February 26, 2006 My foster mom finished making all the puppy blankies, last week. Each puppy will take home a blankie that will smell like the other pups. This may help my puppies to adjust to being away from their littermates the first few nights. The blankie is like a pouch so someone can put a hotwater bottle and a ticking clock in there, if they want. A towel can go inside it, to make it like a little sleeping mat. The blankies are completely washable - most of them have been washed numerous times, already. My foster mom says that she is not a 'seamstress' so these blankies are very amateur, but they were made with love. She is very new at this so each blankie is a different size -- but so are the pups!! We kind of have a schedule, now. Potty and eat at 8 then play (more potty) and nap. Up again around 10, to play and potty. Nap around 11:30-ish and then eat again at noon. Hardy play time and then....... naps by 12:45! (Fill in any of the blanks with 'potty time'.) Play time again in about two hours, another nap and then 4 PM time to eat. Play, nap, play, and eat at 8 PM. Lots of play, nap, play and then to bed around 11. Whew! We had company today!! YAY! I am feeling so good and just love, love, love people. One of the people that came is Rosemary, she is the lady that brought us the pool - which the pups have now outgrown.... Her husband's name is Art and he is a mobile Puppy Playland. He lays on the ground and puppies chew and crawl and nibble and lick him. They climb in his shirt and on his legs and tickle his toes. The puppies had a wonderful time. I don't know if Art does parties for hire, but if you are interested let my foster mom know and she will find out. Well I committed a faux pas... I unraveled my stitches... Off to the vet in morning... oops! Back to top February 27, 2006 Went to the vet bright and early. I am fine!! The doctor was very nice and gentle with me and removed the last bit of stitches. I healed up nice and early, whew! While at the vet's office my foster mom learned about something else to give me for my itchy skin, so she bought some and I will start taking that today. Hope it works! My foster mom heard from the people who are going to adopt Doodle. His new name will be .............. Foster. They named him after my foster mom!! Wow! My foster mom says that it is important that we get good pictures this week. I think she is a little sad, but I don't know why. Everyone is healthy, happy and most of us have new homes to go to this weekend. What could be better? Here is Doodle Foster, wearing his new collar and looking quite grown up, I must say! Zig Zag says how about a close up of me? And here is Zigs enjoying his yard time. They all enjoy the yard alot, it is a whole new, fun world to them. Darlin' Bungee letting Foster lead the way to the next adventure. It is busy work keeping track of these little tykes. But, it is a delight to see them enjoying the simple things in life. Back to top February 28, 2006 Today we had two yard playtimes. The pups just love it out there. They went out first thing in the morning to go potty, my foster mom was happy about that cause that is alot fewer newspapers to pick up and put down. I am glad that my babies please my foster mom. I stay close and watch them very carefully, especially when they wrestle. Sometimes I have to run from one end of the yard to the other and back again. But, it is my motherly duty and I take it seriously. More photos! Here is Zig looking like he thinks he is posing to be in a Puppy Calendar Little T-Bone is wondering if she is ever going to get a family of her own. Geisha doesn't know which blade of grass to attack next She seems to have found it... We had a few visitors today. I had a totally favorite visitor... My mom! Yes, my mom came to see me again. I like saying "my" mom. And, ahem, "my" mom brought "my" grandma here, too! I had never met her before. I really do have a 'real' family, now. I feel so wonderful physically and emotionally. All is going so well. Thank you, Rose, whereever you are, for taking me in. I don't even want to think about what would have happened to all of us... The puppies had a visit from a very nice couple. They may want to have one of the pups join their family. HOORAY! I love meeting the folks who are going to take good care of my babies. No word yet on whether any of the pups struck their fancy. Carol came by, today, too! I love people and today was a total bonus day! People, yard play, walks and meals. Is there anything better? Oh, yes there is! I will be going to my new home on Monday. Some of my pups will still be here. I won't though. So, I won't be able to add any more diary entries, but my foster mom said she may put some photos up of the puppies who are still here after Monday. My foster mom said she is going to ask all the new parents to email her a photo of my pups at 6 mos old and especially at 1 year old. When she gets those photos she will put them here on this page. Won't that be fun to see my babies all grown up? I think so! Back to top March 2, 2006 Where have I been, you ask? Well, I have been very busy with my babes. I am spending more time with them these days, lots more time. I want to get in my last kisses and wags, of course. Plus, my foster mom has been busy taking care of my foster grandma, so I have been helping 'herd' the pups from the yard to the playroom a few times a day. My foster mom is quite pleased with the brood. Every morning at about 6:50 - 6:55 the babes are 'herded' out to the yard where they all go potty. My foster mom likes that cause then there are no (what she calls) stinky newspapers to pick up. Of course she does still run around with a shovel picking up the potty debris, but she says she doesn't mind that, at all. Foster mom tries to get the pups outside during the rest of the day for that kind of potty, but sometimes she is so busy with foster grandma that the time slips by and the 'opportunity' is gone. Today, Rosemary came by and helped with all kinds of chores. She is a very good friend to my foster mom. I am glad people like Rosemary are in my foster mom's life. It makes leaving her a bit easier knowing she is in good company. The pups and I are getting lots of yard time these days. It is quite fun! And, the pups are roaming farther and farther away from the house, all the way to the fence!! They've gotten brave very quickly. They like to play tug and there are tons of things to tug on in the yard; pineapple plants, aloe plants, roots and lots more! Some of them pick up leaves and run with the leaves in their mouths. Anything is a game to those soft little bundles of fun. And guess who else came by with the great gift of newspapers? GIA!!! Yes, Gia came by one more time to say goodbye. Gia was there during the Big Day, helping me every way she could. She saw all my babies born, she saw them before I did - she had a better angle than I did... So, Gia came by and helped with measuring collars for the pups and spent time with the lovies. I love Gia. Rosemary is coming back again tomorrow! Yay! She is such a kind lady and I can tell she loves me and my puppies, alot. I love her, too! Rosemary is going to give my puppies baths. They already smell wonderful, they need a bath only 'cause they are kind of 'grey' from all the newsprint. Back to top March 3, 2006 Rosemary came and all the pups had a bath (not me tho, whew!). Foster was very good in the water and will probably enjoy water games when he gets older. The rest were okay, some were not crazy about it. But, they all looked nicer. I preferred the way they smelled before the bath, but I am sure they will be back to norm, soon. Back to top March 4, 2006 Oh.... First Abbey left, I tried to get in the car with her but my foster mom said no, that I had to go back to my other babies. I went inside like I was told. People were inside to pick a puppy but I sat in my chair and I could not smile. Abbey has a wonderful new momma now. Abbey sat in her new momma's lap for a long time and was very content. Next, Geisha went. I walked her to the car, and I tried to get in the car with her, but again my foster mom said no. Geisha's new momma and dad were so nice. Geisha's momma laid on the floor (very brave to do around here) and played with all my puppies. When Foster went, I walked him to the car and watched. I met Foster's new momma and dad last weekend, they are such nice people. They bought Foster a pen to have around his crate so that he can come out and go potty and then go back into the crate to sleep. I went inside and just sat in a chair. I did some huffy breathing. I do not know which day is harder, the day they arrived or the day they left. Next my little Zigs left with his family. Those baby blues will never again gaze into my face. Zig's whole family came and they took the time to give alot of thought into which puppy would be just right for them. Zig will have a new beagle brother, Bailey. Bailey is very gentle and cuddly - Zig will like that. Everyone tells me this is the way things are. I know they are right and I know we will all be fine. Monday I will start my own new life and soon I will forget. This is just the way it is... I know. By evening I was out of my funk, and I played with my three little ones more than I ever played with the pups before. My foster mom says that I played with the pups for a few hours, that is a human timeframe, of course. I had a wonderful time, and so did they. I was able to focus on them individually and give them alot of tips on how to interact properly with other dogs. It was a good night until bedtime. My foster mom AGAIN moved the sleeping quarters for the pups... no comment! Anyway, the dining area is now a dining area with a table, again. My foster mom was tired and so everyone went to bed early. I mean, well, we tried to go to bed early. However, Bungee wouldn't hear of it and said so, LOUDLY! Eventually, because there were so many changes in one day (fewer sleeping companions, a change of location and a change of time) my foster mom got up and let everyone outside until about 11:15. My foster mom was chilly out there, I didn't even bother going out, but the babes had fun running about. They were brought back in and Bungee started with her complaining again, but eventually she was quiet and we all went to sleep. Back to top more