Siena's Home Page

Just a quick note to let you know that we made it back to Whidbey Island with Siena on the 5:30 p.m. ferry. We handed Tulley off to Kevin, Laura (and Trump) about 5:00 p.m.

Breeder's Comment: Connie & Phil graciously agreed to bring Gizelle back to her new family who also lives in Western Washington. BTW It was Phil & Connie's 26th Wedding Anniversary when they picked up the girls at our home. We wish them a Happy Anniversary and many more! As Connie told you on the telephone when the two of you spoke while we were still on the road, the "girls" traveled very well--after a few rough minutes of howling and crying immediately after leaving your place this morning. We stopped three times along the way for "potty" breaks and they both went each time as if on command . Now Siena is exploring her new house. Actually she's content to stay in the kitchen and retreat into her crate every few minutes, which of course still smells like both she and Gizelle. So far no accidents, although we are sensing it hard for her to find a comfortable place to go outside because we have no lawn, just wood bark and gravel in the yard. Worked well for an Weimaraner who was an adult when we moved here five years ago, but apparently not so well for a puppy used to Eastern Oregon grass. Time, we're sure, will take care of that.

We'll write more tomorrow to tell you about the first night, but right now its time for our dinner. Siena's already had hers and after a somewhat timid start managed to get most of it down, along with a fair amount of water. We think she's adorable and thank both of you again for everything you've done over the past eight weeks to make this all possible.

Phil and Connie 11/11/2007

Siena's first day has been on a day with 65 mile and hour wind gusts, rain coming sideways and a six hour power outage.

Siena's been great and doesn't seem to mind the weather although it did keep her awake for most of the night. Everything is going in slow motion here today and I haven't gotten the pictures downloaded yet, but will try to do so later this afternoon or evening, weather and power willing. Thanks a million, actually more because we wouldn't take that or any amount of money for our new girl. She's awesome as our kids used to say.

Phil 11/12/2007

Today has been a very good one for Siena and for us. We took her to our vet this morning to introduce her to everyone. She was a hit, the fact that she's a longhair an added bonus that generated a lot of oohs and ahs. She weighed 11 pounds and three ounces and was pronounced "fit as a fiddle", which we already knew. Our vet was aware of the WCA immunization protocols and agreed to follow them so that made us happy. Siena continues to settle into our routine and is beginning to expand her world by venturing further into areas of the house that the first evening she showed no interest in exploring. And so far no accidents inside, although she still hasn't figured out that the backyard, which as I told you is primarily gravel, is where she is supposed to go. That's only happened once. The rest of the time we take her out front where we have an English garden prepared for the wintertime and she manages to "find a spot"

as we call it in the dirt and bark.

So far the first two nights have not been the best, but not that bad either. She sleeps the first four or five hours, but then wakes up and starts to be restless and lets us know that she's unhappy. We let her wail a bit and then she gives up and goes back to sleep for twenty or thirty minutes and then repeats the pattern. Makes for a catnap night for us, but I suspect that it will get better each night. She's eating well and loves her afternoon snack of yogurt (active plain vanilla so far). She also loves her toys, particularly the red Kong chew and her yellow bunny which she sleeps with in her crate and which she chews vigorously so that it squeaks when she wants us to know that she's unhappy in the middle of the night. We'll keep you posted as she settles more into life here on Whidbey Island. She sends her love to both you and Cliff and Weim kisses as well (which she has a lot of). We say hi to Cliff as well.

Phil and Connie 11/13/2007