Rats!
Does anyone remember Patch?
Patch is a working dog here at Granite Glen – a border collie who had quite an adventure a couple of days after arriving here…
(Gads – I just realised that I am asking you to remember something that happened well over two years ago… and then realised how LONG I have been blogging for… and then realised how many hours of blogging that is… but I’m snapping out of that little line of thought NOW… Focus BB!).
An-y-way… Patch. On arriving back from visiting our dear friends Elle and Harv, Mr Incredible noticed that Patch seemed a little… well… fat. And she is NOT a fat kinda dog. She’s a ‘freaky, can’t keep still, hyperactive, on the verge of crazy kind’ of dog. (Her energy is amazing, and her working ability similarly phenomenal). And then Mr I rolled her on her back to inspect, and there was the sign he was looking for. Teats. ‘About to have puppy’ kind of teats. Hmmm.
So, after being branded an ‘utter hussy’, Patch was promptly removed from the kennels the dogs normally live in, and put into a hayshed away from the other dogs. She thought her throat was cut. And day after day we checked on her, and day after day, she gazed mournfully at us: “Why am I being punished? What have I done?”
And I would tut-tut back at her – You know VERY well what you have done, Missy. Stay here, and nest in the warm hay, please.’
And days passed, and I started to wonder if she really WAS just getting a middle-age spread, and then…
…and then finally, yesterday, we found these…
Lots of little black-and-white rats…
And Patch is all “See how very very clever I am… I have provided you with some rats!”
And we are all: ‘Yeah, we can see that. Heavens woman, but those faces are cute in a very ugly, ratty, baby kind of way.‘
Patch didn’t take offence at that remark. She’s a new mother and thinks her babies are quite divine.
The pups were about 10 hours old here… and I am sorry, but very few babies of any kind are beautiful at this age. They are helpless and squirmy and appealing in an ‘I don’t really know why’ kind of way.
Hello your Royal Ugliness.
This one is a boy and looks a little like a badger.
We noticed that Patch was quite concerned as Mr I inspected each one, to see sexes and their markings. She didn’t get cranky really, just whimpered and asked for them back, please!
And as we looked and put each squirmy puppy back, we warned Dash and Violet: Please do NOT to touch the puppies, as Patch is a first-time Mummy and she might be very protective. And we don’t want your sweet little faces bitten off. (Because subtle parenting is our style.)
And they said: ‘Sure Mum. Sure Dad, of COURSE we won’t touch them.’
And satistfied that our threats had worked, we left Patch to enjoy motherhood and her six rat-babies.
So as I finish off this blog post, I notice complete and utter silence in the house. I may have to go looking for my children. And if the aroma eminating off them from their last few disappearances yesterday afternoon is any indication, I will START looking over at the hayshed.
And know that our subtle ‘don’t touch the puppies’ warnings fell on VERY deaf little ears.
*sigh*
15 Comments
debby
I guess that your warning was just a little toooooo subtle, mama!
And those puppies. Gosh. I think they’re adorable. In fact, I think I’m going to call one of them ‘Mine’. :^D
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Teri
I think your little rats are precious!! I love them at the squirmy, no eyes, ear flaps stage!
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Kelly
How precious!!! There is nothing cuter than a puppy! (and they really don’t stay in that “rat” stage for very long)
Please, please, please keep us updated with photos of these babies!
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Kelly
Also…I’m reminded of when I had my first child…. a good friend who raises dogs called to congratulate me on the birth then promptly asked if her eyes were open yet!! Can’t look at a puppy without remembering that.
UtahZen
Oh come on they are darling! Fine, darling rats. They will be roly poly cute pups in no time at all. And i’m guessing the kids will be permanently attached to the hay shed.
I’m guessing from your surprise that she wasn’t knocked up by any of the boys on your spread? Some roaming, Clancy type male? The pups look like they are all border collie…
Bush Babe
Kate – we are not THAT surprised – my father’s dogs come out to visit when mustering is on. We suspect one of them. They all clearly ignored the ‘no closer than three feet’ rule (can you tell I went to boarding school?).
🙂
BB
Sal
can already hear the ooooh…BUT MUUUUUM….cries eminating from the shed as you hussle them out! Have fun with that BB, it want be long till Patch is laying there wishing for the kids to come take the bundles of energy that won’t leave her alone…AWAY!! Nice work Patch, i’m liking your precious little rats! 🙂
Donna Gunn
I love puppies, kittens, foals and I bet even calves. Congratulations to Patch, can’t wait to see them grow.
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Amanda
Oh they ARE gorgeous.
…and one of our farm dogs is called Badger … and your little fellow definitely looks like a Badger too 🙂
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sara perkins
I love Patchs’ markings, and the puppy in the first picture, can you send it to Maine? Hope the kids listened and are safe.
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nightsmusic
OMG, they are adorable!! I love puppies. They have a unique smell to them that’s…oh, gosh, they really are cute. Of course, as a single mother, Patch has her hands full, but I’m sure with your help, she’ll be fine 😉 Definitely want to see pictures as they grow though. And if you want to put one in a box and send it to MI, I’d happily accept it.
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Nancy in Iowa
Hmmm…as much as I’d love to ask you to box one up and ship it to Iowa, I’ll have to pass. Emma the Calico Kitty is queen here and I don’t think she likes puppies!!!
Nice surprise for you!
Pencil Writer
Whereas Patch is a beautiful dog and her babies all look healthy–and perhaps not THE most adorable puppies just yet, just give ’em a few days and you’ll be all gaga over them and how VERY cute they will all be. She does look the proud Mom, doesn’t she?
Hippomanic Jen
Very very cute, although I do see the point about the rat thing. Patch has done very well and I love it that you didn’t know until reasonably late in her pregnancy, so it obviously didn’t slow her down at all.
I wish we had puppies here now, but with only one (neutered male) border collie in the household, I’m guessing it’s not going to happen. *sigh*
Jayne
Awww, never ceases to amaze me how nature makes babies so cute and sweet and adorable.
And then they grow up into smelly teenagers 😛
Very sweet babies, Patch!
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