Libby's home!

I went to visit Libby today and they told me I could bring her home!!

She is doing great and they want me to bring her back in this week for a dressing change and re-assess.
Her jaw definitely feels much better and she is chewing everything in sight. She's only allowed soft food, and apparently my fingers, though to chew on.

Here is a picture of her x-rays post surgery. The plate is an "external fixation device" and on the outside of her leg. The ortho vet told me she could have it off in as little as 3 weeks. Because she is so young, her bones should heal very quickly.



Libby was also given a very stylish Elizabethan Collar to wear when crated, which will be most of the day from now on.



A pic of what Libby's leg looks like to me. She weight bears and is able to flex her stifle and hock, so she gets around pretty good and can squat to go potty. She is a "wild woman", as explained by the surgeons, so we have to very carefully supervise her when she's out of her crate to be sure she isn't going to impede the healing by leaping around.

Fun Bumpers

After doing great on a very difficult water blind today, the girls had some fun with their bumpers.

Darbi was very proud of herself and made sure that Miikka knew it.



Miikka watched other dogs struggle on the same blind and laughed to herself.



And then proceeded to kill her bumper.



Afterwards she decided that one bumper was not enough. Darbi disagreed.



Ummm...Miikka...doesn't that hurt?

More Libby news

So...Libby didn't come home today. That made me sad.

But I understand why, and do agree that it's for the best.

The vet called me this morning and told me they'd like to keep Libby until "sometime next week". They said her pin insertion sites need daily cleaning and they are lightly sedating her to do this. They'd like to keep her there until she only requires weekly cleaning. I understand that and appreciate their care of her.

On a good note, they did mention that she was bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning and is already weight bearing on her broken leg.

I asked if I could come see her and we settled on Sunday morning. I can't wait!

I miss my little Libbster.

Libby Update

Good news so far!

Talked with the ortho surgeon today and they wanted to put an external plate with pins into the bone on Libby's leg. I said to go ahead and do whatever they thought was best for her.

She has had her surgery and is in recovery right now. She has 4 pins and the plate. She will be able to weight bear right away, but restricted activity and lots of time in the crate for her coming up. Because she's so young, they are hoping to have the pins out and plate off in a month.

As for her jaw, they didn't have to re-break it and they decided to leave the adult molar in her gums. She had a couple puppy teeth removed and they will re-assess it in a couple weeks.

They are hoping she will be able to come home with me tomorrow.

Poor little thing. What an awful way to spend her 9 week old birthday.

Thank you to everyone for the encouraging words, e-mails, texts and phone calls. Anyone who knows me knows how much my dogs (and all dogs) mean to me.

I'm a jerk.

Boy, have I had a bad week, but it's not even close to the type of week Libby has had.

Firstly, I pulled Libby off the truck last week at training not realizing another dog was out. Before you could blink an eye, that dog bit her in the face. I took her to the vet right away and we did x-rays and the vet couldn't see anything. She was pretty sore in the jaw for a few days and then I felt a lump on her jaw, so I took her back in for a re-assess. Vet saw "something" different from the previous x-rays, so she referred me to a dental specialist at Texas A&M university for better x-rays and a consult.

The appointment was for tomorrow.

Today at training, we were all breaking for lunch and I KNEW no other dogs were out, so I let Libby out of the truck again. Other than a slightly sore mouth, she was fine. Playing and having a grand time. I turned my back on her for one second and Kenny's bird-throwing kid jumped on the quad and raced off before he saw Libby. He ran over her. It was awful.

I could tell right away that Libby's leg was broken and Kenny and I jumped in the truck and raced her to Texas A&M emergency vet clinic. I was worried about internal injuries and ten years as a paramedic gets one's mind thinking some pretty horrible things.

They took her right from me when we walked in the door and I had to wait. It seemed like an eternity.

Libby has a clean mid-shaft fracture of her tibia on her rear left leg. If she was going to break a leg, it could not have been in a better spot. She is having surgery in the morning and getting a plate and pins inserted. She will be back to normal in 6 weeks and there will be no long term effects due to the fracture being nowhere near her growth plates.

AND...it turns out her jaw WAS fractured. They are pulling a couple of baby teeth and an adult tooth at the same time and her jaw will be fine.

I feel like such a schmuck. I've never had a dog hurt in my life and now this in a week. She is brave and fearless, and that's what got her into trouble. More importantly my lack of attention, even momentarily, got her into trouble. It's all my fault.

I'll keep everyone posted. Extra hugs to your dogs tonight.

Happy Birthday Peanut

Miikka is six years old today. SIX! I can't believe how much time flies.

I love this dog, more than words can say. She makes me laugh like no other. She has an incomparable sense of humour. She is sweet and kind and she is always smiling. I have said in the past that Miikka has the best temperament of any dog I've ever met, and I still stand by that.

Have a great day Peanut. You deserve it.

It must be...

genetic that is.
Fanny's owner sent me this picture of her sleeping.

An apple never falls far from the tree

Like mother...



Like daughter...



Seems sleeping on one's back is genetic.

More Libby

A family affair at training now.

Miikka (right) trains with her daughter Matti in Texas. Matti is an older full sister to Libby, who decided she was too cool for the photo shoot.



Libby spends the training days showing off her cuteness.

Introducing...

Meet Libby.

Registered name TBA. I'm still thinking on it. All my dogs are named after racehorses raced by Elmingo Stables (the racing/breeding operation my grandparents ran for many years), so I have a long list of names to pick from.

She is my new puppy! The puppy I kept from the ShaqxMiikka litter.
Libby is sweet, funny and birdy...just like her mother.

Libby has been out and about in the training group in Texas for a couple of days. NOTHING phases this puppy. Barking dogs, quads zipping around, gunshots fired, etc. etc. She doesn't even flinch!

But someone needs to tell Libby that she is not long for that dog bed. She is growing out of it while she sleeps!

Fanny

A cute picture sent to me by Fanny's (Pink) new owners in Ontario. Looks like she's very relaxed in her new home!!

Long drive

I left my house Friday morning bright and early (4 am) and drove Fanny (Pink) to the airport for 5 am.

I went home and packed the truck.

I started driving south with 4 puppies.

I dropped Ping (Blue) off in Lethbridge to her new owners.

I kept driving south and stayed the night in Lewiston, MT.

I drove the next day to Wellington, CO and stayed the night and met Zink's new owners (Red). Down to 2 pups.

I drove all day that day to Bowie, TX and crashed hard.

I got up at 4 am and finished my drive to Anderson, TX this morning, where I'll spend the next couple months. Doux's (Green) new owner is meeting me here in the morning. That leaves us down to one pup...MINE! I'll introduce her later.

Holy smokey. I think I drove 35ish hours.

The puppies were FANTASTIC on the drive down. They were all in a crate in the back seat of my truck and they were perfect. They slept in the crate in the hotel rooms at night and only got me up once each night.

What good little puppies.

Ping

I've already received an update from Ping's new family and she is doing great!
Her new big sister Pie (a Revilo cousin to the "girls") seems to have taken quite a liking to her new little friend.

on their way

Two puppies have gone to their new homes.

Yellow (now Teah) left last night, and I just got home from taking Pink (Fanny) to the airport.

Blue (Ping) goes to her new home this afternoon and the last two pups in the next couple days.

Busy, busy around here.

Go Shaq!

Two week-ends ago...Miikka's baby daddy Shaq WON the Open at the San Diego Retriever club!

As if that was not enough his son Tucker was 2nd in the Qualifying and yet another pup Turbo received a Reserve JAM in the Derby.

This past week-end, a 22 MONTH OLD Shaq daughter (Freedom) WON the Amateur at the San Jose Retriever Club. Unreal!
PLUS, a young Shaq offspring Yancy also WON the Qualifying.

Way to go Shaq!

He and his progeny are really burning the trials up.

6 1/2 weeks

My, how time flies. The little guys are getting big and it's almost time for them to go to their new homes.
It seems like yesterday they were just opening their eyes and learning how to walk!

Thankfully, they have diverted their attention from my shoes, socks, pant legs, etc. and are now very much into their toys. Of course all the fancy toys don't impress them entirely. They still love the cardboard box, the tupperware container and the paper towel centres. Man, I go through a lot of paper towel!!

They even have a little Calgary Flames toy. Go Flames!!

Unfortunately, Miikka is as much into toys as the pups are. When I leave the house or am generally not paying attention to Miikka, it is a sure thing to find every single one of the puppy's toys on Miikka's dog bed upstairs.



Pink particularly loves her "wubba" toy. Pink will soon be known as "Fanny".



She is a good looking girl.



Miikka loves to interact with her pups, even with their shark teeth. But, she has cleverly devised a method of not allowing them access to the buffet. She plays with them from the couch. It is the funniest thing to watch. She only gets off the couch to go steal another one of their toys and then jumps back on the couch to add to her stockpile.

CERF

ALL the puppies passed the CERF (eye) exam today.

YEAH!!!

Sharks

The little guys sure have sharp teeth!! Just sayin'.

Here is Brown playing the 'belly rub game" on my lap. All the pups love it.



A game of tug between Green and Pink.



Can I pleeaassseee get up for more belly rubs?



Blue Dot...soon to be known as "Ping".



Red...soon to be known as "Zink".

Busy Day

Busy day for the pups today.

Morning: Eat breakfast and have some playtime in the basement
Lunch: Eat lunch and have a long romp in the back yard in the sunshine. Chase around shackled pigeon.
Mid Afternoon: Another romp in the yard
Late afternoon: Trip to the vet for 2nd de-worming, 1st set of shots and microchipping.

Needless to say, they are a tired gang. They are sound asleep in their pen, so they will have a late supper tonight with another play session in the basement.

It went great at the vet! All puppies have good bites, no hernias, no heart murmurs and are in great health! Both boys have two testicles.

I am a happy camper.

Eye exams early next week and then puppies start leaving on Thursday.

I have sold the last male pup pending final arrangements.

They are all going to:
Hunt Test home in Alberta
Hunt Test home in Alberta
Field Trial home in Ontario
Field Trial home in Ontario
Field Trial home in Utah
and one lucky puppy is staying with ME!!

Climbing Stairs

The puppies are learning to climb stairs.
Time to get the baby gate out.
They had a great play session in the sunshine outside today and Miikka employed some tactical defensive moves to keep them away from the buffet.
She chose to watch this evening's play session from one of two places: on the couch in the basement or the top of the stairs.