Puppy Journal: Star Log 2011-05-12

Day One of our Captivity in a new and uncharted land.

Veni, Vidi, Vici. Momma told us that meant “I came, I saw, I conquered.”

Oddly enough, the Latin dictionary has no equivalent to:

Veni, Vidi, “I pooped.”

But that is basically how our crew have conquered this new land of NW Austin.

To those tracking our progress, we are all doing well, largely due the wonderful care our former hostess Jean bestowed.

Some reports from the troops:

Mr Light Blue, aka Crackers: Some say I like to sleep a lot. I say it's all about storing up my energy. Once I'm awake, I like to let EVERYONE know I want out of the crate, and I want out of the Ex-Pen, and I want you to hold me, and I want ... well .... basically... I WANT. period. :-) But if you give me what I want, I will love on you oh so gently ... no puppy-biting, just lots of kisses!

Miss Purple, aka Puddin: I sure wish folks would just let me eat at my own pace!! What’s with all this gobble, gobble, gobble?!? Give you guys another 2 or 3 years, and you'll be thinking about lipo! I enjoy every little nibble, and remember our mom's advice to chew 40 to 50 times before swallowing, and thankyouverymuch, I'll be keeping my nice slim figure while the rest of you will be looking at those Weight Watchers ads with drooling mouths! I am a proud petite! I'm also a mellow kind of gal, but if you mess with me (listen, I AM SLEEPING, WHY DO YOU INSIST ON STEPPING ON ME?!?!), I will put the slam-down on you like your momma would have!

Miss Light Green, aka Marshmallow: I am bold. I am daring. Love me! OK, so maybe I'm one of the more "rounded out" members of this sisterhood. I like to think of that as "more to love"! I'm not the most vocal of the group (errr emm, still testing out my vocal repertoire), nor the pushiest ... but I just love being close to you and being loved on!

Mr Dark Blue, aka Pretzel: Forget that Marshmallow gal ... it's ME who's bold and daring! When the gate opens to the Ex-Pens, I'm the first one out to wander and explore whatever's in the “next beyond.” But I'm also very happy to return to the “home site”; I really love to cuddle (shhh, don't tell Mr Light Blue ... he'll call me a wussie!).

Miss Pink, aka Macaroni: Just like the Marshmallow-kid, I am bold. I am daring. Love me! OK, I too am a more “rounded out” girl. But Marshmallow is right. There’s just "more to love"! I'm just another gal that wants to be in your lap and look at you adoringly (or is that, "I love you adoringly if you give me more food" ... pshaw, details, details).

Miss Red, aka Cheerios: I'm with Puddin' ... I'm hoping to have a call from Maxim for a cover shoot, so I'm watching my curves :-) I'm a confident kind of gal, not the biggest, but not the smallest, and if there's something going on that I feel needs my input, well by golly, you're going to hear it!

Two weeks of good care have made the pups a hundred times healthier. At age 6 weeks, they are cute as can be, sturdy & robust. What an improvement! They’re about to switch foster homes, and their first foster mom says:

We sure will miss them. They are are adorable. I have become attached to Mr. Blue Pretzel and my daughter’s favorite is Miss Purple Puddin’, but all of them are cute, cuddly, and sweet, with good dispositions. They had a blast today playing in the big water dish. They all seem to love the water. Then they played tug-o-war with the towels. So cute. They love to be held and cuddled. They really lie pretty still and cuddle when you’re holding them on the couch. We will see how they do tonight, the first night without their mama. So far, they are doing fine. When my Goldens run past them, they all come to attention and check them out closely, looking for the milk delivery truck to arrive. And then they just go back to their play or nap.

Updated 5/5/11

Pretzel (Mr Dark Blue), age 5 weeks

AVAILABLE SOON

“Believe me, they are no longer malnourished. They are little chubbettes! They are doing great, much more alert and playful. And they have developed the lovely habit of nipping at your ankles with those razor puppy teeth—ouch! But that’s is normal for this age. They are all cuddly and very cute.”

That’s the word on Pretzel and his siblings Marshmallow, Crackers, Puddin, Macaroni, and Cheerios, just a little over one week after the six pups arrived in GRR care along with their mom, 1-year-old Pickles. A Good Samaritan had discovered the entire family and brought them to the shelter—and from there, it was a quick trip to the clinic and on to a foster home. The pups are already eating fine on their own, & supplementing their high-nutrition puppy chow with milk from Mom and liquid vitamins from the vet. They’re getting healthier and spunkier with each passing day.

Because their darling mom is an almost-Golden, the puppies are “almosts” too, of course. It’s hard to say exactly what they’ll look when they’re all grown up (aside from adorable!); but they’re light-boned, have a few little white patches here and there, and will likely be small, like their mother.

“Pretzel is a real fatty!” says his foster mom. He’s almost pretzel-colored, too—more caramel than blond. He’s the biggest of the litter. He will be ready for his forever home around June 1. Stay tuned for more as he keeps on growing!