Not Much to Report

I thought I would put some updated pictures up of the puppies.
Even though there isn't much to report.

They are growing!  After only 5 days, I can tell they're already getting bigger.

Normally I say they don't do much at this age.

And they don't, really.

But these puppies,  these puppies are the loudest puppies in the world!

They may look like they're sleeping.

But they're actually squirming around, grunting, and whining.
I'm not sure why either.  I have some theories though.
1.  There are 11 of them so it's bound to be louder.
2.  I'm not sure there's room at the the table for eleven so at least two or three are always wanting to eat.
3.  When they're all crowded in eating, some of them get completely squished.

And in ten short weeks they'll look like this.

This was our last one of Sandy's litter.
He was originally Sloan, but has now been given the name Hercules "Hurky."

He finally got to meet his owners this weekend.
Luke gave him all the details about Hurky.

We met them in Kansas City with him. I think he will be well taken care of, don't you?

Our New Favorite Dog!

A couple months back, I posted that we had a possible litter due around May 1.  I was so right.  I should be an obstetrician.  In fact, I'm going to call my doctor and ask why they couldn't ever get my due date right.  Why did I always go two weeks past it?  It's not that hard.  

Anyway. . . sure enough Annie woke me up yesterday morning (May 1) at 3 am.  Wait, backtrack with me.  I knew she was getting close because she didn't want to come inside anymore.  We had to force her to stay in.  She wanted to hide under the porch steps and nest.  

Why wouldn't she want to be inside instead of under the porch?

Simple. . .

This is what lives in the house.

 So anyway, that night she came in whining and wanting out.  I took her to the kitchen where I'd made her a bed.  She came back.  I tried putting her in the laundry room where I could shut the door and let her have her peace.  She flipped out.  
Finally, I put her in the bathroom and sat with her.  Within about 10 minutes she started turning in circles and scratching the towels and stuff I had down.  

The first few came about every twenty or thirty minutes.  I was there to assist if needed, but there wasn't any.
There wasn't much to it.  Again, got me thinking why I paid my doctors so much.

My oldest son woke up at 5 am and came in when he heard funny noises coming from the bathroom.  She'd had two by then.  When the third one came, he'd seen enough so I went and read books on the couch with him until he went back to sleep.

I came back and there were more!  She had six!  So I sat and "delivered" (and I use that term lightly) numbers eight and nine.
"Way to go Annie," I thought.
I assumed she was done.
This was her first litter.
Nine was a good number!

I went back in an hour or so later to make sure she knew what she was doing.  As the doctor, it's important to check up like that.  I was trying to count the males and females.
I counted two or three times. . . now there were ten!

I waited a little while and then came back to move them out of the bathroom.  Having the boys tromp through every half hour probably wasn't ideal for a new mama.
I started doubting my math skills.
I moved three of them and came back for more.
I grabbed four this time.
There were still four left in the bathroom.
Eleven?!

I felt like a failure.  As her "doctor" (and I obviously use that term lightly), I had left her when she still had puppies to have!

She made it look so easy.

In the time it took her to have eleven puppies, Sandy had had three along with a pretty hefty vet bill.

They are doing well though!  It's amazing.

It's really unfortunate that my boys have to find them so fast.

It never seems to bother the mamas though.

Looks like a lot of dark ones in this litter.  

"Please, no more pictures.  I was just born."
Get used to it puppy.

One Last Puppy

As many of you know, we still have one puppy left.
He's taken though, folks-not for sale!

He's adjusting well to being the only one.
He gets to run with the big dogs all day.

He gives moral support to Annie, who is days away from giving birth!

Doesn't she look like she needs moral support?

The poor girl is getting miserable.

And let's be honest, the puppy really isn't any help at all.

But there was a time when Annie was really playful and loved the puppies.
I understand the little guy's confusion.

But he's a good sport and takes the hint pretty easily.

Lots of Happiness and a Little Heartache: Part 2

Yesterday I documented the first three puppies to go.
This past Saturday was busy with four puppy owners coming.
Here is Pink/brown collar, named Fiona.

She is a sweet one!

And here's her owner saying hello to Huck.

Huck is happy to greet you as long as you stay on the other side of the fence and don't block the way to his porch steps where he can take cover!

Next up was blue collar who I'm proud to say his name is now...
Huck Jr.!!!

He went home to these guys!

They were excited to finally meet him!
They picked him out just by the picture above!
I wonder what my boys are doing back there?

Such a sweet picture.
He'll have a happy life too.

Look at his face!!

He also got to go home to big brother, Oakley!
(Not biologically his big brother)

And several cousins too!!

And then there's Mater.
Our 3rd Mater.

For awhile, he was the only one I could get pictures of for some reason.

His owner came to meet him a couple weeks ago.
She fell in love with him, and all the others!

How could you not though?
Look at that face!

She was finally able to take him home Saturday!

Unfortunately, the Maters always become a favorite with my son.

"Sorry Luke, but I don't think she's gonna let him go."

And the last one for the weekend was Doc.

My son liked him.

Even my mom had to say good-bye to him!

Here's his owner who had been waiting so long to finally hold him!

After weeks of "Daily Doc" pictures through texts, they were SO happy to finally take him home!

It was another bittersweet departure weekend.  We love that we can make so many people happy and the puppies get such loving homes.  But it's sad to see the little guys go.