Bringing 2021 to a close makes me reflect more this time than any other new year year's eve in recent memory. It seems I have learned and taken on so many new bit of breeder knowledge that I felt I needed to write about it. If for nothing else to help me keep it all straight in my own head.
Our first female, Bonnie Lee, gave us two litters this year. She excelled at motherhood and is still having the time of her life mentoring the pups that remain here from the Europe '72 litter - that gave us the girls in this litter we needed to further our genetics in both directions of our breeding program. The boys are wonderful puppies, and I am excited for their future. From her first litter with Auggie we retained "Koda", who is promising to be everything we hoped for in a stud dog. He has Auggie's smarts and Bonnie's cooperative nature. His prospect in a future as a service dog is excellent. Many good things are to come from this boy.
Bonnie bounced back wonderfully and has regained her feminine figure with the benefit of mature female form. Her coat has taken a big swing in available hormones for regrowth. Combines with a pregnancy shed she hit normal shed-season both times. Lori Marcin from Soggy Dog grooming here in Evergreen is a Certified Pet Aesthetician- Certified Pet Aesthetician Program - Iv San Bernard USA (isbusa.com). Once a week for six weeks Bonnie gets a spa treatment and protein soak. Her coat is coming back with full luster and gleaming white.
We've opened up a new page on our website to make the information of available dogs and puppies easier to access. As of this writing they are the PERFECT age to transition to their new life. They have a consistent schedule, will house break very easily and are soaking up training like a sponge. Available dogs | shawnasdoglife
In researching the correct medical terms for this blog - (which I quickly gave up on) I learned what we achieved with Casey Jones was rare if not unheard of in most breeder circles. Casey was born with a cleft palate and "bad" eye. But we didn't know that until his 7th or 8
th day of life. We had even brought Stella and the whole litter to the vet at 3 days old, and Casey's birth defect was not noticed by medical professionals. His first 24 hours went great. Then over three days lost half his body weight. With powdered goats milk puppy milk replacer we tube fed Casey until he was 2 1/2 weeks old. We found a large nipple meant for miniature goats. Used finely ground puppy kibble mixed into the mixture, and Casey learned to gum and squeeze the mixture out of the nipple. We catered to his every whim at that point. When his littermates would nurse, I would let him do his sloppy feeding right along side them, Stella happily scoop up the crumbs. There was a delicate balance between adding antibiotics (amoxicillin) and probiotics alternately. He would cuddle with his littermates between feedings, and until he could manage good habits with the potty pads, we kept the other pups in their nest a touch longer for his benefit. Casey's visit to the vet at eight weeks old was....good and bad. We were given some poorly researched advice, to give Casey only canned soft food. That proved more dangerous for him than kibble, which he could swallow a piece at a time without any going up into his nose. AT 10 weeks old Casey was adopted by close family of the folks who own Stella. So mom and son see each other often. This placement was a blessing, I couldn't be more grateful for their compassion and care for my little Casey Jones. We anticipate reconstructive surgery for him in February, through VRCC in Englewood, CO. This not-so-little pup has thrived. I clearly remember looking down at his frail little body, struggling for every breath. I am responsible for this pup in every way I can think of. There is no reason he should be alive today other than....he should be. We'll update his progress on his page. https://www.shawnasdoglife.com/wmpuppy6
I developed a closer relationship to a little protozoa nicknamed Coxi in the professional dog world.
Coccidiosis not an intestinal worm and it is not a virus or bacteria. It lives for a very long time in the ground and can be next to impossible to kill without using products even more toxic to pets like cleaning ammonia. Bonnie's Europe '72 litter began to show symptoms of it as soon as we moved them from their whelping area down to the kennels in the barn. After a stool sample at the vet concurred this was indeed coxi, I called a fellow breeder friend who had recently mentioned going through much of the same progression of symptoms. Chronic diarhea causes dehydration which can kill young pups very quickly. ,This wonderful woman came directly to the rescue and shared some very valuable advice with me about treating for coccidia at home. Delilah Jones from this litter was the one pup that went downhill enough to require sub-Q fluids and intensive at home care for 24 hrs. Three days of treatment with TOLTRAZURIL and a vet visit for the entire litter confirmed they were clear of coxi and healthy pups again. Even Delilah. This website is a valuable resource for breeders needing help with this tough little protozoa Using Toltrazuril in the treatment and prevention of coccidiosis in dogs and puppies (rebeccacreekretrievers.com) - as recommend here a double time cleaning protocol as well as the addition of STALL-DRY, a granulated mixture that is anti-microbial put down in the barn and poop areas of the barn that are covered by rubber mats. Pups and their poops have been right as rain ever since.
In'Sh'Allah joined us
in August, wonderful little dog. She really is a very nice size. 65 lbs, girthy and square. We sent off her Embark DNA test and when the results came back I was pleasantly surprised. There is no genetic blue dilution (There are apparently several "D" alleles, Embark detecting 1,2 and 3 - 4, 5, 6 are yet to be located. If this is so, then 5,6,7 are closely related to Eg - "Grizzle" or "Domino" coloring which is what In'Sh'Allah has. Otto was brought into our kennel in August as well. Specifically for his sire's genetics. Also showing none of the blue dilution detected by Embark, I am gambling that Dilution 5,6, and 7 lay in his DNA somewhere. Otto is maturing into a very attractive dog. His mane is coming in to the point reminiscent of a Collie.
Althea came to us as a co-ownership with Crack O Noon Kennels. Her first litter was brought together in early December, with a red lack Masked Colorado Mountain Dog of similar jovial temperament as Althea. Can't wait to meet these happy little bundles.
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