What a difference four days makes ...

Michelle Foster and Miss Orange


A big yawn from one of the "flavors."


Chex is now nursing the pups standing up, which helps their physical development.

I did not have time before I left to go to CHE to do any blogging. So catching up, the pups had two new visitors, Michelle Foster and Mary Beth Guyther. Both of them were amazed at how well they got around, considering their age.

I could not get over the changes in the four days I was gone. When I left for CHE's agility trials the pups' ears had just opened. They were quite active and just starting to interact with each other. When I got home they were completely different puppies - playing with each other when they were awake. They also found their voices, barking at things and each other. Although by weight this is not true, they look like they doubled in size. They climb out of the whelping box over the small door. Weighing them is more of a chore since they do not want to sit still long enough for the scale to register one weight. Their teeth are coming in, too.

I have to say my husband Jim did an incredible job taking care of the gang while I was gone. Kerry stopped by on Saturday for a visit and clipped their nails (which grow so fast!!) Lise and Goretta came down on Sunday for a visit.

I am recovering from the CHE trials, which went really well. Four days of agility trials with raffles, and two matches at night - what a lot of work, as well as a lot of fun being with friends for a great cause. We got a lot of compliments on how things were run and it looks like we raised some money for canine health research. On top of that, I won one of the Super Raffles, a canine semen freezing at Straws To Paws (www.strawstopaws.com) as well as a few of the daily raffles. If I keep one of the boys that will certainly come in handy :o)

Now that I am home I have had time to put up new pictures and video, so check them out.

More later...

While Marcy has been away

Marcy has been away in Springfield, Mass. to help raise money for canine research. It has been a very successful effort, for which she is both happy, and grateful. But, she really misses the pups. I know she will be amazed at their progress.

They interact more and more each day. Next week the venue will change once again. The ice cream parlor will be in new digs in our downstairs office. Their world will expand beyond the confines of the welping box to a xpen enclosure.

End of Bio-Sensor 10-21-07

Miss Lavender chilling


My dad enjoying Miss Yellow.

Saturday night my parents came over for dinner and got to enjoy the pups. Then on Sunday their Aunt Kerry stopped over after field training and enjoyed the pups while Jim and I went to see a movie. (On a side note, if you want to see a good movie I recommend Gone Baby Gone with Casey Afleck, Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris!!) She said she loved spending time getting to know each one individually, and was surprised at how different they are already. Kerry stayed to help me with their last night of bio-sensor. The scent du jour was duck and everyone loved it. Every puppy was able to do the problem solving in under a minute, and many of them did it in under 10 seconds.

Their ears should be starting to open tomorrow so things will be kept quiet here for a few days. They are really interacting with each other, which I hope to capture on video. Oh yeah, my husband Jim is wonderful - he fixed our camera!!! Check out the new photos and video.

10/19/07

80% of our day is spent doing this!

This is a great bed.

The milk bar is open 24 hours a day - we love mom!!!

It has been busy around here - we moved the new whelping box into the living room and put the other rooms back together. The pups are changing by the hour. Many of them are walking much more gracefully, without looking like drunken sailors. Now if something, like mom, is in their way they simply go up and over it rather than go around . Tomorrow the plan is to take Chex out to do a little training, as she is getting a little bored.

My camera broke today, so I probably won't be able to put up any video/photos for a while. I did put some video up recently and a few photos, so enjoy them until I have new ones to share.

New Digs - 10/17/07

Miss Red and "The Green Monster"


Our New Digs!

Yesterday was a very busy day for me (not puppy related) and Jim watched them for the day. Later their Aunt Kerry came over for another visit and helped me with their bio-sensor session. The scent of the day was our cat Xie Xie (pronounced shay-shay, which is "thank you" in Chinese) and every one of them could not get enough of her scent.

The pups have new digs as of this morning. They are growing so much that when they are all sleeping at night with Chex in the whelping box it gets too hot and they cannot spread out, so they cry. When they are hot (cold or hunrgy), they let you know it!! In addition, three of them are constantly getting stuck under the pigrail, and it is almost impossible to get them out. So Jim and I moved them to a larger whelping box. Thank you to my friend Cindy Groveman for lending it to me.

The other news is that Mr. Blue and Mr. Black's eyes have opened!!! But since the others are not yet open, I am still using Gayle's canopy to keep it darker in the room in addition to covering the windows. I expect the rest of their eyes will be open tonight and tomorrow. This box will be their home until we move them downstairs into the x-pens in a few weeks.

They have also had some toys in the box for the last few days. Even though they cannot see, they crawl through the pyramid, nuzzle the Cuz squeeky toy and sleep on the green monster. I had a small latex toy in there, but Chex decided it was another one of her kids, which she picks ever so gently and carries with her all over the house.

10/15/07

Not much to report - lights are dim, but I put up some pictures taken without flash and video from today and a video of one of the bio-sensor sessions, so you can see what it is all about. Remember, it is intended to stress the puppy. Most of the crying you hear on the video is from a puppy in the whelping box, not the puppy being worked with.

Enjoy!

October 14, 2007

The windows are covered and the lights dimmed as the pups eyes prepare to open. They had a quiet day with no visitors. Tonight bio-sensor included banana - a scent none of them liked. They sniffed strongly and then abruptly backed away. Mr. Blue, the largest, is now over 30 ounces and Miss Red, the smallest, is just shy of 25 ounces. They continue to amaze me with their ability to get around the whelping pen, following their noses the whole way. Two of them almost climbed out of the laundry basket today. Pretty soon I will need a bigger box for weighing them.

Week 2

Kerry giving Miss Orange a kiss
Sue Johnson and Miss Red
Miss Yellow chillin'

Today was a big day for the pups. They turned 1 week old and had lots of visitors and presents. This afternoon their Aunt Kerry and Sue Johnson came to play with them. Kerry was amazed at how big they have gotten in just a few days. She, of course, has her favorite - whichever one she is holding! We sat around, watched and played with them for much of the afternoon. After Sue left Kerry gave me a massage!!! She said she wanted to test out her new massage table, but I know she just wanted to be my saviour. Sleeping on the floor for a week certainly has taken its toll on my back.

Then my friend Goretta Nendza, my sister Lise, and my parents came for dinner. Of course, they came to play with the pups, eating was just a bonus. Afterwards Goretta helped Lise and me weigh the pups and do bio-sensor. Today's scent was evergreen - they really were sucking in the scent.

Their eyes are starting to show slits in them, so I will be darkening the room and will not be taking any flash photography for a while, so it may be a while before I post anymore pictures.

10/11/07

The pups continue to grow like weeds. I tried to film the bio-sensor, but had some camera problems. Perhaps tomorrow I will be able to upload a video so you can see what it is all about. The biggest change today is their tails - they never stop wagging!!! Not much more to report - they continue to sleep and eat. That is what life is all about for them right now.

More later ...

10/10/07

I had forgotten to put up pictures of where Chex had decided she wanted to have her pups. This rose bush was simply perfect - wanting nothing to do with the whelping box. Now that she has had the pups I had to put a leash on her to get her out of the box, until today. She spent a few minutes outside of the box today, but as soon as she hears the pups cry she goes right back in, nudging the pups out of the way so she can lie down.

The pups continue to thrive, the largest one reaching 22.25 oz at tonight's weigh-in. They had their third day of bio-sensor. Today's novel scent was a leather glove (getting them ready early for their tracking careers). You could feel their chests expand as they sucked in the scent.

This weekend promises to be packed with visitors. Check back to see updated photo and videos, since I will update thoes even if I do not make a blog entry.

Enjoy!

The First Few Days

Life has been busy around here. Chex is doing a wonderful job. The pups are growing by the hour. They are a very active group with such individual personalities. They had their first road trip, going to the vet's office to be checked out. They got a clean bill of health (and lots of admiration).

They all had their nails clipped, an experience they would rather not have happen again. Little do they know, every three days their nails will be clipped, both to save Chex's belly from being scratched and to get them used to having it done.

We also started doing bio-sensor with the pups. To read more about it go to http://www.breedingbetterdogs.com/achiever.html. We modified it slightly by using a frozen pie plate and timing how long it takes them to get off the plate (problem solving) and introducing a novel scent each day.

Their Aunt Kerry stopped by one day and spelled me from watching them so Jim and I could do some things around the house. It was great to get other things done, and I am sure that Kerry enjoyed the view. So far they have had six visitors. I do not think hitting 70 by the time they go home is going to be a problem.

We also had to change ribbons on them last night, as their original ribbons were getting tight.

The photos/video are being updated, so check out the links on the right-hand column.

Introducing The Ice Cream Litter

There are 6 girls and 3 boys in birth order:

Mr. Blue - 15 3/8 oz
Miss Rainbow - 14 5/8 oz
Miss Orange - 12 1/2 oz
Mr. Green - 15 3/4 oz
Miss Lavender - 13 oz
Mr. Black - 14 7/8 oz
Miss Red - 10 3/4 oz
Miss Yellow - 13 oz
Miss Brown - 16 oz

Plans changed as far as their delivery, as Chex's water broke as we were getting ready to leave for Gayle's. So Gayle drove to LI and we delivered the litter at home. Chex is a great mother - keeping them spotless and only leaving them when forced to go outside. They are all healthy and full of energy!!! Thank you, Gayle for all your help in bringing these guys into the world!

Be sure to check out the videos and photos in the upper right-hand corner.

Still waiting ...

Chex is more and more restless, but her temp still has not dropped. She has little interest in food. Most of the day has been spent resting. A good way for her to get used to the whelping box, which as you can see she is quite comfortable in.

And we wait ...

Chex's due date is two days away. As you can see, she has been shaved so the pups will not have any difficulty nursing. She seems to get bigger by the hour. If you click on the picture you can see up close how big she looks. We are taking her temperature four times a day waiting for it to drop. Once it does, the pups will be born within 36 hours.

Today Chex went for a 45-minute walk with the rest of the dogs. She is trying to figure out how to balance as she runs through the woods since her body has changed so much. She does not "corner" like she used to. She is eating well and is panting much less. Of course, we have the air conditioning blasting and are wearing sweatshirts. Anything to make her comfortable.

Stay tuned.

Chex passes LIGRC's WCX

On Sunday, September 30th, just six days before Chex's due date, she passed Long Island Golden Retriever Club's WCX. There were 12 dogs entered and only two passed, so I am really proud of her. As pregnant as she is (which you can see in the above photo) she ran hard on the land triple and did a nice job on the water double. I will confess I was not too concerned about the honor, as by that time she was pretty tired. The picture shows me with Chex waiting for our turn to run the water marks.

When she got home she ate and slept well. The puppies are quite active. What a wonderful experience feeling them moving around inside her. She is really enjoying her belly rubs lately.

Only five more days ...