O m e e k a ' s B a m b i n o s

Charlene Matriculates!

2011-11-13T12:56:00.000-08:00

Charlene from Omeeka's third litter is now in Advanced Training in the Southwest region, she is so cute!

News Flash!!

2011-11-08T07:49:00.000-08:00

Omeeka has traded in her whelping pool for a swimming pool. She is a pup who understands and appreciates the finer things in life. Congratulations Omeeka on a job well done! Five litters and 46 puppies! It was a big day for the C litter Omeeka x Terrence - Carlita and Carlin pause to reflect on their next big adventure. Best of luck in "Professional Training"!
Carlita, aka Senorita Carlita, enjoyed her Howloween costume party!

Pepper, the always cute pup, is fabulous at keeping in touch! As the P litter approaches their first birthday, the three girls (Picabo, Penelope, and Pepper) have all had their first heat cycle.

Olina and Oz from Omeeka's second litter have done their mama proud with their selection as CCI breeders. Pictures to follow!

Nifty, pup from Omeeka's last litter, is almost famous in Illinois - enjoy this clip.

http://www.wandtv.com/category/182814/video-landing-page

Pepper At The Beach

2011-08-27T18:59:00.001-07:00

So happy to hear from puppy raisers from the P litter. Pepper is such a cutie and her towel matches her cape, how cool is that!

Heads or Tails?

2011-08-23T14:17:00.001-07:00

I got to visit with Omeeka's Half "N" Half litter today! They couldn't be cuter or sweeter pups. Some puppy raisers out there are going to be so happy with these little guys. I couldn't decide which is cuter, heads or tails?

Penelope and Pepper Check In

2011-08-15T18:57:00.000-07:00

Penelope and Pepper met up at the SW graduation and sent this photo along to say hello to mama Omeeka and her friends following the blog. Aren't they so cute!!

No Longer Nameless But . . .

2011-08-10T19:00:00.001-07:00

Names arrived via email from CCI this morning, but a word of caution, sometimes, the names get changed before the pup arrives at his / her puppy raiser home. That said, these are some fun names in collar color order :

Red Female Nicolina II (Yellow Puppy)

Blue Female Natasha IV (Yellow Puppy)

Purple Female Nala IV (Yellow Puppy)

Neon Green Male Noel V (Black Puppy)

Neon Pink Male Navajo IV (Yellow Puppy)

Brown Female Neela II (Yellow Puppy)

Light Pink Female Naomi VI (Black Puppy)

Turquoise Male Nifty II (Yellow Puppy)

Orange Male Nada II (Black Puppy)

Dark Green Male Novak III (Black Puppy)

Notice the Roman Numerals after the pup's name, not an original in the bunch! Great expectations for these kids to grow into.

Three Weeks Old, Still Nameless!

2011-08-09T17:29:00.000-07:00

It was so fun to visit with Omeeka and her little "N"s. At three weeks old today, they are out of the whelping pool home and in an xpen enclosure indoors. Soon, they will have an even bigger home in the garage. I think they are very "advanced" for their age as evidenced by:

play behavior

exceptional cradling

exceptional acceptance of nail trimming

very friendly and curious

Their puppy raisers are going to be so lucky!

Next week, outdoor kennel and gruel, what could be better!

Week Two

2011-08-04T11:38:00.001-07:00

We're Two Weeks Old!

The world is becoming a new and exciting place. Eyes are open, we're walking like drunken sailors, and we're getting soooo cute!

This is the week of 2's...2 weeks old, 2 eyes open, 2 lbs. and 2 tough.

Aunt Peggy and Rachel did such a wonderful job of caring for us while Mom was on vacation. We really miss them! Enjoy our pictures...

One Week Old

2011-07-28T14:44:00.000-07:00

I'm lucky to be spending a week with the "N" litter and their mama Omeeka and auntie, Cara. The pups are doing very well, gaining weight, sleeping, nursing, and letting out an occasional scream of dissatisfaction if they are hungry but not eating! They are sweet little pups who are very relaxed and calm most of the time. As usual, mama O is doing a fabulous job caring for her babies!

Omeeka's Half "N" Half's Have Arrived!

2011-07-19T15:47:00.001-07:00

Omeeka's fifth and FINAL whelp started right on schedule at 1:42 a.m. and concluded at 11:00 a.m. Omeeka and her boyfriend, Ross, produced 10 healthy pups. The even mix of boys and girls are yellow, black, and light brown. Mother and babies are resting comfortably and the breeder caretaker and whelper helpers will catch up on their sleep tonight. Oh yeah, aren't they adorable!!

Pepper Checks In

2011-02-23T07:48:00.000-08:00

So fun to get updates and photos from the Sweet Pea's puppy raisers. Here is Pepper at 11 weeks, cute as ever!

It's Really Over . . .

2011-01-26T14:57:00.000-08:00

This has been one of the fastest eight weeks of my life ever!

Cindy will be picking up Omeeka is less than one hour, I will miss her so much. She is a serious girl except when it comes to snuggling or swimming, then she's so ready!

Picabo has made a quick adjustment and slept through the night on her first night home. Yes, I did teach her that.

Good Bye, So Long, Farewell . . .

2011-01-25T13:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday the Sweet Peas started their journey to their new homes. It's a bittersweet event for the breeder caretaker who has become very attached to these little ones but recognizes the need for them to spread their wings and share their poop elsewhere! Good Luck to all and please keep in touch!

Litter Picture - The Real Deal

2011-01-23T10:35:00.001-08:00

Litter Picture - Dry Run

2011-01-21T16:19:00.000-08:00

Cindy will take a litter picture tomorrow . . . she's an awesome photographer! Today we did a little practice. Pups had fun running through the house and then sat nicely for a photo.

Pike's Puzzled

2011-01-20T15:24:00.000-08:00

Beautiful day today!! I found a puppy toy that a fellow breeder caretaker loaned me . . . put it in with the puppies and watched the fun. Pike was especially intrigued by the singing fire truck. Sadly the neighbors gardener was in full swing with a leaf blower so that noise drowns out most of the action in the puppy pen.

Lucky Seven

2011-01-18T14:58:00.000-08:00

Finally, the sun is really shining on the Sweet Peas! Must be due to the Lucky Seven Week Birthday!! Omeeka stepped into the patio puppy suite for some visiting with her youngsters! A good time was had by all.

A Mother And Child Reunion

2011-01-17T19:20:00.000-08:00

Omeeka likes to look at her babies but hasn't been allowed much interaction while her milk supply dries up. That changed tonight as the puppies came out to visit (one at a time) with their mama. A few tried to nurse but most were much more interested in exploring the house and playing with mom. Pedro loves his mama!

The Sun Came Out In Sacramento

2011-01-14T14:02:00.000-08:00

The Sacramento weather has been pretty bleak the past few weeks . . . but today the sun came out. We hurriedly put the puppy pen up and brought the kids outside. They had a great time. Omeeka thought it would be fun to show her babies how to swim - none of the other dogs joined in as the pool temperature is only 41 degrees! Yikes!

Puppy Run

2011-01-13T13:54:00.000-08:00

Six Weeks Young

2011-01-11T15:25:00.001-08:00

Ok, I should have been working on crate training this afternoon. I fell down on the breeder caretaking job briefly. No crate training, 6 week pictures instead. It wasn't an easy task by myself so I resorted to bribery by letting the pups chew my puppy pen slippers. Pike got so tired by the whole thing that he actually fell sound asleep with his head and leg in the slipper. So cute. And, yes, I did let Price bite my finger - anything to get him to look up!! These guys are so cute, we are all going to take a nap now!!

Weighing In!

2011-01-10T12:20:00.001-08:00

No New Year's resolution for the Sweet Peas - at their weekly weigh-in today they tipped the scales between almost 7 to close to 9 pounds!

Pedro (red) 7.15
Pike (blue) 7.5
Patrick (purple) 8.3
Pilgrim (neon green) 8.9
Picabo (neon pink) 7.10
Pepper (brown) 6.15 (yep, she's the smallest - going to take after her mama)
Paco (turquoise) 7.4
Price (orange) 7.2
Penelope (dark green) 7.15

Weaned!!

2011-01-09T12:44:00.000-08:00

Price and Patrick

Picabo

Penelope and Pedro

Omeeka is a happy mama, no more sharp puppy teeth to contend with!! Whooowhooo, the puppies are weaned.

Friends Karen and Kathy stopped by yesterday for a visit and puppy pen inspiration as they are expecting Dawna's second litter in early February. Happily, they confirmed that it's not breeder caretaker bias, the Sweet Peas are an outstanding litter!!

Today brought some changes to the puppy pen, out with the crate and in with the play tube. Pups loved running through it and chewing on the stand. Little do they know that the crate is now in the living room waiting for me to start crate training!! I'm guessing it will be a noisy beginning.

Eat, Play, Sleep

2011-01-06T15:24:00.001-08:00

The Kids Like Kibble

2011-01-05T19:24:00.000-08:00

It was a big day in the puppy pen . . . hard, dry kibble was served up for the first time. Boy, was it ever a big hit with the pups. Sweet Omeeka is not known for her big appetite, so, I'm guessing that these guys are in touch with their labrador retriever side from dad, Camden. And what to do after a big lunch?? Well, a long nap, of course!

NAMES!!

2011-01-04T17:17:00.000-08:00

Pedro - Red

Pike - Blue

Patrick - Purple

Pilgrim - Neon Green

Picabo - Neon Pink

Pepper - Brown

Paco - Turquoise

Price - Orange

Penelope - Dark Green

Sorry Vicki, no Pancake!!

Five Weeks Old And Still Nameless

2011-01-04T15:24:00.000-08:00

The Sweet Peas are FIVE weeks old - time flies! Since the pups are now wearing their "big puppy" collars, they posed for photos with their Christmas goodies! Hopefully these youngsters will be named soon . . .

Remodeling for the New Year!

2010-12-31T12:03:00.001-08:00

The puppy pen expansion is complete and the pups seem to enjoy the new space and the extra play area. The bathroom was also updated with the latest and greatest puppy toileting surface, i.e., wood stove pellets!! Some of the pups are still reluctant to use the pellet potty so we've left the large pooch pad under the toilet area for those more discerning (finicky?) pups.

With all the additional space the pups now have a "toy box" to help keep their space tidy . . . now if only they would pick up when their finished!!

Milestones

2010-12-28T15:38:00.000-08:00

Since they were born 4 weeks ago today, the Sweet Peas have:

opened their eyes and began to see the world around them
gone from belly crawling to standing and now walking on all fours
began to hear sounds and voices
honed their sense of smell
moved from the whelping pool to the puppy pen
learned to toilet without materal assistance
started the weaning process

Now if they only had names . . .

Outta The Whelping Pool

2010-12-24T08:03:00.000-08:00

We had a long night of multiple "pup rescues", i.e., rescuing pups who escaped the whelping pool and subsequently became very lonely for their litter mates. So, as of yesterday morning, the pups are out of the whelping pool and into a small version of the puppy pen. At first, the pups were a little unsure of the new arrangement, but after an hour or so, they figured out their new spaces for playing, sleeping, and toileting. It's amazing to watch such young babies toddle to the pooch pads to toilet. In a day or two I'll introduce the litter box and hopefully they will take to that as well as they have to the new pen.

Three Weeks Old!!

2010-12-21T09:24:00.000-08:00

The still nameless Sweet Peas are three weeks old. They just keep getting cuter every day. They are toddling around the pool, peeking over the sides, and climbing all over each other playing bitey face. I wonder what Santa will bring for them? Maybe a new pen and some new toys!

Skunked!!

2010-12-20T09:06:00.000-08:00

Saturday night, dark, dark, dark, pouring rain - Omeeka ventures out the dog door. Zoom, right back in and she RUNS full speed to the couch in the family room, rolling and rubbing her face all over. Soon we smell why . . . she got skunked on the back patio in the burbs! Oh my! Poor girl had to hop into the tub and have a nice bath with baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish detergent. That mostly did the trick on Omeeka, now what to do for the rest of the house! Pups are good, no stink in the whelping pool!

Fortification

2010-12-16T16:18:00.001-08:00

As the pups start to toddle around the whelping pool I become a little anxious about their eventual "escape". So, today I fortified the pool by enclosing it with an plastic x-pen. I attached a gate that has sliding panels that can be raised and lowered to allow Omeeka to come and go from the puppy room as she pleases. At first she wasn't sure that she wanted any changes in her baby's room but has come to see this new arrangement as a better alternative than having the puppy room door opened and closed for her. She is now the mistress of her own domain - who wouldn't love that!

My friend Connie (also a breeder caretaker) made the gate for me, she is so nice!! Thanks Connie!

Growing and Changing

2010-12-15T16:17:00.000-08:00

The Sweet Peas are growing by leaps and bounds. Every day they seem to expand their horizons just a bit. They are now toddling around the pool on all fours and try to "nurse while standing" when their mom is trying to clean house. It won't be long before the Sweet Peas are ready for a remodel of their current living space . . .

Nice To Meet You Santa . . .

2010-12-14T19:21:00.000-08:00

Fun day for the Sweat Peas - Santa came to visit! Although the Peas' eyes are starting to open and they have started to toddle on all fours, they pretty much slept thru the entire Santa experience. Well, pretty much what you'd expect from two week old pups.

Christmas Carols!!

2010-12-12T10:18:00.001-08:00

The Sweet Peas sang a little holiday tune this morning . . . sounds a little like Jingle Bells to me!!

Sweet Peas - The Video

2010-12-09T16:30:00.001-08:00

Got a new HD Flip Video camera. Oh, boy! The "Peas" are the perfect test subjects with their sweet squeaks and belly crawls.

Sweet Peas At One Week

2010-12-07T16:09:00.000-08:00

Omeeka and pups are doing great. Got down to some serious breeder caretaking today - trimming puppy nails and one week pictures. Here they are!

The Kids Are Alright

2010-12-04T19:11:00.000-08:00

Omeeka and the Sweet "Peas" are doing great. All of the pups are nursing well and gaining weight. This litter is a very quiet and calm group of yellow velvet puppies! Neon Green and Orange are the biggest and littlest respectively. Omeeka has started to leave the pups for short periods of time, even jumping into the freezing swimming pool to retrieve an errant tennis ball. After much drying and fluffing, she was ready to rejoin the pups in the whelping pool. Note to self: check the pool every day for anything "retrievable" . . .

The Sweet "Peas" Have Arrived

2010-12-02T14:03:00.000-08:00

The Sweet "Pea" litter arrived right on schedule, Tuesday November 30, 2010. Mama Omeeka and her nine lab / golden cross puppies are doing great!

There are 6 boys (red, blue, purple, neon green, turquoise and orange); there are 3 girls (neon pink, brown, and dark green). Pups range in size from smallest little boy 10 3/4 ounces to jumbo size boy 17 1/4 ounces.

10 ish

2010-11-25T19:14:00.000-08:00

Looks like another big litter for Omeeka with 10 puppies visible on the x-ray. Hopefully, there weren't any hiding from the x-ray machine! Poor little O is pretty miserable - her big belly is really weighing her down. She can't wait till the babies are here!

PreMatch!

2010-11-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

Bayou from Omeeka's first litter has prematched as a facility dog! Way to go Bayou!

Carlita

2010-10-31T12:02:00.000-07:00

It's been a blast having Carlita for the past week. She is small (weighs only 44 lbs), full of vim and vigor, loves to retrieve, a great swimmer, fearless, fun, and oh yes, very very very CUTE.

It's Official

2010-10-29T20:31:00.000-07:00

That's right, Omeeka's pregnancy has been confirmed!! Little O and her gal pal, Cara, had a date today with Dr. Ruth and her ultrasound machine. There were 5 little pups visible on the ultrasound, now we will wait for the xray to confirm a more exact number. Little O has already started to grow even though she's not eating all that much!! It was nice to have a quick visit with her while Carlita is here visiting. From left to right, Omeeka, Cara, and Carlita (aka red collar girl). Exciting times ahead.

Omeeka and Camden

2010-10-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right, Omeeka has been bred to the big yellow lab known as Camden. Most likely she has puppies on board and will whelp them on November 30! Wooowhooo! Omeeka's good buddy Cara (aka Caro) is also due on November 30th. Could be a very busy day. Stay tuned!

Omeeka's Visiting

2010-08-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

Sweet Little "O" is visiting for a couple of days. She is having so much fun swimming, sleeping on our bed, and romping with the other dogs. We had a great time with her at a breeder caretaker friend's open house yesterday. She had a really fun time before she "tuckered out". Looking forward her to next litter, maybe in late November or early December.

Grandma Chandra

2010-08-05T17:46:00.000-07:00

Omeeka's mom, Chandra, aka Shawn is visiting for a few days. She is really enjoying her retirement!! You can see where Omeeka gets her love of the water . . .

Carlin Checks In

2010-08-04T21:51:00.000-07:00

Got an email update with some photos of CARLIN! Fun to keep in touch. Poor boy had a broken toe but is now recovered. His puppy raiser has a blog for anyone who wants to follow Carlin's adventures, check out http://www.handonpaw.blogspot.com/

Happy Birthday "O" Litter

2010-07-20T16:00:00.001-07:00

Omeeka is visiting with her daughter Olina and her best gal pal, Cara. What a difference a year makes! Omeeka is having a great time swimming and jumping and jumping and swimming. Olina doesn't share her mother's zest for the swimming pool, but she entertains herself by stealing the pool toys and making a run for it! Happy Birthday O's!

Cyrus Checks In

2010-07-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

It was so nice to get the following update from Cyrus' puppy raiser!

"He is coming along great and is very smart! I don't want to jinx myself but I believe he is already potty trained."

And oh boy, he is a cutie!

My Bad

2010-07-11T11:17:00.001-07:00

Hi to Carlin's puppy raiser - just saw your comment - I didn't notice it before. I would love to see pictures of Carlin and have checked out your blog. You can contact me at omeekacci@gmail.com

Thanks, look forward to hearing about Carlin!!

Carlita is a CUTIE!

2010-07-11T10:55:00.000-07:00

Carlita is spending the weekend with us while her puppy raisers enjoy a weekend out of town. She is a spunky, smart, fearless girl! She has been enjoying playing with Naisen and jumping into the swimming pool. Of course, no puppy visit is complete without the butt tuck puppy run and Carlita is great at that maneuver! It is so much fun to see her again. A few quick facts: Carlita weighs 23 lbs, sleeps great through the night in her crate, still on the probiotic study scoring all "4"s for those in the "know", and she is doing well with her commands sit, down, let's go, speak, kennel, and dress. So, besides her good looks, she is smart and charming and has won my heart all over again!

Cameron Is Too Cute!

2010-06-14T20:25:00.001-07:00

Got an update from Cameron's PR today, how fun is that!

She reports that Cameron is doing very well with housebreaking, even running to the back door to ring the "I need to poop" bell hanging on the door. What a champ. Unlike his sister Carlita who has had a few barking issues, Cameron is a quiet little guy who enjoys his new family, human and canine.

Off To A Great Start

2010-06-05T11:33:00.000-07:00

I've heard from several of the puppy raisers for the "C" pups and it sounds like they are all off to a great start. It's so nice to see pictures of your pups growing and settling into the new phase of their lives. A big treat for me was seeing Carlita at puppy class this morning and meeting her puppy raisers. As the picture shows, Carlita is as cute as ever!! She remembered her breeder caretaker and rewarded me with some sweet puppy love.

With eight pups, four of the CCI regions received two Omeeka x Terence puppies:

Northwest - Carlita and Carlin

Southwest - Charlene and Cheri

North Central - Cameron and Carter

South East - Costello and Cyrus

Take good care everyone!!

So Sad To Say Goodbye

2010-05-24T20:46:00.000-07:00

Best of luck and life to the "C" babies! My hope for each one of you is a happy well loved life, wherever that takes you.

Litter Picture - The Real Deal

2010-05-23T20:03:00.000-07:00

Friday and Saturday were litter picture practice and litter picture days! Woowhoooo, the "C" litter has been photographed to the hilt. Enjoy!

Litter Picture Practice

2010-05-21T20:15:00.000-07:00

As they say practice makes perfect, so in anticipation of Cindy's visit tomorrow the "C" litter and I did some litter picture practice. And yep, oops, that was Jay rolling off the sidewalk into the swimming pool, wheelchair and all. The pups did great, but it is a very challenging task to tire them out, dress them up, pose them, and shoot. So happy that they are so cute, makes the picture taking fun rather than work.

The Morning Rush

2010-05-20T13:14:00.000-07:00

The "C" litter pups have the BIGGEST energy blast in the morning. Their typical day entails an early breakfast - 5:30 a.m. ish, followed by a bit of play in the house. Then it's nap time again until about 8:30 a.m. Nap is followed by outside playtime -wooowhooo, the pups love to run around in the big patio pen. I think of it as the "morning rush", way different from when I used to rush to work in the morning and lots better!

Playtime Photo Op

2010-05-18T15:27:00.001-07:00

Seven Weeks Old

2010-05-17T16:27:00.001-07:00

Just one more week till pups go out to their puppy raisers, sad for me, happy for PR!

As I move the pups from the inside pen to the outside pen I can really feel the weight gain, whew, these little guys and gals are getting heavy. It's just 4:30 p.m. and they have already eaten 15 cups of puppy kibble with a light supper still ahead.

Carlin (aka George Carlin aka Neon Pink) follows in the pawsteps of his half sibling, Olina (also Neon Pink). Both learned very early how to climb up on the puppy pen chair. It's very cute to watch him put his paws up, leverage his little puppy head against the chair up and voila, up on the chair. Carlin loves to taunt the other pups with his superior prowness!! Too cute. Oh, and yes, the chair must come out of the pen when I do!!

Crate Training

2010-05-16T15:02:00.000-07:00

Whew! Crate training got off to a bit of a bumpy start. Some of the pups howled as if their life was over - I was literally sweating it out in the kitchen waiting for the 5 minutes to be up. Other pups were thrilled with the chewy treat in the crate and really didn't want to come out at all!

After each group of pups came out of the crate we romped down the long hallway in my house playing chase the breeder caretaker. The pups thought it was a fabulous game. I'm hoping that the next crate training session will be a little quieter than today!

It's The Thought That Counts

2010-05-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

The pups will be seven weeks old on Monday, their time here has been a whirlwind. Currently, the favored activity is chewing on each other and playing in the litter box, oh my! That said, they are a sweet, affectionate, cuddly, happy. and chewy group of pups.

Yesterday was a big day for pups and me. My good friend was turning in her puppy for advanced training and I wanted to be there to see the pup off and support my friend. But, what to do about the pups? Kelly and Vito to the rescue. They came over and moved the pups from the inside pen to the outside pen, served lunch, and cleaned the toilet. How great was that! Jay took over from there with a little poop clean up help from our neighbor.

Stuck in traffic on the way home, I called to check on things. All was well. Jay said that the pups were having dinner and he wanted to know if he needed to "observe" the poop! Funny, yes. But, not as funny when you know the "behind the question" story. I've been collecting poop samples so the pups can be a part of a CCI probiotic study. Fortunately I had finished all the poop "observation" before I left home. As they saying goes, it's the thought that counts!

Six Weeks Young

2010-05-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

Time is flying by . . . The "C" litter is six weeks young. They are thriving - loving the outdoors and enjoying the "BIG" pen. They are great sleepers, eaters, players, and of course, poopers. Yeah for wood stove pellets!

The Great Outdoors

2010-05-07T14:22:00.000-07:00

The "C" pups are enjoying the beautiful weather and like me, they are thrilled that the wind finally stopped!!

Going, Going, Gone

2010-05-05T13:40:00.001-07:00

Friends and Neighbors

2010-05-01T18:54:00.000-07:00

Costello Snoozes In His Big Boy Collar

Cameron Sleeps With His Tongue Sticking Out Of His Mouth

Pan o' Kibble

The "C" pups had a big day today:

Hard kibble (YUM!)
Neighbors and friends visiting (Fun!)
Home remodeling / expansion (Party!)

The indoor puppy pen was expanded and the bathroom was remodeled, i.e., no longer any need for pooch pads at the bottom of the toilet! Work was also started on the outdoor puppy pen but didn't quite get finished with that - tomorrow we'll finish up.

The pups enjoyed a mid morning snack of puppy kibble - straight from the bag and tried out a pan of fresh water. It was fun to watch their surprise! They also enjoyed several visitors who were very fun to play with. All in all, another good day.

One Month Old!!

2010-04-29T11:27:00.000-07:00

The "C" litter is one month old today - they have done some serious growing over the past 4 plus weeks. At weigh in today, Cyrus (blue collar) weighed 6.1 lbs and the smallest pup, Carlin (neon pink) weighed 5.5 lbs. Most of the others weigh in around 5.10 lbs. Good eaters make strong puppers! The "C"s are a bit too young for Frosty Paws so they settled on some well soaked kibble to celebrate the big one month milestone. They seem to enjoy the kibble as much or more than the baby gruel. Wooohooo!

Kibble and Bits

2010-04-28T21:43:00.000-07:00

The "C" pups love their mom. Mom loves to spend time with her pups, especially when they are full!

A couple of CUTE black puppies, who are these two? Your guess is as good as mine!

Carlita loves to sleep in the crate.

Cameron got soooooooo tired playing with his toys, he fell asleep right on top of them!

Omeeka and the pups continue to blossom everyday, in spite of our cold and wet April. These dang showers better bring flowers! Omeeka is itching to get back into the swim of things.

Pups have moved up to litter boxes lightly filled with wood stove pellets (thanks Karen and Kathy - I will return the favor!). We started the litter training process with easy to walk on pooch pads, voila, pups took to those almost instantly. Today, I added a layer of the pellets, not so fast said the pups. Initially, they really didn't care for the feel of the pellets under their little paws but after spending a couple of hours with them throughout the day, things are going much better in the pellet toileting department. In fact, as I returned to the pen with their last meal for the evening, I was pleased to find a couple of piles of poop in the litter box. Ahhh, this must be a "you know you are a breeder caretaker moment" when you are pleased about poop piles.

Pups continue to take to the weaning process. Today I soaked kibble and added it to the gruel, yum yum! The pups seemed to like the kibble more than the gruel - good to the last drop! This new food development is sure to add to their continued growth - weigh in day tomorrow!

Every Picture Tells A Story

2010-04-26T09:50:00.001-07:00

Gruel - um, um, good!

Movin' On Up

2010-04-24T13:55:00.000-07:00

Carlita, Cyrus, Charlene, Carlin, Costello, Cheri, Cameron, and Carter have a new puppy pen. After a week or so of playing on the linoleum and then returning to the security of their puppy pool, the "C"s were ready for more space. They are doing very well in their new surroundings and have their sea legs (or should it be "C" legs??) on the slippery surface.

Today the pups had some visitors. My good friend brought her almost 13 year old granddaughter, Alex, to visit the pups. Alex and Carter fell in love . . . Alex has a bit of history with CCI dogs after spending time with facility dogs Hazel and Millie while she was in treatment for cancer. Thankfully, Alex is fully recovered now and gets to enjoy CCI, the early years.

Hump Day

2010-04-21T21:33:00.001-07:00

Yep, hump day for the working folks, for us retirees, just another Wednesday with the puppies. Watching, cleaning, laundry, toe nails, floor time in the big pen!

The pups are really starting to act like "big pups". They are toddling over to pooch pads to pee and poop, barking and biting at / on each other, and playing with toys! When I sit on the floor of the pen they like to crawl on my lap, occasionally falling asleep there and melting my heart.

The cold wet weather has put a damper on Omeeka's swim time, here's hoping tomorrow will bring back some sun and fun for little "O".

New Digs

2010-04-19T17:28:00.000-07:00

At three weeks old today, the C pups could be called "the almost ready for prime time pups" . . . Today I rearranged the "puppy room" to serve as a puppy pen for the next 5 weeks. Took out the bed (human that is!) and set up the plastic xpens. All of the pups got some floor time today while I sat with them and watched their exploration. They all did great but were pretty happy to return to the familiarity of the puppy pool. Last night they were peeking over the edges of the pool with their front paws and chins resting on the edge of the pool - I expect they will soon outgrow the pool.

Puppies Take A Stand

2010-04-18T14:25:00.000-07:00

Although she is a terrific momma dog, Omeeka sometimes wants to rush through her materal responsibilities. Fortunately, the puppies have adjusted and have learned to nurse while standing. Other developmental milestones include new and improved voacalizations, i.e., real barking and the always fun game of bite your sibling's face. Looking forward to another fun week with the pups!

"C" Litter Have Names!!

2010-04-16T17:30:00.000-07:00

CCI sent the "C" litter names today, and wooowhoo, they are good ones:

Red - Female - Carlita

Blue - Male - Cyrus

Purple - Female - Charlene

Neon Green - Male - Costello

Neon Pink - Male - Carlin

Brown - Female - Cheri

Light Pink - Male - Cameron

Turquoise - Male - Carter

Pupupdate - Day 17

2010-04-14T16:07:00.000-07:00

At just over two weeks old, the "C" pups are a mere ounce away from the three pound mark. They have graduated to a full fledged walk rather than the neonate puppy scoot as they move around the puppy pool. Omeeka gets their full attention now whenever she enters the puppy room. They are instantly aware of her and greet her with shrieks of joy and excitement. (Translation, mama where have you been, we are starving!) In honor of their advancing age and size the pups have started to wear their new puppy jewelry, i.e., cat collars in the appropriate color. It is so fun to watch them change and grow every day.

C Pups Enter Transition Period

2010-04-11T18:53:00.000-07:00

The transition period (from neonate to PUPPY!) is from 13 to 20 days and is marked by a number of physical changes. At the beginning, the puppies eyes will start to open - on average around day 13. While their eyes react to light, the retina is still undeveloped and the puppy is unable to see objects or movement until around 21 days. The puppies are now crawling backward and forward and have begun to stand on wobbly legs. Their first teeth will erupt later this week, around day 20. Tail wagging will begin during this period indicating that tail wagging is not reliant upon seeing or hearing since the pups cannot see or hear yet. Pups begin to react to sound on average at day 19 when they startle to sounds but cannot usually locate the source. Another big week in store for the C litter.

YES, we are . . .

2010-04-10T16:01:00.000-07:00

Barack said YES we can, the C's say, YES we are.

YES, we are getting big.

YES, we are starting to open our eyes.

YES, we are happy to have visitors like Kathy and Karen who think we are very very cute.

YES, we are almost ready for cat collars.

YES, we are working toward pound number 3.

YES, we are very loud when we are hungry.

YES, we are ready and patiently waiting for our names.

Two Pounders!

2010-04-07T22:44:00.001-07:00

Yep, that's right, most of the pups are two pounds or better. They are growing like weeds and getting cuter every day. Notice in the new pictures, puppies ears are starting to look more like ears and less like antennas! Now that's progress.

One Week Old!

2010-04-05T21:03:00.000-07:00

Just one week ago the pups were making their way into the world. Time flies by and pups are growing by leaps and bounds. Their collective weight at birth was 8.15 pounds and at tonight's weigh in their collective weight is 13.5 pounds, wow, 5 pounds in a week, must be good mama's milk.

Omeeka is enjoying some time away from the babies but still spends the majority of her time with them. She is sweet and patient with their nursing and climbing all over her. With today's blue skies "O" decided to take a break from motherhood and take a quick dip in the pool. Since she was standing on the steps and already pretty wet, I threw a tennis ball for her. In her own indomitable style she got out of the pool, ran to the other side, and LEAPED through the air to get the ball. What a girl!

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T14:28:00.000-07:00

The "C" litter is enjoying their first Easter sleeping, eating, and GROWING! Omeeka is now enjoying some brief time away from the pups and yes, she did go into the pool yesterday in spite of the freezing weather. All in well in "C" land!

Mamamamamama - we're starving!!

2010-04-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

Tiny Toe Nails

2010-04-01T14:09:00.000-07:00

Day three - time to work on all of those toe nails. Eight puppies x 4 paws x 5 nails per paw = better stay on top of this job! I noticed how quiet and settled the pups get when they go into the "pup incubator" or hold box as the manual calls it. So, I decided try to use this to my advantage. I put the heating pad on my lap and covered it with the fleece from the hold box and then picked up each pup in turn. The heated fleece worked like a charm - each pup settled in on my lap with hardly a wiggle as I trimmed their nails. I sure hope this trick will continue to work!

All of the pups are over one pound now and seem to be gaining an ounce or more per day. Omeeka continues to be a devoted mom but for the first time since the pups were born, she got up for a potty break without my coaxing. What a good girl. She's eating well and seems very comfortable with her new babies. Well, ok, she did one short lap in the pool today - I'm thinking it was a vanity lap, she just wanted to tidy up a bit.

Day Two

2010-03-31T16:47:00.000-07:00

Mom and pups are doing well. If you look closely, you will see that I am a little behind in the nail clipping department! And yes, it's true, black puppies are difficult to photograph and even to count in the whelping pool!

Omeeka, Octomom

2010-03-30T11:36:00.000-07:00

Omeeka's pups arrived last night, five male and three female black lab / golden retriever cross. Omeeka is so happy to have these BIG puppies in the whelping pool rather than her belly. She even has room to eat and is chowing down this morning. All the puppies are strong and nursing well. Lucky for me, once again, Omeeka's pups are on the quiet side, only crying if they are not close enough to mom!

Still Waiting For Puppies

2010-03-28T12:06:00.000-07:00

Ok, they aren't even due until tomorrow . . . Omeeka prefers to wait in the pool, ok as long as she doesn't jump in, so far, so good.

Stuck

2010-03-26T16:44:00.000-07:00

Omeeka is "Stuck" in the house, longingly watching the pool on the other side of the door. Soon Omeeka! You will be able to frolic in the pool.

Tick Tock Tick Tock Tick Tock Tick Tock

2010-03-25T11:31:00.000-07:00

Everything is ready, linoleum is on the floor, whelping pool is clean, newspapers are unfolded and ready to line the pool, and best of all, Cindy is almost home. Once she arrives and gets some rest, Omeeka can get the puppies out!

Omeeka follows me everywhere I go in the house and backyard. She has lost her appetite, I think because her belly is fully of babies! When she does squeeze in some food, it is always followed by some BIG burps. Maybe she has heartburn?? Hard to say.

Jay has turned on the pool's solar heat so when little O is ready to swim, the water won't be too cold. Oh, yep, she's already been in the pool, but so far we've been able to keep her from diving in. We let her swim for a minute or two and then dry her off. She would like to do more but is a good sport about getting out.

Omeeka is such a nice girl, we love to have her here.

Eight Is Enough

2010-03-22T20:56:00.000-07:00

That's right, the x-ray confirms that Omeeka has at least eight black puppies on board and according to Mo they are bigguns! Poor "Little O" can't catch a break. The count down has officially begun. Six more days till the puppies arrive.

Omeeka, Oops I Mean Olina Is Visiting

2010-03-06T10:53:00.000-08:00

Yes, little Olina (Zorba x Omeeka - July 2009) is a mini me of her mom Omeeka. We are enjoying a visit with her while mom Cindy is traveling the world! Omeeka is hanging out with mom Valle and buddy Cara. X-ray will be March 22nd, 6:00 p.m.

Pups On Board

2010-02-26T15:38:00.000-08:00

Today's ultrasound confirmed that both Omeeka and her good buddy Cara are indeed pregnant! It was fun to see the images on the ultrasound machine and both girls seemed to enjoy the tummy up position and belly rubs. Seems quite likely that little "O" will again have a good size litter. When the xray is done on March 22 we will have a better idea of how many little black puppies to expect on whelping day.

After the ultrasound, we loaded the girls back into the car and headed over to pick up the puppy supplies that included whelping drugs, x-pens, crates, various newborn supplies, and a couple of hundred pounds of dog food. Although the girls had to share limited sleeping space on the drive back to Sacramento, Cara was more than happy to give Omeeka more space as long as she could rest her head on the bags of dog food!

Hunting and Gathering

2010-02-18T16:12:00.000-08:00

With my boy Yorba off to canine college (or bootcamp depending on your perspective!) I'm getting into puppy mode. One of my breeder caretaker buddies generously loaned me a really cool gate to use in the puppy pen. The wooden gate will attach to the plastic x-pens and has slats that can be raised and lowered to accomodate Omeeka's comings and goings while insuring that the pups can't escape. I'm pretty sure my friend could make and sell these great gates. She says no time, she's too busy being a breeder caretaker!

Same BC friend has an awesome Little Tykes Rock and Ride plastic airplane that her puppies love to play on. I've been scouring the internet in hopes of finding one. Last night I had high hopes when I emailed an online vintage toy shop that had the airplane displayed on their website. My hopes were dashed this morning; the plane had already been sold.

Bummer.

On the upside, I found another cool looking Little Tykes toy tugboat and by waiting until the last 30 seconds of the online Ebay auction I was the winning bidder. Yes, it will cost more to ship the tugboat that it cost to buy it, but I think the puppies will really enjoy climbing, chewing, and sleeping in it. I can't wait for them to be here. . .

Terence

2010-02-10T09:24:00.000-08:00

It's a small CCI world . . .

Yesterday at lunch with some CCI friends and CCI pups, a woman approached our table and asked if any of the pups might happen to be from her friend's male breeder, Terence? Wow! None of the pups were Terence pups, but I was excited to learn that his BC was on Facebook. A few mouse clicks later, voila, I was able to connect with Terence and his BC. I have to say, I love the internet!

Here's the scoop on the handsome Terence:

Terence is a joyful, smart, energetic lovebug of a fellow (editorial comment: yeah, who wouldn't be with his job!). He has a big blocky head (editorial comment: should be interesting to see whether the blocky head or long slender nose win out) and incredible eye contact. His daddy is the famous Bobby and like his grandfather, Hanford, he only throws black puppies. Terence's BC was also the BC for Terence's mom, Litney and his grandmother, Keely.

Terence's BC provided the photos above of baby Terence and grownup Terence. She has every reason to be proud of her boy, he is a handsome fellow!

Almost Home

2010-02-04T11:08:00.000-08:00

Just heard that Omeeka and her gal pal Cara are on their way home from Santa Rosa. I'm sure they will be happy to be home. Next up, the girls will have their ultrasound at the end of February to confirm pregnancy.

Call It A Hunch

2010-01-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

It's a big day for Omeeka! She has a date with Terrence the Black Lab today. With Terrence in mind, my hunch is that an Omeeka pup with a black lab sire might look something like this:

Yes, that is my very own boy, Yorba, the lab golden cross from Ember x OMSI. Yes, that's right OMSI, little O's big brother. All grown up now, Yorba has a long narrow face just like Omeeka.

With Yorba going off to CCI college on Feb 12 AND if all goes as planned, I will be ready for Omeeka and her pups in late March.

Stay tuned for breaking news as it occurs!

Tis The Season For Omeeka

2010-01-18T15:43:00.000-08:00

Sweet Omeeka has gone into heat. Soon she'll be on her way to Santa Rosa to meet her new beau. If all goes as anticipated puppies may arrive in late March! Woooooooooowhooooooooooo! It's been nice for little "O" to have a bit of a puppy break, she is one hard working mama.

Ten Gorgeous Goldens!

2009-09-06T18:01:00.001-07:00

Cindy captured the fabulous litter picture with a little help from her friends!!

We are enjoying our final day with the wonderful O litter. Tomorrw Cindy and Valle will pick up Omeeka and her pups for their final week before they start their adventure at the NW Puppy Park on September 14th. It will be a very busy day for Cindy and Valle as they are turning in Caro's L litter before picking up Omeeka, the O pups, and Vito. Whew! As the O's head out, it is bittersweet. Omeeka and her puppies have been a joy to have for the past few weeks, but as the pups grow up, their need for nurturing and one on one attention becomes more challenging, not to mention that the poop from 10 pups can be daunting!

Adventures In "O" Land

2009-09-04T19:02:00.000-07:00

The "O"s are soon off to new adventures but for today they had a great time playing outside. Olina showed her sister Onora how to climb onto a chair. They were so proud! Otto enjoyed carrying around his toys. We let some of the pups play on the grass today, one at a time and closely supervised. They really enjoyed playing on the grass and walking in the dirt. No time for pictures of that big adventure as the pups are way too young to learn to swim with the big dogs!

O's On The Move

2009-08-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

Otto, Ohana, Orin, Oz, Oma, Olina, Ossa, Omar, Onora, and Osirus are enjoying the cool weather this morning out on the patio. Yesterday, they were disappointed when the mercury topped the century mark and they had to move inside to their smaller but cooler puppy pen. All are doing well with only some minor tummy upsets as they get used to life without their mother's milk. Omeeka has done a fantastic job with her puppies and now she gets some down time before she starts litter number three. Six weeks old tomorrow, the time has flown by!

Playing Outside

2009-08-26T15:10:00.001-07:00

The "O" litter enjoyed some quality play time this morning in their new pen on the patio.

Five Weeks Old

2009-08-24T19:15:00.000-07:00

Time is flying by . . .

Weaning is well underway and the pups have taken to kibble, as long as it isn't too crunchy! They are good eaters and their roly poly tummies tell the story. After they eat, they quickly fall asleep and dream about their next meal. Sometimes, not making it far from the pan o' kibble.

The "O" litter is five weeks old today, and to celebrate the occasion, the "O"s ventured outdoors to the puppy pen on the patio. A bit tentative at first, they soon enjoyed the extra space to explore and run. After a couple of hours, the pups moved back inside as it was beginning to get quite warm. They were exhausted from the fresh air and took a really long nap! As they slept, my neighbor called to say she had looked out her window to see if the pups were in the pen. No pups, but she saw a RAT running across the backyard. YIKES! We live quite near a creek and ocassionally see a roof rat crossing the backyard on a telephone wire, but never on the ground. Makes you wonder what kind of crazy rat would run through a yard where SIX dogs and TEN puppies play!