Sunday Brunch: Someday!

The Thursday Puppy Nanny asked — after not even an hour with the puppies — “how do you get anything done?”

Bright Star Sirius

Bright Star Sirius

“How do you even EAT?!” she went on as she attempted to finish her lunch.

To date, I am down 17 pounds since the Bright Stars arrived — there is the answer.

Moonshadows

Moonshadows

I do not write blog posts for sympathy. I write them to help people understand what it is like to raise a litter well. TWO litters in this case.

Yes, writing the blog takes time — but I know people like to keep up on their future puppies. It is my gift to those waiting, and to those watching and learning.

Moonshadow Portia

Moonshadow Portia

I also write these daily posts because I do not usually have the time or bandwidth to send individual emails and photos to all the folks getting/wanting a puppy. Sometimes a post contains answers to emailed questions — I figure if one person wants to know, so do others, and so a blog post can be efficient in that way.

Bright Star Capella

Bright Star Capella

It is what I can do. I can’t eat well or sleep enough or get caught up or promptly respond to every request or question but I can offer this — these posts.

I wish it could be more. But remember — I am a human being, imperfect and with finite coping resources trying my best to do something really hard. The fact that it was my own choice (sort of) to do this hard thing doesn’t change the reality that this is hard, and I am trying my very best.

So please — ask your questions, and send your emails/texts.

Bright Star Zaniah

Bright Star Zaniah

And also — please be understanding and gracious with this exhausted imperfect person trying so hard to do the right things — and dropping balls right, left, and on my own head.

Zaniah Ball.jpg

But never do the balls drop on a puppy. #priorities

Now go eat — because you can — and have a grand day.

Evening Report

The puppies had wonderful visitors today — I am so grateful to those who help us socialize puppies. And then the Bright Stars had another outside play session under the watchful eye of Grandma Sparkle…

Sparkle and pups.jpg

Take Home Messages

Even Pozy knows that I need help!

Pozy helping.jpg

A couple of things for new homes.

Collars are not the best way to manage a puppy. Panicked puppies can easily slip a collar and they will be off like a shot — or a frightened deer, and think how safe that would be.

A collar is fine for ID but please consider a step-in harness both for safety and for the safety of the baby puppy’s neck. I like this one:

Harness.jpg

Size small works for now but they are cheap and so consider two — one in small and one in medium.

Second thing — new puppies need to go directly to their new homes and stay put as they get used to things. The puppy will already be experiencing so much change as they leave the only home they have known and their siblings — they will need their new humans to minimize all additional changes for a while.

A Moonshadow

A Moonshadow

Remember — puppies are inconvenient. If that doesn’t work for you — it is not the right time for a puppy. No big deal — not every season in life is the right time for a puppy.

Sun

Sun

Puppies deserve to be priorities.

Mirak

Mirak

At least, that is how I see it.

Have a wonderful day.

Evening Report

RB and Big T.jpg


A Birthday and Update

Today is Daisy’s fifth birthday — here she is earlier this week with Pozy.

Daisy and Pozy 3-21.jpg

There is not a kinder dog than Daisy. What a gift she has been to all of us who love her. Happy Birthday to Daisy!

This is a photo of Daisy’s paternal grandparents — Sydney (G Litter) and Zed (F Litter — loved and owned by Terri Zimmerman).

Zed Syd Harper.jpg

The puppy between them is their daughter, Harper B — littermate to Holden, Daisy’s father. Those adult dogs are, therefore, the great-grandparents of the Moonshadows, and both were just beloved, wonderful dogs.

Moonshadows and Daisy

Moonshadows and Daisy

As I mentioned, we had vet visits this week. Yesterday’s Puppy Nanny sent this photo to me from the puppy yard — these are the Moonshadows…

Puppy Sitter pile.jpg

Five Bright Stars went for well-checks yesterday plus Titan, pictured here with Hunter…

Titan and Hunter 3-19.jpg

We want to make sure his small size is not caused by any physical issue. His heart checked out — no murmurs. He will have some additional tests next week but I will be surprised if anything is amiss — he acts just like all the rest; he is just small. That said, we have to make sure he is okay before he can go to a new home.

The puppies constantly mess with my schedule by engaging in unscheduled activities. The Bright Stars decided to make confetti out of the pee pads this morning — I tried to use the less expensive ones. #fail. It was everywhere and so are they — and so I got my handy Bugsy out to help with clean-up and to distract the puppies from eating the pieces.

BS with Bugsy.jpg

By the end, they were trying to ride Bugsy.

This is Capella on the slide and — I think — Mirak in front.

BS slide.jpg

This is Orion winding down…

Orion 3-19.jpg

Please have a considerate and respectful day.

Evening: Daisy Photos

Daisy (3).jpg
Daisy and Ariel (1).jpg