The Dackel Princess

All In A Dogs Life

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!

A Day In The Life

I climbed into the puppy box today to sit with my grand-puppies, and found there was barely room for me! They are getting so big! They also are moving around a lot now that they can see and hear. For instance, Baron loves Uncle Arnie, and when he sees him standing next to the whelping box, he works his way over to the edge of the pool and looks up lovingly at Arnie! It is the cutest thing!

Anyway, as I sat there, holding Baron I suddenly felt something warm and wet on my hands, leg and stomach. Yes, Baron pee-ed on me!

Oh boy! Well, it’s a good thing I love them so much.

Birgit.

I just laughed and once I got done cuddling, I got up and went in to change my clothes and wash up!

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

I’d arranged for my sister to meet my Magical Margarita! She is the woman who dips my hair in the fountain of youth and fills me with youth and vitality!!

Margarita took Melodie and laid her hands on her head and voila!

I love it so much that I stood there and cried with happiness!

Mom then took us girls out for a lovely lunch at my favorite restaurant, Canoe. We had such a nice meal, enjoyed every moment, and then after went to The Old General Store for a little shopping!

Melodie and my Mom leave tomorrow for their home 4 hours south of here. I will really miss having them around!

All In A Dackel Day

My Mom and sister, Melodie are here and we are having a good time. In the last 24 hours we have eaten three meals, gone shopping, and spent countless hours with the puppies.

They are growing and changing and becoming even more fun to be around. Their puppy-hood is going by so quickly that I know it will be gone before I know it! Sometimes I go in and sit and try to savor the moment.

So here is a short montage of today’s savored moments.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Arrivals

My mother and sister arrived in time for lunch on Sunday. Then we spent time watching and playing with puppies, as well as catching up on a couple of DVD’s.

My sister took a few pictures of me with the puppies. Here they are. By the way, the new picture on the sidebar was taken by Mel as well.

Me with all my babies!

Me with Baron!

Birgit.

Okay, now you think of the caption for this picture. What is Anneliese saying?

Time, Keeps Flowing Like A River…

I started off early today snapping pictures. It was sunny and warm in the morning and the bees were working the trees. I grabbed my camera and got these two shots. I’m actually fairly proud of them.

Then I came in and spent a little time watching and playing with the puppies. They just get cuter and cuter!

***************
Three little piggies all in a row! lol! That’s Birgit, Baron and Bel.

May 15 0birgit, baron bel7

Little Birgit. (She will be called Ali)

May 15 birgit5

Then Birgit and Baron fell asleep.

May 15 050

Bogie flipped over and fell asleep. He is quite a clown!

May 15 054

And then I look at a picture like this and I see how huge the puppies look next to her. Look at this picture taken the day after they were born three weeks ago.

Isn’t that amazing?

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

Arnie is doing great and is back to acting like his old self. I’m still giving him his medications, and he is on the rice and chicken diet! Oh yum!

My sister, Mel and my Mom should be here in time for lunch! I can hardly wait.

Life…

Arnie went back today for the last of his medications and hydration. He is like a different dog tonight and I am so pleased with his recovery! I have made him a special pot of chicken and rice food for the next few days and he really likes it.

As I write he is sitting here next to me chewing on his favorite bone, acting like his old self. I think the worst is over and he is on the mend!

The puppies can hear! For those who do not know, puppies are born with their ears fused shut. They are deaf. About the time that their eyes open their ears also open. Today when I went into the puppy room to say good morning, feed Anneliese and weigh the babies, I called out good morning and the puppies all stirred! It was awesome. Later in the day when they were all asleep I went in and clapped my hands and they all responded.

Also on the growth chart was the fact that when Anneliese jumped into the puppy box today the puppies all SAW her and with their eyes followed her to the other side of the box where she lay down and nursed them all.

So many changes in their short lives!

My sister Melodie, and my mother will arrive here on Sunday for three days. I have so many things planned and puppy time is definitely on the program! My sister takes such great pictures that I hope she can get a few of me with my grand-puppies!

My yard is full of beautiful fruit blossoms right now.

Apples, pears and plums. The Cherries are past and the peaches will be next week. But it is lovely and I have been enjoying the flowers.

My vegetables are also doing well. My seedlings (cucumber, summer squash, zucchini, and butternut squash), all sprouted and I’ve purchased tomato, eggplant, brussel-sprouts and pepper plants. The green house is just full! I just love the anticipation of July and August vegetables!

Ah yes. Life. Today was a good day. Have a great weekend everyone!

Busy Day

Thursday was a busy, busy day. It started at 3 AM when Arnie woke me. He was sick to his stomach and releasing bodily fluids from both ends. He was tired and listless, and I was worried. He did not want me to let him alone, and just wanted to be held. So from 3 until 6:30, I was only able to get an occasional snore. At 6:30 I gave up.

At 8:30 I called our Veterinarian, and I brought him right in. He was dehydrated and so they fixed him up with an IV and some medication. He spent the day at the Vet’s office getting fixed up. Seems my boy picked up gastroenteritis.

Once I was sure that his being sick wouldn’t affect the puppies I relaxed a little, but all I wanted was for him to get well and come home.

I worked cleaning up and playing with the pups, but also took a little time just to be quiet. Feeling as tired as I did, I thought I needed to do this.

I took a few pictures of the litter today. I love the ones of the entire litter because you can see how huge the puppies have gotten in two and a half weeks. All of them are over two pounds now!

Just look at those big bodies! One note here. I ran out of black rick rack for Birgit’s collar, so she is now pretty in pink!

Arnie came home just before dinner. He still has his IV in, and they sent him home with one of those silly Elizabethan collars. Which he hated, so we took it off and he has left the IV completely alone.

He goes back in tomorrow for the rest of his medications and more fluids, and should be able to take his medication by mouth by the weekend.

So, it was a busy day. I’m tired, but grateful that my boy will be just fine. By tomorrow night he’ll be dining on boiled chicken and white rice. I wonder if he will want a little white wine with that?

Newspapers, Sneezing and Fat Bellies

Wednesday the local paper printed a story about Anneliese and Isegrim. I am thrilled with the article, the pictures and the fact that it mentions my love of the dachshunds, and breeding for health. If anyone is interested in reading the article, I will send you the link. Just leave me a comment to let me know.

This morning after I cleaned out the newsstand of nearly all their copies of the paper with the story, I came home and felt nearly delirious with a stuffy nose, achy head and stopped up ears. I happened to look out the window and what did I see? Clumps of pollen so large that it almost looked like it was snowing! Ah yes, allergy season!

I went in and sat sniffling next to the whelping box to watch the wonder of the pups. Oh boy, are they cute! They lie on their fat little bellies, nursing up a storm. They are all so big now that they fan out as they eat.

The puppies are just the cutest things ever and even when I am feeling a little down, or (Ah-Choo), full of allergies, these puppies make me smile!

(Baron on the left and Birgit on the right)

Have a great day and don’t forget to take your allergy medicine! lol!

My 4th Blogaversary!

Just a little note to say that it’s my 4th blogaversary. I’d almost forgotten, what with all the excitement of the puppies! Four years. Wow, that went by fast! I started off wondering if anyone would ever read anything I wrote, and now I have made so many new friends, I am very grateful that I listened to my cousin, Janet and started “The Dackel Princess”.

Cheers!!!

Just Plain Adorable!

Tuesday was a beautiful day. Sunny, warm and I accomplished a lot. I completely cleaned the puppy room, top to bottom, played with each puppy, and then did the same big cleaning job in my kitchen. Everything is lovely and smelling fresh!

When I went in to play with the babies this morning, I first picked up Baron. He was full from just having eaten, and was sort of sleepy.

Soon, Greta and Arnie came in to check out what was happening. They sniffed and sniffed and eventually moved along.

I got an adorable picture of Birgit today. She was very active and has been chasing her mother around the whelping box trying to get milk! I think she is going through a growth spurt…again!

Baerbel, is a happy girl before, during and after each meal. I held her while I was reading and she snuggled down and was happy in my lap too. She is so pretty!

Bogart is so very strong. Now that his eyes are wide open he often takes walks around the whelping box. He is a happy fellow and a real joy!

I did have one scare today. I had taken Anneliese out into the back yard to do her wee-wee. She was sniffing around, enjoying the sunshine, when the bad black Labrador from the next street showed up and went after her. This dog gets along well with other big dogs, but he just doesn’t like the small ones.

Anyway, I was screaming, Anneliese was barking and yelping at the same time, and then, out of no where Fritz came running and knocked the Lab to the ground and ran him off! Our hero!

I’ll end with this short video.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com