We're Just A Couple Days From Puppies

I can actually feel the puppies! Darby has already filled with milk with just a bit of room, so I know it will be very soon and she'll be having little pups. Both the dogs are in great health. We've been giving them goat milk morning and evening. I'm so worried about the potential problem of milk-fever, so I give usually a calcium gel that all our animals receive after their deliveries. I'm not sure I even need to worry this time. Darby has been the best protector of our does when it comes to feeding and milking. She is the top in "Pecking Order" so she always takes on the role of herding and not letting any of our other dogs there to help. She was taught her role of gentle herding and guarding from our former Queensland "Little."

Baby Darby Home From Arizona

Our Best Friend "Little" Miss Her So Much

Little had the kid goats and lambs as her babies and I'm sad I never gave her the chance to have a litter of her own. She was born with the whitish eyes and so I didn't want to pass that trait on through another line. Little did fine, but she became completely blind at an earlier time in her life and we could tell the light had always bothered her eyes. She did wear sunglasses, but would pull them off to play.

Our dogs are no relation to Little and Darby our red dog is from Eastern Arizona. Duelly is from Fillmore and no relation to Turbo, that big blue that lived near us on Ojai Road. Turbo is Laney's sire and Laney is are smaller blue. She was the runt and of course the little runt is the one my grandchildren fall in love with every time. Her pregnancy has really changed her. She's grown-up and we can't help but laugh at her while she's all spread-out sideways on the grass and suddenly looks at her tummy, like she's growing alien creatures in there and they're having a party.

Both the dogs want me to check their ligaments in the hip area, feel for the milk, and of course pat their sides-down gently to feel for puppies. The puppies are there and they take after their daddy. The happy, energetic... and such an understatement: This dog acts like it's on crack. Duelly:

 Must be the goat milk we give him with Laney and Darby. We love his enthusiasm especially watching the doves dig around him when he's completely tired, then suddenly when Steve arrives his all over after the doves chasing everything. I know he wants to impress Steve that he's been working all day at keeping the critters away. I love our doves and he really comes close to catching them.

Laney

Darby Watching The Ball

 The ball is everyone's favorite and the day Darby delivered her puppies, she went out of her pen for a short break and brought Steve her ball and dropped it at his feet and did a little "cha-cha" to let Steve know she needed some exercise. I can't imagine deliver a whole herd of puppies and then wanting to run like a crazy-dog the same day. She did sleep really well that night.

Duelly Sire in Front of Our Red Darby

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Sorry for the late updates. We were gone and up to see family in Utah that were very ill, but now recovering extremely well. My husband's mother wanted to make this last trip to say goodbye, but it wasn't time and she will be making another trip this fall. I was late taking care of this nagging cough I acquired while I cleaned-out a livestock quarantined pen. "The sick pen" The pen was needing a massive clean-out and I did it on the worst day. I dumped the wheelbarrow into the wind and because the wind was blowing so hard, I took a deep breath and have gotten really sick from the litter that I had inhaled. The Cipro medication didn't even touch it and the only medication now is Levaquin? Anyway, it's for Anthrax?  None of our animals have or had Anthrax, but it's the strongest and lots of side-effects. As in I can't sleep. The new medication is for inhaling very bad bacteria into lungs. So... the Doctor is treating me with very heavy medications that make me sick on top of my not feeling well anyway. I did go to Church today and we're having a birthday party for my husband today. I hope puppies don't come while we're at our son's house celebrating. This is the time to stay close to home.