In light of some recent events

and on the advice of a couple of trusted professionals, I sucked it up and ordered Nugget's Service Dog ID and vest. The doctor has written the prescription and certification is pending. He is NOT a Therapy Dog (yet) but my own personal health monitor. He has taken on the job himself and done it quite well for the past few months. Now he will be official. He will look quite spiffy, I am sure, and will enjoy the added attention and 24/7 companionship. I will too. He is a wonderful boy to be around.

Somehow I am not in the mood to celebrate.



W.York-Patten



Then and now

Pupdate pictures, in birth order (at 2 weeks, and at 16 weeks)

                                      Nori- Galena's Golden Angel:

                                        Ginger-Galena's Golden Rule:

                                            Grout-Sir Grout Dane:

Maki/Fig-Galena Cornerstone Imagine 



from Rita's blog


                                     Saba/Sunny-Galena's Big Phish

All of the pups have settled in nicely, and I adore each and every family. They have been so kind as to keep me updated in words and in pictures. I am truly blessed.

Raising this litter brought out the mother hen in me and I have become a much stronger, and a bit more opinionated, by having gone through the experience. I have learned what is possible, and what I want from this wonderful breed of dogs.

That is a very good thing.

Picture time

snoozing on the cot

the whole family listens to Dad tell a bedtime story

the sandman cometh

waiting out the rain

sunshine returns

learning the "wait" command

Is it time to go home now?

Lots of sleepy pictures, but that is the only way to catch a normally moving target!

Life...and all that



all photos taken at Richland by W. York-Patten


It seems like "forever ago" that I was rearing puppies. I loved every second of it. Truly. I had my routine down. I had to run on auto-pilot as I was so sleep deprived, but I learned ten years ago that each second is fleeting, and can never be re-run. Good, or not-so, it is gone. That thought had me completely immersed in the pups, as I knew they would soon be gone. And they were. My laundry electric bill is now back to normal, as is my dog food bill. Kate has finally weaned herself from the pups. Ginger just flat out refused to nurse, much to Kate's dismay. Nugget is on a diet, and it is a kick now to take all four dogs out each day to do chores. I sometimes wonder if the horse will get sick of all the big black and white rodents running around her field, but she seems to enjoy her increasing herd. Ginger is completely fearless around her. The first to be that way. The others had to learn that she was "safe." Ginger just assumes it. While it is good for here, it is not necessarily good off my property. I will need to watch her.

ALL of the pups are placed in great homes that keep me informed and supplied with pictures. It is nice to get notes thanking me. They often come when I am feeling sad or a bit down. It makes me realize how important it was to spend the time. These pups are healing hearts. They are healing minds. They, for the most part, will not have fancy titles before their names. They have much more important jobs. I am prouder of that than anything AKC can impose.

So now another chapter begins in my life. I am back to puppy training. I am back to wondering where the heck Ginger keeps finding little pieces of plastic to chomp on. Back to chewed up paper. Back to little puppy kisses and squirms in the morning. The delightful puppy excitement over every little thing. The masking tape. Oy! How I dislike the masking tape crowns. However, I know that this too shall soon pass.

I look forward to the future, whatever it may hold. I cannot imagine anything but great things will come. I feel so incredibly happy.