Here is Freida with her great rescuer--"couch potato!!!" The DOG that is-LOL. April 14,2002 Here is Freida with her great rescuer--"couch potato!!!" The DOG that is-LOL. April 14,2002
As I drove up to his office there he was standing next to his car
with a beagle standing up against the window-- her BIG BELLY over
shadowing everything else!!! The sight was so funny I had to laugh--he
had given her biscuits from his breakfast and she has scatter them all
over his car.. When I said "she is pregnant" he replied --"I know"
quietly. 
This
from a man that is scared to death of anything close to having babies.
His greatest fear is being trapped in an elevator with a pregnant woman--anyway...
Needless to say "Freeway Freida" is about 10 days from whelping.
The Found ad starts in the local paper tomorrow--after the necessary
day waiting period she will be too close to having the puppies for my vet
to do a spay and may even have had her
puppies. She has had a check up and looks to be healthy and about
two. Friendly, outgoing No collar (hair is parted and creased like one
had been just taken off), no tattoo, no micro chip (I can wish can't
I--LOL).
Anyway, Frieda is relaxing in my warm garage, belly full, safe and warm. The sunshine has come out and it is going to be a beautiful afternoon----now I just want my nice warm shower and to put my makeup on!!! I truly hope I did not scare my vet to death with how I looked this morning--umhhhh I wonder if that is why he was laughing so hard.
Freida is a great little dog--she truly deserves a great home. She endured all my care with only a whimper or two.
My husband the "great rescuer" was hiding in the bedroom all night.
He drove two hours to get my niece to help me whelp the puppies--he so
afraid he would have to help me pull puppies. Thank God he did--I
would have had to revive him after each
pull!!!! Now off to take a nap. Pictures and more updates
to come.
Today has been a day of reflection. I did not enter shows that I had planned on for months. I intentionally did not breed one of my females so that I could concentrate on showing this year. Now that has changed for a few months. I so wanted to keep Joker in the rankings. But with this litter I will miss many of the shows that will actually have breed points available to me. I live in an area where I have to drive 6 hours at minimun to get breed point competition.. But with that all said, I did have a friend that would keep the puppies for me, but would I really want to change environments on 2-3 weeks old puppies with a mother or unknown vaccination status? The answer is no---I would not do it for puppies I had planned, nor will I do it with these puppies. I have been asked by several--why not put the puppies down and just find the mother a good home? That may be a option for some and maybe it is a just option, but it is not the option for me. I cannot put healthy live puppies down because they are an inconvenience. When I took Freida in I assumed responsibility for her and her litter. I will treat them as one of my own.. I am prepared to not do heroics to keep a failing puppy alive, just as I am not prepared to take the life of a healthy thriving one. So I will miss a few shows on the circuit, maybe I can't keep my male ranked, maybe I will miss most of the spring shows, maybe I can find good homes for them all. It is the "maybes" of life that keep us getting up each day when we would rather stay under the covers...uhmmmm maybe I will the Lottery tonight!!
Well I did not win the Lottery--LOL. Puppies are little pigggies and momma is doing great. They are growing daily. The little Grissel boy I have named "Duck" for ugly duckling.....
The puppies are now walking and today was their first day of "trying" to eat puppy mash. They made a big mess. The little brown girl is the first to escape from the whelping box, so time for them to go into the puppy play pen. Freida is starting to get tired of the little piglets. The brown/black grisel boy has been renamed by my husband to "Teddy"-for teddy bear.--LOL. The brown girl does not have a name but the black male with large white strip on muzzle is "Floyd" for Pretty Boy Floyd, and the black and white boy with black face is "Blackie". Yes, I did name them... after I said I would not.
They are really starting to get personality now. The female picks on the boys and is the first to the food bowel. They seem to like to romp about 630 every morning. Time to start screening new homes.
The little puppy "Blackie" has a name change to "Chester"-just fits him better. The others all are growing and now playing with me. They are starting to have little puppy wars and learning not to bite to hard on brother or sister. They sure can scream when a litter mate lacks control of "sharp puppy teeth". Speaking of teeth--Freida is starting to wean them. She wants to make sure they are ok, but grimaces now when they nurse-LOL. New puppy pictures link at top of page.
These puppies are amazing. 
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?? NO puppy mess from an entire night. 10pm until 6 am. I was awaken ( at 6am)to their screaming and immediately put them in exercise pen in garage and they urinated and stooled there---just five weeks old and already doing this-amazing. They are all ready eating and Freida has weaned them. She is teaching them now about not biting so hard and submitting to her. Just yesterday Chester was mad at her for not letting him nurse. She held him down while he had his temper tantrum and then when he whined to submit she let him up. They are not thrilled with being outside, unless they can be under a bush or shade cloth. I guess it is instinct that they do not need to be out in the open. Since they are as small as a small bunny, they local hawks could carry one off. I watch them close outside due to this reason, but they seem to naturally know to get under something. Already starting to take list of homes to screen. Shots on Monday.
Today the puppies spent sometime outside even though it was 40 degrees. I made sure they had a nice blanket by the porch which blocked the wind. It was nice and warm there-but they decided to explore the yard, backporch and play with a couple of my other beagles. They are learning manners from momma and the other adult beagles. I came in to get their noon feeding ready and heard a scratching on the back door. I thought "Freida knows I am getting lunch ready." Much to my SURPRISE it was Floyd and Ginger scratching on the door!! After their good romp they ate and are now sleeping soundly again in the beds. I am interviewing homes and seems like there are one or two great prospects. I wish there were more.... these puppies need caring loving families to love. I am asking the same questions/fee that the SPCA and other rescue agencies use so screening homes will take time.
The puppies are growing fast and enjoying playing in the yard. It has been very cold here so their outside time has been limited. They made their first journey in a crate last weekend and all slept-except for Ginger. She voiced her displeasure frequently and loudly. I believe that all have homes waiting except for Chester. They will start going to their new home next week. I will be sad to see them go, they are so trusting,innocent,full of life and sweet, with joy in their eyes. I pray their new homes will love and cherish them. It tears my heart out to see dogs with fear and sadness in their eyes. The glow of life/happiness are easily seen in the eyes. My hope is that each has a nice warm body to curl up to each night..beddogs!!! I do my best, one at a time.
Chester is now with his new family, all the puppies are gone. The house is somewhat quiet again, except for my gang. Freida is playing and doing well. She loves to run on the bed anf flip all the pillows off. She then curls up and sleeps contently. She will be spayed and then her new family will be selected. She was a great mother and now she will make a great pet.
Freida was spayed yesterday and soon she will be looking for her new home. She loves to sleep on the bed and cuddle, she plays nicely and is housebroken. She is a house dog and only wants to go outside when she HAS too...LOL. She is good with kids but is more of an adult's dog. Would be great with retired person or someone that works at home. Great on leash and crate trained. Likes cats.
YES Freida is still here with us. She wiggled her way into our hearts and became the rescue that stayed. I discovered that she if scared of thunder and firecrackers and also that she has mild seizures. Everyone loves her and she loves everyone. She has been a great nanny for puppies and will live out her life here with us. She is an ultimate beddog and loves to beg. I do wonder how she came to be on that interstate overpass....someone missed the chance to have a wonderful pet. PLEASE IF YOU HAVE A LOVED PET --MICROCHIP IT. TALK WITH YOUR VET ABOUT IT!!!