Post Puppy Crazies

Nikon is now afflicted. At about the time bitches finish weaning their pups, they normally turn into lunatics! I suppose it's hormone related, but perhaps it's just their relief at finishing up a tough job. About 7 weeks post-whelping, all they want to do is play - wildly. Nikon is in the family room dancing around with Watson who is flattered at the attention. Pauli is outside with Argus & Coral, but I imagine she will be thrilled when Nikon invites her to play, as she is really missing Gem.

And me, I'm glad the four-show weekend is over! I'm more of a two-show weekend kind of person, and this was a bit much. BUT wonderfully successful. Argus did his best yet yesterday and went 3rd in a VERY competitive 220 dog NS Group. He showed very well, and I kept it together too. A good performance all around, although Jess said she could tell Argus was tired, but giving it his best shot. What a good dog he is.

From my posting to one of the Dalmatian lists -

Four days of outdoor shows and I am TIRED. I much prefer air conditioned shows with rubber matting, but that was not an option this weekend. ;-) Wonderful shows, excellent judges, good rings and a zillion handlers. In a year when all the other shows are down in numbers, these shows were actually up about 200 dogs each day, a tribute to a very hard working show committee of real dog people, and an excellent panel that drew dogs & handlers from as far away as Pennsylvania, Texas, and California. Lots of awesome dogs to admire in the groups! Weather was a bit warm/humid for those of us who have not actually had any hot weather yet, but we did our best. Tomorrow I will see a doctor about the large purple swollen toe that I apparently broke this morning - if I can get a shoe on it - BUT I did not even feel it while racing around the group ring. It was great to have BIG N-S Groups for a change, averaging over 200 dogs each day. Points sure accumulate faster that way.

This moring my foot looks a little strange with a weird purple sausage where one of my toes should be. Does not really hurt though and did not keep me from sleeping last night, but putting on shoes and walking across the (big) parking lot to my office may be a chore!

A couple of pups were acting a bit dumpy yesterday, but their stools were normal so I figured it was from eating something they shouldn't have in the yard. We carefully pick up the mushrooms that are springing up before letting the pups out, but I always worry about them. The pups have been real bad about playing in the mulch too, but it's just regular cypress mulch, not the toxic cocoa bean mulch that can kill even adult dogs who eat it. Gave them both a dose of kaopectate to settle their stomachs, and they were feeling better by bedtime. I'll have Ron keep an eye on them today though and be extra careful about checking the yard before sending the pups out. Vonda was going to take them camping, but that fell through, and the next couple of days are going to be too hot for them to travel I think.

Guess I need to do some pictures tonite or at least post some of the ones that are sitting on my computer. Time has been the issue!