Now and then

Do you ever look back through the old posts and have a look at your puppy to see how much they have grown? I have just done it, it seems so long ago since they were all tiny pups, it is fantastic to compare them now

Nemo 5 Weeks

Nemo 12 Weeks

A Guest Appearance

You may all remember Bailey from last weeks blog. Nemo's playmate who is 5 weeks older than our pups - I think. Mischelle sent me these fantastic photographs of Bailey enjoying a bath and I couldn't resist posting them on here, they are just fantastic! Bailey has the most amazingly, thick coat. It is about three times as woolly and thick as any of our pups and you can see just how much coat he has on these photos.( I have to say I don't envy them that it has been bad enough with Jess blowing her coat these last few weeks, but Bailey does look stunning).

After his wash and blow dry!

Other News!

Thanks to everyone for keeping us up to date with all the pups. Andy and I love receiving updates and photographs, but I also know that all our owners enjoy seeing and hearing how all the others are getting on. We are still waiting for photo's of Jake - come on Colin!!!! But will post them as soon as possible,I do know that he is doing really well and after his final injections at 12 weeks (some vets won't do it until 12 weeks), will this weekend be enjoying his first ventures into the great outdoors which will no doubt be a relief for him and the Maddocks family.

Elwood also had to wait until 12 weeks for his final injections and I am sure that Ian and Cath will be over joyed to get him out for a little walk. It is amazing how just 10 minutes outside in a new environment can totally exhaust them. Nemo has had a 10 minute walk in the woods this morning and is now fast asleep in his crate, which is why I have time to blog!

Here are a few more photos of the pups we have received over the last week or so

Elwooooooood!

Fantastic photos thanks Ian

This has to be the most adorable photo ever - SnowBetty!! I love it!

And BathBetty!

Ben

Well much to our relief we are very pleased to hear that Ben isn't missing us at all and has settled in really well at his new home with the Clarke family. We are really happy that Ben is now getting lots of love and attention, it was impossible to give two puppies all the individual attention they need and deserve, not to say exhausting.

We have some of these sausages here and Ben loved playing with them, he obviously still likes them but I bet not as much as the real thing! Nemo will do anything for a sausage slice - come to that so will Jess and Molly!

This picture makes me laugh everytime I look at it as it looks like he has something that he is hiding in his mouth! Ben looks fantastic and has grown loads in the last 3 weeks since we last saw him.

Brenda tells us Ben is coming on well with his training - understands the word No, so is learning not to bite anymore, and is enjoying his little walks.

Rufus

I get to hear a lot about Rufus as I am in regular contact with Paul through work -( although we talk a lot less about work these days). Rufus is doing really well and shows no fear of Keegan the Retriever. In fact they play fight all the time and drive poor Jane mad! I love this photograph of the two of them, I think it really shows that Rufus looks up to Keegan and he is trying to copy him.

Rufus has become a celebrity in the village where Paul and Jane live and is fondly known as Lord Rufus.The whole village was waiting for Rufus' coming out party this last weekend, when Rufus aquired a taste for Guinness!

Rufus is growing well and looks stunning - as all our pups do!

Much to Jane's relief, the pair of them do occasionally sleep!

Lily Bear comes to visit

Much to our great delight today, Rae, Neil and their girls brought the adorable Lily to see us this afternoon! Together with Jess and Nemo, we all went for a short stroll along the river bank to Jess' favourite swimming spot and Jess was able to show her babies what this swimming lark is all about.

Jess was straight into the water - I think you can just about make out her head. This was her first swim swim since having the pups and she was very excited!

Nemo and Lily were not quite so excited about the prospect of getting in for a swim, Nemo had his first paddle last week so he was quite happy to have a paddle, Lily took a bit more encouragement

Come on Lil's you can do it!

It was quite clear that all Nemo and Lily wanted to do was have a good old fight, just like the old days

It was fantastic to see them both together and amazing to see how alike they both are. Nemo was just a little taller than Lily and if you looked really close you can see they have a slightly different face shape and their coats are very, very slightly different shades of black. Lily has a little bit more white on her chest than Nemo and she also has the most beautiful dark eyes

Nemo got stuck trying to get up the banking ha ha

Jess had a fantastic time swimming and a great play with two of her pups

I think this is Lily taking a rest from all the excitement, but then again it could be Nemo

Here they both are, spot the difference! Bless, they are so gorgeous!

And finally, Neems and Jess, wet through and ready for the off. The pair of them look like they are about to fall asleep any minute! They are now both snoring after a fantastic day.

Thanks Rae, Neil and the girls for making the effort, it was wonderful to see Lily and we can't wait to meet up with you all again soon x

Fun in the snow

We woke up to yet another snowy day, I could not get outside with the dogs fast enough! Nemo was a bit taken aback when he first saw the snow again, had a quick taste and them promptly lay down in it! Molly, Jess, Nemo and I had a lovely walk in the woods.

Have you got any sausages in your pocket?

Jess and Nemo are both obsessed with rabbit holes and digging

Let me have a look in there Mum!

Another rabbit hole

Jess and Nemo like nothing better than a good scrap, Molly thinks they are really naughty and is telling me to sort them out

Shattered after their walk in the snow, Molly and Nemo curl up together for a nice kip. Two weeks ago he wouldn't have got in the same room

Elwood

I have to laugh when I write his name as we hear that Elwood is a real character and never stops. Poor Ian and Cath are exhausted, and I know how they feel but you can't help but be proud of your pups! And he was so quiet when he was here! Honest!

Anyway, despite terrorising anyone who dares sit on the floor in his house, Elwood is doing really well and looking fantastic

He looks pretty big on this one

But look at him, Ian, you are clearly exaggerating, he is placid and adorable

I will try and update you on Rufus, Jake and Ben as soon as possible - just as soon as I get some more photographs in - come on you guys!!

Lily Bear

Awww Lily Bear, my favourite baby. I just love getting photos of her. She has completely taken over the wholeof her new household and dominates the other dogs. She always was a little monkey!

But then, who on earth could resist that face?

Can't you just hear her growling!?!

Bit of a water baby - we hear she particularly likes communal showering! Might not be so much fun when she weighs 9 stone though!!

Gorgeous!

Betty

Sorry I haven't had chance to post these sooner. Betty is very well settled in her new home and adored by all who meet her. Here are a few photographs of the little "Rascal". We hope to meet Betty very soon as she lives very close to us.

She is gorgeous!

Finding Nemo

It has been almost two weeks since Ben left. Immediately after he went and Molly and Jess had finished licking the tears from my face, Nemo was very confused and had a good search around the house looking for his pal. He eventually gave up, took himself into his crate and went to sleep.

Jess had been fine about all her pups leaving, never a murmur from her, so we expected her to take it all in her stride. We were really surprised when she went to look at Nemo asleep in his crate, realised there was only one Puppy, and started to cry. Oh my god, I am sure you can imagine my reaction. I was devastated. Poor Jess what had we done to her? She was easily consoled with lots of cuddles and a pigs ear, it took a couple of glasses of red and a text from Brenda letting me know Ben had arrived at their home and was settling in well, to relax me!

Nemo

After his nap it was almost as if a metamorphosis had taken place with Nemo, he suddenly realised that he was now on his own with us and he became much more people focused within hours. Whilst Ben was here, the two of them were totally inseperable and excluded everyone else from their little club. The change in Nemo has been amazing. Andy and I get lots of his attention nowadays, especially if food is involved!

Jess has also had to take her share of Nemo's attention, she is now his main focus for play and fighting. She is a superstar and has so much patience with him, she will play with him for hours. It really takes the pressure away from Andy and myself, we can actually manage to have a conversation every now and agin, when the growling doesn't drown us out!

Molly is much happier now we are down to one puppy. She has moved back into the house from off the top step and will even allow Nemo to sit next to her - occassionally! Unfortunately, his Aunty Molly has a strange effect on Nemo and we quite often have to pull him off her.......I will leave it to your imaginations ha ha - at least it's not his Mum!

Please feed me!

I have to say Nemo has been an easier pup to manage than Jess ever was. House training has seemed so easy - he now cries at the door if he wants to go out. We have had very few accidents and now only have the odd pee when he is playing and forgets himself. Jess was a nightmare for house training but she was reared by a true breeder and brought up in kennels outside the main house. It has clearly made a difference with our pups being part of the household and always having a designated toilet area. He loves his crate and we have never had a problem with him sleeping in there, it is sometimes a problem trying to get him out of it! He sleeps through the night from about 10.30, every night and I get up to let him out about 6 am.

After his second set of injections, Nemo's official coming out party was held last saturday afternoon when we took him to our friends Nige and Mischelle's house to meet their Newfie, Bailey. We met Nige and Mischelle through the article on our pups that was in the local paper - as they were just about to pick Bailey up from a breeder in the Wirral, they contacted us as fellow Newfie lovers and came over to meet Molly and Jess.

 Bailey is 5 weeks older than Nemo, and a little bigger. Their meeting was great fun, Bailey seemed a bit nervous at first but soon gained his confidence(after a good smell of Nemo's bum) and proceeded to bark at Nemo.

 Nemo just let him get on with it until eventually Bailey tired and turned his back..........Nemo saw his chance and pounced!! God it was hilarious.

We will try to post regular updates on Nemo's adventures!

Bye Bye Ben

A week ago last Sunday Ben finally left us to join the Clarke family. As Ben had stayed with us for two extra weeks and was living in the house as part of the family, with Molly, Jess, Nemo and the pair of us, Andy and I had become quite attached to the little chap and were both dreading him leaving. That said, in some ways we were also looking forward to it as house training and well just any training of two puppys was a real challenge and the two of them together were just as exhausting as seven!

The problem with house training two pups is that they are always focused on what the other is doing. Take them out together and one of them does his business and is allowed to go back inside. The other forgets why he is out there because he wants to go with his brother. You can't keep them both outside because as soon as one has done his business he wants to play, so thats another distraction. Taking them out one at a time is easier but you run the risk of one of them messing inside the house! All good fun

Let's get Mum!

Ben was a lovely little character. From birth he was very close to his brother Rufus and both of them seemed to have quiet natures but were extremely people friendly. When Rufus left us, Ben developed a close bond to Nemo and the naughtier side of him started to develop. We always felt that Nemo was the ring leader and Ben would follow what Nemo did, but if Nemo was sleeping, Ben was more than capable of getting himself into trouble - climbing onto coffee tables, sofas or trying to get into the dog food cupboard!

Exhausted - both of them asleep in the crate before Ben left

Ben - totally pooped

We spent a fun morning with Ben on the day he left ,well, mostly he was fighting with Nemo - I think they had a great time! The pair of them were actually sleeping as the Clarkes arrived to collect their boy, but as he heard the door go Ben woke up and rushed to the front door, tail wagging to greet them all.

 Throughout all our pups leaving, Ben was the first to do this and I took it as a sign that things were meant to be and he knew that this was his family. I was however, still very sad when they finally took him off in the car. There were lots of tears as he left, not just from me, Brenda Clarke was also in tears. Brenda's parting words to me were " We will take good care of him" and I know they will but it is still really hard seeing them all go.

A last cuddle

Ben with his new family - Sarah the camera phobic hoodie at the back!

It has been a truly amazing experience for Andy and myself, helping Jess bring the pups into the world, seeing them take their first breath, their first, shaky steps, their eyes opening. We have been with them for every first, their first feed on Jess, their first bottle feed, their first bath in their first bowl of milk,their first bath, their first feed of puppy mush, their second bath! We have seen them all grow and develop their own little personalities and we have fallen in love with each and every one of them. It has been really emotional seeing them all leave home and move on to the next stage in their lives.

We now look forward to updates from all our owners as to how our babies are getting along. It is fantastic to hear how they are all doing and how much they all adore the little - hmmm, probably not so little, ones. One thing that everyone says - yes, you are not alone in this - how exhausting it is bringing up a puppy. I am sure I tried to warn you all about this! Yes, it is exhausting and I think in some ways with a giant breed dog it is much harder than with a smaller puppy. There are so many precautions you have to take and so much to think about all the time. All I can say, and again I am sure that I said this to each of our owners before, it is worth every minute. The time and effort that you put into your puppy in it's first year is hard, there is no doubt about it. But be reassured, you will be paid back in spades. Your efforts will be rewarded with a wonderful, healthy Newfoundland, a loyal companion, a beautiful dog. But beware, they have this strange power Newfies, they take over your life and one is never enough............I am still not quite sure how Andy and I have ended up with three!