ROSIE aka ROSEBUD

Yesterday I had Rosie spayed and she had a dental at the same time.She could not have breakfast or her morning cookie, she was not happy. No one got their morning cookie as I could not leave her out, so everybody was not especially happy.
Rosie is one of those special Shelties that loves everyone. She was happy to go for a ride, not knowing what was going on and she was happy to see everyone at the vets. She did not seem to mind that I left. 
I picked her up late in the afternoon and she was not so happy but managed a small tail wag for me. Once home she was very quiet and seemed depressed, she just wanted to sleep which was the best thing for her. Last night was the first time in Rosie's life that she refused to eat. So not Rosie. Later that evening she did eat a little and I was able to get her medication into her. She likes to sleep downstairs where it is much cooler. I carried her down, she is a smart girl, I knew she would not try to run upstairs and she did not. She hurt and seemed to understand she had to be quiet. This morning she greeted me at the stairs with a couple of tail wags, and she was not going to miss another morning cookie, I knew then that she would be fine  in a few days. Right now she is sleeping next to me while I write. This is the best thing for her and for healing. 
I am so glad that I decided to do the spay now, she will be 8 years old in October, we share the same birthday. I asked the vet about the condition of her uterus and it was filled with fluid. She could easily have developed an infection. I had hoped for a Rosie daughter, but just not to be. 
I am thankful for Rosie and hopefully now we will have many years together. She is my best friend. I often call her Rosebud, her nickname. Len started calling her that when she was a baby. She responds to both names.
I love all my Shelties, but Rosie is my heart dog, we have all had one of those who are just extra special.

The best mom Sheltie there ever was!!She just loves babies and when the pups are about 4 to 5 weeks she will play with them and take care of them even if they are not hers. 
 

CRAZINESS OR WHAT!

This morning at 5 am the shelties all started barking and it went on for a good 15 minutes, I don't know what all the ruckus was about. I finally got up to check and absolutely nothing was going on. So went ahead and took them out and left them for at least 20 minutes. Got the coffee going, a little early for me. Once the coffee was ready brought them up for our coffee hour. Put the two boys out and left them for half an hour, then brought them up to join us. They were so wound up and I don't know why, maybe because Bling is in season and I need to keep her separated. But their sense of smell is so good, that it did not matter where Bling was, they knew.
Sammy has turned into a real love, stays right by me or wants to be in my lap. He also loves the ball, always in his mouth. I need to refresh the toy box, after awhile the toys get destroyed and are no longer safe for them to use.
The pups are finally all in their new homes and all are doing well. I am so pleased with the homes that they have. I hope to get photos as they develop, I love to see how my babies turn out. Maybe pups late fall, but that is a long way off. Walter has been producing beautifully and would like to have some of his pups here. Maybe fall.
Looks like a good day for working outside, more hay to rake and dump and I need to put up the sun screen over the dog yard. I get a lot of sun out there in the summer, wish I got it in the winter but not enough to do any good. They need the sun screen, almost completely covers the dog yard, there is a small section where they can lay in the sun if they feel like it and sunbathing is something that they enjoy. Just imagine if I could put all the shelties to work, things would get done so quickly! Well I need to get moving and take advantage of this good weather. I sure miss my babies, but I know each one is getting what they need and more than I could give them as they grow up.

I NEED A COOKIE, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!

THE EMPTY NEST

This morning was a little quieter than usual. My last puppy Coco went to her new home yesterday. I had kept her for four extra weeks as the family had travel plans before they bought the puppy. It is a wonderful home so I did not mind. Though I did not realize how attached I would become with Coco. She was bonded with me too.The people who have her are very excited and she is their first puppy. I have helped them as much as possible and when they have questions they contact me and we work it out. In a week or so Coco will be bonding with them and I will feel good with taking the puppy pen down and putting it away. When the pups normally go to homes at eight weeks, you have been so busy taking care of them and not bonding closely with anyone pup. But when one stays longer it is much harder to let go. I guess this is why I usually keep a puppy. The puppy that definitely was a show prospect was going to be a big girl and probably too large for show, so the decision was made to not keep a pup from this breeding. I will breed Topaz again when she is a little older and will hope for a quality tri color female. I need to be very selective as it is easy to get too many dogs.
Rosie has missed for the third time so she is scheduled for a spay and a dental at the same time.
I did not get a daughter from her, and I did learn with a little older dog there may not be another chance.I truly believe that things happen the way they are supposed to. 
I think the time has come to get my computer room in order, it was my husbands office but I need to pack up his things and turn it into my room. Very hard to do but it is time.
I have missed attending dog class these past two years and think it is time I take either Topaz or Bonnie to learn some basic obedience. I loved going to class and it definitely motivates you to work with the dogs. 
Keeping involved with the dogs is the best thing for me. Losing your spouse of 52 years makes it very hard to start a new life and to keep the old going. I need to continue to live like my shelties do, one day at a time. Someday I may have a new normal. The hardest thing is to make the decisions on the dogs myself, we always did that together. Len had a good eye for a quality dog and he loved to show them.Again I am thankful for the dogs, they keep me going. Caring for pups makes the time fly by. On a more positive note I have met many wonderful people who have my dogs and many good friends have come from being involved with the dogs.

Kaley, a very well trained girl!!

COCO OR IS IT KOKO

Yesterday Minnie went to her new home. It is a great home and I know she will have a good life. I sure do miss her. She is one smart little girl. She and Coco had really bonded with each other and did everything together. Coco seems to be a little lost, she will be going to her new home this coming Saturday. I have been giving her a lot of free time in the kitchen with the dogs and took her out to the agility area to play. She is having a good time and I am doing a little training with her. I don't keep her out in the grass too long as the ticks this year are pretty active. She loves playing with Bonnie who is 11 months and and who is very good with her. Bonnie is still very puppy and enjoys Coco.
I had Coco out with me yesterday while I was loading the dishwasher and she decided that she wanted to help. She jumped up on the door of the dishwasher and was very interested in everything going into it. Too cute to not get a photos.

Sheltie pups are so agile and jumping up on the dishwasher door is very easy for them.
I let her help for a few minutes and then took her off. She sure knows how to entertain herself.
A quiet memorial day here, many memories of my husband Len, who passed due to brain cancer almost two years ago. I don't know where the time has gone, it still seems like yesterday. Len was a veteran and served in the US Marine Corp. He loved the dogs and often showed them. He was very competitive and loved the showing. Make the most of each day, as you never know what tomorrow will bring. My Shelties were my life savers, they gave me purpose each day and fill many hours for me. I can still show my Shelties but it is not as much fun doing it alone. Not sure that I will continue with the conformation showing. I have Walter who has turned out to be a lovely boy and deserves to be shown. Walter is special as he has Lens middle name and was born just a few days after Len passed.  Maybe as time goes on my thoughts will change. For now I am very thankful for my dogs. I try to live like they do, one day at a time!

SAMMY

Sammy is the newest member of the family. He has a wonderful temperament and seems to love being here. It is now time to learn some house manners. House training is coming along pretty good, although does need improvement. It will just take more time. I am starting to teach him to wait before he comes charging out of his crate in the morning. Actually all the young ones are learning this in the morning. When they all come charging out it is chaos and it is much too early for so much excitement. Sammy is catching on quickly, I open the crate and hold my hand in front of him and tell him to wait, if he starts to come forward he will hit my hand and I tell him to wait. He backs up to wait, with a few kisses on the hand while waiting. He is such a ham!! Then I release him and he comes out slowly, which is my goal for all of them. I do this with each one in the morning and they will soon know what wait means and I will be able to use that command anywhere. It is perfect for not letting them charge out the door before you. That could be a safety issue too. 
I now know that Sammy loves news paper. As the pups are so large now I use paper as it is easy to change and keep the puppy pen clean. Yesterday morning Sammy was able to pull a piece of paper out of the pen and proceeded to shred it into a million little pieces, kept him busy for a long time, before I realized what he was doing the kitchen floor was totally covered in little pieces of paper, of course he had some help, Topaz, Bonnie and Walter had joined in.
I need to keep a closer eye when working on the computer. At least he had fun, it did not make sense to get upset, the deed was done, but now if I even hear a piece of paper rattle I am checking on them.
I am going to miss the pups when they go to their homes but I am ready to take the puppy pen down and put the kitchen back in order.  Very soon. Minnie is going home on Saturday, I sure will miss her, such a character. Coco will be going a week from Saturday. 
Sammy will come along very nicely, he listens and he is proud when he figures out something. I am thrilled to have this little guy who is a very biddable dog.
I have some new photos that a friend took for me and I really need to post them.

FRUSTRATION

I just spent the last 20 minutes writing all about going up to Illusion Farm to help with whelping a litter of pups. Well the post just disappeared and here I go again. The lady taking care of the farm needed some help with one of the girls who was about to whelp. It is always less nerve wracking to have someone with you through the whelping process. I took care of my dogs, got the puppies all set with extra food and water as I knew that I might be late. I arrived about one thirty in the afternoon and Deana had been in labor for awhile. We sat down to await the arrival of the first pup. Finally the puppy appeared and as soon as mom finished with him we started to dry him and shake the mucous out so that normal breathing could start. Unfortunately this little guy was not breathing and probably had passed awhile ago, probably it was too long before he was born. Always sad to start with losing a puppy. As the afternoon went by six more pups were born and we were kept busy with drying pups and shaking out the mucous to get them breathing well. Finally by six pm all seemed well and I knew I had to go and take care of my dogs. In every whelping you learn something new, just with raising dogs there is always something new coming up, you never know everything and so many things change. Each litter presents something you never saw before, a learning experience for sure. You always feel good when things go smoothly and the pups are doing well. 
I arrived home close to 8 pm and had a bunch of hungry dogs. They had been so good, no accidents, of course the younger ones were crated. I got busy and fed everyone and got them out to exercise, let the pups run in the kitchen as they were confined all day.
Minnie and Coco are the two pups waiting for their homes to be ready for them. They are like twins, just little differences. They love each other and will miss each other. Minnie is going this weekend and Coco the following. I have become very attached to them but they really are ready to have their own home and people. They are smart little girls and so much fun. I will miss them. But I will feel better knowing they will get what I can't give them now. My Shelties need my time and attention.
Finally the agility area is dry and the grass is cut and I can get everyone out to run and really stretch their legs. They need to do the zoomies, which I love to watch. They run circles and go as fast as they can, they just love to run all out.
I may be showing Walter next month so I need to get busy with working with him. It has been such a long winter and wet spring that he has not been out so need to start going places. He had lots of socializing and classes as a pup. He should be ok. I have been working on his coat and it is looking good. 
Well time for breakfast for the kids and they are being very patient this morning. Sometimes they are very naughty but often surprise me and are very good. They usually are not patient dogs but this morning they have surprised me. 
Shelties are so intuitive and so special.

A BUNCH OF BANANAS

Well here it is ten days since I have written. I have been busy with the dogs, lots of grooming to get caught up and doing well with it. Three puppies have gone to their new homes. Two pups still here until the end of the month. They get lots of play time and attention. They are at the age that they need this. The two little girls, Minnie and Coco are bonding with each other. They are so cute and look like twins, exactly the same size.
Went to help a friend whelp a litter yesterday. Did not get home until almost 8 last night. 
The dogs were really good, waiting for their dinner and no accidents in the house. My little cat Girly, did not know why I was gone for so long. She was sitting in the middle of the kitchen table when I came in. She was thrilled to get her dinner. Even cats like their routine.
I have been working in the dog yard getting it ready for fresh stones, it has been a couple of years or more and they really need refreshing. I was not planning on rain today. Guess I can get the rest of the toenails cut and grooming done.
The other morning I was sitting looking at my emails, all the dogs were in with me. It had been very quiet for awhile so I decided I had better take a look and see what was going on. Well I had a bunch of bananas on the table and each dog had a banana or a piece of banana or skin and they were having a feast. Topaz is my table thief, they must have been just close enough for her to reach. I couldn't believe it, a brand new bunch too. My dogs love bananas but I usually only give them small pieces and never any skin. Hopefully they would digest the skin ok and they did, no one had any digestive issues at all. Learned my lesson, no food at all to be left on the table. Once I got over the shock of seeing my bananas gone from the table it was really funny to watch them chowing down. I tried to take them away but it was useless so I just let them finish.
My Shelties certainly keep me on my toes. They keep me going and laughing and I could not live without them.

Minnie at four weeks, sound asleep!