This Weekend... Yuck!

We are expecting another storm this weekend, beginning with sleet and ice and then 9-12 inches of snow. We've already had more snow this winter than we've had total since I've been here (10 years.) My trees are in really bad shape and I'm losing several with every strong wind that blows, thank goodness, so far they've been well away from the house. But I have several huge dead or dying trees right up close, along with a number of really tall trees all around. No telling what is going to happen in the next couple days. I've laid in a supply of dogfood and people food that doesn't have to be cooked (really rough prospect for the carnivore I am!) and have a plan for getting everyone into two rooms (for heat preservation) if we lose power. Can hardly wait to get my water bill since I've had to leave the faucets dripping, at least at night, since before Christmas and we had almost 3 weeks where the temp was below freezing even in the daytime. It's a good thing I really like winter!

Bingo, Montana...
Claudia reports that Bingo is also fetching a ball and has settled in nicely. He's still a little fearful, especially with strangers, but that is to be expected, and he is devoted to her.
Marna has Montana sleeping through the night IN the crate, something Dakota never mastered. AND she is using the pee pee pads... since they live on the 9th floor, that's a very good thing!

So where is everyone else's report?

The Big Apple Puppy

Montana has gone to live with (and take over the lives of) Marna and Marc. She weighed in at 11.4 pounds, still in the middle of the pack. The early morning report was puppy got to sleep in the bed with people (but I was assured that would never happen again. Yeah, right.) Now let me tell you exactly how smart this girl is...
while Marna and I were on the phone, Montana went and got one of big sister Dakota's toys, a ball, out of the toybox and brought it to Marna. Marna promptly rolled it across the room and the pup went right after it. And brought it back. Marna rolled it away again. The pup returned it again. And so on. After a while, Marna says to me that Montana is really smart because she's learned how to fetch in just a few minutes on her very first day in her new home. Unfortunately, I had to break it to Marna that Montana is very smart because she's already taught Marna to play fetch on her very first day in her new home.

Folks, if I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times...
the trick is to be smarter than the dog!

Gone to Disneyworld

Louie and Julie's guy joined them on Friday the 21st and is now living near Orlando. This boy had not told them his name the last time I heard from them and was busy trying to figure out how all the changes in his life could be put to good use. He weighed in at 13.8 pounds.

Another pup... my only girl... is on her way to New York City.

Two others are still unspoken for BUT have stirred some interest in several potential families.

Rachel Alexandra
In case you haven't heard, this spectacular Thoroughbred filly has been named Horse of the Year for 2009, beating out the 6 year old mare, Zenyata. This is the first time the final competition for HOY was two females and both were deserving of the honor. Horse racing powers-that-be are working to have the two girls face off... more than once... this year. Zenyata's retirement has been put off just so this can happen. Z's people also own Curlin and plan to breed her to him. If she were mine, I'd be going to Rachel's dad instead!

Ost

Yes, yes, I know. I promised pictures of Ost. However, I just haven't had the time, what with the pups going home and all the running around THAT entails. At least, they're not all headed out within a week's time like the last litter! Now THAT was work! Louie and Julie's boy is going Friday and Marna's girl is leaving on Sunday, THEN there is a pause so if the weather doesn't turn terrible, I'll get some pictures then.
Ost has done very well adjusting and fits right in with the Whoodles. He's even playing like a good big (much bigger) brother to the Poodles with only a little encouragement from me. I'm still very pleased with him!

Thanks but...
I get a lot of invitations to "friend" people or to join them on other websites and I just can't do that, even though I'm not sure what all it entails. My time on the computer is spent answering email... even the hate mail if it has a legit address... and working on the websites I maintain for myself and other people. The rest of the time, is dog dog dog. Actually, that's backwards... my time is dog dog dog and anything left over is the other stuff. Since my dogs are in the house, rather than kenneled, it's more work just dealing with ins and outs. A few years ago, a friend of mine gave me a t-shirt that said
Today's agenda...
let dog out
let dog in
let dog out
let dog in
let dog....
The same friend once came to visit and babysit the dogs while I made a quick trip to Ohio to visit my elderly mom. The first morning after I was gone, I got a phone call from her and she asked if I was having a good time. When I replied in the affirmative, she said "Well, enjoy it because it's the LAST time you get to go!" Turns out she wasn't kidding... I haven't been away since!

Going Home Part 2

This is Biscuit who has moved to the Atlanta area and will be living with his older (and wiser) nephew, Hershey. Hershey seems to have set the bar very high, so Mr. B had better be on his toes! Biscuit (panda) weighed 13 pounds at his departure exam.

Going Home

The black and tan boy left this morning, moving to SC. His possible name is Bingo and he weighs 10.14 pounds. He's been good riding around in the car the last couple days (to the groomer and vet) but is a little whiny when unsure of himself (away from the pack.) They really learn fast... this morning when I leaned over the pen to pick him up, he refused to get close enough for me to get my hands on him. Always before, he's been a "take me, take me" kind of guy. I really feel sorry for the pups when they go... finding out the world isn't what you thought it was is a rude awakening!

Haiti
For the rest of the year, I am going to donate 10% of each pup's price to the effort to help Haitians. Right now, the Red Cross will be getting the money, but that may change down the road. After Katrina, I donated to one of the animal rescue groups and have no problem doing that again... it's just I don't know any working in that area at this time and really, the people need so much....

Toy Poodle pups
On my rescue page, a litter of toy Poodles, about 10 weeks old... purebred, no papers; going to be around 7-10 pounds full grown; VERY heavy coated. These are exceptionally sweet but VERY (VERY) active puppies and because of their size, are unsuitable for small children. The pups are fearless... they are rooming with the Whoodles who are double to triple their size. Shots, wormings, house training, etc. started.

Shelter Fire - Please Help

A humane society shelter burned Tuesday night. Over 50 small animals (cats and dogs) died in the fire. The large dogs were kept in outside runs and survived. Besides the building, the shelter lost all their food and equipment.

http://www.wtap.com/news/headlines/81330882.html

Donations can be made through paypal (the address is rchumane@zoominternet.net
or may be mailed to
Ritchie County Humane Society
RR1 Box 3
Harrisville WV 26362

Please pass this info on and thanks for any help you can give.

On Second Thought

Ost has arrived! Even though he missed his early morning flight out of Little Rock, Delta still managed to get him on his scheduled connection to Tri-Cities and he got here right on time... actually, about 15 minutes early. When I went to pick him up, the girls told me he had a very loud voice BUT he was quiet as long as he could see/hear people. We got him out of the crate and he immediately gave me a big sloppy kiss. And he wagged his tail for the girls. (Now, do you think he instinctively KNEW who to suck up to or he just naturally liked me best?!) He is quite an attractive puppy... great coat (going to be thick and heavily waved,) good pattern to his spotting (including the white rim outlining his nose) and a very interesting head piece (almost no stop, with more hair on the sides of his face at eye level than on the muzzle, giving him a triangular look.) What a sweetheart! Very calm and sensible... he'll fit right in here! He's been playing with my adult dogs and has discovered the bed is the best place for a nap. Going to let him and the pups get together in a few minutes... they've been sniffing at each other through the wire. It's a good thing there isn't much on tv tonight because I don't think I'll be able to hear it once everyone starts romping. Oh, he's at least one-third BIGGER than the largest Whoodle so I'm guessing he's going to end up around 50 pounds. Pictures tomorrow or Thursday... our temps are SUPPOSED to get up above freezing tomorrow... yeah, that was supposed to happen today. But it's winter. For sure.

MY Big News

Finally! It looks like Ost will be here tomorrow, Tuesday. Although our high is still supposed to be below freezing, Delta is accepting the shipment... at least, according to the 800 number. However, it has been my experience that those folks know very little about actual shipping... what can go and when... and the real deciders are the people at the counter when you arrive at the airport. Still, everybody, fingers crossed! I've been ready to meet this guy for 4 weeks!

UH-OH

For the first time this litter, one of the pups has figured out how to get out of the pen. The bottom latch on the gate is loose and can be jarred undone by the pups bouncing against the sides. No one has paid any attention to it. Or so I thought. This afternoon, while I'm in the tv room, trying to work on a friend's website, I look down the hall and there is a puppy running around. Just one. It had managed to squeeze itself out the bottom portion of the gate which must have taken both time and a lot of effort. The interesting thing is, even though it MUST have thought it was stuck more than once, it never went into panic mode. How do I know this? Because it never started the very recognizable scream pups do when they're afraid. I went in, after allowing a few minutes of solo freedom... a rare thing for a pup still with its litter... and put her back in the pen. (That's right, Marna, Montana is the smarty pants... here you go again!) Then I relatched the gate and put a clip on it so it can't be opened.

Chauncey's Labradoodle Pups
Russell has let me know he still has a male and a female Labradoodle pup available from Shadow and Chauncey's litter. Both are black and VERY sweet. Also, at 14 weeks, they are well started on house training. I visited them a few weeks ago and Russ and Peggy have done a TREMENDOUS job of raising these pups. The price is very reasonable to a good home, so if you know of anyone looking for a Doodle, send them to me for the Lawrence's contact information.

Busy Week Coming Up

The pups start going home next week. I'm not really all that ready to let them go and am glad a couple of them will be sticking around for another week or two! These guys have been easy to live with. They are so smart about so many things (and not so bright about a few others, but...!) For instance, if I feel like taking a nap in the early afternoon or late evening (or both) when it is still light out, all I have to do is turn off the light in the bedroom (where the pups still live) AND turn off the tv and they immediately form a pile and go to sleep as well. It doesn't work if the tv is still on... even late at night... or if I leave the light on. I realise the pups are just following the example of the adult dogs, most of whom sleep 20 hours a day anyway, but it's like having a magic wand or that clapping switch. And, by the way, clapping is the best way to get their attention. All of them seem to dislike the sound and will look up immediately.

Next week, starting Tuesday, I have appointments scheduled for every day... the groomer, the vet, meeting people, etc. I'm not looking forward to all that ESPECIALLY as the weather is supposed to warm up out of the 20s and be nice enough for the big guys to spend some time outdoors. It has been a LONG almost 4 weeks since they've been able to do that. I'm sure they're as tired of me as I am of them!

Ost will probably make it here next week... just in time to watch everyone, or most everyone, else leave. To refresh your memory, Ost is On Second Thought, the F1B Labradoodle puppy I bought as a mate for Keogh. His first arrival date was scheduled for December 18th... the "bad" weather started the 17th. Now watch there be an airline strike...!

Start the Year Off Right - Pix

Marna's puppy
Claudia's puppy
Anne-Marie's puppy
Or maybe THIS is Anne-Marie's puppy


New pictures for the new year.
LOTS more on the website!