About Time

Whew, kinda got away from blogging there.  With facebook, training pups, keeping up with life, I have found it easy to skip the blogging.  My goal is to get back with it and keep it updated.  So much to learn in this business along with a lot of work.  The geriatric ward is still doing okay.  Both Abie and Drake are slowing down and don't require a lot of work.  Belle Starr bounced back from he last litter quickly and is now in a long distance relationship with Hawk who lives in Everette.  I almost feel as if I'm cheating on Shadow. Even though  Belle Starr and Shadow's puppies are so very awesome, we wanted to produce a full English litter from Belle Starr.  So with nervous anticipation we will see how all of this plays out. We should know around Christmas if our long distance breeding is successful.  It seems to be pretty simple, just need good timing. Both Shadow and Belle Starr will be 4 this next year and plan on having at least one more litter from them before I retire Belle Starr. Shadow is just a big ole love and is enjoying his lab life.  Shed hunting, 4 wheel riding and hikes is his favorite past time. By spring of 2018, Cassiopeia will be old enough to take over Belle Starr's job.  Lucky girl.... She is 10 months old today and quite a character. She has done well in the dog show's.  Right now she is lanky with good muscle tone, but thinking that she will fill out as she gets older. Storm Trooper has been through a lot of training and has entered 4 obedience trials and has done well.  We will pick back up on dog shows in the spring. He has earned his therapy registration and ready to start visiting hospitals, schools, etc.  Such a excellent companion.  He gets that from his daddy Shadow who even though isn't full English, was bred for therapy and service dog work. He was my trial pup that I kept back to see for myself the quality of pups that Shadow and Belle Starr whelp. He is a keeper and my very close buddy.  My favorite part of breeding dogs is all the pictures and stories that I have gotten from the puppies owners. My pups have wonderful homes. 

Cassiopeia, Storm Trooper, Shadow, and Belle Starr

Cassiopeia, Storm Trooper, Shadow, and Belle Starr

7 Healthy Babies almost 4 weeks old

Early Training happening at Happy Labs Kennel. At 31/2 weeks the pups are starting to use the pee-pads to do their wee-wee on. Sometimes LOL They are starting to keep their sleeping area clean, so now I'm starting to crate train as well. Generally pups don't go to their new homes crate trained and basic potty trained. This is one area I have focused on and have been successful at training early on. Also, I have only one litter at a time. That helps. Puppies don't have control of bladder until they reach 14 to 16 weeks, so important to keep training pads available to them. Belle Starr is starting to leave them for longer periods of time so is the very beginning of the weaning stage. They still sleep with her most of the night. It is also the time where I keep a bucket of disinfectant water and a pair of gloves to keep puppy room clean, I use Dawn dish soap with a little Clorox to keep the room smelling clean and not so kennel like. Works good. Today we will feed solid food that consists of puppy formula and Gerber multi grain cereal 3 times. This just supplements mom's breast milk during this growing time. The puppies have all hit 4 pounds and on their way to 5. Each day they start to interact with each other a little more. They all play for a few minutes and then fall over asleep. Something I think I would enjoy.. The ears, eyes, and nose are all starting to develop and we now have to walk quietly if we don't want to wake them. Their coordination is still developing and they stumble and fall a lot. For the kennel, this is my busiest time.   Love em all. .. 

Getting Closer to Babies

I actually blogged yesterday, but my computer went off line before I saved it.  Oh well,  called life.  Belle Starr is getting closer and starting to show whelping signs. Nesting, big boobies, huge tummy, and very restless.  I'm thinking the 10th.  It is my son's birthday, and that would be cool.  Puppy room pretty much ready.  The towels and washcloths are clean and in huge bags.  I need to re-sterilize forceps, scissors, and, syringe. The warming bed is set up and ready, as well as the whelping box.   Looks like a hospital emergency room.  I haven't bought scrubs yet, but have thought about it. I reviewed the birthing book for a refresher. Now just to get some rest before this all takes place.  Last week I put ceramic wall tiles around the base of the puppy room.  This is to discourage little teeth from  chewing the wall.  They start off by being bored, licking, then the paper starts to come off.  And then it is all fun and games. They do this before 8 weeks of age. It is when they start teething and when you have 11 puppies, it is hard to keep them occupied all the time. Good thing they are cute.  I'm hoping this will discourage the behavior so it doesn't become a habit.  I will try to do more blogging now that we are getting closer to whelping.  Prayers for the Belle Starr.  

Big Tummy
Puppy Room

Puppies are in the future.

After a very lengthy breeding with Belle Starr and Shadow, we saw puppies on the ultrasound. Phew!!  The ultrasound showed seven puppies. Her last litter as well showed seven puppies and she had eleven.  So since that was quite a chore for Belle Starr and humans as well, we would be pleased with seven or eight.  It doesn't matter how many, we just pray for healthy puppies.  Will love whatever comes our way.  Puppies become part of one's family, just like children.  They each have their own personalities, faults, and looks. It has been an awesome experience to watch Belle Starr's last litter grow and become these different little dogs.  They seem to all be in between the size of Belle Starr and Shadow which is quite interesting.  It will be interesting to see what they are like at a year old.  Fun! Fun!  I'm amazed at what good parents they are and still are with the Strom Trooper.  He is always laying with mom, dad, or both.  They love spending time together and love on another.  Belle Starr and Shadow are also very good with the little Cassiopeia (our 3 month old lab we bought for future breeder) and she is a jumper and biter.  All the dogs put up with her shenigans and have excepted her to the pack. So now to get all the things done I need to get done before the little bundles of fur arrive.  For I know that everything will be set aside during those first few weeks.   Some Family Time at Happy Labs Kennel

A Day at the Kennel

Excellent weather and it is nice to have the dogs outside. The house stays clean for a while, go figure...  It really is amazing at how much time we put into the kennel.  Get them up in the morning, potty time, social time, breakfast,  poop scoop, and then a little down time.  I call this 'human time" or housecleaning.. Then potty breaks for the little ones and making sure everyone has outside exercise time.  Before we know it, lunch time.  Then again potty time, exercise time, and poop scoop.  Afternoons are outside time when weather permits and training.  Today the weather was outstanding and we took the pack for a long walk. Even the Cassiopeia got to go with the big dogs.  Then the afternoon lent to baths.  We use the camper shower for bathing the dogs and it woks so nicely. Then before dinner, everyone got brushed.  Needless to say after a good hike, a  bath, and then dinner, the gang is sleeping peacefully.  It is poop scoop time again. And in between all of this, dog blankets washed and dried int he sun. I always feel privileged to have some computer time without interruptions. A good day at the kennel.