A Sad and Final Chapter

Where to begin? Quincy was about 35 days pregnant when she didn't eat for a day. Normally, I don't sweat it. When you are pregnant, sometimes you just don't have a big appetite. And, for Quincy, this was normal. Each pregnancy she would have an "off" day, but then be back to her old self. So on Wednesday, she didn't really eat much food. That night, at grandma's house, she ate a few of the kid's leftover scraps from dinner. Thursday morning, Grandma called. She was sick. I rushed her up to the clinic, and we quickly confirmed my worst fear, she was having a GDV, or Gastric Dilation/Volvulus. Fancy talk for a gas filled stomach that has flipped over and twisted. She was in distress big time. We passed a stomach tube, lanced her side to let a little gas out and prepped her for surgery. The surgery went very well. We felt like if she woke up fine, kept her electrolytes and heart rate under control, we just might do ok. But as with any major gastric surgery, I knew not to get hopeful until the magic window of about 2 days had passed when the stomach would be starting to get going again. Sometimes it is just too much trauma to the stomach and it dies. Last night I brought her home from the clinic, with a fist full of dangling IV lines, and wearing a belly wrap that concealed a large rubber catheter that fed directly through her side into her stomach. Our clinic doesn't have 24 hour staff, so I was to be her nurse for the weekend. She settled nicely down in her bed, but was depressed. Late last night she was more depressed and not doing well. Early this morning, she died. I think it was just too much trauma for her. She fought hard, her heart never faltering until its last beat. I think of her deep amber eyes seeking my face as she laid on her side, trying to be brave for me. A servant to the end. She seemed more worried about me, even as she faded away. We will miss you, Quincy. Alot.

The Last Hurrah

Quincy and Caesar had one last romantic weekend together this week. A good time was had by all. Well, for Caesar anyway. It is sort of bittersweet to think that this is their last litter. Caesar will go in for a neuter in the coming weeks. Look for new updates to the blog as we go through this last hurrah of puppies!

On Vacation

George is on vacation.....with us. His parents are on a trip and we agreed to puppy-sit while they are gone for the next 11 nights. It is really fun having him around. He is such a good dog. He was enjoying some time in the hammock with the girls, and has been having a tremendously good time with Sam. Sam missed having little brothers to roll around in the grass with. George has been so fun, I have to keep telling myself..."He's not my dog anymore, he will be leaving..." especially when he drapes himself over my lap and looks up at me with those sweet brown eyes.

Brenna

This is Brenna in her new home. She lives with 4 other Poodles, two of which are her full brothers. She was formerly known as Clara. Hasn't she grown?

The Final Chapter

The only puppy to leave our family in an unconventional way was Thomas. When he broke his leg on his 10th week old birthday, he had to wear a splint for the next 3 weeks, and a light wrap for the last week. I was so lucky to have a friend take on his charge for his rehabilitation. And now Thomas is free of splints, housebroken, and very much coming into his own. He gets to go to work every day with Tammy and stay in the inn at the veterinary clinic. He likes to bark a bit, especially to get a cat's attention. He also likes to "talk"--not a bark but just a "roo roo roo" when you talk to him. Tammy and her husband Ron have graciously opened their home to Thomas officially, and now he is a new resident of Greencastle, PA. He even got a wonderful new name, Lincoln, which I love. It suits him. The best part is that I get to see him once a week at work. So if I ever need a puppy fix, I can get it then. Lincoln will be Tammy's running partner, and he better start getting in shape now, since she runs at least 30 miles a week. But for right now, he can just be the silly pup that he is, and wait for the next cat to come along, so he can bark at it.

Going...Going.....GONE!

I have a definite bittersweet feeling as I sit here and type this entry. Good 'ole George went home with his new family tonight. They are a lovely couple. Their kids are grown and they have been dogless for 7 years. George is their new "kid". George did his usual display of ear-biting, hair-pulling, and retrieving of his floppy pink poodle toy. In between his antics, he laid on his back and allowed a little belly scratching and was sure to give them a few of his sweet, long gazes. It has always amazed me at how good he was at eye contact. He is one sharp puppy, and I think they will enjoying him immensly.

So now we are puppy-less, (unless Thomas comes back) and it feels a bit strange. It is always hard to say good-bye to the last one, and since we had been through so much with George, it made it a bit harder.

Last, but not Least

I just want to take a minute and say something about George, our last puppy. George is not the last pick of this litter. Actually, George could have gone home with several other people that came out to pick a puppy. I just wouldn't let him go. He was still on medication, and I just wouldn't sell him until he was absolutely 100% better. Now, George is 100%. He was on a very long treatment regime to make absolutely sure that he would not have any relapse with his strangles. My vet and I were very careful to do a very long, and slow taper of his medicine to make sure that he would be fine, and he is. George is completely over his cellulitis and will not have to go down that road again in his life. George is very smart, eager to please, and when he wags his tail, his whole hind end shakes. He knows how to sit, and does it well. He comes readily when called. George will have a visitor coming tomorrow to look at him, but as of right now, he still needs a home. George got a little extra snuggle time in bed tonight, as we aren't sure if this will be his last night with us.
George's visitor for today cancelled out, so he is totally available right now!

Going....Going......

Theo, more often known these days as Teddy (Roosevelt), found a new home. He has a beautiful housemate, Remy, to get to know as well. She wasn't too sure of the pups today as she visited, but something tells me she and Teddy will be great friends before the sun goes down. Teddy is just that...a big teddy bear. He is so big and loveable and we are so glad that he will be loved in his new home near Leesburg, Virginia. We'll miss the big Teddy.

Going.....

The new "grand dog" takes a rest in Grandma's arms.

Clara kissing her new mom.

Clara left this morning, and although we will miss her, she will be having fun. She gets to go live with her two brothers, Quinn and Logan, in Westminster, Maryland. They are her older full brothers from last year's litter. They are pretty full of energy now, and are just as big as Sam. They came for the visit too, and had a good time romping with brother Sam. Clara's new name will be a nice Irish name, Brenna. She won't be at a loss for doggie companionship.

Blue Light Special

Here are the three amigos....from left to right, that is Theo, licking his lips, Clara and George. They are the last three pups left. Since they are pushing 12 weeks and need to really find themselves in their own individual homes, I am going to advertise them at special prices this weekend. So, if you read my blog, tell your friends, your neighbors. Special pups at special prices. And these are by no means "cheap" dogs. They have had alot of work, care and love poured into them. Truly, they are more valuable every day. They just need to have their own family to call their own.

Favorite Things

One of our favorite places to take the puppies is to the little local park that has a large pond in the back with a nice trail around the edge. My children love to take their buckets and nets to see what they can catch. The puppies love to be off leash and free to explore the mud and reeds and new smells. They will be 11 weeks old this week and are in the that window of "education" where they need to be exposed to new things so that they will be well adjusted dogs as adults. Going to the park is a great place to learn. They are always thoroughly muddy and exhausted when we get home.

Goodbye Betsy

Betsy got a new trim, nails done, brushed, the works...all in anticipation of her going home with her new family. Of course, she had to visit the stream after her "beauty session" which is so typical of these dogs. She is going to Adamstown, Maryland to live with a family with 3 young children. She will fit right in. Her gentle nature makes her perfect for kids. This family knows and loves standard poodles, and are so excited to have her. I will not worry at all about Betsy. Her new family is wonderful, and she will be greatly loved.

The Break

Can you find it?

Breaking News

The breaking news of the horrific tragedy at Virginia Tech this week has deeply affected the whole Hokie community, myself included. As a Tech graduate, I was shocked and saddened to hear of the tremendous loss of life. My family was relieved and grateful to hear that my cousin, a sophmore at Tech, was safe. However, our hearts and prayers go out to all those students, faculty and families directly affected by this senseless act of violence.

On the puppy front, we had our own "breaking" news last night. Literally. As Caleb, the eyewitness reported, Sam was playing in the yard with the puppies, as usual. He was running with his head turned back, as many a dog will do, and stepped on Thomas. Lots of shrieking and a call to my office by my husband, where I was working, and a now non-weight bearing right rear leg. Xrays this morning revealed that Thomas has a nice mid-shaft fracture of his femur. Poor boy. I will try to post a picture of his xrays later. Being a puppy, and their rapid growth rate, the prognosis is good, but he will have to wear a splint for about 4 weeks. The modified support wrap I put on him overnight was appealing to the rest of the puppies as their new chew toy, so he has to be separated from the crew. He is going to stay with a much trusted fellow veterinary technician friend for his rehab. I bet she and her husband fall in love with him over the next 4 weeks and don't give him back. Poor Thomas, thank goodness for great painkillers. He was a happy pup when I left him at the clinic this morning, laying on a blanket, chewing on his bone, and taking in all the action.

A Time to Share

Sam and Betsy share a good rawhide bone in the yard.

All Dressed Up....

All dressed up with no where to go. Clara still needs a home. She was dressed in one of Edey's t-shirts this morning, and took the whole process right in stride. She wears a size 3T. She also got a good brushing ("hair-do") and a small pile of puppy biscuits for a reward. Being a puppy isn't all that bad around here....

More from the Past

This is Willie, our Sam's littermate. Here he is on the beach as a puppy, and on Easter this year in a what looks to be a new "do". Isn't he cute? He resides in New Jersey, and vacations at the beach. Thanks Diane, for some great pictures.

Bye, Bye, Birdie

Birdie is in for an adventure. A very nice couple from Colorado came to visit the puppies and picked her. I think it was her shiny, wavy coat that made the final decision, plus she was the first one to pay attention to them and lay at their feet. Birdie will fly home with them later this week after their visit with family in the Baltimore area. She goes home to what sounds like a beautiful spot on the Arkansas River with a couple of trout streams, some llamas, geese and a donkey with the same "song" as our donkey. Plus, as her new owner is a home-based artist, she will have constant companionship. There were definitely some held back tears in this family as the realization that she was gone hit home as their car pulled away. As my husband said, "It's alright if you want to cry....." Bye, Bye, Birdie.

Rosa Parks

This is Rosa. She is all girl in one small package. She has some attitude, let me tell you. She bosses her brothers around who are three times her size. From day one, when she was given the pink ribbon, she became a favorite with my daughters. Her small size made her the most portable, and allowed her to be dressed in doll clothes. Really. This has made her a really adaptable girl. It took me a long time to get a picture of her, as she is always wiggling her little tail and on the move. This is a rare quiet moment, when she was tuckered out after a walk and swim at the park. Rosa has been sold and is going to her new home in Baltimore on Friday!

George Washington

This is George Washington. He was the first pup to get a name, and got us on the famous men/women name kick. George got his name because at about 6 weeks, he always stood out with an extra curly furry mop of hair on his head, that reminded Caleb, my son, of the pictures of George Washington. Little did we know that he got that very mop of hair because Quincy was spending extra time licking him and slicking his hair in crazy directions. It must have been an extra maternal sense she had, because the next day George broke out with juvenile cellulitis, or puppy strangles. Sounds terrible, but it is a skin problem, with no genetic roots, or bacterial or environmental causes. Just one of those things. Actually the breeds most susceptible to it are retrievers and Gordon Setters. So why our little George got it, we'll never know. But after some careful observation, and some aggressive medications, he is looking new again. Now, I don't know if it was the episode of cellulitis that brought this out in him, but George has to be the most special pup of the litter. He has an uncanny desire to be with people. To the point that if all the puppies are nursing, George would rather not, just to be with someone. Sometimes, when all the pups are playing outside, and I am out there watching their antics, George just sits by my feet, watching me. I do think sometimes, and I tell him this, that he seems human. He has a true heart of gold in that little black package of fur. Everyone loves George. He is not for sale until he gets his last round of meds, then he will be ready for the special home.

Clara Barton

Clara is the female puppy with the yellow ribbon. She and Edey like to watch Sesame Street together. She is a slightly smaller female, and full of life. She loves the water and is a great leader. She has a lot of potential. My daughters both love Clara. She usually has them cracking up with her antics.

Abraham Lincoln

Meet Handsome Abe, as we call him. He is just one cool puppy. He always seems so calm and collected, and is just eye catching. For some reason, the hay and dirt seldom stick to Abe. All the others can be rolling in the mulch or playing in the stream and come out looking like it. And even though Abraham has done the same things, he comes out looking great. Maybe he should be a model or something. He, along with Theodore, are the two biggest pups in the litter. I haven't weighed them recently, but I would bet Abe is pushing 15-20 pounds. Handsome Abe needs a special family to call his own. Abe went to his new home in Harford County with the Campbells on Saturday. My camera was dead, so hopefully we will get an update from them soon!

Hit the Hay

ALOT of play time, a brief spring shower, and a perfect time for a nap. They just love snuggling in the hay....just what Sundays are good for.

Thomas Jefferson

Meet Thomas Jefferson. He wears a red ribbon and sports a small dusting of white on his bottom chin. See it? He is a good wrestler, and has a really nice middle of the road temperment. He is always in the mix of activity around here. He is a more broadly built puppy, and seems to be good friends with another male puppy, George (Washington). More about George later.

Last Years Puppies

Two pictures of puppies from last years litter....enjoying life in their new homes. If you want references from past owners, they are always available....

Theodore "Theo" Roosevelt

Theodore is a male puppy. He is a wonderful middle of the road dog. Not the most outgoing, and not shy. He is a patient pup. When they are getting anxious to go out, he doesn't cry about it, he just waits patiently until I get the kennel open. This isn't the best picture, but wanted you to meet Theo.
Added a bit later.....Theodore is growing! He and Abe are the biggest in the litter. Theo's personality is really starting to come out. He is a very perceptive and thoughtful puppy. He may not be the first to run out and greet you, but he sure doesn't forget you at the end, when all the other puppies have run off to play.

Birdsall "Birdie" Otis Edey

Birdie is a female puppy that wears the purple ribbon. She is the other bigger girl. She loves to fetch and chew! If I see a puppy carrying something around, it has to be Birdie. She loves sticks, mulch, towels, paper, anything! She is a clown, and loves to play chase with the children. She is an active and fun puppy.

Betsy Ross

This is the female puppy we call Betsy. She wears the light pink, almost white ribbon. She is probably the biggest female and rivals the boys for size. She was the first born, and is very level headed. These two pictures were taken one week apart. Isn't it amazing how they grow? The right hand picture was taken just after her muzzle got its first trim. She will make someone an amazingly devoted dog.

Potty Training

No, I don't really potty train them the way Edey does, but they are starting to really get the idea. I got up at 5:30 this morning when I heard one or two puppies whining. When I took them outside, they promptly did their business. I think puppies naturally want to do their business away from where they sleep, you just have to take advantage of their early attempts to signal you, and you can't delay. So, if it means an early wake up call, I am willing to go with it. Pretty soon, they may all move to a crate so that they can get used to that idea as well. They are just 6 weeks now, so vaccinations and physicals are planned for this week.

Naming the Puppies

The pups all got a name this weekend. We have used some colored ribbon to distinguish them, but not all of them would keep their colors on. We got started on a presidential kick when the children dubbed a favorite boy, George Washington because of his mop of hair on his head. From their they all got names, and surprisingly, they all suit them well. Here is the name chart that hangs over the box. The colors indicate what color ribbon they may have around their neck. They are getting their first visit from a prospective owner later today, so it will help keep them straight when people start picking out their favorites.

School Days

Five of the puppies went into the elementary school yesterday for a visit. They visited Abby's kindergarten class, and Caleb's second grade class. I could only take five because I really couldn't carry all eight in a laundry basket. They are getting so big. They are also quite frisky and their personalities are really starting to shine through. They are very interactive at this age, but the nipping hasn't really peaked yet, so it was the perfect time to take them in. The kids loved every minute of it. And the puppies didn't have a single accident, they are getting so good about holding it and only going when they are outside. It was a fun morning.

Enjoying the Outdoors

Nursing Puppies 101

Traditional Method
Bottoms Up Method
Soda Fountain Method
Feeding Frenzy...when she's down, she's available.

When the weather is fine.....

Puppies everywhere!
Everyone get Sam!
C'mon Sam, I wanna play more!

Staff Photo

These are our poodle raising employees. They don't get paid much, but they love their jobs. They are responsible for the daily handling, rotating, pushing, pulling and manipulating of the puppies. It's funny, if you start searching out puppy stuff on the web, you will come across alot of tests and manipulations ("Bio Sensor") that you can put a puppy through to help ensure you will have a "super dog" when it grows up. Things like feeling its feet, rotating it certain ways, bending and moving their heads and legs. All of these manipulations are to start at the time of birth. There are alot of studies out there that show that puppies that have been handled this way are better dogs in the end. That is fine, and I believe all that, but for me, what works, is handing them over to my three children. Give a 7 year old, a 6 year old and a 4 year old a litter of 8 puppies, and from the time they come out of the womb, they will be turned and moved and manipulated in countless directions. Nothing too scientific here. Of course, I still take the time to trim nails, run the clippers over them, and other skills they will need to know, but nothing beats the love and attention that children have to offer. In thanks for all their hard work, I think we will have to put this puppy sale money towards their college savings.

Cuter Every Day

I'm telling you, they get cuter every day....

Romper Room

I can barely spread out the fresh papers in the box and it seems to be the signal for the party to get started. Here are a few random shots from that scenario. But in the end, when the soft blanket is put in, and everyone has had their time of popping around the box, it ends in a big pile of pups napping. Notice the yawn in progress.

Attack!

A new taste....ears! My daughter is under there somewhere.....

Irresistable

The box needs to be cleaned at least daily now and a clean puppy box is too hard to resist. Clean blankets, fresh paper, 8 pups and one very happy now four year old. What more could a girl want? Maybe a clementine to eat while in there....

Sunshine!

A few hours of sunshine on Saturday, and more mild temperatures called for an outing for pups. It was their first time out, and it was a bit chilly for them, so they weren't out long. But they did enjoy the feel of the sun on their black coats. Some were eager to explore all the smells of the outdoors, and some wanted to just sit and savor it all. I caught three pups doing just that. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to photograph them. When they are on the move, all you get is a black blur. I think I need a camera with less delay when you hit the button. These pictures aren't all that great, but the others were just blurry black bodies. You will notice that the pups have colored ribbons on. It helps to know who is who, but they become their names too, at least for now. So here is Red, Green and Pinkie (girl, of course).
We are all hoping for some more spring like temperatures in the next week. An important part of growing up for the puppies is to get out and be able to explore. It is just too boring in the puppy box, and although, thanks to my children, they often wake up and find themselves in a baby stroller or a carefully constructed bed of baby blankets and surrounded by lovingly laid out stuffed animals, for a dog, it just doesn't beat getting outside in the fresh air!

First Meal

If you were in my dining room now, you would be hearing lots of lip smacking noises, and the air is filled with the pungent and actually, unpleasant odor, of canned dog food. The pups were offered their first taste of "real" dog food. And let me tell you, once it hit their lips, they were hooked. I don't understand it, and don't pretend to understand the appeal of canned, soggy dog food over warm mom's milk, but they are now having a full body (literally) experience. When they are done, it looks like I am raising a litter of piglets. All the blankets and newspapers must be changed, and faces washed. Thankfully, Quincy helps a bit with the washing part. She gets the parts I miss. A big day in the world of the pups--a small step toward independence from their mother.

Nap Time

It is so hard to get a good picture of a black puppy! They are just sooo dark, and so shiny, even the flash will reflect off of their coats and make them look funny in the picture. The pups are now three weeks old, and they are able to get up on their wobbly legs and sit up. They walk, but it is a bit uncoordinated still. The funniest part is when they start to play with each other. They try to mouth and pull on each other's ears, but then fall over in their clumsiness. Then, once they have fallen, they just decide to go back to sleep, no matter which way they have landed. In a heap, usually. This picture is just that, and although it is a bit blurry, hopefully you can still see their contented faces.

Two Weeks!

The puppies turned two weeks old yesterday, and we have the benchmark of the two week age....their eyes are open. Although they still don't really see much, it is still fun to see that first glimpse of blue. My children are always the first to notice such events. They are also starting to move around a bit more on their legs. Not really walking but low to the ground shuffling. And a few are finding their voices! One of the girls found it last night at about 11 pm. It was so funny to hear her try it out, but not so funny when you want to get to sleep!!

Day Three

When the pups were three days old, it was time. I never look forward to the third day. But it has to be done. The pups were hauled up to work, where I work as a vet technician. About 45 minutes later, this was the evidence we left behind. A return trip home to Quincy, and good warm meal of milk, and all was forgotten.

They're Here! February 6th

After 62 days of waiting, Quincy finally went into labor. She started at 4 am with the first female pup born, then finished up at 1030 a.m. with #8! The last one was a male who came out wanting to nurse. She had an uneventful labor, and was quick to clean all her pups right away. I was with her the whole time, and at 6 a.m., all the kids were up and in the whelping box with her. They can never wait to get their hands on the pups. Quincy had 4 girls and 4 boys, and all a shiny black and already slightly wavy coat. Good girl!

Meet Caesar

This is Caesar. He is white, about 27 in. at the shoulder and weighs about 60 lbs. He is Quincy's husband. Yes, husband. They were married at Christmas 2 years ago. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes puppies in the baby carriage. Caesar had sort of a rough start to life in that he was raised in a show kennel with very little human interaction. His breeder was well known, but had gotten a few too many dogs and couldn't spend quality time with them. Caesar was pulled out of that situation, and ended up with my mom. It has taken some adjustment, and he is completely bonded now to her and never leaves her side. Caesar is a nicely built male, with good size that he brings to his pups. Caesar also has the sweetest dispostion and fun loving attitude and some brown eyes that can melt anyone's heart. He passes all these traits on to his pups.

Meet Quincy

Meet Quincy. She is a brown Standard Poodle. She came to our family 2 years ago. She was 2 years old and had been fully trained as a service dog for a lady who had bouts of difficulty due to MS. For whatever reason, the lady decided she wanted a different dog and Quincy came into our home on a trial basis. Needless to say, she fit in quite well. Once I got used to the fact that, as a service dog, she was supposed to come and stand by me even when I went into the bathroom, and that it wasn't just her being annoying. So, with her intelligence and highly trained abilities...can she be taught to wash dishes?? Her ability to tolerate the affections of 3 young kids, and her winning personality landed her a home here, with us.