Excuses, excuses!!!!

Leaving a sixteen year practice is hard and time consuming.  These puppies have not gotten their share of pictures being taken.  Poor babies. 

They are beautiful and sweet and wild and playful and smart.  It is hard to walk through the kitchen where they grab the cuff of my pants and hold on for dear life!  Little rascals!  They LOVE the moving toys, sit in the bowl chair, glide on the skate board, run over the teeter totter, etc.  It is fun to watch them learn physics first hand.  It is truly amazing to watch.

My last day of work as a dermatologist will be Nov. 12th.  Then I will have more time to write on the blog and take more pictures and do lots more things!  Probably won't get to Hawaii permanently until spring.  I get to go for Thanksgiving though.  Yippee!!!

These pictures on the orange were taken yesterday.  I thought that is was pretty cute how they were napping on their mother.  She seemd to like it too.

These pictures were taken minutes ago.  They are stocking up on kibble so that they won't starve to death!  They always think that is their fate, as do all puppies!

We will know next week where they will be going.  Exciting!!!

Off to NoseWork for Jeri today.  Yesterday was Pip and Zinger's turn.

The crotchity curmudgeon signs off for today.  I hope that you enjoy the pictrures!

Good hearts

The babies are growing.  I took them to the vet's yesterday to make sure that the tiny one didn't have a heart murmur.  Yes, there was a reason.  She is gaining so slowly that I have been worried.    They all have good hearts.  Thank goodness!

But, where are the pictures, you ask?  I'll see if I can make this work to get the pictures on the blog.

I have been BUSY,  as busy as I've ever been, trying to get out of the office in time for the other guy to take over the pratice.  Very complicated and time consuming.  We are trying to do everything at once, it seems.  At least I can now sleep knowing that my patients will have someone to take care of them.

Kathleen and I are holding the big puppies away from the nipple that tiny girl, Dish, is using.  We also feed her peanut butter and a slurry of chicken, Esbilac, etc.  She is gaining at molasses speed.

earlier pictures

Still a little one down at thebottom on the left in the picture below..  Less than one quarter the size of the biggest one!  This picture taken today.

These are all I could get to stay on.  Crazy computers.  They hate me and I don't like them much better!

What a grand weekend!!!!

On Thursday or Friday, Joyce, with Gibbs, was driving to Salt Lake to try to get to Groups in time to see Gibbs in Group.  He had taken BOB, Best of Breed, beating the already champions, called taking BOB "over specials" and that would have him go into Group.  That day he did nothing in Group, but on Saturday he took a Group 4 which is pretty darn good for a yearling.  Again he had taken BOB over specials.

Saturday in Chehalis, WA, Bard, Gibbs' brother, took BOB and a Group 3.  Both of the not champion winners that day were also my breeding and so was the Select dog, Bryce.  On Sunday Bard took BOB and a Group 2, Bryce Select again and Renwick WD while Effie took Reserve.  Great day!

To top that, Zinger, starting just after noon, produced eight puppies, five of whom are girls.  A dream litter!!!

This is Renwick, in his free time, a furniture re-distributor.

I tried to upload pictures from the weekend, including puppy pictures, but they wouldn't take.  Maybe I can get them on the download page by tomorrow.  Gotta get back to work.  At least you have the good news!!!!

Jaba has a new name

Jaba went to a new home in Richland on Sunday.  His name is now Caber and he will be an agility dog.

Nosey is thinking about going to a home in Seattle and BB, Bard's boy, is going to a home in Victoria, if he passes his interview with two wonderful people who want a boy.  They weren't expecting a puppy this soon, but he is good enough to go to them and he is a boy.  I can hardly expect to get only girls in my next litter, but if I count on a boy, I won't get one!  Isn't that the way it always is?!!!!!

Jeri's two are growing fast, are cute and hopefully just what I want to take to Hawaii!  Fingers crossed.

Kathleen already took them home for the day, so no pictures at the moment.  Sorry.

Someone asked me for a puppy, but didn't leave his email address.  Call me at 360-477-1869, please.
Thanks,

Curmudgeonville

Nice day out

We were lucky enough to have a few drops of rain last weekend, but this week has been nice and sunny, no rain and one cool day which was nice.

The puppies are growing.  I do love them.  Mr. Jaba is amazingly sweet, active, adventuresome and playful.  His sister, Nosey, is much the same, but not quite as.  BB, Bard's Boy, is beginning to play with them and run around on the floor, even though last weekend I varnished the kitchen floor to shiny slipperiness!!!!  Now it will be MUCH easier to clean.  Whew!

Just home from the Canadian National Specialty where Bryce was Reserve Winners Dog.  He was also Reserve Winners Dog at the last US BT National Specialty too.  The Reserve King.  We also had fun in Earthdog and next time he does it he may well title.  Took him a while to catch on, but then he didn't want to EVER leave!

The weekend before that I was in Colorado and took a seminar and test to become an Earthdog judge.  I had fun there with Janie Ritchie and a few other people with my dogs, Debby Sehi and Kassey Hill.  I also met some awfully nice people and saw some other people I hadn't seen in a while.

The puppies are growing and Jeri had two more a few weeks ago.  These two are remarkable for how light colored they are.  Usually puppies are born black.  These were born cafe au lait colored with a bit if dark brown on the back.  I was wondering if they would be wheatens, which I've never seen, but the stud's owner says they'll be red.  It will be fun to see.

In about six weeks Zinger will have her last litter and will then go live in Colorado.  She'll like that.  She can be a real princess there!

Curmudgeon has to go get a haircut....

Tink update

She is still with us and her weight is hovering around 7.0 ounces.  Since she got down to less than 3 ounces, we think this is "something" anyway!  She does walk a tiny bit on the floor with the others in the kitchen.  She is a phenomenon.

Jaba is his mother all over again.  Kathleen and I both love his HAPPY personality and his gusto for life and his surroundings.  Always curious and busy.  He grabs my pants' legs and tugs for as long as he can and loves it.  Hannah would love him as that is her criterion for choosing a driven puppy.

Renwick makes his show debut at the Hurricane Ridge Kennel Club shows.  Great puppy is doing tracking, S & R, NoseWork, obedience, and who knows what else.  Cherie is a go-getter and LOVES her dog to pieces.  She even drove up one evening from east of Chehalis? for a grooming lesson.  She does a good job even before that!

Nosey is the champion for "getting" the litter box concept.  Amazing!  Jaba is learning.  I'm really looking forward to this adventure!

So, where are the promised pictures?!!!!  If they appear, they will be taken today.  Can't seem to catch up, even though Kathleen is the one who feeds Tink around the clock!  I can't imagine what keeps me from getting more done!

Roller Coaster still going strong

Tink is still with us.  Yesterday Kathleen, who took her home with her to Bellingham for the weekend, thought she was a goner as she wouldn't eat!  Today she is doing well again and has weighed in at 7 oz.  Hasn't quite gotten to double her birth weight, but is approaching it.  Is getting up on all fours and walking.  Interesting puppy.  Driving us wild with her ups and downs.  Wish we could figure her out.

The rest of the crew is doing well.  I am snuggling them and stealing all of the puppy breath that I can.  I DO wish that they could bottle that as perfume.  I'd have men running after me all the time!!!

A REAL cowboy.  My late father.

Bentley on Mayne Island with his friend Brindi.  Zinger X Levi

Medical school classmates

Wishing I could use my new avocado tool on these!

Sweet, crazy Harper!  Cute, yes?

Elli, the oldest of the Elwha bunch, maybe having TIAs the last couple of days.

Time to go back for a visit to the casa!  (Hale in Hawaiian.)

Elli, Kathleen's best bud, besides Reese.

Hawaii calls!!!

Hawaiian grandsons.  Aren't they cute?!

CinderElli, Elli.

Rugby loving the beach!

Couldn't look much more like Pip, correct?!!!!

Will take some pictures of the babies tonight and get them on tomorrow.  They are super sweet and loving.  Working on the litter training!

Curmudgeons rule!!!

Wish I had a magic wand!

Well, the TINY one now has a name.  Her name is Tink, for Tinkerbelle because she is tiny and because she is magic.  Can't figure out why, except for Kathleen feeding her, she is still alive.  She isn't growing and teeters around her birth weight.  She sucks, sometimes on Mai, and walks around the crib and has her eyes open.  Seems fairly strong, just not as strong as the other pups.  Her "friend," the Mai and Bard boy, has opened his eyes this AM and is MUCH larger than she.  Her real brother, the BIG one, now has a name, Jaba.  Her real sister is Nosey, and she is as cute as they come, Jane and Jerry.

I always say I'm not superstitious, but didn't name her before for fear that naming her would cause her to die.  I guess I just got tired of calling her everything in the book.  A name is nice.

Her sister is Nosey.  Maybe someday she will do K9 Nose Work.

I've been stealing a name from his great-grandfather and calling the Mai X Bard boy BB, for Bard's Boy.  Not very inventive, but it is just a baby name.  They usually change.

Pictures taken this AM

Tink next to Jaba.  Littermates.

Tink with the rest.

Tink ON Jaba.

Again, Tink on Jaba with the other two very visible.

The puppy breath is outstanding.  I do LOVE puppies.

Signing out for today,
The Curmudgeon

I lied!!!!!!

We are doing cartwheels today.  We thought she would be dead this AM and she is up and sucking on her own and motoring.  Last night she was out, lethargic and her lungs were crackling when she took her short breaths.  She didn't move.  Kathleen said she screamed about 12:30 this AM and Mai started licking her and taking care of her and we were afraid to look in the crib this morning.  Put it off for some minutes.  After that, Kathleen must have said a hundred times that she didn't believe what she was seeing.  Neither did/do I....  AMAZING.  All I did yesterday was stick some Amoxicillin in her mouth and we gave her water to wash it down.  I gave her a bit of normal saline under her skin and she screamed to high heaven.  I didn't want to ever do that again.  I hate hurting the poor girl.  Today she's still alive and fighting.  Can you believe it?!!!!!!!!!!  We are still being superstitious and not naming her.

Someone out there has been praying awfully hard.  Thanks.

I know....

I am disappointing many of you not writing more and not posting pictures more often.  Sorry.

Pip had five puppies.  We lost two girls the first day, and a third one has failed to thrive and I think we will soon lose her.  She is still below birth weight despite both Kathleen and myself supplementing her and plugging her on day and night.  She is fading.  We have tried fresh frozen plasma,  normal saline under her skin, Esbilac, peanut butter, honey, etc.  She is certainly spunky, but something is wrong or she would have made it and be plump and vital today.  Not.  Fading.  We cry when we talk about it.  Kathleen sits and rocks her a lot.  She no longer nurses.  Just a matter of time.

Mai had her puppies one week to the day after Pip.  The first one, a girl, was born dead.  Probably a separated placenta too early.  The boy is healthy and fine and growing.  The tiny one went to Mai so that there would be two on each girl.

Pip's boy is a tanker.  My gosh he is big!  I will attempt to put pictures up of the four of them taken yesterday.

The little one LOOKS much bigger than she is and she feels as if she weighs nothing!  Hasn't yet gotten back to her birth weight.  So sad.

The two on the left are "Mai's."

Later,
Sad Curmudgeon and Kid

Puppies!!!!!

Started at 0630 this AM.  First baby, a girl, born dead.  Sad.  Second two, girls, at 0645 and 0848.  She took a break until the minute we were leaving to come to the office and she had a boy, 8.6 oz, at 0848.  Then, now, waiting to see if there is another.  She acts like it.  The girls are 4.5 and 7.2 oz.  All so far grizzle.  Can't tell if there will be more, but she was lopsided.  Maybe the big ones were on one side and the little ones on the other side.  Kathleen has pictures.  Tomorrow.  I'm so behind now that I can't see straight!

Nope

No puppies yet.  Pip looks more pregnant lately and couldn't jump into the car this morning to come to work.  She did make it yesterday.  Due Monday next. 

She is still doing Nose Work like a crazy woman, just what one would expect of Pip.  Love that dog!  At first I thought that there would be only one, then two or three, with an uneven number expected, really.  She is lopsided after all!  So, I'm guessing three, afraid to wish for five.

Mai is right behind her and is due the 18th.  Should be interesting breeding.  Both litters will be Burlap grandkids, in Pip's case on the daddy's side and in Mai's case, on her side!  The parents on the other sides of those litters are fairly closely related, so maybe the litters will be similar. 

So, don't hold your breath, but keep your fingers crossed for lots and healthy!

Curmudgeons get excited too....

Soon

Pip IS pregnant, but has few.  My guess is one, two, or three.  Same with Mai.  Pip due June 8, Mai soon after, it looks like.

One boy is going to an agility home, one girl to a show home and I will keep one or two girls for show, if I can.  There are pet homes too, so these guys will vanish quickly, not that all do.  Reese is around half the time as is Tennessee.  Tennessee is being house trained before he goes to live in Phoenix with Katherine.  He is the sweetest cuddle bug one can imagine and actually groans as he melts into one's neck/shoulder.  Reese just melts into Kathleen regularly.  She does the groan off and on.  Sweet as can be.

I got so see this baby when I was in Colorado a bit over a week ago.  He has grown up to be a wonderful companion for Kassey and her Whippet, Bennie.  He does many activities and has a wonderful life.

This is Renwick.  He does tons of acitivities too with his mom.

We may get to see Renwick at Canby if we go.  He is starting his show career.

Gibbs got his first major last week in Coeur d' Alene.  Yea Gibbs!!!!!  

Renick again, tearing up something.

Pip earned her Junior Earthdog title last weekend and her first Senior leg.  Yea Pip!!!!  The others thought that going into that hole was for the birds, so we wasted a bunch of $ on them, but it was all worth it in the scheme of things with Pip's accomplishments.  We had fun and were treated to visiting with one of my favorite people in the world, a medical school classmate and her husband and sweet Bernese Mountain Dog, Nio. 

 Bye for now,
Curmudgeon personified

Springtime in Port Angeles and Hawaii!!!

Since I am moving to Hawaii this fall and am looking to take a few dogs with me, I bred my two girls who just came into heat, Mai, a 2 1/2 year old girl who has never been bred before and who has passed all her health tests, and Pip, a 4 1/2 year old girl who was bred once over a year ago.  She too passed all of her health tests.  Jeri and Pip will probably go to Hawaii with me.  They are my NoseWork girls.  I'm hoping for a girl from each breeding to take with me.  Fingers crossed the breedings took and fingers crossed these will be beautiful babies!

Three of Zinger's kids are still here, Gaia, Tennessee and, of course, Reese.  Gaia will be Bentley soon and go live in Vancouver, BC and do agility and NoseWork with Bonnie and Brindi.  Tennessee will go to Phoenix and do NoseWork and Barn Hunt with Katherine and Kirby.  Two lucky boys.  Reese will also do NoseWork with Kathleen.

Gone but not forgotten

Six puppies went to their forever homes this weekend.  Six families are loving on those kids and are excited and happy and housebreaking and training.  Kiss, Fin, Kip, Peace, Tex and Tux went to homes.  I think that Tux is the only one to keep his baby name, at least so far.  Of the ones I know, Peace is now Effie, Tex is now Brooks or Brook for Brukner, a musician/composer, and Fin is Leema.  The others haven't reported in on the names yet.

The leftover three include Reese who will stay with Kathleen for at least the next twenty years according to her contract, Bentley who used to be Gaia and he is going to Vancouver, BC to play agility with Bonnie, and Ipsi, for Eclipse, who used to be Tennessee and who wants to go to the UK to be in Lesley's house with Missie and Tia and Henry.  We'll see what works out.

I was in Boston for six days finishing up my last CNWI seminar to become certified as an instructor in canine Nose Work.  I also met two of my medical school classmates there for a mini-reunion.  We had fun again.  The seminar was very stimulating as they all have been.  Wonderful people, those originators of the game and NACSW.  They are always thinking and making the game better and more fun for our four legged friends.  My dogs love the activity and so do I and all the people I know who do it.

Pictures soon, promise....

Curmudgeonly,
me

Missing the puppies

Kathleen took the puppies and Zinger home with her this past weekend because I went to a Nose Work seminar in Fife with Pip.  Pip and I have FUN, as you might imagine, and we learned a bunch.  Kate and Kathleen got to play with the babies all weekend.  They left Thursday night and will be back tonight.  Whew!!!
Kathleen sent many pictures and called many times to tell me of their escapades.  She had fun with them there and cleaned up LOTS of puppy poop!!!!  Poor Kathleen.

Reese in her "clothes"

At Kathleen's, in her yard.  Aren't they getting big?!!!!

Big kids.

Having fun in the holes the big dogs have dug.

The Shepherd cross, Mocha, and pups.

Zinger and some of the kids.

They KNOW that they are now big kids!!!!

Kathleen said that they LOVE playing with Mocho hair!

More Mocha hair.

I'm sure that this is probably Reese.

For sure this is Reese.

This morning at Kathleen's, Ms. Reese.

She IS cute, I must admit.

The others standing in line for their turn!

She won't give it up!

They look like real dogs all of a sudden!

Cute, yes!!!!?

Enough?

Curmudgeonly later!