Category: Greta

New Toys

The new toys I had ordered for the puppies arrived today. I had gotten an assortment of stuffed animals, bones and balls. After their morning nap I introduced them to their new toys. They went crazy! And so did their mother, Greta.

It’s an amazing thing. Greta no longer looks at them as her kids. She treats them like best pals and she plays with them with wild abandon. It is so wonderful to see the three dogs running around like crazy just enjoying each other.

March 19 014
Arnie
March 19 026
Arnie & Anneliese
March 19 013
Arnie in the front and Anneliese in the back

I had the dogs out a lot today and consequently Arnie began “performing” for me. I now have two good puppies who are getting house trained. I just wish spring would come and it would warm up. It is just a little less thrilling to jump up and drag the pups out when it is 19 degrees outside! Still I am grateful.

The pups, old and young are all asleep now, and I am curled up with a nice warm blanket. Simply a great way to end my day.

Happy Birthday Greta

Today my baby girl is three years old. Last year I totally forgot her birthday because Hubby was having surgery, but this year I plan to get her a small cake and sing Happy Birthday!

greta

My Greta is sweet and loving and has given me so much over the last three years! Have a long life, good health and much happiness, Greta Girl!

This, That and Good-Bye To Two More Puppies

Today was my first physical therapy session. I’ve decided that I could never have knee replacement surgery, because I just do not do pain very well. Anyway, I lay there while the therapist gently worked on the MCL and we sort of talked the entire time. No big deal, right?

Wrong! Tonight I can hardly walk. It’s amazing how much this stupid thing hurts. Nope, no knee replacements ever, ever, ever.

Two of the puppies left us yesterday. Anita has gone to Poughkeepsie, and is doing really well. I got a letter today and pictures of her at her new home. She looks so happy and loved! That makes me so happy! They have decided to give her another name (no big deal, after all Greta’s real name is Xochil!), and she is now being called Gabby! Isn’t that adorable?

P1013199-2
Gabby (Anita) in her new home with her new friend, Rita.

Anja has gone as well. She is just down the road and I am hopeful we will see her from time to time. She is such a pretty girl and shows great promise for blood tracking of wounded animals.

Now we have Arnie and Anneliese. Of course Anneliese is staying, but Arnie is our little orphan. Things just did not work out with the people who had hoped to take him. You know how it is? Life happens. So my boy is up for grabs.

March 5 007

Greta is doing better today, and we have had the puppies out to play with her a lot. She enjoys the rough and tumble play, but then looks forward to their naps as well.

March 5 001

I caught Anneliese watching the TV today. I just knew this dog was supposed to be with me. She likes General Hospital! LOL!!!

March 5 015

All in all, not a bad start to the week.

Good-Bye Anita and Anja

It was a hard day for Miss Greta. She watched two of her babies go off with their new families. I’m not sure if it was because she was playing with all her babies one minute and then two of them went out the door, or perhaps she really can count, but after they left she kept looking for them. In the yard, around the house, until she crawled into my lap.

March 4 006

She whined and fussed and if it is possible, I swear, she actually looked depressed. We are giving her a lot of cuddles, treats and kisses.

She just proves to me each and every day how deeply a dog can feel.

My Sunday

It was a warm, beautiful day here in New Hampshire. When Hubby finished clearing some ice from the drive we brought the four puppies out for a little R&R on the patio. With only four of them, it was slightly less hectic to watch them, although I will tell you that Anita and Anneliese were the two wild ones who figured out how to climb onto the snowbank in the back yard and chase after their Mom’s toy ball. Arnie and Anya wanted to sniff anything and everything, showing us that they are indeed the best in the field so far.

Greta doesn’t put up with their antics too much. When they start to bug her, she gives them a stern growl, and they good-naturedly play off in another direction.

Eventually it was time for them to come in. Oh, what a tough job that was, getting them all back in the house. I finally did what dog owners have been doing since the beginning of time. I got out the dog cookies and bribed them all back in. They scurried in, ate their cookies and then all curled up in bed and fell asleep.

I’ve thought about Angelika today. I’ve wondered how she is doing, if she is happy or missing her litter mates, or if she has happily settled in with her new owners and Bunkie, her new brother.

I really hope that she left here and never looked back.

This And That

I have now graduated to a cane. Ah yes., a cane. At first I thought that if Hugh Laurie can do it, then so can I, but I soon found that using a cane successfully truly was a challenge. Pain is a great motivator though and I soon found my rhythm and was getting around pretty well. So what’s the problem? I did too much. By noon I could feel my knee really hurting, and tonight, well, not so good.

A good friend of mine came to spend time with the babies today and we took them out and played with them. I am watching the pups carefully these days as I am trying to evaluate which of the two female pups would be best for our family. Anneliese is a strong, energetic pup, with a sweet nature and endless amounts of devotion. She is also hysterically funny.

Anita is a sweet, pup, slightly less energetic, but who loves to play with Greta. I have also noticed that she will go up to check out Fritz, but when he gets upset, she will back off and give him his personal space. She loves to curl up in your lap and she is a kisser. She loves to be held and knows her name.

In fact all the pups seem to know their names. I’m surprised by this, but pleasantly so. They also come running to the door when they hear the can opener grinding, or when they hear me open my bedroom door in the morning.

Life is so good right now, despite my knee. Every day is full of wonder as I watch my babies grow and change. Yes, life if good!

Too Old For A 2 O’Clock Feeding!

We removed the whelping box and set the room up with three puppy beds, all the puppy toys and a good amount of newspapers on the floor. They run around now, climb up on the beds and are sturdy little creatures, and each day they steal my heart a little more!

Jan. 18 001

Greta and Anneliese

At 2:30 this morning the pups were up and hungry. Greta wanted to go out, so I let her, and then made up some puppy food for the babies. The ate like hungry tigers and then crawled all over me, before getting tired and finally going back to sleep. I had hoped they would let me sleep in a little, but at 6 AM they had me up again to eat!

Greta is not nursing them much now, so I have had to step up their meals. While I am feeding them, Greta will sit on the other side of the security board and watch. If I were to turn my back, she would swoop in and steal their food, but I watch her so that my babies all get something to eat.

All this night duty has made me a bit tired. So, Greta and I have started sleeping a little during the day. Ordinarily I don’t take naps, but I’m 48 years old, and 2 AM feedings aren’t what this old girl is used to!

Jan. 18 003

Me with Greta, catching some sleep.