Birthday Barn Pups

Josephine's parents sent us this photo today - marking the barn pups' first B-day - also May Day. She may not look too thrilled about all the fuss, but maybe she just wants to get on with it and open up all of her presents.

Most are familiar with the pagan May Day ritual of dancing around the Maypole, but May Day can also refer to various labor celebrations conducted on May 1st to commemorate the fight for the eight hour day. Raising a litter of pups though is anything but an eight hour endeavour, however we can't complain since this was the cleanest litter of pups we'd ever met. I mean these five gals (and their two brothers) didn't even dirty themselves for weeks. Mom Eva likely had something to do with it, but from four to eight weeks of age they were impossibly clean. Then finally, one had a smudge on their side for a minute that actually needed human attention. I'm still amazed at how fastidious this entire group remained through to their adulthood.

Above is a photo we took during the Unexpected Pit Bull Calendar shoot last year. We were quite fortunate to use their sweet donation from their 2011 calendar sales to add more kennel space and a much needed laundry room that we are finally painting while I write. We'll be posting photos soon of the finished addition.

Happy One Year Birthday to the first ever residents of the barn. Like every good uncle, I have to say that while we absolutely loved having you here for a visit, it sure was great to send you home!

Tim