Zaras List

Oct. 28, 2007

Momma Muffin & the Mini Muffins

This litter is alive today because of the great networking between several rescues and a very courageous woman who was willing to brave the fires as she drove south into unknown terrain and battled what could be a very long trip with road closures and possible fires all around... Gratefully she made it safely with everyone and headed back home to continue the great work she does with others in Central CA.

Once more we received an email from a friend who was trying to help save 2 Moms and pups out of a shelter. The pleas come daily and sometimes we have to say no. We were almost there with these 2 litters. We had just posted a plea on the website about wanting to help another litter of pups when we received an email from a former adopter offering to foster. As it turned we had a foster for the posted litter but then we had these 2 new ones that we were trying to save and so we told them the situation and their response? "Bring 'em on!"

Not only were we thrilled that we had a new foster but this was one of our all-time favorite adopters. We love all of our adopters but these two were something special. You knew it the minute you met them. You knew it in the way they talked about their four legged "kids" as their children. You knew it in how passionate they were about animals. All of us knew that our pup was in good hands when she walked out the door with this family. And now over a year later, they're back. But this time, they're on the other side. They'll be meeting possible adopters in 2 months and they'll be smiling and giving that knowing look as an adopter walks out with one of the Mini Muffins..."

28 Oct 2007

We are all settled in here tonight. We have been calling the mommy "Muffin," the boys are "Blackberry, Blueberry and Raspberry (or Razz)" and the girls are "Apricot, Coconut (Coco), Poppyseed (Poppy) and Cornbread (well, she's Cornbread because she is a bit on the pudgy side...!) We almost went with Lucky number Seven - calling her Lucky and the others Ace, Joker, Jack, Queenie, etc. But she doesn't seem to like "Lucky" that much! Feel free, naturally, to call them whatever you want!!

Poor Muffin had a "blowout" in the car from nerves or the worm problem. I think we made it two exits down the freeway. We pulled into a general store parking lot, let her run around a bit, cleaned her up and just wrapped up the blanket in the back seat into a garbage bag and voila! We were on our way again. After that, she snuggled in and just took a snooze right behind us all the way there. She is a DOLL. We are in grave danger of falling unbelievably in love with her! She has already become comfortable with Jeff and I (we may just have good treats) and she and the pups are enjoying their new habitat. We are building a large pen in the garage tomorrow, but for now the whelping box and the portable pen are doing great. She's eaten her cottage cheese/food bowl, gone outside, played a bit and is now snoozing during the third puppy feeding since we arrived.

The puppies are great. Naturally, I am a nervous wreck tonight waiting to see how they will do but I think we will all settle into a routine very soon. As soon as she is dewormed we will have her hanging out with the rest of the crazy crew in here.

Nov. 2, 2007

Here are some updated photos of Muffin and the Mini's. Rachael came up with the names for all the pups.

The 3 boys are Blackberry, Blueberry, and Raspberry.

The 4 girls are Apricot, Coconut, Poppy, and Cornbread (the fattest one).

Momma is doing great. She's very much a Queensland Heeler. She acts like one too. She's very sweet. She's obedient, and she doesn't take any (bleep) from the other dogs. She's comfortable with all women, but she's suspicious of men. She likes me, but I had to win her over with treats. She gets along with our dogs, as long as the dogs aren't near the puppies, and as long as they don't get too pushy with her. She loves hanging out with people. If Rachael and I interrupt her nursing the pups, she'll stop nursing just to get some attention. So now we have to sit and wait for her to finish with the pups if we happen to see her nursing. We've been spending a lot of time out in the garage with the Momma and the pups.

On Halloween we had so many Trick-or-Treaters that we sat outside to pass out candy. Muffin sat with us. She did great with all the people and the costumes, until a group of excited, screaming, youngsters came running up the driveway. Muffin barked at them, and gave them a bit of a "Happy Halloween" scare. For such a small dog, she has a big dog bark. She was OK after that. She's going to be a "once in a lifetime" dog for someone, and that someone will talk about her for the rest of their life. She's that good.

Anyway, here are the photos...

-Jeff (and Rachael)

Week 3 update:

Nov. 16, 2007

Momma Muffin and her mini muffins are doing great. They're getting really big. They love people. As soon as they see us they come running over to say hello. The pups are going to grow up to be large dogs. We still are undecided as to the breed/mix of the unknown father, but both Rachael and I have decided that whatever he was he was big. Muffin is medium sized, maybe 40 pounds. The pups were 3 weeks old when these photos were taken. I would guess that they weigh between 8 and 12 pounds each, and they're getting bigger every day. They started eating mush this week. Their teeth are coming in and Muffin has become less interested in feeding them. It probably hurts. So we have begun the weaning process. These little suckers really can put away the food. Cornbread, Blackberry, and Poppy are the largest. Then Poppy, Apricot, and Blueberry. Raspberry (Razzle) and Coconut are the smallest.

Coconut (white faced female) and Razzle (tan male) are the ones that fell asleep in the food dish (see photos). They're all very cute and Muffin is making herself at home (see photo of Muffin lounging on the couch).

The pups will be 4 weeks old on Saturday Nov. 17th, 2007, and we're going to take more photos then.

-Jeff and Rachael.

Nov. 29, 2007

The pups are doing great. We tried to take individual photos, but they are too energetic. So Rachael took a video. We let the pups in the house, and madness ensued. It's a pretty cute and funny little clip. I tried to attach it to this email. But it's just a bit too large. I'll try posting it on youtube, then I'll send you the link.

The pups will be 6 weeks old this Saturday. Here are a few pictures. Most of the photos are of them eating or sleeping. They just don't sit still any other time. They all have great characteristics. They love people. They always come to us if we make some fun noises. They are inquisitive. Sudden noises only seem to startle them when they are asleep. They're starting to play with toys - balls, blankets, papers, towels, socks, you name it, they'll play with it. I took a photo of one of their final official nursing sessions. It looks like a pile of dogs on poor Muffin. She's just covered with them. We compared the photo with one of the first nursing photos we took, and there's quite a difference.

Muffin is doing fine. She really craves her attention. She paws you so that you'll pet her, and she can't seem to get enough petting. Over Thanksgiving, we had a house full of people. Muffin did fine, except for a few serious barking events. She is great with all women, and all kids, boys and girls. She's really suspicious of men. She gets especially fired up if the males are carrying anything. My Dad was carrying things out into the garage (where the puppies are) and Muffin went after him. She barked at him when she first met him, too Later she was fine, and she let him pet her. But she really didn't like him carrying things around or near her pups. I know the mom-puppy relationship complicates things a bit, and momma dogs can be really protective. Strange men carrying things seems to be her trigger.

The boys in the neighborhood where playing outside while I was cleaning out the garage. I turned around to look for her, and she was sitting on the side walk at the end of the driveway getting some well deserved petting from the two 10 year old boys. She let them handle her pups, too. Our friends' 3 year old daughter and 5 year old son pet her and the pups. All the ladies were fine too. But not any of the men, except me. She did bark at me once when I was wearing sunglasses. When she realized it was me she rolled over with shame, as if saying she was sorry. We've made up since then.

The weight classes have changed a bit for the pups, and so have their colors. They're all a little bit different colored. Poppyseed is the lead heavyweight. She's the most advanced pup. Blueberry is also in the heavyweight division. His color is changing. He used to be more gray (or blue) but now he's getting lighter (in color). Blackberry, Cornbread, Apricot, and Razzle are the middle weights. Blackberry used to be almost entirely black. He is getting lighter, like german shepherd pups do. Razzle used to be gray. Now he's more blonde and he looks like a yellow lab. Little Coconut is the only pup in the light weight division. Coconut is surprisingly advanced. She chases the ball, carries socks, and she's the first one to come running to see the people. They're all very sweet pups. Poppyseed paws us for attention just like her Momma.

-Jeff and Rachael

Dec. 16, 2007

Here are some 8 week old photos we took. We tried to put a little Santa hat on the pups. Some were haven't it, others didn't mind too much. The photos are cute though.

The pups are starting to take on a little bit of Lab characteristics. They'll lick your face off if they could. Razzle, Cornbread, and Coconut have strong Lab looks. They're still very large, probably close to 20 pounds. I have a hard time holding them now. Their colors seem to be changing weekly. When they were younger they were darker. Then they all lightened up, now some of them are getting darker again. I think their ears are going to stick up just like their momma's ears.

Here are the bio blurbs: All of the pups love people. They have been so much fun, and we love them all. They're all smart and very cute. Anyone of them would love to lick your face off for Christmas.

The boys:
Blackberry - Playful, energetic, needs a job.
Blueberry - Sweet, playful, wonderful
Raspberry - Independent, inquisitive

The girls:
Poppyseed - Large and in charge, the first to do everything
Cornbread - Even keeled, very sweet.
Coconut - First to come to the people, very playful, and outgoing.
Apricot - Sweet and a bit shy.

Poppy and Blueberry are the largest now. Then Cornbread, Razzle and Blackberry. Apricot and Coconut are the smallest. But they are all larger then our 70 pound Shep/lab mix was when she was 8 weeks old.

That's all for now. They are due to be altered.

All of the pups watch TV. It's pretty comical. They like animal planet. They bark at the TV sometimes too. Too funny.

-Jeff

April 17, 2008

Rachael and I still have Apricot, the shy one who wouldn't come out during the adoption event. She's still a little shy, but she's getting better.

My sister, Anne, adopted Coconut. I've included a couple of photos of Coconut and Apricot at 6 months old. Apricot is turning into a little water doggy. Are any of the rest of the pups water dogs? I never thought Apricot's ears were going to stick up. She always had floppy ears. About 2 weeks ago they just stood up, and now they stick up all the time. It's a good look for her.

We still have Muffin. She's a wonderful dog, but we can't keep her. She needs a good home. She's great with kids, but she can be a little selective over the adults she likes. She either loves you or she does not. It's a pretty common Queensland Heeler trait. Muffin is also very playful, well behaved, and she gets along great with other dogs. Anyone know of a good home for your puppy's Momma?

-Jeff