Committed to the improvement of the breed by breeding for health, temperament and better structure in dogs that have the ability to herd.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

puppy fever at 9 weeks.

Some candid photos of Levi x Daisy litter. I'm having them evaluated this weekend and will have professional photos taken then. Sorry for THAT delay :) From what I can see they all have long upper arms (YAY!) and great movement, nice length and pretty heads.

This is the brindle boy Cass. He is a barker and always wanting to be on your lap.
Feeding time!!
This is Campbell. My heart is falling fast for her.....
Cable is a handsome dude.
Cleary LOVES to be pet and loved on. I'm not choking her honest.
Cam and Cass the two brindle boys. So similar and yet so different!
Candy is the lightest of the 'ee' puppies. she also has the most body splashes.
THIS is cleary. always up to mischeif despite her love of attention.
Ceynowa has killer movement. she is the most reserved of the puppies as well.
Cass again giving me the 'oh pitiful me' look. its not working. at least not this time ;)
I seem to have missed Cole somehow in the photo taking. I'll look for one of him.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Oliver and his new cart

A week ago on June 22nd I left early morning to drive out to Eugene, OR. Along the way I dropped off Oliver to go live with Bobbie. As time permits I'll add photos that i've stolen from her facebook wall. Until then I'm adding a few videos for your viewing pleasure. What a match made in heaven. he is a happy..HAPPY boy! this was day 4 after being in a cart.

 Oliver on the pacific ocean beach only after a day or two of being in a cart. He took to it like a duck to water. He is SO happy. Makes my heart sing!

Brewer

Brewer is out of GCH C-Myste Baledwr Free to Disagree (Pilot) and CH Merrymoon Ebonwald I'm a Q.T. He's just over 15 months old in this photo. Waiting patiently for more side photos and movement photos...ahem... :)


Test Results:

Just got my test results via email for some of the dogs:

Sadie - DM carrier. I was curious to her status even though she is spayed. This makes me feel good as she will not ever be at risk for this disease.

Ell - Pink test; E/E (normal). she does not carry the pink gene 'e'. After finding that Daisy did, I wanted to make sure with Ell.


Ava - Pink test E/E (normal), DM N/A (carrier), Fluff N/A (carrier)


Ballantyne - Pink test E/E (normal), DM N/A (carrier), Fluff N/A (carrier)

Bolin's tests were sent off today as I was able to collect them from her when i visited Denise's place. Will keep you posted.

I am a little bummed about the fluff and DM status of Ava and Ballantyne. Their mothers were carriers for both, sires were clear/normal for DM and Hux was clear for fluff, so was hoping to 'improve' on their statuses. Oh well...at least they are not at risk or affected.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

FMKC win photos

Too tired to say much else right now. Just got home from Oregon :) It was a fantastic week! More soon about my trip I promise!

Ava winning a 3 point cross over major on Sunday under judge Jon Cole. Ava is now at 12 points with both majors. 
 Ballantyne is shown here winning BOS/BOW at the CWCCA Supported Entry on Saturday. Thank you breeder judge Emily Fish!

Now I'm just waiting for my Best of Opposite Sex in Sweepstakes photo. Maybe tomorrow?

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Two amazing dogs.....

......get to start new lives this weekend!!

this may be a bit sappy, and a bit of a ramble but i'm a little emotional and extremely tired.

I am driving out to the Pacific Northwest tomorrow early (O' dark thirty) to drive out for a sheep show (Black Sheep Gathering) and two deliver two dogs to their new homes.

Zoe gets to live with Missy in Oregon to do herding and obedience. She is a lucky lady (Zoe....well ok Missy is too!) to get to be the pampered queen of the house and all that is Corgi there. I'm going to miss the arm pit snuggles at night and her shrill bark (ok maybe not so much that), and her piling up of the bones on the couch so she can find them later to chew on. So has the most sweetest temperament of any dog I've owned and I'm so happy that Ava is a 'Minnie Zoe' in that respect. I love that sweet blue girl so much. Zoe deserves every bit of what she is going to get living with Missy. Its bitter sweet as I already miss her, but know that it is every dogs dream to have such an awesome life she is going to have with Missy and crew. Minnie is so well taken care of there that I had to pinch myself when Missy came looking for another Cardigan. Its a perfect match and I'm so glad she will be spoiled and loved there.
 Believe it or not, Oliver has a fairy Godmother! Bobbie from Corgi Aid is taking Oliver. She has a cart friendly home and is looking for a cart already for Oliver. He'll live in the Seattle area with other dogs with IVDD and I know Bobbie will be able to better care for his daily needs and I think he'll ultimately be happier there with her. I was looking for a home for Oliver before he went down in the back last May of 2010, but I was just TOO picky and wasn't quite ready to let go. When this happened Bobbie came to my aid and had lots of great info for me to help Oliver. Just a few months ago she emailed me about thinking of Oliver a lot and that maybe Oliver was meant to be hers. It all fell in to place after that and it really is a dream come true for Oliver and for me to find him such a home that could afford him more daily time for his needs and requirements. Oliver is a heart dog of mine and as I sit typing and crying I know its for the best.

If I didn't show dogs, I know I wouldn't breed, and I would have just kept my four original dogs and would have done a lot of performance stuff with them. But its not fair to live in a house full of other dogs, and the longer I'm in this, the harder it seems to give them all equal time, even though they seem to balance out what they need by coming up to me to loving and cuddles and such.

I will miss Oliver's barks to tell me I'm late at giving breakfast or evening breakfast (supper really). he has a schedule and the "Fun Police" of him and Sadie will have to end as well, but I know everything happens for a reason and These two dogs have given me so much love, affection and pride, it hurts. I cannot lie. But I cannot be selfish. These dogs deserve every happiness that is coming to them.

*deep breath*

I love you Oliver. I love you Zoe. thank you for being a part of my life. Onwards and upwards. Take care of your new homes for me.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

My puppies

This shows you from left to right Ava (Huxley x Zoe) Brewer and Ballantyne (Pilot x Ell). These are the result of my first two litters. As you can tell they are all goofs :)
Ballantyne aka "Naughty" with Sadie.That is a face of mischief.
Siblings Brewer and Ballantyne. Love them. Such awesome expression :)
here is the current litter Levi x Daisy. This was chaos as I was approaching the xpen. I add new items to the xpen every day that help stimulate their brains and overcome any fear they may have. today were several new surfaces including a dog fence partition, a crate divider, a cookie cooling rack, and a muffin tin. No lie. This works folks.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Let sleeping dogs lie....

Now if this doesn't express comfort I don't know what does.....this boy's name is Cable. He's a love!
This little brindle girl's name is Campbell. Puppy call names are again after Minnesota Lakes (they all start with C in this litter)
This boy (puppy #10) is Cam. He's been the boy I've had my eyes on since birth. Time will tell if I'm right ;)
Pups sleeping in the litter box. Both pinks have body splashes. I just thought they were cute they were facing the same way in the same position...The light pink on the right is a girl and her name is Candy. The darker pink on the left is a boy and his name is Cole.
The two spooners again. These two have spooned each other since birth! The brindle is a male (puppy #1) and his name is Cass. he's a barker and Mr. Personality. He will come sit next of the xpen or crate side and bark and howl to get your attention. the pink girl he is spooning is Cleary.
The brindle girl with the body splash up over her hip on the off side. Her name is Ceynowa. No shame this girl.

The entire litter is super sweet, very active puppies! Daisy is still nursing, although I'm separating her for most of the day each day as they just mob her when she goes in. they still nurse about 4 times a day, and are eating as a group just about 5 pounds of food per day...usually cottage cheese, and then ground chicken necks/backs or ground beef heart.

Thank you to those who have sent puppy inquiries to me! I'm following up with many now! Phew!

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Levi x Daisy puppies


These were taken at 5 weeks of age. I have several still looking for pet homes so if you know of someone, please send them my way :)






Monday, June 6, 2011

FMKC weekend

The Fargo-Moorhead Kennel Club weekend is over! Thank God! I had to take a nap when I got home! :) Its always so much fun and work, but it is so worth it!

I went up Thursday to help my KC out. I am in charge of locking and opening all buildings every day, cleaning up the grounds and making sure there are tons of poop bags and garbage cans around the entire grounds. I even get a golf cart to tool around in!

Although numbers were down for the entire 3 day cluster, there were quality dogs to be had.

On Friday the judge Linea Linn Brown chose the Winner's Dog, Jasper, Shortdog's New Moon Rising, for Best Of Breed for a 4 point major to finish him! Congrats on your 4th major on him Teresa! Brewer was RWD and Ava was WB for a single point.

Saturday bright and early Tom Stewart was the Sweeps judge and chose Jasper for Best in Sweeps Puppy and my Ballantyne for Best Opposite in Sweeps Puppy. Best in Veteran Sweeps was Sully, GCH Cardidreams Blue Sullivan and Best Opposite in Veteran Sweeps was Cochen, CH Rhiwelli Cochen Cun O Gwenlais, owned by Barb and Steve Peterson.

Emily Fish was judging regular classes and she chose Teresa's boy for WD (she kept him in the classes to hold the major) and Emily chose Ballantyne as WB/BOW/BOS for her first 3 point major! Ava was RWB and Brewer was RWD. Ava was also best BBE and went on to win the Herding Group BBE! Thank you Teresa for being a good sport!

Not to be outdone, I had Ava and Ballantyne CERF'ed and Cardiac tested and they were both NORMAL for both! So healthy AND beautiful! :)

Sunday's judge was Jon Cole and he chose Teresa's boy again for WD (although he was really looking at Brewer as well...who was showing quite well, but Brewer was RWD to the major for the third day), and Ava was WB/BOW for her second 3 point major! Wahoo! She now has 12 points with both majors! Thanks again for holding the major Teresa!

It was a phenomenal weekend for me and one I can't believe happened, or will happen again any time soon!

To top it off, I picked up my new Briard puppy, Margot, at the show as well. She is a black AND natural eared, so I will have my work cut out for me with that, but she is very sweet and very fun so far. I can't wait to watch her grow up!

There was a potluck/picnic at the campers for the Briard and Cardigan folks and it was well attended with lots of food, laughs and we got to see Barb and Steve's puppies and super spoil them while we sat around and talked dogs. Saturday night the Cardigan crew went out to eat and afterwards had some ice cream to celebrate the eventful day and the beautiful 85 degree weather with a slight breeze.

Everyone commented on how they loved the show site and the KC members and they will be returning for the show next year too! I can't wait until next year's Supported Entry and hope that many others will come out for it as well next year!