The Dackel Princess

A Day With My Cousin

Today I spent the day with my cousin Janet. She is just a tad older than me, thus I cannot recall a single day in my life when Janet wasn’t in it. Be it in thought or physically present. You see our families lived in different towns, but we were a close family. Birthdays and holidays were spent together, and in the summer for two or three weeks they would all come down to our house on Cape Cod and my life was full, happy and fun!

This picture was taken when I was probably 8 and Janet 9 years old. From left to right: my sister Mel, Janet, Me, my friend, Tracy and my cousin and Janet’s brother, Larry.

Janet and I grew up like sisters. We played baby dolls together, progressed to Barbie dolls and then when Barbie and Ken became Paul McCartney and Linda and Mick Jagger and Bianca, well, you can follow the progression, we went from being little girls to teenagers.

Today we talked about some of the things that made those times special for us. Tying jump ropes on our bicycle hand bars and pretending we were riding horses, going to the beach and walking the shore line for hours and hours! Soft white sheets that felt like milk against our sun-kissed skin, that we fell into at night.

Today was a girls day for us. Hubby was busy with a meeting, and so we went out for lunch at a new place I’ve found, Kevin’s Cafe. Janet had the scallops and I had the whole belly clams! Then we did what we have done since we were kids. We shared. We talked, and we laughed. The food was so great and the company even better!!!

This picture was taken a few years ago. But I love it!

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We came back to my house after stopping a few places and talked more. I’m still amazed after all these years how much we have to talk about. That’s the best part though of having a cousin who is also a friend. You never run out of things to talk about!

All too soon she had to leave to drive south to her home. When she was gone I sat for a long time and thought how lucky I am to have her and how we are going to set the world on fire when we are little old ladies sitting on the front porch of a cottage at the beach. Talking, just like we have always done., and of course, ogling all those cute young life guards! lol!!!

Love you, sweetie!

Bye-Bye, Baron

This morning bright and early, Baron’s new Daddy came to call. I could tell how excited he was to finally meet Baron and hold him, as he arrived several hours earlier than we had thought! The moment he held Baron for the first time, I knew that it was the perfect match. It was as if Baron was saying to Mike, “I have been waiting for you all my life, what took you so long?”

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Of course Grandma, MB felt pangs of sadness when she held her baby boy, Baron for the last time. He was my biggest puppy this litter, and he was always the first one to do everything, from barking to eating regular food. Thus convincing me that he was conceived on the first day of breeding and not the second. Bogart, Baerbel and Ali were all conceived on the second mating day, I am sure.

In any case, I held my boy for one last moment. In that moment he was just mine, one last time, before I handed him over to his new forever Daddy.

Now we just have little Baerbel left. That’s tough. Tough for us, and tough for her. After Baron left, I took out the cardboard box and old bed, and all the stuffed toys and washed everything down. Then I put in Arnie’s big crate and some clean toys for her, and a small bed.

She cried at first, and so I took her outside and then after she had run around for a while, I brought her in and she crawled into her bed and fell asleep. She’ll be with us now until Thursday.

It’s quiet here without Baron, but I know he has gone to a great home and will be having a wonderful life!

Baron & Baerbel

This weekend Baron will be meeting his forever Daddy.

He will arrive Saturday afternoon, stay with us overnight and then head out early on Sunday with Baron to his new forever home in Michigan. We sure will miss Baron, but even more, I know Baerbel will miss him. She is our last puppy.

Baron

Baerbel will leave us in a few days. That’s when it gets hard for me. You see when they leave at the same time it is just one good-bye. But when one stays longer than the others then I start getting attached. So it will be tough sledding next week when I have to say good-bye to my very last puppy.

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By the way, Greta is really showing symptoms of pregnancy. It’s amazing how much I remember from her last pregnancy. Just a week and a half away and we will know for sure.

Just A Little Thing

I had to go in for a little procedure today at the hospital. All went well and I am in good shape, but the anesthesia they used just knocked me on my backside! I can’t seem to really wake up. I slept a long time at the hospital, and once I got home and into my pajamas, I kept nodding off in my chair.

Arnie has been my constant companion since I got back and when I curled up in my chair and slept, he climbed up on the footrest of the chair and guarded me. Am I a lucky Mommy or what?

Before I went in I had showered and decided to blow my hair dry straight. So I’m asking which style do you prefer straight or curly?

The puppies behaved for Hubby and the other dogs as well. So I was able to rest and relax. I am glad, however, that this test is over!

So gentle readers, forgive me for the brevity of this post. I promise more pictures tomorrow of Baron and Baerbel.

Puppies

Wednesday morning I went to Weight Watchers. I go each week, even though I haven’t written much about it lately. I did well, as I lost 1 and a half pounds. I gained a little this spring while Anneliese was pregnant. I guess I was being sympathetic with her weight gain.

On the way home Hubby called to tell me that all was well and he would get the mail for me. So I drove the rest of the way home and was greeted by all six pups. I opened the door to let the two little ones out into their pen, and then I picked up Baerbel and carried her out the other door to the garden. I wanted to see if my plants were doing anything. As I stood holding her I felt something on my foot and looked down and saw Baron! Now how did he get there?

At first I thought that Hubby was home and I called out to him, but no one answered. I walked back to the house and saw that the pen gate was OPEN! I was shocked and then I looked down at Baron and I realized that he hadn’t wandered off like many puppies would, he had tracked me down to the garden, all on his own! What an amazing dog!

Baerbel, me and Baron.

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I played with them for a bit, fed them their lunch and then Makenna came by with a friend of her sister’s to see the pups. Makenna is such a good sport and she took the pups out with me again and we ran them around the back yard.

Makenna and Baerbel.

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I made lunch for Hubby and got a few things done around the house. Then I stopped to check my email and I got a note from Ali’s new family. She is doing great, is much loved and has a new little girl to play with. Her name is Faith and she is now Ali’s best friend! This photo was taken by Teresa, who is a professional photographer in Michigan.

Now don’t they look made for each other? I also learned that Ali’s new Daddy has already taken her out to learn tracking and that she is doing well with that. I am so happy for them, and this is why I breed. As hard as it is to say good-bye to my babies, knowing that they are going to loving homes, where they will be a big member of the family, makes it all worthwhile!

Bogart is also doing great with his new family, which includes a doggy brother named Basil. As you can see in this picture, taken by Bogey’s new Mom, Alexandra Daley-Clark. She is a professional photographer so please click on this link and check out her web site.

As you can see, Bogart is leading a very good life!

So, life is good and Baron and Baerbel will be leaving very soon. I’ll miss them, but it will give us about 6 weeks until Greta’s pups come. (Oh yes, we aren’t 100% sure yet, but I really do think she has biscuits in her oven!)

Mischief and Mayhem! Ha!!!

I woke this morning and went out to the puppy room to clean them up and feed them. I figured it would be half as bad as it had been because two of the little poopers were gone.

I was wrong.

I think last night Baron and Baerbel had a talk. It went something like this.

Baron: I think I need to poop!

Baerbel: Me too.

Baron: I think I will poop again. Bet you can’t!

Baerbel: Bet I can.

Baerbel: Go ahead Baron, top this!

And Baron did! Oh my goodness, I didn’t know two puppies could poop that much in 8 hours! I laughed knowing that this had totally been a competition.

So I cleaned it all up, washed the floor and fed my little darlings. Oh yeah, you can tell I love my babies, when I think even poop is funny!

Baerbel left and Baron right.

I picked up Greta’s x-rays today from our old Vet. These are x-rays from her last litter. I want our new Vets to see these so we can prepare for Greta’s next litter. We go on July 29th for her first pre-natal exam. Personally, I think she is pregnant and feel pretty confident.

Baerbel and Baron are enjoying the freedom in their room and pen. We can also bring them out a bit more, as it is easier to run after 2 puppies than it is 4!

Baron running in the yard.

Baerbel hopping in the yard. She is so fast!

Greta and Baerbel playing. This is a new game where Greta goes over to the pen and attempts to steal the puppy bones.

A close up of Grandma Greta with Baerbel. And yes, Greta got the little white bone you can see near Baerbel’s paw.

Forever Homes

The last 11 weeks have zoomed by. I brought the pups in to our Vets for the last time today. They all were examined, all got Health Certificates and are ready to go. As I took their pictures and thought back, I realized how much each one of them has changed. From tiny, helpless, little babies to growing, running, jumping, wiggling puppies!

Here are a few pictures from our trip to the Vets.

Dr. K and Ali.

Baerbel.

These are the last pictures taken of me with all of my babies.

In the afternoon our little puppy kingdom began to change. I sat down with Anneliese and told her that it was time for two of her babies to leave and go to new homes. I could tell she was sad, but she was happy too. Happy because these little puppies would be loved and have wonderful lives, just like her Mommy had when Greta came here all the way from Germany.

Ali as a baby and today with her new Mom.

Yes, here she is with her forever Mom, Teresa. She arrived today and adopted our little Ali. I could just tell that it was a match made in heaven. Ali is now on her way to Michigan to meet her Dad, Brad and her forever little girl, Faith! They’ve promised me lots of pictures!

Bogey also left to go to his new forever home. His Mom, Alex and Dad, Denis came and picked him up. They’ve been a few other times to visit because they don’t live too far away from us. It was wonderful to see them. Bogey knew them and settled right into Alex’s arms. Bogey will have a doggy brother named Basil and his Mommy also promised me plenty of pictures!

Tonight Anneliese keeps looking for Ali and Bogart. I didn’t think she would notice that much, but she has. I just take her in my arms and cuddle her and by tomorrow I think she will be all better.

Good-bye to my sweeties. Have a wonderful life!

2 down, 2 to go.

My Babies

Sunday was supposed to be a quiet, catch up day, unfortunately I got going and before I knew it, I was really chugging along.

I wanted to type out the transfer papers for the puppies, I wanted to print out pictures of Anneliese and Isegrim for the new owners. I got all that done, as well as played with my precious babies.

It’s a funny feeling when you reach this point in their lives. You are ready for them to leave, as having 8 dogs is too much for any sane individual, but at the same time, you look at those beautiful individual faces and you realize how much you will miss them.

From the moment of their conception, their birth and then through the first weeks of their lives, I have been with them. Even though I refer to myself as their grand-mummy, in many ways I have been their mother. After Anneliese finished nursing them, I taught them to lap milk, to eat puppy gruel, to lap water, and to use newspaper!

Anneliese may have been the one to give birth to them, but these are my babies!!!

I read something recently and I realized that I am not a professional breeder. I am not in it for the money, and my dogs are all my pets. I am a breeder who breeds dogs for health, and sound temperaments, and I try to fill them with love so that when they do go to their forever homes they will be able to shower their new owners with love.

I think I am a responsible breeder and more than anything, I know I am breeding for the right reasons. I bet tomorrow when the two families arrive to pick up their babies, their hearts will be filled with love.

Isn’t that what it’s all about?

Lazy Saturday

Saturday was truly a beautiful day. At least the morning was. Sunny skies, warm temperatures and a light breeze. It was just perfect for Hubby to be picking cherries (we have a ton) and for me to drive to Super Wal-Mart and buy dog food. Currently I am buying 4 different dog foods. A normal chopped food for Greta and Arnie. They both need good quality food right now. Poor Arnie lost weight during Greta’s heat because he refused to eat! And now Greta, with the possibility of being pregnant needs great food too. Then there is Fritz, who is the pickiest eater there is. He will only eat “Choice Cuts” and must have 1 entire can per day as he is a large dog and very active. Then there is Anneliese who is struggling to lose the baby weight from her recent pregnancy before the dog show in October. She must have a good quality diet food. Last but not least are the puppies who get special puppy food. I felt very conspicuous with that many cans of different food in my cart, but what can be done? They all must eat, right?

The local rescue shelter was having a “help us” drive. It is a no-kill shelter and they work through donations alone. Today they wanted just donations of food, kitty litter, paper towels, etc. Since I was feeling odd walking past with so many cans of food for my animals, I bought some paper towels for them. This will help with their clean up. I sure can relate to that after the last two months of puppy pandemonium!

I came home in time to get lunch for Hubby and send him off to a Parks & Recreation activity. He asked me to go, but right now I needed a few quiet moments. The puppies were asleep, the dackels resting and Fritz was waiting outside for his daddy to return. 1 entire hour of quiet! How lovely!

The pups went from frolicking crazy pups to passed out sleeping pups. It was very cute and I love it best when I can zoom in and snap pictures of their angelic sleeping faces!

Here is my favorite. Bogart. Asleep on the cool tiles.

And little Baerbel. Stretched out so nicely. I love this one too!

Am I ready to say good-bye? Probably not. Expect tears.

Summer…Are You Here?

Because I am a terrible doggy Mama, I want to start this post entry with a picture of my big white boy, Fritz. He is such a peach and probably the easiest of our dogs. Mostly because he is the oldest, at nearly 6 years old. (His birthday is July 27th) How could I have forgotten his picture yesterday?

Fritz is a big boy compared to my dackels. He weighs 77 pounds, and is all muscle. He runs like a deer across the fields and is Hubby’s constant companion.

He also loves his dackels and is their fierce protector. He is probably closest to Arnie. You know, boys tend to stick together.

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I find I am spending a lot of time now with the puppies. I am taking pictures, hugging them more and showing them to whoever will look at them. The days have ticked by so quickly and the first two leave me in the next day or so.

Here I am with Bogey today. We had a small cook-out and after we got done eating I put him in my lap and rubbed his belly and got showered with kisses!

Jacqui came over and she played with the pups too. Here she is with Baron. What a sweet dog he is!

Actually they are all very sweet. Not a bad temperament in the bunch. They are all loving, sweet and motivated. Here is Ali in one of the few moments that she was able to gather all the toys and then fall asleep amongst them!

Meanwhile, Baerbel climbed into the bed and happily fell asleep.

Soon they all joined her and they took a long, lazy, afternoon nap.

I have fresh boxes of kleenex all ready for when the first pups go. My heart will break a little I just know, but I am truly happy with their forever homes.