I hope this Blog proves to be both fun and educational for anyone interested in Showing and/or Breeding Dogs. Spend some time with us and you will really understand the time and effort and emotions that goes into this hobby. Join me here for the good times and bad times, the joys and sorrows, the wins and losses. Welcome to life at Vista Dei!

I am a few days behind here, up and down all night watching the puppies, getting up when they cry to be sure nothing is wrong.  Mysty is being a good mother, they are growing like fat ticks!  I took off their dew-claws, one of my least favoite jobs!  It is not so bad once you get going, but kinda an icky job.  On some litters if the pups do not have rear dew-claws, I leave the fronts on them. But I have alot of puppy buyers who haven't liked this, so I guess I will just start taking them all off all the pups.  With Mysty's after welping care, I just keep monitoring her temp. to be sure she doesn't have any infections as her uterus closes, and monitoring her tits to be sure they are all getting emptied, no hot, hard ones that could lead to infections.  I have her on 3 meals a day (two of them with the egg/yougurt mix added) plus a can of beef or chicken broth each day to be sure she gets plenty of fluids.  Everytime she goes out to the potty, I have to check her, clean up any after welping discharge, clean her feet to make sure she has not tracked any dirt in before she gets back in with the babies.  I try some of the theraputic massage with her, where you massage "accupressure" points on her body.  I have no idea if I am doing it right, but she certainly enjoys my attempts, and lays on the bed with this look of shear joy, her eyes even rolling up at some points as she relaxes so completely.  I think it is good for her, as she is cooped up in the welping box so many hours of the day and night.  She is usually a very active dog, and staying still with the pups is really more of a taxing job for her than running sheep on a farm would be (or in her case, running every squirrel off the property!)

Posted by: Vistadei at 00:59 | link | comments

The puppies arrived on Sunday, as I suspected they would.  I have been too busy to be on the computer for the last couple days, so this is the first time I have had a chance to post.  Mysty had 6 puppies, 4 are fine and healthy but we lost two. Wow.. "lost" is such a politically correct word, isn't it?  I told you at the top of this Blog, that I would let you into the life of a breeding and showing, the good times and bad.  In that case "lost" doesn't quite cut it.  The first pup born came breach, we got her all cleaned up, and she seemed like she was going to be OK.  But sometimes in breach births, the fluids are forced into the puppies lungs.  As the other puppies started to arrive, the first little girl started to fail.  She started gasping for air, I cleaned out her lungs again, her mom licked and fussed, but the gasped started coming further and further apart, her tounge was white instead of pink meaning she just wasn't getting enough oxygen.  There is no way to stop a delivery and rush a tiny pup out into the cold to the vet, and even if someone else could do it, the poor thing really doesn't stand a chance.  But this little one didn't give up easy..for 3 hours she gasped and cried and her mom looked to me, and all I could do was make her comfortable till she took her last little breath. During the 3 hours of her dieing, the others kept arriving and coming to life, taking their first wiggly breaths getting washed up by their mom, dried and weighed in and had thier first meal.  Their warm happy mewing noised stood in stark contrast to the crying of the first girl, and life was bitter sweet.  The very last pup born had been dead for some time before birth, as his placenta was turned black and green, there was no sign of life at his birth, and no mourning on the part of his mother, just a quick glance and she was back to her new babies who needed her. 

Posted by: Vistadei at 19:19 | link | comments

I think Mysty's babies are going to come early.  I hope we don't have problems with them being TOO early.  I start taking her temp about a week before the due date, and when it makes a sharp drop down around 98 degrees, then you can expect the puppies in 24 hours.  Well she dropped temp this morning, but it is five days too early, so we will hope for every hour we can get from this point on.  I trimmed all of her tummy hair and her back "pants" hair, so the pups do not get hung up in the hair when they are born or are nursing.  I trimmed her toenails and filed them nice and smooth for walking around the little ones, and trimmed up her feet hair.  Ususally I would give her a bath, but our outside temp have been about 12 degrees, so I do not want to take a chance she might be damp and get a chill when she goes out to the potty.  I used a "dry" shampoo.. actually it is a pump spray, but doesn't need rinsed and rubbed her good with that , and groomed her all up last night, I think as a woman it makes them feel better to be pampered around this time of delivery.  She still ate fine this morning, so I am hoping she holds on a little longer before going into labor, but I am trying to get coverage for tomarrow for work incase the babies come tonight. 

Posted by: Vistadei at 11:48 | link | comments

Most dog shows are not in my back yard.  To attend just a handlfull each year requires driving about 2 hours each way.  I hate driving.  Hate road trips alone, and most often I can not find someone else that wants to go.  There are 2 days of shows in Cleveland, OH again, 2 hours each way.  I have gotten the days off work, all I have to do is make the entries.  Blah, knot in my stomach over the drive and it will be like that until the day after the shows!  I can do all the training, practicing and grooming I want, but if I don't force myself to go to the show, it is a waste of time, eh?  So I have to make the entry by Sunday..

Last night was classes again, next week Drifter will graduate from Puppy class.  I hope I can be there for graduation, but we might be having the puppies that day, so we will see.  I signed him up for basic obedience, that will fall on a different night of the week, so that will be more nights at the kennel club, but for shorter time, I think that will be better.  Since he is going on 5 months old now with no appropriate home in sight, I have gone ahead and sent in his registration for AKC in my name.  So his now officially "registered" name is Vista Dei The Storm Chaser and his "call name" (or everyday name) is Drifter.

Posted by: Vistadei at 12:30 | link | comments

Wow, I have been so busy this week, I haven't had much time to write!  Of course last night was the Westminster Dog show, a worthwhile watch, and neat to see people I know compete at that level. We are entering the final week of Mysty's pregnancy, I am going to get the welping box set up for her tonight.  Actually, it isn't a "box" per-se, it is a large wire crate, the biggest they make, about 4 feet long, 2 1/2 feet wide and nearly 4 feet high.  I line the inside walls with cardboard, poking holes in it and pushing twisty ties through to attach it to the wires.  This keeps any little pups from scooting through the wire, and keeps the area draft free.  I leave the top pannel off, so that I can swing the end open and walk in to pick up the pups and to change the papers and bedding.  It knocks down for storage, so tonight I will get it out and set it up, so that Mysty can spend some time in it and make her "nest".  This week I will start adding the plain yogurt with a beaten egg to her food, also.  I have been spending alot of time brushing her, as she really enjoys that as well as a good back rub! 

Posted by: Vistadei at 15:09 | link | comments

 Went to classes again last night.  Took Drifter to the puppy class and tried Dusty at the Rally class.  Dusty is one of our first shelties, he is nuetered as he is not show quality, but he does enjoy getting out and having fun.  He is a tennis ball nut, he will catch and bring it back for as long as your arm can hold up!  Anyway it has been about 6 years since Dusty got his CD, so I thought he might want to give rally a try!  He kept trying to climb onto Dennis's lap, he was happy to get out and meet new people.  Gave it a shot at glueing Spirit the collies ears into a tip, she is 15 months old, probably too old to alter the set of her ears, but like I told her owners, can't hurt to try!  Did I say in the last entry that I measured Mysty's tummy and she is 25" around?? oh my.. and the babies are rolling around in there.. not kicking, but tumbling.. she has to really try hard to jump up onto the porch, like she perfers to do, soon she will have to conceed to use the steps to walk up on the porch!

Posted by: Vistadei at 11:00 | link | comments

Last night was handling classes for conformation.  I was hoping it would have gone a little better.  Ashley went with me, she took Diana and I took Decker.  Well, the prices had raised, $5 for each handler for the hour, which isn't outrageous, but it was a large class, so we only got 3 "go arounds" so that wasn't much bang for the buck. Ashley wasn't sure how to start training Diana from scratch, so I ended up working with her most of the evening, and my focus really needs to be on Decker, as he is the one ready to go out with a handler.  No handling next week as it is the Westminster shows.  Tonight Drifter goes to the vets for his final puppy shots, and tomarrow is Puppy class and Rally class. Mysty is doing her "pot bellied piggie" impression, her tummy is HUGE.. the puppies will be coming soon.  Tonight I will sit a while and see if I can feel them kicking yet.  That is one of my favorite things to feel them moving all around and kicking my hands.  And right now hopes are high, who knows the next Westminster Best in Show could be right here, hiding in her tummy.. well we can dream, that is part of the fun!

Posted by: Vistadei at 14:14 | link | comments

Just got back from Pet Smart, with 2 sacks of food and some food suppliment.  I am going to go ahead and discuss costs of many items on this Blog, because part of the point of doing this is to let anyone considering dog showing/breeding know what all is involved.  The bill today was $43 using both cupons and the Pet-smart card for discounts.  I feed all my dogs in their crates, and recommend anyone with more that one dog do the same.  That way, different dogs can be on different types of foods, different vitamens, suppliments, and amounts.  It is also a wise idea to be able to see right away if one dog is not eating properly and you just can't do that if you have them all eating out in the house at will.  Shawn and his daughter stopped by today and brough Vista Dei Luvme Genevieve "Genni" to visit and evaluate.  She is from the Sping 2004 litter and is about 9 months old. She is looking very very nice.  Has a much better head and expression than I had anticipated, and I am very pleased with that.  Her coat is fabulous, and longer than her mothers and some of her sisters. I look forward to seeing her in agility this summer, Shawn said she is having a ball with her training. I want to thank Shawn and his family for the excellent care and love they give to Genni, it is really apparent, she just glows. This evening the goal is to bath both Darby and Decker and do a really good job on the line breeding of them both. I use Crown Royal Formula #3 shampoo on them, with luke warm water.  I put the shampoo in a little dish pan and mix it with water, then I use a small sponge about 6" by 3" to applie the diluted shampoo to their wet bodies. I find this much better than dumping shampoo all over the dog, better to rinse out, easier to control by working into the hair with the sponge, great control on the feet and faces.  Then I will blow dry them some, and start to line brush.  I am guessing this will take about 4 hours to complete the two dogs, so I had better get started!

Posted by: Vistadei at 00:32 | link | comments

Today I increased Mysty's food as she is only a few weeks from delivery.  She is eating 3 times a day instead of 2, so her tummy has something in there all day long, without such a large quantity of food since things will be "crowded" in there!  Next week I will start feeding her puppy food for the extra calories and add a multi vitamin, and the last week of her pregnancy I will add some yogurt with an egg beaten in to her meals.  She really enjoys that, and I will keep adding the yogurt/egg mix through the time she nurses the pups.  It adds calcium, calories and protein while helping her digestion

Posted by: Vistadei at 18:14 | link | comments (1)

Don't have too long to write today. Classes last night were very long and we all got tired.  Drifter did really well with his sit-stay and down-stay. By the time Darby's class came along he had been waiting around for 2 hours, so he missed some sits, but overall did pretty good, but seemed distracted.  I didn't get to work on the library, because my daughter was bored, so she came to sit through the classes, brought along Diana.  Diana is about 18 months old and looking very nice for conformation shows, but she lacks some confidence, so my daughter Ashley kept Diana there through the 3 hours of classes, letting the audience pet her, and introducing her to other breeds of dogs as they went in and out.  In between classes, she brought her out on the floor and gaited her.  Diana did REALLY well, better than we expected, and my daughter wants to try handling her at some shows.  That is fine with me, I will not have the time to start with her this spring, so if Ashley will work her that would be great.   I always try to do too much and then get nothing done right!  I need to sit down and map out my goals for titles this years, what shows I can attend, and what days I will need off work to attend them.  Also set up the classes and practice times that will be required to be ready for each show.  We also have to get days off  work for this up-coming litter.  My daughter thinks she can take off work the day they are due, I have already gotten the next day off.  Hopefully Mysty will not go into labor until the evening of her due date, as my daughter will monitor the labor, but isn't keen on the delivery.

Posted by: Vistadei at 13:08 | link | comments

I was planning on sending Decker, our blue merle, to Canada to work on his Canadian Championship this spring.  Last night I hear from the handler, and it will be at least May until she can take him.  That creates a dilema, as his winter coat is coming on NOW, and will probably be at it's best in March.  By May, he might be starting into a spring shed, and then he couldn't go and we would have wasted this whole spring.  I am unsure what to do?  Look for a different handler? Send him out in the USA? Try using some of the products I see in Magazines that delay shedding. Wow.. I don't know.. 

Tonight is puppy class at 6:30 for Drifter, and at 8:30 is Rally Obedience Class for Darby.  I am fired up about Rally Obedience, it is really fun.  I don't particularly like the puppy class, I take Drifter so he is getting a chance of going out and interacting with new people and new dogs, and that is important, but the class its self is all talk, talk, talk.  I know the instructer must do that, because many of the people there are first time puppy owners, but it is sooo sloow and boring for the couple of us who have had and trained dogs for years.  I wish we would do more activities.  I think I will take the hour in between the two classes to straighten up the Club's library.  I am the librarian, and it really needs a good over haul and I need some suggestions for some good useful books.  I have about 45 mins before work while the dogs play outside, I think I will update the Club's web site, I am the web master for the Kennel Club also.  I have to add a new email address, change the new officers, add the members brags for Feb. I think that is all that needs updated. The website for the kennel club is www.beavercountykennelclub.org

 

Posted by: Vistadei at 13:16 | link | comments

This morning I had to get up sooo early, I got our puppy, Drifter, back from my daughters house at 4 in the morning before she left for work.  Drifter is a puppy that was left from our last litter.  He was born with a slightly odd color, with a ton of white on him,  but as he grows he is getting "normal" looking color and is really pretty, but so far his perfect home has not come along.  He goes to my daughter's  house a few days a week so that he doesn't get to used to hanging out with the other dogs, and gets one on one attention.  I take him to puppy class, tomarrow will be his 4th week of puppy classes.  He is so smart, he knew how to sit, down, come, stay and was potty trained all before 14 weeks old. BUT now, he is starting to act like a teenager, and wants to do what HE wants, so training is even more important!  He will probably be my daughters dog, because everyone is getting attached to him, but I sure wish he could find a home that would show him in obedience and agility!  Well, I have to fill the water dishes, feed and put in clean bedding this morning before I leave for work, the dogs are outside playing at the moment.

Posted by: Vistadei at 14:38 | link | comments

I hope this Blog proves to be both fun and educational for anyone interested in Showing and/or Breeding Dogs.  I would like to try this for a year, so that anyone reading can really understand the time and effort that goes into this hobby.  I set this Blog up a little backwards, with the begining of  the month at the top of the page, so you will need to scroll down to read the newer posts, but I think that you will be able to follow our "stories" better in this format. At the end of each month, the month will be archived over to your left, and you can open and read it from there.  We have a litter due in 20 days, so that will be a hot topic as I prepare over the next few weeks for their birth.  Tonight I just got home from work but I am off to a Dog club meeting in an hour, hope it will be fun and I hope there will be something good to eat at the social afterwards!  Never know if I should have supper before I go, or just wait until the social!  Well off to let the dogs out to potty before I leave, have to fill all their water bowls and feed them before I go, and I have to call Carol and see if she is coming so I can bring back her collar and give her a wad of Sheep Wool to train her dogs with.

Posted by: Vistadei at 00:01 | link | comments