Generators.

Can I say how happy I am that we purchased one two years ago? The storm here is pretty nasty with heavy snow, heavy rain at times and the wind is suppose to pick up as well. Our power went out but the generator came on within seconds.

The pups have a heating pad just to be sure they have warmth if mom should go outside to potty, etc. They are very comfortable as well as quite chunky. All of them are over 1 pound at Day 4 which is typical of a weight at 7, not 4 days. Charlotte is eating well and it shows on the pups! Milk supply is plentiful.

Happily, Charlotte is now enjoying going outdoors and meshing with the other doodles in the house. I had to drag her outside to potty for the first three days as she would not voluntarily leave her pups. I thought her bladder would explode! Today, she is taking breaks to enjoy some patting, cuddling  and socializing. She is a perfect guest.  :+)

Charlotte x Keefer pics at three days old.

Due to a snowstorm complicating the way back home, my children have left a day early to be ahead of the snowy mess. Sorry to see them all go but glad to get back on track from the holiday festivities!

Here are the pups individual pics on their third day of life. Enjoy. In the Christmas spirit of fun, holiday names are being used for identification. Of course, I am sure new names will be given by their owners.

Silver 'Belle' already weighs 1.2 lbs.

Red 'Holly' is 15 ozs.

'Eben'ezer Scrooge is also 1.2 lbs and the only male.

'Missy' Toe is 15 ozs. Missy and Holly could be twins!

CHARLOTTE X KEEFER PUPS!

It certainly has been quite the Christmas here at Annabelle Doodles! Charlotte decided to NOT whelp when she should have but to delay until Christmas Day afternoon amidst our family gathering of 8 adults, 7 grandchildren under seven years of age (including 7 month old twins), 8 doodles and four newborn pups.

Since our children do not live close to us, several are staying here until Thursday, so still lots going on with regard to cooking, cleaning and supervising doodles & kids - so, yes I am quite busy but enjoying the chaos of a large family.  :+)

So forgive me for not doing this sooner but I did want to have both momma Charlotte and pups examined by my vet before posting. We did lose the fifth pup born - a fragile male that just did not make it, a very sad part of breeding. However the remaining four are robust and practically 'drunk' with the abundance of milk being produced by Charlotte.

Here they are and I promise to post more pics as time and energy allow.  :+)

Charlotte is very smart and knows her spot is 'ready'. UPDATE!!!!!!

I have Charlotte's whelping area ready and she very calmly walked into the bed and settled in. Soon, she will start 'digging' in it and tossing the towels all over the place to suit her. This will be repeated over and over until she actually begins to whelp - hopefully, tomorrow.  She is doing very well. Enjoying going outdoors with the other girls and cuddling on the couch in the evenings. Loves to eat what I prepare and is staying nice and hydrated. Easy sailing right now.  :+)

• Friday, 12/23 - No signs yet! Had a good night of rest.
• Saturday - 12/24 - Ate her breakfast with gusto and is full of pep. Dogs that should be ready to whelp should not be full of pep! They should refuse to eat and just want to have belly rubs. Charlotte has other ideas. Oi!
• December 25 - Still NO PUPPIES! Christmas Day is not finished but it seems like a calm has settled on Charlotte and maybe, just maybe, pups will present themselves soon. She does pant off and on and she certainly should be welcoming those babies! Perhaps Charlotte will give me a Christmas present and have this litter during the day today rather than another night sleeping on the floor waiting and waiting and waiting. I can hope! SHE LISTENED! A pup just born, a female! I will do a separate post when we are finished.  :+)  :+)  :+)

Charlotte is here!

She had her x-ray today and is having five puppies. All pups have homes waiting for them. Very glad for a manageable litter size - especially since they should be born just before Christmas!

Wyatt's new guardians take great pics!

I just love this shot! His winter coat is just adorable on him.  :+)

Wyatt's guardians came to get him today.

What a lucky guy to be going home with these beauties!! A homemade diet, a lovely bed with his name engraved on it and lots of attention to be bestowed on him. Wyatt will be in his glory - as it should be.

Thank you ladies, I am sure the men of the house are very jealous right about now.  :+)

Wyatt will be leaving soon....

He is such a sweet, calm puppy. His guardians plan to pick him up on Sunday. Till then, he has been helping me decorate like a good little elf should.  :+)

I keep telling him he is very important to my program's future and that he best behave very well for his guardians. My wish is that he pass testing and join our Annabelle Doodle family in about a year as our newest stud. What delicious chocolate sweetness he will produce!

Well, well, well.....

I just came back from the vets and Miss Daisy Mae Duke is cycling and will be bred to Keefer in about a week or so. I am so happy that Charlotte will have had her pups and weaned them before Daisy's arrive. Whew, finally the 'odds are in my favor'!!

If all goes as planned, pups will be in a range of mediums (18 to 20 inches) and in colors of cream, apricot and reddish-apricot. I will keep the AnnaBlog updated with any information.

Keefer is a deep apricot/red male. He weighs about 35 lbs. and is 20" tall.

Daisy weighs 26 lbs. and is about 18 inches in height. She has a loose hair/fleece combo coat.

An addition to the Annabelle family has arrived!

Wyatt Slurp, a second generation American Labradoodle puppy is our next hopeful stud to add new DNA to our stud line-up. It is very exciting to look for unrelated prospects that will bring new blood for your breeding females.

When I saw a pic of this boy's dad, I laughed out loud because he looks like a 'cross between Tramp (remember Lady and the Tramp?) and a miniature version of an Irish Wolfhound'.  I have always loved scrappy looking dogs - something about them that warms my heart and tickles my funny bone.

A breeder known for her attention to gentle, calm, therapy lines was exactly what I was searching for. Couple that with excellent Labrador bloodlines with AKC Champions bred with an exceptionally well tested miniature Poodle and I was smitten. Raised in a home environment with five children of assorted ages is such a benefit for socially well adjusted pups.

Wheee! Ears flying with the joy of chasing the other doodles!

WYATT SLURP being lovingly held by Thaxton.

Wyatt showing off his stature. Such a sturdy little guy.

Wyatt is here at ADNE! Our first early generation American Labradoodle!
Wyatt will have a very easy to care for non-shedding coat similar to an Italian Spinonne.

I am not a generation 'snob' when it comes to breeding. One of the primary focuses of my breeding program is to always bring in new DNA to keep inbreeding coefficients low. Purchasing breeding stock from proven healthy stock (test results) promotes healthy puppies. I am looking forward to testing Wyatt in a few months to see if he will make the cut and I sure hope he does! I love his broad head, soulful eyes and easy care slightly wavy non-shedding coat. I expect Wyatt to be around 35 lbs. or so and 18 1/2 inches tall. His sturdy conformation, saber tail and wide muzzle is such a bonus. I believe he also carries for the parti and phantom genes as well.  :+)

Update:  Wyatt lives with his guardian home in Massachusetts and has a wonderful time splashing in the numerous ponds and rivers in the area. He loves to chase wild geese but has not caught one yet!

Charlotte is indeed pregnant!

Charlotte had her ultra sound this morning and a good guess is about 5 or so puppies. Of course, we will not know the numbers for sure until she has an x-ray closer to her delivery time. Ultra sounds are used primarily for confirming pregnancy and pup viability. So far, all look healthy and stable. The majority of times, there are more than what can be 'counted' on an ultra sound due to gas and stools which can block the view.

Good going Charlotte and Keefer!

TATE#2 AND EMMETT'S LITTER GOES HOME.

At last! Yes, all of my anxious new owners were here right at 1 pm for our group session to go over all the paperwork and to address questions; AND to finally get their pups!

Lots of stuff to explain but it did not take too long.  :+) Before you knew it, pups were in arms, bags were packed and cars were warming up.

So long little ones! Mr. Brown Boy will be shipped on Wednesday to Oregon to be a stud for another breeder, so is not here yet.

'Biden' Valentine family.

'Bella' Celularo family.

'Albus' Ogonowski-Bartlett family. Luna's new baby brother!

'Appa' Moller family.

'Ajax' Goodwin family.

"Furfurvergnügen"  call name Furber.
This is a German name that means "for the enjoyment of fur" .
I am hopeful that Furber will be a great addition to this breeder's program.

I was up very late last night....

Not because the pups were a problem but watching the election! I did give them some Arnica to help them through the night but overall, they slept well.

This morning they were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready for a big breakfast. Once done, I let them out into the pup room to stretch their legs and play a bit. Aside from Appa needing to wear a collar to prevent him licking his surgical site, all are doing very well. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly they bounce back.  :+)  However, after you pick them up on Saturday, they still need about five more days of being on the quiet side. So gentle playing, no jumping and lots of common sense. The interior stitches will almost be healed by Saturday but the exterior ones need a few more days of supervised play.

TATE X EMMETT'S LITTER IS HOME FROM THEIR SURGERIES.

The boys are doing fine - even ate a small meal. The two females are sore and I separated them in a different pen than the boys. They both received a pain vaccine before I picked them up at 5 pm. This is typical - as the female surgery is always a bit 'more involved' than the boys. They are quiet at the moment but I don't expect it to last.

Tomorrow morning will bring less soreness. I expect the girls will still need some mending but the boys will be ready to play. They will all need to be kept on the quiet side with no outdoors.

WEEK 8 OF THE TATE X EMMETT LITTER!

I just about made it to take these pics - the sun was sinking incredibly fast with this time change!!

The pups were very good riders to the eye vet and there were no oopsies or vomiting - GOOD pups! As usual, people always stop to stare and admire a buggy with cute pups in it.  :+) The exams went well with all having slight 'puppy' imperfections but no eye disease.

I decided to bring back the stars and stripes in honor of our presidential election. I am hopeful that all our Americans will cast their ballot.

PLEASE VOTE TOMORROW!

BELLA says - 'Stand proud and vote'! 5  3/4 lbs.

APPA is reaching out to all to 'Go Vote'!  5  1/4 lbs.

BROWN BOY is pleading with Americans to 'VOTE'!  6  3/4 lbs.

BIDEN is saying 'No excuses to not vote'!  5   1/4 lbs.

ALBUS is reluctant to get up and vote, but he WILL!  7 lbs.

AJAX pleads to 'BE SURE YOU VOTE!'  4  1/2 lbs.

Regarding crates.

Unfortunately, I could not update my Pup Supply List for some odd reason. I suggest you purchase a 30" crate. You can also get one that has an adjustable 'wall' to slide as the pup grows. I have used a big stuffed animal to take up the extra room too and it provides a 'snuggly' place for your pup.

Although I prefer plastic crates over wire ones, the plastic ones do not have adjustable walls as far as I know.

Big Day Today! NELLIE'S LITTER GOES HOME!

Some happy new owners arrived today to take their fur-baby home! I know tonight will be interesting for all of them.  :+)

Our new breeding hopeful, JONNIE CACHE, was picked up first. Congratulations Deb! I am sure Eli will be a big help.

LUNA is going to keep the Xydaki family hopping! She is going to love all the attention  for sure. :+)

I can't wait to hear how ABBY will do with the Levangie family's other furry friend. I bet Abby will be very respectful.

I just know FINN Starzec will have so much fun with his new human 'sibling'!

Miss Sunshine, aka SUNNY will be flying to California in a few hours. She will be an additional companion for the Hallinan family. Noche, their new Cockapoo, doesn't know he is getting a sister. Two puppies, oh my!

COCO doesn't know it yet but there is a furry friend waiting for her at home.
The Higgins-Versteeg family is looking forward to all the fun.

Update on Nellie's pups.

Sorry I was only able to get an angle on one set of 'surgical' pups.  :+(

They are doing very well. Although they do spend some time in the individual crates, they also get combined with Tate's litter in their pen to say 'Hello' and have some social time. I do let them all out together at times but have prevented them from going into the puppy play area. They have a couple of pens to move about in. This is to curtail the 'patients' from lots of running and jumping. I can never prevent every pup from getting rambunctious after surgery though - they feel too good!

Nellie's pups are placed in the crates all night in the hope that it will be a good start to crate training for you when they go home. I am sure to let all of them out to potty around 10 pm and then Tate's litter is in the communal pen; and Nellie's are given a tiny treat and placed in the crates. I usually hear about 15 minutes of complaining and then peace. Don't expect miracles when you get your pup, but it should not be too bad with this introduction.

Tate's group.

Just a quick snap of Tate's pups.  Also, one of Annabelle socializing with them.

Gotta love my foundation girl, Annabelle. Almost 14 years of age and still loves puppies.

Tate's pups at almost 8 weeks.

ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE TATE#2 X EMMETT LITTER!

Today my trainer came once again to temperament test the Tate litter. Happily, all went well and the following pups were 'officially' assigned and accepted. HOORAY!

• Yellow Boy is now BIDEN and will be a great companion to Wendy and Mark Valentine.
• Chunky Orange Boy is aptly named 'ALBUS' and will join Pam and Slater. Albus will absolutely delight his furry sister Luna, another Annabelle Doodle. Lots of fun to be had very soon!
• The Moller Family will welcome Green Boy, named APPA.
• Both Gloria and Patricia are over the moon to know that Rose Girl aka 'BELLA' will be snuggling in their arms soon.
• Little Black Girl is named 'AJAX' and I just know she will be entertaining every person she comes in contact with. Susan and Ajax are going to have a ball together. :+)
• Lastly, Brown Boy will be shipped to Oregon to be a hopeful stud for a breeder there.

My trainer enjoys doodle puppies so much and loves coming here to assess them. I am lucky to have her.  Today went so well and assignments just 'fell into place'. Hopefully, everyone will be just as delighted as we are.

At this time, all balances are due asap! If you don't remember what you owe, just email me.

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PICK UP DAY IS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH AT 1 PM.  If there is someone who absolutely cannot do this day or time, be sure to contact me immediately.  

:+)  Thanks.

Nellie's pups that got their surgeries today are home and resting.

It has been a very busy day for sure!  Pups are home and in their individual crates except for Jonnie who is sleeping with Tate's litter tonight.

All the surgeries went well and they will all need about 10 days of staying relatively quiet with no excessive running, wrestling or jumping - not easy to do with numerous pups! So, my plan is to keep the 'patients' in a confined play area outdoors - while the others can have their social time as normal. Thank goodness it is suppose to be a nice day tomorrow.

Will take some pics as time presents itself tomorrow.

:+)

Definitely a busy week. UPDATE - TATE'S LITTER WILL BE TEMPERAMENT TESTED TOMORROW DUE TO TRAINER ILLNESS.

As posted, today the Nellie litter went to the eye vet and did super! They were excellent in the car and enjoyed their ride in the puppy buggy.  :+) A little boy kept them company as we waited our turn and they all did well with the exams.

Once we were home again, I fed them and let them out for a bit. Since they are being spayed, neutered and microchipped tomorrow - baths were given. It was their first bathing experience as well as an introduction to the hair dryer. Again, they all did remarkably well.

On Thursday, they will have their incisions checked and be given their first vaccines - a Parvo virus and a Distemper shot. Saturday, they will all go home.

In the meantime, Tate's litter is also getting their temperament tests tomorrow (while Nellie's litter is at the vets), and I will be taking care of all the paperwork for their booklets the rest of the week.

Welcoming the Halloween Day Festivities is TATE#2 X EMMETT GROUP AT 7 WEEKS.

Having 'older' half siblings has really given a boost to this group. They have a large family to interact with and learn from. :+)

This is a quieter group overall but not without plenty of wrestling, tugging, chasing and curiosity. Their temperament testing will be tomorrow so a phone call will be coming your way at some point during the day! Very exciting!

Enjoy these cute pics of pirates and witches!!

Rose Girl at 7 weeks and 5 lbs.

Green Boy weighs 4  1/4 lbs. this week.

Hefty Orange Boy is 6  1/8 lbs. at 7 weeks.

Yellow Boy is 4  1/2 lbs. today.

'Mini Mouse' Black Girl is just about 3  3/4 lbs at 7 weeks of age.

If there was ever a 'Johnny Debb' pirate doodle, Brown Boy is it. Weight is 5  3/4 lbs.

NELLIE #2 X EMMETT LITTER IS EIGHT WEEKS!

Wow! Next weekend they will be going home to their new owners!

Today, they will be traveling to my Ophthalmologist for their eye exams. Please know that this is not to see if they have '20/20' vision but to rule out any diseases of the eye. There are small eye conditions at this age that include Distichiasis (extra eyelashes), Persistent Pupillary Membranes aka PPM's that are little dots in the eye or Epethelials which show up as 'tiny oil patches in the developing eye. All these are benign issues and do not impact their vision at all. Many of them go away as the pup ages.

It will be interesting to see how they do in the car as this is a 45 minute trip one way!

This week both litters use the dogie door extremely well and have at least three sessions a day of free time to go in and out at their leisure. They love being outdoors and take full advantage of the 'social time'.

Here they are in their Halloween neckerchiefs!  BOO!

LUNA - Teal Girl at 8 weeks. 6  3/4 lbs.

ABBY - Red Girl at 8 weeks.  6 lbs.

COCO - Phantom-Sable Girl at 8 weeks.  6  1/4 lbs.

SUNNY (Pink Girl) at 8 weeks.  4  1/2 lbs.

FINN (Blue Boy) at 8 weeks.  4  3/4 lbs.

JONNIE CACHE (Purple Girl - Guardian Home) at 8 weeks  4  3/4 lbs..