Dinner Time

Hey, Rio here...The crew thought the little hunters were hungry and I was not being a good Mom...HEY What can I say? I never said that being a mother was my passion...did I? NO, Didn't I say I would rather be out hunting, chasing tennis balls or bumpers? YES!! SO HELLO!

Oh don't get me wrong, I love my babies and I go in the nursery every now and then but when there is food around, or when people are here, then I am sure it's ALL ABOUT ME!

Anyways, The Crew decided to feed the puppies alittle gruel. They dived right in, they just LOVED IT!!! I guess they were hungry.

I am doing the best I can, I really don't have alot of milk, I am not equipped to handle 10, I only have 8 working dinner plates.

I know...I NEED MORE FOOD...MORE, MORE, MORE FOOD!!! Give me MORE FOOD! YEAH!

With the help of ME...the little hunters now belong to the Clean Plate Club!

OH LOOK!!! A couple of the puppies are playing Hide & Seek... and NO, that is not my beer! I believe it's the Staffs, after taking care of those Little Hunters they need a little Adult beverage!

Well, better go check on the little ones,

Later,

Rio, The Black Lab

Can You Hear Me Now?

THE PUPPIES CAN HEAR!!! The Chief Of Staff yelled PUPPY, PUPPY, PUPPY and they all poked their little heads up, looked around and started to cry, bark and run around. My Staff laughed and laughed. I didn't think it was very funny, cause now I know there is going to be alot more work and they will be bugging me all the time now. I do have to admit, they were cute ;o)


Have you also noticed the addition of the TOYS? Yes, I said TOYS...I LOVE TOYS. I guess the Staff had picked some up on a shopping trip to Chuck & Dons. Hey...I am registered there, how come I didn't get any toys?

Do you think they would miss just one toy? Since they still don't see really well and they can't count, they will never know....maybe when they are asleep, I can sneak just one without them knowing....shhhhhh

shhhhhh....I got one! I like this one the best. Now don't tell the Little Hunters and whatever you do...DON'T TELL THE STAFF!

hmmmmm now where can I hide it?

Later,
Rio, The Black Lab

Peek A Boo, I See You

Hi, My name is Cami. My mommy is Rio. I am a Yellow Labrador Retriever and I am 2 weeks old. My eyes opened up on Tuesday. My sister Bumper and I are the first ones to open our little peepers. As of this morning there are still 3 that don't want to see the world yet. Do you think they heard that their mothers nickname is Freak Face, and they are afraid? I see her now and I think she is beautiful.

OK Cami, This is your mother, it's time to get off the computer for now. It's time for your nap.

The babies are starting to open their eyes, there are a few that are still not quite there yet, but are close. Steve & Flier are the most active so far as using his legs, but they still can't see. They sure are good at getting around, but will topple over very easily, really funny to watch. The babies are starting to bark some too and I think they are starting to get their hearing. OH NO! Now I won't be able to sneak up on them without them knowing, they will Smell, Hear and See me! Now the work really begins. OK STAFF....Make sure your paper Towel supply is stocked, Got enough Oxyquat? Towels, Pads? Odo Ban? Beer, Wine? (for the staff, not me) I like my treats, and I think I will need alot of them!!!

They are sure getting bigger and don't have as much room to eat like they use to. Don't you feel sorry for me? I sure do!

I know it's hard to tell with still pictures, but these guys are really booking. I came in the nursery to check on them and then left, gets them on their feet for exercise time.

Now that they are finally figuring things out and starting to do stuff, I will be blogging more. I think Merlot, Cami and I will be fighting for computer time and I think my son Steve will also want computer time too. I think I will have to ask for my own Laptop...What do you think? Sounds good to me!

Later,

Rio, The Black Lab

Time To Clean The Nursery

It's Sunday today and it's been a big weekend. Yesterday we had some very nice visitors. I think one of the visitors might be getting one of my Little Hunters. He was a very nice guy and has passed my inspection. I was told that his mother has one of Mariah & Brandons kids...TOO COOL!!! Now we will all be in the same family.

Today Winston's family came by to say Howdy. They didn't bring Winston with...I really wanted to give Winston a piece of my mind for not helping me with all of The Little Hunters, I don't even get puppy support. Typical Boy!

Today I decided to help clean the Nursery and bring the diapers. Staff 1 was the official Nursery cleaner this afternoon, since Chief Staff Cleaned everything this morning while Staff 1 slept. I DO LOVE HAVING A STAFF! But since I am a very sweet and caring Labrador Retriever, I thought I would help today...

Here are the diapers...I got the whole pack, you know I have 10 Little Hunters and they can be very messy at times. Notice the little guys in temporary nursery to the left.

OK Staff, Here they are, I can't spread them out, it's too hard with paws...

Hey, Be sure to check out Merlot's Blog http://www.merlotsblog.blogspot.com/ It should be up and running tonight! And like I said before...she is learning French, so beware.

Rio, The Black Lab

Just Stuff

Hi, Rio here, sorry I have not been blogging for a few days. There really is not a whole lot to chat about, since the babies are still not doing much. They are gaining weight. Not as much as I wish, I guess two of my dinner plates are not really functioning. I am sending them out for repair, but I think the warranty has run out. The kids might be stuck with only 8. They do take shifts, the ones that have not gained as much weight have first priority. Some of the piggies get alittle upset, but that's OK, I believe it builds character to be a strong hunter just like ME! ;o)

The babies have a little bit of a poopy problem and the staff is trying to figure out why? They keep looking at me! HEY, what did I do? I don't like giving them bathes ALL the time. From time to time, one of the little hunters will have a big yellow smear on it head! HOW DISGUSTING! So the Chief Staff will give it a little towel bath. It seems to happen most to Cami and Flier, not that they are the poopers, they just get "dumped" on!! HA HA...I still have it!

I thought I could share with you some more pictures and even a video, but I was having technical difficulties with the computer last night. I yelled to the Staff to come and help, but they were TO BUSY, watching ER. I see where their priorities are! Good help is so hard to find these days.

Well, stay tuned for my new Video Production, maybe sometime today IF THE STAFF IS NOT TOO BUSY!!!

Oh...rumor has it, Merlot might actually get her act together and start her blog this weekend (I will believe it when I see it). I guess she started one, but got side tracked and never got back to it. That's a Golden for you, always with her head in the clouds!

Later,
Rio, The Black Lab

The Puppies!

HERE ARE THE PUPPIES

I think I got them in birth order, but of course I do have a lot of babies and sometimes they are hard to keep track of, and since I was busy that day they were born, remembering their birth order can be a little fuzzy .

The Girls names are in Pink and The Boys in Blue. I think they are all so very cute, of course, I am their mother!

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST...

I think they are going to be a challenge once they are mobile, especially STEVE...but worth it!

Rio, The Black Lab

Just Another Day In The Nursery

Just a typical day in the nursery at Camp Rio...

Eating

Sleeping

More eating

And even more sleeping AND eating....

Better get something to eat for myself...

Rio, The Black Lab

The Milk Truck

I thought I would share some pictures of my Little Hunters. They still don't do much, but eat, sleep and that other thing.... And BOY, Do they ever eat, I think the Milk Truck is running out... HEY STAFF...MORE FOOD OVER HERE.....Please! The Spigots are dry and need replenishing!

I hope you enjoy the black blobs...

Here they are, backed into the Milk Truck. One of the Yellows in the middle

OK You Guys...I give up, You can have the good ones...

Ahhh, peace and quite

Sweet Dreams...

Rio, The Black Lab

I'M BACK

This is Rio again... A Big Shout out to Merlot for stepping in for me while I was in the delivery room. Now I spend most of my time in the nursery. I have 10 new little hunters who are always hungry and of course they need baths several times a day. The only time I was leaving them was to get something to eat & drink or go outside. Gosh, My appetite sure has come back. Not sure if The Staff is feeding me enough, since I am always famished. I think I will need to talk to them about that!

Since the little hunters are napping, I thought I would try a little blogging and maybe get back into some routine.

I guess new portraits of the little hunters will be coming soon. Their new names will be revealed at that time too. I have thought of some really good ones for them. They are all so cute and there are several that look just like ME! and some that look just like Winston. There is one boy that screams like I did when I was a baby, come to think of it, I still scream like that! Oh, That could be trouble...

I want to also say Congratulations to Faith, she is another Helping Paws Mother, she had her babies on the same day as I did. She had 9 little ones. It was a BIG puppy day.

Cheers is going crazy with her 10 almost 6 week old puppies. She sent me a text the other day and I guess Vera is the wild one who likes to do zoomies and has Team Cheers on the go all the time. Oh That Vera she is a feisty one.

Well, I hear the babies calling for me, it must be snack time.... Ah...Where's MY snack?
HEY STAFF.........

Rio, The Black Lab

Rio a eu 10 chiots

Hi, Merlot here. Do you like my French? :o) Translation...Rio had 10 puppies!!! Yeah!! She and the babies are doing great! 10 little labs...5 girls and 5 boys. With one girl and one boy being a Yellow. Rio's pretty pooped and being a good mom. She got mad at me earlier when I tried to sneak a peek ;o( Crabby girl... The Staff is tired, especially Staff #1 who stayed with her all night, while the Chief slept (she's not the Chief for nothing)

Rio had her babies starting at 9:36 am and finished at 1:08 PM. She got Ice Cream and stuff. I sure hope I get Ice Cream when I have my babies....It was Vanilla! Yummmm

Here are the Pictures of the little dumplings....

Tonight???

Hi, This is Merlot, Rio's beautiful favorite Golden Sister. Rio is really not in any condition to blog tonight, so she is letting me blog for her. She is so sweet! I don't know if tonight is the night or she is just fooling the Staff. Like her last blog read, she wants to drive them crazy and I think she is, at least Staff #1. But the Chief Staff is running around like a chicken with her head cut off! Yikes! I am staying downstairs tonight.

Rio's temp did drop earlier today, but then went up. Around 7:30 PM, she started panting and shaking and and just a little anxious. The Chief Staff thought she saw some little contractions. Anyways, we wanted to let you know what was going on and one of us will let you know later. Wow, this is really exciting!!! Oh, we can't find the camera, The Staff thinks Rio hid it! Crazy Lab...

Princess Merlot

A Funny Story

It's Tuesday and I have some energy today. My appetite is so, so. Ate a pretty good breakfast of some Dog food and a scrambled egg. (I told you I was going to milk this) I couldn't eat everything so I let Brandon finish it up (but I ate all of the egg). Brandon is my best friend now.

Staff#1 took my temp AGAIN this noon and looks like my temp is starting to go down slowly, it was 98.9. But then like the good Lab I am, it's just a test to see if the Staff is paying attention. I will probably go back up again tonight, just to drive them crazy.

That reminds me of a very funny story...

Cheers sent me a text the other day about a very, very funny story of something that happened at Team Cheers one day. One of her Staff was in charge of taking her temp and being new to the job this Staff person did not have a clue on how to use a digital Thermometer. This certain Staff person TOOK her temp with the cap on! The Staff thought her Temp had really bottomed out! Can You Believe it?!!!! Ha, Ha...I thought that was the funniest thing I had every heard!! I ALMOST SPIT MY LITTLE HUNTERS RIGHT OUT... I tell you, good help is hard to find!

Well, I better go take a cat nap...oh I mean a puppy nap!

Signing off for now,
Rio, The Black Lab

RETRACTION

Hey, Sorry there was no blog yesterday. Wasn't feeling my old perky self. Those Little Hunters, I think were HUNTING all day long. They finally settled down and have shifted a little to the south, more good game there, I guess. Anyways, I can breath again and am actually a little hungry. I can't eat as much these days. The staff is giving me smaller meals here and there, with nummy, yummy stuff on my regular kibble (I am going to milk this for as long as I can).

OK, Now to the Retraction. Looks like one of my Staff members CAN NOT count! Hmmmm???? I wonder who??? I was told, with the help of "So Called" Staff member, that I only had 8 dinner plates. Well, The other Staff member who is obviously a lot smarter of the two, re-counted and Walla! I have 10!!! Those two dinner plates I guess are on reserve as they look not to be functional yet. I think this Smart Staff member is deserving of a New Title..... Chief Staff, Head of Crew Rio. She is very proud ;o) we will be sending Staff #1 back to school.

I guess Head Chief got a call from that nice lady Sara and after further review of my x-ray, the Doctors still only see 8...HA! What do the Doctor's know anyways. If they felt like me, they would think I had 25. I feel like a beached whale that just swallowed a beach ball,

Head Chief says 9 to 10, Staff #1 thinks 12....see I told you he was not that smart. I just want them OUT!!!!!! Doctors vers. Staff Members....who will win?

Hey, I guess it's lunch time and nap time. OH and Thermometer time ;o(

Later,
Rio, The Black Lab

I Am Cranky

Hi, Here I am trying to take a nap and the staff keeps taking pictures, it's quite annoying if you ask me. I look like a beached whale and I really don't want my picture taken.

Today the staff was looking at my x-ray again of the babies and Staff #1 is pretty sure he see's at least 10! Now that can be a BIG PROBLEM! The other day, I was counting my dinnerware and I only have place settings for 8.

So to help feed my little ones, I am now registered at Chuck & Dons, Pet Junction, Pet Smart and Pet Co. Food, toys, and of course any type of snacks are at the top of my list. Money of course is always welcome.

There is another thing that I am starting to get a little Cranky about (must be the pregnancy) the Staff keeps taking my temperature. I have no idea why, but I am really getting tired of it. I am not sick, don't have a fever...SO STOP IT ALREADY! That slippery stuff they put on it, is really COLD!! Yikes! The staff told me that this will continue for several days.

SO!!! Remember the previous blog where I said the staff had been demoted? Now you know why!

Signing off for now,

Rio, The Cranky Black Lab

The Count

Well, we made it to Friday, THE day I find out how many Little Hunters I will have. This is me with one of my Staff, (the crew got demoted, details later) anyways, here we are at the entrance to the clinic, this is not the clinic that the nice lady named Mary lives, but it's were the nice man named Dr Pierce lives. Actually, I really don't like him much, even though he takes very good care of me, he just SCARES ME! I always shake when I see him, today I thought I was going to shake those babies right out of me today, Shaken Not Stirred babies! ;o)- OK, I am digressing...back to why I am here, oh yah...I came here for an X-Ray! We went in, oh course I started shaking right away, we met with another nice lady named Sara and she made me feel better. First they weighed me...OMG!!!! I am a Whale! I have gained 16 *#@! Pounds! Oh, will I ever get my girlish figure back?

Then they took me into another room, thank goodness my staff was with...Oh and Brandon came with too, I am sure for moral support. I can use all the support I can get these days. They slapped me on a table and took a bunch of pictures. Then they went to a computer and they looked and they looked and they looked at those darn pictures and all they could come up with was 8...staff says 9. They must be wrong!!! I know darn toot'n there is at least a bakers dozen in there! Well I guess we will just have to wait to see who's right.

Since Brandon was there, they looked into his eye again and what ever they saw, they did not like, they put more green stuff in his eye. He's going to look like an Alien soon. Anyways, he came home with a different costume, I guess he didn't like his donut.

Brandon's two costumes, see me checking them out, I kind of like the new one. Now I can call him...

CONE HEAD!!!!

Well, better get to bed. I don't have the energy I had a week ago. Even my appetite is not very good, and that is not at all like me, only ate half my dinner tonight, and staff had to put some yogurt on it. Maybe I will eat the rest for a midnight snack.

Good Night...

Rio, The Black Lab

Merlot

OK OK OK Merlot!!! Stop already with the begging! I will show you how to blog. My goodness sake. Typical Golden, it's always, Please, Please, Please, Please, Please...All Day Long....A pregnant Labrador can't get any rest around here! So tonight I will show you how to blog. Just remember I get FIRST priority on the computer, since I am older than you, I know it is only by 3 1/2 months, BUT I am still Older! And my babies will be here before yours, so of course I will have more to talk about. And See by this picture...YOU are following ME!! Just remember that.

So, I guess in a few days Merlot will have her blog going. But beware...She is taking French Lessons, of all things! She thinks she is such the Princess and can do want she wants. She thinks she is a FRENCH Princess because of her Fancy Name...Ch Sunlor Elmcreek's Perrier Jouet, (do the French even have Princess's?) Don't tell her that. The other day she was watching TV when Crew Rio was out of the house, She was watching an info commercial for that Rosetta Stone Language DVD's and she ordered them. So when the Crew is out, she is talking French (give me a break) So just to warn you, she's not very good

I think some of the Crew just came home, so I am going to get my lunch! My breakfast is long gone and the kids are Famished!

Rio, The Black Lab

Crew Rio & THE FENCE

Hey,

It's getting alittle closer to Friday. Friday is going to be the official day, I get to find out how many Little Hunters I have. I guess I get to be x-rayed, hmmmm, I wonder if I can see my stomach? Oh, yah, we will be looking at puppies...I forgot. I bet I will have more than Cheers! Not sure if the staff is too happy about that! Oh and Cheers...I can loose my hair with the best of them!

Speaking of My Staff, I have been doing allot of thinking today, since I really don't have anything else to do, but eat and sleep. I think My Staff needs a new Title. They have been working so hard and gave me a really SWEET place to live. Drum Roll please....They are now officially called CREW RIO. Cheers has Team Cheers, I have Crew Rio. I FEEL SO IMPORTANT NOW! I have a Crew!

Hey, guess what? I got a New Privacy fence! Crew Rio did some remodleing today. It's really cool and we've gone Green too, it's made out of recycled cardboard. HEY, you know, that really sounds and looks really, really cheap....hmmmm, I bet Crew Rio didn't do it for looks, I bet they put it up to keep me locked in...do you think? Darn! Just when I gave them their new Title and everything...they go and do something like this. Now I can't play SUPER DOG!
I am sure I will find away ;o)

The New Fence....yuck!

I'm too upset to finish....talk to you tomorrow...

Rio, The Black Lab

Trouble With Goldens (of course)

Today not allot has happened with me, I got to take several naps and have had all of my meals, thank goodness cause those "Little Hunters" are sure hungry. Hopefully I will have a little bedtime snack, cause they are starting to get a little rambunctious if they aren't fed. Feisty little things they are. I really really do think there are 20 of them and they all must weigh 10 lbs. each. I am starting to slow down, but not much. The staff tried to shut me into my new digs (which is still lovely), but as soon as I hear food rattling, UP I go...over the fence, over the couch... HA, HA, YOU CAN'T STOP ME!!! HA! HA! I AM SUPER DOG, I CAN FLY, LEAP TALL COUCHES, I AM... .opps...staff is here, shhhh, better talk about something else....

OK....Both of my staff were home today, they took Merlot to the clinic to see that nice lady named Mary and the nice man named Dr. Jim. I heard one staff say that "The shipment is in Mpls" Whoopee, Big Deal! I still don't know what "The shipment" is ??? Maybe I should teach Merlot how to blog, so she can tell everyone what "The shipment" was! All she can tell me is, It's a present from a handsome young golden blonde, dreaming looking guy. OK, now I am really curious!!

Merlot sure is sleeping allot today, I don't think she is feeling well, but the staff assures me she will be just fine in a few days. OK, I guess I have to believe them.

Now Brandon, my oldest Golden brother, he some how scratched his eye...silly boy. I guess boys will be boys. The staff had to haul him into the clinic. Man, It seems like everyone has been at the clinic today. I guess this was a different clinic, cause that nice lady named Mary was not there. But there were other nice people that took very good care of Brandon, but they put this green stuff in his eye...eeek, I don't think I would like green stuff in my eye. And he has other stuff too that the staff has to put in his eye. I HATE EYE STUFF...icky. Not sure if he is better or not. He is wearing a very funny costume, and it looks like a donut and he is wearing it around his neck....very strange. BRANDON, YOU ARE STRANGE LOOKING, WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS IS, HALLOWEEN? I think I better get my camera (pictures tomorrow)

Better go check on that snack,
Rio, The Black Lab

My Friend Cheers

I would like to up date you on my good friend Cheers. My good friend Cheers, who taught me everything I know about blogging, has a litter of Helping Paws puppies they are around 4 weeks old. The other day, I think it was Sunday, Cheers got very sick from Mastitis. She ended up in the ER with a very high temp. She was given medicine to help her get better and by the next day the temp had dropped. She was then brought to that very nice clinic were that nice lady named Mary works. She stayed there for the day.

Team Cheers called yesterday to tell us that Cheers is doing allot better and is now home, but will not be able to use two of her "Bar Stools" They are broken and out for repair. I think I know what happened. Norm and Rebecca were probably at those bar stools for too long and broke them.

Cheers is very special to us. She lived with us when she was younger. 2 years ago when my golden brother and his siblings arrived, this very nice and crazy family came over. They were looking for a golden puppy, but fell in love with Cheers. With arrangements through The Helping Paws Director of Training and Cheers's breeder, she became a Helping Paws " brood mother" and a part of this wonderful & crazy family, now know as Team Cheers.

The link to her blog is at the upper right corner of my blog...Check It Out!

Gotta go,
Rio, The Black Lab

The Furniture Has Arrived

It got really busy yesterday with different things going on. The staff was busy cleaning, I think they are nesting. I thought I was the one that was suppose to be nesting?

I tried to do some blogging yesterday and I was in the middle of downloading a picture (of me of course) and POOF! The computer went off, When I heard one of my staff members in the other room say "WHAT THE?" I knew it was something I DID NOT DO! I guess The Staff had blown a circuit. Thanks allot, I lost my information and had to start over. But the staff said I had been on the computer too long and would not let me continue since it was getting late. So now the Staff is away and I am sneaking some computer time, before they get home.

I would fire The Staff, but then who would feed me?

The furniture arrived! Do you like the new Motif? A black & white soccer ball fleece blanket and a blue & green frog mat. The black and white match my outfit nicely and I always love anything to do with balls. The blue and green match the lovely azure blue tarp. And my new Elevated food and water bowl is to DIE FOR, it has paw prints and everything....and it's ALL mine! But I guess I get new furniture when "The little Aliens" arrive. I wonder what my new colors will be?

HEY MERLOT!!!!! I said, It was all mine! When I move out in April, you can move in sometime in May, OK? Oh, by the way, I love your pretty pink shorts, they look spiffy and better on you then they did on me. They really made me look like a sissy. Hey, What are you sniffing? FOOD?!!!

Speaking of Merlot, The staff is once again hauling her to the clinic to see that nice lady named Mary. Gosh, Merlot is seeing that nice lady named Mary a lot! I heard that "The Shipment" might be happening today. What Shipment? I still don't understand. Oh well, I guess I have more to think about then Merlot's problems, I have my own and they will be arriving soon.

I was calling the soon to be new arrivals as "The Aliens" but I think from now on I will refer to them as "The Little Hunters" since I am hoping they will follow in my footsteps...oh and of course Winstons. I am sure by the way I look, there will be at least 20 Little Hunters! OK, maybe not 20, but I am sure there will be allot of mouths to feed. Speaking of mouths to feed, I better feed mine.

Later...chomp, chomp, chomp...

Rio, The Black Lab