Sleeping In

The pups are sleeping in this morning, no fussing from the basement yet.  We must have tired them out last night with an hour in the yard, then additional time in the family room.  It was a lot easier when they all fell asleep after 20 minutes of playtime.  Pups were all very active and brave yesterday, no fussing or whining at all, and lots of running and exploring.  If I can get the yard mowed after work, I can set up the puppy fencing and confine them a bit - and protect the flowers they were "admiring" last night.

Heather and her daughters coming over tonite and the weather should be OK for being out in the yard, so we'll wear them out again!  We're doing well on socializing with kids, but really need to emphasize that next week, when the pups will be more aware of the differences in people.  Need to get my mother over here too, so they can have more "senior exposure" - no Ron & I don't count!  If I get to go along to the Wisconsin shows the following weekend, Laurie will be in charge of the pups, which will also be good for them.

On Saturday the pups go in for BAER testing, Pauli goes home, and an assortment of people come to visit.  On Sunday morning Jess & Laurie will come over for a "puppy party" and pictures.  We need to take the "official" six week pictures of the litter, so Angie & Becky (who own Louie) can see how the litter actually looks.  Although I work with the pups a lot and stack them myself, it's nice to be able to evaluate them in profile when stacked by someone else.  It gives me a chance to see how they fit together, and look at their overall proportions.  Lots of angle on this litter, and mostly very nice toplines, so they should take good pictures - IF they behave!  The following Tuesday they go in for their Vet check ups.  Dr. Valenti will give each pup a thorough physical, and they will get their first vaccination.

Watson goes back to the vet today for his second Chiropractic/Acupuncture treatment.  The first one really made a big difference, and he's looking so much better.  Also started him on Glyco Flex 3 and Vetri Disc which may be helping too.  Am very pleased with the results so far.

Night Off

We took last night off, no company.  Although we love having puppy visitors, I decided that last night would stay open, no visitors.

We took the pups outdoors for an hour after it cooled off, and they did really well, adventuring farther afield and playing with leaves, branches and toys.  Several of the pups have been whiny & a bit unsure outdoors, but last night they were much better.  Mancini had been the worse, but last night he was just fine, starting to explore, play with toys and wrestle with Fern & Dixie.  Mickey has always been confident outdoors, although he demands to be picked up occasionally - but does not really want to be held, just noticed.  Murray is a little sound sensitive, and was bothered by the neighbor's mower on Sunday, and flipped his ears around in response to some barking last night.   He's the most independent puppy, the least interested in being held. Luci was the whiniest one last night, although she had been fine before.  They all seem to go through their little "stages" where they are more or less confident, more or less cuddly, and fussier about being restrained.  Fern is definitely the bravest, yet the most mellow.  She follows me all over the yard and never acts nervous about new things.  Am so pleased with how she is developing!

I worked at stacking the pups last night, using a treat to distract them.  We didn't get good stacks for very long, but it gave me a chance to admire what a handsome litter this is.  Absolutely lovely structure, the right combination of their parents.  Am a bit bummed to have multiple blues and unis, but both are characteristics that go with Dalmatian spotting.  Sometimes you have more of them, sometimes you luck out and have fewer of them.

Because I did the litter for a bitch for me to keep, and because Fern appears to be exactly what I wanted, I am very pleased over all.  Just wish I had a couple more like her, as several of the great potential homes that have been waiting for show quality bitches will not get a puppy this time.  Although Dixie is lovely, and should be shown, I'm quite sure she has unilateral hearing (in one ear) and that does not really work for a foundation bitch (you're limited in your choice of potential stud dogs because you have to consider hearing) and unis normally don't go as performance dogs.  Although they make great companions, it may be a handicap in advanced performance work - although there are some excellent unis working in Agility right now.  What she needs is a home where they just want a show dog as well as a beautiful companion.  Perhaps I'll find something local, co-own her, and keep an option to show her, like we did with Penny's brother Ch. "Charlie Brown".

More Company

More company!  The pups have had a very busy few days with lots of company, and play time in the family room.  One of the nice things about having pups is all the friends and previous buyers who come to visit.  Skip & Gia, along with their sons Trevor & Bradley and neighbor Sandi, came over last night.  We hadn't seen them since they visited Reebok's pups last summer!

They purchased their first Dal from us about 20 years ago and are currently owned by a charming Josie son named Seiko.  I kept Seiko from the litter with plans to show him until we started worrying that he would get too tall (which he did).  He's a fabulous dog otherwise, and hooked them on Brownie Boys.  Bradley and my pup Fabulous Fern hit it off right away and she spent much of the evening cuddling with him.  It's not a particularly cuddly litter at this age - too much to do - but Fern decided Bradley's lap would be just fine.

Next week I'll probably see my old friend Linda who owns 10 year old Robbie, who is their 4th Paisley Dal, and again their first boy.  Having pups is a great time for catching up with friends.  Anyone else out there who wants a puppy fix?

Pups sure provide a lot of photo ops!  This one turned out cute.  Having the pups up in the family room for a couple of hours means we go through a lot of paper towels!  I'd prefer to do the puppy visits in the backyard, but it's just too hot.  Probably not for the pups, but definitely for the people.  Normally we take the pups out for awhile every evening, but last night was just too hot to even consider it.  Neither Ron nor I had any interest in sitting out in the heat and humidity, and the pups are too young to want to stay out by themselves.

Laurie comes to stay next week, and hopefully there will be some decent weather so she can have the pups outdoors if she is around in the afternoon.  Last year she was here during the state shutdown, so we had lots of adventures.  This year I will be working, but am glad that I still have a job!

Another Doggy Weekend

Another very doggy weekend.   Right now things are centered around the puppies, and getting them raised and properly socialized.  Sometimes seems like a full time job!  Adults all get "their time" though and love having the extra company.  Weaning is going well, and Pauli will go home next weekend, which will help a lot.  She's been good, and we've been biking every evening, something she really enjoys!

Friend Sue has been taking Josie to the Airport Dog Park on a regular basis, and on Saturday she got to run with Letty's brother Herbie.  This has been so good for Josie, whose life was pretty boring.   Josie is a wonderful dog, and it's hard to believe she's already 9 years old.  She's very athletic and playful and is having such a good time running and spashing and chasing her Frisbee.  Sue can't have a dog where she lives, so this way both she and Josie can enjoy the summer.  Thanks, Sue!

Watson visited the Vet last weekend and got both Chiropractic and Acupuncture.  He's doing VERY well and is acting much like the old Watson.  Was concerned that he was getting arthritic, but apparently that is not the case.  Watson's already 12, but I am not ready for him to be an old dog.  Can't imagine not having him around here.  He's always been such a good dog!

Argus and I did the Rice Creek Dog Park on Sunday morning where he got to splash around with Labs and a Boxer.  He's not really a swimmer, mostly just a splasher, but has such fun doing it.  He retrieved a plastic bottle a few times, but just can't understand the Labs' obsession with retrieving anything, and doing it endlessly.  Argus has such a good time and I love watching him and the other dogs, plus that Dog Park is a good one for hiking too.  We picked up mom afterwards and went out to breakfast, sitting at an outdoor table so Argus could be with us.  (And share bits of my omelet.)

The pups had lots of company and many adventures this weekend.   I continue to be very pleased with Fabulous Fern, who seems to have a sensible & secure personality.  She's the biggest puppy right now, but that's because she is also the resident chow hound.  Dixie is coming along nicely.  Am sure she's a uni, hearing in just one ear.  I don't want to place her as a pet strictly because of that, and hope she still ends up in a show home as she is way too pretty not to be shown.   We'll see how this works out.  Luci is lovely, very sound and pretty spotted, but that eye rim is moving just too slowly and she will be going to a pet home.  

The boys are all characters.  Handsome Mickey the patch is a handful, smart and determined.  He'll need a home that has plenty of time and energy to devote to his training.  He won't be easy, but he will be a great dog if properly raised.  Furry Murray is looking good, a more independent sort of dog than his littermates, more like his Grandma Aruba and Uncle Krash (who won the National this year).  His spots are clearing nicely now and he's very striking.  That's him above, playing in the "tunnel", a section of sewer pipe.  Mancini looks like a star, really an outstanding pup.  Hope to find a home that wants a really good looking boy to show.  He's got a blue eye (not a fault) but wonderful structure and movement.  Most of my show homes are for girls, unfortunately, so we shall see.

Pups get BAER tested on Saturday.  I already know their hearing status, but we test to confirm.  We'll do pictures next week too, and start deciding which pup will go where.  If you are interested in something to show, we may have a pup for you.

Think Before You Donate

Questions & Answers

I received this interesting question last night, so thought I would post it, along with my answer -

We took Winston to his first puppy class at TCOTC last night and he did pretty well. Jessica has been working with him anyway since we got him, so first class was easy.

The instructor made a comment that we thought was a bit strange. She said that puppies at 10-14 weeks old shouldn't be walked more than a block. Anything more can lead to hip displasia, bone growth problems, etc.
Really?! Do you agree with this?

My answer -

I do not walk my own pups on leash on concrete for any great distances, not more that perhaps half a mile at a time. There is some thought that regimented exercise can contribute to joint issues. The feeling is that it's more natural for pups to play hard in short bursts - to walk, run, turn, sit, lay down, rest in normal puppy play fashion, and that "military marches" can be a problem. While I don't preach that, I don't discount it either and don't take my pups on long walks on leash. I use leash walks for socialization more than for exercise with young pups.

 That being said, many of the dogs in your class are probably breeds with a high incidence of hip dysplasia - Labs, Goldens, Rotts, etc. It is quite low in Dals, and your pup has many generations of clear hips in his background. It probably won't make a difference, but don't discount the idea. I bike my dogs too, but I never do it regularly until after 18 months. OTOH, some of our dogs run from a relatively early age. It's going to have to be what you are comfortable with doing.

Just Like Grandpa

Looks as if Fabulous Fern will be the puppy who stays in Paisleyland.   She's already made that decision, so I might as well go along with it.  Fern always greets me with a wildly wagging tail, seems very relaxed and non-stressed about new situations, and never whines.  All personality pluses as far as I am concerned.  The fact that she has lovely spots and moves nicely is also a plus! Wish she had a few more face and ear spots, but that's just a personal preference, and her markings are fine. She's got a nice amount of bone, good feet, two good ends, a level back, and nice dark eyes.

Last night convinced me, when Fern picked up a plastic packing bubble, carried it all over the yard, and finally stashed it under the deck steps - after first making a feeble attempt to dig a hole and bury it.  The instincts are there, just not perfected.  Love the fact that she inherited that funny little quirk from her Grandpa Argus.  None of the other pups carry toys yet, and I have never seen a pup this age try to hide a toy.  That does it!

Letty and her littermates celebrated their first birthday on Tuesday - am so pleased that all are in excellent homes.  Letty was spayed yesterday - hopefully she makes a quick recovery and can soon get back to the Dog Park.  I know she and her dad Skip will really miss their outings.

Hot Again?

Tasty foot!

Hot weather is making a return visit.  Bummer, as it will be less pleasant for the puppies who love going outdoors after dinner.  They are at an age where I would like to put them out when I get home from work, but not if it's in the 90s.  They are starting to have fun in the yard, and are much less whiny about wide open spaces.  The first couple trips outdoors several of the pups wanted to be held rather than to explore - now they are getting more adventurous.  I'll be putting up the puppy fencing soon to keep them out of the flower beds.  Works well, but makes mowing tough.

Weaning is coming along nicely, with the pups eating two meals a day, supplemented by Pauli who is still "on call".  They are eating goats milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, ground turkey, and egg yolks, plus have had some softened puppy food - Pro Plan Selects Turkey & Barley Puppy Food.  When they go to their new homes they will be able to eat either a raw diet, or kibble, depending on how their new owners want to feed them.  Tonight they will have some beef, and this weekend they will try some real raw, probably drummies to test their teeth on.  I'll pick up some baby food veggies too, and they can have a bit of sweet potato.  It's important that raw diets, especially for puppies, include a variety of foods.

Pauli spends most of her time upstairs now, checking in to feed them, and still sleeps with them at night.  She's been running with the bike in the evening, so will go home in good condition.

Fabulous Fern continues to be my pick puppy.  She's pretty, sound, and confident and has a mellow, contented personality.  She's got a hair's width of trim left to fill on her right eye.  She also has bilateral hearing.  I suspect that several of the pups are unis, meaning they only hear in one ear.  Very common in Dals, and does not affect their quality of life.  Quite a few very successful show dogs, as well as some top winning performance dogs are unis, but we always hope for all bilaterally hearing litters.  The gene for "extreme white piebald", the one that gives Dalmatians their white coat color  (the spotting is a different gene)  comes with patches, blue eyes, deafness, unilateral hearing, and missing trim.  Creating unpatched, brown eyed, bilaterally hearing, completely pigmented pups can be a real balancing act!   No one ever said it was easy to breed a really good Dalmatian!  Fortunately cosmetic issues and unilateral hearing do not make a Dal any less attractive, or any less functional.

No Time For Blogging

Somehow I ran out of time this morning.  Had to do a few emails, and respond to some Facebook messages, and suddenly it's time to feed dogs and get ready for work.

Mickey is looking for dinner here, and wonders if Ron's nose is a nipple.  He worked on it for a bit, decided there was no milk left, and gave up in disgust.

I really need to start blogging before I go to bed.

A Break In The Weather.

What a great weekend, but far too short.  (Aren't they all?)  Although still in the upper 80s, the temps were far more seasonal that 102, and the nights were a lot cooler.  When the cool front came through on Friday evening, we got 3/4 inches of much needed rain, and were even able to give the air conditioners a break.  We caught up on much needed yardwork, and got the lawn mowed before it turned into a hayfield.  The weather is supposed to be seasonal this week, in the mid 80s, and cool off at night.  I can do this kind of summer weather.

The puppies had many adventures over the weekend, including their first trip outdoors on Saturday evening once there was some shade in the back yard.  On Sunday they got to explore the family room too, had lots of company and did well with all the handling.   Personality differences are starting to show up now, so we know which things to work with on each puppy. Little patched Mickey is the most demanding, expecting to be picked up and held, which he IS because he is so cute.  Fabulous Fern is the first puppy to respond as bilaterally hearing, locating the direction a sound comes from.  She's the most tuned in puppy, and is looking really nice so far.  Dixie needs the most handling right now, so will be picked up and held the most for a few days.  It's something the pups often go through in turn, so any pup who is showing resistance to handling or restraint gets handed or restrained the most for a few days!

Am very pleased with how Mancini is coming along.  He's the smallest pup, but brave and adventurous.  Very nice spotting, and just the tiniest bit of eye trim left to fill.   Murray still looks like a furry polar bear cub, with the cutest face!  Luci looks very like Fabulous Fern, and her eye trim is moving, but still has a long way to go.  Don't think it will fill completely before it's time to place her, so am guessing she will go as a pet which is a shame as she is beautifully spotted, very sound and has a lovely personality.  Still crossing fingers on her.

Sunday was my birthday, and Argus and I started the day with a trip to the dog park, so he could do some running and splashing.  He's so much fun, endlessly entertaining, and such a great companion.
Breakfast at White Castle of course, a favorite for both of us - and shared with Argus, of course.  Jess & Don picked up my mother and came over to visit pups and go out for dinner with us, Tavern on Grand where we all enjoyed excellent walleye.  Friends came to visit the pups on both Saturday and Sunday, and we were able to play catch up.  Thoroughly pleasant weekend!

Now, back to work!

More Adventures

Love this picture of Argus, "painted" in Photoshop.  How cool is that?  Someone who has one of Argie's grandsons did this just for fun.  Love it!  I've ordered a big print of it for my wall.

Today the pups will be venturing outdoors to expand their world.  They've been exploring the basement every evening, and have come up into the living room to check things out, but it's been too hot outside for them.  The heat finally broke and it's beautiful today.  Once we get the housework done and the yard mowed, the pups can do some exploring.

This weekend I will also go visit Christopher and his new family, finish the paperwork, and take a picture of everyone for Patti.  Sounds as if he is doing well, and has fit into the family which includes two little girls, an elderly Dal mix and a 3 year old Viszla.  Viszla are just as silly and busy as Dalmatians, so Christopher and "Olive" should keep each other entertained.  Actually, Chris is getting a new name too as Christopher just does not seem right for a dog.

Who Stole My Time?

OK, where does my time go?  Why is it that when I have puppies I never seem to have enough time for anything else?  Could it be that they are so darned CUTE that it's hard not to sit and watch them when there are other things that need to be done?  Could be!

We started weaning last night, not because we had to, but because it's time to get started.  Pauli has plenty of milk, but I'd like to be able to send her home when the pups are 6 - 7 weeks.  Just makes things easier around here, and Pauli is getting bored.  Pups need to interact with adult dogs to learn proper responses, but Argus is more than willing to take over, and I find the boys really enjoy dealing with pups.  When Pauli is outdoors in the morning and I am cleaning the puppy box, Argus gets to come down with me and puppy sit.  He's just fascinated with puppies and small dogs.

Pups started on goats milk with goats milk yogurt.  Tonight they will get the same thing but with an egg yolk added, and on Saturday I'll add freshly ground turkey (from Whole Foods).  After a few days of that, and moving from one to two meals, we'll start adding a variety of foods.  Just wish that goats milk was not so expensive, but it is much more like bitches milk than cows milk is, so we always use it if we can get it.

Fun With Puppies

It was so nice to have a day off yesterday, and a chance to spend more time with the puppies. This is such a great age, when they look and act like little dogs instead of spotted blobs, and have started to develop their own unique personalities.  One of the pups  is missing from today's photo (taken yesterday) as he was taking a pee break.  They are very good about leaving their rug now, and peeing on the newspapers - if they can find the papers.  Pauli continues to rearrange the box every night, shredding papers and moving them around.  Always a mess when I come down in the morning.  Apparently she thinks it's OK for her pups to grow up in a Trash House!


The pups have names now, as I finally came up with a theme for the litter. I thought about doing Scotch brands but it was hard to find good names for the girls.  The girls could have had flower names but there was a shortage of suitable names for boys.  So I picked restaurants, and there were hundreds of excellent names to pick from.  The boys are Murray (Murray's Steak House), Mancini (Mancini's Char House), and Mickey (Mickey's Diner which is a well-known local attraction housed in an old trolley car).  The girls are Dixie (Dixie's On Grand), Fern (Fabulous Fern's) and Luci (Ristaurante Luci & Luci Ancora, our neighborhood Italian restaurants).


We are surprised to have three pups with a single blue eye.  I rarely get blues, so was not expecting it, but they are acceptable according to the Dal standard, and can be shown.  I've finished lots of blue-eyed champions, but have not kept one in many years, primarily because I've have gotten so few of them.  It's always something, and much better blue eyes than deafs!  Pauli's grandmother had a blue eye, as did HER grandmother, so it's in the pedigree, just not very close, and because Argus does very few blue eyes, it caught me by surprise.  Louie's owners were also surprised, as Angie gets very few blues.


Mickey the Patch, and Mancini each have a blue right eye, and Luci has a blue left eye.  Mickey can't be shown anyway, and will be an extra cute pet.  Mancini is a gorgeous pups with hand-painted markings, and if his structure is good he will just be a blue-eyed show prospect.  Luci is a beauty too, but still missing a lot of trim on her right eye rim.  It's moving, but has a long way to go.  Eye and nose trim is good on the others, and markings are sooo pretty.


So I am looking at Dixie and Fern, both dark-eyed, beautifully spotted girls, with confident personalities.  Hopefully one is a keeper!  I need a puppy!

No Picnic Today

Too hot for a picnic?  Yes!  Called mom to tell her NOT to make potato salad as I was not grilling today.  We'll go out for burgers and then over to mom's for watermelon.  Mom loves picnics but it is way too hot for eating on the deck, and indoor picnics don't cut it with me.


Coral gave us a scare yesterday.  When I let her out of her crate she was wild-eyed, panting, and had trouble with her balance (more trouble than she normally has).  AND she would not eat her breakfast - a bad sign in normally enthusiastic eaters.  Only thing different in her life was that she had gotten her first Proin tablet the previous evening, as she has started to have trouble holding her urine - not unusual for spayed 14-year old female dogs.  When I checked the side effects of Proin, they matched up with what I was seeing.  Apparently Coral has a sensitivity to the active ingredient in Proin.  When I checked with the Vet he said there was no way to reverse the effect and it would have to work it's way out of her system.  She laid around most of the day, and although she was still breathing hard, the panting stopped.  By dinner time she was ready to eat a chicken back, although a bit more slowly than normal.  This morning she is back to normal.  Still creaky and a bit wobbly, but that's how she was before the Proin incident.  So, I guess Ron will just have to take her out every couple of hours.  He kept Coral's grandpa Morris going with extra attentive care, and will do the same for Coral.


Pups are doing great, got their pen changed yesterday.  They can now come and go from their box, and have more room to play, and Pauli can escape to her crate when she needs to "get away".  Need to get updated pictures today!


Christopher has a home!  He went on a try out Sunday, to be sure he fit in OK with the 16 year old Dal cross and 3 year old Viszla.  A very nice family with two well behaved little girls.  Patti is pleased that Chris will live in a family with kids.  Rex got a name change to Canuck, and Christopher will get his changed too.  Jordyn & Magic are still Jordyn & Magic.


Letty's new home is official now.  We did the paperwork last night, including the contract and transferring her AKC registration.  The file also included a certified pedigree, her BAER hearing tracings, and OFA hearing confirmation.  I miss her like crazy, but she's in absolutely the perfect home.  Have a good life, Letty girl!

Busy Weekend For The Pups

The pups had a very busy weekend, with lots of company.  They up and about now, exploring the area around their pen, and responding to people.  On Friday the little patched boy greeted me with a wagging tail, the first pup to "notice" people.  I love it when they reach that stage, and it happens at 21 days.  At that age they start to respond to their environment and to notice things.  To me, that's the time they become little dogs.

We had two families with children who sat on the floor of the puppy pen and held the pups.  It's hard to keep kids sitting when they get excited about pups, but important not to startle or scare the pups at this age.  Both the pups and the kids did a great up.  Several older kids and lots of adults to visit and handle pups too.  Because the pups are only cute and active for 10-15 minutes at this age, no one gets bored either.

I firmly believe that all the early handling and exposure to small children makes an enormous difference in how the dogs respond later on.  Dogs that I have purchased, who have had little or no experience with kids, take more work later on to be comfortable around kids, while the dogs that are used to children are always comfortable with them.  There are exceptions of course, and part of a dog's temperament is "built in", but we can do much to modify some things, and to raise puppies that are best able to face the world.

Eyes are open wide now, and we have a couple of blue eyes.  Not a fault according to the Dalmatian standard, just something that goes with a Dalmatian's genetic color makeup.  We can show blue eyes in the US, although some breeders never keep or show blues.  It's really up to the individual.  The patched boy has a blue right eye, which will be very cute on him.  The smallest male also has a blue, but if he continues to look as nice as he does now, will probably go to a show home.  I don't get blues very often, so this was a surprise, but Pauli's granddam had one.  I've shown and finished many blues in the past.

Tonight we do the paperwork on Letty.  She has worked out very well in her new home and is due to be spayed next week, before she comes in season again.  Skip does NOT want have to hand walk her for several weeks (while in season) when she could be going for a daily run in the dog park!

Whew!

Whew, what a hot and busy weekend.  While I was sweltering at home, my daughter Jess was sweltering in Virginia where the temperatures were over 100 (and they lost power on Friday night).  She flew out to stay with our friend Laurie, and to show Penny & Amery at the Greater Washington Dal Club Specialty weekend.  Laurie, Jess & I were the breeders of Penny's very successful litter that included Meribel who was BoW at the National, has three Specialty majors, and needs but a single point to finish her championship (and is only 11 months old).  Amery was actually the pick of the girls, but was not as mature and ready to win at the National.  Because the judging panel looked good for the shows in Virginia, Jess decided to fly out and show Amery there.  Because Amery lives with Laurie, Jess did not have to fly out with a dog - which would have been impossible because of the temperatures.

Amery had 2 points before the weekend, having beaten her sister Meribel at small shows when we were getting ready for DCA, but when the weekend was over she had 14 points, having gone WB (Winners Bitch) for 3-4 points majors, three wins in a row.   Good girl, Amery!  Now both brownie girls have 14 points and 3 majors, just needing a single point each to finish.  Meribel was shown in the Puppy Class, and Amery took her wins from the BredByExhibitor Class.  Good puppies!

Hopefully the new litter has some stars.  They had lots of company over the weekend and are looking so very cute!  Update on them tomorrow.  Lots of updates actually, as Christopher is "trying out" a new home too.

Pups At 22 Days

Never Enough Time

Happy three week birthday to the Paulouies!  (Shorter than the Louie/Pauli babies).  They are thriving, and developing cute little personalities now.  This morning I was greeted with wagging tails when I went down to clean up the box.  From now on I will be spending a lot of time with them in the mornings, not because I have to, but because I want to.  They are SO CUTE at this age!

Pauli went for a walk last night, her first one since the arrival of the pups.  She's been running a bit on the doggy treadmill but last night she got pushy about needing a real walk.  We went up and down a few alleys, and she did a lot of sniffing while watching for rabbits.  She really needed to get out, I think.

Argus and I did the Dog Park yesterday evening and ran into friends Colleen & Jim and their Dal Ch. "Pinkie" UD.  Argus and Pinkie are about the same age and knew each other from dog shows, so they had a good time playing white Colleen, Jim and I played catch up.

While I sit home with the pups, my daughter Jess is in Virginia where she showed "Amery" at the Greater Washington Dal Specialty.  Made her trip worthwhile, as Amery went Winners Bitch for a four point major.  Amery lives with her co-owner/co-breeder Laurie (along with her mother Penny and grandmother Nikon).  She's a sister to Jess's Dal Meribel who needs just a single point to finish and was Best Of Winners at the National this year.

Christopher is doing well, and we have someone coming over to look at him tomorrow.  He's fit in here nicely, and is very easy to deal with, but he does need a home before Pauli's pups start coming upstairs.

Spellcheck is not working on Blogspot.  Oh well, you know what I meant.

So Far, So Good

Pups are doing well!  They're starting to get cute too, and this morning when I went down to put in clean papers they had started wrestling with one another.  It's pretty slow motion at this age, but they are practicing their "moves"!  I could spend the day watching them, but fortunately they only play for a few minutes at a time before going back to sleep.

Spotting looks terrific on everyone - yes, the furry white boy has spots too, but his thick wooly coat still covers them up.  They all seem to hear, and I have not noticed any blue eyes yet, though will look more closely this weekend.  Only one nose is not completely filled, but a couple of eyerims still need more color. 

They've all had their nails cut three times and are all plump and strong - you really notice how strong they are when you try to trim their hooky little nails.  (We trim the nails so they don't scratch Pauli or one another.)

Pauli has been an excellent mother, keeps them clean, has plenty of milk, and is still quite attentive, though is happy to be upstairs with us or out in the yard some of the time too.  I'll start walking Pauli this weekend, although she has discovered the treadmill in my basement and run on that for a bit - she loves the treadmill.

If you're looking for an adult Dalmatian, there's a nice boy available.  He's randomly bred (not from a show person) but is quite handsome.  Moderate sized, good with adults, older kids, and dogs, not good with cats.  He was bred in Southern Illinois, but lives near the Twin Cities and is available to the right situation.  I will gladly put you in touch with his owner who is forced to give him up or with my daughter who is trying to help find a home for this boy.

Pick Me Please!

Christopher is looking for a home.  Sister Jordyn is back up in Canada with the Pellas, brother Magic is in the Twin Cities, and brother Rex is in Oregon.  Christopher is still here and ready for a new home.  The people from Oregon flew in to look at Chris, but Rex did the best sell job that day!  "Pick me please", he kept telling them.  I was planning to keep Rex for awhile, but it was too good a home to pass up, and Rex really sold himself.  He will eventually become a Therapy Dog, a job Christopher will be equally good at.

Unfortunately, too many people think they only want a black-spotted female puppy, and they don't take the time to discover that Dal boys make fabulous pets (better, I personally think) and that well marked liver Dals are gorgeous!  I always find it interesting that people come for an interview thinking that a black-spotted puppy is all they would consider, and end up falling in love with a liver.   Both of Chris's brothers went to home that wanted liver boys.  Now, we just need one more of those for Chris.

Well bred (champion parents with all their health testing), beautifully spotted, very handsome (could be shown but missing some nose trim, so available as a companion), well socialized with people of all ages, comfortable with dogs of all ages and breeds, crate trained, leash trained, loves to ride in the car, doing well on his housetraining.  Very outgoing, and loves to sit on laps. Vet checked, first shots, hearing tested (BAER bilateral).

Paulis pups are doing well and it appears that they all hear, but there are not enough pups to go around.  If you're ready now, you might want to consider this handsome boy.

Also, there is a black-spotted male rescue dog available in this area.   More information on him tomorrow.

Puppied To The Max

Rex, Jordyn & Chris - Magic was already in his new home.

Whew, what a weekend!  Puppied to the max!

Patti & Grace WERE able to bring the pups down from Canada. No problem at Customs, roads were adequate despite the storms, and they had a dog-friendly hotel to spend Friday night.  All were walking on leashes by then, so Patti stopped a few times along the way to exercise the pups, and everything went smoothly.  The pups were mugged each time they stopped, and many of the people asked, "Are they for sale?"  Yeah right, these carefully raised babies were going to be sold to total strangers from the back of a car in a McDonald's parking lot.

We left early the next morning for the pups BAER testing in Rochester.   Patti had suspected one of the liver boys was a uni (a dog with hearing in one ear rather than both), because one of the boys had trouble figuring out the source of a sound - he could not key into the location of the person calling him.  He could hear them perfectly well, just could not tell which person was calling him or where they were standing.  Uni pups quickly learn to pick up on visual keys, so if the person moves, leans forward or claps their hands, the pup notices that and goes to the right person.  Observant breeders can generally identify uni puppies, but we go in for BAER testing to confirm our suspicions.  Patti was correct (I knew she would be) and Captain Rex tested as a uni.  No problem.

Jess came over later for a photo session and we got great pictures of all four pups.  We all agreed that Jordyn was the star of the litter, and Captain Rex was the best of the liver boys.  Jordyn was going home with Patti & Grace, Magic was spoken for and his new mom picked him up that afternoon, and people were flying in from Oregon to look at Christopher.  I was quite taken with Rex and planned to keep him until the right local home came along for him.

The pups were perfect on Saturday night.  Because they were exhausted from all their adventures and were already accustomed to sleeping in a crate at night, they didn't make a peep.  I set up a crate in the family room so we could get them out the door quickly, and we had no accidents either.

The folks from Oregon had lost their beloved Dal boy about six months before, and were finally ready for a new pup.  They wanted a liver boy, one who had been heavily socialized, from a line with exceptional temperaments, because they planned to do Therapy Dog work with the puppy.  Although they had come to see Christopher who is as sweet and cuddley as can be, it was Rex to sold himself.  I had not planned to let Rex go so soon, but I feel very strongly that we owe our dogs the very best homes we can find for them, and this was a super home.  Even though I had only known Rex for two days, I shed a few tears over the decision and let him go.  Rex's new family had flown in to see the pups, but rented a car to take him home, a 30 hour trip. What an adventure!

So Christopher stayed behind and is looking for a home.  Pictures tomorrow.  A beautifully marked liver boy with a happy friendly personality, heath checked, BAER bilateral, first shots, socialized to the max, crate trained, leash trained, great in the car, and well on his way to housetrained.  He fits in well here, plays nicely with the big dogs, and Pauli has volunteered to adopt him if he needs a "family".  Wouldn't he look funny sitting with her 2-week old pups?

Up In The Air

Plans for the weekend are still up in the air.  It all depends on whether or not Patti & Grace can navigate through the storm damaged North Shore and the city of Duluth.  Once they get through Duluth the driving should be fine as the freeway is no longer under water.  Traveling with 4 - 9 week old bored pups is not easy, and anything more than the normal 6 hours will be way too much for them.  Fortunately, they are very used to traveling.  BAER testing is scheduled for tomorrow AM in Rochester.  If we can't make the appointment, we will have to settle for "home testing".  We know the pups all hear, just have to determine if any are unis (dogs that hear in one ear).  Unis make perfectly satisfactory pets, and can be shown too, but we want to know their hearing status before they are placed.  We do BAER testing just to confirm what we already know.

Josie celebrated her 9th birthday with a walk in Hidden Falls Park, and a round of ice cream with her housemates.  Josie is a super sweet dog, still incredibly playful.  The floppy Frisbee is her favorite toy and she LOVES to catch it.  Josie does not care to ride in the car, never has, but I'm going to get her used to it again so our friend Sue can take her on hikes.  Ron walks Josie everyday, but she'd really appreciate going faster and further, and Sue misses having Letty to walk.  Not sure Josie is Dog Park material as she is not interested in other dogs, but she's not aggressive with them so might enjoy it during off hours when the park is not packed with obnoxious young dogs. 

Timing Is Everything

Timing really IS important when planning a litter of pups, and up until now everything has fallen nicely into place with Lucy's litter.  Lucy's trips back and forth from Canada to St. Paul for shows & health testing (with big show wins in St. Louis, Lawrence KS, and Fort Mitchell Ky), her family's move from a town without a Veterinarian to a Canadian city with excellent Vets, Lucy's honeymoon trip down to me, then traveling with me to Omaha to get the breeding accomplished, and the trip back up to Canada.  Everything fell into place perfectly.  She passed all the health testing (some of it done at the Health Clinic at the Dal National, and some of it done in the Twin Cities), finished her championship with a fantastic record, we got the breeding accomplished with the assistance of an AI and a Reproductive Specialist who was leaving on vacation the very next day, and the Vet in TB was available when Lucy ran into whelping difficulties.  Luck was with us, every step of the way.

Luck may be taking a break this week and the pups may not get down here for their BAER test appointment on Saturday.  The terrible weather in Duluth and along the North Shore of Lake Superior may put everything on hold for a few days or a week.  Roads are washed out and the normally 6 hour trip may be impossible on Friday.  Two of Lucy's pups were going to new homes this weekend, following their testing, but that may have to wait too.   Things WILL fall into place eventually, but Lady Luck may be taking a break.

Our hearts go out to all the people affected by this disastrous flood.  The damage is incredible, but fortunately there has (so far) been no loss of life.  Although this is an inconvenience for us, it's far more than that for thousands of others.

It's Official! Letty Has A Home.

An email from Letty's new dad to ask if we could complete the "adoption process".  Letty went to her  new home on approval, as it's very important to me that a dog should be just the right fit for its new home.  Placing pups and rescue dogs is not quite the same as placing a well-loved young adult.  Letty was already 11 months old and had a very distinct personality - and lots of it.  I needed to be sure that the home she went to could appreciate how special she was. 

Skip writes -

I think we have passed the last "cat" problem. Fritz, the Rag-Doll, has finally been comfortable enough to come out of hiding and rejoin the family. Fritz and Letty have finally had enough face to face  encounters to realize they can co-exist in the same space. They have  actually had numerous times when they have passed within a couple of  feet of each other without any "big deal." Life is good....

We continue to make at least one trip a day to the Airport park to  allow for a long run Most days she also gets a long walk on leash along Lake Hiawatha or Minnehaha Creek and a second run at the dog  park. Yes, she loves to splash in water. She is one sweet dog !

With your permission , we would like to make her a permanent member of this family. We took a vote and it was unanimous, (with one "Fritz" abstention.)

I read that with a smile.  Although I have placed a lot of dogs in my 40+ years in Dalmatians.  Letty was one of my very favorites, but I am not in a position where I can keep an "extra" dog, one that I don't plan to show.  I've got the "old timers", but by the time their show and breeding careers were over they were already middle-aged and part of our family.  Although Letty was definitely a beloved member of our family, she had her whole life ahead of her, and so much to offer as a companion. I wanted her to be someone's "special dog".  There is no way I could give her all the time and attention that she will get in her new home.  A Special Dog and a Special Family!  A perfect match.

Puppies!

Puppy Plans moving forward.   Next weekend will be a crazy one, for sure!  Two litters in one house - madness!

Pauli & pups are all doing well.  The antibiotic took care of whatever was ailing her last week.  She's her lively ravenous self again, and spending more and more time upstairs in the family room with the other dogs.  She's laying on the rug in the family room right now, shoulder to shoulder with her dad Argus, waiting to eat.  I think this week I will start walking her a few blocks in the evening and eventually work up to biking her again.  She'll be going home to Wendy when the pups are weaned at about 6 weeks, and will probably resume her show career (on a more limited scale) in the fall.

Pups are growing fast, spots are coming in now, and by this weekend we will start doing some home hearing testing.  They will remain un-named until I know their hearing status.   Some litters hear as early as 12 or 13 days, but I normally keep retesting until about 18 days before I am sure.  I can tell them apart by their face spotting (and of course the patched ear on one), but once their spots come in it's a lot easier.  Marking patterns look real nice, none too dark, nice spot distribution.  Nose trim is finished on 4 and moving quickly on the other 2.  Eye rims coming in nicely as well. Not anticipating any blue eyes on this group, but like deafness blues can show up in any Dalmatian litter.  Unlike deafness, blue eyes are not a fault according to the American Dal judging standard, BUT I'd prefer all dark eyes.

Lucy and her pups will be coming down next weekend for their BAER hearing testing in Rochester.  Jordyn will go back home with Patti & Grace, and the boys will stay with me for placement in appropriate homes.  Two of them are promised, so I just have to decide if I am going to keep or sell Captain Rex.   That's Christopher pictured above, Patti's favorite puppy, who is probably going to Oregon once the logistics are figured out.  This litter has been super socialized with kids, adults, seniors, other dogs of other breeds, and car trips.  They have visited many people in many locations, and are very well adjusted and outgoing.  Their good genetic dispositions have been enhanced by extensive socialization, which will help insure that they will be wonderful companions in their new homes.  The time invested in puppies (as in children) makes an enormous difference in how they turn out.