Fall 2024 Recap and Expected Puppies Update

The girls and I arrived back in PA a few days before Thanksgiving. I had hoped to hunt Kansas for a week on the way back but of course, the weather nixed that. It called for 2 days of torrential downpours followed by 3 days of high winds (40mph+). All I could think of was getting the 2WD 6½-ton Ambo stuck in the mud and hunting in high winds, so, I headed east pouting like a baby, and pushing through, drove straight through the night getting home in a day and a half to stay ahead of the storm.

The 2 months, which was supposed to be 3 months, working and hunting in SD went well, and living in the Ambo at a world-class, Orvis-endorsed hunting lodge worked out great. You can’t beat walking across beautiful grounds to work every morning with stunning sunrises and cackling roosters everywhere.

Initially, I wasn’t sure, but it was fantastic for the girls. They got to run and work birds just about every day—either there or on nearby public or reservation land—and Totem, never seeing a pheasant or prairie grouse before (only Ruffs), came into her own and was nailing the wiley ditch chickens. She became an excellent tracker and could pin down the birds with cunning prowess. Phoenix, well, just freaking wow. At a year and a half, this girl has go power and reach like I’m not sure I’ve ever seen, all with brilliance and sweet biddability. Since she was a wee pup I could see it in her and it’s been my goal to let her loose on the prairie. She was purely phenomenal to watch. She is something else. I feel bad bringing them back to PA where there aren’t many places she can do that and even fewer birds. I’m a little sad for them to be stuck here for the next few months, to be honest, and wish I could have found a place in Arizona or New Mexico to stay and whelp and raise the pups.

Totem will be very busy with the pups but I’d love to send Phoenix back to the prairies with someone so she’s not missing out on any hunting opportunities. It is a critical season for her. I look forward to heading to New Mexico to quail hunt after the puppies leave in early February.

The day after we arrived back in PA, we received a good dumping of snow, though it melted with the next day’s rain. Then it was Thanksgiving spent with family. And suddenly it is December.

Totem is definitely with pups. With just days to go, she’s popping out and plumping up and has started to waddle a bit. She’s quite clingy, has taken over my bed and is quite rude about sharing it with me and Phe, grumbling when I need her to move over. She is resting a lot, eating a lot, and is not tolerating Phoenix at all who just wants her running, hunting, and play buddy back. Phoenix has loads of energy and wants to run and hunt. Throwing the ball sock around the tiny living room is not doing it for her. ha. I have to find a way to get her back out on birds ASAP. It has snowed again the past few days and the girls are having a blast in it. The 3 of us share the love of cold and snow. So refreshing.

I’ve spent the past week unpacking the Ambo little by little, had the oil changed (5,000 miles added up quickly), looked for remote work, website design work, applied for next year’s jobs in hunting areas, etc., and ordered all the new whelping supplies. I’m fairly picky about what I like for whelping and rearing a litter of puppies and, having done this for decades, I know what works best, is better for the mommas and pups, is easiest to clean and sanitize, transport and store, etc. So, my favorite whelping box and vet fleece are here, washed, and all set up.

My favorite whelping pads, Dura-Whelp Pads, however, are out of stock! No!!!! I don’t know what I’ll do without them. I have used them for so many years and nothing compared or was as good for the pups’ little legs or as absorbent for keeping the puppies dry. I’m looking for alternatives but there aren’t any. The vet fleece is a fantastic alternative but pricey and I’ll need several. I have one for now and we’ll see if Dura Whelp gets the others back in stock soon.

The MagnaBox Whelping Box is the best I’ve ever used. And I’ve used or made them all. The MagnaBox is practically indestructible, easy to put together—no hardware or tools needed—is easy to clean and sanitize, and easy to store. And Lakeside Products had the whelping box and vet fleece pad here in 2 days! Fantastic service.

Next, I opted for a heating pad that will be placed on one side of the whelping box. I prefer this over the heat lamp, though I am probably going to get a heat lamp, too. You can’t have too many backups for keeping puppies warm and dry.

As a side note, I’d like to mention that I did consider the EZWhelp Whelping Box which seems to have similar features as well as the play yard that can be added on. Be sure to check it out.

I’ve rebuilt the whelping kit with other items to have on hand such as an aspirator, tube-feeding supplies, Esibilac Goat’s Milk Replacer, Oral Cal Plus for momma, thermometer, scale, dew claw-removing supplies, tons of towels and washcloths for the delivery, Puppy ID collars, sanitizers, biosecurity items, waterproof flooring, webcam for the live-streaming puppy cam, a Snuggle Warmer, Washable Pee Pads, 3 sets of Indoor fencing, etc.

The big project was clearing all the furniture from the front entry room (one of my sons and my son-in-law came and carried out the massive old sleeper sofa and chair)and then tearing out the carpeting and installing more appropriate flooring in the front room that is now the puppy room. It is a south-facing room that receives nice natural light, has a door to the outside to the front porch, and will be perfect for starting the pup’s house training. The room is 12×12′ and large enough to have a few crates for beginning crate training, too. I am looking for a small desk to add so I can be in the room with them. I love working while puppies pile up and sleep on my feet under the desk.

Other than that, I think I’m ready!

That’s all for today.

Love, M.