Daybreak Morning Blend Litter is 7 weeks old!

The sweet and silly puppies that were such snuggle bugs last week have turned into crazy wild, rambunctious, button pushers and limit testers. They are noisy and demanding and push me to the brink of my sanity; and in one glance can melt my heart and make me forget all of their naughtiness. Last week, I had 7 puppies who wouldn't let go of my pant leg as I walked through the yard and now when the door opens, they all take off in different directions. Vienna has several times lead a brigade through the fence into the neighbor's yard - too far out of my reach and yet fully aware of my pleas to come back close enough for me to grab their scruff and hoist them back through. Last week when I moved out of sight, 7 puppies would bound along after me like perfect little ducks in a row. Now, they actually RUN away from me when I bend to pick them up if they do not want to be brought inside. They make me furious and they make me laugh --- I guess this is how I know they are ready for the next chapter. This past week has been full of outdoor adventures, high spirited chases and wrestling matches, and time spent apart from the group --- to see what life will be like beyond the Brew Crew. It is crazy that these puppies have seen everything from summer-like weather to a Nor'easter and back to a more normal autumn. This week was rainy and brisk. It was a good test to see which pups would brave the raindrops to go outside for a potty break and which would just pee on the deck. :) Check out some of these little wet pups!

Several nights this week we brought each pup out one by one to play, apart from the group, with Tioga and Dakota. Dakota has finally fallen in love with the puppies and spent a lot of time lying on his back letting them lick his ears and paw at his belly. He was perfectly gentle and tolerant. Tioga is having a great time wrestling with them and running circles around them in the yard. She loves to grab them by their back leg as they are making their escape.. not hard or mean; it is all very playful. She looks fantastic and is full of spunk. She still allows the pups to nurse (usually while she is trolling the playpen to see if they left any kibble at their last meal) She makes a deep, guttural groan at them which sometimes makes me think she might snap at them, but then she patiently waits for them to suckle just enough to settle themselves down before she hops back over the gate. She amazes me --especially knowing what a crazy, mischievous puppy she was! To see her so calm and nurturing warms my heart.

The absolute best thing about this week is that we have found placements for all of the puppies. I could not be more happy. Everyone who is opening their hearts and homes to one of these little coffee beans are fantastic, loving, warm, fun.... the list goes on. I am so excited to be sharing this journey with them. I can't wait for them to take their puppies home and begin to experience all of this cuteness for themselves! I remember how I felt when the shoe was on the other foot and I was waiting anxiously to collect my furry babies and bring them home. I think about Connie and Bob Jones and how they did all of this for our Dakota (remember meeting at Starbucks, Connie? It was chilly and I held a shivering Dakota in my jacket and felt so lucky when passers by were inquiring about the pups and I got to say THIS ONE'S MINE!); and Maria Sommer went through all of this for our Tioga (A sneaky Maria planned all of this puppy getting with my husband, behind my back, as a Christmas surprise. I remember wearing a ridiculously frilly sweater and all the puppies attacking me! Maria pointed to Tioga and said, "That one's yours!" I had only seen a small picture of her. I remember thinking she was absolutely perfect ---and I was right!). It is wonderful to share that excitement with these amazing families.
And here they are - my naughty, adorable, curious, clever, loveable Morning Blend coffee beans:

VIENNA

female, id: purple, weight at birth: 15.4 oz, weight at week seven 10 lbs 10.2 ozs

Vienna defending her position in the toy bin!

JOE

male, id: blue, weight at birth: 16.7 ozs, weight at week seven 12 lbs .4 ozs

KENYA

female, id: black, weight at birth: 16.4 ozs, weight at week seven 11 lbs 6.6 ozs

KONA

male, id: red, weight at birth: 16.8 ozs, weight at week seven 13 lbs .2 ozs

MAXWELL
male, id: green, weight at birth: 17ozs, weight at week seven 10 lbs 4.2 ozs

INDIA
female, id: pink, weight at birth: 14.8 ozs, weight at week seven 10 lbs 2.2 ozs

PEABERRY
female, id: light green pattern, weight at birth: 13.6 ozs, weight at week seven 10lbs 4.8 ozs

The beginning of the end

The puppies had their first round of vaccines today -- our second trip to the vet. The first time was a breeze with all seven pups easily transported in a handy towel lined laundry basket. Today was another story. One by one I packed the pups into the crate in the car; all the while trying to keep Tioga from attempting to jump in as well. We headed off to the vet to the ridiculously loud sounds of puppies screaming their heads off. 'They'll settle down as soon as we get moving' I thought --- but no! Screaming, crying, whining, mewing, howling for 30 long minutes to the vet... UGH! Noisy, silly drama puppies. I was worried about how I would get them all out of the car and into the office - all told, the crate contained over 70lbs worth of puppies. Thankfully, my mom came to my rescue (again!) and met me at the vet. A Vet Tech helped me hoist the crate into the exam room and the crying and whining continues. We realized it was just very warm in the crate with all those hot little bodies cuddled up together. As we lifted them out one by one to be examined and weighed, they settled down long enough for me to gloat about Tioga as a mom and brag about these little darlings. As each pup was given an exam and vaccine, the Vet and I chatted about what forever life was lying ahead for Vienna, Joe, Kenya, Kona, Maxwell, India and Peaberry. We discussed their names and the families that were eagerly awaiting their arrivals. It was at times hard to choke back tears thinking about their futures. These babies will be part of so many wonderful families.

Some will be brothers or sisters to furry and human children, some will be the only dog. Throughout their lives they will be part of birthday parties, holiday celebrations and backyard barbecues. They will be companions, workers, playmates, best friends and furry children. They will be the one standing in the driveway with a teary mom waving to a school bus as it departs after a summer that seems to have gone by too quickly; and even be around to see some of those children go off to college. They will greet their moms and dads after long days at work and help them forget the day with a barrage of slobbery kisses.They will be loved by teen aged girls who are bound to have their hearts broken by a crush; they will sit and listen and let their fur absorb the tears. They will be used by sticky children as napkins, and they will love it! They will play fetch and tag and hide-n-seek. They will hike, bike, ski, sled, run, wrestle and snuggle with exhuberance. They will be treated like princesses by the girls and teammates by the boys and, no matter their gender, will play along. They will be armchair quarterbacks, movie critics, sitcom junkies - as long as there are snacks involved. They will stand beside their owners to make them brave enough to check out strange noises at night or go to the darkest part of the backyard to collect fireflies. They will hate sitting still for Christmas card pictures and Halloween costumes. They will wait under the chair of the family member most likely to spill dinner. They will work hard in harness, in obedience, in the show ring, in the flower shop and around the chicken coop to be the best dog they can be. They will be naughty and chew a favorite shoe or table leg - and they will feel badly -and they will be forgiven, because the one thing I know most certainly is that they will be loved.

Now the hard part begins, when the time for goodbyes closes in. I am so proud of Tioga, of the partnership we share and of the babies we raised together. It was wonderful to show them of to the Vet!

Morning Blend pups are 6 weeks old!

I can hardly believe how quickly another week has gone by and how much these pups have learned in the process. We have been blessed with the most fantastic weather and have spent the majority of the days outside exploring. The crew has learned how to manage the 3 steps from the deck into the backyard with less and less tumbles every day. They have been climbing over garden edging and destroying the dying plants there. All that is left from my summer gardens are sticks and dried blossoms and the pups have had a great time chewing the remnants to bits, wrestling through the drying leaves and making beds out of my low laying evergreens. Several of the pups have gotten stuck under the wood pile and needed some human intervention to get them out. As a result of their exploration, we have had to puppy-proof every inch of the back yard. They have made it their mission to find anything we didn’t think of! From slipping through the slats of the fence to belly crawling under it, to slithering behind the AC unit! We have been on our toes but loving every minute of watching their pudgy little bodies bound through the grass. They move like a hobby horse at this age! We have seen such funny personality traits emerge or be even more established. I love watching Dakota and Tioga interact with them. They are both great teachers. Dakota is looking for a playmate to have a game of chase or tug-o-war. Tioga, you can see, is trying to ready them for the world. She leads them out into the yard and they follow her like a row of ducks. One day, India sat at the top of the deck stairs and whined – too afraid to come down the steps to follow along. I helped her down and carried her out to the yard to be with the rest of the group. She whined a bit more. Then, and I am so glad I got to witness this, Tioga just decided India needed to learn to be braver. It was as clear as if Tioga was telling her with words! Tioga circled around India and when India went to snuggle against her Tioga pounced at her. As India backed away she went behind her and pounced again. She ran hard and fast away from and then toward India stopping inches from her, brushing past her so that she would fall over.  Again and again Tioga rushed at her in a relentless “attack” until India finally cried out and lunged back at Tioga. As quickly as that, Tioga stopped – lesson learned. I have seen Tioga play pretty roughly with the other pups, pouncing, wrestling, mouthing etc. But nothing as intense as this onslaught. It was such an amazing thing to see – primal almost in its cruelty against poor India, but effective. Though India continues to be the “softest” dog in the pack, she is much less tentative, she does the stairs without hesitation now and she has even been seen chasing after Dakota to get a toy. There are certain pups that surprise us, certain ones that make us laugh, certain ones that seem to need an extra nudge, and still others that need a TIME OUT! Every single one of them has grabbed a fervent hold of our hearts and when we watch them now it is with joy and the tiniest twinge of heartache. I am trying not to think too far ahead – only to be excited for the wonderful families that are waiting to begin their journey with these sweet babies. Amazing lives and adventures await them and in the next 2 weeks we will do all that we can to prepare them for it. They continue to learn, grow, amaze us, infuriate us, tug at our heart strings and tickle our funny bones! Here they are, the 6 week old Morning Blend Brew Crew:

VIENNA

female, id: purple, weight at birth: 15.4 ozs, weight at week five: 8 lbs 9.8 ozs

JOE

male, id: blue, weight at birth: 16.7 ozs, weight at week five: 9 lbs 11.6 ozs

KENYA

female, id: black, weight at birth: 16.4 ozs, weight at week five: 9 lbs 4 ozs

KONA

male, id: red, weight at birth: 16.8 ozs, weight at week five: 10 lbs .8ozs

MAXWELL
male, id: green, weight at birth: 17ozs, weight at week five: 8 lbs 7.4ozs

INDIA
female, id: pink, weight at birth: 14.8 ozs, weight at week five: 8 lbs 8ozs

PEABERRY
female, id: light green pattern, weight at birth: 13.6 ozs, weight at week five: 8 lbs 7ozs