Candy pups "Mush" meal!!!

Candy's litter is on the larger size (not huge but good sized pups). So we decided to try them on puppy mush a bit earlier than some of my other litters in the past. It was quite a SIGHT!!It started out pretty well. Only a little drip as it was poured in to the bowl (sorry Crow!).

Then it went down hill QUICK... they crawled into the flying saucer pan!!

Hershey was just not sure what was on his paws!

Ike sure thought it tasted pretty good!!

Brach is not sure what happened either. It tasted good .. but gosh it's all over me!!Crow thought the bowl tasted good too!!
Mike put his nose in just a 'wee' bit too far!!!

Stepping in it, wearing it, and of course the bowl taste testing was all part of the 'expierence' for them.
Did I mention tasting each other ?? Hershey thought Ike's mush might taste better than his...

Hershey says "Hey you got something on your chin, let me help ya with that!!"

Brach is wondering if he looks good in 'mush"

"Wow we really did make a mess didn't we???" (yes but we ARE cute!!!)

Now later in the evening, I set down Candy's bowl of hard kernels ... normally the pups could care less about the bowl. NOW they think her hard kernels are fair game!!!
"Whoooo hoooo look what we found!!!"

Poor Candy just looked on and patiently wait for her kids to get bored with her dinner.

Feeding them mush has gotten FAR less messy, as they have now gotten the hang of standing on the outside of the dish and just eating!!!

Aussie pups FINALLY!!

Well it has been almost a year since an Aussie litter has graced the house. We are overflowing with 'tailed' BCs... but Tailor finally fixed this issue!!

This is a repeat litter from over two years ago. The first time the cross was done it was on a lease situation where I did not whelp the litter at my house, but did keep my name on it and get pups from it (as both parents are my dogs). That cross worked out so nicely that we chose to repeat it again. Tailor is going to be 7 years old in June so not lots of 'heat cycles' left to do many litters.

Of course like people, dogs that live (or work together) cycle together ... so it seems they have all come in heat together and due to many of my girl's age (and my procrastination and show/trial schedule) they didn't get bred till now or much at all.

Needless to say it is going to be a BUSY time with pups for awhile! I am grateful I am not doing much besides the dogs (retail work wise) so they are getting my full attention. And I am just LOVING that!!

Tanner is the proud father (OK he is a man .. he could care less!!!) and Tailor is the doting momma. She is such a stellar mother.

These guys were born yesterday (thankfully she whelping thru the day not the NIGHT!).

ALL BOYS!!! Lots of pretty reds!!

Tailor taking a nap thru the process. There was still one red tri boy to come.
Tailor all done with the five boys nursing comfortably.Here is all five up close while nursing.Tailor resting with her black tri boy napping close by. (yes he does look a bit 'grey' but this pup's head is a rich black ... he will shed out to be a pretty black tri!!)
Tailor does keep a close eye on them as I try to get their pictures!

The row of five boys: Black tri, Red tri, Red Bi (no tan), Red tri, and Red merle (with tan)

The view from the 'top' (again the only one with no tan points is the boy in the center)
Such pretty heads!!
And we already have a clown in the group!! One of the red tri boys feels the need to stick his tongue out me!!

Candy x Fog pups 3 weeks old with nicknames!!

Here they are at 3 weeks old. There are a few remenants of puppy mush for breakfast on them (those photos will be posted later!). They now have their "Candy" nicknames as well. Of course the new owners may change their names to whatever they want when they get them home!!

The only Girl "Taffy"Taffy's cute head!!

Black boy with the thin collar and wider blaze "Mike"
Mike's very pretty head

This is the black boy with the thin collar but also thin strip on the face. He and "Mike" are so similiar they had to be "Mike and Ike" so he is "Ike"!
Ike's cute head!!

Being almost solid milk chocolate colored it was hard to nickname this boy anything else!! He is "Hershey"
Hershey's expressive head

This boy got his name early. He came out very dark black and "Crow" just fits him!!
Crow is a hoot!! His coat is already long ... so I know he is going to be a rough coat like Daddy!!

This is our dark red boy. "Clark" also could go for "Superman - Clark Kent" as he is a Super looking puppy already.
Clark's head. He is rather tight coated so I think he is going to be a smooth like Momma.

Then there is the 'traditional' boy "Brach". He is a traditionally marked black and white with full white collar and blaze.
Brach is quite a looker himself!!!

Mishka gets to come to Christmas Dinner!

As many of you know my old lady in her old age has developed diabetes. Due to this we give her two shots a day 12 hours apart.

With our Christmas dinner schedule no one would be home to give her the shot and make sure she ate at the appropriate time.

So of course!! Mishka got to come along to my boyfriend's family Christmas dinner.With her diabetes, she needs to eat something before her shot or immediately after. Since she was so excited to visit all the guests she was not interested to eat her hard kernels. We made sure she ate (something) by giving her turkey with some nice sugary pancake syrup gravy on it!! (She licked the plate clean!!)

She had a great time and was the perfect house guest. Now "Skylar" the resident merle collie thought she was 'quite' the pretty lady (no photos of THAT was needed!!)

Wonderful Christmas Morning!!

Well, we certainly don't have a "White Christmas". The weather has been so varied that right now here in Indiana there is no snow, only cold and ice. AND PLENTY OF IT!

The day started early but quiet and relaxing.

My gift from Rion was a happy normal puppy!! He was happy to greet me early and had normal stools!!

I was able to enjoy some quiet time with the bigs dogs early as the sun came up. (It was so peaceful and just a wonderful moment/time for me to reflect on all the great 'gifts' that I have).

The dogs ran and played as a group. Playing tag, chase and enjoyed hunting thru the frozen ground for treasures.

John thought he could play "Santa" (after all he is always dressed in a red and white suit). He did add plenty of frozen 'slobber' to the make a bigger beard.

Imported Meg found herself a 'treasured gift' in the yard. A FROZEN tennis ball!!

Fog felt he should get to play "Frosty"

The dogs and I had a wonderful Christmas morning. As a child I always got to get up early and open presents. This year of course the 'presents' for my fur kids!!

Christmas Photos!!

Mishka was subjected to my silly Christmas photos. I am sure that she is licking her chops thinking of ways to chew off her hat....

Ok this is just NOT funny .... You think this is cute??? Yes I am an angel... I don't need a "halo" to prove that one to you!!

My EVENTFUL Christmas eve day!!

Well I will admit it, the holidays are NOT favorite time of year. I have worked in the retail business too many years, to enjoy the shopping and I love to give gifts.. but that entails shopping.

SO that being said I really was hoping for a quiet day, uneventful, and one I could enjoy the dogs/pups, not go out and CERTAINLY no shopping!! YEAH RIGHT ... I should know better by now.

Last weekend the Miss pups did go off their puppy food and have a bout of loose stools... it occurred right after the trip to have their eyes checked so I chalked it up to stress and treated them with Albon as an extra preventative. Not a one ever had a fever and just seem 'off' for a day (well that happens they are pups). They were due to be wormed so they also were treated with my typical protocol of Panacur wormer too. All is fine now they are back to normal stools and they are their obnoxious selves driving me nuts trying to keep up with them.

Late last night when I went to feed the older imported pups I noticed that Rion (the red merle boy) was slower to eat. He did finish his dinner ... but not with the vigor he normally does. He was still quite perky and went out happily wagging his tail at last potty time.

Well this morning I awoke to a pen full of undigested food (he threw his dinner back up) and a pup that was not nearly as perky as he was the night before. I let him outside (he did hop right up and decide he was headed outside with his brother and adopted sister)... I watched close when he pottied outside ... it was not good ... not good at all! Liquid not a normal stool from him at all.

So I brought him back in and immediately took his temp. 100.1 (no temp... actually the lower end of normal)... so I dosed him with Albon and decided to watch him close for a few hours and make my decison on what to do (knowing today would be my day to take him to the vet as they would be closed tomorrow). I did think they have been out playing in our heavy amounts of rain water/puddles, digging holes in mud, and general rough housing in the back yard quite a bit lately. Eating something that could upset his stomach would certainly not be out of the question and very VERY plausible.

Hour and a half later ... I peeked on him... NOT a happy puppy. He didn't even want to get up for me to take his temp and more loose liquid stool all over his papers. I took him out and took his temp. It was UP to 102.1 (still in the normal range but higher)... this took just under two hours to happen and he was certainly a 'droopy lethargic puppy'.

Now if anyone knows me ... I watch my pups like a mother 'hawk' they sneeze I know it and exactly which one!! And due to the massive outbreaks of Parvo in the area in the last 18 mos (more cases than in decades) I don't take chances!!!

SO MUCH for the QUIET relaxed day with the dogs!!! I was on the way to the vet ... just as they were closing (yep emergency call fee here we come!). Rion and I get there ... they immediately pop him up on the table ... and begin a Parvo test. (needless to say... I had gone over all the horrible things that could happen with SO many pups in the house and if he had PARVO... I was just beside myself with horrible thoughts of sick and dying pups!!).

For those that have ever had to do this test on a pup you know.. they take a stool sample and mix it with a solution .. put it in this little test kit (kinda like a pregnancy test for women but no peeing on the stick)... snap it and 'WAIT' ..... yeah that is the hardest part... the WAIT!!

As I am watching this little white kit ... I begin to freak... THERE IS A SPOT !!! OH MY GOD THERE IS A SPOT it is positive!!... Hillary (one of my favorite vets).. say OH No NO!! that means the test is running and it's right ... one dot is fine ... TWO dots is BAD!!

More waiting .... (they run a fecal in the meantime ... just to check).... no more dots are appearing... I keep looking at it.....

My other favorite vet (the owner of the clinic Dr. Meade) comes in ... and says ... "well a tiny bit of roundworms... but that is all I see". He may have just eaten something and it could be a bit of coccidious due to all this rain and junk floating around. He looks at the test kit and goes .... "looks like NO PARVO!!"

WHEW!! I sigh (a HUGE sigh I might add!) and of course Rion who is sitting on the table waiting ... just sits up and licks my face like "see Mom.... you ARE a nervous NINNY!!".

Hillary went to throw the test kit away ... and I said HEY no!! That is the best Christmas present I could ever get this year!! I gotta take that home!! (not to mention I can keep it for his scrapbook!!)

So here is my best Christmas present of the year!!

A negative Parvo test!!

Well I was not totally 'out of the woods" or off the hook for Christmas shopping. Due to Rion's liquid stool, I used up all the paper towels and bleach cleaning up after things. Any dog owner knows it is also an EMERGENCY when you run out of paper towels... so that did require a trip (on Christmas EVE day right prior to closing) a trip to Walmart... (I couldn't go a day with no paper towels and a ill feeling puppy!! ) UGH double UGH.... I waited in line over 15 mins even in the express lane... not to mention how many people were pushing carts up and down the packed aisles... But I survived and the house is loaded up with bleach, cleaner and paper towels!!

My second 'blessing and gift" for the Christmas Eve... was the gift of CHEAP gas!!! While I was out later this evening the BP gas station in West Lebannon has gas down to $1.39 a gallon!! Whooo hooo that is thirty cents cheaper than Danville, IL and Lafayette too!! (Oh I am sure there are places much cheaper... but heck ... this is cheap for us!!)
In the pouring rain, I could not help but snap a quick photo of the price sign!!

As an evening update on Rion ... He is feeling MUCH better. No more throwing up after he came home from the vet. He napped most of the day (I even hooked up a heat light over his wire crate to keep him extra warm). By later evening he was showing signs of his perky self again and even complained he wanted out too when his brother Rigel and adopted sis Hope went out. He ate a small meal of regular puppy kernels (with water on it) and all seems to be on the mend. Just took a matter of hours and an expensive emergency TRIP to the vet to ease his Mommy's mind!!

Well my Christmas Eve is almost over ... and I am grateful for the "gifts" I have been given today. Tomorrow is the day we get to spend with part of the family... that will be a good day too, I just KNOW it!!