A "pup"date. ;)

The six(not 12 like I accidentally put on the website) puppies are doing very well. They are staying strong and beginning to gain weight now. It's always stressful right in the beginning as puppies are so fragile and the first real relief comes when they start putting on weight. That's when you know things are going well. I don't know how many people realize how exhausting puppies are. I have gotten just a few hours of sleep in the last few days. When puppies are very young like this I sleep right beside the whelping box so that if Momma needs my help I am right there. Whether it be a puppy who has wandered too far away and needs help getting back, or a puppy that has difficulty latching on to nurse, or just to sit with Momma until this whole motherhood thing sinks in. Dogs do have amazing instincts but some need a little more reassuring than others. I like to bottle feed the little ones a bit in the beginning too as it helps them gain weight a little quicker and get up on their feet a little sooner.

I did a major update to my website that was long overdue. There are still a few things to be done and updated but now that the bulk has been done it won't seem quite so daunting.

Before I go I would like to share an old poem by Peggy Adamson who is considered the first lady of Dobermans and she talks about what it's like to be a breeder. I just have to share it with you as it really describes dedicated breeders like myself to a T. Enjoy!

What is a Breeder??

A Breeder (with a capital B) is one who thirsts for knowledge and never really knows it all, one who wrestles with decisions of conscience, convenience, and commitment.
A Breeder is one who sacrifices personal interests, finances,
time, friendships, fancy furniture, and deep pile carpeting!
She gives up the dreams of a long, luxurious cruise in favour of turning that all important Show into this years "vacation".
The Breeder goes without sleep (but never without coffee!)
in hours spent planning a breeding or watching anxiously over the birth process, and afterwards, over every little sneeze, wiggle or cry.
The Breeder skips dinner parties because that litter is due
or the babies have to be fed at eight.
She disregards birth fluids and puts mouth to mouth
to save a gasping new-born, literally blowing life
into a tiny, helpless creature
that may be the culmination of a lifetime of dreams.
A Breeders lap is a marvelous place
where generations of proud and noble champions once snoozed.
A Breeders hands are strong and firm and often soiled,
but ever so gentle and sensitive
to the thrusts of a puppy's wet nose.
A Breeders back and knees are usually arthritic from stooping,
bending, and sitting in the birthing box,
but are strong enough to enable the breeder to Show
the next choice pup to a Championship.
A Breeders shoulders are stooped
and often heaped with abuse from competitors,
but they're wide enough to support the weight
of a thousand defeats and frustrations.
A Breeders arms are always able to wield a mop,
support an armful of puppies,
or lend a helping hand to a newcomer.
A Breeders ears are wondrous things, sometimes red
(from being talked about) or strangely shaped
(from being pressed against a phone receiver),
often deaf to criticism,
yet always fine-tuned to the whimper of a sick puppy.
A Breeders eyes are blurred from pedigree research
and sometimes blind to her own dog's faults,
but they are ever so keen to the competitions faults
and are always searching for the perfect specimen.
A Breeders brain is foggy on faces,
but it can recall pedigrees faster than an IBM computer.
It's so full of knowledge that sometimes it blows a fuse:
it catalogues thousands of good bonings,
fine ears, and perfect heads...
and buries in the soul the failures
and the ones that didn't turn out.
The Breeders heart is often broken,
but it beats strongly with hope everlasting...
and it's always in the right place !
Oh, yes, there are breeders, and then, there are BREEDERS!!

By Peggy Adamson