Week Five

July 5, 2003

Week Six

July 12, 2003

We are 6 weeks old today! Wow! We don't know what that means exactly, but to us it meant that Gramma didn't feed us as much this morning for breakfast and then she had Grandpa set up another crate in the living room because she said we have gotten too big to all fit in the one that was already in the living room.

Then, despite us telling her we would rather eat, she gave each of us a bath, Grandpa dried us and then she put our new collars on and then we had to get in the crates. Boy! We hollered and screamed and whined, but Gramma still wouldn't let us out. You should have seen Grandpa's lap when he was done drying us. He says our coats retain more water these days and what doesn't get on the towel ends up soaking his pants. . . Hehehe! Hey, what does "retain" mean???

Then we got to go in the van. Joe sat in back with us. He was supposed to be watching us to make sure we didn't crawl under the seats and chew up stuff we shouldn't be chewing on. Teal quickly took up a spot between Gramma and Grandpa and Gramma scratched and petted him the whole way to what Gramma said was the vet's. Does anyone know what a vet is??
When we stopped, Grandpa got out a thing called a dolly and Gramma set up a crate on top of it and then we all got to get in for a ride except for Burgundy and Joe was carrying her. We went into a building that had lots and lots of new and different smells. But, Gramma wouldn't let us investigate them, so we all went to sleep for a while until a nice lady came in and said we were all going to get weighed. One by one, we got "officially" weighed and we all went back into the crate except for Lime who got to sleep on the table next to Gramma. . . Poor Lime. . . Because she was the one out of the crate, she was the one they did the fecal test on - she was not happy, so Gramma picked her up and loved on her for a while and then she went back to sleep on the table.

Then that nice man came in that feels us all over and checked our mouths and teeth and tummies. Gramma said he gave us our shots too but we didn't feel them. . . What are shots?

Then we all got to get back in the van with Joe again. Joe didn't do his job real well and Ice Cream got stuck under one of the seats. . . Gramma had to get Grandpa out to help her get Ice Cream out. When we got home, Gramma let us out in the front yard two at a time so we could pee and play in the nice grass for a couple of minutes before we got to follow her into the house and then she put us back in the crates. . . she said something about keeping clean until we got our pictures taken. . . What are pictures? Where's our food?? We are hungry!! Ohhhh, we don't feel so good

And then Gramma put us back in the puppy apt so we could go in and out of the back yard. And finally, she brought us something else to eat! Yea!!!! We can hear Gramma unlatching the gate and we like to storm the gate and escape, but we know that when she has that blue bowl and says, "outside, outside" we have to hurry and get outside so we can eat! We are also learning that when Gramma says, "Get it done", it is time for us to try to pee. Gramma says lots of nice things when we pee after she has said that.

Gramma said she watched us this morning early for a long time. She said we were so funny! Said it was fun to watch us chase each other and then fall down and roll on our backs so that we could be caught by each other. And then we would jump up and run and someone else would get chased. . . We don't understand why she was watching us instead of getting our breakfast ready. But we like our grass. We like it better when Gramma turns on the thing that sprays the wet stuff. We like to go lay down and let the wet stuff get all over us. We have tried chewing that thing when there is no wet stuff coming out. We are only trying to get that wet stuff to come out some more, but only Gramma is magic enough to make the wet stuff come out. Gramma come out and play with us and make the wet stuff come back! Gramma where are you?? Isn't it time to play yet? Well we are going to nap for a little bit longer and see if we feel better. We know Gramma is going to come out in a little bit to play with us. We can't wait!

-

July 23, 2003

I gave to puppies their morning meal today and sat down to do some work. All of a sudden, my old rival, Burgundy came in to see if she could give me a hand. I thought she had escaped when I opened to gate to give them their food and I just hadn't noticed.

I came back to my desk and in about 5 minutes she came back along with two of her pals. I put them back and this time I watched. One spot in the slats of the puppy gate is about 1/2 inch wider then the rest. They are now tall enough to stand up: reach over the barrier on the bottom of the gate; and pull themselves through the one wide spot. Once Burgundy did it, they all knew how to do it. Their intelligence is almost scary!

I fixed the problem. I guess it's just a matter of time until they plan a new "break-out scheme". It seems they simply love to do
all this while I'm on guard duty. Once again I'll have to sit in the dunce's corner. Oh, by the way, some of them were just too big to fit in the space Burgundy found in the slats. The large ones were irate as Hell, especially Teal because they couldn't squeeze through the gap.. I've never heard so much yelling and screaming in my live as they are doing right now because the escape route is closed.

-Benny

Well the LER is over and the temperaments (soft to medium-soft) of this litter are so uniform as was their intelligence that they demonstrated while they were in the maze. Unfortunately, I was short a set of hands and did not get many pictures during the LER as I was writing the comments as they were being told to me during the testing. The best part for me was the end of the maze as all my babies rushed out to give me kisses and show me how big they were to figure the maze out so quickly. Their ingenuity was something to watch.

Our pups are going to Montana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, 2 will stay in Texas (both breedable and will be shown) and our last girl will go to a home in Virginia.

As of 1:22 am, Shari and Joe left home to deliver puppies. I'll keep everyone posted on her progress.

-Benny

Shari, Joe and a van full of puppies arrived at DFW at 6:45CST. The puppy is checked in and and at 8:30 the plane leaves. Everyone is taking turns frolicking in the grass next to the cargo terminal and giving Shari her exercise.

Tam left Montana at 11:45MT for a 500 mile drive to Salt Lake City yesterday to pick up her bundle of love today. She should have confirmation in 1 hour that her baby is on the way - on clue as to which one - it's a female.

- Lisa (Merlin, Ellie and Lou), Roscommon, MI

Tam's puppy is in the air and winging her way to Salt Lake City. Shari is on her way to Ginger's house. They've had breakfast and the puppy mobile is moving toward East Texas. Get ready Ginger, they are headed your way!

-Benny

As of 9:45 am, Shari, Joe and a van load of puppies were about 50 miles from Tyler. Take a deep breath and get everything nailed down Ginger, the wrecking crew is almost on your doorstep. Those little rascals are about to add some spice to your weekend!

-Benny

Houston, the puppy mobile has landed!!! Shari and Joe have stepped out on the rich soil of Tyler, Texas! One step forward for Majestic Knights Kennel and a Giant Leap forward for Shiloh Shepherds! The mission team will go on R&R status until further notice. First leg of delivery accomplished and crew AOK!

-Benny

The USS MKK M&M2 Puppy Shuttle has officially left Space Station 2, heading toward Space Station 3. EST 4:30 CST. Passenger List includes Capt. Shari, Navigator Joe (heaven help us), 1st Mate Rory, and Passengers, the lovely ladies of MKK. . . Purple, Pink and Ice Cream.

-Ginger, Tyler TX

After a few computer glitches and transponder adjustments, Navigator Joe has instructed flight commander, Shari, to turn the Puppy Shuttle to a Southerly heading. First Mate Rory is in complete agreement with this decision. The Shuttle is now proceeding South on I-45.

The vehicle is headed your way Houston! Flight path normal, but speed may be a little hot for your local vehicle controllers. The Shuttle Commander has a tendency to want to shorten the time-frame of a mission in order to prevent passenger fatigue. Will keep you advised of any adjustments to vehicle progress.

-Benny

At 316 CST the USS MKK M&M2 Puppy Shuttle is passing through Huntsville TX (had a quick pitstop, otherwise we'd be further).... Puppy have had a snack of dry kibble and crashed out. Ice Cream keeps crawling up into the back seat to her perch for a nap....she's too good to sleep on the floor....LOL

We had a false start from Space Station 2 at the beginning of our trip; we had to go back for picture of Ginger with Rory. Rory almost did NOT make it back into the shuttle. Sorry, Lloyd.

The head honcho at the Space Station 2 tried to ground that portion of the flight. First Mate Rory almost was quarantined at the Space Station until further notice.

At 55 miles from Houston, I will check in later.

-Shari (via dictation to Jacki's computer in Portland OR)

Mission control, Space Station 3 reporting. Contact with USS MKK M&M2 made at approx 15:50, all is well. Space Station 3 requested slowing re-entry speed to cool tiles and extend landing gear and flaps. Heavy air traffic reported in area, may do a go around. Should make visual contact some time around 18:00.

-Space Station 3, First officer Jamie *over and out*, Houston TX

Thanks for the update Houston. Sounds like every thing is a go for a smooth landing at Space Station 3. Glad you adjusted the speed a little. Ground control Odessa will go 1010 since we have now lost telemetry contact with vehicular modulation and can no longer adjust or, for that matter, maintain apogee maintenance or control. Reentry is what you do best. Good luck Houston, sounds like all is AOK.

- Benny

Click on the paws to see their stories and watch them grow.