Pups in action...

Will miss these faces.    Tobey and Pearl leave tomorrow morning for Baltimore and CJ goes to a nice family in Westport.  The remaining 2 will become best buds, depending on if both stay 'til the culmination of December madness, or just one.  

Almost daily friends/family ask about the whole experience.  "Wont you be so sad to see them go?!?!"   

Yes,  but cleaning up their poop and Pee so often makes the separation seem bearable, some day.  I know I will revel in the hours of extra time every day, and I understand now why breeders say you are ready to see them go by 8 weeks. But a few days with puppy breath and kisses and I will want them all back. 

"Will you do this again?" 

That answer is a an unequivocal and resounding YES! Except for the 26 degree mornings when the pups were covered in their own diarrhea and  I wanted to cry a few times…I have loved ALMOST every minute of it.  EVEN the dirty caring for them, the same way it feels good to know your baby is clean, fed, dry and full and you don't stay annoyed for too very long at the blow-out she has on her new dress right before you are finally leaving (late, again!) for church. As I have listened to dear friends or my stud-of-a-brother talk about running marathons, I always wonder HOW they did it, and WHY they would ever choose to do it, again; when they talk about wanting to curl up and die at mile 20.  A marathon seems about as likely for me to accomplish as it does for most other people to have 8 puppies….by choice. The big difference (besides the lack of calories I am burning doing this!)  is that no one who visits the pups is the least bit envious of this choice of mine... unless they are under the age of 12.  Yeah.  And of course I envy the brain-control and determination of the 26 milers, and would trade with them when I am at the gym or on mile 2 of my runs and (want to! :)  walk. So, this is my marathon, until I wake up one morning at 57 with a new brain and endurance. In the meantime, I will take my raw, cut-up hands from so much constant washing; and the sweats covered in white puppy-hair instead of perspiration from a work-out. Not sure what excuse I am going to have for the lack of that come Christmas!!!!

Happy weekend.  Here's to sad good-byes and new families made happier by fur and poop! 

This is reminding me of the kindness in the world!

One of the suprising things about this whole experience of Bella being a momma - and  experiencing being a "Grandma" (better not happen for REAL any earlier than 10 years from now!) is the tenderness of people's hearts. I have loved people's stories of why they are looking for a puppy; which so often have involved losing a dog. And they are wanting the joy they had with their prior pet, and are only willing to go with another Labrador!    Once a Lab-lover; always a Lab-lover! :)  So many people have called who ; months or YEARS later, are still mourning their 4-legged best friend.  It has been humbling and amazing to hear how much people are willing to do (and SPEND!) to keep their beloved Daisy/Zeus/Rex/Mocha cancer-free and here for another year or two, when dogs lives are already way too short.  I have also been surprised (and touched!) at some good souls who have shared their guilt with me for thinking of getting another puppy, as if it is a replacement of their pet.  I believe with all my heart that if there is a line to get into heaven, dogs would be at the front and the quickest to be let in. I picture them looking down on their masters, wanting them to be happy and their hearts to be healed.    The same way that if something happened to me I would want my husband to have someone to love for life.   (ok, Ok... while maybe secretly wishing he could or WOULD never find anyone cool enough to "replace" me. :)  That is the point...our beloveds aren't replaceable; rather, we have spaces in our hearts for each of them, the way my friends with 8 children can love them individually the same manner I love mine.  Our differences - and sameness - is what makes life a joyous mix of happy and hurting.  And the happy is below - "Chubbs" and "Jack" found their forever homes! love it!  I already miss Chubbs chill ways and his silky fur, as it was the softest!

Watch this and don't get a lump in your throat.  I double-dog dare you. :):)

Leaving already...

We lost our first baby!   "Pink" was the first to go, which was on Saturday. ( It didn't and hasnt crushed me since there are 7 still hanging in and the poop load hasn't diminished for my liking!) She is now christened "Maddie" and is with a sweet family with 2 kids. The little girl couldn't be more excited. Knowing I can hop in my car anytime to get my puppy-fix in the next few months is the best part of the puppies sticking around.  I am sure I have some Pink photos around to find later...

JACK AND CJ after an hour of cold/sunshine play!

TRUE LOVE.   CJ is in the orange ribbon and Jack is in green. They really don't like each other very much…can you tell? :)  CJ is the most energetic and adventuresome of the litter, while Jack is in between mellow and CJ.  They both love my affection before they run off again.  

This beauty is the last girl left. "Peach" will leave this weekend to go down to Florida with a college-friend of my man's who has had lots of recent loss: her husband this year to brain cancer, her mom in September and most recently, her beloved dog. I love thinking of the wholes her face will feel, and the sweet tears that will dry on her soft coat. She is a total sweetheart and will be 4 legs of happiness.  Two lucky ladies! 

CHUBBS --- AKA "OLD MAN CHUBBS" started out as the fattest and has held strong the whole time.  Not always leading the pack, but right up there. He is similar to Jack in that he is not the most easy-going of the litter (like Rodger, below) but is calm and playful like the rest of them.  I believe he would be great with a family or person of any age. 

"Rodger" is the most chill of the 8 pups. Which was a big surprise because he was the first to topple outside of the whelping pen wanting to explore at only 2 weeks.  So maybe his true self is wild and brave, but for now he loves to sit in my lap and be cuddled.  He has such a pretty face and I am smitten by his calmness. 

Both of these photos are of Tobey, whose name is sticking and is headed a little further south. He and his sister below get to live life on 6 acres, under feet of 2 donkies and some chickens. Even more exciting for them will be the pond.  Momma Bella can't stay out of water, even when I take her running in January and the one at our favorite trails is half-frozen over.

Sister Pearl will fill the WHITE home with joy.  (brilliant name choice or WHAT?!?! 

"Pearl. White! " 

Way better than "Off," if you ask me……..but what do I kno?  (although I will say that I loved the name Aiden at 21 years old when I met a sweet teenage boy named that.  It was heavily mocked by my man and family, but America must like it more than them.  I wish I could have bough Aiden-name- stock in the early-1990's…) 

Pearl is the sweetest critter of the litter.  She is the one and only pup I can count on to sit FIRST in my lap almost every day.  And stay there.  They all love attention and lots of petting and smooching and googling by me (and anyone who visits!) but this girl is extra-special. I am SO happy she is going to a home with 2 young children at a great age to have such a cuddler.  

The days and nights have been filled with poop, pee and more poop.  They are great about going outside when I get them there all a the same time... I have learned by living - the expression "herding cats."  WHen they all run outside together and I stick to their schedule of going out every few hours... (I know, I know..shocking..I AM capable of  keeping a scheule!t!)   they have great days without tooooooo much to clean up.   BUT they like to follow me back into the garage when I go to grab a puppy wo is lingering there….and then, the cat-herding.  They want to stay where it is warm and find a corner to poop in..like a guilty 3 year old.   There are no words for the amount of piles I have cleaned up.  Some cold mornings I think I am DONE - and it is time to put a "FREE PUPPIES" add in the paper.  But most of the time - today included! - even in the 28 degree weather….my heart if just filled with love for them  and gratitude for watching these little creatures grow. 

Some breeders sell their puppies at 6 weeks...

And at 6:30 am AND/OR 36 degrees out…that sounds absolutely delightful.  BUT..this capture is why I am glad they have more Momma-time.    Happy Birthday, Puppies.  7 weeks old; fat and sassy!  Enjoy your sweet momma because time is running short!

Hungry Hippos at 6 weeks old!

Eye-candy! :)

NOt sure which is cuter…these girls or the pups.   Love these faces and just want to squeeze them all day. 

Adventure is a good thing….

So we moved to this new house in June…we were gone most of july and August, then came back in time of the insanity of school and fall sports for four kids.   All of us have adjusted, in spite of the further drive to all the things that we are involved with and being even LESS on-time to things/church.  Bella is the the one who has had the hardest time with the move in that she isn't a fan of the new kitchen. Even though we had hardwood floors in almost the whole downstairs of old house (including the kitchen)  these floors make her a little nervous.  It is the only thing she does that is less than almost-perfectly delightful. She is nervous to come from mudroom into the kitchen hallway and vice versa.  And she passed on that trait to a few of her pups! :) this is the first day i opened up the door to let them  come on in and explore.  Some of them would rather stay put.  I love that they inherited all the sweetness of Bella, though! 

5 and 1/2 weeks old and learning to venture out of the mudroom! It's a tad scary for some of them! 

JOY!!!!

Daily visitors mean spreading the love!  I think I have the cutest puppies and the cutest nieces and nephews on earth.  8 is a big litter and a blessing…but 27 nieces and nephews is even better.  

4 weeks old

LOOOOVEE!!!!