cheetobreeder

Cheeto is Retired

2011-06-26T16:52:00.001-05:00

It is now official. Cheeto has started her retirement. Thank you PAWS for the opportunity to care for such a wonderful dog. Thanks to everyone for all your help on this journey.

Marianne

Fletcher

2010-03-08T07:21:00.001-06:00

Fletcher is doing well! He is a natural at what he is doing, he is learning so quickly! I can take him out into public and he walks next to me just like his supposed to! He knows sit, is working on down, wait, come, leave it... All of that stuff. He is funny too. He loves life! He loves to work! When his cape comes out he comes right up to it! He loves going out, it doesn't matter if it is just for a walk or if it is to go out and work! We don't have accidents in the house, we haven't since about the first week we had him! He also sleeps through the night, like until we wake up in the morning. He loves his food, like any lab does! He is a great dog, I think he is going to make an amazing service dog one of these days! We are working on his toes though. At his last vet appoitment the vet noticed that he had toes that curled in. Aimee at PAWS told us to start working on them, like doggie physical therapy to correct this issue. Not only are his toes getting better but he is getting better at tummy time and being handled!

Also, just because I wanted to share it! Our first puppy, Cowboy is doing really well with his training... He has moved up to phase 3! I miss him and I still wish he were home with me, but I know he is doing great things and I am so proud of him!

Last Night

2010-01-18T00:16:00.003-06:00

Pat will turn in the pups tomorrow. Thanks for all the work, Pat. She says he is a pistol. Can't wait to hear about him. Cheeto should be going into heat the end of February or beginning of March. Then the whole process starts again!

Getting Ready for Turn In

2010-01-11T12:15:00.003-06:00

Where has the time gone. I bet Pat can tell us. Thank you Pat for raising this little guy for us to the point now that he is getting ready for January 18th turn in. Just a week away. He looks great. How wonderful we know who will raise him. Thanks Korie in advance for all you time and effort you will put into this little guy. We look forward to seeing him grow.

Six Weeks

2010-01-04T20:25:00.002-06:00

Pat tells me he is over 9 pounds and doing great. Happy New Year Everyone!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T10:08:00.003-06:00

Our little pup is doing well Pat reports. Merry

Christmas everyone.

Puppy Update

2009-12-14T22:10:00.002-06:00

Our little puppy is doing great and growing every day. He is still more advanced than his brother but his brother just started walking so that should change quickly. Thanks for the up dates Ruby.

The B's

2009-12-11T21:49:00.006-06:00

Bo, Brady, Bliss, Barkley and Bennett. I think Bubbly was turned in earlier. She is doing well according to the December report. Congratulation B puppies. Study hard.

Barkley is ready for Turn in

2009-12-11T21:45:00.003-06:00

The B puppies are almost 14 months and heading back to PAWS. This week. Barkley was raised by Kari who also raised Cheeto. She was Orange in the B litter and beautiful. Darker fur and sweet face. Kari will miss her.

Ruby and Her Pups

2009-12-04T11:38:00.003-06:00

Well, here he is with Ruby and his brother. She even looks like Cheeto. He is big but they will both grow. Our pup is only 5 days older than Ruby's pup so the little guy will catch up. Ruby had problems also like Cheeto so she only had one pup too. The two will do much better together. Ruby took to him very quickly and he already cuddles with his brother. Cheeto is doing well. She has Keith and Holt to distract her. She is not wining or looking for the pups. She is a very resilient gal.

His Last Day with Us

2009-12-04T11:26:00.004-06:00

Wednesday was Little White Blackie's last day with us. PAWS has decided to transfer him to a foster mom in Detroit, Ruby. She is a lab and has one pup five days younger then our guy. Julie and I drove to PAWS on Thursday and then Amiee drove to Detroit to place him with Ruby and her pup. It is much better for pups to grow up together and learn from each other, especially bite inhibition and competition. Since this is Ruby's last litter it would be better for her to have them both. It was a sad day for us but we know the result will be two great pups.

Week One

2009-11-29T21:44:00.003-06:00

The little guy is now one week old. Here he is laying on this "litter mates." The orange pup has a bag inside that you warm in the microwave so it feels like a warm body. Cheeto likes it too. He is growing and is now 36 ounces. A respectable weight, but not too fat. He is right in the middle of her previous litters even thorough he was so big at birth. Cheeto has settled down and no longer searches for other pups. They have gotten into a rhythm. It is definitely easier and she has time to just hang around. Wonder what he will think when his eyes open and he sees what his "litter mates" look like. :)

One Little Black Male

2009-11-24T21:08:00.006-06:00

Cheeto is fine but she had a very difficult delivery. We knew we had three pups and were concerned that they would be big so her food was kept low. Well, they were big for Cheeto anyway. The first male was 19.2 oz, and next female was 19.5 oz and the final female was 21.5 0z. All records for Cheeto. Both females were still born and we could not resuscitate them. The vet had to help us with the last one and still the pup never had a heart beat. So we have a beautiful little black pup to raise. Cheeto is confused. She looks for other puppies. It might be because she has so much milk. That will get better. The puppy visits are still on. They will be even more important as we try and socialize this little guy with no sibs. He is real cuddly already as you can see. We are tired, but are happy to have this beautiful little guy. Since he was the first his color should be white. Seems like it would be good to come up with a nickname. Any suggestions?

There are three pups.

2009-11-14T12:37:00.006-06:00

There are three puppies. Of course we would have liked more, but at least there are three. Cheeto is doing well and hopefully this will be easy for her this time. You can see the spines on the x-rays. Due date is still Nov. 20.

We Have Puppies!!!

2009-10-18T19:17:00.004-05:00

We have puppies due November 20th! Not sure how many but in one screen we saw 3 at once.

Another great piece of news is that Ollie is the first of the O puppy teams to be certified. Great Job Ollie. We are proud of you! Thanks Julie who raised Ollie, the trainers who worked hard with him and the field representative who finished the job. Great team work everyone!

Barkley Visits

2009-04-24T22:36:00.003-05:00

Kari was visiting her niece in Chicago and Barkley stopped by for a visit. Barkley is the one on the left. It is such fun to see these pups. Does Cheeto know it is her daughter? No, I don't think so but they had a great visit.

Emu Working

2009-04-19T14:50:00.004-05:00

If you checked out the comments on the last post you could find this amazing video. He is trained on 15 different smells - amazing. He obviously loves this work. Congratulations Emu. This is the same type of work Emmy was trained for also. Way to go E puppies. Congratulation puppyraisers you have done a wonderful job.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8B7oYs3BhE

E Puppies Enter Phase III

2009-04-10T22:01:00.005-05:00

Don't they look smart? Well here are the E puppies as they enter phase III. Two have been career changed to be detection dogs, Emmy and Emu, and they are doing well. Emmy will be going to Manila. Ellie was released, but is doing well. Congratulations E Puppies. Thank you puppy raisers. Thank you trainers. You have worked your magic. Puppies we are very proud of you all.

4 months and 40 pounds

2009-02-25T17:07:00.002-06:00

Barkley (formerly Miss Orange) just turned four months old, and is tipping the scales at almost 40 pounds. So much for being a petite little thing like her mother was! She's a beautiful butterscotch color, with wonderful markings - everybody who sees her comments on them. She is also starting to exhibit behaviors that are nearly a perfect cross of her lab & golden roots - the independence and eagerness of a labrador, with the wiggly cuddliness and laid-back demeanor of a golden.

A lot of the biting and chewing she exhibited as a baby has been replaced by more gentle mouthing, and while she's not the sharpest tool in the shed, she learns pretty quickly and is very good 95 percent of the time. (We won't talk about the other five percent - but then, that's just regular obnoxious puppy-stuff, so I'm sure she'll grow out of it!)

She went to the Lake Michigan beach for the first time the other day, and loved the small patches of sand she found in the snow and ice. I have a feeling that she is going to be addicted to the water once it appears again. She's starting to get the hang of retrieving, and is generally just a lot of fun to have around!

Kari

Emmy is Career Changed

2009-01-28T07:25:00.001-06:00

Bill & Amy received a call from PAWS Tuesday and Emmy has been career changed! As we saw in her January 15th update, the trainers at PAWS were working hard on her toy fixation...which they decided they weren't making progress on. Emmy will be relocating to Mid-Michigan Kennels, Inc in Eaton Rapids, MI. There, she will work with Mike and his crew to train to be a detection dog. Mid-Michigan Kennel dogs have gone to work at places such as airports and even for Disney recently. We don't know much else right now, but will keep you updated as we hear things. The plus side to all of this is that we'll likely be able to visit Emmy if we want! Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers as we wait to see where Emmy will go!

Bubbly is Growing up

2009-01-25T13:47:00.004-06:00

Mary sent me this report: "Bubbly is a spirited little girl and so smart but she needs frequent reminding of who is in charge! When we can get her to calm down, she loves to snuggle or lay by our feet (like right now!) She tries so hard to please......she will make some lucky person a wonderful companion." Looks like she is growing in to a sweet dog. Have fun Mary!

Barkley's getting bigger!

2009-01-18T18:28:00.005-06:00

Barkley (formerly Ms. Orange) is growing every day - which is lucky, because she needs those long legs to get through all of the deep snow we've been having here in Ludington! She is having a lot of experiences, meeting lots of people, and doing a lot of socializing.

She got to see her mommy, Cheeto, again when we stopped by for a visit on the way back from spending the holidays in Colorado. It was hard to tell whether Cheeto knew it was one of her own puppies, but they had a great time playing together. There's a definite resemblance between mother and daughter.

Unlike Cheeto, who was a very easy puppy to raise, Barkley is quite willful and headstrong - she definitely keeps me on my toes. Cheeto spoiled me; Barkley reminds me that raising and training puppies for Paws can be a lot of work! But it's also very rewarding, and she's very smart and a lot of fun, and she makes me laugh and smile every day. (submitted by Kari Karr)

Barkley

2008-12-28T17:15:00.003-06:00

Kari, who raised Cheeto, is now raising Barley, the former Ms Orange. Her family is in Denver so this mean Barkley put on a few miles this Christmas. Looks like there was a point that she just had enough and curled up in a corner.
This is what Kari wrote about her:
I'm so excited to finally be raising one of her puppies! Since coming to live with me, Barkley has been a busy girl - she's already spent two days at my office, been to four restaurants, gone on a 1400-mile driving trip to Colorado, stayed with three different puppy-sitters, and spent a night in a hotel - all in only 10 days. She's even learned to go to the door and ring a bell to ask to go outside, and she is thoroughly enjoying all of the deep snow up in the mountains!

Bubbly

2008-12-25T22:29:00.005-06:00

Miss Red is Bubbly and doing fantastic. It is always amazing to see how they grow and mature. If you have a B puppy let me know and I will send you an invite to post or post for you if you like. Just email at cheetobreeder@yahoo.com. It is such fun to watch the adventures of the puppies.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T13:48:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas to all those who have followed our blog.
May you be blessed this Christmas and always.
From Cheeto and her best pal Keith and the Firlit Family.

Christmas Turkey

2008-12-16T20:30:00.003-06:00

The puppies have made their way to Michigan. The drive was not ideal but what do you expect for December? Ice and snow. We had both. The puppies were stars. Four hours in their crates and no accidents! Boy did they have to go when we got there. It was so cold and I hesitated stopping anywhere so we just hoped they could do it and they made us proud. That are all big, 14-16 pounds and they behaved like big guys. I forgot to leave the toys for the puppy raisers so if you get a B puppy just email me and I will send your toy to you. Here is their last play with Mr. Christmas turkey. Doesn't everyone have one? Blessings to all of you this holiday season. To puppy raisers, trainers, and staff thank you for all you will do for these sweet guys.
All of us here at the Firlit household miss them but we will all get some needed rest. They were getting big and needed their own homes. Make us proud puppies.

Playroom

2008-12-10T03:26:00.010-06:00

The puppies have a playroom they visit. They chase and in general just have a blast. The red slide is still the favorite although they can climb up the yellow stairs to the blue slide on their own now. The game here was to see how many puppies can go through the red slide at the same time. Today the number was 3. They sure do have fun.

Morning Tunnel Play

2008-12-08T11:44:00.004-06:00

These puppies love the tunnel. Most just race through it. Some just hang-out in it and others sleep in it (Ms. Orange). This is Ms. Yellow.

More Visitors

2008-12-07T06:47:00.003-06:00

There is still a stream of visitors who come to play with the pups. We are using the tunnel which they love. They are very sweet as you can see. Miss Yellow loved Jory and I think the feeling was mutual.

Snow Disc and Baby Toy

2008-12-06T05:31:00.003-06:00

I am always trying to come up with new things for them to play with. This was a snow disc turned up side down with a baby toy that is suctioned to the top. They loved it. The toy twirls and makes noise and they explored, batted it and of course tried to eat it. What is in the background are hanging toys. This group just loves them. Some of them move, others wiggle when they pull them others are soft. They amazingly have figured out how to work them all. This group even turns on the mobile. They are smart little guys and gals. Puppy raisers you will love them. They are explorers and thinkers and all are litter box trained. They all go in and out of the crate and some love to sleep in it. Only 10 more days and they will be back at PAWS. They will be ready. Over sixty people have come to visit. More will come these last two weekends. And then there will be the good-bye visits.

Ollie Goes to his Forever Home

2008-12-04T08:28:00.005-06:00

The O puppies are heading to their placements. Lots of proud raisers and one very proud momma Cheeto. Isn't Ollie handsome? Ollie was raised by my daughter Julie. Later in the same day Emmy was being turned into Paws Julie was there to say a sweet good bye to Ollie who headed to Georgia on Wednesday. He has a wonderful placement and will make a man's very challenged life just a little easier and a lot more fun. These are always such great moments. Thanks to the wonderful trainers at PAWS you have worked real magic again. We are all proud of our boy. Ozzie is already at his placement also. Now the Field Representative do their magic - work hard O puppies. It seems like just yesterday you were here romping in my kitchen. Now there is a whole new litter waiting to go to their foster puppy homes.

Emmy Goes to College!

2008-12-01T20:06:00.005-06:00

Today Emmy returned to PAWS for college! It certainly was bitter-sweet but we are so, so proud of the amazing dog she has become. Thank you Cheeto, Marianne, and everyone else who has supported Emmy and the other "E" puppies (Elkie and Emma went back today too!) through this past year! Cheeto...you have done well! We look forward to keeping everyone updated with Emmy's progress in training!

Cat House

2008-11-29T10:48:00.003-06:00

This is a cat toy the puppies love. They all ran up to is and checked it out. Most went in and Red decided the tail was her favorite part. The puppies are given different toys daily to let them investigate. Toys are also rotated so that the same toys are not in with them daily. They have taken excursions out of their pen and are separated from each other. The top is now on the kennel and they venture in and out. They are all around 10 pounds.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T08:22:00.004-06:00

Blessings to you all as you celebrate with your families this Thanksgiving.
We here are very thankful.

Morning Play

2008-11-26T11:26:00.004-06:00

Who could have so much fun with containers? Today they got a huge cereal box with some went in and explored. They played with a cottage cheese container. They are eager to find something new. They are getting the litter box down and that is always a relief.

Visitors Keep Coming

2008-11-22T18:09:00.002-06:00

This is the gift of hospitality. There have been over 40 people who have come so far - small groups no more than 2 times a day and spaced hours apart they come. The puppies love them. I am always so humbled by this gift of time to these puppies. They are growing and learning. The litter box had some wonderful successes today. Puppies choosing to us it on their own. Yes! They are eating from their food dish now and still nursing. It is so much fun to see them play with the toys.

Puppy Play

2008-11-20T14:33:00.003-06:00

They are growing and playing. The change daily is amazing. We have made the pen bigger and the play room is ready for them.

More Fun

2008-11-19T07:57:00.003-06:00

The visitors keep coming and they numbering in the 30's now. Betsy brought her husband Don and their friends Don and Sue. The pups are growing and developing and showing more interaction. Ms. Red has a crazy idea she likes to sleep in the litter box. We have introduced the bottom of the crate to hopefully interest her in that spot.

The Fun has Started

2008-11-17T20:49:00.008-06:00

The visitors are coming. This is such fun. I don't know who enjoys this more the pups me or the visitors. I get to watch my friend's grandchildren grow as they come to visit each litter and they get to hold puppies and their grandparents watch and cuddle puppies too. Thanks everyone for taking the time out of your days to just spend time with these little pups. This socialization is so important - the men and women and especially the little hands.

Puppy Visits Have Started

2008-11-15T18:01:00.005-06:00

Kari, Mary Alice and Mary B. came to visit the pups. Thanks for coming guys. Two of the girls will be going to Kari and Mary Alice. How fun to meet the puppies at such a young age. If you want to visit email me and I will put you on Cheeto's calendar.

Puppy Play

2008-11-14T08:39:00.003-06:00

The puppies are much more mobile. This is early morning and they have just been fed. The bowl is Cheeto's she likes to eat her breakfast while she is feeding the pups their breakfast.

Growing Puppies

2008-11-13T09:34:00.002-06:00

Things are changing. We are rid of the pool during the day and the pups are beginning to play and explore. They then are exhausted and just sleep even lying on their backs. Momma Cheeto takes very good care of them. This is the part she enjoy - bringing out the toys.

Anne and Mr. White

2008-11-10T22:06:00.004-06:00

My whelper helpers are the best. Julie and Anne, my daughters, were there when the pups were born and are my sitters so I can continue to have a life. All the pups are very mellow and have been cuddled and touched. White is very happy to sleep in her arms. Can you believe the size! They are all over 4 lbs.

Wobbly Walk

2008-11-08T17:37:00.003-06:00

They all have opened their eyes and now they have started to walk. If you can call it that. They take a few wobbly steps and then plop. Green and Orange are especially good. This is the noisy activity time. The real fun starts.

Eyes are Opening

2008-11-06T12:23:00.005-06:00

White was the first to open his eyes. The others will follow closely. It's such fun when they finally look back at you. They are all over 3 pounds today.

Noisy Puppies

2008-11-04T21:46:00.004-06:00

Every evening or morning after they have full bellies there is activity time. They move around and make the silliest noises. Some of it is sounds like barking, some sounds like birds. I doesn't last too long and these fat puppies are sleeping.

Rolly Polly Puppies

2008-11-03T22:57:00.004-06:00

The puppies have all doubled their birth weight - all well over two pounds. We have switched to collars so they really look like they are grown up. Eyes and ears are still closed but we are expecting changes soon. They basically are eating machines and Momma Cheeto is eating 7 cups a day to provide the milk.

Happy First Week Puppies!

2008-10-31T09:39:00.003-05:00

The puppies are one week old today. This is the bunch of them in their warming box. They get weighed two times a day and are in their box while their pool gets bleached and a clean fleece is put down. Looks like they will soon grow out of their box and graduate to a laundry basket.

Milk Bar

2008-10-30T23:22:00.005-05:00

The puppies line up to eat and when the really suck their tails curl and wag. They are doing well. Both their eyes and ears are closed. First their eyes will open. That should happen in the next few days. Little slits are beginning now. I love when they finally look back at you.

The Travels of White

2008-10-29T14:44:00.003-05:00

Each pup is different from the time they are born. Some are noisy, some are content in the corner and other are explorers. White has decided that the he is leaving to explore the great white mountains.

Vet Visit

2008-10-27T22:09:00.002-05:00

The puppies had their vet visit today for their exam and dew claw removal. Mom and pups are doing great. Cheeto is 67 pounds, just 6 pounds up from her initial pregnancy weight. Amazing.

Day 3

2008-10-26T21:01:00.004-05:00

The puppies get weighed twice each day to make sure they are growing. Looks like we will have to move to the bigger scale with these pups soon. The rick rack and the paint are to identify each pup since they are all yellow. They are different shades as you can see both Mr. Green and Mr Blue are very light and Miss Orange is very dark. I did not set up this shot with Cheeto they just love to be close to mom.

Miss Red Day 2

2008-10-25T15:48:00.008-05:00

These boys and girls, (notice the count of boys and girls has been updated. There is some chaos at times during the birth and someone did not look carefully.) This is Miss Red, sleeping stretching and doing a pretty good army crawl for being so young. Everyone is growing and mom is adjusting to her job. Cheeto always takes this very seriously. She watches over them, cleans them and lets me know when one is in a place she can't reach. I never tire of watching her care for them. For those new to this yes, that is a kiddie pool that they are in. They will be in it until they can climb out and then will be confined in a X-pen. Cheeto can climb in and out easily. Warmth is important now so that is a ceramic heat lamb in the picture.

They have all Arrived

2008-10-24T09:55:00.006-05:00

Cheeto has six sweet puppies. Three girls and three boys. One pup did not survive. He was the last to be delivered and was 19 oz. His presentation was the problem as one arm was up and the other down which made his shoulders very wide. He is the biggest pup we have had so far. All the pups are doing well and and eating. Momma Cheeto is tired as we all are. The deliveries started at midnight and ended at 7am. Thanks Teresa and Bonnie I can always depend on you. Anne and Julie it was fun to have you both this year. Bob you are the best.

Oxley Graduates to Phase 3

2008-10-24T04:36:00.002-05:00

Oxley made it to phase 3. Hooray! His trainer said they're looking for just the right client for Oxley's "EXUBERANT" personality. We always knew he was special :)

-Ali

Welcome B Litter

2008-10-24T03:39:00.001-05:00

They started arriving just before midnight and so far there are 4. All are over a pound. Mom is doing great.

Happy Birthday "E" Puppies

2008-10-13T15:47:00.004-05:00

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY "E" PUPPIES!!! It's so hard to believe that a year ago these adorable (now HUGE!) puppies were just being born! Thanks Cheeto & family for bringing such wonderful puppies into the world!

Emmy celebrated her first year of life this weekend with a special dog birthday cake and everything! It was so much fun! We hope all the other "E" puppies are celebrating in style too! We wish you all the best as we head into the final months of puppy raising. Way to go "E" puppies you're doing great!

Love Always,
Emmy (and Amy & Bill)

Cheeto has Puppies

2008-09-24T04:22:00.005-05:00

Cheeto is having puppies again. The vet confirmed it yesterday and an ultra sound was done and there looks to be about 8 of them. The due date is October 26. There will be an x-ray done before to confirm the number. She is doing great and looks so healthy. Puppies are on the way. Get ready my wonderful whelper helpers-Bonnie, Anne and Teresa please save the date. This time my daughter Julie will be there to lend a hand too. Cheeto was bred to a young sweet Golden Evan.

Three More O Puppies Enter Phase 3

2008-08-17T20:29:00.007-05:00

It is with great excitement that we announce that Olga, Orrie and Ollie have now entered Phase 3. Thank you to the puppy raisers - Greg and Cindy (Orrie), Ellen, Stuart, Andrew and Rebecca (Olga), and my daughter Julie (Ollie). I know all the hard work you put into these pups. Thanks to the trainers you are our heroes.

Another bit of news - Cheeto is in season and will be at PAWS next week to hopefully meet the father of the next litter of her puppies.

Ozzie is in Phase III

2008-07-18T16:47:00.005-05:00

Congratulations Ozzie you are the first Cheeto puppy to enter Phase III. Mr. Oz is doing well and learning his tasks. Congratulations also to the Duncan Family that raised him and the Paws trainers who got him to this point. Keep working hard Mr. Oz you are a sweetheart. The other O puppies are doing well. We will post their pictures as they enter Phase III.

Gillman at the Mutt Show

2008-05-18T10:01:00.004-05:00

Gillman had a fun and exhausting day at the Great American Mutt Show. Gillman and Meadow were there to spread the word of PAWS. Gillman got his fair share of cuddles.

Elke at the Door

2008-05-15T16:17:00.004-05:00

Elke at the door and ready for Easter. Elke is one of the beautiful E girls. Thanks for the pictures Bruce. It is always fun to see these guys as they grow. The E puppies are now 6 months. These pups require lots of time and training from their raisers. Thank you all for your patience. I hope you are having fun.

Welcome Gillman

2008-05-14T15:32:00.007-05:00

When Julie turned in Ollie she came home with Gillman. He is really sweet. He has settled in and is learning how to behave around other dogs. Cheeto has taken him under her paw. He loves dog class and is a star as all new puppies. You will be seeing more of Gillman and his adventures.

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T20:09:00.002-05:00

Happy Mother's Day Cheeto
It's a gray and rainy in Michigan and I haven't done much but hang out inside all day.
Ellie

Thanks Carol for the photo and the wishes.

Greetings from Tulip Time!

2008-05-09T14:59:00.004-05:00

Emmy sends greetings to the whole Cheeto family from Holland, Michigan and Tulip Time! This week we are taking in some of the local festivities that happen here where Emmy is being raised. So far we've been to some Dutch dancing, downtown Holland (boy is it busy!) and of course we've seen a few...actually A LOT, of tulips! Saturday we're even going to Emmy's first parade! It should be pretty exciting! Feel free to check out Emmy's blog (see the link at the right) to keep in touch with her Tulip Time activities (we even have fun movies of her at the Dutch Dancing) and other summer events! Hope everyone else is doing well!

Love,
Emmy (and Bill & Amy!)

Ollie at PAWS

2008-04-30T10:02:00.007-05:00

Ollie arrived at PAWS to join the other O Puppies at College. Good Luck you guys. Study hard and make us all proud. Thank you to all the foster raisers who worked so hard with you. Cleaned up your messes and repaired what you chewed, took you to so many places, taught you and loved you and proudly walked you back to PAWS. Thanks to the staff that will now care for these pups. They will be fed and groomed and exercised. Thank you trainers at PAWS you are the BEST. It is now time for you to work your magic as only you can do.

Ollie Gets Ready for College

2008-04-30T09:23:00.005-05:00

Ollie had his last few days with us here in Burr Ridge and then in Michigan before he made his way to PAWS. He will be missed by his mom as they shared the little bed in the kitchen often. We will miss this cuddly guy who never passed up a chance to be close. He is silly Mr. Blue from the O litter who would make his laps around the pool. He is all grown up now. Handsome and wise. Does it get any easier? No. I think we know what it will be like to let them go and we work at telling ourselves why we do this, but we are weepy and sensitive. Julie was asked at dog class last night where he was and that is hard. Even if you tell people he will be going they forget and then you explain again the process swallowing hard as they ask - How do you do this? You have to see the big picture and know what these dogs will be able to do and the difference they can make. I have to thank Naomi, Jim, Amy and so many others who remind me of what these dogs can do by letting us be a part of their lives. "Sometimes when you sacrifice something precious, you are not really loosing it, you are passing it on to someone else."

Emma

2008-04-28T09:12:00.003-05:00

Kari was celebrating Mary Blain's birthday - Happy Birthday Mary. Mary works in the front office at PAWS and is one of the great people who came down to meet Cheeto and her pups. Emma was also celebrating. She looks all grown up. The E puppies are 6 months and looking beautiful. Thanks for the picture Kari.

Ellie Celebrates

2008-04-13T10:38:00.007-05:00

That is Ellie on far right with her friends Flynn and Phoenix (L-R) They are celebrating Ingrid's birthday. The cake was a real work of art. This is a people cake as Ingrid is Ellie's field representative for PAWS. For those not familiar with puppy raising this is great for the pups. Outings together in public teach them to have control even when their best friends are sitting next to them and they really want to romp. Socialization is one of the greatest things puppy raisers can do for their pups. Flynn's not too sure about this but all the big guys look comfortable in a mall wearing capes AND hats. Thanks Carol this is really fun to see.

No Puppies

2008-04-12T17:57:00.004-05:00

Well, here is the story. On April 3 Cheeto was examined by her local vet and she did not feel any pups at that time. She did a progesterone level and it was inconclusive. The level was up but not high enough to say for sure that she was with pups. On April 4 the vet at PAWS saw Cheeto and Dr. Jeanne did an ultrasound and did not see puppies. We then waited until today April 12 to repeat an ultrasound at Bob's office and the results: no puppies. What did we see on the early ultrasound? Well, since we are not experts at looking at puppies it could have been a piece of bowel on end or an early pregnancy that did not continue. In any event Cheeto and I both get some time off! She is feeling good and the vomiting stopped this week. Hopefully there will be another litter before the end of the year after a summer of beach and swimming that Cheeto just loves.

Many of the O puppies are making their way back to Michigan. Olga has already been turned in and Ollie goes back next month. Good luck and study hard O puppies.

Looks Like Puppies

2008-03-27T22:21:00.004-05:00

Here are two early early ultrasounds. It really does not look like much, but you could actually see little pulsations in these little sacs during the ultrasound. It is too early to count how many, but there are a few. We are a little over 2 weeks into the pregnancy. Cheeto is having a little morning sickness, but if she eats often and small amounts she is fine. Sound familiar?

Kari and the E puppies at Class

2008-03-20T10:57:00.008-05:00

Carol and Ellie, Kari, Cheeto's puppy raiser, Jim and Elwood and Amy and Emmy.

Everyone is growing and mastering their commands. Good job E puppies. You are a smart and beautiful bunch. Thank you foster raisers this is a fun and challenging time. We know how hard this can be. They can behave so beautifully and then they lose their minds. They are sure they have never been taught the command "sit". Thanks to Carol for the picture.

Yes, I guess the word is out. Cheeto was bred to a yellow lab Lincoln earlier this month. Puppies in early May?

Ellie on the Slopes

2008-03-13T11:56:00.004-05:00

Here is a picture of Ellie and all of her buddies from Michigan Adaptive Sports. They finished their season up at Crystal Mountain last weekend. Ellie did extremely well with all people and places. She is right in the middle, yellow and furry with her cape on. If you click on the photo you can see a full screen of this smiling group. These E puppies will soon be 6 months old. Thanks Carol.

Mr. Oz Returns to Paws

2008-03-09T22:05:00.004-05:00

Ozzie, also known as Mr. White is returning to PAWS this week. I am sure other O Puppies will be finding their way back there shortly. Thank you all for the time you have spent on these dogs. Having given up a puppy before, I know how hard these last days are as you ready your dog for their next step. I have had the opportunity to visit with OZ often and have come to love his sweet personality and gentle grace. He is such a lover with his long legs and huge heart. Teresa and her family have done a fabulous job with him and I know he will be greatly missed. Good luck Mr. Oz. We hope to hear great things about you soon.

Happy First Birthday O Puppies

2008-02-24T22:38:00.007-06:00

Ozzie and Ollie spent part of their birthday weekend at the IKC show in Chicago. They got to meet lots of people and be amongst a variety of dogs. They both did beautifully. Yes there were hats and singing and cake and cookies of the doggie variety. Happy birthday to all the O pups.

Happy Valentines Day

2008-02-14T14:58:00.002-06:00

This is little Ellie who is now 28 pounds and growing. Is she waiting patiently for Spring and the birds to come? I think we have all had our fair share of snow in the Midwest and are awaiting spring. Thanks for the picture Carol.

Ozzie Visits

2007-12-26T16:05:00.000-06:00

Ozzie is here to visit for a few days. Teresa's daughter Kim is getting married this week so the brothers have a few days to play. They are handsome together - different colors but similar faces. Ozzie, on the left is still very light and - 69 pounds and Ollie is a more camel and 50 pounds. These boys are now 10 months old. It should be a fun few days.

Hi from Emu---Merry Christmas Mom!

2007-12-24T08:29:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas to you!

Emu is doing very well. Loves playing with Crumpet and Luna. He is doing so well on visits to Meijer and places like World Market! I can't quite believe how good! Puts on the cape and becomes a super-dog! I hope all is well with Cheeto and company-have a great holiday season!

Merry Christmas

2007-12-23T21:23:00.001-06:00

We wish you all a Merry Christmas. From left to right is Ollie, Cheeto, Meadow and Keith.
Julie, my daughter, is raising Ollie from the O litter and Meadow is her PAWS demo dog. Keith is our keeper dog. Ollie is taller than his mom and a bit of a clown. He is doing well and we are enjoying having him visit. Cheeto is having the most fun. Her work is done and now she has her pal Meadow and Ollie to enjoy along with her buddy Keith. Merry Christmas everyone.

Cheeto's Puppy Calendar

2007-12-11T14:17:00.000-06:00

Hi all,

I created a calendar for my family for Christmas from pictures from the blog. My family is so busy I am sure few check this so my surprise is safe. I have made it available online through Cafepress. Since it can be googled now I thought I would post it here. There is a $2 mark up on each calendar and all profits, if any, will be donated to PAWS. Got the order today and they are a good quality. Cafepress is a site that you can up load your own photos and create calendars and other items. Hope you are all having fun. (This is a picture of Emmy)

http://www.cafepress.com/cheetopups

Otter Update

2007-12-05T20:22:00.000-06:00

Douglas sent this picture of Otter who is living in Florida with him. The O puppies are sure growing up. They are seven months now - opps yes, thanks, they are 9 months. Doug reports that Otter is doing very well and obviously he has met Pluto! Thanks for the update Doug.

Emma's first outings......Meijer and Park Place Assisted Living

2007-12-05T15:19:00.000-06:00

Emma is a cuddly bundle of joy!

Ms. White now Elke

2007-12-02T09:41:00.000-06:00

The puppy formerly know and Ms. White is now Elke. She is living in Grand Haven Michigan. She is a chewer and will sleep anywhere. She is not too sure about the snow. Glad all these puppies are now getting such great cuddles from their families.

Mr. Red is now Emu

2007-12-01T10:54:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Marianne and Bob for doing such a great job with me! I am Emu, aka. Mr. Red and I am at home and happy. Visit my blog at Emuonthego.blogspot.com

The Girls and Guys

2007-11-30T09:08:00.000-06:00

Yes, this is the shot just before they left the couch. Ms. Yellow is now Emma. Rose is now Elsa. Ms White is now Elke. Mr. Blue now Elwood and Mr. Red is now Emu. Good luck puppies. You will love your new homes. Thank you puppy raisers for your generosity. We who have raised know there will be days of frustration and days of pure joy. Your journey has just begun. Enjoy - it goes fast. Someday if all goes well we will be hearing amazing stories about the wonderful things these puppies have done. One of the best gifts Cheeto got was three balls that light up and go "Boing" when they hit the ground. They were from Adalyn and Jim in Arizona. Adalyn is Jim's hearing dog that our family started on her journey many years ago. Adalyn now responds to over 20 sounds for Jim. Great gift and perfect timing - Cheeto was just finishing with her pups and needed a diversion; good reminder for me of the amazing lives these dogs can lead.
If those who received these pups would like to post on the blog please contact me and I will send you an invite.
Cheetobreeder@yahoo.com

Ms. Purple is Emmy

2007-11-30T09:01:00.000-06:00

If you did not check the comments Bill and Amy will be raising Ms. Purple, now Emmy, and have created a blog to continue her story. Thank you Bill and Amy for all the time and love you will give her. What a fun journey you have begun.

http://raisingemmy.blogspot.com/

Ms. Orange is Ellie

2007-11-29T14:08:00.002-06:00

Ms. Orange is Ellie and is living in East Lansing MI. Nov. 28th was her first time at her new home so she is checking out the toys.

Puppies are at PAWS

2007-11-26T13:34:00.001-06:00

The drive was uneventful and the pups slept all the way there. They had an early breakfast used the potty/litter box and we loaded them into the back area of the Yukon. It has a plastic floor only the pups use and we add a litter box and toys. It works out well they can hang out or sleep which is what they did. The guys and gals are now happily in their kennels with toys and a crate bottom with towels - just like home. Cheeto is whining a little. She will look for them for a few days and then be fine. Thank you to all the puppy raisers who will now devote so much time to them. Thank you for all you do. You can never be thanked enough. All those who have checked this blog, and myself would love to see them as they change and grow. It will be fun to add names to each of these sweet faces.

The Girls

2007-11-25T21:57:00.001-06:00

Ms. Purple, Ms. Orange, Ms Pink, Ms Yellow and Ms. White.

The Boys

2007-11-25T21:56:00.001-06:00

The is Mr. Blue and Mr. Red.

The E Puppies

2007-11-25T21:51:00.000-06:00

The whole gang.

Saying Goodbye

2007-11-25T08:50:00.001-06:00

Tomorrow we will pack up the car and head to PAWS with these puppies. Today will be a day of sweet visits that started yesterday with my son Rob and his friends. Bonnie, my whelper helper and her son and husband, Timmy and Greg stopped by. Today Anne and Jim came getting in that last cuddle. Thanks to all those who visited you have helped make these pups love people. A special thanks to Rick and Liz who helped make my Thanksgiving easier by popping in and checking on the pups. Over 80 people have played, cuddled, hugged, kissed and petted these guys as we shared laughter and watched their romping. They sure love their tunnel and their playroom. They have brought us such joy. Thank you puppies for giving us so many smiles.

Kari and Ali Visit

2007-11-24T13:33:00.001-06:00

Kari, Cheeto's puppy raiser and Ali, her niece came to visit today. Both played in the pen. Cheeto loved seeing Kari. I am glad Kari got to see for herself what a great job Cheeto has done with these pups. Kari has done a great job raising Cheeto whom we love so dearly.

More Sweet Kids

2007-11-23T14:03:00.001-06:00

The pups welcomed more kids to play. Aiden, Maeve and of course their mom Gina came to see the puppies. It has been such a gift to me to get time to just play and talk to so many. The kids have loved these guys and their puppy shirts as they all call them Mary Kate even wore her O puppy shirt for her visit to the E puppies.

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T21:56:00.000-06:00

Lamb and rice is what these guys will really be eating. Hope your family has a wonderful time together. We here at the Firlit House have so much to be thankful for including 7 healthy silly puppies and a crazy turkey (Can you believe these are the gifts people buy me - Thanks Fran).
Blessings.

Cat House

2007-11-21T12:10:00.001-06:00

Every morning after I clean their area I like to put something new in their pen. It can be a box or some plastic container but they all run to it to see what it is. I love it. Well today since they have been so clean they got the cat house. Bright red, silky material - they ALL ran to it and in it. I was in the kitchen by myself laughing out loud. That is Ms. White the smallest of the group dragging the house by it's tail with 2 puppies in it. Small but mighty!

Momma's Muscle Shirt

2007-11-21T08:42:00.000-06:00

I love to watch Cheeto play with her pups. Here she is trying to engage Ms. Orange with a frog toy. She now wears her Muscle Shirt to prevent the pups from snacking. They are eating dry food and drinking from their water bowl. Everyone used the litter box this morning!!! What fun for me - easy clean up. To those of you who have graciously commented about what I do. Thank you. I do what I have learned from many of the BC's who have shared their knowledge with me. Thank you Kathy Fisher from PAWS for answering tons of questions along the way. I have whelped 15 puppies. Kathy has whelped over 130 puppies. It is a miracle each time. We worry when they have diarrhea, vomit or are slow at gaining weight. Picture 7 puppies with diarrhea. This is what BC's do each in their own way. I am one of many. It is an honor to start these pups on their journey.

Tunnel Fun

2007-11-20T15:29:00.000-06:00

They love this tunnel. You can hear the sound of the inside material when they climb in it or on it. These guys know how to play.

Girl Scout Troup 223 Visits

2007-11-19T13:04:00.001-06:00

Girl Scout Troop 223 came to visit the puppies and Cheeto. I had visited them in their classroom to prepare them for this and they did an excellent job! Handling the pups paws, introducing them to their tunnel, watching them explore are just some of the things they did. Thank you girls for being so well behaved and doing such a great job. The puppies are loving their tunnel. It makes crinkly sounds, has holes in the side and they can run through it, climb out the sides and turn around in it. The girls really love watching them play with their toys. Thanks Girl Scouts!

Sleeping

2007-11-18T18:56:00.001-06:00

Even though these pups are growing and changing they still do a fair amount of sleeping. They sleep during the day and they sleep all through the night. We have given them the little Fleece Man to sleep with at only at night. This will be sent with them to PAWS and will then be given to their foster parents. A PAWS puppy raiser said this helped puppies transition to their new home. Since dogs really know their smells this is a way to take them with. Something a little familiar to comfort them on those first nights alone. Time has gone so quickly. Monday will begin their last week with us. Yup you guessed I have tears in my eyes. Can you tell I have loved every minute with them? I know those who are waiting for them will love them as I have and start their very special journey. All the same they have stolen a piece of my heart that they will always carry with them.