Empty nest, empty bottles

It's finally happened. We are without puppies tonight, back to seven dogs, including Della, just one more than we started with. It's been three solid months, June, July, and August, plus a few days on either end in May and September. A long haul, but also the fastest summer I can remember.

Sierra went to her new home today and I'm glad because she was needing more time and attention. I took her out for a few walks around the yard today, without Della, and she enjoyed them and gained some confidence, but still followed me closely. We met the adopter at Green Dogs this afternoon, and got to see Killian as well.

I stayed busy doing yard work this weekend, and Clay and I got out a couple times. But today I feel a bit lost and not sure what to do with myself. I returned a lot of the puppy supplies to Erika when I delivered Sierra. I came home and turned off the air conditioners in the puppy shed, which should save a lot on the next electric bill. It felt too hot to work outside today. I drank the last of the puppy beers and lined up the empties in the feeding trough, letting them stand in for their canine namesakes one last time.

There are more memories than I have time to recall, but they will stay with me forever. And of course I'll have the chance to see the pups as they grow, which is the most rewarding aspect of this experience. I also have a couple wonderful mementos to cherish, but the greatest reward is Della herself.

Thanks to Amy Yang for this large print of one of her photos featuring us
holding Della's puppies in a box, and a very happy and proud Della in front.

And this is a paw painting on canvas, of each puppy's prints around the edge
and Della's in the center. I have some framing to do.

Della goes in to be spayed on Wednesday, bringing this puppy business to a definitive end.
Wish me luck in keeping her quiet for a week or more after the surgery.

Sierra Explores

I opened the gate and let Sierra out of the puppy pen.
They are always a little hesitant at first to leave the
security of the world they have known, but curiosity
soon prevailed. She went first to this hole in the yard
where she's seen both Della and Serena dig and eat dirt.
And of course she did the same.

It's harder to entertain one puppy than 12 because they entertain each other so well in a group. Sierra was the only pup here over the weekend so we tried to do some new things for her.

Sierra looking pretty stocky here. She was
always the biggest of the female pups.

Della wasn't convinced that any puppy should leave
the safe confines of the puppy yard so she kept
herding Sierra back towards the gate.

Puppies are easy to tackle but she did it playfully and gently.

Della made up for it by playing with Sierra back in the pen.

Della was so good at the whelping process that we have
assumed she's done this before. That would mean that she's
also been through the separation process before, which
could explain why she's been content to see her pups get
adopted. She may be wondering why this one is still here.

Sierra leading Della in a chase around the puppy pen.

I've been trying to get the puppies to climb this
A-frame. With the help of the ramp Sierra made it to
the top and peaked over, but she turned around and
came back down the same side. I should have brought
Maya in to demonstrate how easy it is.

Sierra's family is home and are excited to be
getting her on Tuesday.

I took Zeus and Maya out for a two mile
walk up at Pleasant Grove on Monday morning.

Zeus walks well on a leash and enjoys getting out.

Maya enjoyed getting out again too.
We'll get back to doing this regularly.

I took some dogs out to the pasture again while I mowed. Max is standing over the prized rubber
chicken that someone stole from the puppies. It has now had its head ripped off.

The other new experience I wanted Sierra to have
was meeting another dog. Serena is fine with the
pups but I had to put Della inside while we did this.

Puppies topple over easily.

I combined the Serena meeting with
something else Della didn't approve of,
taking the puppy out of the pen into the
larger yard around the house.

You can just see the puppy's black legs under Serena. She
was careful not to step on Sierra and showed her around
yard in front of the house.

Both Serena's and Sierra's behavior was entirely
appropriate. Serena would have made a good puppy
sitter, but over-protective Della never allowed it.

Sierra had met Serena through the fence but
this was their first nose to nose encounter.

A Dog Named Della

Della and Zeus

I think that Della is enjoying being a dog around here. I've been catching up on some yard work this weekend. This afternoon I took three shepherds (Max, Theo, and foster Zeus) and the two Danes (Della and Serena) out to the pasture to run while I did some tree work. Serena still won't hang with us, I think it's the mower she really dislikes, and I'm sure she feels the same about the chainsaw. Della was always nearby, and the shepherds are shepherds so of course they were with me every step of the way. The nice surprise was Zeus, who showed me a hole in the fence but didn't take advantage of it. He's a bit of an escape artist, but I've had him in the dog yard and the pasture a few times this weekend and he sticks around with the other dogs.

Theo would rather be playing ball, but he followed me around
in the hope that I'd do something fun.

Max and Serena

Zeus, Theo, Serena, Max

Theo, Della, and Max

Zeus will stick around if he's with people or other dogs.

Della enjoyed herself and we all sleep better if
she's had a good run in the pasture during the day.

Della and Theo

Max and Della

Theo and Max

Zeus enjoyed himself and felt like part of the pack today.

Max may not be right in the head, but he has fit in
around here as well as anyone else. Della has taken an
interest in herding him around when she thinks he needs it.