The puppies are becoming little doggies now.
Buster loves to howl (yes I said HOWL) when Triston and Ali play their recorders. Of course I want to howl too it is so bad. He joins in regularly! We are trying to get him to howl on que but haven't gotten him convinced of that. He also flies like superman off the sofa. All he needs is a red cape.
Rosie loves to bark. She barks at the other puppies, her feet, her toys, Casper the ghost, her food bowl. She has found her little voice and loves to share it. She still has little bitty short legs and just bounds around.
Delilah loves to eat the cat food. In the morning she manages to nudge into their bowls and the cats let her!!!! I have to pick her up and hold her to keep her from eating their wet breakfast. Of course Jeeter turns around and eats their food. I have schizophrenic pets around here. Delilah loves to run around and chase the other puppies. She can out run them all!!
Scarlett, well she is the runt still. However, she loves to climb. She can make it all the way up the stairs to the second floor. Then she stands there and cries until you go and get her. Delilah is good on the stairs going up too. Buster and Rosie just sit at the bottom crying wanting to go up. Scarlett likes to go outside and it is very hard to get her to come in. She is a very independent little thing.
They are going on 8 weeks old. We are still keeping Rosie. Scarlett has had a nice lady named Carol want to adopt her. She has already filled out all the paperwork at the Humane Society. The thought of having to let Buster and Delilah go are killing me. Cricket too. But I just can't keep them all.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
7 Weeks Old - Check us Out
These photos were taken today. They are really growing up and getting so active. They play all the time and are doing so well at their potty training. Buster asks to go out now. The first photo is of Delilah. She is the most mature physically and emotionally. She stays awake the longest and has the best bark right now. She is very very curious and observant and loves to cuddle. Remember Delilah is a hebrew name and she betrayed Sampson. However; our delittle Delilah is just "delightful!"
Buster is the only boy and his very favorite game is tug of war. On your socks, your pants or any toy. He has the longest legs of the bunch and is doing the best with potty training. He is so handsome!Buster was originally a nickname denoting a person who broke things, from the word bust. A famous bearer was the silent movie star Buster Keaton
Scarlett (left) is still the runt of the litter in size, but certainly not in attitude. She demands top dog spot with all the puppies. She has a very nasty growl and lets them know she is the boss. She is a lazy girl when she wakes up from her puppy naps but is the best eater of the dog food. The others would rather drag on Cricket. She also reminds you of a stuffed animal and she almost doesn't look real. Her name is English and comes from from a surname which denoted a person who sold or made clothes made of scarlet. This name was used by Margaret Mitchell for Scarlett O'Hara, the main character in her novel 'Gone with the Wind' (1936). Scarlett's name came from her grandmother's maiden name. Our Scarlett has a personality just like Scarlett O'Hara!
Rosie is the pup that has stolen our families heart. She is by far the sweetest and the most different looking. She is all tan and has short little legs. She looks like a baby golden retriever. She is a pure snuggle bunny and loves to fall asleep in your lap or anywhere near you. When she runs she sort of hops everwhere. She has trouble getting back up the step into the house after going outside but works and works at it with those little legs until she makes it. We will be adopting her and she will become part of our family! Her name was originally a Norman form of a Germanic name, which was composed of the elements hrod "fame" and heid "kind, sort, type". It was introduced to England by the Normans in the forms Roese or Rohese. From an early date it was associated with the word for the fragrant flower rose (derived from Latin rosa). When the name was revived in the 19th century, it was probably with the flower in mind. She is that, our little flower!The Puppies Have Puppy Mange - VIDEO
After a trip to two vets I finally got the right diagnosis and the puppies and Cricket have scarpotic mange. Treatable and that is exactly what we got down to. This is them after their first treatment of the lyme dip. I will be dipping them again on this friday evening. Then on Sunday they get baths with baby shampoo and the home remedies again. In the interium I have three different creams I am putting on them and lots of vitamins in their food.
Tug of War Time - VIDEO
The puppies are now seven weeks old. We have had a bit of a set back in getting them adopted just yet. It seems that Cricket had mange and has given it to her puppies. So we are treating them and hopefully in a couple more weeks they will be ready for homes. Everyone but Rosie that is. Our family is going to adopt her.
It Was an Assembly Line
Okay, I dipped the puppies on Thursday after going to the vet. My friend the vet, Mary Ann, felt sorry for me and only charged me for the dip, no visits, no slides to inspect under a microscope. As I have told some of you, the dipping process was horrible, just horrible. Entire house smelled like rotten eggs. You couldn't dry them, just sort of wring them out. My fingernails were yellow, my clothes were yellow, the puppies and Cricket were yellow. They were still scratching - bad and more hair was falling out!!!!So, being that I do research for a living, I decided to look up some home remedies for this type of mange. I found several and took three to do in order! I will kill this parasite!
After church, Kara, Ali and me got started. Kara brushed them all super good. Then I mixed up 3% hydrogen proxide with Borax (yes the 20 mule team) and put it in a shallow tube for after the next step. You put two parts water to 1 part HP and then mix in 3 heaping tablespoons of the borax. it was a bit cold after stirring awhile so I heated it in the microwave. Can't freeze my babies!Then I ran water in the bathtub luke warm and started washing them with the Aveno baby wash / shampoo. I scrubbed them very good and got in between each toe, in their ears, under their tails and no amount of whining would make me hurry up. Ali was standing there with a towel. I pulled the plug and let the water run out and then kinda wrug them out with my hands. I sat the tub of the peroxide in the bath tub and stood them in it and poured and poured it over them into every cranny. Then I hand wrug them again and passed them off to Ali. Oh yes, Ali stood there the entire time telling them that Gabby is a mean old lady for doing this to them. Hmmmphhh.
Then Kara went into action. She towel dried them and then started putting acne / pimple cream all over them Zapitz! It is 10% Benzyol Proxide. She rubbed every nook and cranny that showed any sign of irritation, the tips of the ears, the toes, the bellies and Buster "ego" as Triston calls it. In other words his "wing wang" as I call it. She then kissed them and put them in the crate with the little blower / heater going on them. They shivered, shook and finally nestled in for a nap.
Last but not least, was the mom Cricket. She is in the worst shape and I am sure she had it when I got her cause she was really scratching. I thought it was fleas and bathed and treated that for her. To no avail. Then I take them to the shelter and they misdiagnose it as a food allergy. I changed food twice during all this. So, she gave it to the puppies. The pups are now six weeks but I am going to keep them at least for three more weeks to insure that they have mange free and healthy.After all this, I cleaned everything up and then and go the $25 for 5 pounds of food (all natural - no byproducts) and the canned food that is $2 a can. It has duck meat in it, carrots and potatoes and is the top of the line they carry here. They love it so far. So, at $2 a can and they are all eating about 1 1/2 cans to 2 cans plus the dry, I will be taking a loan on my 401K soon.
Guess what, I get to start this process all again on Thursday when I dip them again and then the home remedies on Sunday with the baths. They say to keep them comfortable and use antibiotic cream and anti itch cream to keep them comfortable. We used one whole tube of the $10 pimple / acne cream and I am hoping the second tube will last till next sunday. Somehow I doubt it. However, I love them more than ever and am super protective of my puppies. They love going outside and are being little champs through all this. Tough puppies for sure! They are even doing well on their potty training. By the time they are adoptable, they will love baths and pee and poo outside. I am now drinking a beer, letting the kids run around like crazy and MB is making dinner for us.
I am exhausted.
Later,Cheryl
After church, Kara, Ali and me got started. Kara brushed them all super good. Then I mixed up 3% hydrogen proxide with Borax (yes the 20 mule team) and put it in a shallow tube for after the next step. You put two parts water to 1 part HP and then mix in 3 heaping tablespoons of the borax. it was a bit cold after stirring awhile so I heated it in the microwave. Can't freeze my babies!Then I ran water in the bathtub luke warm and started washing them with the Aveno baby wash / shampoo. I scrubbed them very good and got in between each toe, in their ears, under their tails and no amount of whining would make me hurry up. Ali was standing there with a towel. I pulled the plug and let the water run out and then kinda wrug them out with my hands. I sat the tub of the peroxide in the bath tub and stood them in it and poured and poured it over them into every cranny. Then I hand wrug them again and passed them off to Ali. Oh yes, Ali stood there the entire time telling them that Gabby is a mean old lady for doing this to them. Hmmmphhh.
Then Kara went into action. She towel dried them and then started putting acne / pimple cream all over them Zapitz! It is 10% Benzyol Proxide. She rubbed every nook and cranny that showed any sign of irritation, the tips of the ears, the toes, the bellies and Buster "ego" as Triston calls it. In other words his "wing wang" as I call it. She then kissed them and put them in the crate with the little blower / heater going on them. They shivered, shook and finally nestled in for a nap.
Last but not least, was the mom Cricket. She is in the worst shape and I am sure she had it when I got her cause she was really scratching. I thought it was fleas and bathed and treated that for her. To no avail. Then I take them to the shelter and they misdiagnose it as a food allergy. I changed food twice during all this. So, she gave it to the puppies. The pups are now six weeks but I am going to keep them at least for three more weeks to insure that they have mange free and healthy.After all this, I cleaned everything up and then and go the $25 for 5 pounds of food (all natural - no byproducts) and the canned food that is $2 a can. It has duck meat in it, carrots and potatoes and is the top of the line they carry here. They love it so far. So, at $2 a can and they are all eating about 1 1/2 cans to 2 cans plus the dry, I will be taking a loan on my 401K soon.
Guess what, I get to start this process all again on Thursday when I dip them again and then the home remedies on Sunday with the baths. They say to keep them comfortable and use antibiotic cream and anti itch cream to keep them comfortable. We used one whole tube of the $10 pimple / acne cream and I am hoping the second tube will last till next sunday. Somehow I doubt it. However, I love them more than ever and am super protective of my puppies. They love going outside and are being little champs through all this. Tough puppies for sure! They are even doing well on their potty training. By the time they are adoptable, they will love baths and pee and poo outside. I am now drinking a beer, letting the kids run around like crazy and MB is making dinner for us.
I am exhausted.
Later,Cheryl
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Puppies Get First Shots
Well, after much pre-planning I finally decided to put the puppies in the crate and collar and leash on Cricket and get them to the shelter for their first shots - they are six weeks now. I put the crate in the front seat and all four howled the entire way to the shelter. Cricket sat in my lap politely ignoring them. I am trying to calm them as I am getting more and more nervous trying to drive with four howling dogs in the car.
We get there. I manage to juggle carrying the crate in my right hand, my purse under my left arm and Cricket's leash in my left hand. After I fight the door for a few minutes one of the girls saw me and came to my rescue.
"It's Cricket, It's Cricket and her puppies!" She then gleefully snatches up Cricket and starts talking to the puppies. I have managed to get the crate on the counter and Cricket behind the counter! As I am standing there, all and I mean all the shelter workers come running in and over. There was 7 of them. all petting Cricket and wanting to hold the puppies. It was overwhelming to me but the pups and Cricket handled it all in stride. They were all asking me questions and I tried to answer them all. Of course they said they were all beautiful and they are.
The vet tech came in and looked at them and said that I need to bring them back to figure out the itching thing when the vet is there. I have changed their food to science diet (costing me a fortune!) and they are still itching but it has been only two days. She really looked them over good and will talk to him about it tomorrow when he is there. If it is something I can give them then I can swing by and get it.
We then got down to the business of shots and bordella (sp). Poor puppies, but mostly poor Cheryl. One of the girls put the bordella up their nose then handed them to me for the shot. It burns badly she said, so one by one they start yelping and crying. I am rubbing it to make it disapate as much as I can. Then the girl looks at me and said, "Why are you crying?" I said, "You are hurting my puppies!" "I know you don't mean to but every little yelp is killing me." She patted me on the back and said, "I think you are the best foster mom we have ever had." AFter one finished I put them back in the crate and gave them a treat to make up. They didn't want to come back out and I don't blame them! Then they gave me the worm stuff to give them tonight after I get them in the pen and Cricket too. So morning should be special on the puppy pads!
I got them home after doing the entry thing in reverse to leave. When we all got in the car, they were quiet as little lambs on the way home. I was a nervous wreck and felt so darn guilty. Now they are laying beside my office chair laying on their blanket. I took them out when we got home and all 5 peed.
Lynda, the adoption fee is $80 and that also covers the spaying or neutering and all their puppy shots (2 of the 3). I have decided that I am going to keep Rosie now - she has stolen my heart and everyone in the house now loves her the best. Julie is still going to keep Cricket, she just loved and loved on her today. So that leaves Buster, Scarlett and Delilah to choose from and adopt.
I am exhausted. My poor little babies.
We get there. I manage to juggle carrying the crate in my right hand, my purse under my left arm and Cricket's leash in my left hand. After I fight the door for a few minutes one of the girls saw me and came to my rescue.
"It's Cricket, It's Cricket and her puppies!" She then gleefully snatches up Cricket and starts talking to the puppies. I have managed to get the crate on the counter and Cricket behind the counter! As I am standing there, all and I mean all the shelter workers come running in and over. There was 7 of them. all petting Cricket and wanting to hold the puppies. It was overwhelming to me but the pups and Cricket handled it all in stride. They were all asking me questions and I tried to answer them all. Of course they said they were all beautiful and they are.
The vet tech came in and looked at them and said that I need to bring them back to figure out the itching thing when the vet is there. I have changed their food to science diet (costing me a fortune!) and they are still itching but it has been only two days. She really looked them over good and will talk to him about it tomorrow when he is there. If it is something I can give them then I can swing by and get it.
We then got down to the business of shots and bordella (sp). Poor puppies, but mostly poor Cheryl. One of the girls put the bordella up their nose then handed them to me for the shot. It burns badly she said, so one by one they start yelping and crying. I am rubbing it to make it disapate as much as I can. Then the girl looks at me and said, "Why are you crying?" I said, "You are hurting my puppies!" "I know you don't mean to but every little yelp is killing me." She patted me on the back and said, "I think you are the best foster mom we have ever had." AFter one finished I put them back in the crate and gave them a treat to make up. They didn't want to come back out and I don't blame them! Then they gave me the worm stuff to give them tonight after I get them in the pen and Cricket too. So morning should be special on the puppy pads!
I got them home after doing the entry thing in reverse to leave. When we all got in the car, they were quiet as little lambs on the way home. I was a nervous wreck and felt so darn guilty. Now they are laying beside my office chair laying on their blanket. I took them out when we got home and all 5 peed.
Lynda, the adoption fee is $80 and that also covers the spaying or neutering and all their puppy shots (2 of the 3). I have decided that I am going to keep Rosie now - she has stolen my heart and everyone in the house now loves her the best. Julie is still going to keep Cricket, she just loved and loved on her today. So that leaves Buster, Scarlett and Delilah to choose from and adopt.
I am exhausted. My poor little babies.
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