My dogs birthday and karting plans

A call from Lynda today reminded us again of Mozart's birthday. Mo mo's two, and his early days are a wonderful story.

Lynda gave us Shelby for Christmas one year, gave it to my 11 year old son, who had come to live with us. I had moved in with Lynda and my soon to be fiance, Crystal, and the three of us would live with her on Karenbeth St. for another year before moving to a nearby apartment.
Shelby was a black with white German Shepherd pup, female, but had some other breed in her, we didn't know what. She was magnificent as she grew up, even in the apartment, where she grew to 95 pounds, she was loyal, obediant and smart, smart, smart. She did, however, take to me, and even though she was technically Chris', she and I were inseparable. I didn't plan it that way, but that's the way it has been and always will. She is eight years old now, and although she may have lost a step, she's just as intense at keeping up with me.

Lynda wanted puppies, though, we all did, and we wanted a pure bred German Shepherd for a sire. Most owners wanted a stiff cash fee to stud, as well as first pick. We never got it done, and Lynda gave in and bought a male to breed with Shelby. Sweeny was named for the town Lynda found him in, and paid for him and she brought him home for Shelby's approval. He played with Shelby when he was young, and finally, after three cycles of Shelby's "in-season", they got pregnant. We were very happy, but it had taken five years to get Shelby pregnant. Our veteranarian advised us to make this her last litter, she was getting a little too old for the stress.
I was most upset by this, I had hopes of selling puppies, and with her markings, and a Heidlberg sire, the pups could easily fetch 2-300 bucks. But we had a litter to get through first.
By now, we were all very expectant, and the weeks passed by slowly. They seemed to extend towards the end, but at last, her water broke, and she began to give birth on June 21, 2003.
Lynda was determined to be there when Shelby gave birth, and stayed at our house day and night for a week until the pups came. One came at first, and from the monstrous size of Shelby, she had more to come. And they did, four the first day, spread out over the early day. Several hours after midnight, the second night, she had two more, but the next didn't come until several hours into the third day. When it did come, Lynda, thankfully, was there.
In the first place, Lynda is a registered nurse, and has mid-wived at German Shepherd births before. She cleaned off the pups as they came, made sure they had a teat, and kept Shelby watered. She did so much, but the miracle was yet to come.
Some time in the afternoon of the third day, the 23rd, the eighth pup came, but it would not breathe. Lynda gave it a second or two, and Shelby nuzzled and licked it, but Lynda could sense, Shelby knew something was wrong. Lynda picked the pup up, performed mouth to mouth, and the pup breathed! Then another one came, and another, and this one was the problem. It never breathed. Lynda tried for some time to rescusitate the pup, but it wasn't meant to be. Lynda, poor thing was shattered. I remember her calling, distressed, and I could only console her: she had done all that she could. And she had, but she wasn't through yet.
Our theory was that since the birth took so long to get these last few out, they had the most trouble. So far she had had eleven, but one died. Almost three hours later, after I got home, she had her last two, for a total of 13! 12 lived. The last two also took rescusitating, but the very last one also had obvious low birthweight. Six males and six females, all squirming, black and black and white.
We reared them well, and began to sell them, but gave several away to friends. Mozart was the last male we had, and after all but one other pup remained, we decided to keep him and Crystal named him. He's two this week, and still a rambunctious puppy. He's the black one, Shelby's got the large white smock. They are our kids now, and we love 'em.
Lynda took the small pup, the runt, and it was a female. Lynda named her Mandy, and Mandy had problems keeping her food down right from the start. Of course, Lynda knew she had a problem from observing her while the pups were still suckling. Mandy would eat, but would throw it up again. Then, sometimes, she would eat the softened regurgitated food.
Lynda found out that Mandy had a birth defect. A blood vessel in her throat was wound around her esophagus, constricting it. Major surgery was necessary, but none of us had the money. No way, we're talking thousands. Well, Lynda packed up the van and drove to A&M.
She somehow convinced the vet's there to take Mandy as a case study. Needless to say, and although Lynda did pay several hundred for the surgery room and other costs, Mandy was operated on, and to this day, she's small but vivacious! Mandy is more full of exuberence than any of her brothers and sisters. Never getting tired of running and playing.
Our hats are off to the kind veteranarian students and faculty at Texas A&M in College Station, without their caring, Mandy would not be here today.

I guess we'll talk karting next time....