Willow is ready for adoption

WillowWillow is a sweetheart! The vet has her age at 2 years but I strongly feel she is under 1 year of age. Either way she is full of playful puppy energy. She looks to be a golden/yellow lab mixed with some sort of setter or hound – she has a long nose and droopy ears that she has to get from one of these breeds. She walks beautifully on a leash with only a buckle collar, is house trained, and is one of the most patient dogs I have ever come across. She will wait for me to clean up the puppy room for nearly an hour just standing quietly, watching me. She loves everyone she meets, especially children. She would love a family who has time to spend with her as she really likes being with people. She would also like an active family but she deeply appreciates cuddle time as well. Willow has is up to date on all her shots and has been microchipped.

Willow is ready for adoption from H.E.L.P. via HelpingAnimals.org

July 25, 2009 • Tags: , , , , • Posted in: dog adoption, Willow • No Comments

Sweet William is growing into a big boy

We have an update from Sweet William of Chloe’s litter…

William 07/23/09Here’s William! He’s 25 pounds now, and while the biting is still much more than we would like, the trainer gave us some great tips, and we have seen improvement since Tuesday. One persistent problem has been diarrhea. The vet suggests that he could have a grain allergy. So we’re trying grain-free food, and hoping for the best.

Pups on the mend

puppy play July 21, 2009Well, things are a little less messy over here these days, thanks to the marvels of modern medicine. I don’t remember if I wrote about how the pups and Willow ALL came down with a nasty case of squirting diarrhea over the weekend but they did….yikes. The vet, as you can imagine, wanted to see the whole group and I simply said I would not do that. I said, “We have to figure something else out, I am not willing to bring the entire litter to the vet’s office again.” Yeah for me!

So, I compromised and brought the sickest pup, the smallest, and the largest (to get a weight range) and I was surprised to find out that the range went from 7 to 10 pounds at only 5 weeks!!! These pups are big ones! Anyway, the nice people at Meadow View Veterinary Clinic (Geneva, IL) fixed the group right up and now, just two days later, things are looking up. In fact, I am just now going to go into the room for the final clean of the evening…wish me luck.

Puppies plump and getting named

puppy 7-15-09The puppies are HUGE. Really, I can’t remember a group being so heavy and big at such a young age. They aren’t yet 5 weeks old and already they are topping 6 pounds. I tried to weigh them on the little food scale I have and failed – they kept error-ing it out because they were too heavy. So, I stood on my scale and then stood on it while holding them and subtracted my weight and basically ended up with just a general weight for all of them of about 6 pounds. It was stressful for someone like me who likes precision, especially when it comes to measurement and administering of medication (I had to weigh them in order to dose them correctly with their roundworm medication). Add to that the fact that the majority of them look so similar I can’t tell them apart!! I wasn’t exactly sure if I gave everyone the medication…did someone get two doses? Yikes. It was a stressful event.

puppy 7-15-09I think I have 4 of them identified as individuals…there’s a red one with a red nose (got pics of her under the chair, a series of them) who I LOVE and I’m calling her Red Bud. There’s a male who is white with BLUE beautiful eyes, what a pretty boy he is! I’m calling him Oak. The only other male is also white but smaller and I’m calling him Ash. Then there is a small, white, (whiney) female with a red nose I’m calling Birch (notice the name theme?). The remainder are all female, all roughly a whitish/reddish color and all with a black nose…I think. It is so confusing! I am going to have to get a hold of some fingernail polish and paint their toe nails so I can tell them apart! Crazy.

Does anyone have any fingernail polish I can borrow?? Sadly I am not a girly girl.

pups at play 7-15-09The pups are eating about 3 times a day – moistened food with formula, and free eating dry food all day/night. Willow, the mama is learning how to jump up onto the platform to get outside and how to jump back in. That’s a relief. And she is finally got a cleanish bill of health…has roundworms (yuck) but that’s it. So, she can finally spend time outside with the pups in the play area. Life is getting a little easier…a calm before the storm of puppy applications/interviews. I have to get these girls and boys posted on Petfinder!

Puppy chow pictures

These pups are just a riot when they eat!  A messy riot, that is.  Here are a few “puppy chow” photos for your amusement…

puppy chow1

puppy chow 2

puppy chow 3

July 15, 2009 • Tags: , , , • Posted in: nutrition, pups • 1 Comment

Puppy update on little Angel

An update on Angel (formerly Violet) of Chloe’s litter:

Angel on July 8, 2009Wanted to attach some pictures of Angel, she is doing really well and for just being with us for three weeks its like she was always here. She has moments of biting but we always direct her to her toys which she happily goes to.

She is growing quick, and its always fun watching her explore the yard. We have discovered she loves the water as she jumped into the play pool with the girls. She really is precious and loves sitting next to me while I work on the computer.

Thanks for all that you did with her, you have a fantastic gift with animals and I hope everyone appreciates that.

July 8, 2009 • Tags: , • Posted in: behavior, Chloe, puppy update • No Comments