Anticipation...
by Darlene on 05/09/11
It has been an extremely busy time these past few months...
Canan's puppies, Lokum's puppies and the usual and customary things we have going on around the farm.
Canan's puppies are almost all in the new homes. One family will be coming to pick up their puppy in a week or so...one puppy will be staying with me for another 9 months so that I can help the people that are importing him to get through the red tap that their country has regarding animal importations and rabies stuff. I still have 2 females that are absolutely precious and they will have a home here until the right home comes alone. Not just any home, but the right one. In my heart I know I'll know when that is.
Lokum's puppies are all spoken for and are now 4 weeks old. They're really starting to distinguish themselves, looking more like individuals than newborn puppies. They are very different looking than Canan's puppies...it's hard to explain though. They're all fawn/black mask pups but they're a little different...just like Hediye's pups looked a little different. I guess it's kind of like our children. My children look different than other peoples children but they're all beautiful children. And I think because I spend so much time with the puppies that I really see alot of little details that others might not notice at first. Lokum's pups though have a strong look about them which I love. Sometimes when I look into their little faces a million quips come to mind that I could attach to a picture...kind of along the lines of what I did with Canan's puppies on her puppy page, like "Wassamattawhichoo?" lol. Her puppies make me smile and they are now starting to look at me like they're seeing me for the first time...their eyesight is really getting focused now.
And then...
There is a great anticipation as Dawn nears the time when she will birth her puppies. We have a family reunion going on next weekend that I would love to attend but I can't because it's right in the middle of her due date. Anyway I look at it, I can't go...if she delivers early, I need to be here because the puppies will be days old. If she delivers late, I need to be here to help. I figured I'd just let my oldest son and youngest daughter drive down to visit with all the family but last night my daughter told me she doesn't know if she wants to go because she wants to be here when Dawn has her puppies.
I told her that maybe the puppies would be born before the reunion so she could see them but she still wants to stay. She has bonded very closely with Dawn. She's worked with her, earning Dawn's trust. I remember the first time she said to me, "oh my gosh! Dawn let me pet her!" or, "oh my gosh! Dawn gave me a kiss today!". These have been happy milestones for her because there's something very beautiful in Dawn that has captured my daughter's heart.
It's captured mine too, but I'm so happy that my daughter has such strong bonds to Dawn so I let her have the limelight. My daughter is my delivery assistant...we've both stayed up all night several times to help our Kangal mamas bring their new babies into the world. It's something very special that we share and it means alot to me that this passion I have in my heart for this breed is igniting in my daughter's heart too.
My daughter already wants to start taking Dawn's temperature...I guess she's anxious to watch the temperature drop as Dawn nears birthing. We're getting close so I guess we'll go ahead and start that today because she is supposed to birth anytime between 4-7 days from now.
More than anything though, I'm dying to see these puppies that Dawn and Warrior have created. They were both conceived and born in Turkey and this will be the first time ever that these lines will be born in the States. It will be an honor to introduce fresh genetics into the Kangal gene pool here...something that is sorely needed. Aside from that, I can't wait to see how their genetics will pool together to make a new life...or lives, that is.
I expect them to be stunning...absolutely, positively stunning. Before Char called me and asked me to take her dogs, I had a reservation for a puppy from this litter lol, so it has been a breeding that I have had personal interest in for some time. Now that Dawn and Warrior are here and I've gotten to know them so much better, I'm REALLY anxious to see these pups!
Warrior reminds me of a "Clark Gable"...suave, debonair, good looking, adorable sense of humor and someone everyone loves. Dawn isn't a "Scarlett"...she's a little like a "Melanie"...good and sweet and dedicated.
Yesterday I moved the dogs around, putting them with new livestock. I put Maverick by the pond and he's already swimming in it lol. In fact, the first thing he did when I put him in that area was to walk in up to his chest and just stand there, glorying in all that it means to him...he's one of those Kangals who absolutely adores water. I moved Warrior in with Hediye and put them with the sheep because down the road they will be doing a breeding (another litter that I'm anxious to see). But Dawn I kept with the goats because that girl just loves those goats, and they love her. I could sit for hours and just watch Dawn with them, she is absolutely amazing. Because of her love and bond with the goats I can't imagine seperating them so they are hers which I think is very special.
I still want to see her puppies though. I want to hold them and study them and look at every hair on their bodies lol. For now, I get to watch her tummy grown and her milk come in and watch her guard her goats whom she loves. Soon enough, those puppies will be cuddled in my arms.
*happy sigh* lol
