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.