As new, hobby breeders know, there are about six weeks in the life of a litter when you stay pretty close to home. You make yourself available to check on the puppies and the mother as often as possible. For a time, you are living your life in two-hour intervals. There are feedings and cleanings, Vet appointments and photo ops. Sometimes you get so caught up in the motion of it all, that you begin to wonder what you did before you had puppies!
“Pre-puppies”, I was always on the go – meetings, job site visits, volunteer assignments, shopping and more, but “post-puppies” my calendar was filled with feeding, training, bathing, vetting and the like. This empty nest-er went from footloose to not-loose! I was home so much, Tony referred to the first six weeks of the litter as “confinement”! And to top it off, we had only six days between one litter’s puppies leaving, and the birth of the next litter, so essentially, we were “confined” for a long time, in short order. In fact, earlier on the day the second litter was born, Tony was being empathetic toward me and what I was facing, and insisted that we go on a date before we were again tied down. While he appreciates my efforts and loves the puppies, he also loves to spend his weekends traveling and hanging out.
With our litters, I have been the primary caregiver. Tony pitches in as my teacher, supporter and cheerleader, but the physical demands of the process reside on my shoulders. Our roles came naturally, as our work schedules and flexibility differ, and my position gave me the opportunity to more actively participate in our kennel. It’s funny. What felt confining to Tony, felt affirming to me. I looked at my time as an investment in our dream to breed beautiful puppies that provide special times of memory-making to individuals and families.
I love how we can experience a situation together, and have different views. All the more, I love the yin yang of our relationship when we each fine joy in our unique perspectives.
Mother's Finest Bulldogs 