The Empty Nest

Purple at just a few days old

You know, I thought I had at least another 20+ years before I was going to have to deal with the "Empty Nest" syndrome. Nope. It's here. Purple was sold on Sunday evening to a very nice family and I'm sure she will be very happy. Still, there is a void in our house. I still have a couple potty pads lying around on the floor and to tell the truth, I've been procrastinating throwing them away because that means it's really over. I will do it today, but I might shed a tear or two. In fact, I think I'm working on a couple right now.....

Seriously?

Yes.

What a wimp!

I know.

I was the one who came up with the name for this blog. I decided on "Whelping Isn't for Wimps" and at the time, I thought I was referencing all the early stuff....like all the rectal temps I took on Molly in the days before she delivered, or all the weird birthing juices, or breaking the membrane sacs and cutting the umbilical cords when the pups finally did arrive. But looking back, the whole thing has been tough. Yet, completely wonderful at the same time. Though, now I think I'm finding myself in the toughest part of all.

I was talking to purple the day before she left and I realized that we've had puppies in the house since October. That's a long time! The whole schedule of my life has changed since then. And now it gets to change back. On the one hand, the lack of poop and stinky smells is nice. On the other, the lack of innate joy and happiness that just flows out of puppies leaves you feeling a bit let down when it's gone. Kind of like a balloon slowly deflating.

It'll be OK though. Spring is coming and I'll get back outside and on the horse (literally) and things will be happy again. I've been asked by several buyers and friends if I plan to do this again. The answer: yes. But will I do it with Molly? I'm not sure. She was a great mom but if I'm going to really do this breeding thing, I think I'd like to do the whole AKC/pedigree thing. Not that I'm going for show dog quality, but it would be nice to know that I'm keeping the breed standards more in mind when mating a pair together.

Though you can look at and scrutinize a dog's genetics and DNA tests and pedigree and all that other junk, when you have two dogs with amazing personalities like Molly and Baily, sometimes ya just gotta go for it. I did. And I'm proud of what I produced. No regrets.

So, I guess I'm going to signing off for a while. I hope to be breeding and blogging again soon! Thanks for reading.

-Monica

Too Cute!!

Nap time for Purple

Not much to report as of lately....just that the two pups that remain get cuter every day! I took out an ad in the paper tonight because if I keep them around much longer, I'm going to get way too attached :-) Green (Ana), is so smart and so good about the potty pads! She constantly impresses me. And Purple, she is just a complete cuddle bug! They are both just precious and have gotten so independent.

They go up and down the stairs as they please now. They totally have it down! They also follow me around the house and when they get bored, they go over to the toy basket, get a good toy and are content to entertain themselves for quite a while. It's so wonderful to not have to watch them every minute. Very well behaved pups. No more power cord chewing. Whew! :-)

Both pups playing in their toy basket.
 (Purple has her butt hanging out)

It's funny though because there is this one toy, a pink stuffed dog that Molly has decided is her toy. She does not want to share it! I'll find it around the house and throw it for the pups to chase. As soon as Molly sees what I've done, she goes after it, picks it up, and carries it back to one of her spots like on top of the bed or the back of the couch. Far away from the reach or any puppy. She doesn't mind sharing her other toys, but that one is HERS. lol. Oh well. She can have it. She deserves it. :-)

Green (Ana) has begun to adventure outside a tiny bit. She's been out twice now. The first time she just jumped out the front door and stood on the porch and then quickly came back in. Today she went down the 3 steps on the porch and walked down into the flower bed and sniffed the trees and the mulch. It was kind of hard to get her to come back in too. She was really enjoying herself. She's always been an adventurous one. Too cute. Purple is content to stand in the door way and bark at Ana and mommy to come back inside. She'll go outside when she decides she doesn't want to be left out of the fun anymore. It takes her a little while though. She's still working on her confidence with the stairs thing. Much more cautious than Ana.


Well, it's late and Ana is licking my hand telling me it's time for bed. Guess I'll sign off for now. Their ad comes out on Sunday in the Roanoke Times. Soon they will be famous! lol.

       

The green bean returns!

Lovin' on green and blue just a little more before they go

 Wow, it's been a while since my last post. So here's a run-down of what's been going on. We made our trip to CT via car and took all 5 pups. Also stuffed in the back was Molly and big ol' puppy-phobic Becks. The pups rode in a laundry basket and did SO well! We drove through the night so they slept for most of the trip. When it started to get more light outside as morning dawned, the restlessness grew and the laundry basket was no longer containing the puppies very well. It was OK though, it was only the last couple hours I was fighting them. They all needed to go to the bathroom in the morning but it was like 2 degrees outside and they aren't used to going potty outside anyway. So, we did the best we could with potty pads and paper towels while hurtling 70 mph down I-84. It was interesting. But, everyone went and was much more content in the basket after they had relieved themselves.  So, we arrived in CT on the morning of December 26th. We let the pups rest, run, eat, poop, etc for several hours and then let the prospective owners come over and pick up their babies. Blue went that afternoon and so did Green. I took the loss of these pups MUCH better than the loss of White. I had prepared and it didn't hurt that we still had Christmas presents from my family to open :-) Glad to report, no tears were shed. Ok, maybe one formed in the far corner of my eye....whatever.

Pink and Purple playing in the coffee table

So, life was great. We were (Notice use of were- as in past tense. Stayed tuned.) down to just two puppies, Pink and Purple. Well, my mom was still very much in favor of keeping one of them. Then as the days went on and everyone saw just how cute the two of them were together....the conversation changed to possibly keeping BOTH of them. I was in shock. But not total shock. I mean, these are my parents we're talking about and I've known them a few years or so. lol. But, that idea was only entertained for a short while because we all agreed that two pups was just too much and not really what my mom wanted. She wants a purse-puppy to go everywhere with her and having two dogs kinda complicates that plan. So, ok. They're only keeping one. But which one??? Mom loves Pink. Dad and Nancy like Purple. So, it's going to be interesting. :-) No final decisions as of yet.

Dad and Nancy lovin' on their favorite- Purple

So, as I said we were down to two puppies. Well, Sunday night, exactly one week from when the 2 puppies left us, I get an email. All is not well in Green's universe. Her new owner had rescued a dog several months ago and that dog was not a fan of the new puppy/competition. So, for the safety of Green, she was returned to us. I felt so bad for her poor owner who wanted to keep her so badly. What a hard decision for her to make! But I'm so glad she did the right thing and Green doesn't have grow up in fear of her troubled house-mate. So, Green is back home with us and happily reunited with her mommy and her sisters. They all took her back without any trouble. It was kind of amazing really. Such a good little family :-)

I do want to make sure that I clarify that Green's return had nothing to do with Green having behavior problems. It had everything to do with the other dog in the home being aggressive and having behavior problems. The sweet lady who gave Green back to us even mentioned that Green was so smart and almost completely potty trained already. :-) That's my girl!!!

So, wow. Green is back up for grabs if anyone wants a sweet, potty trained puppy :-) Pink and Purple are tied for first in the Massie household. No news from White and Blue is doing super great in his new home (where he has lots of Maltese buddies).  What a ride this has been! lol. That's pretty much all the news. Oh, except the pups are eating solid, non-moistened food. They love it! Wow, have their teeth ever come it! Like little razor blades. But that's it.

Reunited and it feels so gooooood

Currently, I'm sitting on the couch with the three babies and I'm thinking.....it's not going to be so bad to bring some puppy love back to VA. In fact, I don't know what I would do in a puppy-less house when we got home. Although, it might have smelled a little bit better.... oh well. It's totally worth it.

Everything has been totally worth it.

The first goodbye

Their last night all together

So, we said goodbye to the first puppy tonight (White). It was certainly bitter-sweet. I know that she will be so loved and happy in her new home, it's just hard saying goodbye after pouring myself into these little pups for over 2 months. I can't believe I have been taking care of them since October! That seems so long ago. They have really come along way.

Green eating books

Soon we'll be leaving for CT and we'll lose Blue and probably a couple others. I'm still trying to give one to my parents but my dad is being a little stubborn. If you know who he is, go ahead and give him some grief when you see him next. :-)

I got the puppies all little sweaters last week. They are so cute! I took a pic of White modeling one. Although, it wasn't the one she went home in. She was too fat for that sweater and when I put her on the ground, she couldn't walk very well. lol. Her front legs couldn't take a big enough step forward and so she would just sit still and pout or fall over when she walked. Poor baby. That sweater will go to one of the smaller pups like pink or green.

White in her tiny sweater

Well, not much else to report. Everyone is doing well. Me and Molly will have some adjusting to do over the new few weeks but we'll be fine....hopefully. lol.

Good luck to White and her new owners! We pray for a smooth first night away from home and quick potty training!

Goodbye White!

A clean bill of health for all!

Waiting, sorta patiently, for the doctor

 
Well, everyone got their shots and their worming medicine and their clean bill of health. We left Molly at home and I was really glad about that. Five puppies is enough to handle without Molly trying to climb out of the basket, then in, then back out, and so forth. The pups did really well without their mommy around. They were a little whiny in the car but that's probably because I was driving a little.....erratically. It took me TWO HOURS to get my shopping done at Wal-Mart which then put me behind schedule.. Let me tell you, tis-the-season for shoving and "survival of the fittest" style holiday shopping. Sheesh. Anyway, so the pups were a little whiny in the car and then as soon as we walked in the door of the vet's office it was all "ooohs" and "awes" as usual. lol. One lady practically interrogated me about the mom and the dad and the breed and whatever else came to her mind. I really don't mind questions....but if you're not going to buy, quit torturing the sales person! :-)

I mentioned how Purple always has her tongue hanging out a little bit. They said it's not a big deal and she may grow right out of it. When we looked at her jaw though, when she closes her mouth, her teeth don't touch in the middle. Meaning, her jaw doesn't close completely when at rest and thus, there is a gap for her tongue to slip out of. The teeth/gums/jaw doesn't keep the tongue tucked away like it usually does. Again, it's not big deal. She can eat, breath, bark, lick, pant, etc all normally. It's just her cute little quirk. And again, she could grow out of it once all her teeth come in and the gingiva in the back isn't bulging with forming teeth anymore. We'll see. In the mean time, she's just a cute little goof ball. I really love her personality these days. Such a cuddle bug but she definitely has a playful streak in her.

Like I said, everyone got their health certificate and is ready to go next week. I totally feel like we had a thorough exam too because we were there for almost 2 hours. Basically, nothing happened in a hurry today.

The pups don't act a bit sore. White and Blue were the only ones that even seemed to notice the shot. It's a bunch of brave pups I tell ya! They were all playing and pestering Becks and Molly as usual tonight. I hope we don't have any complications tomorrow.

Speaking of being brave.....ya know, it's interesting how anxious I feel when I'm at the vet's office. It's really ridiculous. Here I am a nurse, and I've even worked in a doctor's office before, yet....I get all antsy and sweaty. It's totally irrational but I really can't help it. It happens every time! I'm sure that energy isn't very reassuring to the pups either. Sorry pups.

I finished my sales contract and also a puppy info. sheet with lots of information that will be useful when you take home your new pup. Feel free to check them out in the Puppy Links section. I'm in bed watching Elf- see ya later!

No milk, no pool, no time before they're gone!

New puppy habitat

Last week, I moved the puppies from their whelping pool into the guest bathroom. They are doing great in their bigger habitat. They have much more room to run around and potty. The room is 2/3 potty area and 1/3 play/sleep area. They had it 50/50 but it was too much room and they were going potty on the end of the play area. I didn't want them to get used to doing that so I decreased the play area and increased the potty area. Pink and purple are doing super great with paper training! The others are doing well but are more apt to going pee in non-paper areas. It's better now with the smaller sleep area though. We lock them in the bathroom with a baby gate which is good because Molly can't be in there all the time like she was before. Yet another step towards getting the puppies ready for leaving mommy and me. Both Molly and the pups seem to do really well with it. However, the pups are starting to be really vocal about what they want. And when they want out of the bathroom, they start the whining and the crying. It's so sad but I'm trying really hard not to cave in. I let them out usually when they are calm and quiet to reinforce those good behaviors. Getting them ready for crate training really is what it's doing.

OOPS!

This past week they've also been spending lots of time running around in the upstairs . They love it (hence the crying to come out of the bathroom)! They come out to play about 3 times a day and they just run and wrestle and chew on anything that looks interesting. Purple was climbing all the way inside Will's boot last night. It was pretty cute. She would get all the way in and then get nervous and pop back out, stare at the boot for a minute, and bark. lol. Green was keeping busying chewing on the fringe of the laces. She loves fringe/string/tassels!

Green chewing, Purple in the boot

Becks is still terrified of the pups although last night for a second he was barking at them and it ALMOST seemed like he wanted to play. Blue is completely fascinated by Becks and follows him around everywhere he goes. It's pretty cute but Becks still thinks he's poison to touch or even give eye contact too. He's a crazy mutt.

So, other than the big move, Not too much going on these days. We've all settled into a nice routine. They are all completely weaned and Molly is not producing anymore milk. That was an interesting process. We didn't feed for her about 36 hours and let her nurse only twice in 48 hours. That was all it took. She shut down production and now she's dry as a bone. Pretty cool really. We felt bad about not feeding her but according to the reading I've been doing, it's the best was to avoid acute mastitis (clogged milk duct) or causing damage due to distention of her mammary glands. That was really a concern since she had such a large litter and was having to produce so much milk to keep them all fed. By cutting off her resources, she didn't have anything to draw from to produce milk and thus, she stopped. We didn't feed Becks during that time either :-) So, at least she wasn't alone in her suffering. I'm not sure why that makes it any better.... but it does in my mind. lol.

Tomorrow the pups go for their first shots, another worming, and get a certificate of health. I get to juggle all 5 pups once again in the blistering cold. It's always crappy weather when we have to go to the vet, it never fails. Oh well. Still deciding if I'm going to take Molly with us. I'm thinking not because everyone needs to start getting used to the idea of being apart from mommy.

More updates to come after the big day at the doctor!

Green playing on the steps

And they just keep growing....

A few things have happened recently. First, the puppies are seriously cutting some teeth. All that cute nibbling on my fingers is now starting to hurt! They are also looking for anything and everything to chew on. The toys are getting constant abuse and when I let them out of the pool onto the floor for a bit, they found that power cords make perfect teething rings. So, we put a quick end to that and will try to discourage power cord chewing every chance I get. Luckily, their teeth aren't big or sharp enough to do any real damage.....yet.

Second, they got another bath yesterday. I've tried keeping them somewhat clean with sponge baths and spot cleans but it was time for another dunk. They did really well again. This time I took a couple pics. I also had the heating pad preheated and Will was around to help me deposit pups on the heating pad as they were done with their bath. It worked out much better this time with much less shivering and Molly wasn't nearly as stressed. They are so soft now! I love it!

They were introduced to the world outside the pool this week. They got their Christmas pictures taken (see www.facebook.com/mmbeckwith) and were allowed to explore for a while. We also brought them down to the living room for the first time tonight and that was very exciting for them. However, the wood floors presented a new challenge for them that they weren't quite ready for. Once they wondered off the area rug and onto the wood, they would just freeze and remain completely still. They really had no idea how to navigate on that slippery surface. It was really pretty cute. Once I encouraged them back onto the rug, they were back bouncing and running around like the crazy little things they are. They really love exploring, especially Blue, Green, and Pink.

Fearless Blue

Potty training up-date: I have their pool divided into a "sleep" area and a "potty" area. They have pretty well got it down. Very few accidents on the "sleep"side. This week though, instead of just having the area divided, I put down newpaper on the "potty" side so that they start to make the association with newspaper and potty. They did really well with the change. They are still using the potty side for about 90% of their urine and 100% of their doodles. I hope this will make the house-breaking process much easier for their new owners. Reinforcing the "don't pee where you sleep" concept should help them later with crate training or whatever method the new homes will use. Eventually, the potty area will get a little smaller and the play area a little bigger. In not too long, they should be able to be locked in a small room and know that they need to walk over the to paper to do their potty business.

Today was mom's official spa day. No more DIY treatments at home. She spent a few hours at the groomer and looks like a new dog. She's lost so much hair though! Up to a 50% loss in hair is expected post delivery so I'm not concerned, but her "cow skin" as I call it, is really showing through her fur. Molly requested a couple new sweaters on her Christmas list that we sent to grandma/Santa. I think she's going to need a full-blown winter coat when we're in CT. I love any excuse to shop for dog clothes! :-) She already has her Christmas dress for this year. lol.

Well, that's about it. There is a sale pending on Blue and I've contacted a few people who had previously expressed an interest. The pups need to go for another worming and their first set of shots next week. My oh my, how time flies!