So this weekend we finally collected our new 9 week old Labrador puppy ‘Willow’ life has already been turned upside down!  I had forgotten sleepless nights now my kids are older and it being 14 years since our last puppy.  We lost our Boxer – Tess a few years back now, the hurt and never ending gap she has left still sees my wife and children occasionally crying.  Replacing her has been a long process of research, inner questioning and aligning of the planets.  Willow is from working stock and in a couple of years when she is developed and ready is going to make an excellent trail dog/running partner.  She is a bundle of energy and life.  But even a few days in is asking to go out to the toilet, sits to occasional command.

I thought i would share in my joy, to help lift a gloomy Monday for you all…who doesn’t love a picture of a puppy

GORGEOUS!

Bloody hell, look at that face, give it all the treats!!

You are definitely getting the “puppy eyes” there. Stay strong with the desire to give her lots of treats.

Meh, she would soon as sh*t in your slippers…. It’s all a put on face.

😉

Hits the “like” button.

If I could work out how to post videos I could already share the absolute delight and potential horror I’m about the experience.  I didn’t like my slippers anyway and with Christmas around the corner I was due a new pair 😳

Who’s a good girl?

She is!

Providing this works. Willow says hello (8 months and 30+Kg)

Goodness me! That’s a big ‘Willow’. With the amount of energy she has at that weight and size, be one hell of a eating, shitting wrecking ball!

Another ahh butter wouldn’t melt photo, taken the week prior to us collecting

just perfect. long time labby owner here. on number 2.

Yup, she’s a big girl. I’ve started calling her “Moose”, a lovely well behaved girl apart from when it all still descends into puppy mayhem mode and she’s chasing around with one of the other dogs (Bella a springer/beagle cross)

TTIUWMP

Where M = More

(maybe useless isn’t the right word, but you get the message.)

Nala says Hello! (and by the way would you happen to have any snacks?)

Just for you Anono…who am I to restrict a puppy thread of pictures.

willow says Hi to Nala…no treats I’m afraid.  But I’m sure she will spare what’s left of dads slippers

I was just about to start my own thread, but I’m going to add here instead to Fluffy Puppy Monday…

8 puppies born on Saturday night. Mum is a Sprocker, Dad is a Cockerpoo. That makes them Sprockerpoos (or mongrels in old speak).
So much cuteness and squeaking it’s unreal. Absolutely fascinating to see how Mum just took so naturally to the birth and now caring for them.

And because, well, pictures are mandatory on a thread like this:

That’s better.

How about a few more every monday to see how she’s getting on?

Sounds like a great continuation for this thread!  Every Monday will be a puppy update from me moving forward.  Be great if others could do the same! Especially Pocpoc! Please keep us all updated with more pics

So..we had kept the new puppy a secret from our kids.  Told them we were off to see Santa on Saturday.  The only thing both had asked for for Christmas is a dog.  They have been through so much following the loss of our old Boxer who they adored.  We have been so careful to take our time, following an issue with a rescue dog we rehomed.  Anyway, we pulled up outside the breeders and gave them a little treat.  My daughters reaction is priceless and hopefully shows how much it means to her.

And finally enough puppy spam from me today… Willow at home with her new toys

Flo says hello. I am not sure she is a puppy, more of an alien!!

Brilliant surprise! I would have thought a teenage daughter would be more suspicious of going to see santa though? Especially in November!
I’ll try and keep the updates coming weekly (although my memory is shocking, so don’t get your hopes up). I’m back at work now while Mrs pp stays home with them, but we’ve set up a wifi camera so I can sit and watch while “working”…

She was suspicious.  But she has a younger brother we used as an excuse…he also (at 9) was a little less impressed with seeing Santa.  But I told them their mum had booked it and she would be hurt if she found out they felt to old.  So they both swallowed it.

That video of your kids. Cheers. Room just got a bit dusty.

Happy Monday everyone!  Week 1 was full on, she has grown more comfortable each day.  Now sleeping nearly through the night.  We normally have to get up once to let her out.  But very few accidents.  Willow is proving to be a smart cookie!  She can sit and fetch already.  But my god she can be a little pain, chews absolutely everything and the Christmas tree doesn’t look set to make it until Christmas!  Or my slippers for that matter

Cute pup and lovely family reaction. We lost our 3 year old Lab in May and it was horrible. Really very sad times. We didn’t wait long to fill a lab hole in our lives

Here’s Lola at about 12 weeks.

That’s with her best Mate Murf who is 11 1/2 but still going well.

She’s about 24kg now and as big as Murf. Absolute tearaway. Is both smart and naughty. Training started well…

👍

oh, fluffy puppy Monday – I nearly forgot!

These little monsters are now 8 days old…

Some have now doubled their birth weight, the others are close. Still just wriggly squeaking, eating, sleeping machines at the moment. Expecting some eye-opening to happen in the next couple of days then it could start to get interesting!
2 of them have already been snapped up, 6 currently still available and will be ready mid-January if anyone is interested (cutest stealth ad ever?)

ps. I love that pic of Lola running free on the grass – looks like she’s having a great time!

A couple more pics:

Fluffy puppy

Way to kill the fluffy puppy vibe…

Meet Teddy

Dang it, it’s been a while…

Second injection for Willow on Saturday, here she is feeling a little sorry for herself!  She is very ready to get out of the house now bless her.  Getting tough to burn off the excess energy in the garden! Bet is pleased with her growth, she has nearly doubled in size in the short time she has lived with us.

russyh, I am so envious of you!

Here’s Wilma, who we got in December 2016 but sadly had to rehome in July 2017 as Mrs Egf was very ill & I couldn’t look after both of them. I’m still gutted, but at least Wilma (now called Luna apparently) is living in near Haddington with a great family, & actually thinks she’s an otter.

Willow’s a beauty!

EGF, sorry to read this.  It’s easy to take forget how lucky I am when she eats shoes, bites me or does something even worse.  But she is a lovely dog and full of life, I just know long term we will have some great adventures.  The hole our last dog left has been so huge that even if willow is 10% as good a dog as “Tessy” she will be irreplaceable.

Can’t believe I’ve missed this.

PUPPYS!

Sadly passed away four years ago and still miss her. Bella the big fluffy Newfie rug.

Willow says “I’m watching you”