We had two of our litters, exactly two years apart (2015 and 2017) with puppy birthdays on June 14th! Reine was the mom of the “B” litter, and Finley was mom to last summer’s “C” litter.  Our Ooly and her two brothers turned one yesterday while the twelve born in 2015 are now three!

Yesterday, we received these photos of Mavis, from the B litter, at home near Duluth. She appears patient and under-control with both baby quail and their cat. Good girl, Mavis!

And here’s a replay of the B litter when they were just nine days old!

Finally, after all the months of wating, spring is in full bloom. Biff’s already mowed the grass once and the creeping charlie is coming in just great 🙂 That’s Chev (in the foreground) Xupe and Ooly as they were hanging out after dinner last night. Finley was just out of the camera’s view.

The tulips and lilacs are blooming and we’ve spotted many jack-in-the-pulpits in the little woods. It’s still too early for mosquitoes, making May, perhaps, my favorite month of the year!

Mid-April blizzard! Biff measured 18″ this morning and it’s still snowing. We’ve almost given up waiting for spring.

Just as we thought things were melting and drying out, a new round of snow and cold has arrived. Will winter ever end?!  That’s the question Biff and I ask.  The dogs could care less.

Mavis, who lives in the Duluth area, was in our “B” litter. (She looks a lot like her dad, Chev!) We just received this news from Mavis’s person:
“This weekend Mavis debuted in her 1st novice obedience trial class. Took two firsts and High in Trial both days. Her scores were 195 and 197 out of a possible 200 points.  So proud of my Little Rock star!”

We’re into the serious slush and mud season as our Minnesota spring commences, but it never stops the dogs from ripping around the yard, wrestling, chewing on sticks, chasing each other and/or following their noses in the little woods.

Ooly continues to be a spunky, now 9 month old, puppy who gives the other three a run for their money.  She pursues Chev, Finley and Xupe outside ’til they chase or wrestle with her. Inside she barges in for the toys she wants or for attention from Biff and I, seeming to have no “respect” for who was there first. She’s still a delight, despite her “princess-like” personality.

Biff and I look forward to spring’s true arrival – when things dry out and greenery begins to appear. Snow is forecasted for overnight and into tomorrow.  I keep my expectations low, figuring it will begin to look and feel like spring in late April.

It may be just 6 or 8 inches of new snow, but it made for a great outside play time this morning. Ooly’s grown so much that it’s hard to tell her from the other dogs at first glance. I think this first one is of her, with the snowballs around her nose, but it may be Xupe.

That’s Ooly above, trying to get the other dogs to play stick with her. Chev, Xupe and Finley were happy to run around in the snow, but none of them were interested in her stick.

What I love about weather this cold – 9 below zero this morning and 4 degrees now in the late afternoon – very little snow sticks to the dogs fur and paws, so the floors don’t get wet when they come bounding back into the house.

Biff just posted what you see below on Facebook – He’s received a Breeders’ Award from NAVHDA.  “At least four pups from one litter must qualify (Prize I, II, III) with a minimum point total of 360 points (90 point average per dog) in NAVHDA Natural Ability tests. Dogs must have been tested on or before they reach 16 months of age.”

Four puppies from our 2015 litter were NAVHDA prized – AKA Mavis, Forest, Edgar and Croix. As Biff notes in his Facebook post, thanks to all the owners for the work and dedication they put into their pups that made this award possible.

From our doggy household to yours, we wish you a safe and healthy 2018!  Best to you from Biff, Patti, Chev, Finley, Xupe and Ooly.