UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! Marie Antoinette???? "Let them eat cake..."

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-national/20090318/Expensive.Divorce/

Whew!! These 17 weeks flew by! I can't believe I bred 2 litters, both having some twists to them, and whelping and raising 14 puppies!!! Egad, what was I thinking?? LOL All in all, it was a bit easier than I thought, but it still was backbreaking work. 14 puppies sure make a big mess! And it's relatively constant. LOL But, I can think of no better reward than smelling their puppy breath, and watching them grow and become confident individuals. It continues to be an awe-inspiring experience.

Last weekend I drove out to my daughter's in eastern PA with the 10 puppies that were left. 6 of them had homes waiting for them. By the time I arrived, I couldn't smell if they had soiled their crates. I figured it was because I had gotten so used to the smell! LOL Actually, they were very good, and didn't go in their crates! They were very good at my daughter's and my granddaughters, 4 years and 13 months, really enjoyed them.

I am now running on 4 little black females, one of which is still waiting for the right home to adopt her. They are so funny now! They're very good about going in their little litter box, which makes my life soooooooooooooooooooooo much easier! They also know which way the door is that leads to the yard. LOL And such grown up puppies they are! Each retrieves, runs up and down my back stoop doing steps, and knows my voice.

Such pretty girls, too! I am anxious to see how they grow out. No one has a name yet, though. I haven't come up with anything I particularly like. They may be "Puppy Puppy" for the rest of their lives. LOL

Pictures to follow later...

Tessa's girl at 7 weeks.


These posts are becoming few and far between as the puppies get bigger and leave bigger poops in more places.

The big news is this week is that the puppies are old enough to go to their homes! YAY!!!! LOL Actually, it's always sad for me, and a bit anxiety provoking hoping that each puppy is happy and has a good family. Typical mother!

Yesterday I trekked Tessa's puppies to MD to meet Tessa's co-owner so she could see the puppies. First off, it wasn't supposed to snow! HAHAHA! The joke was on me! Though, the snow wasn't steady, it squalled half the time, decreasing visibility to about 3 feet. LOL It was hairy at times. But, we got to Rocky Gap State Park and took out the boys first, then the girls to look at. It took about an hour and a half to decide who we liked, and we only set up the 3 girls! The temperature was dropping to near absolute zero (or so it felt like it) and the wind picked up...a perfect combination for winter fun. We froze to death! We had to go to the ladies' room to get warm. That's how desperate we were. LOLOL

Then I got home and let the puppies out, and led them back into the basement. We then met 3 lovely families who went home with puppies. :-) This week ALL of the puppies and I travel to PA to go the rest of the families.

See you soon...

Introducing the actual bosses of the family...Smokey, Slinky, Pixie, and Lulu.

We made it through the vet appointment with 14 puppies! My husband devised a plan to carry 3 in at a time in a puppy crate. Better him than me! LOL We piled 14 puppies into my van in 3 adult crates, and were serenaded all the way and from the vet's. Somehow, by divine intervention, no one was carsick or pooped. So, now I have the million dollar secret...puppies stuffed in a crate in a car=no poop! I'm rich, I tell ya! LOL

The fecal smear was negative for worms, etc. Yippee! They get one more round of worming this week. The protocol is 3 weeks in a row. Weights ranged from 7.4 lbs to 11.8 lbs!! All are in good health, which we knew. Their second round of vaccines are due in about 3-4 weeks. I space mine out a bit only because I am of the thinking that puppies are babies, and I try to keep to a recommended schedule, but extended.

Getting them to the van was a hoot! I felt like the Pied Piper of Hamlin. LOL I let them all outside in the back yard, and enticed them to follow me by banging on one of their feeding dishes. LOL They were like little ants scurrying around my feet. After the appointment we reversed the trail back to the back yard with my beating on my stainless steel drum. LOL

I am going to email everyone about times to pick up their puppies on Feb 27. I will be leaving Sunday around noon to return home, so it's Saturday 2/27 and Sunday a.m. 2/28. My work is coming to a close, but YOURS is beginning!

Like I have nothing to do but make photo cards! LOL After the puppies get cleaned up and go outside, we will be getting ready to take all 14 to the vet this afternoon! My husband already devised a plan of running puppies to and from the van. I'll post on here as to how it all went after the appointment. I just love this vet! He's so easy, respects any input I have, and just loves labradors! Not to mention that he's experienced and bright. :-) I feel lucky to have found him here. Later....

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I forgot to resize these pics, so they are pretty big. LOL And the puppies nursing on Mai are Tessa's!! They "share" the duties. Tessa likes to play with the puppies, and Mai is guarding her most favorite posession in the world...her orange ball! Notice how she is looking more like a buffalo now as she loses her coat after weaning. Tessa molt is more subtle, since she is black.

We went outside again today, only this time I brought the camera! The puppies marked on their heads are Tessa's, and the puppies marked by their tails are Mai's. The little girl with the pink on her bum is Eve. :-) Just for Jen! I will be moving the computer downstairs today, too, for a live stream. I have now run out of newspapers!!! Egad, I'm relegated to using their old towels until I get more.

What a bunch of goobers! Tessa's puppies playing!

This is Eve. One of the puppies going to a family in MD. Click to see the larger photo.

Puppies are 6 weeks old this week!! And what an outlandish week we had! I know I've been lax about posting videos, pics, etc, but during the week, 99% of my spare time is cleaning puppy poop! LOL We have a 3 day weekend (Presidents' Day Monday!!!), and I plan on having the puppies on live streaming video again for the 3 days.

Wednesday night we had a tremendous wind storm. Winds at the Allegheny County Airport in Pittsburgh were recorded at 92 mph! We woke up to no power on Thursday a.m., and only had it restored last evening at about 5:00 p.m. So, any computer activity was hampered, of course. You don't realize how much we depend on electricity until you lose power. I found myself still flipping on light switches out of habit!

New news is that the puppies have been outside every day this week! They absolutely LOVE it, and yesterday we walked the crew up to the middle yard where the "puppy playground" is located...an empty dogloo, and a Fisher-Price baby play cube and a tunnel. Several of the intrepid puppies climbed onto the cube slide and actually slid down the slide! LOL One made it UP the slide to slide down! They crash after their playtime outside!

They have their first vet appointment on Monday afternoon. Something tells me we will be there a while! LOL 14 puppies will take about an hour or more to examine, vaccinate, etc. They will have an allover exam, vaccinations, and fecal exam for parasites. They should be ok, since they are being wormed weekly for 3 weeks.

I am finalizing the trip out to PA where most of them have homes. I'll send emails this week. The weekend of Feb 7, 28 and March 1 is the date I should be traveling out there to my brother's in Upper Bucks County to stay while we meet their new families. :-) It's been unbelievably busy these past few weeks, but it's always sad to see them go. Each one has a special place in our hearts. Take good care of our babies!