A Snowy Weekend

We got more snow today.

Last week's snow had started to melt.
This was yesterday.  Or maybe it was the day before yesterday?
(This is our little Peanut next to her big brother)

But today it snowed all day!

The puppies were not unhappy about it.
These are the puppies we have left at our home (all spoken for).  We can't get over how much less food we've gone through!

They are growing accustomed to the cold temperatures.

But after it snowed all day, they had a difficult time getting through it.  It had gotten deep.  This one was taken this afternoon before it had accumulated.

While the snow is pretty, I am so glad I did not have to drive in it today!

And since winter is apparently not letting up anytime soon, Sam made sure he got more wood this morning.

Huck missed him while he was gone.

And since there are only four now, and they have these really sad faces when we are cold outside and try to coax them back into the barn...we may have let them in the house.

So that's it for today.  While we have had a fun day, the roads have seriously been terrible and lots of tragedy has happened with accidents and other bad news not too far from where we are.  Prayers going out to lots of folks out there tonight.  Stay safe people!

Week 8

First of all, I want to wish our February 23, 2013 litter a very happy 2nd birthday! This was Sandy's second and last litter and they were beautiful puppies!  It was also the most dramatic, exhausting, costly, scary, etc. learning experience we have had thus far!  Sandy was not meant to be a breeding dog.  This litter landed us in the E.R. vet clinic on Friday night, and an emergency C-section on a Sunday night.  It was our first and only experience in bottle feeding, which if you've never bottle fed 8 puppies round the clock you don't comprehend the exhaustion in it.  I'm tired just talking about it!  But again, those were some great puppies!!  Find them in the 2013 archives from March to April!  Beautiful!  I will never forget them!
If you weren't a fan of Finley River Retrievers back then, here's the link  to the birthday puppies!  
And here's the link to see the post about Sandy's C-Section...yes, I was there for it and took pictures.  

In the meantime, I had more pictures of the snow puppies I wanted to share.  They are irresistible!

It's a cruel world as a mama of lots of puppies.

Domestic puppies have inherited traits from their ancestors in the wild...
the pack instinct,
the hunting instinct,
and the hunting in packs instinct.

They use this on their mama.

It's like the 60 days of gestation and the past 7 weeks of nurturing them now mean nothing.

But it works every time.
Ask Annie how much she will miss her puppies...

Speaking of wild dog instincts, the girls think they're wolves of the tundra!

They flee across the snow like a free spirit stopping at nothing to survive!

Except then their feet get cold.
They get kind of tired of all the running,
and that Gator seat looks pretty inviting.

That rough and tough wolf stuff is for the birds.
They've never had to fight for anything to survive so why pretend?

So anyway, we're down to 11 puppies after the weekend.
We still have snow on the ground and they have grown accustomed to it.

They practice running through it too.

It builds up an appetite.  Because all 18 of them still trying to nurse on a mama who doesn't have much left, doesn't really hold them over.

They are friendly fellas!

This bush has provided entertainment for every litter we've had.  They chase each other around it.

So that's it.  This may be my last post of all of them in the snow because they are dwindling down every day.
I felt sorry for those leaving thinking they'd miss their siblings...til I saw the pictures their owners have sent with them in their state of the art beds or a human bed for that matter!

My Boys

I had to post this tonight because A) I'm stranded in a hotel because of icy roads and I miss my boys, and B) the first two puppies left tonight and Sam sent a text that my oldest couldn't stand the sadness of seeing them go so he went to Grandma's.
So I wanted to acknowledge them.  Sometimes, I start posts but I never post them or I never finish them.  This is one I started at least a week ago.

In case no one realized this by now, these are my boys.
They're pretty good kids.  The past several weeks I have been watching them and realized I don't always give them enough credit.

Don't get me wrong, what we do,
and what I ask them to help me with is
not exactly the worst job in the world.

I know they're pretty blessed boys.
And as they get older, I think they do too.

We got our first puppies, who are
now mamas when they were just 3 and 1.

It's all they've known really.

They've grown up with the dogs around them.

Awe...he was so little!

Anyway, what they do for me and for our puppies
I believe makes a world of difference for the puppies.

Oh, oops!  That's not my boys!  But she's
cute, so I'm keeping it.

They play with them,
give them attention, help me determine who is 
who, and corral them back together to bring them back in.

What I'm saying is that they get attached.
So not every part of it is easy for them.

We always say that when my youngest wears
his Spiderman costume around you, he considers you
a friend.

And while they don't expect anything in return
(which they've gotten before, people have brought them
toys and candy as a token of their gratitude - I am NOT saying that is what I am asking, I'm not!!), I just wanted to note that this little job wouldn't be as much fun for me if it weren't for them.

I just wanted to make it known that I appreciate
their help to me, especially this time around with me on
crutches!!  The weather hasn't always been ideal and yet I haven't given them a choice to stay inside.  I have needed them out there with me.  They have come out every time and every day to love on the puppies.

Well, he does a ton of the work too!

So does my mom.

Anyway, back to the boys, they have made a big difference getting the puppies
socialized and used to people.

So while you come to take your puppy off to his/her
forever home, just remember to allow the little guys time to say
good-bye.  They've been with them since the beginning.  They appreciate every picture sent and every update posted when the puppies are grown.

Snow

Growing up on a farm, we weren't really encouraged to like the snow.  Not that going out and playing in it was discouraged, it definitely wasn't.  But I grew up on a beef farm and many of my friends grew up on dairy farms.  The snow and cold temperatures made for some really long days.  I've seen machinery freeze up so it wouldn't function.  I've seen things on animals freeze up so that they wouldn't function!  Winter can be a real inconvenience.

Lots of extra hay needs to be put out for livestock too.
So before I go wishing for snow, I do take into consideration people like my dad and all the other farmers out there who have to put in extra hours to accommodate their animals.

But that doesn't mean it isn't beautiful!
I was a teacher too, and I'm married to one.  So snow means a day off!  I'd be lying if I said I don't get excited about it!

My boys, all 3 of them, totally love it too!

So do the dogs!

Back roads, before they clear them, are
great places to practice new tricks!

It also makes for a great little outing for the puppies!
They took it on with no fear!

This was their first time to see the stuff!

They didn't know what to think of the cold powder that came up to their bellies.  But they adjusted!

 The snow was packed down in no time!

Toys are a must-have no matter what you're doing!

So much playing made for some hungry, sleepy puppies!
They didn't fight to go back in the barn where they ate... and passed out.

I posted a video on our facebook page yesterday.  Try clicking here to view it if you haven't already.  Happy Tuesday, folks!  Our furry friends will start departing in just 3 days...