Ohmer's Westside Beagles: Latest Puppy Update

Hi Everyone,

So much for getting this posted on Thursday night! I worked on updating our website for Westside Beagles and literally fell asleep at the computer on Thursday night. Then, Friday was a 10 hour day for me at work with this darn cold, so I fell asleep crashed on the couch immediately after visiting puppies and eating dinner Friday night. Finally, Saturday I spent most of the day out in the kennels and wrapped up my evening in Urgent Care getting a gash on my knee stitched up. I appreciate everyone's patience with me, as I'm sure you are all eager for news, updates, and pictures of your future puppies!

As I mentioned previously, we moved puppies out to the property Thursday of last week. Dave and I worried about the overnight temperatures, so we ended up bringing Summer and the puppies home overnight and then returned them to the kennels during the day. All seemed to go well and the puppies did great in the kennels during the day, but the stress of transporting everyone back and forth daily ended up giving Summer diarrhea. We finally rigged up things in the kennel to our satisfaction by extending the tarps we had hung up to protect against the wind, by placing a wind-flap on the entrance to the indoor nest box, and by double-checking that the hardcover heating pads were all warming sufficiently.

As it turns out that I was probably over worrying about the temperatures, because puppies seemed totally fine after staying in the kennels overnight. On Monday, we had the first of our visitors to see the puppies - Valerie, Keith, and their three girls came out after work and homework in the evening to spend some quality time with everyone. I took plenty of pictures as the puppies ran around in the grass and the sun like nobody's business, then crashed in the dog crate I put out with a rug in it. Summer seemed totally unfazed by the puppies' wandering until a neighbor's dog came over to visit, and then she went crazy. Uncle Blackie (Summer's brother and one of our indoor dogs) came to the rescue, immediately defending Summer and the puppies and chasing off the neighbor dog. I was so proud of him!

Yesterday, on Saturday, MaryAnn and her daughter came out to visit from Shelby County, Kentucky. It was a little on the chilly side, so we mostly stayed inside our barn/garage (I'm never sure what to call it because its a little of both!) with the space heater running. They fell in love with each puppy as they picked one up at a time, making me laugh because Dave always teases me about saying "I like this one - Oh, I love this one, too!" every time I pick a puppy up. I had hoped to get pictures of MaryAnn and her daughter with the puppies, as I had done when Valerie & Keith's family came out, but unfortunately I forgot my camera!

With the puppies being out in the kennels, I don't take pictures 24-7, which means I don't have as many to share. However, the plan for today is to go back out on this beautiful day, to let puppies run around in the sun again, and to take plenty of pictures to capture their fifth week of life. It is so hard to believe they are already so old, which means I have to give them extra hugs and kisses because soon many of you will be taking over those responsibilities. It will be hard to let the puppies go, but I am so pleased with the wonderful families we've selected to raise our babies!