Ben has Visitors - Day 10 for Ben

Dan and Susan Waters came by tonight to say hello to Big Ben! (sorry, I can't believe it's a bit blurry, duh - in real life, they are not blurry). Thanks for coming to visit! Dan did a little tug with Ben (kidding, hahaha)...

*for those who don't get my joke, Dan is President of the GSD SchH Club of Calgary and was #3 in SchH in Canada last year with his GSD Ali. He is my tracking guru here in Alberta!

Ben is 10 days old today and weighed in at 1200 grams this morning. His eyes could open any time - but not so far. I am starting to get a bit more sleep - his feedings are now every four hours. Jet nurses him, but I am the cleaning crew - she just has not got into the whole 'lick and clean your puppy' thing. I am sure the C-section had a lot to do with it, but it's a small price to pay for healthy mom and pup.

Lovely Summer Day

I had the most wonderful day today, sitting on my back deck in the sun, drinking sun-brewed green tea over ice and listening to music. It was just one of those awesome summer days, I made tremendous progress on 'the book' - with my December deadline looming. Getting into a nice routine with Jet and Benjamin and regular feedings. Walked all four dogs in the evening sun. Lovely.

AND FINALLY, A DAY WITHOUT RAIN!!! (Susie, this is a blog response to your blog over at Birch Bark Hill...)

Jet in the sun with Ben. Jet is trained to look at the camera, in case you think she never looks at Ben. She sees me point the camera and dutifully stares until she hears click! If you give a Border Collie a job, they are really obsessed with doing it right - and to Jet, having her photo taken is like a job. Even if I raise the camera, she will stop walking and stand still for me. It makes it hard to capture some things, but is very cute as my very first GSD Hawk did the same thing - striking poses for the camera.

And of course, here is Big Ben... his nose is filling in with pigment and so are his pads. I have already cut his nails twice! It is crazy how much I love this puppy... only day 9, in a day or so, those eyes will be opening...

Mind you, Big Ben does not look that big when I back up and take a picture of him in his whelping box. He is in his favourite spot, cuddling with his friends, Washcloth, and Hot Water Bottle.

Still Life with Puppy

"Still Life" - Ben is used to being weighed. He's fast asleep. That bottle of wine called FAITH is something I bought for myself before finding out Jet was pregnant - I drank it after he was born.

You can see my Blackthorn Shepherd's Crook from Scotland hanging up on my cupboard... waiting patiently to be used.

First pic of me and Ben - sleeping on my arm

Ben is so used to being handled - I am doing some puppy stimulation every day since he has no littermates to spice up his little life. He is 8 days old today and 1050 grams this morning, close to 2.5 pounds. Someone called him a pork chop, LOL

This morning I caught this photo (not that he was moving very fast!)
He is upside-down on his little buddy, "Hot Water Bottle in a Towel."

With momma

In the meantime, Jet is getting breaks now that I am regulating his intake to every 3 hours, to make sure he doesn't get too plump! And, he has to find her in the whelping box, I don't help. He is very mobile now - and today, he pooped on his own! (big news, haha).

Caden has started to lie up on the picnic table (below). I've been trying to pay attention to all of the dogs every day. They have also been very good.

Jet is exhausted! She has been a very good girl.
You can see Caden in the background.

Ben - the miracle of life, and River's "baby"

I just took this picture of Ben with Jet - on his one week birthday nursing (what else?)

Compare this to the photo below where he is 2 days old, taken July 23... it is amazing to me. I've never raised a puppy and I find the growth and daily changes are a wonder to observe.

Here he is again = close up between Jet's legs.

Below, another picture from July 23.

Lastly, River asked me to pass on to everyone that she indeed also has a baby...

It is Jet's favourite red dino baby. River has laid claim to it while Jet is busy.

What is sort of funny, is that in her old age, River is as much a baby as little Ben in some ways.

Every day I make sure she gets a lot of attention and have to care for her in little ways that I don't need to do for the middle-aged dogs (Jet, Ted, Caden). I was lounging on that chair earlier today as it was actually sunny out, for a change! Don't criticize my grass - it has been raining so much it's hard to mow, and the poor yard has suffered from mud this year. If it stays dry, I will try to mow and whack the weeds down tomorrow!  I've been a tad busy though with Ben!  

Happy One Week Birthday to my Little Buddha

I checked on little (Big) Ben yesterday and saw him propped up like this, sitting on his hot water bottle which is wrapped in a towel. I caught a photo. What the photos doesn't show is how his legs were just twitching and his mouth was opening and closing. He looked like he was a Little Buddha giving a lecture.

Today he is  2 POUNDS on the nose - 2.5 pounds, and one week old! A very content little guy.
Note my correction - earlier today I said 2 KG, no!!! 2 pounds! This evening he is 975 grams which is 25 grams short of 1 KG! OMG, not 2 KG, LOLOL. I am not a 'numbers' person, there is proof!

PS! Ben is not as fat as he looks here! He is squatting in this photo. However, Jet is now being kept from him and he is nursing every 3 hours, and I make him find his mum on his own. I want people to know, as I've had a few words of advice from people about not letting him get fat - thank you and keep the great advice coming. :) 

Portrait Day - Day Five

Ben weighs in today at 825 grams - he has doubled his birth weight plus a bit in 5 days! This evening I took a bunch of close-up shots of them. I brought Ben out to the couch to give Jet a break out of the whelping box. They relaxed and I pretended I was watching TV...

Mom and Babe

Connect the Dot!
From Ben's head to Jet's foot, and Jet's muzzle.

On the couch with me as I 'pretend' to watch TV - I was really watching them

Jet and Ben, smiling

Dappled in evening sun

I made this picture bigger so you can see the tan coming in on his cheek, and the size of his ears!

Hilarious - he is leaning on my leg and looks so content

Finally, one of those embarrassing family photos - Jet relaxes, and out pops her tongue!
Ever since she lost a canine when she slammed into a fence, this is what heppens!
I thought I would include it, to show why I burst out laughing so often when I spend time with these guys.

Ben Dreams of Sheep

Five days old and herding in his sleep! Come Bye Ben! Lie down you! Take your time now, walk up... lie down... good boy - away to me! That'll do Ben, here! Good boy!



Hey did you see that? If you watch this video, you will see that he just stopped cold and went into a great crouch to get control of his sheep! Amazing.

Ben has now doubled his weight, and is 800 grams today. Good mom Jet!

Ben - compare how he is changing!

Ben on July 22 in the scale

Ben today (July 25) in the scale

He was 400 grams at birth and is now 700 grams

Close up of Ben nursing, which is his secret to weight gain

And he is now broad enough to sleep in this new position

I was holding Ben up to Jet, as she was showing interest in licking him... and...

He fell asleep in my hand with a tummy full of milk

Jet caught on camera (no flash, blurry, but didn't want to upset her) - LICKING her puppy

Jet licking Ben. I actually removed the heating pad today from the whelping box. I think it made a difference in her attitude. She was hot and didn't enjoy being in there. Today she seems to be licking a bit more.

Mom and baby Ben - I actually heard Jet snoring, way more comfie without the heating pad

I was reaching out to pat Jet - Ben crawled onto my arm and fell asleep again!

His cowlick cracks me up, like a bad comb-over!  

Big Ben is, um, getting big...



Jet and Big Ben at 11 AM this morning

Day four and Ben now weight 675 grams. He was 625 at 7 PM last night. He gained 50 grams overnight! All he does is sleep, nurse, poop and pee. Why can't I stop staring?

Actually today I am giving Jet privacy and letting her take over, and she seems to have bonded with him and is definitely wanting to be in charge. I am respecting this and giving her the space she needs to let Mother Nature and instinct kick in.

Many, many thanks to Sandy Wilson, Caden's breeder in Pennsylvania who has spent literally hours on the phone and email with me to give me great advice. Sandy is an emergency and maternity nurse and an experienced breeder and I now consider her Big Ben's long distance Auntie! Thnanks Sandy.

Big Ben on Day Three (or, I can't stop staring at my puppy....)

Ben weighed in tonight at 625 grams. He has gained 225 grams in 72 hours! Jet is awesome at nursing and lying with him endlessly. I am really proud of her, and even though I am still doing elimination duties, today Jet started to nudge and lick Ben, so I am hoping Mother Nature is kicking in. Sometimes the hormones don't quite kick in when they have had a C-section - and sometimes it just takes some time and patience. She was quite possessive of him today... all good signs. She even put her chin on him the way she indicates tracking articles!
And, the colour under his tail came in tan today - he is indeed a tri-colour.

I'm starting to drool, I'm staring at him so much!

Here is proof I can make a slideshow of anything!



Enjoy the music again of Derick Sebastian, my friend in Maui. He is an amazing ukelele player and by the end of my trip last fall, we had exchanged emails. I really admire this young man. Can't wait to go to the Hula Grill and see him again in January! That's where he plays - it's a great bar right on Kaanapali Beach, which is where Elvis filmed all of his Hawaii movies, by the way!

And here is a little video of him doing what he does best - nurse!

B-B-B - Benny and the Jet! Day two random pics

Day 2 - Ben has gone from 400 grams to 550 grams (that is 14 oz to 1.2 oz) since he was born on Thursday. Being a 'singleton' he has no competition for mom's milk. He is very content and never really cries, EXCEPT when he tries to climb up Jet and slides backwards.

Jet is a good mom for nursing, but has not taken to cleaning him or licking him to eliminate. I've been trying to get her to do this by using some peanut butter on him. She will lick it off, but basically leaves elimintation to me. I know this is because of the C-section. Normal hormones didn't really have a chance to kick in, so hopefully Mother Nature will take over in a day or two. She is now running back to him every time she goes out to pee.

She WAS bonding to the stuffed toys I put in there for him to snuggle with, and tried to carry the sheep outside with her, so they had to be removed!

Here are some pics from today of Big Ben with Mom Jet *(and one of Dad Ted at the end).

Ben was snuggling with these, but I removed them as Jet was taking too much of a liking to them

Ben and his buddy.

He has the most interesting markings! The white blaze looks like a bad comb - over and has a little cowlick in it. Perhaps taking after grandpa Pleat, though I am not sure what his cowlick looks like. I have to check a photo.

My father says I could have named him Patch. Love his markings.

Sleeping with Mom Jet

Snuggling up to Jet's leg

He had been trying to climb up Jet for two days. A few minutes ago (7 PM tonight) I walked in to see this - mission accomplished! He must have felt happy, but after taking the pic, I eased him down.

Ben is a climber. He will need a roofed run for sure, LOL

Obsession with climbing... patient Jet

Dad Ted looks in, briefly. His presence does not bother Jet at all.
"That's your son, Ted!"

Ben means 'son' in Hebrew.

However, Ben is also named for my hero, Big Ben, a legendary show jumper ridden by Ian Millar

Check this story about Big Ben here

http://www.histori.ca/minutes/minute.do?id=14237

And here to see a great performance (one of many on YouTube)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v​=pp6lvBXkKD4

Big Ben is a Canadian icon and World famous horse. He and Ian Millar were an amazing team. I get choked up when I see this video. I missed seeing Big Ben when he toured Canada after retiring. All of Canada mourned when he died. It gave me chills to watch them compete.

SO, I figured, what a great name for my puppy!

Baby Ben's first day

Music is  by Derick Sebastian, a Ukelele player I met at the Hula Grill in Maui. He is awesome! And a real sweetie. I bought his CD, I was so impressed. It's called From His Heart.

Introducing Spiritdance Big Ben, Jet and Ted's pup

10 minutes old

After all that waiting - I was a bit worried that labour was not kicking in, and with a single pup this is a valid concern. I brought Jet to the vet around 4:30 today and my vet, Dr. Ken Hubbard, said the pup's heart was a bit slower than he would like, and so it may be a bit stressed. In went Jet for a c-section and by 6 PM, we met Ben! I was waffling on names until I saw him and Big Ben was so perfect! Ben for 'son' and Big Ben because he is a big boy (I now understand he is normal size for a Border Collie at 400 grams). I have an Uncle Ben whose real name is Eli Kahara, but as a teenager he was nicknamed Big Ben and it stuck. So all the way around I love the name. Plus it is the one syllable preferred by the Border Collie people for working.

First time nursing

And of course I have video!



Jet is not too sure of everything but is settling down. I am so proud of her. The pup reminds me of Ted in many ways, size and shape of head. I hope he has Jet's extra dash of intelligence - Ted is so biddable and eager to please and Jet is just brilliant, though a bit headstrong. I love them both. Jet is a daughter of Scott Glen's Maid (current Open dog) and Ted is a son of Scott's Pleat. By the time I spent the money on breeding this pup and a c-section, I could probably have bought a great dog - but dare I say, I think THIS is a great pup - lucky, lucky me. I feel very blessed.

Jet, mom

Ted, the sire