Two weeks ago we welcomed Celi’s puppies and life has been a whirlwind ever since. The fun surprise was that our yellow Labrador Retriever now has 6 adorable rotund balls of happy sweetness; one chocolate, five black and not one yellow like mom. In this era of pandemics, protests, and politics, I highly recommend that everyone take time out and spend time with puppies.
A few people have asked me what Micah thinks of the puppies, and the short but true answer is most likely not much. Micah does not like change in routine, so even positive changes can throw him off a bit, so for the most part he has ignored the squeaky little intruders into his domain. I do think he has had some welcome side benefits to their arrival, such as additional visits from his siblings and close family friends who have stopped by to meet the pups. I would also venture a guess that he has found his mother to be in a happier mood based on all the time I spend gazing at the little ones and marveling at the miracle of birth and the amazing natural instincts of mothers and babies.
Truth be told, I had asked our veterinarian, Steve, a couple years ago if we should breed Celi as she has a sweet disposition but also has a stubborn streak. Celi does her best to make sure that everyone she meets takes time to focus on her. I was more then a bit concerned she would not understand that mothers must step up to the task of putting their babies’ needs ahead of their own. My fears skyrocketed immediately after the birth of her first puppy, as Celi seemed so surprised by the pup’s arrival that she gave birth to the puppy and ran away from her. Fortunately, those fears were unfounded, as Celi stepped up to the plate with increasing attention as the other puppies arrived.
Watching the puppies grow each day has been a blessed reminder of all that is good in life. By age 5 days, they began wagging their stubby tails while they nursed, a nice sign that they are feeling all is right in their little world. Despite the fact that they could not see or hear yet, they motored around the whelping pen on their chubby bellies searching for the warmth of one of their siblings, or for their next drink from their mother. During the last two days, one by one their eyes have started to open, and tonight I am happy to report we have seen 9 eyes peeking out at the world…just 3 more to pop. The puppies remind me that God makes babies adorable to keep parents right where they are needed; so they can protect and gently nourish their babies’ small bodies, which in turn, grow at an astounding rates. I am reminded that all too soon our puppies will grow up and move on to homes of their own, so the time to sit and bask in their presence is now. Today is all we have promised, so if you need to escape the loud scraping of a world in turmoil, come join me at the edge of the whelping box to observe the pups’ wobbly efforts at walking and listen as they discover their voices. This is time well spent, free therapy for those of us who have been feeling battered and depleted by the daily onslaught of negative news. Micah would probably tell you that puppy therapy is not for everyone, but the benefits of puppy therapy help bring a much needed healthy balance back to his mother’s life, thus undoubtedly cascading happiness into his life as well.
Jan Lessard Peightell August 26, 2020