More Puppies, and a little of this and that...

wow, what a week. First off on Wednesday, Bluff a dog at Contact Point Border Collies (my Breeze's breeder) went into labor a few days earlier then expected. I went to the ranch to babysit the puppies while Karen took Bluff to the vet for an x-ray to confirm the number of pups expected before they were born. When I got there I got to do some bottle feeding of Gabby's puppies (the last litter born) because they are still being supplemented. OMG, those are the biggest, rolliest, polliest puppies I have ever seen. Those puppies have the most gorgeous markings and sure look healthy. Their little eyes are just opening, so nothing to fuel anyones puppy fever like some cute little rolly polie puppies. I LOVE the little tri colored female in that litter, and her eyes are open, talk about too cute for words!

Nel's pups, (the first litter born, that I got to help with the delivery -bye the way)are all looking good. They are no where near as big as Gabby's little puppies, but there were 11 of them -a huge litter-and Nel is a smaller girl then Gabby. Their little eyes are mostly open and they are getting up on their feet, starting to walk and really looking gorgeous. Nel's litter is sired by Breezes Litter mate and half brother Zing, who is an awesome agility dog. My favorite little girls in that litter are the number 1 puppy Ginny, and little Luna. I wanted to tuck one of those little girls in my pocket on my way home ;-).

So early in the afternoon Bluff seemed to really go into labor. Bluffs first pup was born at 4 pm and she was expecting a good size litter. The first three pups just came sliding out, and it was interesting because Bluff would just sort of be licking but did not look like she was pushing as much as some dogs do, it was hard to tell when pups were close to being born. Everything seemed to be going so easily even though Bluff was a first time mom, it was early in the afternoon, and things were really looking like this was going to be a very easy, fast delivery. Bluff had a small break between the first three pups and the next couple, which would not be surprising because the first ones came so quickly. Another couple of puppies brought one little puppy that was soooooo tiny, a little black/white (tri?) female, that really took a long time to really get all her little body functions going. She would scream and cry as long as she was stimulated but then just would be tired looking if she was left alone, so I was really worried about that little cutie, but pretty soon she was looking really good, very tiny but very good, (she did good enough that by the next day she had a really good weight gain, so she is a little peanut but very strong). Soon after that we only had one puppy left to deliver and Bluff just did not seem to be able to deliver it. We piled into the car with the pups and Bluff and made the trip to the vet. It was the middle of the night by then, and Bluff was pushing and I was riding in the back of the car with my little flash light, hoping a puppy would make it's way into the world before we got to the vets. Little Bluff ended up having to have a csection for the last pup, and sadly, the little pup did not make it. In the end there were six gorgeous little pups, 4 boys and 2 girls. Let me tell you this particular litter should be interesting to watch grow up. Bluff is a total ball/toy freak. She was labor and pushing and just wanted someone to throw the ball when we took her out to walk around, she is a real toy dog. The dad of these pups is named Reddy and he is a ball nut, and I have seen one of Reddys pups that just turned a year old and that dog is a toy obsessed, so I can not see how these dogs are not going to have an insane toy drive.

Poor Breeze and Liz came with me to the CP ranch for the birth because I did not know how long things would take. Breeze and Liz have never been in a run and I put them in a run that faced the front of the house. I do not think the girls moved an inch, they just sat in front of the door in disbelief they would be in a kennel. Surprisingly they did not bark their heads off in protest, which is what I expected. They were actually good girls. The only time they had a really hard time was the morning after the delivery....there was a chicken who has apparently learned there is usually food around the dogs kennels, so the chicken would walk back and forth and dance in front of the dogs just on the other side of the cage. Breeze was just frustrated as all heck watching that chicken that I am sure looked like a really great toy. Cherry got to go and play with my girls in the agility yard, and it sure seemed like the three of them missed each other, they seemed to have such a great time playing together, it was very cute.

On the way back home from the ranch I was able to go to my Acton class, perhaps the last class in Acton. There have been a lot of times that I thought the class was over, and this time I really thought it was because we got to the last day, but now apparently maybe it is not over? I had bought a cake to say good bye but then in the middle of class negotiations were still going on to keep the class going and at the end of class it was still not clear if there would be classes or not-so I never got a chance to bring out the cake, most of the students had not shown up for class, so my kids were VERY happy I brought the cake home. They are always happy when I come home, but when I have cakes or cookies, they really are really happy to see me, LOL. Regardless of whether the class goes on or not I think it has been changed enough that I am not going to be allowed in the class-I think they are lowering the level, so I will not get to go ;-( , so what ever. I love the people in the class and I am going to miss Lynn and Skittles, Tina and Salette, Dimitri and Leanne, and even wild little Zoe, Zoe so much. Those people have been a part of my life for a long time now, I have seen them every week with no breaks for a long time and I do not always welcome change and I will miss them very much, and since I live such a long way away I doubt I will see them. Guess everything changes and everything has its season, blah, blah, blah, but it does not mean I have to like it now does it? So at this point, who knows what is going on???? Surely, not me ;-)!!!!!!!! What I do know is I am pretty burned out right now, but anxious to get back to some real training, how ever I have to get that, I will just trust it is all going to work out, I will make it work out.