Our First Outing

Tioga looks FANTASTIC - Motherhood agrees with her!

Today was dew claw removal day. A day of dread for me, both logistically and emotionally. I had work around readying three children for school, two different bus schedules, getting myself showered and dressed, packing the car for a 35 minute trip to the vet (crate for puppies, basket to carry them into the vet, area for Tioga, leash, water) and all this while running on about 4 hours of sleep. Emotionally, I hate to see these puppies squeak and squawk about being separated from their momma. I hate to see Tioga react in distress about not being able to comfort them. When we had our last litter here, we were using a veterinarian practice just 4 minutes down the street - uncomfortable, but manageable. This vet is 35 minutes away.  I was prepared for a half hour of cries and whines, but much to my delight as soon as the car was rolling all (wow) EIGHT dogs in the car were sleeping soundly.

Vienna and Maxwell snuggling on Sophie's lap

It took some finagling to get the pups out of the crate and into a portable basket to carry them into the vet while keeping an excited Tioga in the car, but we managed alright. Inside, there were many emergency and surgery patients waiting to be seen by the vet. A vet tech asked what number I could be reached at and said she would call me when the puppies were ready to be picked up. "WHAT!?!?! You want me to leave them here?" was my stunned response. I explained that I am quite a bit away from home and that I would be just as happy to wait in the waiting room or at my car until they were ready and that they would need to nurse in about an hour and that well, I just couldn't LEAVE. She popped back to chat with the vet and returned saying he would do the puppies first so they could be quickly returned to their anxious momma. What a relief. Still, last time we had 2 puppies - that was a quick 15-minute in and out procedure. Seven puppies took a bit of time. As I sat in the waiting room I saw dogs and cats of all shapes and sizes coming in for check-ups and surgeries. I sat with a nervous owner and a very sick dog who was having some sort of transfusion later that day. It broke my heart to see the owner's worry and the obvious malaise of the poor old dog. I felt a little guilty to be biting my finger nails over a couple of dew claws when there were people with real worries waiting with me. And then from the back a sudden cry and then another, a squeak, a whine. The gals behind the desk giggled at each loud squawk we heard from the back room. Noisy puppies! I wish I was there to hold them and kiss their little heads. Soon enough, the vet tech returned carrying my basket full of babies. She had a broad smile across her face and declared, "Those are the noisiest puppies I have ever heard working here!"

The puppies in their basket at the vet.

I explained the Chinook drama act and how effective those "poor me" cries can be. She explained that she had just had a baby 6 weeks ago and felt the same awful guilt at having her son circumsized. She said, "You know it is good for them but you feel just terrible about having to do it!" Before they were even back in the car, they were fast asleep again. Tioga greeted each of them with licks and nuzzles before I placed them back into the crate. Realizing that the trip all the way home would be too long of a drive for hungry puppies, we made a pit stop at my parents house for Tioga and pups. After a nice snack at the milk bar and a chance for Tioga to give each pup a thorough exam and cleaning, we headed home. A big adventure for seven little babies! They are all sound asleep now in the whelping box. A nap does sound like a good idea on this rainy day!