Ion and Nika Flew the Coop; Quin Takes Off Thursday

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After a week of delays and embargos, Ion and Nika finally made the trip to the airport and their new homes.

Ion out for some exercise before checking in for his flight.

It was a balmy 37°F when we arrived at the airport Sunday afternoon.

It was perfect weather and a lot warmer than the pups and I have experienced lately.

Ion (now, Roy) getting checked in for his flight.

Ion and Nika were perfect little angels in their crates (lots of practice makes this no big deal for the pups).

Everyone at the airport went bonkers over them—how good-looking, how well-behaved, how good they smell. And, there was even a gal behind the counter that knew they were Llewellin Setter puppies! She has a Llewellin that she took in after the owner, her uncle, passed.

IMG_2242.JPG (2) — Poor Nika—this is the best picture I could get of her!

Sorry for the lousy cell-phone photos.

I bombed trying to get good pictures and that is the best I could come up with of Nika! In my defense, I had a puppy leash in one hand… and am not good at taking photos with the phone one-handed. I dropped the phone in the snow a few times… and then the battery went dead. 🙁

Sorry

Ion happy in his new home! — Ion, a happy Llew puppy in his new Texas home!

All went great and the pups are now in their new homes. Their first night went very well. Both pups did great and I hear they are adjusting quickly.

I wonder what Ion thought of seeing grass for the first time—he’ll probably never see snow again!

And now, there are just two puppies in my kitchen! Going from four to two might not sound like much, but it is very different. And very quiet. It’s always an adjustment for me, the remaining pups, and the dams when puppies leave us.

Santana looks for the newly missing pups when I let her back in with the remaining ones. She looks under blankets, looks in the crates, pulls the puppy beds out… paces, and goes from room to room looking—It’s really something and pulls at my heart-strings. Santana is a fantastic mother and a complete joy to care for and have a litter with, except maybe when she wants out 3-4 times a night during the first few weeks of having a litter, but they all do that. She takes excellent care of her pups, keeping them very clean and tended to. Some dams are not so good at this part for the entire 8 weeks (who can blame them?). Santana teaches her pups gently, but firmly. Some are not so gentle in their patience or teaching of 9 rough-housing, needle-toothed nipping attacking puppies (I call it entering the alligator pit)! I adore her and her puppies. It took every ounce of me to let Nika and/or Electra go.

Quin will now be flying to his new home in MA Thursday! He was going to go via a l-o-n-g car ride, but will now be flying. He’s going to have a fantastic home and will get to hunt and travel a lot.