WOW

I didn’t know what else to title this post. Wow is pretty much how I feel at this moment. Not as in, Wow, do I feel great or anything it is more like, WOW, this is a lot of work (and I don’t mind work at all–what else would I be doing? God says work for your supper or don’t eat) but gosh, this is a lot of work!

Not that I am really complaining, I’m not. Just overwhelmed at times, but that’s my own fault. I do it to myself, I know. There are easier ways of doing things, I just am not convinced that easy is always best.

Anyway, this is about the puppies, who have turned into wild animals! They are a cross between cute darling innocent wee puppies, flesh-eating piranhas, and a mountain lion that stalks, ambushes, and pounces on its prey (currently me) or running it down with a burst of speed like a cheetah! Although, actually, they are like a pack of wolves that work together to bring-down their prey. A pack of puppies ganging up on you can quickly bring you to your knees in agonizing pain! 🙁

WOW. This happened over-night!

Darling Nova took it upon herself to go right up all the stairs, as if she has done this a thousand times before, and help herself to Jenna’s food dish that must have been luring her at the top. Jenna can no longer really escape them. They reach her if she is on the sofa, by finding something to stand on and getting themselves up or by wedging their body in-between the two sofas and using their feet and head to pull themselves up! Jenna will then come into to my room and most of the little scamps just go up those two steps and right in… So, Jenna gets up on the bed… and the puppies will claw and cry and cause a commotion as such to wake the entire house! They form a pack and howl until Jenna gets down (or I make her get down)… poor Jenna. Her only escape is to go upstairs for a few hours. It looks like they will be following her up there, now.

Okay, so, they have a little too much freedom and it’s time to reel them in a bit. Tomorrow I spend time getting them used to their whelping box (although, I’ll bet they can crawl out of it). We’ll see how it goes. Or, it is time to put the whelping box away and line up several crates and begin crate training at night. I should have done this over the weekend when people didn’t need to get to sleep to get up early in the morning for work, but it didn’t seem necessary until last night and today.  They are literally into everything and I must ensure their safety above everything else!

The care of the pups is now (was it ever anything less?) full-time. They are a lively bunch and are really ornery! Maybe all pups are and just like our children, we forget all about the “terrible-twos” in short order? As much as I love being with the pups every minute and think it is so good for their social beginnings, I really must pester my husband to speed-up building my “puppy-room” and play area (a really nice insulated, heated and air-conditioned shed, deck, and kennel right outside the “office” door). Not just for saving what is left of the house, but for the safety of the pups. There are just too many things in a normal living room for pups to get into that could be potentially harmful. At least that will be my bargaining plea! 🙂 It would be nice to have another area for the pups to keep the mess  contained.  A giant empty room full of puppy toys, right?

I have to say though that I really do love being able to watch and interact with them all the time and I don’t know if I actually would like not being able to see them all the time. I would probably get a lot more work done and not have the whole world mad at me because I am so far behind on their projects or deadlines, though!

I probably sound like I am complaining, but I am really not. Did I say that twice? I so love the puppy rearing. And, it’s my choice to try to raise a litter of puppies in my “office”–I just think it’s good for the pups to be around a person a lot of the time. Maybe I am rambling… maybe I am crazy…

I do think the pups will benefit from some time in the puppy kennel, now, though and will try to get one up within the next few days.  They are really outgrowing this room.

The picking is coming along. It’s been a tough decision for everyone! It looks as though their may be one female available, either Cat or Bee…

Along the lines of other WOW-factor news… Dora has been bred to Luke! I’ve been wrestling with this decision for a while… who to breed her to and if it would be this time around. I decided on my good man, the very stylish, bold, smart, excellent bird dog, Luke! So, our second litter of 2010 will be due in July and able to go to their new homes around September 14th or come with me to the north woods bird camp when I leave on September 17th and be picked-up there! Dora will be done and getting back into shape and won’t miss a minute of hunting. It looks like there is quite a bit of interest already!

Over and out for tonight. Click the photo in the top left-hand column to view all the new photos of the puppies. I keep adding new ones to that album.