After a nice mini vacation with my 3 sisters and my mom in Arizona, I have to admit it’s really nice to be back! While I was gone, my thoughts were never far from home 🙂 Something really interesting happened during the flight home that took me by surprise-I was planning on sleeping during the whole flight home as I had only gotten 3 hours of sleep last night, but once I sat in my seat between two nice, older gentleman it became apparent that sleep was not going to be in the cards for me! They both started talking to me and before long I mentioned having puppies at home and the conversation began.  I just HAD to pull out my phone then and show them adorable puppy pictures like the proud parent of a new baby!  Although I didn’t see what was happening, a crowd from the 3 rows surrounding us started to lean in to listen to what I was saying.  Then, the lady across the aisle began to ask questions about the program, volunteering, clients, how dogs are placed and much more.  Pretty soon I had an audience of 6-9 people and we were happily talking about Can Do Canines! They started asking for contact information and I started handing out the necessary info on post it notes!  It’s amazing what you can do with time, adorable puppy pics, and a captive audience 30,000 feet in the air!

Ken I think has a new appreciation for the tasks that need to be done on what seems like a constant basis; wondering if the puppies were gaining enough, wondering about a cough by one or two of them, wondering if they were nursing too often etc. and yet I think it also has given him the opportunity to understand on a different level exactly what it is that makes me enjoy these puppies so much! Yes, it is work, but WOW does it have rewards as well!

 

So, today I was able to see how incredibly fast these puppies are growing!  In 3 1/2 days, they got upper teeth, they are walking so much better, they are play fighting with each other and they seek out the attention of humans!  In only 3 days!!!

 

They also got to inherit some new territory so they can explore-I’ve expanded their space to now include the whole office which means that their favorite spot is of course under my office chair and that is making it nearly impossible for me to work on the computer.  I can’t say I mind as I instead lay on the floor playing and cuddling with them! However, tomorrow I need to rearrange the room once again as now there isn’t room for the reclining chair  and I will have to move the cleaning supplies out of the area as well. The other rooms in our house are starting to fill with the overflow……….with added space for them to explore, the addition of x-pens means my exercise program has officially started with leg lifts….

 

Tomorrow is a big day for them too!!! It will be their first day of mush food.  That’s typically a really messy day, so I’m prepping my washer and dryer for the tasks ahead!

 

 

They also are clamoring out of the whelping box so it will be time for me to put in some type of a walking ramp that allows them easier access in and out of the box as well as giving them a learning lesson on uneven surfaces and gaining confidence with their footing on a variety of surfaces! They also will get the use of their puppy play gym beginning tomorrow and a new toy that I purchased for them-a kids slide!

 

 

It’s going to be busy, messy and FABULOUS!