Blu Top Puppies

Catching up with grown-pups

2011-01-01T16:57:00.000-08:00

It's a quiet winter at Blu Top, and that is just fine. The dogs are loving the snow and seem to still find all sorts of mischief!

I thought it would be fun to see how the puppies are growing up! I have asked the families to send recent photos of their "grown-pups" and I will post them. Here is what we have so far...

Guinness (Macy X Sam)

In his favorite sleeping position

Hoyt (Flute x Cabot)

Marley (Macy X Marcello)

Buttercup (Ryder x Bravo)

-looks just like her mama

One Last Romp

2010-07-12T21:15:00.000-07:00

Did someone say "cookie"?

There is nothing more peacefully then a walk through the woods and pasture with a pack of faithful four-legged friends at your side. It's always the last romp that tugs on the heart strings a little. Even though we know our puppies go to the best homes, we defiantly miss their sweet spirits. Our last romp as a pack was perfect. Sun was up, birds were singing, and the dogs went exploring. Sherman is still living up to his name. He looks just like dad. Our darling Mateja is getting a new name- Truffles...fits her to a T. She looks just like mama. The pups will head for their forever homes this week. And we will welcome two wonderful families into our "pack". Take good care of our babies...

Sherman on a mission

Truffles in the tall grass

Wait for me Walker

A-hunting we will go

Off, into the great wide open...

The Count Down

2010-07-03T08:19:00.001-07:00

Doesn't get much cuter then that...

It's the start of the count down. Not too much longer and our babies will be heading out to their forever homes. Both Sherman and Mateja are growing, growing, growing. Mateja is actually catching up to Sherman (although he is such a tank, he may be un-catchable). They are loving their outdoor play time and getting to know the other dogs on the farm. Ammie is also on the count down. We haven't told her yet that life as a full time house dog is almost at an end, and getting her pre-puppy body back is just around the corner! We are happy that she has been such a great mama. She loves her babies. It's always harder on the people to say good-bye to the pups then it is the mama dog. We have really grown attached to these babies. They will be nice and spoiled by the time they head out in two weeks.

Enough play...time for a nap!

Blue Skies

2010-06-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

Finally the sun came out here in the west! The puppies got to spend the day learning about grass, bugs, and sun bathing. They also got to meet the other dogs on the farm. It was a fun adventurous day.

Sherman the TANK

Sherman meets Bridget

Paisley says "Let me in to play"

Mateja takes it all in

Growing like Weeds

2010-06-12T08:55:00.000-07:00

The dynamic duo know how to pack on the pounds. They are up on all fours, eyes open, and ready to explore. Ammie has been a wonderful mama. Both Tank & Mateja are loving their puppy kibble smoothie.

Out with the old, In with the new

2010-06-02T20:58:00.001-07:00

Our Flute puppies have gone to their new forever homes, where I am sure they are being spoiled and loved. Eight weeks goes by so fast! However, as these puppies head off into the wide world, we have a new batch to introduce.

Ammie, our sweet chocolate girl who lives at Chirby Labradors has blessed us with her first litter of two beautiful pups. A perfect set- one boy, one girl. Sherman "Tank" & Mateja were

born May 17th.

As you will see in the photo's, Sherman IS a tank.

Out and About

2010-05-24T20:27:00.000-07:00

Flower? What Flower?

M R Ducks?

Into the thick of it...

A day at the farm

2010-05-24T16:42:00.001-07:00

The puppies came to the farm for a weekend visit, and got into all kinds of mischief! They thought the front porch was there very own jungle gym.

Happy Mothers Day

2010-05-11T20:24:00.000-07:00

This is how Flute Spent her Mother's Day...on higher ground! The puppies have conquered the great outdoors. And they are lovin' every minute of it. From the playground, to the tall grass, every day is another adventure for them. Each puppy is really getting it's own personality. One of the females is a wild child, with huge ears (like her mama at that age), who turns and burns at every corner. There is a male who is one big pile of mushy love. They love people, and come running, in true stampede form whenever they hear a voice.

Cute doesn't even begin to describe them.

"How do I get to you mom?"

First Feather

This is how Flute's Mother's Day ended.

Last night in the box

2010-05-02T12:36:00.001-07:00

The puppies have filled the box; they must move outside. Sad for me because I love having them at my fingertips every minute. I will, instead, spend my puppy time outside with them for the first little while...then they will learn to follow me and in the house we will come for nightly romps in the kitchen. As you can see by the following pictures, it was a beautiful day for their big move! Flute obliged by sitting in the pool!

Puppies explored their new play yard then fall fast alseep.

Chow Time

2010-04-24T08:25:00.000-07:00

Three weeks and another first- real food. The puppies dive in with gusto, loving every bite. Flute loves it too as she's on clean up patrol...and boy they manage to get mush everywhere then pass out in their dishes! The puppies recognize their "people" now as food ladies. Their tails wag and sometimes will give a little woof to say "Hey let's eat!"

Another toenail trim, lots of lovin, and good playtime. The puppies are now exploring the kitchen and do pretty good on the vinyl floor. Surprisingly enough, they are pretty accurate about using the paper in the box for their "business".

Bright Eyes

2010-04-18T15:24:00.000-07:00

The puppies have opened their eyes! They are discovering each other, their box and its a whole new world! They are up on their wobbly legs and already play wrestling with their brothers and sisters. Still relying much on smell they know when mom arrives but now they can find her and follow her around the box, their voices rising in a high pitched chorus of anticipation! She is spending more time just outside of the whelping box now; she goes into clean up after them and to feed them, and only sometimes staying for a nap. In a few days they will recognize me as the climbing wall; I look forward to that!

The Walrus Stage

2010-04-16T17:02:00.000-07:00

Look at how they are growing ! Flute obviously has plenty of milk for the milk bar. Right now pretty much all they do is eat, sleep and you know what (thank you Flute for being a good mama!). Already they have had their very tiny toenails trimmed. About Wednesday we should see some eyes opening and then the fun begins! Yesterday Flutey forgot herself and took a spin through the swamp :-) She had to have a full bath before she could crawl back in the box with her family! Silly girl. All smiles all day, that's her motto!

Big Yawn

Hug from Mom

Belly Up to the Bar

Good News for Flute

2010-04-07T21:01:00.000-07:00

Puppies are here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Flute had nice beautiful puppies on March 31st. It was a long road from losing the litter last fall, but well worth all the effort. Because of the problems we had last time, Flute stayed with one of the co-owners who has a canine reproduction specialist in the vet office. Turns out it was the right call as our Flute tried to have them a week early.

Now we have 2 yellow males, 3 black males, and 4 black females! Flute is a great mom- very attentive, and loving. Here are a few photo's of the new group.

Puppies on the way

2009-08-11T18:51:00.000-07:00

We have exciting news! Our Flute is due to whelp the middle September! This will be Flute's first litter...check back for lots of puppy updates!

Ranger gets a home!

2009-02-21T14:53:00.001-08:00

It's great news! Ranger- now called Otter has found a wonderful home. This particular home has a almost 2 year old yellow male from Ryder. It is very exciting to know that Ryder and Macy- the best of friends will have two of their pups growing up to be pals! Love stories like that!!!

From the reports I am getting, all the puppies are doing terrific. I occasionally will get photo's with updates and every looks as happy as can be. Macy is back to hunting for mice with Ryder and life is good!

Skunk'ed Again!

2009-01-29T16:07:00.000-08:00

You might recall a week before Macy's puppies were born she got sprayed by a skunk. Not cool! I suppose you could say things have come "full circle" as our sweet loving Macy found yet another skunk- just a week after the puppies went to their new homes. As Cash's friend Lily would say "What the heck in the world!"

Cash and I were meandering towards the barn yesterday afternoon to put the dogs in the kennels and leave to run errands. As we headed down the lane, I was talking away to Cash when he interrupted me and said in a very enthusiastic way "Look mama, a skunk." Well by that time, Macy and Ryder were half way down the lane and the little skunks tail was straight in the air. I called them off and they did stop, but not in time! We ended up walking back to the house to give the skunk time to make a get-a-way. Once the coast was clear we headed back to the barn.

Today, those naughty girls got a bath. Luckily Ranger was still behind us and Flute was across the yard. I always thought that skunks hibernate. Turns out they DON'T!

When will these dogs learn?

The Lone "Ranger"

2009-01-29T15:45:00.000-08:00

The story doesn't stop yet...we still have "Ranger". One of the first families on the list went back and forth between a girl or a boy, then the last week decided on a girl- so that left one unsold puppy. I call him Ranger! He is so sweet and laying at my feet as we speak. He is very smart and learning that kid shoes are NOT chew toys! ;-) I have been working on house-breaking and crate training too. He loves to play with the big dogs and tease Uncle Bubba, the cattle dog. He has also learned that the horse pasture is off limits. He is a very good boy! ;-)

Our Last Walk

2009-01-22T07:09:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the last walk Macy and I will take with the puppies. Hard to believe that the 8 weeks has arrived. I know of some VERY excited families who probably think today is Christmas. ;-) The puppies have grown up- from 1 pound at birth to the 17 pounds they are now. Pip has caught up with the rest of the gang and is very handsome. Gary, who's new name is Guinness is still a food-a-holic! And the sassy black female is still plenty sassy!

Macy is ready for life to get "back to normal". Yesterday she played hard with the puppies as if she knew this would be the last time- at least until our Puppy Reunion Party. I too am ready for more sleep, although it will be bittersweet to say good-bye. I still have two puppies without homes, so they will stay with me until we find them the perfect spot!

Last kiss for Uncle Bubba

When I get puppy updates, I will be sure to add them to the blog so you

can see our puppies grow up!

The Great Outdoors

2009-01-15T01:00:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure that blogging at 1:30 in the morning is such a good idea! However, it seems like it has been too long since my last post, and these puppies are getting cuter. They are so adventurous. When they first come out of the pen they race to the barn door. From there, they scatter- some go to the last snow pile where Cash is usually playing, some duck under the plastic swimming pool for a game of hide-and-go-seek, a few run to the leaf pile, and the two girls head for trouble! The black girl goes straight to the horse pasture-gotta love horse poop. The chocolate girl heads up the road to explore. Both of my trouble makers don't seem to stay away from the group for too long. And when I call, they all come racing back to me- some carrying sticks or leaves. And there is always one who has the tail of another puppy in it's mouth- like elephants in a row. I tell those puppies time and time again that tails and ears are NOT chew toys! It is too crazy to think that just a little over a week and these pups will be off to see the world. I still have a few that are not spoken for so they will just stay with me until the right family comes along!

I am excited for this group to head out. They are smart, cute, and have temperaments that show why I love Labs! Like Macy and Sam, the pups are very very sweet!

A sledding adventure

2009-01-05T20:52:00.000-08:00

Snow day! The puppies had a fun day playing in the snow (at least for a little while). They started out following me around, but as soon as they heard my son Cash, it was like I didn't even exists! They love kids!!! He was busy sledding down a hill we made out of "plowed" snow. The puppies spotted him from across the yard and the race was on. Not just who could get their first, but these brave puppies wanted to be with him- even if it meant climbing to the top of the sledding hill. They played for a while, and then saw mom and raced to her. With both Macy and Cash's help, I wrangled them back to the barn where they warmed up. Fun day of sledding!

2009-01-04T22:26:00.000-08:00

I need to get some WD-40 for my barn door- it is too squeeky and I can't sneak in on the puppies! As soon as they hear the door handle turning, they are out of the igloo and on the run! It's actually very fun to be greeted like that- all happy, wagging tails, and eyes that say "Get in here and play with us." Of course, as true labradors that they are- they always hope that I have food with me too! ;-)

All the puppies have adjusted to life in the big pen very well. Being winter, I wasn't sure how fast they would adjust to the cold, but it didn't take long at all. Half the time they aren't even resting under the heat lamps. All the puppies are getting so big, Pip included. In fact, Pip is gaining on all his littermates, and fast! Plus he is about the toughest one in the group (aside from Sassy), but he sure loves to cuddle! He thinks he is a bird and would stay perched on my shoulder if he could. I am in love with all the black males! Their faces can melt you!

Macy is spending less time with them, but still loves to play. With teeth, they are like little pirahna's! She will let them nurse for a little bit, but then it usually turns into a game of "who can catch mom first."

The puppies had their first "snow day" today. It was a quick one as it was only 14 degrees. Long enough to run around, eat some snow, climb a small snow hill, and then back to the warm box. Those photo's will be up next time.

The big move

2008-12-28T22:08:00.000-08:00

The big move happened over the weekend. These adorable puppies have outgrown the whelping box and are now in the puppy yard "spreading their wings." They love it out there! At first is was pretty cold for them, but they have adjusted and are doing great. They have been out there for a few days and are already getting the hang of things. They know when the door creaks opens to come running out of the igloo and look for a person- people either have food or lots of love, either will do in their eyes. They are learning that when I sweep out the "trough" where they eat that food will be in it soon. They still love to eat- probably always will. Little "Pip", who is gaining fast on his brothers, ended up in the trough at one point, sort of high centered! I had to go to his rescue. He is quite the character. The girls in the group seem to know that they are the only girls- more like "tom-boys" at this stage. They are tough girls! All the puppies have wonderful personalities. They will start to show their true colors now that they have more room to roam. But I suspect that they won't be too different from each other. With a mother as kind as Macy and a dad like sweet Sam- they are just full of goofy love!

-Last night in house-

-Hello play pen-

(Pip in Trough)

(Sassy)

(Battie)

The days have been warming up a little. We will start our walks into the snow covered world by the end of the week. Those should be some fun photo's.

Puppy Soup

2008-12-20T21:54:00.000-08:00

I can't get over how CUTE the faces on these puppies are. Am I bias? ;-) It's hard not to fall in love with a Labrador puppy face! This week we have entered into the world of REAL puppy food. Now that everyone has their eyes open and their teeth are coming in, the next step is puppy food. I soak the kibbles in hot water until they are super mushy, then I put them in the blender and liquefy. Presto- Puppy Soup! It doesn't take long for them to "dive" right in. As you can see by the photo's, they aren't shy. After everyone is nice and messy, I send Macy in to do the clean up work. She is really good at it! Then they top off with milk (half the time Macy doesn't even get to sit down before they are on her), and then a little nap.

I have given more"nicknames" to some of the puppies- "Pip", short for "Pip-squeak" is the LSCM (left shoulder chocolate male- means he has nail polish on his left shoulder. This helps me tell them apart until they are older and more identifiable. At the moment, he is the smallest in the litter. That often changes once they start eating solid food, so we will see. He does get "alone" time with mom so that he doesn't get push out of the way by other puppies like Gary Glutton. ;-) The black girl in the group is "Sassy". She is super cute and knows it! I love her attitude. And "Battie" is the chocolate girl. Her face reminds me of a bat for some reason- little scrunched up nose.

I have noticed that the puppies are getting long legs, so the grow spurts have started. They have nice thick coats, chubby heads, and fat tails! Macy is such a good mom. She is OK with the other dogs coming to say "Hi" to the puppies, but keeps a watchful eye on them. Macy, Ryder, and Flute got into a fun game of "who has the ball" in the snow. They love the snow! Another week and the puppies will be playing in it too!

It's all a blur...

2008-12-15T21:50:00.000-08:00

The puppies and I have been playing Peek-a-boo for a few days as their eyes have been opening very slowly. It's one of my favorite times in the puppy milestones. With their eyes opening they start to play with each other and when I talk to them, they will wag their tails at me- a true Labrador! It's still all a little blurry for them, but know to look in the direction a sound is coming from. They are all very happy puppies. As soon as I feel teeth, I will start them on puppy food- soaked and pureed. It is a fun and messy thing to watch.

Another exciting thing that happens at this time is that I get to return to sleeping in my own bed! ;-) It has been two nights of pure Heaven.

Although Macy is being an excellent mom, I can see that she is a little bored. I keep telling her how cold it is outside and that she should be thanking me for letting her sleep in the house. During the day I have been letting her go out with the other girls to look for mice a few times a day. She just loves to hunt for mice.

I am in love with the faces on these puppies, particularly the black males. Can't wait to have them grow up a bit more.

"Our First Play Time"

Strangers in the Night

2008-12-08T17:28:00.000-08:00

The neighbor called the other day to let us know that they have seen a cougar hang out at their place (eating all their chickens). So going to the barn at night or walking the dogs isn't my favorite thing to do. Last night I took Macy out to potty before bed about 11:00. Before I could even get the door closed, Macy was flying off the deck, into the dark yard. My first thought was SKUNK. As I went screaming behind her yelling "NO NO NO", all I could hear was the crunching of falling leaves and lots of it. She came back fairly quickly (I was too chicken to leave the deck) and fortunately she did not smell like a skunk (had that been the case the puppies would have been weaned last night) ;-). Once Macy was on the deck I listened to see if I could hear anything- there was more leaves rustling, some scratching, and what I thought was a low growl. I decided it was probably just my imagination, but to be sure I got the flashlight and checked it out. As I scanned the yard, I didn't see anything obvious, then I went to the tree's. There they were- 8 eyes staring back at me.

My flashlight was not powerful enough to identify the suspect, so I came in and got my husbands spotlight (10,000,000 + candle power). Come to find out I have a Coon Hound- not a Labrador Retriever! One mama and 3 babies raccoons peered down at us from the branches of the Oak tree. Macy and I watched them for a while, then decided that they had been scared enough and went to bed. I've always said, "If there's trouble, Macy will find it."

The puppies are little porkers. I call a few of the males Brutus. Their necks are like the Michelin Man. Everyone weighed in over 2 pounds today. By the end of the week I think most of them will have their eyes open. A few are starting to pull themselves up and not just drag themselves across the box. If you see dark red marks on the puppies, don't worry- it's nail polish. It helps me keep track of each one. Not too long now until they will start playing with each other instead of just sleeping on each other.

Movers and Shakers

Lip Smackin' Good

2008-12-02T22:34:00.000-08:00

When Macy goes into the whelping box, it's like someone is ringing a dinner bell to call everyone in for supper...These puppies love to eat! Even my Veterinarian today said "Well, they aren't missing any meals." Today was the first "weigh-in" since birth and each puppy has gained about 1/2 pound. This is good for Macy too as she is prone to mastitis. At this age, the puppies day consists of eating, and sleeping, eating and sleeping, whining, eating and sleeping.

It's amazing how much they change in a few days. They all have big beautiful heads and thick "otter" tails (a characteristic of a lab as described in the AKC Standard). Macy is being a very good mom. She doesn't like to leave them for too long. She rarely leaves the box, even though the door is wide open- she just loves to be with the babes. I am still sleeping on the floor next to the box- better safe then sorry. I am just looking forward to that massage I will treat myself to in a few weeks!

After my litter of 9 yellows, it's fun to have a little color in the box.

An early delivery

2008-11-30T13:00:00.000-08:00

The stork came early to our house, and brought 9 beautiful babies!

Macy had been uncomfortable all day, but wasn't showing any signs of labor- just going potty more then normal and panting. I knew that we were at the start of something, but when she got into the whelping box at 9:00 and starting pushing, I thought "are we really having puppies?" 13 hours later everyone was here. We have 4 black boys, 1 black girl, 3 chocolate boys, and 1 chocolate girl. They all were a little over a pound and love to eat!

Macy is being a great mom. She doesn't like to leave them, but will if she thinks food is involved. ;-) All the other dogs know that "something" is up in the house. It will be a fun 8 weeks watching these guys grow up!

Puppy #1

Introducing Macy

2008-11-28T17:38:00.000-08:00

This is Macy, or as we call her "Roonis"! I keep asking myself if "I've lost my mind in having another litter of puppies so soon. The answer must be YES! ;-) Truth be told, we have been waiting a long time to breed Macy, and after finding the perfect match ( a very handsome boy from Canada), we decided to just go for it.

Puppies are due the 1st, although I think it may happen a day or two sooner. Macy is HUGE. Hard to believe, but even bigger then Ryder. Talk about a "baby bump"...She is carrying her puppies very low. Her normal waistline is about 30-33 inches. Right now her waistline is almost 45 inches. Macy seems very content on having her puppies in the house and loves her big padded pillow.

Keep your fingers crossed from an easy delivery and healthy pups!

"The Baby Bump"

One last romp...

2008-11-19T23:08:00.001-08:00

Can you believe it? These puppies will be 8 weeks old Friday. It's true what they say- "Time flies when you're having fun!" Today was our last romp around together. Tomorrow they change in their "code" names for real names like Stella, Abby, Hoss, Max, and Gracie. On our romp we followed leaves, found and ate half of a pear, played keep-away with a small apple, chased each other, attacked tree branches, and tried to "get" the wind chime. It was fun, entertaining, and maybe, just maybe a little sad. I have come to know each of these puppies so well. I have studied them, held them, scolded them, praised them, taught them, and loved them. I could name each one in a line-up (let's hope I never have to). ;-) I am totally ready for them to be off into the world, but when I saw Ryder plop herself down and turn over onto her back to play- it pulled on my little heart strings! In Cash's words from the start of this journey 9 weeks ago- "You're a good mama dog Ryder!"

While one journey ends, another begins. Stay tuned as Macy, our chocolate girl gets ready to have puppies in December 1st!

On the Farm

2008-11-16T21:23:00.000-08:00

More cute pictures of the gang. The just keep getting cuter...and braver. It is so fun to take them for their walks and watch them explore the great outdoors. I have them until the end of the week, then they will be off to bigger and better things. People ask me if it's hard to see them leave- I say it's bittersweet! Sure, we love these guys! But by the time they are 8 weeks old- Ryder and I are READY for a break. Not to mention that the families that these puppies go to live with are the "cream of the crop"- heck, I would go live with them if I could! ;-)

In this group of photo's I tried to label that I could identify. Sometimes it's hard to tell them apart!

TBM

LHF

TTM & HF
TBM

TBM- Trouble Maker!

TTM

RHF- "Stand Off with Uncle Bubba"

NMF

LHF

NMM & BF

???

NMM

I also took some video footage- but be warned- it is not easy following nine puppies. It may cause motion sickness.

Rain, Rain Go Away...

2008-11-13T12:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a perfect example of one reason I love Labradors- "Wash and Wear." It has been very rainy here. I did really want to have the puppies get all wet, but yesterday it was a warm rainy day. So instead of signing Rain, Rain Go Away- we had a "Rain, Rain, Let's go Play" day! Once the puppies are out of their pen, then go to the barn door and wait for me to open it up, like Kindergartners waiting in line. Then it's off to the races. I tried to do a video of them to post on the blog, but all nine puppies head in nine different directions...making it impossible to film. They were having so much fun that even Uncle Bubba couldn't "round them up."

Walkin' on Sunshine

2008-11-10T18:23:00.000-08:00

The sun decided to come out yesterday (I was beginning to think I lived in Seattle again). It was a wonderful day for a puppy walk. They had an absolute blast retrieving leaves, racing through the field, climbing the hay stack, and exploring the pools of water. The highlight (at least for them) was discovering "horse poop". YUCK! When it was all said and done, it was time to curl up on their "turtle" and drift off to sleep.

Trouble Makers!!!

2008-11-07T22:41:00.000-08:00

Sorry- no photo's with this post...just an entertaining story! It was 9:30 and I had just let Macy, Ryder, and Bubba out of the house to go back and see the puppies. I was right behind them when I remembered I needed to do something. So I went back into the house. Ten minutes later, I came around the corner from the living room to the kitchen and it hit me- the worst smell in the world, the stench of THE most vile SKUNK you could imagine. It stopped me dead in my tracks and my first thought was- BAD DOGS!

I could hardly talk myself into opening the back door. There, on the deck was Ryder, looking at me with pleading eyes to help her smell better, and off in the dark I could hear Macy thrashing around, rolling in leaves, jumping in and out of the creek, doing whatever she could to get "the smell" off of her. So there I was at 10:00 at night, in 30 degree temperature, in the dark bathing my two Labradors with a combo of baking soda, Hydrogen Peroxide, & dish soap. It was not a pretty sight!

Needless to say, those two trouble makers are NOT sleeping in the barn! The puppies would smell terrible in the morning. Just having them outside in the kennel will probably be bad enough. Not sure what happen to the skunk, but I do know that the "assault" took place near the house, as the entire house is now infested with skunk vapors. I thought about taking Cash and going to a hotel, but I will just keep my bottle of Febreze handy! Tomorrow, will be the "tomato sauce" bath!

Bad dogs!!!

Meet the "little guy"

2008-11-04T20:10:00.000-08:00

Not to take away from my cute puppies, but I had to share the following photo's! My mom's female- Hope, who was also bred to Bravo (my puppies sire), had 9 puppies today- 3 black males, 2 black females, & 4 yellow males. We call one of them "little guy"! He is less then 1/2 the size of the other pups- as you can see. We aren't sure he will make it, but he is a fighter and we are all certainly pulling for him.

Meet the Gang

2008-11-03T21:48:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been to the mall and passed one of those shops that takes you in, does your hair and make-up, maybe gives you something else to wear, and then takes your photo? They're called Hot Shots or something like that. Well, we didn't put on make-up or do "puppy hair"- but I tried my best to get good "head shots" of each puppy.

The letter is stand for where each mark is on the puppy- so if it is BF- that means it's the female puppy with the mark on her back. You will have to forgive the crazy ghostly white "flash" eyes.

NMF

LHF

TTM

RSF

TBM

RHF

NMM

The sun came out for a brief moment, so we headed out for our walk. Uncle Bubba worked his magic again (Ryder and Macy were too busy hunting for mice in the pasture). Bubba is very gentle and carefully reminds the puppies that it hurts when they pull on his ears and tail!

Into the great wide open

2008-11-02T14:56:00.000-08:00

What a perfect day for a walk! Of course the wind was blowing a little...this is Ellensburg, but the sun was shining and it was warm! The puppies LOVED being outside. It took a little encouragement from Uncle Bubba (our cattle dog) to get them to cross over the threshold, but his tail is so bushy and fun to chase that it didn't take but a second for all 9 puppies to come bounding out into the sunlight. The natural retrievers came out in a few of them as they quickly found leaves to cart around. Others found a shallow puddle, and the others raced to the grass. One, and I am not sure which one found it's way into the pasture where it met Blue Pony- but Cash quickly came to it's rescue (the pony probably liked the company). In the end, once again Bubba helped bring them back into the barn. Not sure they were ready to be put back, but they ate every kibble at lunch, so they worked up an appetite. Enjoy the photo's of our first trip- into the great wide open!

A whole new world

2008-10-30T19:38:00.000-07:00

It's a whole new world for the puppies. They love their new spot- love the room to run, love the toys to play on, and love all the food they are getting! I love it when they move out to their big pen because they really start showing us who they are. I am constantly reminding them that ears and tails are NOT chew toys! Everyone is pretty good at "dishing it out", but there are some real babies when it comes to "taking it". Some of their favorite toys are- socks in a knot and old milk jugs. Of course they love fingers too! And yes, their teeth are quite sharp now. I can't believe how fast they are growing. Today they are 5 weeks old! "Chunk" is still the biggest, but the others a gaining on him!

Enjoy "play time"

Too big for the box...

2008-10-27T21:40:00.000-07:00

As these puppies get bigger, I end up spending more time with them...then I wonder where my day went! They all know my voice now and have learned that I am the one that brings the food to them. We have moved on from the mushy puppy food. Now, the food is soak for a few minutes to soften the outside, but the inside of the kibble is hard. If you have visited recently you can attest to how sharp their teeth are! ;-)

The pups have outgrown the whelping box and are now in their new puppy play pen. They have lots of room to roam and are much happier. While it is a bit colder then in the house, they have three heat lamps that help keep them warm. Plus Ryder is never too far from them. I don't have photo's of the new pen yet, but will do my best to get some soon!

Once all the pups gets used to the new pen, we will start our walks in the woods and through the pasture. It is great fun! Their personalities are really starting to shine through, but each of them are just wonderful, healthy, happy pups. "Chunk" outweighed his siblings by a bout a pound, but they are gaining on him. The little girl with the mark in the middle of her back is called "Spunky Brewster." She is THE happiest, tail-wagginist, in your face puppy of the group. I think she defiantly got her dad's tail wag! I love to see her...she is happy all the time! They puppies are starting to interact with their toys- carrying them around, shaking them violently, and playing tug-o-war.

Hard to believe, but each day they do get cuter! Just think...only 4 more weeks until they go to their new homes!

"Full Meal Deal"

2008-10-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

I was playing with the puppies yesterday and discovered that their teeth are coming in- so I introduced them to "real" food. And let me tell you - they dove right in! After soaking puppy food for a few hours, I puree it in the blender and presto- puppy soup! The first time they eat is like no other. There is no doubt that they LOVE the food, it's just that they aren't really sure how to approach it. They are all eager to start in, but once the food around the edges is gone, they don't really know how to get to the middle. Some back-up in hopes they will find it, others decide that their neighbor has enough on their head and legs and help them out by licking it off . But it's the the very brave that jump, head first, onto the pan and head for the middle. Whatever the method, when it's all over, every puppy is covered- head to toe- nose to tail in puppy soup!

Then comes Ryder's favorite part- the clean up. She is very thorough, getting in all the nooks and crannies. Once clean up is over, everyone tops off with mom's milk, and then it's sweet dreams for the lot of them. Enjoy the footage-

Meal-Time Scramble

2008-10-17T13:58:00.000-07:00

You would think that having their eyes open would help the pups locate Ryder more accurately when she is in the box...yes, one would think! Here is how it usually plays out- Ryder will stick her head in the box to check on things. One puppy will see that and go into a crazy frenzy, barking, and spinning in circles. This action wakes everyone else up, who mimic the first. Ryder will then get in the box and it is a scramble in every direction but the correct direction to get to her first. Some puppies are backing up, some are spinning in circles, at least one has it's front feet up on the pig rails braying like a donkey. Finally, one by one, they find her. It sounds like a takes a while, but this all happens in less then a minute. This is what the final product looks like:

Not even time for her to sit or lay down. I will try to get a video of it.

All the pups are growing, growing, growing! They get to come out of the box everyday to explore or just hang out. In a week they will be moved to their puppy yard so they can have more room to play.

Peek-a-boo

2008-10-12T22:51:00.000-07:00

It seems like just overnight most of the puppies have opened their eyes and are up walking (stumbling) around. It is so fun to watch,

as now they will start to play with each other, wag their tails, and hear things. The one I like to call "Chunk" likes to bark at his sisters and brothers. There is lots of fun to come with this group!

Here is a short clip of our first "puppy play time"

"Pass the Pigs"

2008-10-09T22:17:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of the game "Pass the Pigs"? It starts out with two pig figures that you toss like dice. Then, depending on how each pig lands, you get points. The first person to reach a certain amount of points wins. It is pretty fun! Well, it turns out that the puppies know how the game works! Instead of "Pass the Pigs"- we have "Pass the Pups"!

"The Sider"

"Double Sider"

"Razor Back"

"Leaning Jowler"

"Oinker"

The puppies just continue to get cuter and cuter. A few of them are starting to peek out from the corners of their eyes and have even started walking a few steps. But most of the time the main mood of getting from one spot to another is the infamous "roll over." We have another new nickname- "Chunk" (like from Goonies). He is the big male in the group (the one that slowed our labor up for four hours). Here he is trying to look like a "Shar Pei"-

Rollie-Pollie's

2008-10-05T21:12:00.000-07:00

These puppies eat so much, they just roll from place to place in the box! Here are a few pictures from the last couple of days!

The routine of things

2008-10-02T22:19:00.000-07:00

The puppies are doing great! They're fat little "butterballs". I love their little black noses and soft velvety coats. They are all doing a great job of getting around. One of them is even doing his best to pull himself up. He is now know as "Superman" for his strength!

I was in the kitchen earlier and there was a lot of noise coming from the puppy area, so I went to make sure everyone was OK. What I found was everyone fast asleep and dreaming. Whatever the dreams were, those puppies were sure letting everyone else know about it. I know Ryder is extra careful with her pups, so I don't worry about them too much, but I always like to check when their is whines and moans.

Ryder is getting her "girlish" figure back. She has stopped looking for a den to move them to (thank goodness) and has started eating fruit off the tree's again and even playing a game of fetch in the creek. Every time she goes outside she gets in the creek...she loves the water. She is eating between 10-12 cups of food a day (normally she eats 3 cups a day). Almost one week has past and I am finally getting a little bit more sleep. Actually I just get up once in the night for Ryder to go outside. When she comes in, she gets her midnight snack- cottage cheese or yogurt. Then it's back to the puppy box for Ryder and back to bed for me!

Growing like weeds...

2008-09-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how fast these guys grow! All of them have at least doubled their birth weight, so we know that Ryder is taking good care of them. The trip to the Vet went very well. They rode in a picnic basket while Ryder was in a crate next to them. Ryder didn't think this was too much fun, but it was a quick trip. Everyone got a clean bill of health!

Some of the pups already have nicknames. Sometimes when puppies are born the placenta will rub off on them tinting them green- so we have "Green Goblin." She is super cute! You can't tell so much in the pictures, but you sure can in person. A few other nicknames are "angel face" and "loud mouth" (can you guess why?). ;-)

Their pigment is starting to come in, so soon they will have black noses. You can see the variety of yellow shading. Their is only on that is lighter then the rest of them. Don't tell the others, but she is my favorite. She is very feminie looking and just adorable...well they are all adorable!!!

I am finally getting a little more sleep. I get up a few times through out the night to check on them and take Ryder out for a potty break. She has this idea that maybe she might be able to move the puppies outside to a better spot, so she still continues to look a den. With nine puppies she had to eat a lot, which for most Labradors- eating is their passion. She had gotten to the point where at meal time she will look at me as if to say "You gotta be kidding...more food." I just tell her it would be a dream come true for any of the other dogs to eat this much, so she better consider herself lucky!

They're Here!

2008-09-27T18:28:00.000-07:00

13 hours, one call to the vet at Midnight, and maybe an hour of sleep- all for nine beautiful puppies! Every minute was worth it!!!

Puppy #1 came yesterday at 8:00 PM. I thought to myself- "OK...here we go." But then nothing came for four hours. At that point, I called the vet for some professional advice. In the time it took him to call me back ( 3 minutes) we had puppy #2- weighing 1/4 pound heavier then everyone else. After the big boy was out everyone else came with ease. The last puppy was born this morning at 8:45 AM. When Cash came down this morning to see them, he stared at them with the most joyful grin and said "Nine puppies...that is a lot of puppies." I call them my "cloud nine"!

Ryder did amazing, taking care of each pup as it was born, worrying about the others, and thinking ahead of what she needed to do for the next puppy to come. When it was all over she looked at me as if to say "Phew...we did it." She LOVES her babies! Every time she goes outside for a walk, she will race back to the door and let me know that I am not opening it fast enough with a little whine. Then she races to her box and goes from puppy to puppy, as if she is counting them before she settles down ever so careful to avoid laying on any. Everyone is marked with pink fingernail polish so that I can track their growth and make sure they stay healthy. So if you see pink...it's not blood.

They are a loud group, very talkative but I don't mind...it's like sweet music!

Almost time...

2008-09-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

Ryder is sooooooo ready to have these puppies! She is trying to get some sleep, but it's hard to get comfortable when you're stomach is the size of a 20 pound pumpkin. ;-) I'm sure I will be up all night with her...that's what a mid-wife does!

The Whelping Area

The Perfect Spot

2008-09-24T12:05:00.000-07:00

No puppies yet...but we are getting there! Ryder has found a few places on the property that SHE thinks would be a great spot to have puppies.

She has tried to dig under the stairs and next to deck under a bush-

She has tried the two old "homestead" buildings where the skunks live. Luckily we haven't seen the skunks!

This morning she got under the hay tarp and looked at me as if to ask "What about here?"-

But her FAVORITE spot of all is under our old tractor-

Ryder has been sleeping a lot, but still finds time to snack on the pears, pulling them right off the tree. Her temperature is dropping, but has not hit that magical number yet (A normal temperature is 99-100 degrees. One of the first signs of labor is when their temperature drops to 98 degrees. Puppies usually come within 24 hours).

So we continue to wait...

Big Mama

2008-09-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

We have reached that point where laying down is not so comfortable anymore. Ryder is due on the 28th...but I wonder if she will make it that long. She has started to look for a "den"...digging here and there. I keep reminding her that she doesn't get to have her pups outside, but she just can't help it. Most of the time Ryder can be found laying next to me. Cash is very careful with Ryder...petting her softly...rubbing her belly. He calls her a "good mama dog." He also tells the other dogs to "be gentle with Ryder, she has babies." She IS a good mama dog!