Knowing that each puppy is in a loving home where they will be the center of life (at least for a while), and where they will thrive on giving unconditional love relieves the empty nest feeling that comes over me occasionally. Some families have asked if I struggle with letting the puppies go. My answer always is that my  joy comes from seeing homes brightened and lives filled with the love and treasure that only a wiggly, furry ball of fluff can give. To all of our puppy families I say a hearty, “Welcome to the world of our precious treasured labradoodles!!! Keep in touch!”

Tomorrow will be another big day for our 12 babies. They go to see the vet, get checked over, and get stuck!   It always amazes me how they don’t even flinch when their vacination is given! They do better than my kids did, but don’t tell my kids!! The vet won’t have to give them their worm medicine this time because they’ve had two doses already, and will get another one before leaving our home. Again this time, I am so grateful to not have had any signs of those little pests! It is very common for them to be present, and does not necessarily denote poor caring conditions, but I’m glad they haven’t been here in our puppy families.

We’ve been taking our babies outside for the past few days during the times of day when it’s not so scathingly hot. They really enjoy it. We have a new puppy corral that gives them lots of room to romp and tussel. It’s about 10′ x 10′ with a handy gate, which makes entrance and exit much easier. There are a few escape artists that have already figured out how to get out, but they don’t get far before they are put back in! We have a large yard, so they wouldn’t get in much trouble anyway, but they enjoy tanlalizing those on the inside yet! Several have discovered the grass isn’t much better on the outside of the fence, so they slip back through to the inside again! Oh to be foot-loose and fancy-free as they are!!!

It takes an average of about 10 pictures of each puppy to get one that is usable, so we were at it for a little while!  Some chose to investigate the props before posing, while others sat down and stayed put as if they knew exactly what we were doing! They are such cute little fur balls!

We use a Kodak CX 7530 digital camera. Not the most recent, but it works well for us, and does the job. And I’m used to it! Learning a new camera right now would be mind boggling to me – I’m SO technically savvy!!!!!! We used to take pictures outside, but have discovered that the kitchen table makes a lovely photo studio! Besides, PA has had a horrific heat wave that would wear the puppies out if they had to be out in it for long.

We tryed using the sport setting for capturing moving puppies this time, and it seemed to work much better. Some were still fast enought to create a blur even with that setting, but for the most part, it caught them in mid action! See the “Available Puppies” page to see the results!

Just out of interest, I decided to show our little kitchen “photo studio”! Ya gotta do what ya gotta do!!! 

Walking on all fours is becoming a common “test run”! Most don’t make it far or long, but they are strengthening their little legs and increasing their endurance. All in the growing up process!

Another interesting thing I saw was one of the puppies doing his best to wash up! Now that may sound like a given, but in my observation, Mamma usually does that for a few more weeks until the babies can take over the job. Well, evidently, one decided Mom would have one less bottom to tend!!!!! Yea for him!!!

Our newest babies have arrived!! Bella and Hamilton are the proud parents of 12 beautiful baby balls of fur!! In the midst of all the wedding preparations, we arranged for a breeding, praying that the big puppy day wouldn’t fall on the same day as the big wedding day!! Bella was bred on March 27. Normally labs and labradoodles give birth on the 60 – 63rd day of pregnancy, which we planned would take us past the wedding day. It wasn’t until late April or early May that we were pretty sure Bella’s breeding was good (tummy poochiness is a good visual indication!), so we began making mental plans for the week after our daughter’s wedding. I had meant to have Bella groomed before her babies came, but in the hustle of the wedding preps, that didn’t happen. That didn’t hinder her from being a good mommy, though!

This was a first for most of our out-of-town family guests, and so it was quite interesting for them. Of course, they were not with Bella as she gave birth. The progress reports each half hour or so were sufficient. It’s best for the mother dog not to have lots of unfamiliar people present at  birth. She doesn’t need the extra stress as she starts out caring for her new babies as they arrive.

I regret terribly not having posted any new happenings around our house for the last several months!!     The good news is that it was because our daughter got married and, for those of you who have gone through that phase of life and would know, it was extremely hectic!!!!! From dress fittings, food orders, invitation creations, and floral decisions, to preparing for a houseful of out-of-town wedding family guests, and making flight arrangements for the same!!! What a time, but what a good time!!!

Our oldest daughter (the girl who is getting a puppy kiss from a doodle puppy on the site header above) married a wonderful young man from Alaska who she met and fell in love with in Florida – what geographic extremes! The wedding colors were lilac and white, with purple and white roses, purple ranunculus and purple fresia as the main flowers, and dark purple lilacs (our daughter’s favorites) as accents in separate arrangements. I must say – even if I am the mother of the bride – it was simple but very pretty, and she was beautiful!!

             Excuse the blurr – these are from facebook!

 The new happy couple was driven to the reception site in the restored 1937 pick up truck that my parents dated in! My father had the honor of escorting them there, driving that memory filled truck once again. He said the horn still beeps when you turn real hard to the right!!!! Wow, after 60 years!!!!!

Four days after our daughter’s big day, we had 12 new additions – our new litter of F1b labradoodle puppies. Just the expectation of their coming added to the hustle and bustle of these last 3 weeks! I’ll expound on their appearance in another post! For now, Congratulations to our daughter and son-in-law!! God’s best be with you!