Our first photo shoot

The puppies had their first individual photo shoots today. With Daddy and Grandma off doing trailer things (Grandma just bought a wonderful 2002 Chalet Aspen that she's going to let me use until sometime later) I got to be the puppy wrangler and photographer. Let me tell you, that was no easy task.

Taking a page from a friend's book, I picked up a puppy and just snuggled her until she settled down (I started with the girls, the boys are so much easier!) and then put her down for her picture, grabbed the camera and started clicking.

She just looks still and quiet. Satinka's girls are Satinka's girls! Thank goodness for the continuous setting on the camera, because there are about a million shots showing her trying to wander away from the camera... and she can't even walk much yet. Yes, that's just a hint of an opening eye there on the right.

This little girl is her Mother's Daughter! She announced her arrival at Kaos at the top of her lungs. She's the first to figure out how to stack up her brothers to use their heads to try and climb out of the whelping box (no mean feat considering she can't really walk yet nor can she see!) and she's the first to start to open her eyes. She's got trouble written ALL over her!

Yes, she looks like she's sleeping, but this little munchkin is just trying to decide which side the flash is coming from so that she can move her head away from me. I have several lovely pictures of the back of her head!!! More open faced than the first girl and lighter than the 2nd girl, it's going to be much easier to tell all three girls apart than it was with Emmy's litter.

As has become tradition with Satinka (does 2x make a tradition?) this little guy was born on my bed. Tinks was supposed to be sleeping in her whelping pen (a luxury suite that a mastiff would probably be comfortable in!). But she was restless and uncomfortable, which translates into me not sleeping either, so I let Tinks up on the bed for some belly rubs. I fell asleep...she had a puppy. At only 8 oz, this little guy has given me some concern, but I think he's going to make it. He's just so sweet and snuggly and such a little fighter! I recognize his "I'm hungry NOW" cry in my sleep. He's a little blurry because I didn't want him to start fussing. Maybe I'm babying him a little much, but we're trying not to over-stress him...so he's fuzzy...get over it :-)

The boys are just quieter (with the exception of Mr. Hungry). This little guy woke up when I picked him up, snuggled for a few seconds and went back to sleep. At least I didn't have to chase him around the bed with the camera!! I always wondered if Blaze would pass on his quiet, laid back temperament....at this point I'm guessing Yes. Again, the boys have helped me tell them apart by having different markings. Much more accommodating than Emmy's brothers. We could only tell two of them apart by the size of the white tip on his tail!

Of course, in every sweet boy, a little bit of Satinka is going to come out....even in his sleep. That or he's making a comment on my photography skills that should have been kept to himself!!

Mondays aren't all that much fun.....

....under the best of circumstances. But the Monday after a holiday (I did have to work Friday) with a litter of 3 day old puppies who insist that midnight to 3am is their play time is even harder.

But they're so darn cute....more photos tonight!

Happy Thanksgiving

We had a happy Thanksgiving here; Satinka whelped six darling puppies - 3 boys and 3 girls Thanksgiving morning. They're all gray again too! She had an easy time of it, with Daddy serving as her chief assistant. My job was to weigh puppies and hand them back....quickly.

The three boys came out quietly...the three girls came out screaming their heads off. If there are three "Satinka" girls in this litter, we're in BIG trouble.

Don’t mess with my pet.™

Protect responsible pet owners.

You love your pet. You take good care of your pet. How would you feel if the government tried to limit your ability to have pets in your life?...Angry?...Scared?...Betrayed?...Well, it’s happening.

Each year, local, state and the federal governments propose thousands of laws that would restrict your ability to own pets – to include pet as vital members of your family. While we believe that some regulations are warranted to ensure that pets are well care for, we also believe that responsible pet ownership should be applauded, supported, and encouraged, not limited! If you are a responsible pet owner, why would the government not want you to love and care for a pet? Why, if you’re doing everything right, should the government be able to limit you from having and caring for a pet?

The answer is that, unfortunately, many government officials don’t understand how their bills might affect you, the responsible pet owner. Worse yet, some legislators may not care. Radical animal rights activists often spread misinformation among lawmakers and the general public, creating an atmosphere of poor decision-making. If they had their way, many of them would completely do away with pet ownership…period.

Help us protect responsible pet ownership by defending you and your pets against poorly written legislation.

Join the “Don’t Mess with My Pet” campaign and for your contribution of $25 a year, you can help us guard responsible pet ownership on behalf of you and your non-human family members. As a thank you from us, you’ll receive a free campaign t-shirt.
http://www.dontmesswithmypet.org/

I'm almost a Recognized Breeder!

And I couldn't be more relieved.

Riverside County says Recognized Breeders collect and remit sales tax to the State. I now have my Board of Equalization number so I can collect and remit sales tax to the State. You know, from all of those litters I have (looking at the 18 mo old Emmy and wondering when there may be room for a little sister) and all that income selling puppies produces (really, it's right over there, I just haven't had a chance to deposit the thousands of dollars I made on that single breeding, it's under my mattress).

Now, to complete the "Recognized Breeder of Riverside County" challenge (premiering this fall on the ICan'tBelieveIt Reality Network), I have to remember to send in my Riverside County Business Registration for my home business. Yep, apparently if you show dogs and breed them and sell a puppy, it requires business registration. I know the County is going to make TONS of money on my income (see above).

Oh, wait...it's not Responsible Breeders they're looking for...it's "Recognized Breeders"

Definitions:
a. Recognized Cat or Dog Breeder: Any business or hobbyist (i.e. every individual, firm, co-partnership, joint venture, trust, business trust, syndicate, association or corporation) whose intact, licensed (dog only) and micro-chipped dog or cat, sires or gives birth to, at lest one litter of offspring consisting of at least two(2) live births, within the preceding five (5) years and who has on file with the Department of Animal Services all of the following:

i. A letter to the effect that the breeder is a member in good standing of a Department approved breed registry club or governing organization which has a code of ethics covering pet reproduction,

ii. A State of California seller's permit,

iii. A current Riverside County business license, and
iv. Kennel and/or cattery license, if applicable. If not required, then each dog 4 months and older, maintained at the property shall be licensed. No similar requirement exists for cats.

b. Department-approved Breed Registry Club or Governing Organization: Those clubs and organizations accepted by the Department of Animal Services as being acceptable to issue a letter of good standing for a Recognized Cat or Dog Breeder. editorial note: this list does not exist, making it very difficult to comply.

Don't you like how they make that retroactive for five years? That's pretty much going to eliminate everyone except the commercial breeders who already do all those things...I mean, they do, right?

I swear, jumping through these hoops is going to somehow make me a better breeder? And, really, a hobbyist has to have a business license (which, actually in Riverside County is a business registration, Riverside County doesn't have business licenses).

But them's the rules...and since I live here I have to follow them. Did I mention that the 5-8 year plan has us leaving California for anywhere else?

Nothing...really

I have it on good authority, from my learned friend Kelly who found the info on some esteemed author's site, that five things make a blog entry. I also learned that from her that whining gets you things...to which I can only reply "DUH."

So...

#1 - Surgery on the foot is scheduled Oct 9, although I'm calling weekly to see if there are cancellations. My theory is that scheduling woman will get tired of hearing from me and schedule me so that I'll stop calling her. We've figured out how to get me and the dogs taken care of for the first couple of weeks, thanks to friends and furloughs.

#2 - I hate furloughs. The State of California has instituted furloughs to assist in balancing their budget. Now I need to notify the mortgage holder, the gas companies, the electric company, etc that due to the State of California balancing their budget from my wallet that I'll be passing the furlough effects onto them. They can e-mail Arnold at http://gov.ca.gov/interact#email and let him know what they think. At least Sean's not getting paid with IOUs.

#3 - where are those great homes for Tipton and Sage? We've civilized them, they're now wonderful, sweet house dogs. I'm actually going to miss them...but can't wait to find them their new homes.

#4 - I'm pretty much done with summer. (Those of you who've known me for a while better be sitting down). I can't wait until it cools off enough to go camping with the dogs. Of course, the aforementioned foot surgery could make that less than enjoyable...but at least it won't be 100 degrees and humid!

Well, if I count the learning things from Kelly, that makes five things and a blog entry, right? I sure hope so! I'm going to go watch my DVR'd Hell's Kitchen.

Oh, I thought of #5....Philadelphia Eagles should be ashamed of themselves. Absolutely ashamed. Yeah, he's done his time, been rehabilitated, blah blah blah.....paid his debt to society. And now he's back to making millions. Ain't America great.

Life before dogs

Before I had dogs, I had another life. I was an artist. My mediums were rubber stamps, bookmaking, beads and then glass. A dear friend and I traveled down this addictive path together and she became an amazing jewelry designer. Her website http://www.silverparrotdesigns.net/ and while I love my dogs, I'm somewhat envious that she's still actively engaged in her artistic outlet while raising an absolutely wonderful son as a single mom.

And why am I writing this? Because she's having a contest to get rid of her extra stash of beads and I want them....because, you know, someday I might return to the craft room....someday. Shameless, aren't I?