Annabelle #2 + 5 Puppies Chocolate Labrador Retriever Mix 3 Years Old ID #2508

November 15, 2025

We’ve been very busy this week with the auction ending, but I wanted to send one quick update on Annabelle and her puppies!

Annabelle continues to learn important things … like how being a loved and spoiled dog means living in the house and on the furniture!

She’s made herself quite comfortable and that makes us so happy.

We have learned that Annabelle does like to play with other dogs, after all!

We are currently reviewing families for Annabelle.  She will be matched with her forever family soon!

Her puppies have already found their forever families!  They will be leaving us soon and, while we miss them a lot, we are so happy for them and their new families!  We know they will be in excellent hands. ❤ We didn’t do weigh-ins at 7 weeks because they are too big for the postal scale now but not quite big enough to use the human scale!  But here are pics of them at 7 weeks.

We’ve had so much fun with these adorable puppies and their beautiful mommy.  We know they will make their new families so happy!

November 8, 2025

The puppies had their first trip to the vet on Thursday evening.  Getting – and keeping – all 5 puppies into the transport crate was quite the challenge.  As we put one in, another one would sneak out underneath!  It was comical.  But we finally got them all in the crate and headed to the vet.

A few of them were not happy in the car and yipped/cried the whole way.  But, for the most part, they were good in the car.  No “accidents” in the crate – we were very grateful for that!

The vet checked them out and said they all look healthy and plump. 😊  He also was impressed with our “puppy transport system”. This ain’t our first rodeo! 😉

The puppies seemed to enjoy the ride, too.

Waiting for the doctor.  Can we have a toy while we wait?

The puppies got their first vaccinations and would have been microchipped…. If we hadn’t forgotten to take the microchips with us!  UGH!  So, we get to load them up in the PTV (Puppy Transport Vehicle) again in a week.  I hope they still fit!  😂

November 5, 2025

We’ve shared lots of updates about Annabelle’s puppies – with good reason!  They are adorable!  But today’s update is all about Annabelle.  She deserves lots of attention, too!

After coming into the rescue as a super skinny girl with ribs and hip bones showing, Annabelle has gained weight and looks healthy again!  She’s still eating about 6 cups of food per day.  Once she stops nursing the pups, we’ll be able to cut back on the food, and she should maintain a good weight.

Since Annabelle was a stray, we know nothing about her background.  The vet estimated her to be about 3 years old. She’s very calm for a young dog.  Her favorite thing to do is sit in front of you and get pets. She loves people and wants attention from everyone she meets.  She will jump on you, but it’s a soft, light jump to get your attention.  We’re working on that but it’s a hard habit to break, especially since so many people naturally respond by giving her attention.  It’s really hard to say no to those eyes.

As her puppies get older, Annabelle has spent less time with them and more time upstairs with us and our dogs, Rubble and Lucy.  She gets along fine with our dogs but doesn’t really play with them.  She is still a bit nervous meeting other dogs for the first time.  This week our neighbor is babysitting two dogs and Annabelle barked at them through the fence. Once she has seen the other dogs a few times, she is better with them.  This could still be her protective nature because her puppies are nearby.  We think she’ll be fine living with another dog but also won’t mind being the only dog.  At this point, she really prefers the company of people.  But that may change when she no longer feels the need to protect her puppies.

Annabelle is very gentle taking treats.  She is learning some commands (sit, down, wait) and is happy to work for treats.  She is doing well with housebreaking.  She gets the idea and goes to the door when she needs to go out.  But if we miss that signal, she may have an accident in the house.  The few times she’s had accidents have been right in front of the door.  Our fault for not supervising her more closely!

When Annabelle first came to us, we gave her a few toys.  Sadly, she had little interest and didn’t seem to know what to do with them.  I’m happy to report that, in the past week, she has figured out that toys are fun!  Check out the video below.

Annabelle has also learned that dog beds are much more comfortable than the floor!

Annabelle loves to be outside in the sunshine.  When she first came to us, she would do her business and run right back to the door to get back to her puppies.  Now she enjoys exploring the yard and relaxing in sun.  She’s happy to spend time out there when we are working in the yard or just hanging out.

But every so often, she lets us know that it’s time to go to her puppies!

It’s so cool to watch her play with them and teach them how to interact.  She is patient when the puppies chew on her tail, ears, and legs.   She lets them know when it’s too hard and then chews on them softly to show them what is appropriate.  One time two puppies were wrestling like crazy and making ferocious noises.  Annabelle stuck her nose between them, pushing them apart – like she was telling them that was too much and they need to settle down. And the puppies settled down!

Out of curiosity, we uploaded several photos of Annabelle to two different AI models and asked what breed she is.  Both said she appears to be predominantly Chocolate Lab possibly mixed with Vizsla, Pointer, or Weimaraner. One of the traits listed as making her look like a Labrador is her “gentle, friendly eyes”.  I don’t know what Annabelle’s DNA is, but she does have eyes that could melt even the coldest heart! ❤

Annabelle’s puppies will be 8 weeks old – and ready to go to their forever homes – in two weeks.  Annabelle will be looking for her forever home around the same time!  Look for her to be posted soon.

November 4, 2025

Look at how the puppies have grown!  Now all of them can stretch up to peek out the puppy pen door!

Since the weather was so nice yesterday, we took the puppies outside to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.  And boy did they enjoy it!  First, they showed off how big they are by climbing up the steps by themselves!

Then, mommy showed them how to roll in the grass and feel the sunshine on your belly.

The puppies met resident dogs Rubble and Lucy for the first time.  Rubble tried to get the puppies to play CHASE!  But they couldn’t quite keep up with him. 😉 You’ll notice at the end that Annabelle wasn’t sure she wanted Lucy too close to her puppies.  She was fine with Rubble being close. Male/female thing?  Who knows?!

The puppies loved running in the grass, but they learned that running downhill is not as easy as it looks!

We spent several hours outside, and the pups really enjoyed it!

Today was another big day for the puppies.  They are 6 weeks old today!  You know what that means.  Time for another weigh-in!

Tater is officially too big to weigh on the postal scale!  In fact, I think he broke it. 😉 He had to move up to the human’s scale!

It’s been another fun week with these beautiful babies and their sweet mommy.  We’re nearing the end of our time with them.  The puppy list has been finalized, and the puppy families will visit this weekend to meet the puppies and decide which puppy they want to add to their family.  The puppies will go to their forever homes when they are 8 weeks old – just two weeks from now!

October 29, 2025

Believe it or not, the puppies are now 5 weeks old!  And they continue to grow like crazy!  The littlest puppy this week is Grits, weighing 7lbs 0.4 oz.  The biggest puppy is Tater, weighing… are you ready for this…. 9 lbs. 1.6 oz!  If that’s an indication of how big he’ll be when he’s full grown, he’s going to be one big POTATO!!  Check out all the pups’ weights on their adorable pics below.

And we can’t forget beautiful mommy, Annabelle!

Annabelle spent much of today upstairs with Rubble, Lucy, and us.  Her puppies are eating more puppy food and nursing less often – though they would always prefer nursing to the puppy food!  Annabelle still spends time with the pups, letting them nurse and playing with them, teaching them how to play by gently chewing on them.  She is so patient when they bite her ears, legs, and tail!  Those puppy teeth hurt!  She is such a good mommy, but she is also enjoying some time to herself.  She loves being with people and is content to just lay at our feet or sit in front of us to get pets. And her eyes could melt anyone’s heart! ❤

October 24, 2025

Just a quick “pup-date” to share the results of the puppies’ latest weigh-in.  The puppies are now 4 weeks old.

The smallest pup this week is….

Next is…

Followed closely by…

Then we have the boys…

And the biggest puppy, topping 7 lbs.…

Of course, we can’t forget their beautiful mommy, Annabelle.  We don’t have an updated weight for her, but we can say that she is gaining weight and filling out nicely.

October 19, 2025

Today was a BIG day for Annabelle’s puppies!   Jambalaya, Grits, Gumbo, Biscuit, and Tater ventured outside for the very first time!

They were a little unsure at first, but they quickly got the hang of romping in the grass and really seemed to enjoy it!

See them in action here!

Of course, after all that activity, the puppies needed a snack!

See even more action here:

Later, we put the puppies inside for a nap and Annabelle got to enjoy some much-deserved “me time”.

But the puppies’ exciting day wasn’t over yet.  For dinner, the puppies ate puppy food (put in the blender with water) for the very first time!

They took to it quickly and enjoyed it, as you’ll see here:

So much excitement in one day.  I think they will sleep well tonight! 😉

October 18, 2025

This morning Annabelle met our dogs, Rubble and Lucy, for the first time.  Initially Annabelle growled when either dog approached her.  Rubble and Lucy backed off as soon as Annabelle growled.

Annabelle stuck close to me for a while Mary threw tennis balls for the other dogs.

I kept talking to her and telling her what a good girl she is.  Soon, she felt brave enough to wander closer to Mary, the other dogs, and the treat bag!

The she was feeling comfortable and sat right beside Rubble to get a treat.  😊  Love the section of the video where they are sitting side by side with wagging tails!

We will continue to take it slow, but I think they will all be buddies!

October 17, 2025

Today was an exciting day for Annabelle and her puppies.  Their foster care package arrived! They really enjoyed all their new toys.  And I’m sure that Annabelle – and the puppies when they are old enough – will enjoy the treats, too.

Check out the fun!

Thanks to Brookline for putting together these great packages!

October 16, 2025

Actually, that is Panacur (dewormer) and the puppies are NOT happy about it!  Today was the last day of their 5-day deworming treatment.  We get to do it all again in 3 weeks!   Annabelle has to go through deworming, too, and she’s not a fan of the Panacur, either.  Luckily, we are no longer seeing the nasty tapeworms in her stools!

The puppies continue to grow and change every day.  Their eyes and ears are open; they are walking and “barking” (more like yipping!) and starting to chew on each other and play.  One of the puppies untied my shoelace today!  Their teeth are coming in and boy are they SHARP

Enough talking!  Let’s see those beautiful babies!

The Boys:

And, of course, beautiful mommy:

Annabelle still spends most of her time caring for her babies.

But every so often, she sneaks away for some “me time”. ❤

Annabelle went to the vet last night for her DAPP vaccine booster.  She weighed in at 53 lbs.  She still needs to gain weight, so she is (happily!) eating 8 cups of puppy food each day.  Getting rid of the tapeworm should also help her gain weight!  She was a hit with everyone at the vet’s office.  She wanted everyone to say hello and give her some pets – which everyone was happy to do.  Annabelle is getting more comfortable spending more time out in the yard, away from her puppies.  But she still has to check on them as soon as we come back inside!

Okay – more puppy pics!  How can I not when they are so stinkin’ cute?!

And a very sleepy mommy.

Sleep tight, Annabelle!  Sleep tight, puppies!

October 9, 2025

Annabelle continues to be such a sweet and loving girl with everyone she meets.  She is enjoying staying out in the yard with me for longer periods but if she hears a dog bark in the distance, she runs to the door to go check on her babies.

The puppies turned 2 weeks on Monday.  They have all opened their eyes and are moving around much faster with a little bit of unsteady walking  with their crawl!  Their ears are dropping more but the ear canal remains closed for now, should open up by week 3.

Annabelle is an attentive Mommy and takes good care of her babies.  They are all growing and gaining weight.

September 30, 2025

Annabelle’s puppies were 1 week old yesterday.  They had their first official weigh-in.  They also got their color-coded collars so that we can keep them straight!

Jambalaya (pink collar)

In the pink collar is Jambalaya. She is the smallest pup weighing in at 1 lb. 10 oz.

Grits (purple collar)

In the purple collar, we have Grits.  She weighed in at 1 lb. 11 oz.

Gumbo (Aqua collar)

In the aqua collar is Gumbo.  She weighed in at 1 lb. 15 oz.  Gumbo has white on her toes, her chest/belly, and a tiny white tip on her tail.

Biscuit (orange collar)

In the orange collar, we have Biscuit.  He is the biggest pup weighing in at a whopping 2 lbs.!  Biscuit has white toes on his back paws.

Tater (red collar)

In the red collar, we have Tater.  He weighed in at 1 lb. 15 oz. Tater also has white toes on his back paws.

We don’t know how much Annabelle weighs, but hopefully it’s a little more each day!

Annabelle spent some time in the yard today while Mary did some work.  Annabelle didn’t want to stay out for too long, though.  She was anxious to get back to her puppies.

She is so sweet and takes such good care of her babies. ❤

Snuggles and kisses from mom! ❤

September 29, 2025

Annabelle and her 5 beautiful puppies arrived at Camp McGee today!

BIG thanks to Sue Spilecki who took care of mommy and babies until we got home from vacation and then transported them to us this morning!  Annabelle is very sweet and wags her tail when anyone talks to her.  She loves attention and pets.  She is very skinny so she will continue to get frequent meals as she did with Sue.  Annabelle seems very happy about that!

The puppies are 1 week old today (born on 9/22/25).  They look chubby and healthy and have shiny black coats.  Annabelle is taking good care of them.

Annabelle did not have a problem with us picking up her puppies to bring them into the house.  But she did jump up on each person who was carrying pups to count noses and make sure all 5 were coming with her.  Annabelle checked out the puppy pen and made sure all her babies were comfortable.

Then, of course, it was time for a snack!

Since Annabelle comes from Mississippi, we gave her a beautiful southern name.  We decided to stick with that when naming the puppies, so we went with a southern foods theme.  😉

The three girls are Jambalaya, Grits, and Gumbo.  The two boys are Biscuit and Tater.

After the puppies ate, it was time for everyone – including Annabelle – to take a nap!

One of the puppies decided mommy would make a great pillow.

Annabelle didn’t seem to mind. 🥰

Looking at puppy pictures is great.  But what’s even better is listening to puppies, too.  Check out the puppy squeaks…

And the puppy moans…

Our dogs have not met Annabelle and the puppies yet and they can’t figure out why we keep disappearing downstairs!  😉  We are dividing our time between upstairs and downstairs to make sure no one feels ignored. We want to give Annabelle plenty of time to settle in and feel comfortable before introducing her to other dogs.

More from puppy heaven later!

September 27, 2025

Annabelle arrived 3 days ago after traveling for more than 24 hours. She was picked up as a stray on Sep. 10, 2025 in Mississippi. On Sep. 22, she delivered 5 black puppies, 3 female and 2 male. The next day she started her journey north. Since her arrival, we’ve learned a few things about her:

– in spite of her recent trials, she is VERY VERY SWEET!! She loves all the humans who have met her, ages 4 – senior citizens. She wags her tail continuously  when getting attention and pets! She even allows people to be near her puppies, although only the resident adults have touched her precious babies.

– she is not a fan of the resident dog or cat, although this might be due to her instinct to protect her puppies from other animals. She growled at them when we tried to make an outdoor introduction, so we’ve kept them separate and out of her sight. Once her puppies are weaned and her mama hormones have returned to normal, introductions to other dogs should be attempted again.

– she is getting 6 small meals per day along with plenty of water, peanut butter Kongs, and treats. We add cottage cheese and sterilized crushed egg shells to boost her calcium levels. She was 58 lbs. on arrival and should probably gain at least 20 lbs. to be a healthy weight.

– she was negative for heartworms and intestinal parasites at the shelter. She was vaccinated before getting transported. Her age is estimated as 3 years old.

– she is a wonderful mama! Her puppies are plump and clean. She probably is not a novice at this motherhood thing!

– she hasn’t had a potty accident in the house, but she gets regular leash walks around the yard and free roam in the fenced back yard to do her potty business outside.

– she alternates between an XL crate and her kiddie pool during the day, and we move the pups back and forth if needed. She and the puppies sleep soundly all night from 10:30-6:30 in the crate.

– she is an Olympic caliber standing high jumper! The first day she was here, she was fed every few hours but she still thought she needed to prowl around for food. Thus, she quickly vaulted over the barrier and furniture we used to block the doorway into her area. Since I’ve increased the amount of food at each feeding, and she’s adjusting to our routine, she is more content to stay in her “room.” I’m sure she would check out the kitchen counters and trash cans if she gets an opportunity!

There isn’t much to report about the puppies since they are sleeping all the time except for when they are nursing! They are black with touches of white on their toes and one has a white tipped tail. Every day their squeals and grunts are louder and they are squirming around with more strength. They seem to be about equal in size and weight – no identifiable runt!