Rest in Peace, Murphy

I am having a very difficult time today letting go.

This morning I received an e-mail from the family who homed Murphy, a puppy from Emily's most recent litter. Those puppies will be one year old on September 30. Except that yesterday Murphy (not his new name) was hit and killed by a car.

I know how devastating such a loss is. My daughter's English Shepherd (the one who inspired me to raise and breed them over twelve years ago) died the same way. It took my daughter a week to be able to call me about it. I still cannot bring myself to calling Murphy's family. Thank god for e-mail--that distanced form of communication that can express sorrow without dripping with tears.

My tears are for Murphy and for my sense of loss--but more than that they are for Murphy's family. This was a family who had been in contact with me months before Murphy was born. They were the first ones I called when the puppies were born and they came and visited Murphy many, many times after he was born before he was old enough to go home with them.

They didn't stop there. Knowing how much I miss these little buggers after they leave our house, Murphy's family kept in contact, e-mailed me photos and gave me updates on his progress--the joys and the frustrations of the first year of raising a puppy.

Most of us have lost dogs at one time or another--sometimes several dogs over the years--and it is never, ever a good day. Who knows at which point in a dog's life it is easier or more difficult to say goodbye? When they are still puppies pulling at their leashes and licking our faces--or when their muzzles are grey and their movements are stunted with arthritis and age?

What point is there in discussing this? What I do know is that my heart burns for Murphy and the couple who took him into a loving home--the kind of home that I, as a breeder, long for.

This isn't the last time I have heard that one of my puppies has reached the rainbow bridge early in life. And he won't be the last. And every time I get the news I am sure I will shed tears like I did this morning.

Goodbye Murphy. You were in my home for eight short weeks--but you will be in my heart forever.

Shea's The Clone of His Papa

Just thought you might want to know what Shea will look like when he grows up. This is his Papa, Strider and Shea is his spittin' image.

The cuddly lover still needs a home!

New Puppy Pix

Emily's pups are five weeks old. They had their first raw chicken wings, played with fleece strips and went outside for the first time. See more photos on my Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=39707&id=716314230

Puppy Pedicure

Q. What's better than a foot massage?

A. A puppy pedicure!

Puppy Daze

Pups are up and running...playing...challenging...tossling and creating mischief! So much fun to watch that little else gets done. They are four weeks old and little personalities are beginning to take shape.

You can see all my photos on my photo page link below:

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v351/39/110/716314230/s716314230_861320_9284.jpg

Getting mobile

Puppies are growing by leaps and bounds. They are getting stronger too. Not quite strong enough to walk but strong enough to stand up which means after a couple seconds they tip over and they are so fat they actually roll over like a bowl full of jelly beans rolling down a hill. It is very cute. Making lots of sounds too. Some seem rather insolent, others pleading or just plain satisfied with life...what's not to like?

More photos tomorrow.

Puppy Yin and Yang

Puppies are growing by leaps and bounds. Today when I weighed them every thing went smoothly until I weighed the two who are getting goat milk supplements. Their mouths began to work and their little tongues wiggled as they frantically searched for the bottle. Of course their eyes aren't open yet so they knew from my scent that I was their second source of nourishment.

Now I know to feed them first, then weigh them, then subract the weight of the milk they drank to come up with their noon time weight.

It is such a good feeling to be recognized!

Here are new photos as well. I call them 'Puppy Yin and Yang'!

Day Five

Emily's third litter arrived early on the morning of September 30, three days early. She whelped eight healthy pups, 2 girls, 6 boys, 4 tri colors and 4 black & white. Emily is a very attentive mother and has again shunned Meora, a female from her first litter. This, of course, has Meora in total disarray but if history repeats itself Emily will let down her guard soon and in three weeks time will be happy to turn over some of the puppy duties to Meora. Meora was a wonderful aunt for our second litter, loved to play with all of them.

All the pups arrived weighing more than any of the pups from our second litter. The eighth pup arrived two hours after the seventh was born and is a bit smaller than the others. While he is doing OK his weight gain is not as good as the others so I have begun supplementing with goat's milk which he is scarfing down.

The first photo above is of Emily with Strider, the DuPrarie Farms male who sired this litter.
The second photo is of the pups at 4 hours old...it does not include our little straggler!