Daybreak Puppies 2011

Daybreak Morning Blend Litter is 7 weeks old!

2011-11-17T16:15:00.001-08:00

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 greenpattern, weight at birth: 13.6 ozs, weight at week seven 10lbs 4.8 ozs

The beginning of the end

2011-11-15T10:25:00.001-08:00

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!

2011-11-10T16:42:00.001-08:00

I can hardly believe how quickly another week has gone byand how much these pups have learned in the process. We have been blessed withthe most fantastic weather and have spent the majority of the days outsideexploring. The crew has learned how to manage the 3 steps from the deck intothe backyard with less and less tumbles every day. They have been climbing overgarden edging and destroying the dying plants there. All that is left from mysummer gardens are sticks and dried blossoms and the pups have had a greattime chewing the remnants to bits, wrestling through the drying leaves and makingbeds out of my low laying evergreens. Several of the pups have gotten stuckunder the wood pile and needed some human intervention to get them out. As aresult of their exploration, we have had to puppy-proof every inch of the backyard. They have made it their mission to find anything we didn’t think of! Fromslipping through the slats of the fence to belly crawling under it, toslithering behind the AC unit! We have been on our toes but loving every minuteof watching their pudgy little bodies bound through the grass. They move like ahobby horse at this age! We have seen such funny personality traits emerge orbe 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 gameof chase or tug-o-war. Tioga, you can see, is trying to ready them for theworld. 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 comedown the steps to follow along. I helped her down and carried her out to theyard to be with the rest of the group. She whined a bit more. Then, and I am soglad I got to witness this, Tioga just decided India needed to learn to be braver. It was as clear as if Tioga wastelling her with words! Tioga circled around India and when Indiawent to snuggle against her Tioga pounced at her. As India backed away she wentbehind her and pounced again. She ran hard and fast away from and then towardIndia stopping inches from her, brushing past her so that she would fall over. Again and again Tioga rushed at her in arelentless “attack” until India finally cried out and lunged back at Tioga. Asquickly 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 tosee – primal almost in its cruelty against poor India, but effective. ThoughIndia continues to be the “softest” dog in the pack, she is much less tentative, she does the stairswithout hesitation now and she has even been seen chasing after Dakota to get atoy. 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 TIMEOUT! Every single one of them has grabbed a fervent hold of our hearts and whenwe watch them now it is with joy and the tiniest twinge of heartache. I amtrying not to think too far ahead – only to be excited for the wonderful familiesthat are waiting to begin their journey with these sweet babies. Amazing livesand adventures await them and in the next 2 weeks we will do all that we can toprepare them for it. They continue to learn, grow, amaze us, infuriate us, tugat our heart strings and tickle our funny bones! Here they are, the 6 week oldMorning 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: lightgreen pattern, weight at birth: 13.6 ozs, weight at week five: 8 lbs 7ozs

The Morning Blend Brew Crew is 5 weeks old today!

2011-11-04T06:58:00.000-07:00

What a crazy week this was for the puppies, the big dogs and the humans! A freak October snow storm dumped about two feet of snow on us and knocked out power in our area for 3 days. It was chilly and a challenge to care for the pups in the dark - we made due with great friends visiting to warm themselves by our fire and a house full of kids to play with puppies. The pups got their first real taste of snow. They loved it! They licked their way up and down the front walkway before diving right into the snow banks! We have started to really enforce the potty routine and all of the pups are responding well to heading outside to do their business. They are eating like champs, sleeping well and have just been a joy to watch. They have begun running through the yard to play ~ chasing each other and diving into the garden to hide behind plants.

Tioga has started to become a little less tolerant of nursing them. She does tend to them in the night, but during the day would rather play, snuggle and wrestle with them than feed them. The pups have sharp little teeth and are enjoying using each other, the children and everything in their surroundings as chew toys.

The puppies also noticed the vacuum cleaner for the first time this week (though we have run it a ton of times) This week, they decided they were NOT fans!

We are not cold, we are hiding from the scary, noisy vacuum!

The pups had their 5 week evaluations yesterday. We are so please with their conformation and structure! A lovely bunch of coffee beans! Here they are, the 5-week old Brew Crew: (notice a certain NON furry pup has popped into to this weeks pup-date photos!)

VIENNA

female,id: purple, weight at birth: 15.4 oz, weight at week five: 6lbs 12.8ozs

Vienna and Peaberry racing through the yard.

JOE

male,id: blue, weight at birth: 16.7 ozs, weight at week five: 7lbs 1.8ozs

KENYA

female,id: black, weight at birth: 16.4 ozs, weight at week five: 7lbs 1.8ozs

Kenya using Tioga as a jungle gym.

Kenya and Maxwell take on Kona.

KONA

male,id: red, weight at birth: 16.8 ozs, weight at week five: 7lbs 13.2ozs

Are you going to let us out?

Kona loves Morgan ALMOST as much as Morgan loves Kona.

MAXWELL
male, id: green, weight at birth: 17ozs, weight at week five: 6lbs 7.6ozs

INDIA
female, id: pink, weight at birth: 14.8 ozs, weight at week five: 6lbs 6.8ozs

PEABERRY
female, id: lightgreen pattern, weight at birth: 13.6 ozs, weight at week five: 6lbs 12.8ozs

The half-way mark.

2011-10-28T06:10:00.000-07:00

a few pups found Tioga's "hiding spot" and
came in for a snuggle and a nap.

This week is a tough week for any "mom" raising a litter. While Tioga technically is their mom, I feel like their mommy too and this week marks the half-way point of their time here at Daybreak. It is bittersweet to think about all they have learned, how much they have grown and how quickly 4-weeks has flown by... that means the last 4-weeks will go by twice as fast. To that end, we have some really great families lined-up to raise these pups and we are excited about building friendships with them.

This week our Brew Crew has ventured outdoors to take the first steps in house training. We are trying to get them used to the idea of a 'wake-up, go out to potty, then come in for breakfast' routine. We are so pleased with their progress especially since we have had a surprise October snow shower and it is quite cold on little paws. The Morning Blend beans have proven they are big brave dogs - all of them, after the appropriate initial tentative whines, have been curious and adventuresome.

Tioga has been a marvelous teacher and caregiver to the babies. She nudges them on to encourage them outdoors, cuddles them close when they just can't seem to settle at night, and without a doubt LOVES to clean them up after a messy meal. She seems relaxed and happy in her role as mom. During the next several weeks, she will begin to teach them through play about controlling those sharp little teeth that have emerged in the past week. I am sure she will love having them all as playmates and less as suckling babies.

We have begun "testing" them following the rules of seven. 7 days, 7 new experiences. New floor surfaces, new food bowls, new outdoor adventures, new visitors, new positions to be held in and beds to sleep in. While we have seen slight differences in who is bravest, who is most reserved, who waits to let another pup try it first, we are very pleased overall with the outgoing nature of this group. Kona has proven time and again that he will not be contained. He has escaped both whelping box and puppy pen set-ups. India and Kenya continue to be the aggressors in wrestling matches often looking for unsuspecting sleeping siblings to torment. Maxwell and Peaberry continue to rule the food bowl - climbing over other puppies to get to the best spot. Vienna and Peaberry continue to be the snuggle bugs. They tend to seek out the attention of people that come to play. Joe continues to be laid back. Make no mistake he still is a feisty match when playing with the other pups, but he finds a spot to settle easily and seriously loves a good nap!

Without further ado ~ here are the 4-week old coffee cuties!

VIENNA

female,id: purple, weight at birth: 15.4ozs, weight at week three: 4lbs 10.8ozs

JOE

male,id: blue, weight at birth: 16.7ozs, weight at week three: 4lbs 10.4ozs

KENYA

female,id: black, weight at birth: 16.4ozs, weight at week three: 4lbs 15ozs

KONA

male,id: red, weight at birth: 16.8ozs, weight at week three: 5lbs 2.4ozs

MAXWELL
male, id: green, weight at birth: 17ozs, weight at week three: 4lbs 6.2ozs

INDIA
female, id: pink, weight at birth: 14.8ozs, weight at week three: 4lbs 6.2ozs

PEABERRY
female, id: lightgreen pattern, weight at birth: 13.6ozs, weight at week three: 4lbs 13.8ozs

The Brew Crew: Intrepid Explorers!

2011-10-26T14:46:00.000-07:00

The one thing I lamented about with our first litter was that because of the timing (dead of winter... freezing cold) we didn't have any of those wonderful 'puppies playing in the grass on a sunny afternoon' kind of days. I was very excited this time around that our timing was a little kinder to not so sturdy pups and a temperature wimp like me. Yesterday was a beautiful, crisp fall day. There was a bit of wind, but the sun was bright and warm, so the pups and I ventured out into the backyard. I didn't set up an x-pen or just plunk them right outside the door - we went all the way up the small slope toward our garden shed. I say 'all the way up' but as I have mentioned we are on less than half an acre - it is not so far away, unless you are with seven tiny puppies! I sat in the grass and took the puppies out of the bin I had carried them out in. I readied my camera for the intrepid explorers first taste of freedom! As I sat with my lens focused on the group I began to notice all the little gaps in the fence and areas under the shed that they might be able to slip under and began to panic a bit, but this fearless crew decided to huddle beside the big boulder - too afraid of the wind or their shadows to do much exploring. Here is a little photo blog of our adventure:

The pups on their first big outdoor adventure!

After a few minutes of serious whining (they sound like a flock of seagulls!) Tioga came over to coax them to see what the backyard had to offer.

The pups began to look around and at each other as if to say, "okay YOU go first!"

And finally, they all began to wander.

Maxwell looking off in the distance.

A few pups even decided to go ask Dakota what he thought of the backyard adventure!

Pretty soon all the puppies were exploring! Sniffing the grass and chasing
the leaves blown by the wind.

Everyone, that is, EXCEPT INDIA! Can you spot her in the picture below? She curled right up in a little well by the boulder and had a good long nap. Tioga and Dakota each went by a few times to sniff her to be sure she was in fact alive. Tioga even nudged her a time or two, but on she slept!

Tioga on Sentry duty.

The Brew Crew huddle up against the wind.

Pretty soon, the wind and the outdoors got to be too much. Even India woke up and joined the crew. And where did the pups head? Right on my lap!

Peaberry gives my jeans a little nibble.

And eventually they all ended up right in my shadow (literally!)

So I loaded them up in the bucket to bring them back into the house.

And they all had a lovely long nap!

Look at Vienna trying to sneak a drink from mom.

Morning Blend Pups Are 3 Weeks Old Today!

2011-10-21T05:20:00.000-07:00

First off, sorry folks - I have run out of theme related fabrics to line the whelping box! The good news is, the puppies may be "movin' on up" to a deluxe puppy pen set-up since our dear sweet Kona has learned how to escape.

The delicious "Brew Crew"!

This week has been such fun! More milestones and more mayhem! As I mentioned the pups have become much more agile. They are walking in earnest and some have even attempted a very head heavy run which always results is a tumble. The pups are pouncing, wrestling, climbing, teething, barking, howling AND... having their first "big dog" meals! Granted it is only goats milk. It is messy and goofy - but what a reward for Tioga to clean all those soaking wet faces when they are through with a meal. I was noting that this litter (different from the last of only 2) seems to be much more animated. They are so interactive with us, each other and the various toys we have introduced to their play area. We have tried new surfaces and seen funny responses. We have been outdoors, not on blankets but on the cool grass. We have had many visitors and the pups even got to attend a few baseball games and practices to the delight of my son's entire team (kids and parents) We experimented with taking off their collars because their beautiful ruffs are getting crunched but after just one day they were right back on. I was way to scared I would forget who was who! The only negative I can say is that they are quite noisy in the night if Tioga doesn't respond immediately to them. There is less and less room at the milk bar as they grow. They whine and squabble when they haven't got a spot. I am trying to weigh the benefits of just letting them figure it out (which results in 3 crabby kids who are awoken in the night by noisy pups) or going down stairs to sleep beside the box in hopes of helping Tioga manage (which results in a crabby me) Some nights are better than others, but we are surviving just fine. Tioga's constantly wagging tail makes it all worth it. She seems happy as can be. All in all, we are having a blast with these little beans.

VIENNA
"The Sweetheart"

female,id: purple
weight at birth: 15.4 oz, weight at week three: 2 lbs 15.2 ozs

Kona came tumbling in to disrupt the photo shoot. He says, "wrestling is
so much more fun than pictures!"

Vienna playing in the grass like a big dog!

JOE
"The Cool Dude"

male,id: blue
weight at birth: 16.7 ozs, weight at week three: 2 lbs 15.4 ozs

Joe sniffing the grass to see what it is all about.
He ended up liking it!

Sound asleep on Mom's head!

KENYA
"The Playful One"

female,id: black
weight at birth: 16.4 ozs, weight at week three: 3 lbs 2.8 ozs

Kenya hunkered down, unsure about walking on this new stuff called grass!

Naptime with Mamma!

KONA
"The Adventurer"

male,id: red
weight at birth: 16.8 ozs, weight at week three: 3 lbs 7.6 ozs

Kona says, "I like playing outside!"

MAXWELL

"The Mellow Boy"
male, id: green
weight at birth: 17ozs, weight at week three: 3 lbs .2 ozs

Maxwell is sick of the evil stare of the frog.

Soaking wet after his first attempt at lapping milk from a dish.
Some is milk, and some is slobber from all the licks he got afterward!

Maxwell loves his Mom.

INDIA
"The Princess"
female, id: pink
weight at birth: 14.8 ozs, weight at week three: 3 lbs .8 ozs

India loved running (wobbling) through the grass.

Getting a bath from Peaberry after our first attempts at lapping milk.

PEABERRY

"The Cuddler"
female, id: light green pattern
weight at birth: 13.6 ozs, weight at week three: 3 lbs 3.2 ozs

And this is what "milk drunk" looks like!

2 Weeks Old Today!

2011-10-14T06:28:00.000-07:00

Would you like some coffee with your breakfast???
In birth order there is Vienna, Joe, Kenya, Kona, Maxwell, India and Peaberry

Another week of magic and milestones! I am still in awe every time I peer into the whelping box and see Tioga lounging so contently with a sprinkling of puppies all around her. She really LOVES being a mom. She is vigilant about cleaning them and checking on them. In fact, many times when they have all been feed and have fallen into a deep "milk-drunk" sleep, she will get up, have a good long drink, go outside to take care of business and then come in almost disappointed to find that her babies are STILL sleeping. She will wander around the house and then return, looking quizzically at me and them before carefully stepping into the box. She whines a bit perhaps at the lack of space to lay down, perhaps at the still babies at her feet - and then she proceeds to nudge each one awake! She licks them and moves them around with her muzzle and when she's got them all worked into a frenzy of wobbly legs and squeaks and mews, she lays down and lets them climb all over her. She exhales a deep sigh and they all settle in together to start the process all over again.

This week we have seen eyes open and pups figure out how to get up on four legs. Their back legs seem to be much stronger than their front legs so there are a lot of "face-plants" and tumbles. . It is a riot to watch! The pups have more than doubled in size and are exploring their environments more. Aside from just nuzzling up to Tioga for milk, they are climbing on her like a jungle gym. The favorite spot is her neck and many wrestling matches ensue to procure the spot. The pups have begun interacting with each other in ways beyond the puppy pile for warmth and comfort. I have seen the beginnings of mouthing games. They have been scratching behind their ears with their back legs - just like the "big dogs"! When you pet them, they seem to want to wrestle your hand and will roll onto their backs and mouth at your fingers. They are more aware of - gravity, I guess... more frightened when you pick them up if they are not held close right away, more aware of the ground not being below them - they squirm and squawk until your hug them tight. We have had to change their id collars from ricrac to a larger type so you will note a few color changes

Each puppy is spending some alone time with each of us - the kids each have a different "favorite" While Levent and I remain completely politically correct and give all the pups equal time as our favorite.Vienna is Sophie's favorite and she is a super cuddle-r. She was the first born, first with eyes open and yet is the smallest. She is always content and very quiet, accept if you are holding her in a way she isn't fond of -then boy can she kick up a storm! Kona and Peaberry are Morgan's favorite. Kona is still a loner, preferring to nap away from the group. He has found his voice and is equally as squeaky as some of our noisier pups. Peaberry is still the first and last at the milk bar and the scale shows it! She is super sweet, but tough as the big boys! Daniel's favorite is Joe. Joe is a funny guy - laid back and sleepy but one of the noisiest ones in our crew. He lets you know when things aren't going his way... LOUDLY! But he is very easily contented. I love Maxwell for his calm, cool confidence. He is a quiet, easy going pup. He is one of the biggest and one of the first to be up on all fours, but he is so mellow that he flies under the radar. India reminds me SO MUCH of Bristol from our last litter - who reminded us so much of Callie (Tioga's Mom) I guess it is in the genes. India is our princess/warrior. She is independent and clever - the first to figure out those wobbly legs. She knows what she wants and she lets the rest of the litter know when they are in her way. But she is also so sweet. She loves to be held and given love and attention. Kenya is just pure and simple a love bug. She literally melts into you when you hold her. She is a big, robust puppy, but like Maxwell is so quiet and content. In all, they are a lovely crew. They make us laugh and sigh and overflow with "happy" :)

So here they are at two weeks. Our delicious Morning Blend!

VIENNA

female, id: purple, weight at birth: 15.4 oz, weight at week two: 37.2 ozs

JOE

male, id: blue, weight at birth: 16.7 ozs, weight at week two: 37.8 ozs

KENYA

female, id: black, weight at birth: 16.4 ozs, weight at week two: 40.2 ozs

KONA

male, id: red, weight at birth: 16.8 ozs, weight at week two: 43.8 ozs

MAXWELL
male, id: green, weight at birth: 17ozs, weight at week two: 37.8 ozs

just noticing this frog has a super menacing grin :(

INDIA
female, id: pink, weight at birth: 14.8 ozs, weight at week two: 38.6 ozs

PEABERRY
female, id: light green pattern, weight at birth: 13.6 ozs, weight at week two: 41.0 ozs

Morning Blend "Brew Crew" is One Week Old!

2011-10-07T05:27:00.000-07:00

Coffee and Donuts!

I can hardly believe that a week has already passed. Last Friday morning we were sipping coffee waiting for the last of the Morning Blend Litter to be born! Our "Whelper Helper"crew arrived Thursday afternoon in hopes that Tioga would cooperate with a daylight birthing experience, but Mother Nature had other plans. So it was as 1:30 in the morning Friday (9/30) these sweet miracles entered the world. I can't say whether Tioga and I just got better at things the second time around or what. Worry and anxiety were replaced by a calm sense of knowing. We all worked like a well-oiled machine - birthing, clamping, cutting, drying, weighing, id collaring, getting pups to nurse and cuddling. Granted, Tioga had to do most of the work, but the rest of the jobs were handled with ease. I was in the whelping box with Tioga delivering the pups, Maria took over with hemostats and together we clamped umbilical cords and tied them off with dental floss. Levent was part time photographer and part time puppy drier - though Maria was really the expert at getting them to squeak! Lori was in charge of weighing and record keeping. As each subsequent puppy arrived, Morgan, Daniel and Sophie kept the older littermates cuddled, cozy and warm. It was truly a serene entrance into the world. And though I would like to report that it was a foreshadowing clue to their serene first week of life, it didn't turn out so. This Brew Crew must be hopped up on caffeine because they are the fastest, noisiest, hungriest pups I've ever seen. Tioga is an expert at managing their meal and bath times, but they kick up a racket for every discomfort and every happiness. The milk bar is a constant symphony of squeals, grunts, cries and mews. This is followed almost immediately by a milk drunk silence which washes over the whelping box until one coffee bean decides someone else is in a spot they want to occupy. They are champion puppy pile makers (and I mean the good kind of puppy pile - not the backyard kind) At any given time, two or more puppies are curled together in a bundle of "cute" that you cannot help but sigh and "awww" at. Whatever the noise level, it is all making them grow like weeds and gain much strength. They easily manuever around the whelping box with great speed. They can climb over, around and on top of eachother to gain access to the best teet. They love to cuddle and we love cuddling them. Already this week, they have had many visitors and their cute factor hasn't disappointed! We are starting to see little personality traits emerge. Kona is our loner, he likes to sleep laid out on his belly. Peaberry the so-called "runt" of the litter is a feisty one and it shows at the milk bar: smallest at birth, she is now the 3rd heaviest pup! Vienna and Kenya both are love bugs. They love to be held and cuddled. Joe is our lazy boy. He falls a sleep quite quickly as soon as he begins nursing and thus hasn't gain weight as fast as the others. We have to wake him up and give him some extra alone time with Tioga. He has such a sweet personality. Maxwell is a big boy. He is sweet and quiet but always the center of the puppy pile. And India is our princess. She is the noisiest when she isn't getting her way. Though she is a diva, she is so very pretty.

So here are their one week stats:

VIENNA

female, id: purple, weight at birth: 15.4 oz, weight at week one: 25.7oz

JOE

male, id: blue, weight at birth: 16.7 ozs, weight at week one: 24.8 ozs

KENYA
female, id: yellow, weight at birth: 16.4 ozs, weight at week one: 28.7 ozs

KONA
male, id: orange, weight at birth: 16.8 ozs, weight at week one: 27.7 ozs

MAXWELL
male, id: green, weight at birth: 17ozs, weight at week one: 27.1 ozs

INDIA
female, id: pink, weight at birth: 14.8 ozs, weight at week one: 26.0 ozs

PEABERRY
female, id: light green, weight at birth: 13.6 ozs, weight at week one: 27.3 ozs

Our First Outing

2011-10-04T09:13:00.000-07:00

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!

Are you looking to add a Chinook puppy to your family?

2011-10-03T06:37:00.000-07:00

The puppies had their preliminary evaluation yesterday. It was a lot of goofy holding of the puppies (on my part - Morgan seemed to get it a lot quicker!) so that the evaluators could look at different aspects of the puppies structure and conformation. In all, it is a very uniform and nice litter. We are very happy that 5 of the 7 pups will be placed in breed potential homes. If you are interested in a breed potential puppy, please contact me susan@daybreakchinooks.com

Welcome to the World Morning Blend Litter

2011-09-30T07:50:00.000-07:00

Those of you, who know me well, know I love coffee almost as much as I love greeting the day with my sweet Chinooks. Since Tioga decide to keep us up all night, we required lots of coffee to keep us on our toes. This “Brew Crew” is named in homage to this miracle elixir!
The proud Papa is GreatMountain Ashkii
Tioga hanging out in the whelping box waiting for puppies...

Our "Whelper Helpers" crew...

Here are the cuties...
Vienna, female, 1:48 am, 15.4 oz, purple

Joe, male, 2:33 am, 16.7 oz, blue

Kenya, female, 2:54am, 16.4 oz, yellow

Kona, male, 3:41am, 16.8 oz, orange

Maxwell, male, 4:34 am, 17oz, dark green

India, female, 5:21 am, 14.8 oz, pink

Peaberry, female, 8:11am, 13.6, light green

All the puppies and Tioga are doing well. Pups are nursing vigorously and Tioga is taking a well deserved rest. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Maria Sommer, my parents and my sisters; and of course my in-house helpers - Levent, Morgan, Daniel and Sophie. What a magical night! What an awesome BREW CREW Tioga has given us. :) More pictures and details will be forth coming soon, but for now - we are all taking a much needed nap! When we wake up, I'll think we'll enjoy some coffee!

Train Of Thought

2011-09-22T06:19:00.000-07:00

I am the kind of person that sleeps with one ear open. Throughout any given night I can hear the snore of my husband lying beside me, the steady breathing of my three children from down the hall, the incessant tumble of the hamster on her wheel. I hear the dogs stir and hold my breath hoping they are not coming to ask me to let them out, they shift and flop down again and the house seems to heave a contented sigh. These things don't actually, fully wake me but are more the normal soundtrack to my slumber each night. Sometimes, Dakota will howl in his sleep - a long, low eerie sound that at first brings fear as it forces me out of sleep. After I am awake and realize what made the sound, I almost chuckle imagining Dakota dreaming of being a lone wolf on the horizon. Sometimes Tioga has a dream and makes a sound that can only be described as a donkey braying - - - sort of a mix of a cough, a 'woof' and a hiccup. It is usually accompanied by flickering eyelids and paddling paws. I used to refer to it as "having a nightmare" but the more I got to thinking about it - the more I changed my thought process. I decided to believe that all dogs who are well loved and well cared for could not possibly have a nightmare for what fears or worries would they know? Aside from Dakota's irrational fear of vacuums, I doubt there are any monsters that could invade their dreams. I prefer to think of it now as just a dream.

Last night, Tioga had one such experience. Perhaps she was dreaming of chasing the neighbor's cat or rolling around on the living room floor with the children - whatever her dream involved, it made her make that kooky sound. Of course, given her current circumstance, I was awake in a shot and in a full panic before I stopped to realize what it was. She shifted on her pillow and soon was back to sleep. I was now WIDE AWAKE!

Being awake in the middle of the night does strange things to your thought process. It multiplies your worries and fears. The darkness brings out the darkest, strangest thoughts. And here was my train of thought at 2am:

I first began re-calculating the expected due date. I thought about how unhappy I was with the current location of the whelping box. I began rearranging living room furniture in my head. I thought about how I would handle being midwife and caregiver to 7, 8 or 9 puppies! I thought about how Tioga would handle it. How we would need each other now more than ever. I thought about how generous Penthea Burns had been to offer to drive 5 hours, knowing she could only spend an overnight and have to drive 5 hours back home to help me. And here is where the 'train of thought' goes of the rail and becomes the crazy train! (really, you could probably hear Ozzy Osborne in the background!)

Having Penthea here got me to thinking about Maine lobsters and steamers; Georgia peaches and shrimp and grits. Suddenly, I was wracking my brain trying to think of foods indigenous to the state of Connecticut. CONNECTICUT!! We've got nothing! I remembered Morgan's 3rd grade class spending the entire year studying Connecticut. It culminated in an end of the year 'Connecticut Day' celebration. The kids even put on a game show "Who Wants To Be A Connecticut Millionaire" and Morgan was one of the finalist. I remembered her learning about the Charter Oak; Connecticut being called the Nutmeg State; Our state animal being the Sperm Whale, Our state bird being the American Robin. So, menu options? Acorn soup with nutmeg, fillet of whale or roasted breast of robin. OK, OK! We can always order out for pizza! And now I was craving Ebelskivers!

So on and on over then course of the next few hours my mind wandered and crazy worries arose. Somewhere along the journey, the crazy train slowed to a stop. I thought about those first few hours and days with newborns (babies and puppies) and how magical it is to welcome a new life into the world. I thought about the time for quiet reflection and the joy of seeing a newborn study your face, as if trying to memorize every detail. I remembered sleeping in the whelping box with Tioga, hearing nothing but the breaths of her and the puppies. I felt settled and tired again and I drifted back to sleep - just before the 6am alarm went off!

Today we continue to monitor her temperature and count down the days until our lives are filled with puppy chaos and bliss. But for now - more coffee, please!

Let the blogging begin.. well, almost!

2011-08-24T19:07:00.000-07:00

We are so excited to announce that we've confirmed that GreatMountain Callicoon Tioga is pregnant! The proud sire is GreatMountain Ashkii. I will try to keep everyone updated on our progress through this blog or on our Facebook fan page http://www.facebook.com/DaybreakChinooks For now, we are just content to know that the love match was a success and puppies are on their way!