Candie's Story
Candie
BEING THERE is nothing new for Candie, from the moment she arrived at our Doodleville Campus at eight weeks of age from Swinging Gate Labradoodles, Candie has given my family more happiness than I can express, she is a wonderful doodle in our family pack, we are she so happy she is ours. Candie is so loving, playful, gentle, and amazingly brilliant! Everyone that she has ever met falls in love with her!
Candie's portfolio regarding "BEING THERE" is quite impressive. She could be known as the doodle that gives and keeps giving...
Tirelessly giving PET THERAPY comfort Monday through Friday at the hospice facility in Fort Mills SC as she reports to work with her human mom Kathy (Candie is in "the best guardian home, with Kathy & Elizabeth). Candie loved "BEING THERE."
My granddaughter, Peyton, is a middle school special needs teacher here in Asheville. On Wednesdays, she would take Candie to class with her to do "pet therapy." Candie's gentle spirit, her love, and the comfort that she gave the students and staff were so welcomed. Candie went for most of the school year! Candie loved "BEING THERE."
On Tuesday's while Candie lived here on our Doodleville campus, Candie has given many many hours of PET THERAPY. Candie knew what to do: she would comfort the lonely and sick at Pisgah Manor nursing home in the Asheville area. She brighten many a gray day with her friendliness, her soft, beautiful coat, her loving gaze, her gentleness. Candie loved "BEING THERE."
Before Candie went to live with her guardian family, precious Candie was a surrogate mom to many young puppies that came here from other premium breeders to be in my training program. These eight-week-old puppies had just left their doodle moms. Often they were scared and lonely. After all, they were on new ground. Candie knew what to do: she loved and nurtured each one. Candie would play with each one and gave them all comfort! Yes, Candie is a comforter just by "BEING THERE!"
Monday, October 1st was the exact date Candie's reproduction specialist said Candie's litter would arrive. And it was true!
Sunday, Sept. 30, I hosted a "Meet & Greet." This is when visitors would come to meet ten-week-old puppies Annabel puppies. But we were expecting Candie's labor to begin on the 30th. All of the visitors shared our excitement. Candie mingled among the visitors and staff like royalty that day! The air was full of excitement here on the doodleville campus! Everyone was gracious to Candie with tender touches and delicate voice tones when they learned of her soon delivery. Oct 1st, which was just hours away.
The "Meet & Greet" was a success! New friendships were formed, and our mutual love for doodles increased!
On Monday morning, October 1st, from 1:00 am to 3:45 am, Candie delivered (or GAVE US) six healthy puppies, two black, one male and one female, two chocolate, one male, one female, one blonde, a male, one apricot, a female.
We have given them CANDY names, Peyton's class choose 3 of the names, my husband and staff choose the other three.
Litter names: Tootsie, Oreo, Necco, Lolly, Nutella, Taffy
For the next six days, I tapped into my expertise in child-rearing, puppy birthing, and mommy doodle mentoring. This was my priority! It had to be; you see this 20-month-old first-time doodle mom was a mixed bag of emotion. She was happy and scared, nervous and calm, rough and tender, confused yet deliberate with handling her pain and discomfort when her contractions began around 10 pm Sunday.
Candie needed extra comforting herself since this was her first litter and didn't understand what was happening to her. In her custom-made large whelping box, I layed with Candie, and we bonded. She realized that I was "THERE" for her! My husband David was "THERE" as well. Most importantly, she wanted us, "THERE." Now Candie was being "COMFORTED because we were "THERE" I found her to be brave, trusting, and beautiful! The puppies arrived, and Candie acted so surprised! WHAT, A baby puppy!!! We watched her closely and gave her gentle instruction as to how to evolve into a doodle mom. This was an " A- Round -THE -Clock" task for me. Sometimes it was exhausting, and the days and nights were long. She would not leave the whelping box to eat or drink. Eating and drinking are a must for a nursing mom. That's when I was "THERE" with her food in my hand so that she would eat. The water bowl held to her mouth to quench her thirst. We all were "THERE" for her. David, my husband, Susan, and Eileen, my assistant's even the housekeeper Rosea lovingly encouraging Candie this new doodle mom of six beautiful puppies to replenish her self for the sake of her puppies. It was clear Candie was delighted that we "WERE THERE."
It wasn't just the non-eating and drinking issues. There were some other dangerous but also a bit humorous antics Candie was slow to understand in her new role.
An example of this was when she would sit on one or two newborns at the same time and have an amusing look on her face as if to say," I love my new squeak toys! Oh, No Candie, those are your babies... This happened all hours of the day and night!
As exhausting as the following days grew to be, it was then that I realized, Candie has given so much to others of what she was now receiving from each of us, COMFORT, LOVE, TENDERNESS, COMPASSION, TIME, ENDURANCE, just by "BEING THERE"!
"BEING THERE" for Candie day and night has been our privilege these recent six days! In reality, it is a small thing when I recall all of the "BEING THERE" she has provided for so many others in her young life.
She is "BEING THERE" for her lovely puppies in the most beautiful way; she has been a good student. Candie no longer eats from our hands; we no longer have to hold the water bowl to her mouth. She is more gentle and attentive to her puppies with each passing hour. After all, Candie fully understands all about "BEING THERE!"
The stress and exhaustion have all but faded!
I have gotten behind in all of my communications, emails, phone calls, messages, etc... I hope they understand when I explain that I have been super busy by "BEING THERE!"
Now that's what I call really living :-)