C-Myste

The dogs on a quiet Labor Day.

Huxley surveying the kingdom

Molly watches

Kady's prize: a dried apple fallen from the tree

Num.

Grandma A, Queen of Everything.

"You called the puppy?"

Are soft

Crisp, cool morning and the dog family stays close.

Ok, so I’m going to brag about my own puppy. This is the quickest, brightest girl with the sunniest personality I have had in I don’t know when. I really missed out by not taking one of the Wally/Hannah pups last time. But I’m glad that I waited . . .

Opal news from Ruth Mary:

Opal and very large new friend.

Opal has had an exciting week. She met Dr. Michelle who thought she was a delight and healthy in every way. When we went to pay our bill we met this borzoi. At first I was careful to restrain her, but the owner said she thought it would be fine to let them closer. It was sweet. Our girl is a bold one. The next thing that happened was that someone came through the office with a mop. Opal chased and then jumped onto it! She had the whole office in an uproar. They thought she could become a skateboard dog.

Today we went and had a private session with Sandy Self. Sandy is the best trainer I have ever worked with and she has Pems. She adored Opal. Opal can sit, do a down (which is hilarious because sometimes she leaps into the air before hitting the floor) and does well on a leash. I was concerned about her love of rocks. Sandy suggested I coat some rocks with bitter apple, but for the best effect make sure Opal tastes some of it first. We will start puppy classes when Opal’s shots are complete. The biting had become an issue. We solved it.

I almost called you last week because Opal will not let me tape her ears. She can get the tape off in seconds. I went back to the vet and had her fitted for a collar. I wait until she is asleep in the evening. She is such a lamb then that I have no trouble taping her ears and putting on the collar. I carry her to her crate and she sleeps the night. This is working. They aren’t perfect, but so improved !

Time to get busy with that training, Kady!

Birthday girl Grandma Alice

Big-oh anniversaries in June of Big-oh years.

Forty years ago this month, we graduated from high school.  Which makes it also forty years ago this month that we became “a couple”.

Twenty years ago this month, we moved into this house.   It could be that people should move more often than that.

Ten years ago today, Alice was born.  It’s true that she didn’t live with us until she was nearly 5 but we don’t hold that against her.

It seems that something should have happened thirty years ago this month.  Jamie was a year-and-a-half, Mandy was going-on five, we were living in Fallbrook, California and I was busily writing the software that still mostly supports us today.  Every month was a big month, every day a big day.

And this month?  Something exceptional should happen.  I just don’t know what it is yet.

Good morning, Rosie!

Let us introduce you to Grandma and to Aunt Molly.

The pups are 11 days old today.  I guess this is right on schedule: more of the litters have been born around day 60 from breeding and open their eyes at day 14.  This litter was born at day 64 from the first breeding, 62 from the second.

Hannah’s world is about to change.

Speaking of Hannah, she is being a terrific mother this time around.  She keeps the puppies fastidiously clean and protects them from the other dogs and from the c*ts.  She’s fine with people visiting, but she seems sure that the other girls want to steal her beautiful babies.  And everybody knows that the c*ts bring in puppy-sized kill regularly.