Teapot Labradors

Let The Good Times Roll

2010-06-27T22:58:00.001-04:00

Here we are at week 7 plus 3 days with the “lucky” quintet and still and yet we are smitten with this ever-evolving and ever-expanding collective of cuteness. The group seems to stand out as a solid litter across the board; from one to five they all exhibit pretty even temperaments, have an appropriate interest in people and take reasonable turns giving each other the business (aka tugging on the ears, WWF style, until they get the requisite yelp from their “prey”). The personalities are certainly starting to differentiate in subtle ways and as always we are attempting to stay away from labeling the individual and the risk of boxing them into categories that they may or may not escape from before week 8.

The life of a lucky puppy is now including a daily dose of time outside enjoying the fresh mountain air, within a penned in “mini puppy play-land” that consists of physical challenges in the form of stacked cordwood walkways and culvert pipe tunnels as well as the most popular; crate with fleece inside. We have instituted the system of waking up early (5:30-ish), grabbing the pups from their interior (aka in the living room engulfing whelping box plus) sleeping zone and then running them out to the exterior space for the morning p&p(s). This is followed by the requisite cleanup of the new and improved nastiness and the welcome addition of 3 cups of puppy food for breakfast. I will add that it may qualify as an interesting sight if one should stumble upon me in my underwear and sandals, dropping an overfull armful of puppy in the pen and then waiting bleary eyed to scoop up the morning deliveries that invariably come shortly after wake-ups. From here I adjourn to my morning routine of coffee and internet check on weather and world cup scores. Beyond this, the days for a 7+ week old puppy at Teapot Labs consist of time out of the pen exploring the surrounding landscape, visiting with visiting humans of all shapes and sizes, wrestling one another until distracted by something of interest (i.e. a leaf rolling past) to be ultimately and inevitably followed by periods of deep and restful slumber (usually in a heap within the suddenly shrinking crate).

They continue a program of visiting a new interior space, individually, once every couple of days. Here Cindy notes any and all reactions to the new environment as well as the puppy’s response to a wee bit of basic clicker training. On the exterior front, the exploration continues with field trips to the lake, forest, granite outcroppings and gardens on the grounds (from which they are now officially barred due to overzealous grazing). They are also being acclimatized to new, interesting and appropriate sounds daily. Cars coming into the driveway, garage doors going up and down, power tools at work and even some chainsaw time in the woods nearby are examples of the challenging auditory moments the pups are experiencing. So far all the pups have reacted well, noticing the sounds, perhaps a small move away but then a quick recovery (whenever possible followed by a treat of some sort to create a positive association).

Beyond all this intentional exposure and training, Cindy and I simply enjoy spending time with these pups. Again, perhaps it’s a case of short memories and higher comfort levels but we both remark that this litter has been especially nice and easy to have around. Their energy levels seem eminently manageable, their greetings of humans in most scenarios is excited but also controlled and even Stella does not shy from sitting outside among the puppies attempting to elicit play. However, even as I finish this sentence I recall that it is this 6 ½ to 8 week period when the intensity of the pups tests our patience. Their size, desire to scrap with each other and ability to poop like a big dog (at least from the aroma perspective) combine to make these last days feel a bit longer at times. It may be that when 8 weeks rolls around we will be more than happy to pass the pups off to their chosen destinations and celebrate having our house and life back again…maybe (Stella says definitely).

Out and About

2010-06-18T12:28:00.001-04:00

I know I promised to give you a peek into our living room, but the pups have been introduced to the lake and that seems more interesting than our living room.

Their first look at Oseetah Lake. Most of the pups were curious about the water, walking in far enough to get their feet wet and slake their thirst.

I was lucky enough to have a helper along. Our neighbor Sylvie has been helping Michael and I take care of the pups. She has learned how to feed and water them. She's also been trained in pooper scooping!

The pups have become very fond of Sylvie and love to follow her around wherever she goes. The pups were tempted to try swimming when they saw Sylvie so far out in the water.

Hear no evil...

2010-06-10T11:32:00.005-04:00

Our world is a loud place. Service dogs and family companions need to be comfortable around a wide variety of surprising sounds. Confidence around strange sounds starts with a young puppy. We systematically expose and condition the pups to be comfortable around new sounds, plus this is just adorable. Enjoy.

News From the Box (and Beyond)…

2010-06-10T10:30:00.003-04:00

We have “progressed” into our 5th week with the group and haven’t we just hit a good stride with this batch of pups (well haven’t we?). It is either the mark of having a good female and making good matches every time or simply that our memories are short and what we see right in front of us tends to become the latest and greatest but we LOVE this litter that is currently taking over our life just now.

To be honest we don’t love them any more or less than the others but we are having a good time with this group and it is allowing their standing in the “best all time litter” category to creep steadily northward. Some of this has to do with the circumstances surrounding the litter itself. We thought we missed the breeding altogether and then Stella grants us a litter from heaven…5 puppies and 4 of them females. The size, though disappointing by most breeder standards, is just fine with us. Because we raise them up inside (and out) of the home we live in here in the mountains, we are able to give the best attention to a smaller more compact litter and 5 seems a very good number for that.

With 5 we find that Stella is better able to meet their needs without completely being sucked (pun intended) into the world of worn out and when are these pups leaving for goodness sake. As it is she is looking a bit ragged but still locked into the program of nursing and has begun trying to play with the pups on their level. This, to our amateur eyes, is an indication that she “likes” these pups. Who really knows but it is cute to see her trying to engage the little suckers when all they want to do is latch onto her dangling participles.

Beyond this, the four females give ample opportunity to tease out any super (Stella replacer) puppy that may exist within the current mass of fur in our living room. And lastly, the fact that we are raising here in May and June and placing in homes by early July provides great weather and calendar logistics for the crazy upcoming weeks. We can have the pups in an outdoor area for many hours of many days as we move from cute to “can I get a witness to help me clean up all this puppy poop” stage.

We've begun to socialize the pups in earnest. Stay tuned to find out what Michael has been doing in his free time and what our living room looks like...

Hearing, Seeing and Smelling!

2010-05-31T21:16:00.001-04:00

We are three weeks into our 8 weeks adventure with Stella’s “Third Time’s a (Lucky) Charm” litter and things are starting to warm up (quite literally; we’ve very quickly progressed from trying to keep the puppies’ environment warm to working to cool them down during this current heat wave). Within that magical world of puppy development we are seeing these seemingly helpless blobs of nursing fur transform into the early form of the adorable dogs we know as Labradors.

In a span of 4 to 5 days they have; opened eyes and ears, begun “walking” on all fours, noticed humans in their world, complained about the confining dimensions of the small side of the whelping box, discovered various new items placed in the box and most recently (and most cutely) started to play with each other.

There is nothing better than seeing these little beings, still trying to make their bodies obey instructions (but not quite getting full cooperation from all four legs and those ever expanding noggins), yet beginning to “hear” the instinctive and instructive voice inside their still developing brains and jumping, tackling and gumming their litter mates without rhyme or reason but with some clear (to them anyway) intention.

The pups are also beginning to differentiate themselves starting with size and body structure, moving onto early agility (or in the male’s case, a decided lack thereof) and concluding with each pups attention scope (extending to people, items in the box, Mom’s presence, etc.). Beyond these differences we are beginning to note the pups’ relative level of energy and arousal, whether certain pups are more vocal and if we are seeing any hint of bullying behavior. Of course we are trying not to over think things yet and simply enjoying the heck out of this stage we call “puppies without razor sharp teeth…yahoo!” (Stella came up with that label).

Bigger and bigger

2010-05-19T20:26:00.000-04:00

The puppies are going to be 14 days old tomorrow! They are all vigorous nursers and consequently weighing about 3 pounds each! We are pleased that they are all healthy and growing.

Personalities are already emerging, for those of you who worried the lone yellow male (we've taken to calling him "the man") would be overwhelmed by his hungry sisters, never fear. The man is adept at pushing his sisters off a mama milk station anytime he likes. Fortunately with 5 puppies there is plenty to go around and always room for all.

We are looking forward to continued puppy development in the form of open eyes and ears in the next week or so. Already the pups are learning to get their feet under them and walk. It is entertaining to watch them stagger around and try to find Stella when she gets in the box. The weather has been lovely in the last week or so. We keep telling the pups about what a wonderful place the Adirondacks are for young Labradors, there's dirt to dig in and a lake to swim in, but first you need to grow up!

They're Here...

2010-05-10T20:10:00.000-04:00

Third time's the charm. For Stella's final performance as a #%^* in labor, she behaved like an old pro. She moved quickly through stage 1 and into stage 2 labor at 4pm, conveniently waiting until after my 1pm appointment, to deliver her first puppy at 4:45pm. The whelp progressed smoothly and steadily until the last pup was delivered at 7:45pm. None of the puppies required any special attention or effort on our part. Stella calmly and coolly took care of everything.

The results of her labors are 5 healthy, happy, hungry puppies. We have one yellow boy and 4 Stella juniors (black females). Everyone is gaining weight and keeping warm, including us. Our house is a toasty 78 degrees! We welcomed the warmth this weekend, when we woke up to an inch of snow and more still falling! Tonight is supposed to get down to 15 degrees, so we'll keep the fire going in the woodstove.

I am 2 exams and a project away from the end of my semester. I am looking forward to the near future when I can succumb to endless hours of (guilt free) puppy watching. It is my intention to post updates and pictures weekly, so check back to see the pups grow.

Bigger and bigger

2010-04-26T22:16:00.004-04:00

Stella is at day 52 of the 62-64 day gestation period for puppies. She has gotten large and even a bit awkward and uncomfortable in the last few days. Michael and I took the opportunity to get her out for one last hike on Friday. She was an excellent hiking companion. The only difference we noticed in her attitude was when we stopped to admire a view or catch our breath, she would take the opportunity to stop and rest. When we got back to the car she crashed. She hardly wanted to get up to go inside when we got home. Needless to say we are no longer taking Stella on hikes or our weekly long runs (she was left behind for our 8 miler on Saturday).

Everyday she looks more and more like she swallowed a watermelon. She has been breathing heavy, lying close to our feet and groaning and sighing regularly. We have pulled the first of the whelping supplies out of storage and our gearing up for the big day!

Surprise!

2010-04-17T01:09:00.008-04:00

Stella has come through for us this week. We had just about given up all hope of having puppies, when Stella's belly started to swell a few days ago. We bred Stella in March to a lovely male (Joey), but due to life craziness (multiple exams, papers, Michael's accident and packing to go to Japan) our breeding timing was off and all of the experts (mostly the reproductive vet) felt we had "missed" this time around due to poor timing.

All that is out the window as we were all happily wrong. Today our vet confirmed via ultrasound that Stella has got 4 or more pups in the oven. We are currently taking guesses as to number, color and sex of the litter. If you got one let us know!

Puppies are due in May, just 3 short weeks from now. We'll keep everyone posted as events unfold. See below for pictures of the pleased parents.

JOEY - KELLEYGREEN'S MEET JOE BLACK

STELLA - CINDER'S STELLAR CHOICE

Cindy

Look Out World

2009-05-11T21:24:00.009-04:00

Has it really been 2 weeks since our last update?! Wow. The time has really flown. These pups are growing by leaps and bounds. They are fat, happy little puppies.

Two weekends ago we took them to Socialization Central aka Michael’s family in Melrose, NY. They experienced a 3 hour ride in the car (squeezed into one crate), young kids, adoring women, grass (as we have none at our house), a new house and a wedding shower. They took everything in stride and didn’t even make too big a mess at Mike’s parents house.

Now back at home, they have been spending their days outside. We have a pen setup outdoors with a crate at one end. They all snuggle up in the crate and watch the world (mainly us) go by. When we are home we let them run loose with Stella nearby to watch over them. Under her watchful gaze, they have been exploring the great outdoors. Stella has been a very attentive mother. She sits in the driveway and lets the pups crawl all over her, she breaks up squabbles and protects the pups from the large and energetic dog next door. She even goes so far as to share her prize (and only) possession, her soccer ball with them. She drops it in front of them and hopes they will appreciate the finer points of her obsession.

I have been busy studying for final exams, a challenging task with 4 giant and adorable distractions living with us. I won’t know how successful I was until my grades are posted next week.

On the socialization front, every evening we take the pups to a new spot on the property for them to explore. Recently our evening forays have taken us in the vicinity of the lake. What do you think happens when you combine roly-poly puppies, sloping grades and a lake? Fortunately we have a lifeguard on duty at all times. Three of the four pups have actually fallen in the lake. They have a lot to learn about how to effectively shake water off. When we took them to the lake today our neighbor, the bald eagle, flew over and gave the pups a close look. Yikes!

Tomorrow is their first vet appointment. After that we will begin to carefully explore the world at large. We’ve had requests from the post office and hardware store for a puppy appearance. My last exam is Thursday and after that I will be available full time for fun with the pups. My goal is to post frequently for our last week with the puppies.

Day 33 and Beyond

2009-04-29T19:34:00.008-04:00

Hello Teapot Lab Lovers…it is April 29^th, day 33 in this litter’s 56 day stay with us and at this writing my best conclusion is thus; these pups are friggin’ cute. They are just into the stage of becoming little dogs. They see and hear with acuity, play with each other and us, bark and wag their tails in perfect miniature of what they will soon be and are seeming to outgrow their box environment by the minute. They have begun eating puppy food (soaked in water for many hours) though they do not miss a chance to latch onto Stella should she enter their space and tarry a bit too long. They poop like they mean it now and Stella seems less inclined to pick up after them so our “dooties” as higher species as the pooper scooper are starting as well. They are coming into their own physically, mentally (and spiritually). The now four pups are all of relatively equal size (Cindy guesses about 6 lbs. per) with varying degrees of difference in their specific physical forms.

Mosey is unofficially renamed Mr. Pumpkinhead with a very solid melon on top of what looks to be a good chest and shoulders (to be anyway). His build reads solid and stocky and his movements, so far, reflect that body type. He chugs around the box like a tractor in low gear just looking for something to plow. Lest I lead you astray with this description, let me say that his temperament seems very calm and easygoing from what we can tell at this stage. He is not very vocal, seems to play with us and the other pups just enough then goes off to his spot to crash for the next hour or so. He does some grabbing and tugging on the others but takes his share as well. Overall, we like this guy very much and hope he continues down his path.

Bide is a bit more of an enigma as yet. She is, of course, very cute. Sits like her ma Stella and looks up at you with those little Labrador eyes and just melts your heart…then you reach down to pet her and she lunges in grabs a hold with her little (but quite sharp) teeth, lets go and then runs around the box as if she’s got a burr under her saddle. She can be vocal at times, wanting to be on whatever other side of the box that is not available at that moment. She likes to be in cooler spots within the box, laying on tiles or just plain floor and not so much on the softer stuff. She is progressing physically, has all her feet and legs under her and can move around pretty good when she wants to. She has a big old back end and has already shown the propensity of rolling on her back and showing her belly for inspection (and a quick rub while you’re there, thank you very much).By and large, she is coming along just fine. We certainly think she will be a nice dog…will she be Stella 2? Definite maybe.

Ever is the classic middle (child) puppy. He tends to get lost in the attention shuffle more often than not. He is not the big headed male (yet), not the prodigal female (never will be) and does not elicit attention sweetly like his little brother Wait does. He tends to sit back away from the action of the moment, take in the situation and then make his choice as to whether to come over and join in or not. My guess is that this “personality” profile could lead to him being the best dog to have when all is said and done. He could be mellow, easy to handle, does not dove headlong into everything and anything like some goofy labs we all know. Of course, all this speculation might turn out to be wrong as rain and he could end up being a regular old good dog. For now, he is physically sound; he may be the biggest of the batch and while his head is not as blocky as Mosey’s, he is still put together just fine. He is a talker; big vocal windup to his poops, can be heard sitting off by himself in the corner of the box, singin’ the puppy pad blues. He is a complicated dude and I for one like him.

But my favorite would have to be Wait. Last born and littlest (still but only by a bit now), he has shown an endearing quality of really enjoying human contact and touch. He is the one who not only comes over to you when you visit the box, but stays there, pressed up against your hand, luxuriating in the contact. He licks more than he bites (though he is learning to bite just fine through his play with his mates) when we are petting him and when we are sitting outside with the group, he is the one who will find his way onto the lap, curl up and go to sleep. As I said, he bites, he poops, he cries the blues too but all in all he is a nice little pup who wants someone to love for the next 13+ years.

We're Puppies After All

2009-04-21T21:14:00.000-04:00

The puppies have emerged from their larvae stage and are now fully formed puppies. They have eyes, distinct faces, they can walk and squawk. Much to Stella’s chagrin they also have teeth. Momma has not been dissuaded yet, she still spends every night in the box with the pups, keeping them clean, fed and warm. It was fun coming home and putting on shorts and a tshirt, but since the puppies are now able to generate their own heat, we no longer maintain the apartment at 78 degrees.

With the pups eyes and ears open we have begun socializing in earnest. We try to put small obstacles in the box every day. We also make strange noises, though that is nothing unusual. The puppies have all responded bravely to their rapidly expanding world. They now stay awake and interact for a full 10 minutes before crashing for several hours.

This week was full of milestones for the puppies. They all had their first taste of puppy food and (surprise!) found it agreeable. They scarfed it all down and immediately began looking for more. I know these puppies are supposed to be on the small side when they grow up, but right now they are large and round, AKA fat.

All in all the pups have graduated to interesting. We can spend long periods of time watching them play and explore their world. Cross your fingers for warm weather this weekend so the pups can learn about the great outdoors! We’ll keep you posted.

The pups are starting to crawl all over Stella. They nibble on her ears, face and paws while she feigns sleep. She is so patient with them, never a cross word. I think that may change as they get older.

This is probably my favorite age with the puppies. They are big enough to have personalities and play, yet small enough that they are not making too big a mess. That will change soon, but I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts.

On the natural side of life, we heard loon calling this morning for the first time this year. Spring is on the way!

Sad News

2009-04-12T17:01:00.000-04:00

I am sorry to have to report that one of the pups from Stella’s current litter has passed on. The smallest boy (we named him “Ready” and he wore a green rickrack) failed to wake up on Tuesday morning and just like that was gone from this world and onto his next journey. It all happened very quickly and with little warning.

Upon arriving from a weekend away, I noted to Cindy how much smaller he looked from the other four. He was always the smallest in the litter but, up to this point, was gaining weight and seeming just fine. We checked the weight chart, weighed him again and decided he would get special time with Stella without the other pups present. Having decided this made us feel better. That night was normal, Stella in and out of the box, in and out of the house, puppies alternately nursing, crying, piling up and then spreading out. The next day, Monday, I was working at the house and was trying to keep to the plan of giving Ready time with Stella…I would come up to the box every couple of hours, put Stella in the unoccupied side and settle him in with her. He would start nursing and when I returned a half hour later he was sleeping by her side. The day went like this but at some point later on I had the sense he was not nursing with much gusto and upon examining him noticed he was dehydrated. Cindy arrived home and we went to work on a more aggressive plan for him; hydrating and supplemental feeding every 2-4 hours. We had a feeding tube and a DVD and felt we could bring him around as we had done with a puppy from the last litter. We seemed to be getting the hang of the feedings, got the tube into the stomach, pumped in some good stuff, etc. One time he tossed a bunch of it back up and we felt disappointed but by and large, he was taking this fluid/food concoction in and keeping it in. He was showing no signs of an infection, nor did he have diarrhea or was he vomiting. He even had a normal bowel movement that evening. All in all, we did not feel the need to call the vet at 9:30 at night, did not choose to give a dose of antibiotics that we have in the kit, thinking, again, that we could rehydrate him, supplement his feeding and keep him warm and he’d be right in no time.

Cindy and I performed the tube feeding at 5 pm, 9 pm, midnight and then at 3 am. I could not get back to sleep so I stayed up with him lying on my chest, snuggled up in a fleece towel while I stroked his back. He made a soft sound with each stroke and I felt like we were going to be okay. I fell asleep like this and upon waking at 5:30, I returned him to the warming box, believe I heard another bit of puppy protest then went into the bedroom to wake my crew. I slid into bed and promptly conked out for another 45 minutes. We woke together and came out to take care of our boy. We found he had died sometime that morning. He was non-responsive and already beginning to stiffen up. We felt weird…sad, angry, sleep deprived, unsure if we’d done all we could have, etc.

We could not bring him back so we wrapped him up and laid him to rest looking out over the open water of Oseetah Lake. We think he’d like the view and maybe it helps him on his journey into the next. Peace.

Five is Just Fine with Me and My Stella.

2009-04-05T20:59:00.006-04:00

As a Labrador litter, the size of five is certainly on the lower end of the spectrum. From a lover of Labs perspective, we might wish to have more pups so we can provide as many good people with these good dogs. From a breeder perspective, we’d want as much genetic material to choose from in regards to bettering our line. And from the breadwinner’s perspective, more puppies (might) mean better margins. From the only perspective that really matters, Stella’s, five is just fine thank you very much…

There is plenty of milk, lots of spigots to choose from and just enough backsides to sample to keep variety in her diet (breeder can explain this one). As a result, these pups are coming along just fine. They are all gaining weight steadily with the lone female playing leapfrog daily with two males for the top spot in the weight class. The two remaining males are both solid and gaining fine but definitely smaller than the other three. It is difficult to discern any conclusive tendencies or traits at this early stage but the speculation goes on anyways. We would love to have this female become the next Stella so our eyes are showing us what we wish to see (I think she just sat…honey she can’t walk yet, how can she sit…yes, she definitely knows sit, she’s brilliant).

Beyond this wishful, wistful watchfulness, all the pups are getting great attention and care. The box is clean, the room is warm and Stella is proving to be extraordinary in her care for this second litter. She came around pretty quickly on the first litter but I don’t know that she ever really “got” it that first time. This time around she is on the ball from day one, watching, warming, feeding and cleaning her fab five to such a very high level. Our biggest job right now is to make sure that Stella comes away from the box enough and has some downtime in cooler climes. We are feeding her large amounts of good food so it is not too difficult to “coax” her out but she is certainly spending most of her time either in the box or next to it. Apart from feeding Stella and the little woodstove that heats the space to its mildly oppressive 75 degrees, we are weighing daily, clipping nails and also handling the pups in many weird and twisted variations to help stimulate their various mechanisms for coping. Fear not, we are mostly just hugging the heck out of the little buggers and calling it high science. So far, the pups have entertained some local visitors and have done just fine.

At this writing they have almost tripled their birth weights at 11 days of age. They are moving around the box by pulling themselves along still mostly with the front legs but we are seeing the early signs of them attempting to use/stand on the back ones. They are certainly making some noise with coos, trills, chirps and mini barks as the repertoire so far. Eyes and ears remain closed with only the good old sniffer orienting them to the world around them.

All in all they are very cool and we are smitten with them all. Stella seems to like them too (at least until their teeth come in).

Stella's Sophomore Sensations

2009-03-26T17:55:00.000-04:00

Stella’s sophomore selections have indeed arrived just in time for the spring season. Starting (though in reality, beginning many hours before with Stella’s, very long ramp up to actual puppy) at midnight (ish) on Thursday (technically), March 26th, with the (eventual) appearance of a big old black male as the first in show, Stella produced 5 healthy and well weighted black puppies to offer up to the world of great family companions. Cindy’s cynical prediction of 4 males and 1 female was indeed on the money (do not tempt those gods of fate with your reverse psychology young lady). The size of five seems just right, although the waiting list for a black, female Teapot may have grown a bit with the realization of this litter. The one female will be under the spotlight…will she be the next Stella? (not if she knows all that entails). The males will have it easy; grow up strong and handsome and don’t do anything so stupid along the way (or make sure if you act silly that you are indeed, strong and handsome to counterbalance).

The story of this litter would definitely carry the theme of “family style”. With our move north a couple of years ago and subsequent settle (sort of) into the home of Cindy’s folks, we have found a spot that brings us to a solid state. What this opened up, as a flood gate, was the possibility of my nephew Greg and his wife Andrea to potentially choose to join us here in this community of Saranac Lake and maybe make a life around each other. As this logistic fell into line then stepped forward a long standing consideration to both, start a business and do so with people who can (possibly) stand to work with me. Greg and Andrea fit the profile perfectly (great work ethic, willing to try new things and, most importantly, high thresholds of pain). With dreams being realized left and right, of course, Cindy would need her own selection and again, of course, it must involve something short, stout and (appropriately) aromatic. Ooila!, Teapot Labradors is born and Stella is dubbed queen of the scene and asked (maybe lured is a better term) to produce another litter of small wonders to carry on the good name.

With all these conditions in place (stud finder again refusing to buy local (Oliver) but choosing to FLY semen in from Michigan, Stella grudgingly accepting an artificial insemination, schedules be damned this is happening whether we are ready or not) we find ourselves in a moment such as we were in last night. Greg and I return from a day away learning about all the neat things one can do with spray foam, Andrea and Cindy in that state of having watched way too much Stellavision all day…eyes glazed over and unfocused, drool marks on the front of their shirts and this goofy look that says, this is fun and now it’s your turn. After a couple of hours apart and Stella still very much in a holding pattern, a plan is hatched…Greg and Andrea stop by the local store, get all the necessities, coffee, creamer, vanilla ice cream, ginger beer and brownie mix, and we settle in as a unit to bring these puppies into the world (dammit). Their friend, our friend, nephew Nate’s special friend Kari, asks to join and the team is set. Let this be known that this was NOT a party but a serious gathering of brownie eaters who just happened on a litter of pups being born.

As Wednesday bore down on Thursday and the brownies were but a memory and the 6th cup of coffee began eating away the lining of my stomach, Stella began pushing in earnest and after some tense now you see me, now you don’t moments of visual trickery, puppy number one made his cool and collected debut. As a good Adk dog would, he arrived with everything he needed on his back…sleeping sack and enough food to last 63 days in the wild world of StellaBelly Wilderness. Mom promptly took charge and ate everything he brought to the party (placenta, what placenta?). She cut the cord with measured gusto while the crowd of rookie whelpers helpers stared in dismay. She cleaned him up and gave him a good lick start and then let him settle into his rightful place as King of the land of the Plump Nipple. His reign lasted for about 16 minutes and then, with a grunt from Stella and a good catch from Andrea, Big Sister was on the scene and his days of nipple meister were over. Again, Stella acted as the seasoned pro (and food hound) she was and is…eating, cleaning and feeding her brood of two. Over the next few hours as caffeine, sugar and sleep deprivation kicked in, Greg’s hair and his stream of consciousness commentary both become more bizarre and entertaining. Just as both were starting to scare me, puppy number 5 announced his arrival and Greg was pegged to be the first human to greet him. He made the grab, kept his commentary positive and then was asked to leave and not return until he had showered and possibly seen a therapist. It turns out that #5 was all Stella had in the bank and after proper downtime and a cleanout shot of Oxytocin it was off to bed…just as the most beautiful sunrise was peeking over the mountains. Yup, life is just fine up here and there’s 5 more to help us all enjoy it. Peace.

The Waiting Game

2009-03-24T23:07:00.000-04:00

Well, here go again…heavy breathing, stinky farts and protruding nipples…and it’s a Tuesday night! (I have a feeling I won’t be worth a plug nickel tomorrow at work.) Seriously folks, our girl Stella has started the process of pushing pups through her much expanded (but still petite) framework and out into the world. No sign of the little larvae yet but Stella is very much winding up her routine and if history (and our math) is any guide, we will be seeing and hearing a new batch of little beasts in some next number of hours. Stella is alternately very uncomfortable (breathing in fits and starts), very concerned with her back end and also very needy (sounds like me on my first date). Cindy has taken up her post in the box and is considering her strategy for the night as the clock approaches 11 pm and the mind and body is both protesting the lack of good sleep over the past two or three days (nerves) and totally wired for the upcoming (still a miracle to us) event. I have started the water boiling for a pot of strong coffee and am going over my duties should a puppy appear soon (stop, drop and roll…no, that’s not it…act really stupid so no one asks for your help…nah, too arrogant for that one…oh yeah, I got it…blue 42, blue 42, HIKE!). Stay tuned.

2009-03-22T10:39:00.000-04:00

Only a few days until our lives are turned upside down. Stella is due to deliver her load of puppies on March 24, 2009. That is when the real fun (and work and mess) begins. Poor Stella will be thrilled to lighten her ever growing bulk. She has gotten quite large in the last few days and it is getting difficult for her to get up! She waddles around the house, lowers herself to the ground and breaths very deeply. You can in fact hear her breathing from anywhere in the apartment. She still accompanies me on my morning walk, but other than that she is staying close to home. In the evenings when we have the woodstove going, Stella gets overheated and likes to spend hours lying on the deck outside. The cool air must feel good to her.

Tomorrow we are going to try for some spring skiing up the Whiteface Memorial Highway. I do not think we will take Stella with us. Oliver will fly solo on this mission. Later we will take out all of the whelping supplies and setup the BOX. The care of the puppies will take over our day to day lives, so it is only fitting that the whelping box takes over our living room.

We are all wondering exactly what Stella will have in her litter. Only a few more days until the mystery is solved…. Stay tuned!

A Load of Labradors on the Way!

2009-03-17T21:14:00.000-04:00

Hello Labrador afficionados…despite the resurgence of near zero temps., there is definitely a feel of spring in the air. The light shows earlier through the bedroom window, the birds are singing a happier tune and the sun provides a warmth that was just not there a few weeks ago. On top of these environmental signs there is the heavy breathing, ever needing (more food please), these teats are meant for feeding little, black Lab curled up at our feet, announcing with every sigh that a spring flush is soon to burst forth.

Yes, we at Teapot Labradors are happy to announce that our girl Stella is with puppy! Without any medical test to confirm, we are still confident enough to report that the breedings of January 24-26th have indeed hit their mark and as I write this, puppies are in the middle to later stages of production inside the Stella belly factory. Without said tests, any guess on the number of pups would be just that, a guess. She was bred to a black male who, as with Stella, carries yellow, so the educated guess is that we will see some lighter Labs in the mix when all is said and done.

The due date is the end of March which extrapolates to some of you fine folks receiving a Teapot into your home in mid to late May. It also means that we here have but three short weeks to prepare for the litter, speculate on sex (a favorite pastime of mine) and consider and coordinate eventual homes for whatever number arrives.

In the meantime, Stella is partaking of the “how to build a better puppy” diet, getting an appropriate amount of exercise trotting alongside my obsessed (in a good way)-about-skiing wife, and waking up the light sleeping alpha male of the house multiple times during the night to empty her ever compressed bladder.

So life with Labs here in the north country goes on…dogs to greet us happily morning and evening, eagerly awaiting a simple routine of exercise and diet that seems to give them immeasurable pleasure and soon, a new pile of pups to worry about, marvel at and ultimately (and willingly) kick off into the world to brighten up another life. Take care and stay tuned.