December - 2025 - Special Bonds

Barking Bulletin Part 3: The IKEA Incident (…and Other Questionable Life Choices)

Every great story has a turning point.

Ours?

It starts with a sentence no dog owner ever wants to hear…

“MUM!! I FORGOT… I CAN’T GET SPUD OFF LUNA!!”

Cue us… standing in the middle of IKEA, holding a flat-pack box we didn’t need, slowly realising we’d made a terrible, terrible mistake.

Leaving the kids in charge? Fine.

Leaving the dogs in cages? Also fine.

Forgetting that one very important detail?

…Not fine.

Now, before you imagine chaos, blame, and dramatic speeches, let’s be clear. Anger was never really on the table.

Our youngest, who made that now-legendary phone call, is an absolute superstar. Born extremely premature and navigating life with ADHD and Autism, he’s faced more than most, and through it all, one constant has been Spud.

Their bond? Unbreakable.

Spud isn’t just a dog, he’s a built-in emotional support system, a weighted blanket with ears, and a professional “sit on you until you feel better” specialist. No matter what’s going on, Spud finds him, flops on him, and just knows.

Which makes what happened next both completely understandable… and entirely predictable.

Because that same bond?

That same “I’ll follow you anywhere” loyalty?

Yeah… it also led to:

cages being opened

dogs being left unattended

and one very committed moment between Spud and Luna

And just like that…

The deed was done.

Fast forward a few months…

Just before Christmas

Instead of relaxing with mince pies and matching pyjamas, we welcomed…

FIVE. MORE. PUPPIES.

(Auntie Fudge’s face? Pure disbelief. Possibly rage. Definitely judgement.)

Now, this wasn’t exactly part of the master plan.

The original idea was all very sensible and organised:

Two litters each

Spaced out nicely

Plenty of recovery time

Calm, controlled, responsible

You know… the dream.

Reality, however, had other ideas.

Fudge sadly fell ill with pyometra and had to be rushed in for emergency surgery, meaning her puppy plans were over. Then Luna, bless her, ended up having litters just 18 months apart, far from ideal for her health or ours.

That was the moment we knew…

The puppy chapter was closing.

Luna was later spayed once she’d fully recovered, bringing an end to our unexpected (and slightly chaotic) breeding adventures.

But before that chapter closed, there was one moment that will stay with us forever…

During Luna’s second litter, her body was simply exhausted. She’d given everything she had. One final puppy didn’t make it.

There was no drama. No panic.

Just a quiet moment.

A sniff.

A glance.

A hello… and a goodbye.

Heartbreaking, but also a reminder of just how incredible and instinctive these animals are.

The other five? Strong, healthy, and ready to cause absolute mayhem.

Now, onto something slightly more fun…

Naming the puppies.

If you’ve never tried naming a whole litter, imagine trying to name a band, a football team, and a group chat all at once.

The first litter followed a space theme (very fancy):

Aqua Ariel

Winny Europa

Melmon Moon

Archie Triton

Otto Oberon

Silk Callisto

Polly Ganymede

Yes, we went full NASA.

The second litter?

We clearly got hungry…

Scoobie Cookie

Toffee Penny

Theo Crumble

Lightning MacQuiche (don’t question it… we didn’t)

Fudge Pie

Safe to say… things escalated quickly.

Meanwhile, Spud fully embraced fatherhood in the most Spud-like way possible, by being constantly chased, climbed on, and occasionally dragged around the garden by puppies hanging off his tail like furry keychains.

Luna? Absolute superstar mum.

For a dog who’s normally a bit scatty and “head in the clouds,” she turned into a full-time, no-nonsense, round-the-clock parenting machine. Only stopping to eat, stretch her legs, and probably question her life choices for a brief moment.

Between the two of them, those puppies had the best start possible.

And just like before, every single one found a loving home, carefully chosen, fully approved by both us… and, let’s be honest, Luna.

Even better?

Many of those families are still part of the extended PNN pack, sharing updates, photos, advice, and of course… popping back for a natural treat or two.

Because once you’re part of this slightly chaotic, fur-covered family…

You’re in for life.

Barking Bulletin Part 3: The IKEA Incident (…and Other Questionable Life Choices)

Every great story has a turning point.

Ours?

It starts with a sentence no dog owner ever wants to hear…

“MUM!! I FORGOT… I CAN’T GET SPUD OFF LUNA!!”

Cue us… standing in the middle of IKEA, holding a flat-pack box we didn’t need, slowly realising we’d made a terrible, terrible mistake.

Leaving the kids in charge? Fine.

Leaving the dogs in cages? Also fine.

Forgetting that one very important detail?

…Not fine.

Now, before you imagine chaos, blame, and dramatic speeches, let’s be clear. Anger was never really on the table.

Our youngest, who made that now-legendary phone call, is an absolute superstar. Born extremely premature and navigating life with ADHD and Autism, he’s faced more than most, and through it all, one constant has been Spud.

Their bond? Unbreakable.

Spud isn’t just a dog, he’s a built-in emotional support system, a weighted blanket with ears, and a professional “sit on you until you feel better” specialist. No matter what’s going on, Spud finds him, flops on him, and just knows.

Which makes what happened next both completely understandable… and entirely predictable.

Because that same bond?

That same “I’ll follow you anywhere” loyalty?

Yeah… it also led to:

cages being opened

dogs being left unattended

and one very committed moment between Spud and Luna

And just like that…

The deed was done.

Fast forward a few months…

Just before Christmas

Instead of relaxing with mince pies and matching pyjamas, we welcomed…

FIVE. MORE. PUPPIES.

(Auntie Fudge’s face? Pure disbelief. Possibly rage. Definitely judgement.)

Now, this wasn’t exactly part of the master plan.

The original idea was all very sensible and organised:

Two litters each

Spaced out nicely

Plenty of recovery time

Calm, controlled, responsible

You know… the dream.

Reality, however, had other ideas.

Fudge sadly fell ill with pyometra and had to be rushed in for emergency surgery, meaning her puppy plans were over. Then Luna, bless her, ended up having litters just 18 months apart, far from ideal for her health or ours.

That was the moment we knew…

The puppy chapter was closing.

Luna was later spayed once she’d fully recovered, bringing an end to our unexpected (and slightly chaotic) breeding adventures.

But before that chapter closed, there was one moment that will stay with us forever…

During Luna’s second litter, her body was simply exhausted. She’d given everything she had. One final puppy didn’t make it.

There was no drama. No panic.

Just a quiet moment.

A sniff.

A glance.

A hello… and a goodbye.

Heartbreaking, but also a reminder of just how incredible and instinctive these animals are.

The other five? Strong, healthy, and ready to cause absolute mayhem.

Now, onto something slightly more fun…

Naming the puppies.

If you’ve never tried naming a whole litter, imagine trying to name a band, a football team, and a group chat all at once.

The first litter followed a space theme (very fancy):

Aqua Ariel

Winny Europa

Melmon Moon

Archie Triton

Otto Oberon

Silk Callisto

Polly Ganymede

Yes, we went full NASA.

The second litter?

We clearly got hungry…

Scoobie Cookie

Toffee Penny

Theo Crumble

Lightning MacQuiche (don’t question it… we didn’t)

Fudge Pie

Safe to say… things escalated quickly.

Meanwhile, Spud fully embraced fatherhood in the most Spud-like way possible, by being constantly chased, climbed on, and occasionally dragged around the garden by puppies hanging off his tail like furry keychains.

Luna? Absolute superstar mum.

For a dog who’s normally a bit scatty and “head in the clouds,” she turned into a full-time, no-nonsense, round-the-clock parenting machine. Only stopping to eat, stretch her legs, and probably question her life choices for a brief moment.

Between the two of them, those puppies had the best start possible.

And just like before, every single one found a loving home, carefully chosen, fully approved by both us… and, let’s be honest, Luna.

Even better?

Many of those families are still part of the extended PNN pack, sharing updates, photos, advice, and of course… popping back for a natural treat or two.

Because once you’re part of this slightly chaotic, fur-covered family…

You’re in for life.