The puppies are all fine and so is Halo, but I am sad to share that the father of the puppies died a couple of days ago. Zack was three weeks shy of eight years, and he was euthanized due to illness/disease. His exact diagnosis is still being studied. We extend our condolences to his owners, Lisa and Sean Ebnet. Our puppies are Zack's last litter and we are both saddened and honored to say that.
Breeding dogs is a heartbreak. We wanted Zack to live a long life and while his age at death is a little over breed average, it is not as long as anyone would like. There are no guarantees in life, are there? It is a reminder that joy and sorrow are ever present in all of our lives.
It is a difficult transition to talking about cute puppies, but as I said, sorrow and joy are always present and it seems wrong to ignore either. The puppies are fantastic. Terri's camera arrived and so Galen and I took them outside last night and got some lovely pictures. Thanks so much to Terri for sending that camera!! All of the puppies are becoming so playful -- and sound quite vicious when they are playing.
When I walk over to the whelping box they all come running to the side, climbing up and trying to be the first one to get picked up. Kinsey always lets out little "ruff"s -- she is quite cute! But they are all adorable -- I think the next two weeks are my favorite puppy age because they are just miniature dogs and so darn cute. They climb in laps, chew on Halo and everything else, explore and really seem to like their new toys. I am sorry to report that last night Rosebud walked over and peed on Halo's tail!!
Tomorrow I will write about puppy selection but I need to get this posted so let me just tell you about the pictures. Madison is the one wearing the toy -- we thought that was pretty cute and she was a good sport about it! Darby is the lone sitting puppy, and Kinsey is the close-up -- I love that picture. Rosebud has the ball toy, and Sula is with Halo -- notice Halo's smile.
I hope that even if your day has sorrows, that you also notice the joy. Thanks for visiting.
I am so sorry to hear of Zack's passing. I am sending my condolences to you all and his family. At the same time, I really appreciate the reminder to look for the joy in our lives, even (and sometimes 'especially') when we are experiencing sorrow and grief. It is something that easily gets lost in day-to-day life and so I will be intentional in seeking out the joy in my life today. Thank you.
ReplyDelete-- Liz A.
Urbana, IL
I am also very sorry to hear of Zack's death. I especially want to extend my condolences to Lisa and Sean. As the sire of many litters, there are probably many people saddened by Zack's unexpected passing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Liz and Mary-Ann that it is important to look for the joy in our lives, even when it seems overshadowed by unfortunate events or circumstances. Certainly these puppies will proudly carry on Zack's legacy, and are sure to bring joy to many people's lives. They have certainly been a joy to me!
Warmly,
Brin
With regard to Halo's smile - will she miss the puppies when they leave for their new homes? There is a Berner in the Chgo club that still recognizes her puppies when they attend events. Just curioius!
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