Happy 4th Week Birthday to Pups!

Are Flute and Ash's puppies really 4 weeks old?

Time both flies and stands still when raising young pups. All the time simply watching them sleep or nurse or play with each other is wonderful.

It often feels like moments stretch on forever and will last equally long in memory. In contrast, they grow and develop so quickly and even in one day can seem so different.

Raising pups is a lot things: magical, entrancing, fun, funny, warm, delightful, and, as they get older and require more care and maintenance from humans and less from Flute, definitely, messy and indisputably challenging.

Always, no matter what, raising pups of this quality is rewarding and, beyond that, a true privilege.

I am grateful to the generations of dedicated standard schnauzer breeders/exhibitors who made both Ash and Flute possible so that these pups would ultimately come to be born.

Beyond all that (as important as it is), raising pups gives the gift of time to reflect and especially focus on bits of life that must be savored.

In the midst of the profound tragedy and strife across the world at this time, I am deeply grateful for these pups and the sweet, simple focus and joy they are able to bring to my life every day.

(Okay, remind me of this tomorrow morning when I am deep in cleaning the puppies and puppy box because weaning brings, ahem, "challenges" to keep everyone and their environs tidy as their systems adjust to a significant change from Flute milk with the additional food.)

Photos are a look back at Flute and Ash's puppies the day they were born. How many changes can a pup have in just one month? Amazing.

Hard to believe that in just 4 more weeks, pups will be very different, quite developed and super ready to leave their littermates and even Mama Flute for their new homes where they willl be the center of attention of new families ...

as it should be for both pups and families!