Pearl's first post

Gentle readers! Pearl here. I finally found a free moment to write while the pups are napping quietly. Don't they look sweet and peaceful!

It's difficult to find the chance to step away, as the pups nurse nearly ALL the time (day and night), and in those few moments when they aren't nursing, they like to nap on my paws. I'll be nursing them for at least the next four weeks; then my trusty humans will start to take over feeding duties by giving them a tasty gruel.

Earlier today I got to take a quick bath which was very nice. (When you are a mom, you have so little time for yourself).

Uh, oh - break time over; the little ones have noticed my absence and have started squeaking. My, what healthy lungs my babies have! :-)

Announcing . . . the 'A's !

As you can see from the photo, Pearl is much too exhausted to write her own first blog today. She has thus asked us (her humans) to help her announce the birth last night of her five newest puppies!

Like their mom and dad (Alijah), the pups are full Golden Retrievers. All five (two boys and three girls) arrived as expected, but they took their time - the first (red boy) was born after midnight on May 30th and the last (pink girl) finally made her appearance at around 7:30am.

After taking a well deserved nap, Pearl will be busy thinking up names (beginning with an 'A'), making sure that her pups are nice and clean, and instructing them in the art of dining and napping. After four previous litters of between 9 and 11 puppies, she thinks that raising this litter will be a breeze. (She'll even have a little free time to write her blog).

Pearl's 'A' Pups Family Album:

'Red boy' was born first and is the largest of the five.






He was followed less than an hour later by his brother 'blue boy'.



The girls thought that the boys were in too much of a hurry, so little Miss Purple (the smallest in the litter) waited for another three whole hours (4:20am) before arriving.

Her sister 'green girl' (neon green) made her appearance about an hour later (5:30am).


Finally, the last of the bunch (pink girl) showed up fashionably late, about two hours after her sister. She was also a little shy of the paparazzi.

And then . . . the Valiant Vs!

Pearl's fourth litter (sired by a talented Golden Retriever named Finnegan - at right) was born in late September of 2007. The fifth of these pups (AKA 'stuckie') became . . .well . . . stuck during his birth, leading to Pearl's first C-section. 'Stuckie' was eventually named Valor and all nine were born healthy, happy pups (with a fondness for the movie 'Happy Feet'). The Vs are currently at various locations throughout the country entertaining and being trained by their volunteer Puppy Raisers.

A year of rest, then the Delightful Ds!

Just in time for Valentine's Day 2007, Pearl had a litter of eleven, sired by Terrell, a blond Lab-Golden cross (above at right). All of her pups were golden/blond in color and eight of them were girls. At present, four of the Ds have headed off to Advanced Training, while the rest are still in training with their Puppy Raisers.

. . . more puppies - the Magnificent 'M' litter!

Pearl became mom to another ten puppies (the 'M' litter) in October of 2005. This time, the dad was a handsome black Labrador Retriever named Baumann (pictured above). There were six girls and four boys, of which seven were blond and three were black. Of the 'M' puppies, five went on to graduate from the CCI program as service or skilled companion dogs. The other five rejoined their Puppy Raisers or found new families where they are currently busy as therapy dogs, helping 'train' new pups, and spreading joy.

Pearl's first pups! . . . 'C' litter, born in Feb. 2005

In February 2005, Pearl became the proud mother of ten puppies (the 'C' Litter). Her brood consisted of five girls and five boys. Since their dad (sire) Bobby (see above) was a black Labrador Retriever, seven of her puppies were black and three were blond. Each of her pups was lovingly raised by a volunteer CCI 'Puppy-Raiser' (PR) and then sent to Advanced Training at around eighteen months. Four of the 'C' puppies went on to work for CCI as service, skilled companion or hearing dogs. The rest of her pups took different career paths as beloved pets and therapy dogs.