will be back to commenting soon!

Another Busy Day…

Right now it seems every day is super busy, what with the puppies becoming more and more mobile, and the fact that I crazily have 4 dogs anyway, plus a husband. It sort of wipes me out. Especially when one of them gets ill.

Anneliese’s mammary glands just swelled up like crazy over the last few days despite the fact that she had weaned the puppies on her own. They’re fortunately old enough to eat softened puppy food now and do well.

June 4 09 002

Anyway, Anneliese also felt warm to me and did in fact have a fever. I brought her in to the Vet and she has Mastitis. Poor baby. She is swollen, uncomfortable and has an infection.

They immediately started her on antibiotics, calcium and B vitamin and hopefully she will improve over the next few days. Despite the puppies wishes to nurse, we cannot let them at all, and that means at times I have to separate Anneliese from the babies.

June 4 09 048

Uncle Arnie helping to watch the babies!

So I find myself running back and forth, up stairs and down, and inside and out as I do triple duty. Wife, Doggy Mommy, and Doggy Granny! Ah yes. The fun never ends!

June 4 09 008

And I do mean that. At the end of the day when the pups go to sleep and I sit down in my chair, I feel pretty lucky to have these beautiful, healthy, happy puppies!

Lazy Days (for the pups at least!)

Tuesday was a busy day. We had the puppies out a lot and we researched a new computer. I hope we will be ordering one very soon.

So, since I am exhausted tonight I put together a little video of the puppies antics outside. It was a wonderful sunny day, and we even had a visitor. Alexandra came! She and her husband are adopting Bogey! It was so nice that she is able to visit him!

A Day In The Life…

I thought you would all enjoy seeing this short video of Ali (Birgit) that we took today. She is so amazingly daring and always on the run when we take the puppies outside.

***************

We also took a few pictures of the pups as they played in the yard. I just love that the weather has been good and we have been able to bring them out at least twice a day. It’s so good for them to develop their muscles!

June 1 09 025
Ali (Birgit)

June 1 09 011

Bogey (Yellow) and Ali (Pink)

***************

In other news once again I must tell you that my “new” laptop has died an ugly death. Just two weeks out of warranty, the machine is gone. I mean for real, R.I.P!!! Not coming back, can’t be fixed. I am beside myself that this laptop that is just a year old died. Yep, I have the worst luck with laptops. I know, I know, people tell me to get a MAC, but people I have several hundred dollars worth of computer programs that I use every day that are just not MAC compatible so today is the first day of saving up for a new machine.

***SOB***

***************

Hubby and I put our garden in today. Consequently my back is breaking and a hot bath is now calling my name.

Knock Three Times

Hubby and I were asleep in our bed. Cuddled closely with Greta and Arnie and Fritz slumbering on the floor by the door. Suddenly, there was a knock, knock, knock. Hubby and I started to wake, each thinking we must still be dreaming.

Knock, knock, knock!!!

I turned over and looked at Hubby. “Who is knocking at our door?” I asked him.

Knock, knock, knock!!!

He got up and opened our bedroom door and in ran Anneliese! Yes, my little mama dackel knows how to knock on a door! Can you believe it? She needed to go out, so I got up with her and of course all the other dogs came with me, and we all went out to explore Mother Nature in the back yard.

It was just 5:45 AM!

Still, how can I be angry with a dog who has taught herself to knock? Polite, yes?

***************

I never did get back to sleep as I had puppy duty. I weighed them, fed them their breakfast, cleaned up their box and played with them. Hubby joined me a couple of hours later and apologized for failing to gate in Anneliese before he came to bed last night. I laughed and told him not to worry. I actually got a big kick out of my dackel knocker!

As promised I have pictures of the babies. They are so adorable and I told Hubby that we really needed to post some new pictures so he helped me get a few.

May 31 09 baron2
Baron.
May 31 09 Bogey1
Bogey.
May 31 09 Ali4
Ali (Birgit)
May 27 Bel
Baerbel (Belle)

We also managed to get in a play session outside before the cold front blew in, bringing with it rain showers and quite a bit of wind.

All the puppies pooped outside which amused the little twin girls from next door and their friend. The twins are 7 and their friend is 6 so poop humor is right up their ally!