One Year Old!

Joely and I were having a chat the other day (sometimes I just have to talk to my dogs!) I posed this question to her: "Joely, do you miss your babies?" They are afterall, a year old now.

That is amazing to me. I reflected on the birth of those five gorgeous puppies - Hobbes, Kida, Copper, Nutmeg (Meg) and Bailey. Being the first litter for Joely and me as well, it was a little scary. Over 22 hours in labor and no puppies got me worried. At 5am I finally took Joely into the hospital where I was told their ultrasound machine was at another location! Crazy...I chose to wait there for the next few hours where at least Joely could be monitored until our regular vet opened at 7am. Then we rushed right there. The first ultrasound was not very good, only three heartbeats were detected. The puppies were in distress and the head vet was preparing to do a C-section on Joely.

He gave her a shot (I cannot recall what it even was) to move the contractions along. We waited in the "Quiet Room" - the place where I was given Rudy's remains after he passed away unexpectedly. The same room where Libby, who is now also gone, nearly passed away and struggled to just get her strength back up. And now I was with Joely. So she and I had a chat then as well...I knew the cost of a C-section would be high and it also made me concerned about putting her under. The vet gave her another shot and told me she had 15 minutes to give us a puppy or he was scrubbing in. "C'mon Jo-Jo...let's have a puppy!"

Finally, Hobbes was born but whisked away and cleaned up by the techs before Joely ever saw him. He was a big boy, over a pound! He was the one that was holding up the show, that's for sure. Then a few minutes later Kida was born. Joely was cleaning her off when Hobbes was brought back in and placed next to her. Joely wasn't sure what to do with him and watched Hobbes out of the corner of her eye as she cleaned Kida. Then a light went on in her head. Joely realized that Hobbes was the same as Kida and she allowed him to come over and nurse. He was a strong little guy, pulling himself to her with his front legs. Amazing...

A short while later came Copper and I immediately noticed the little white "collar" and the little white speck near his tail. Just like his daddy, Bronco!

After that it took about two more hours before Meg and Bailey were born. Joely was such a good mother. That first day at home she never took her eye off them and only left to barely make it off the back step to pee. The funniest thing I saw Joely do was when I caught her sitting up in the kennel...with the puppies all nursing...and Joely was leaning against the wall of the kennel...sound asleep! Poor little girl!

But those pups grew up and brought so much fun to our home! It was busy too! I remember especially at night when it was time to put the puppies to bed at night. Hobbes especially had a hard time. Listening to a puppy lullaby CD (yes, it worked!)I would hold each of the puppies and rock them for a few minutes until they settled down. But Mr. Hobbes, he was a different story. He would whine and cry and whimper. Eventually Hobbes would fall asleep but we spent a lot of time together. We really bonded!

Those times, and all the other fun I had with those adorable little beagles made it hard to say goodbye to them. But as they now have a full year of their lives behind them, I'm grateful to their forever families who love them and keep me up to date on how they are doing.

I'm sure Joely...and Bronco...miss their babies.

Snow Fun!

It's finally come! That much anticipated first good snowfall of the year. I love the snow...I love the quietness that settles all around after a good snowfall. I love the sunshine on the snow. Makes for some fun snowplay with Bronco & Joely! Here are some photos of them having a ball!

New Photos!

Just got pictures from "Meg's" family...take a look and tell me who you think Meg looks like! Gorgeous little girl! And so loved! It's so fun to see the puppies growing up and hearing stories about them...This made my day!

Sharing a Quote

"They are our friends, our partners, our defenders, our pets. We are their lives, their loves, their leaders. They will be ours, faithful and true, to the last beat of their hearts. We owe it to them to be worthy of such devotion." - Unknown.

Take care of your dogs. Teach them how to be good family members. Don't feed them "junk" dog food. Take care of your dogs.

Just a Dog

"Just a dog". Really? This morning I dropped my two year old female beagle Joely off at the vet hospital. Dr. Dalton is, in my opinion, an excellent vet and the facility is staffed by great people and is cutting-edge in equipment, techniques and care. But leaving Joely there for what is most likely a common surgery (spay & removal of some suspicious growths) was more difficult than I expected it to be.

Why?

Maybe because it is the same place and the same people where Rudy, my 11 year old beagle passed away when I thought I'd be taking him home for a little while longer. Maybe it's because it is the same place and people who took care of him and his sister & litter mate Libby for the last years of their lives, and where those two old hound dogs established a reputation that only very special dogs can leave behind. Maybe it's because it's the only place Joely has ever been, where she has had all of her puppy exams. Maybe it's because it was just seven short months ago that Joely delivered her first - and what will be her only sweet litter of gorgeous beagle puppies.

I'm sure that Joely is in excellent care. I'm sure that all will go well and she'll recovery quickly without any complications. But watching her walk away with the vet tech was almost too much.

Only people who truly have a connection with their dogs can relate to my feelings this morning. Joely represents all of those special canine companions that become so much more than our furry four-legged friends. They are family. They belong to us. We belong to them. They grab our hearts and steal their own little place there, never to be taken by anyone or anything else.

Just a dog...when people tell me that I usually don't respond. They don't understand. They are not capable of understanding for they have not been blessed with the gift, yes the gift, that opens hearts a little deeper, allows us to love more fiercely, and enjoy the wonderful dog companions in our lives as they are meant to be.

I will admit it...I love my dogs. I love them as much as I love the people in my life. More often than not, my dogs have been a source of companionship and comfort when loneliness and despair could not be consoled in any other way. They offer a source of entertainment, fun and play that I can't get from anyone else in my life

Rudy, Libby, Joely and Bronco...I love you. You will never know the great gift and blessing you are in my life.

Can Your Dog Do This??

This is so fun...Joely and Bronco are pretty much my "family" right now and so we spend a lot of time together. Whenever I leave, they are THRILLED to see me when I come home. And...apparently Joely is delving into a new career that involves tree-climbing!

Puppy Updates!

Great news! I've heard from all of the puppies' families. They are doing GREAT! As soon as I get photos from all of them, I'll post them. It will be fun to see how much they have grown. It's so fun and heartwarming to hear how much their families love them and how much they are learning. It is obvious to me that Meg, Bailey, Kida, Copper and Hobbes went to wonderful, loving families. Stay tuned for photos!