Puppy Updates-The Pinks

This is Opie- the "white" puppy. At 6 weeks, he is getting some color- the color surrounds both eyes- he is a very light- "soft" red. He also has brown pigment! It may darken- his eyes are really nice and dark- but I am not holding my breath!

Of course, he is probably one of the better puppies, structurally! Damn that Murphy's Law!! He has attitude to die for, as well!

Lucy- the clear red bitch- is a deeper red. She has black pigment nose, eye rims and mouth- and nice dark eyes. She would pass well for a red Cardigan bitch- and she is very well put together!! I have tossed around keeping her = I have always wanted a good red Cardi bitch-- have owned a few not-so-good ones, and Lucy is by far better quality than any of the red bitches I have owned in the past-- BUT-- She isn't REALLY a Red-- genetically-- she is black!!

The judges would never know- but I would know- and it has the potential of wreaking havoc in my breeding program-- or someone elses down the line...

What do do?? What to do??

Good Time!! Haunted Heart!! G.B. Wiggle!! Sixteen Step!! Tush Push!! Boot-Scootin Boogie!! Chicken Fried Country!!

So...How many of you know what the heck I am talking about? Any secret line-dancers out there? Or is this something you don't talk about?

I used to dance-- Two Step-- Electric Slide-- Texas Waltz-- YEARS ago~ and anyone that really knows me, knows that I love Country music.

I was raised on Country music- Johnny Cash- Patsy Cline- the late and the Great. I therefore raised my children on Pure Country and New Country; as babies they were "two-stepped" to sleep to tunes by Loretta Lynn; Pam Tillis; Reba McIntire.

Fast Forward to 2009...

Since I am taking a bit of a sabbatical from Dog Shows~ I decided that I needed a more "rounded" life. My favorite local Country band, Crazy Heart, sponsors Line Dance lessons at a local community center. Every Thursday evening you can now find Lisa and I at the community center learning the steps to the newest Line Dances--

AND~~ I am LOVING IT!!!~~ I haven't had this much fun since~~ my first Puppy Kindergarten Class~~

Of course, I am also discovering that along with age, comes the inability to remember left from right~ But thats all-good!! The rest of the class is middle-aged women and we all have the same problem!

You know... You really CAN teach an old Bitch new tricks!!!

Broadway Puppies Update

I figured it was about time for an update on the Broadway puppies...

The red puppies fascinate me! The female is getting deeper in color all the time, and as her pigment comes in, it looks like she just *may* have black pigment! {I have my fingers crossed on that one} The male puppy, on the other hand, has very little pigment coming in~ and his color is only deepening in splotches; over most of his body he is either white, or cream, or a very pale champagne. His ears are redder, and he has one deeper red spot on one side. It almost looks like a merle pattern-- but without any black, of course!!! Its very strange!!! I am taking lots of photos of the reds, and as soon as I can send the DNA in I will- I am anxious to find out what they "really" are!

The entire litter is very pretty- at two weeks, their eyes are open and their personalities are just starting to come out a bit. Lucy and Laurel are the most reactive- Morgan, so far, is the most laid back. [ Oh- thats the red bitch, the smallest blue dog, and the black dog, respectively] Everyone else is pretty much middle of the road! Oprah looks very much like her mommy did at this age... sigh...I could be so lucky!!

The litter is toddling about, peeking over the whelping box doorway, and starting to paw at each other in slow motion now. They are the best time wasters!! I have the hardest time getting anything done with baby puppies in the house!

Typically, I have had a few people -- pet people-- back out, now that they can send deposits!!! I am actually very happy with that-- since I had way more people on the waiting list than I have puppies! I have a feeling I am going to want to run on more than one of these puppies myself, and don't want to end up feeling forced to put a really lovely puppy in a companion home on a spay/neuter contract!

Hopefully I will have more photo's again soon!

The Babies are Here!

They're Here!

The much awaited Powell x Sera litter has arrived! Sera delivered 8 beautiful babies in 3 hours and 22 minutes (from first to last) with very little fuss or muss!

Like her mom, Vi, Sera is a Wonderful Mom Dog! She is keeping the box very clean, and puppies are plump and warm and quiet. She is so proud of herself!!

I was more than a little suprised, however, when puppy #2 arrived! Instead of the expected black or blue head-- out comes a WHITE head-- Upon drying-- and closer inspection-- I discovered it was actually a RED head!

W T F ???

Ok- I admit it-- My first thought was-- SHIT--- Since I wasn't there for the breeding-- (Sera was bred in Texas) I thought that "someone" let another dog get to Sera! I was FREAKING!! Then I thought for a second-- realized that Powell was bred by Lisa Phillips-- who had the first "known" Pinks... and Sera goes back to some of the older Joseter stuff...

Ta Da... "WOW... I have a Pink Puppy from a Blue to Black breeding" said I

As I grabbed for my cell phone (needed to talk to someone about this one- ) out comes puppy #3-- and it is another PINK--

Calm exterior is GONE-- Panic begins to set in--

Oh My God!!! What do I DO if my ENTIRE litter is NOTHING but Pinks???

My lifeline person (Thank you, Cindy) talked me off the ledge... and in due time, another black puppy and 4 blues were born...

So-- the final count is:

1 black male
1 black female
2 blue males
2 blue females
1 clear red male
1 clear red female

Watch for photos and updates-- I posted on SC-L-- and have gotten all kinds of advice on what I need to "do" with these puppies!!!

Let the fun begin!!

Sera's Big Belly

This is a new way to see Sera: 10 days before her due date, and almost scraping bottom! Poor Baby!!

Whatever happened to her level topline?? Hope it comes back when the bambino's arrive!!

Hello Again, World

So... my friends tell me I have to use my Blog to keep everyone updated on the puppies-to-be-- and my life in General..

I say-- Isn't Facebook and my Yahoo Group enough?

"Oh No" says they...

So...here is the Blog

Date line: Easton, PA- Monday, October 19, 2009

Sera-Bear has grown 10 inches at her last rib from her first breeding. 5" in the last 3 weeks. Its an AMAZING growth spurt. I have started taking her temp twice a day now, and she is not fond of that activity. The whelping area will be set up tonight - if I can get hubby dearest to remove the stuff piled in that corner of the office. I have tentatively scheduled Sera for xrays on Friday to do a puppy count.

School continues to frustrate me... I love the Medical classes- but my Speech and Communication class is misery; I like the materal- the professor- well- is not my style. Those of you that know me well can probably understand the situation! I need DETAILS! If we have a test-- we have a test and I will prepare for it. If the syllabus says we are going to be doing this-- then we should be doing that-- not singing and stuff!! It is good to know that I am not the only student that is frustrated with the class- but it is not going to help my grade any!! Midterms are this week- so I am half way through with this professor- and thankfully this is the only class I will have to take with her!

Things at home are crawling along. The kennel is finished- the rest of the downstairs is not. My husband seems to have lost his motivation -big suprise there! It is better than it was, but a long way from done.

It is very strange not having a dog to show- not even anything in the wings. Fes is in his new home, and doing very well- I don't have anything worthy of being specialed- and no time to run to shows every weekend if I did! I am still training, but my Agility Instructor, Janet, has shut down for the winter, and I haven't made arrangements for another class for Bugsy and Jitterbug. So- right now, I am feeling rather at loose ends, with just the one Obedience class per week with Bugsy, and training on my own at home with Jitterbug...

Oh- we went to my neice's wedding on Cape Cod- it was a Beautiful Fall weekend! Of course, since it was my sisters "to-do" everything was picture perfect - No Way would God DARE rain on -HER- plans!!- :) - There was no blood shed- everyone got along nicely and we had a great weekend away!

And.... thats my life in a nutshell these days!

See-- isn't that boring??

The Power of Dogs

Isn't it amazing how powerful the bond we have with our dogs can be?

I mean- I was having a HORRIBLE day today-- one of those days that makes you wonder who you pissed off "Upstairs" to ruin your life so badly-- A real " I hate myself, my life and everyone in it" kind of day---- know what I mean??

But...Tuesday is Rally Training night~ and it was Bugsy's last Rally class. Plus, I had to bake frigging Cookies to celebrate Bugsy's birthday- of all things- to take to class. (I bet you can tell how much I felt like doing that!)

I SERIOUSLY did not want to go to class- Hey- I didn't even want to get dressed today! But for Bugsy I went- after all, it wasn't HIS fault I was in such a funk- and he does like to go to training.

Somehow- Bugsy knew I was in a bad mood- and he did everything his little blue brain could think of to improve my mood! He worked BEAUTIFULLY~ He "grinned" at me and wagged his tail; jumped and woofed and danced so he could make me smile. While we waited between runs, he jumped up on the bench and sat beside me, shared treats, and gave me cardi-kisses!

Now- please tell me-- how can I stay in a bad mood when I am lucky enough to own such a wonderful dog??

Moving Forward

I have been unemployed for just about 2 months now- and I guess thats my mental limit.

Before I was laid off, when we all KNEW it was coming, I had these grand plans for my 'down-time'!! I was going to sit home, collect unemployment (for the first time in my life!!) get a tan, spend time training the dogs, go back to school, go to dog shows, relax, organize the house, remodel the kennel, decorate the living room...etc...etc... I think, since I KNEW I was going to be unemployed at some point, I was almost looking forward to it!

HOWEVER- I was totally unprepared for how it was going to effect me emotionally~ and ~ completely out of my element with being a "stay at home" person!!

I am- to put it mildly- BORED OUT OF MY SKULL!!

It's not that I don't have THINGS to do! I definitly COULD be training the dogs, organizing the house, working on the new kennel, decorating the living room- Hell-- I could be cleaning- and gardening- and grooming!

But most mornings I find myself having a hard time doing ANYTHING!!!

I am enrolled in school- but class doesn't start until August. I am going to dog training classes- several of them- and I do work the dogs- but there is a limit to how long and how often you can train a Corgi; they are too darn smart and they burn out fast!!

I would be going to more dog shows- but that involves spending money- which I am having a hard time justifying- since I have a reduced income. My specials bitch has dropped all of her coat and my class puppy dog is really not at all competative yet- so there is no sense in giving my money away to the kennel clubs and then giving breed points away, too! So I am staying home more!

I think the dogs and my husband- and even my sons- are LOVING that I am home all the time.

But I'm not! I feel like I don't have a purpose- I guess I was just MEANT to be a worker-bee; even though I have so often been accused of being the Queen Bee!!

I can't wait for this economy to turn around!!!!!!!!

The Cat's Out of the Bag

I'm going to be a Grandma Again!!

I had to keep it a secret for awhile- but now that the cat is out of the bag... I can tell everyone how happy I am about it!! I am not good at keeping secrets- and its been really hard for me not to spread the news!

My baby is having another baby!! Our newest arrival is expected around November 20th- so just in time for Thanksgiving!!

I really like being a grandmother! It is so much easier than being a mom was!! All of the fun, and none of the responsibility!! I get to do all the spoiling I want to, and not have to be all that concerned over the consequences!

Of course, I would prefer that all of my little chickens were closer to home, but no one gets everything they wish for in life, I suppose!

I even turned down a judging assignment for that time period- I know that I am not going to want to miss being near by when this little one makes his or her grand entrance to the world!!

Peace and (almost) Quiet

The Puppies have almost all gone to their new homes! We hosted a very successful Puppy Party on May 17th, and every new owner got to meet us, and their new fur kids, and each other! Then everyone went off in new directions to begin their new little lives together as new Cardi-families!

We still have the two we are keeping here: Polly, who is now Carrie, and who will be registered as Xtacee Lessons Learned- and Bobby, who is now FES, and who will be registered as Xtacee Foreign Exchange Student. We are also taking care of Wanda, who is now being called Tovah, for her new owners, for a few weeks, as one of her new owners just had foot surgery and is not up for a new, rambunctious baby in the house just yet.

It's very quiet in the house (despite the contractors and the 7 adult Cardigans and 2 adult Danes~ and Achilles) with the rest of the puppies gone, and I am enjoying it!

Lisa and I took off for a Memorial Day Weekend visit in Pittsburgh with her mother and three days of dog shows! Sera was BOB two out of the three days- even dead out of coat-and brought home a healthy Group III one day- so I was very happy with that! We showed the Dragoon all three days, and each day he was better on the table and on lead- by Monday he actually looked like a little show dog- so I do think, with weight and conditioning, he will do very well. He has a lot of breed type and such a beautiful head: he just needs to grow into himself! Oh-0 and learn to move forward with some degree of grace and purpose!

We don't have any dog shows planned for a few weeks; it seems so strange to not be running off every weekend! But I am certainly busy enough! Bugsy goes to Advanced Rally Training class every Tuesday night; Jitterbug goes to the Performance Puppy Training class on Wednesday nights, and then Thursday nights Sera and Bugsy head to New Jersey for our Agility classes! I am hoping to start Herding Training with Bugsy and Sera soon- Janet has Saturday classes, and since we are not showing very much, I think we can start the classes now.

And work on the new kennel room and den continues- albeit at a snails pace, since we have had so much rain! I am overly anxious to get this all done! I have waited so long to have 'my space' and now I want it finished!!

Till next time...

Leaving On A Jet Plane

I love to travel- and love to Fly to my destination (although I don't LOVE the airline restrictions post 9/11) I am really looking forward to flying to Nebraska tomorrow morning-

Of course, the #1 reason I am excited is that I get to see my daughter, Jessica, and my darling grandaughter, Amera-- who I have not seen in over a year! It really is horrible having someone that important in my life, that far away!

And, I am really looking forward to getting away-- from the construction; the day-to-day routine- yes- even the puppies!

Hubby dearest just came back from 7 days in Myrtle Beach playing golf- while I stayed home and prepped the new kennel for the contractors, and took care of the 17 dogs! Of couse, because of the upcoming construction- everyone is out of their normal "houses" and back into crates and in unusual places and out of their routines- so "running dogs" has become a part time job in itself!

The babies are now 7 weeks old- and 7 Cardi puppies at 7 weeks is-- well-- a lot of puppy poop- and a lot of noise- and a lot of feedings- and a lot of time!

Bugsy, Sera and Jitterbug are going full bore with training these days- Rally, Agility, Herding and Obedience; on top of a few dogs shows on the weekend and a judging assignment thrown in -- JUST to keep me out of trouble!

Add to that, the regular house work... I haven't had any time to moun the loss of my employment all that much-- or look for anything else while Gus was out of town.

As I said to my mother the other day, I think it was Gods Will that I was laid off before Gus took his golfing vacation- if I had tried to get through that week, and worked full time- I probably would have lost my sanity!

Although there are those that would argue...

Anyway-- to tomorrow I board a west bound flight for Denver, then a 4 hour drive to North Platte, NE, where I get to spend 5 days with Jessica, Amera and my sons, James and Rich, my Mom and my husband-- Oh-- and my Ex-- who I haven't seen since the kids were in junior high. And I get to RELAX

I can't wait!

But- in the meantime- I have to pack

Puppy Stuff

I love being a breeder! I really do! HONEST!

BUT- I don't love having to deal with puppy people. I confess~ I am not a good PR person; I am not nearly patient enough!!

By the time my little fur-babies are 5 or 6 weeks old, I am just starting to think about which one(s) I may consider keeping in my breeding program. However, the pet people want to know for CERTAIN which one is THEIR puppy! They want pictures and daily updates and all the details of their puppies little lives!!

When I tell them I have absolutely NO IDEA yet- they get a little unhappy! They tell me that they like Puppy A because of her markings- and don't like Puppy B because her eye color~~

Well- you know what??? I don't CARE what they like or don't like!!

(GASP== I said it!!!- oh and it felt so good)

I don't do breedings to make pet people happy!! I don't breed to provide the pet buying John Q Public with companion dogs!! I breed to improve my breeding program! I breed to have something of quality to show! If I could figure out a way to put my order in for ONE- show quality- knock your socks of bitch- ONLY-- I would!! But since I can't do that-- I end up with having to deal with --

Puppy Pet People!

It's not like you can go to a puppy vending machine and just pick out what you want!!!!

Why can't they understand that???

Among the Unemployed

Well Damn!!

I have joined the ranks of the unemployed!

When Hartmarx Corporation filed Chapter 11- I knew that things were going to get shakey at our office. But, technically I worked for HMX Sportswear Division- and specifically Jack Nicklaus Golf Apparel- and was told over and over again that OUR division was solid and safe!

HA!!

Not So-- I guess I should have suspected that things were not going well with the bankruptcy when the Lead Dogs let all the corporate Buyers go! In the garment industry- that is a VERY -bad sign! And then, of course, there were the waves of lay- offs! Every week the parking lot was more empty and the phone list company wide was getting shorter and shorter.

Yesterday was my turn~ ahhhh~ but I was not alone!! I was among another 38 in our office and 300 company wide!

Do you know how much I hate job hunting??? Anyone have a winning lottery ticket handy???

Under Construction

Our house is under construction-- again!

Not completely under construction-but I made the mistake of mentioning to my husband that I wanted to "make some changes"...

Those of you that know me- know what happens next...

At least this time, all the construction is on the kennel and dog rooms== yes==ROOMS!! Finally I will have a dedicated Whelping room / office and a kennel room and a Grooming room- not just one multi-purpose room!

Yippeee!!!!

Well- Ok

So- I just had to try this

Sort of- trial by fire- but I wanted to see what a Blog spot thing was all about

So- here it is- whatever-

Have fun- I guess!