A Letter from Stinger to her puppies

Contributed by Stinger's foster mom

Stinger's puppies, Slush, Fizz, Swizzle, and Shirley Temple, recently went to their forever homes. Momma Stinger writes:

Hi, kids! How are you all doing in your new homes? Foster mom has shown me some photos of some of you – Swizzle on the beach with his Dad, and Shirley in a beauty contest, and I’m sure Fizz and Slush are enjoying having a family of your own ‘cause we’ve had updates.

We had four inches of sloppy wet snow yesterday. But today, it was partly sunny and got warmer than those silly weathermen thought – it was a balmy 41 degrees! Click here to watch a video foster mom took of me and the other kids out in the snow this afternoon. Notice how my hair is growing long again after having that buzz cut by the guy where I used to live. Foster mom took the photo above of me yesterday and she says you kids look just like me.

So the reason I’m writing to you is to share MY news! I was so relieved when we got the chance to come live in freedom because the nice people at Col. Potter cared so much about helping us and other kids. I’m so glad you kids didn’t have your eyes open and couldn’t see where we used to live. I had some other babies while I was there – probably 2 litters a year – and if you remember, back between the Holidays I went to see the doctor and had some surgery – it was a good kind – it’s so I don’t have to be tired and have any more puppies. I’m retired now!

And just like you, there was a special family waiting to find me. It’s something I’ve always dreamed about, but I never knew it would come true. Yes, my family found me, and today I’m flying to meet them. My mom and dad will pick me up at the airport, and I’ve heard I’m going to have a 4 yr old Cairn sister named Zoe – she was a little timid like me when they found her. The best part of all this news is where my new home will be – sunny, warm, Miami, Florida! Yep, no more cold winters for me, I’ll be lying on the beach with a Cabana boy filling my water bowl!

Foster mom and dad would really like to hear from us all every now and then – you know they loved us a lot , and we kind of took a piece of their hearts with us when we left. I’m sure they’ll share the info they get with all of us so we can keep in touch. So you kids be good and mind your new moms and dads. Don’t worry about me now, ‘cause I’ve got a home, too!

Lots of love and licks,

Your Momma Stinger

Then there were two - of Stinger's puppies!

Written by Slush's foster mom

Slush puppy is now a North Carolina resident! I believe he'll be close to Toto fka Padraig, so his new mom will have to give them a call and go meet my little guy. His new name is Roy (for Roy Williams, former KU BB coach, now at the U of NC) - Barney is an avid KU BB fan, and Roy's new dad graduated from there and also follows Roy's boys, so they thought Roy was a fitting name.

Slush nka Roy has a nine year old three legged Cairn brother named Jack who waited at home for his arrival instead of coming with the family for Christmas get-togethers in SW MO last week. His family has a human brother who is a senior in HS and his sis is in college a couple of hours away, and this is a picture I took of him the night before with one of Barney's favorite ornaments on our tree.

The puppies are 14 weeks old. They're sleeping quietly in crates at night,doing a fairly good job understanding pottying is best done outside (OK,they still go in the ex pen, but we haven't had an accident in a crate or when they're running in the house in weeks), and they're a blast to have around. They still get quite a bit of time in an ex pen as the adult dogs tire of them after about an hour of their antics, so we have a number of supervised play sessions a day. But Fizz will be leaving next week (weather permitting) for OKC, and we'll close down the big double pen we've had for them and set up an ex pen in the family room with us so he's not alone in the den. I'm sure it will hit me then that Stinger's babies are all grown up. Swizzle is a little talker - he greets you with arroooos and does a little prance in excitement when you first greet him. Today he saw Barney walk thru the side yard and sounded the alert, arroooing from the safety of the top of the steps to the couch.

Da meen peeplz here putz strapz on ussen kidz! See the video!

Writtten by Stinger's puppies

Antees an Unkells! A trajedee ob huje perportions habs happend! Da meenfosser parrentz here habs putz deze strapz on us kidz anna now owr legz doanwurk rite! Us brudderz waz finkin itz waz perty funnee when dey putz dacontrapshuns on owr sissee Shirley, anna we chaste her anna pulld onna dozenew strapz, but denz da meenees putz dem onna us, tu! Ain't dere no ruulz'bout diz type stuff anna crueltee tu yungins or sumpin?!

Diz bideeoo onlyshowz da beginnin ob owr trubbles! When we wentz intu da famblee room, owrzoom waz gone - anna we cudn't slip unner da chairs ennee morez - da strapzgotz stuk! We eben tried gettin on da couch, but owr legz don't wurk riteto goez up n down da stepz! We jes be tumblin foolz caussa dez strapz deyputz onna us! Life jes wudn't da same, so we'z all gotz onna da meen mommaanna laid on her in dizgust! Swizzlestick, he was so dejecked dat he ebentookz a nap onna her ensted ob playin to make her laff! Eben at 9 weaksole, doncha fink we gotz ritez?

Stingerz puppees in Misery

Watch the videos of Stinger's puppies at 7 weeks old!!

Written by Stinger and the puppies' foster mom

Time is really flying! The little babies are now mini cairns! Slush is the largest, just over FOUR pounds, and the other three are really close to the same weight, just over three pounds. I think it's interesting that Fizz & Swizzle's ears have stood up from the beginning. They are really getting fuzzy, their coats getting longer, especially little Shirley's. Mom has decided they have too many teeth to keep nursing, so they are eating 4-5times a day a mix of puppy kibble soaked with Esbilac, Merricks puppy plate canned food, and either some yogurt or cottage cheese, all sprinkled with dry kibble. Stinger doesn't really want to be in with them for long - she prefers a peek in every now and then to make sure they're OK and then get back with our pack.

We started crate training at night, and it's been a mixed reaction. Mom was in a crate on Barney's side of the bed for her first night and did fine except for when she could hear the puppies. I started Friday night with Shirley Temple and Swizzle and left Fizz & Slush in the ex pen together, putting the two in puppy crates on the big ottoman and me on the couch. Shirley cuddled in after just a few minutes of complaining and was out. Swizzle, on the other hand, fussed about every 5 minutes until at 4:00am when I took them both back to the ex pen and was going to leave them together and head for bed. But Swizzle ran to the paper and did both jobs and Shirley peed, so I scooped them back up and back to the family room we went for another 2.5 hours. Swizzle did settle in and sleep for almost 2. Then the house dogs were ready to be up. Last night I put Shirley & Swizzle in their own crates, plus Fizz & Slush in a larger one together. After a few minutes of crying, all were asleep. They went about 4.5 hours before needing out, and at that point I put them all in the ex pen together and went to bed for a short nap.

They can all belly over the ex pen door, so when it swings open, there's a mad scramble to be the first over and get the farthest away! I think they've planned and plotted it out that if they all run a different direction and especially go under something that it takes longer for us toget them gathered back up again! I need a dip net!

Friday was our first trip outside to the dog run to play. It was breezy,and they loved the leaves scooting across the concrete! Last night we couldn't figure out what they were all crying and barking for - the ex pen was clean, there was a bowl of food down that no one was touching, we put Stinger in with them and they ignored her. Just like trying to figure outwhat a baby is crying for. Well, they were DEMANDING to go outside to play! As soon as we had them out, they were a bunch of scurrying littledark blurs across the concrete!

Here's a couple of videos we took tonight as it was getting dark. I sure am glad I've got the video camera, as getting still pics of these littlebundles of energy is just about impossible!

Watch the new video of Stinger's puppies learning to play!

Written by Stinger and her puppies' foster mom

Shirley and Fizz:

We've been having fun with the puppies. They are really starting to show Cairn spunk in play. They understand the squeaky sound of the gate to the living room means that we'll be at the den door shortly, and they come running to the ex pen gate with tails wagging. I took a couple of shots of them greeting us, and then after a fun play session while mom Stinger was outside to potty, we returned with her to find everyone had eaten and crashed. There were puppies sacked out all over the ex pen! Here are a few pictures we took of the fun.

Slush, one tired puppy:

Swizzle and Shirley Temple napping after play:

Fizz, too full to move:

Somebody has taken my cute, cuddly, snuggly little puppies and turned them into debil dogs! It's amazing how they change between four and five weeks old! They really mature in a burst - they'll come to the ex pen gate when they hear you coming, wagging their tails. Their motor sensories are much improved - they lunge and run, but they still aren't the best at judging distances and do quite a bit of nose/head butting when they're playing with each other and lunge at each other. They're regular - food goes in, poop comes out. We've moved the papers to where they seem to be going to do their business.

They know how to end play when they're tired and want to be left alone - I watched Swizzle being pounced on by Slush as he was settling in for a nap - he got rolled over, and Slush didn't want to let him up, so Swizzle bit his ear! They now WANT our attention, not just us picking them up and cuddling them. And the divided ex pen idea was good for about 3 days - Shirley Temple was the first to figure out how to step up on the bolster of the bed for a "leg up" to where she could climb the rest of the way onto the box. Then she took a nosedive off, so we eliminated the box as foster daddy couldn't stand to see her get hurt with her ungraceful method of getting down. To give Stinger some space of her own, we put a cream crate bottom inside a green crate bottom backwards, and she can jump in to finish her meals or take a nap without the puppies being able to get to her. We've got bed pads down so they've got something to get some traction on rather than the slick lineoleum flooring, but we now find them all misplaced, being used as tug toys.

Here's the video where Barney sat in the pen with them and became a human chew toy . I'd guess they've got half or more of their teeth.

Stingers puppies have turned one month old!

Written by Stinger and her puppies' foster mom

Stinger's puppies are one month old. They are all developing very distinct personalities, and they're becoming more inquisitive and independent now, so they're wanting to spend more time with us outside the box exploring. And yep, we have puppy breath! They range in weight from Slush at the largest at 2#, 2.4 oz to little Swizzle at 1#, 9.2 oz. They all have teeth coming in, starting with their canines - I think Slush had 9 the last time I peeked, and Fizz's seem to come and go, just like a human baby's do with the gums swelling and receding. They've been snacking on puppy formula, and I've upped it to 3 times a day as Stinger seems to spend longer periods outside the box watching them - today I even added a bit of ground up puppy kibble and made a gruel - you should have heard all the smacking going on during that meal! I hope you enjoy them all!

Shirley Temple

Slush



Swizzle




Fizz

The four "furkids" playing together

A big THANK YOU to Blanket Auntie Carol for sending them all blankies - she even labeled which one was for which puppy and mom. I'll have to get Stinger's picture with hers at a later date - she couldn't sit still long enough for me to get a picture!

WATCH A VIDEO OF STINGER'S PUPPIES AT PLAY- ALREADY!

Written by Stinger and her puppies' foster mom

The other night, we left to go out to eat supper and came back two and a half hours later. When we returned home, it was like the puppies had watched Wrestlemania while we were gone and had learned all sorts of moves!

Here's the video of their first play. I hope you enjoy this!

Watch Stinger's Puppies on Video!!

Written by Stinger and her puppies' Foster Mom

I "won" a little video camera at the CRAP auction Saturday night (with a little persuasion provided for people not to bid against me so there would be lots of puppy videos). It's a pretty nifty little thing, and is easy to use after I finally got the software to download.

The puppies all have their eyes open, and this morning after putting Stinger out in the ex pen to potty, I went back in to weigh the puppies and change bedding. I started talking, and Shirley Temple just about jumped backwards - she can hear now! I picked her up first and talked to her and what a cute, puzzled expression she had on her face - "this big monster makes NOISE". Slush is the next largest, and when I made kissy noises at him, he wiggled his ears listening. Swizzle and Fizz are the smaller, and so far they're not reacting to sounds. They were about 24 hours behind the two butterballs in eyes opening, so I expect tomorrow they'll be hearing, too. They weigh between 17 and 22 ounces. All four of them have been seen sitting, not just laying, and they're also taking a few steps on all fours instead of constantly scooting. I can't believe how active they are for just 17 days old! They're growing up too quickly!

So far, there's really no puppy breathe, but you do have to watch for puppy poo my husband wants to know if I squeeze them as they seem to squirt me every time I pick them up and it's really slimey, sticky, and stinky!

Enjoy the video!