Litter Mates-- Still Hanging in There!

[Ashley, Sadie and Coal]

Well our precious pups are growing like weeds.  At almost 16 weeks, Coal is just under 20 pounds and Sadie is 18 pounds.  They continue to be healthy and happy, and we continue to love them like crazy.  Keeping them separate has provided us with bonding time and is allowing their personalities to really shine.  Sadie is a momma's girl and Coal is a snuggle bug.  So, that all sounds great, right?  It is, and it isn't...  

With one puppy, being a puppy parent is tough enough, but there is still a little time for laundry, cooking, human kids, grading papers and maybe even relaxing once in a blue moon. With two, after you finish the 45 minute walk with one pup, feed it, brush it and work on sit, stay, down, come and fetch, you then have to do it with the second pup. Free time is now puppy time.. so is paper grading time (which is not such a bad thing).  With five people here, it works out okay most of the time, but when one human is on the golf team, another is out of town for a business meeting, two have golf lessons and one is driving them to and fro, that makes life a little more "ruff." Throw in a Parent Night at school, an ice storm, a Girl Scout meeting and some teenage angst, and we make a three ring circus look tame.  

The good news, as I keep telling myself, is that if we can make it until the end of May, we will be out of school and will have nothing that we have to do other than puppy doody.  Hopefully, our diligent training and puppy classes will have resulted in somewhat well-behaved, adolescent pups who we can really enjoy this summer.  Please don't remind me that some of those days are the most challenging... I prefer to fool myself into believing that it will be a magical puppy Utopia, complete with a spay and a neuter.

We are going to make it (at least we think we are at the moment), but I feel compelled to repeat to anyone who is thinking about adopting litter mates, that it is not easy, it is not even difficult... it is completely consuming and thoroughly exhausting.  The rewards are plentiful, but they are hard won.   At this point, we believe this will most likely turn out well for us, and we still think these precious pups are worth it.  

Sadie  

Coal...

[BG and Gavin]

Great update.  Hang it there.  Gorgeous looking pups.

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Ashley, love your update and you are one very busy Mom and Doodle mom!  I was exhausted reading your blog as I know being a mother of five how busy it gets and then adding two adorable Doodles to the pot, I can only imagine!  Although, it sounds like you have it all under control and summer break it just around the corner!  Sadie and Coal are beautiful and keep the updates coming.  I love them!

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

They are growing up!  Beautiful pups.  

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Been watching your story with interest as we had liter mates as well.  I do have to say though that you are putting way more effort into training them and keeping them separate than we ever did (and we survived).  

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

I can only imagine, because I thought one was exhausting :) But then again, I was the only "puppy person." Black dogs are hard to photograph but your pictures are really good!  

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

Nice update. Thanks. I'm so glad to hear things are going better for you guys, although it does sound like a Lot of work :-)