Churchill, Logan, Mac, Ollie, and Relic have all gone to bring joy - and some degree of havoc - into their new homes. With them has gone a pretty big chunk of the work which fills up my days, the regular emails I received from five very faithful correspondents, and the requests from my younger siblings to "go play with the puppies." I have to confess to a sense of relief whenever puppies are safely picked up and are no longer my immediate responsibility, but, even though pickup days are always rather joyful occasions, the kennel area now has a slightly forlorn air. Flora is still there, always happy to see me, but she is growing fast and no longer flings herself on me with the wild abandon of a young puppy, delighted if it can get close enough to lick my nose at unexpected moments, or worm itself under my arm when I'm doing something terribly important. Quite a few new owners (and lovers of puppies in general) ask me if I am sad when the pups have to leave. The plain answer is no: it is good for the puppies to go to new homes, to have their OWN owners, instead of having to share me between all of them, and my workload is considerably lightened when they are gone. But I already miss the puppies, too. And if I could have another litter born tomorrow, I would welcome them enthusiastically. Puppies are the fun part of being a breeder and hearing how well they do in their new homes, in whatever sphere they may be, is worth all the work that goes into raising them. Here are the last sets of pictures I took before they were picked up. Enjoy! Ollie Ollie is the high drive, slightly nervous, outgoing, incessantly wriggling, over-the-top loving puppy of the bunch. He is full of joy, a desire to please, and lots of energy. He started off bossy toward his brothers but lost some of his assertiveness as he got older. Looks like he may end up with one upright ear and one tipped ear, like his mother. Mac Mac is a very special puppy, with a fund of intelligent affection, a dash of independence, and plenty of good looks. He didn't pay the cows much attention when I walked him over to the fence, but he was not overly intimidated and even had the nerve to growl at them. I fully expect him to do well in any discipline, with loving training, which I know he will receive. Logan Logan got off to a rough start in life. He was the smallest puppy in the litter and a litter of pups is not good to the smallest one among them. I spent a few hours watching him nurse or trying to feed him a bottle, weighing him multiple times a day, and praying over him. Now he is a strong, though small and wiry, puppy. His personality is far bigger than his body and he was voted "Favorite Puppy" by my siblings. He is extremely smart and willing to please - just the kind of dog that is a real joy to train. Relic Relic was just picked up this morning, last of the litter. He is not as confident as Mac and Logan, and not quite as wriggly as Ollie, but he shares a special talent with Churchill. They both love to be cuddled. Relic is extremely affectionate and loves human companionship. He is on a long trip out to Colorado and has a lot to learn, but I know he is in good hands and will get a good education. He also has the nicest markings of the group, in my opinion, and was one of the easier pups to photograph. Churchill Churchill was last born, but first to be picked up. He is the quietest, most sedate puppy of the bunch, neither timid nor over confident, and I'm sure he is loving life with his own, individual person. He could never get enough petting and was mild-mannered, preferring to take the route of least resistance - but on occasion, Flora would get his dander up. She weighs 25 lbs and he weighed 11, but (as you can see in the pictures) he would put her flat on the ground when he'd had enough of her using him for a chew toy. In case you can't tell, he was the hardest to photograph, usually because he was too close to me. It has been a privilege raising these puppies - from choosing their parents as puppies, right up to the point where Relic was picked up this morning - and I look forward to my next litter. Cleone needs to take a break from motherhood, so it will probably be about a year before she has more pups, but hopefully, between now and then, I will get to experience at least the fringe joys of raising a litter of Border Collies.
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AuthorMy name is Alayna Feldman. I have been greatly blessed and am thankful, first and foremost, to the Lord Jesus Christ, Who has saved me. I am also deeply thankful to my parents, who have raised me in a stable, safe, loving home and taught me about what is most important in life. Archives
February 2022
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