Bright Eyes

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

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

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

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!

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!

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"

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! ;-)