You’d probably assume that one full-grown Labrador plus a litter of seven would be enough chaos for one family. But there is yet another Furball that resides in our house. Meet Moses, my daughter’s three-year-old Rag Doll Cat.
Moses and Amber are firm friends. But it wasn’t always this way.
When Moses first arrived on the scene (a sweet little innocent-looking kitty) he didn’t take too kindly to a large bouncy Labrador bounding over to him.
Whenever Amber came anywhere close, he would scarper up to the nearest available lofty surface, and snarl down at her with a hiss and a bat of his clawed paw.
Amber, big wuss that she is, thought Moses was terrifying. This feisty ball of fluff really gave her the collywobbles.
She would cower away in her crate and hide.
At least for a few weeks.
But over time, as Moses got more confident, Amber grew more confident about how to approach him. She learned that some friendships can’t be rushed. Respect is the key.
What a clever girl she was! Eventually, she began to edge closer. Softly. Slowly. Inch by inch. Until her gentle kindness began to win him over and she was able to give him a little sniff. Then give his ears a little motherly lick.
Then one magic day, something amazing happened. Moses clambered into Amber’s crate and snuggled up beside her! And from then on, they were firm friends!
So now, we wondered how Moses would respond to Amber’s pregnancy? Would he somehow sense that she was a mum-to-be? Would he show her (and the puppies) the same respect?
I am pleased to report that he did! Most of the time anyway…
Hopefully these pictures and videos will speak for themselves! And make you chuckle, just a bit!
Somehow, we always knew that Moses would end up being the weird uncle!
Hope you enjoyed this post! Join us next time for more puppy adventures!
On 10th December, 2024, Amber, our wonderful Fox Red Labrador, gave birth to a litter of seven – four boys & three girls. We kept one gorgeous pup, and named her Honey. These posts document this incredible experience.
There comes a point in every young pup’s life where he or she must venture outdoors for the first time.
That day came on 20th January. The pups had been suitably wormed and were growing more and more daring by the day. Their need for fun and adventure was becoming increasingly evident. There was a world outside the whelping box and these pups wanted out!
Some of them by now had even mastered the art of escaping over the top of the guardrails, much to our dismay at three o’clock in the morning!
The garden was in a state of dormancy – grey, dull, and in need of a spring-spruce up. But the pup’s didn’t seem to mind too much. They didn’t take much egging on – but tumbled out of the back door, bright-eyed, bushy tailed and eager to explore. Tails up, noses down, they sniffed and investigated every corner, crevice, and new item they could find.
We’d decided that the enclosed patio, right by the back door, would be the only part of the garden they were allowed in and so the rest had to be cordoned off somehow. The three steps and the low garden wall that lead up to our terraced lawn were suitably blocked with various plant pots and upturned buckets that acted as barricades. Even though our fences were pretty sound, there were a few breaches here and there. The thought of a precious pup disappearing through a gap in the fence didn’t bear thinking about!
We were also worried about what they might try to eat or lick or consume – including snails or plants or cross-contamination from foxes and cats. Of course, even after all our precautionary measures, they still had to go and lick the broom and the hosepipe and wriggle their way underneath the barbeque!
We were constantly pup-counting – making sure all seven collars were present and correct. Seven! Phew!
A scattering of balls and toys, rattles and squeakers were tipped out onto the patio, to try and keep these inquisitive pups entertained and contained.
The puppies scampered, waddled and romped around for a good ten minutes. It’s a well known fact that when a Labrador wags its tail, it’s whole back end seems to follow! This was the scene on that patio. Seven joyous pups having a whale of a time and doing what puppies do best – PLAY!
And once they had tasted this freedom, it became a daily event! The pup’s seemed to grow more agile and confident with every passing day.
Everything became a game – even the garden ladder became a Pup’s Agility Class.
There was certainly never a dull moment, with these seven rambunctious explorers!
We’d been forewarned. “Puppies don’t grow – they explode!”
Slightly dramatic, granted, but still, not a million miles from the truth!
A week’s growth!
With each passing week, the puppies seemed to be doubling in size. And energy. Gone were the quiet, mole-like creatures that rooted around for milk. Now the whelping box was jumping like a house party.
Every time the pups woke up (which happened every few hours), we were greeted by a pack of shrieking, whirling dervishes, demanding to be let loose.
One opened the whelping box gate at their own peril. Because the moment you did, a sea of billowing, tumbling fluff would come sweeping over the edge of that box, faster than a cork from a bottle. And then, you’d better be handy with the kitchen towel – as the pups were gradually figuring out that it was best not to do their business in the same place they slept!
The pups would explore for a bit, mainly trying to get into places they weren’t meant to be, and ultimately following Amber around like a little gaggle of geese. Actually – that’s putting it politely. Sometimes they’d even try to suckle while she was standing up!
It was then a chaotic race – trying to help Amber hot-foot it to the whelping box and lie down comfortably before the swarm descended on her! Sometimes she didn’t even make it that far. The feed would just take place any-old-where.
Amber proved to be the most patient and accommodating of mumma’ dogs, often voluntarily lying down to feed her babies with no coercion needed. But after a month of round the clock care, she was getting tired. And the pups were getting bigger – and more hungry! Their manners left much to be desired. They would tug and jostle one another and literally clamber all over her!
It was time to start weaning. Kibble is like a cereal for dogs. Biscuity-pellets that can be softened in hot water and then mashed to a gruel-like pulp. We prepared the first batch in a communal circular feeding tray.
The kibble seemed to take forever to soften. Emily was appointed chief masher. It was pretty hard work. That was before Nathan decided to try whizzing it up in the Nutri Bullet. Enough to put you off smoothies forever. Then the fun started. We set up a little feeding station in the kitchen, and brought in the puppies two by two, beginning by feeding them from a teaspoon.
Some of them took to it quickly. Others needed more persuasion. But it was a start at least.
The Newspaper Caper
A few days into this new phase – we had a new problem to solve. With the increase in food, there was an increase in…well…poop.
We were constantly clearing up little puddles and deposits! And going through packets of puppy pads like there was no tomorrow.
My thrifty husband began doing the sums. “Do you know, we’re practically going through a whole pack of puppy pads per day!” he groaned. “Can you stop changing them as much?”
“Well…not really.” we said.
He found the biggest, cheapest bundle of puppy pads on Amazon. They were gone within 2-3 days.
“This is crazy!” Nathan said calculating the potential price per month in puppy pads.
That afternoon, he came back from the local supermarket with a very proud look on his face and a bundle of local newspapers under his arm.
“Got these for free!” he said. “No more puppy pads!”
Suddenly, our lounge resembled a fish ‘n’ chip shop. The pups were let loose. The newspaper, which had absolutely no grip whatsoever, went skidaddling everywhere. The pups grabbed it in their mouths and dragged it around. It was mayhem!
The multi-coloured ink seemed to act as a slight veneer, which meant that any puddles took a while to be absorbed. If you tried to clear up immediately, the puddle would run down your arm!
“Uuugh! This is gross!” I cried.
The ink also seemed to be getting onto everything and disguised any deposits, making them harder to spot. In short, this was a low point!
We argued back and forth about this for a few hours. It was clear we needed to find a cost-effective solution.
Fortunately, we soon discovered a compromise. Washable fabric puppy pads! Phew! What a life saver! I purchased two sets of three, washing one pack every day and then rotating them! Bingo. Crisis averted.
Accommodating a litter of puppies in a family home is certainly an interesting experience, that’s for sure!
Hope you enjoyed this post! Find out about our next challenge (Help, we need a bigger pen!) in the next post!
Somewhere between week two and week three, the magic happened.
The puppies’ eyes began to open – changing from small stitched-together slits to inky pools of personality. The transformation was gradual, but as profound as if each pup was suddenly coming to life – becoming a real pup! Eyes really are the windows to the soul.
With the awakening of this new sense, came an increasing independence. Suddenly, these pups were noticing us. (By the way, being noticed by a puppy is a most endearing experience). And actually noticing there was a world beyond the whelping box. And it wasn’t long before their tottering legs began to follow.
First they would edge to the front of the box and squeal like a flock of seagulls. Then, if the gate was open, they learned to sort of dangle over the edge and then belly-flop out.
At first, their wobbly legs prevented them from getting anywhere too fast. Their eyes were still widening and getting used to focusing.
But that stage didn’t last for long. Soon, every nook and cranny in the lounge became a new place to explore. Or wee in.
Nathan often bemoans the amount of cushions that we have in our house (buying new cushions is the next best thing to redecorating, in my book) – but let it be said here, that those superfluous cushions were about to become jolly handy. Suddenly, they were blockades. The perfect ‘scrunchable’ tool for stuffing into any puppy-sized holes that were out of bounds. Like underneath the armchairs. Or down the side of the bookcase. Or over by the plug sockets.
By this time, each of the puppies had a forever home too. It was a bit like a jigsaw puzzle. I don’t know exactly how it happened, but somehow, each new home seemed to be the perfect match.
Playful Holly, with her peachy hue, was going to a wonderful, family with two young boys and a baby on the way!
Red collar – Holly
Handsome Ralph, with his smart coffee-coloured collar, would be going to live by the sea with his sweet, doting pup-parents.
Brown Collar – Ralph
Cute little Lottie, our smallest darkest girl, (aka Sassy P) was going to a lovely family of Labrador lovers, to grow up with 11-yr-old twin girls.
Pink Collar – Lottie
Sweet, comical Steve, with his Andrex Pup Face, was going to a fun-loving family with three growing children. They had recently lost a beloved Labrador.
Blue Collar – Steve (official name tbc)
Cuddly, chilled out Leo was going to live with an incredibly calm lady who was looking for a hiking buddy.
Green Collar – Leo (official name tbc)
And adorable Rudi, our smallest, darkest boy was going to a wonderful couple who had recently lost a 17 year-old family dog.
Purple Collar – Rudi
Which left one sweet, teddy-bear faced girl for us to keep!
Meet Honey!
Lime Green Collar…Honey! Sweeter than mum’s apple pie! Teddy-face Honey, (top)
But there was still a lot of growing to do before they would be ready to venture off into the big wide world….
Until then, enjoy a video of Steve, auditioning for the cutest pup in the world awards.
We all took a deep breath as the advertisement went live. Homes wanted for six adorable pups. (Six, not seven, because we were still debating whether or not to keep a girl).
“What happens if we don’t sell them all?” Nathan said, a look of mild panic on his face.
“What happens if we do?” I said – cuddling one of them close. “How on earth are we going to say goodbye to these little guys?”
“Trust me – in eight weeks time, when they’re doing their business all over the place, you won’t be saying that!” Nathan chuckled.
I couldn’t imagine ever being tired of them. They were growing more adorable by the day.
By the end of week one, they had doubled in size (and cuteness), their features becoming increasingly more pup-like.
They still behaved in a mole-like manner, guided predominantly by their sense of smell. They were remarkably determined though, and had developed some stealthy ways of getting to mum for a feed, including burrowing beneath their litter-mates to get to the teats on the underside of her belly.
When full up with milk, they would often roll down mum’s sloping stomach, as though drunk, which was very amusing to watch. Who needs Christmas TV when you have a box full of pups to keep you entertained?
Enjoy this snippet of the pups feeding
Apart from the sleepless nights, the workload during those first two weeks was relatively straightforward. Amber was the real hero- feeding her hungry brood every two hours or so. We were mostly needed to keep an eye on things, and provide a pair of helping hands when Amber needed them. We were the night watchmen- keeping tabs on the whereabouts of all the pups and helping Amber in and out of the whelping box, making sure she didn’t accidentally step on any of the pups during her route in and out.
Caring for Amber was a top priority. Her voracious appetite was back with a vengeance. With seven hungry pups to feed, it was hardly surprising. It was also imperative to make sure she had sufficient time out of the whelping box, just to rest. Our normal ‘no sofa’ rule had suddenly gone right out of the window!
Daily duties also included keeping the whelping box and bedding as clean as possible. The constant rumbling of the washing machine became the soundtrack of our Christmas!
In some ways, this monumental disruption to our lives had come at the perfect time. We all had over two weeks annual leave. We had nowhere particular to be. There was an abundance of Christmas films to watch on TV and a fridge filled with leftover Turkey and other Christmas fair , which seemed to cater perfectly for our strange lack of routine. Rather than cause added complication to our Christmas, the pups forced us to slow down and fall into a simpler existence, a benefit none of us had anticipated.
And then, the enquiries began to trickle in, slowly at first, then increasing to a steady stream. Our daughter Grace was appointed Director of Enquiries . And an excellent job she did too.
And my worries about saying goodbye to the pups were quickly allayed …Reading messages from families who had recently lost beloved dogs; or sweet young couples who lived by the sea; or a hiking enthusiast, looking for a loyal, loving companion to walk with, began a shift in my thinking. Suddenly I felt as though I were part of something of immense value- helping to bring into the world not just a wonderful pet, but a friend. Suddenly it wasn’t such a bittersweet task – it was a wonderful privilege.
And by the beginning of week three, just as the puppies’ eyes were beginning to slowly blink open, we had six wonderful new homes lined up for each and every one of the pups. And life with seven pups that were now waddling about, was about to get even more interesting!
Leo- first pup to be photographed eyes open!
Hope you enjoyed this post. Join me next week for more of our puppy adventures and find out what happened when the pups started venturing out of the whelping box!
There was no denying it, Amber, was acting strange.
“I think she’s close!” I said, googling the tell-tale signs of a pregnant dog, about to give birth.
Off her food? – Tick
Unsettled? – Up and down like a yo-yo!
Panting – Intermittently
Nesting – Obsessively
Clingy? – Like Velcro!
“But she’s still got five days to go!” objected Nathan, “It won’t happen just yet – surely?”
All the same, I slept downstairs on the sofa that night, just in case. All through the night, I kept a keen eye on Amber, curled up in the whelping box that we’d just managed to assemble in the nick of time. I don’t know who was more restless – Amber or I?
The next morning, just as I was about to go grocery shopping, at around 8:45am, I noticed a mucus-stained puddle on the lounge floor. Amber’s water’s had broken.
It just happened to be a Tuesday. My day off. Thank you Lord!
I went and collected our youngest from school – there was no way she could miss this! There are some lessons in life that simply can’t be learned at school.
As circumstance would have it, our two eldest daughters were also able to be present. It was five days earlier than expected – but it felt like the planets had aligned.
At 9:55am, the first puppy appeared, it’s tiny little mouth gaping open and shut, as it drew in its first few breaths in the outside world.
We’d seen YouTube videos of live births, and read up on every detail – from counting placentas, to cutting cords. We had all the equipment ready. The clamp. The surgical scissors. A pile of towels . A weighing scale. Even a heat lamp akin to those you see in a chicken coop! But up to now, it had all been theory. Now – this was it! Without any dress rehearsal, we suddenly had to rise to the occasion. There were no official Vetinary Surgeons present. Just us. My husband, our three daughters and me.
And of course, our star girl – Amber! This was her first time too. Nobody had briefed her on what to do. She hadn’t watched any videos. But instinctively, she knew. Licking, nudging, feeding – such a clever Mumma!
The first three pups came fairly quickly. And so we soon found our stride too. We all assumed different roles at different times. One of us clamping, another cutting the cord, one of us weighing, the other recording the details, such as gender, weight and time of delivery and assigning each pup a little colour-coded temporary collar. It was all hands on deck. It was mucky, raw, earthy. It was one of the most vivid and incredible experiences we’ve ever shared. Nothing can quite prepare you for the sight of that first pup in it’s sac – and for the sounds and the earthy smell of new life.
Fortunately, there was a gap of around 90 minutes between the birth of pups number three and four and so we were able to stop for a well-earned cuppa! I’m sure Amber needed a breather too!
And by four o’clock that afternoon – there were seven! Three girls and four boys, eyes and ears as yet unopen, rooting around like little moles – and squeaking!
We weren’t supposed to name them – (we mustn’t get too attached) – but of course, it felt clunky and impersonal, referring to them as a colour. So an off the cuff ‘nick-name’ was assigned as soon as each puppy was born. Steve, James, Rosette (Rosie for short), Holly, Leo, Sadie and Ralph.
We spent the evening happily helping them latch on, marveling at the seven little heads and tails suckling all in a row. By now, their fur had gone from newborn-slime to buffed velvet!
Amber seemed relaxed and settled – sleeping softly while her babies suckled.
We positioned a single mattress next to the whelping box and took turns on nightly puppy-patrol. It was 10th December. Instead of a Christmas Tree, we had a box full of puppies to marvel at. We sensed that we were in for an unusual Christmas.
And little did we know that the fun had only just begun!
(Hope you enjoyed this post! Look out for the next instalment, coming very soon!)
There once was a dog who did run,
Through a sludgy, wet puddle for fun,
But she soon ceased to laugh,
When her dad shouted: "Bath!"
Now her fun was all over and done!
This is a picture of me pulling my ‘butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth’ face. I’ve been practicing this face a lot lately. Why?
Because this face gets me out of whole heaps of trouble. Yep. I might be little, but I am BIG trouble! Trouble with a capital ‘T’!
Take the other day for instance. Mum was minding her own business, doing some gardening. I really wanted to help. So I decided to dead-head a few of her favourite flowers. I snapped off a whole head of Hydrangea, and shredded up her prize Sedums.
Next I tried to help with the washing….Mum put the washing in the machine – and I dragged it out again and just sat on it.
What a good and helpful little doggie I am!
And of course, when Emily plays with the sand, I have to play too! Only I like to get right inside the sand-pit. Oooh, that sandy stuff really tickles my snozzle and makes me sneeze! Mum just loves my paw-prints all over her clean floor!
And I just can’t help it – I really love to chew things. Toys, shoes – anything I can get my teeth on. What’s so wrong with that?
It’s a good job I’m such a cutie pie, don’t you think? But just to be on the safe side, I think I’d better keep practicing that face!
I’m Amber, an eight-week-old Fox Red Labrador Retriever. I thought you might like to read about some of my adventures from time to time.
Yesterday, the most paw-some thing happened…
I got adopted by my new family!
This is me with my new mum and dad. Just look at their happy faces! I like happy faces. I especially like to lick them. Mum has almost the same colour hair as me – what a great way to accessorize!
Anyhow, suddenly I got strapped into my very own car seat. At first I was all squirmy and wormy, and wriggly and giggly – but as soon as the engine started and we pulled away, I was lulled off to sleep. Good job, because it was a LONG way from Leicestershire to London. I slept the entire way, apart from when we stopped at Motorway services for a coffee break.
When we finally got to my new home, it was dark. Everything smelt strange and different. But I soon found my way around – I was beside myself at all the new things to explore.
But the very best thing of all was that there were more people with happy faces waiting to greet me! They all made such a big fuss of me. And everybody wanted to play! It was one big play fest!
Oh and by the way…I noticed there were also these two funny fur-balls, of the feline kind. But they gave me a wide berth….well, for the time being, anyway.
When it was bedtime, I settled down in my crate. I woke my mum and big sisters up a few times in the night. 1am, 3am and finally at 5:30. I just needed to know that my new family were still there.
Then….from 5:30 – 7:30am, I enjoyed a really long play with my special new friend Emily. She’s little, just like me. I like her a lot.
And then we both kind of collapsed for a little snooooozle.
I was a bit sad when some of my family members had to leave for work and school. No fair!
I can’t wait for them all to come home this evening.
I really hope you’ve enjoyed hearing about how I settled in. I will post some more ‘pup-dates’ from time to time, plus some of my very best Labrador Life Lessons – so make sure you stay tuned by subscribing!
Angela Jelf 