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!

Here are the first pictures of ... the PUPPIES!!  All of them are still doing great, gaining weight, very active and happy.  It will be my first day going back to work and leaving Diana all day so I am a little nervous, probably will come home at lunch break and check on them.  We had 6 of them, 3 sable merles and 3 sables.  Four girls and two boys.

Posted by: Vistadei at 09:11 | link | comments (3)

 If you are on the waiting list for this litter, I will start contacting you next week once I am sure all the pups are going to be just fine and let you know more.  Puppies are all still doing very well this morning, gaining weight and their color is slowly starting to turn "brown".  They are always born a little different color than the end up, the sables look almost black but will end up brown and the sable merles look grey  but they will end up "blond" or light brown with dark brown patches in the light blond coat.  The sable merles could have one or two blue eyes, but we won't know that until their eyes open and that is some weeks away.  I was very hesitant to do this breeding as I was afraid we might get excessive white on the puppies because Decker is white factored and produces pie-bald (marbling of white on the body) and Diana is also white factored, but this litter is all very nicely marked with nice big white collars and some face blazes, and one has a white body spot, but there were no Color Headed Whites in the litter.

The the sable merles will look very much like this by 10 weeks or so, this is China one of Decker's pups she has 2 blue eyes:

The Sables will look like this, this is Destiny, also one of Decker's pups from an earlier litter:

 

 

Posted by: Vistadei at 09:20 | link | comments (1)

The puppies are doing great this morning, they are all very strong and fiesty.  They eat, they sleep, they don't fuss much.  They woke me up a little in the night, but that was just when Diana got up for some broth.  She is doing well too, I am keeping an eye on her temp to be sure she doesn't get any post welping infections but all is well.  Seems she could have a little more milk, but the piggies.. errr... puppies seem satisfied so I guess they are just keeping her drained so she looks low when I check her.  She is getting lots of broth, three times her normal kibble topped with yougurt and eggs and some extra meat stirred in.

Posted by: Vistadei at 08:07 | link | comments

Mornin' it ME Diana Marie.. and guess what.. I'm a new momma!!  I was workin alllll night long, well they call it "labor" but seemed like workin to ME!  I think them puppers stayed in the oven too long it was like I was havin' full grown dogs instead a puppers, but they here now and soooo cute!  Miz Crystal says I canna tell you too much about them yet, cause she is afraid of jinxin' a litter by braggin about them before they are 3 or 4 days old.  She says says sometimes breeders loose pups that are younger than that, but she is silly.. I mean I am the best mom ever - I will keep a good eye on them and not allow them to get lost.  They all big and fat and healthy.  We gots some Sable Merles and some Sables and some are girls and some are boys.  Miz Crystal made me some great broth outta chicken and pork and beef, and I have had 2 bowls of it this morning.  None of that cheap canned broth for ME, I am a princess.. ok.. so she forgot to pick up the cheap canned stuff at the store, but this is much, much better.  I am gonna have some yogurt with eggs beat in it for lunch, but right now I gotta stop typing and go lick ma puppers.

Thanks for the positive thoughts!! 

Posted by: Vistadei at 08:46 | link | comments (4)

Yes, it's Thursday, and still no puppies.  Diana's temp had made the drop and she isn't eating, but hasn't gone into hard labor yet.  It is getting to be one of those "do we keep waiting or do we go for a c-section" days.  As long as she isn't in distress I tend to lean toward allowing nature to get the pups here in good time, but there is such a thing as the uterus being too streached for good contractions and I have a close eye on her because I have never seen a bigger belly on a preg sheltie.  Keep your fingers crossed for a natural birth SOON..

Posted by: Vistadei at 15:06 | link | comments (4)

Still waiting!  No puppies yet... tapping toe impatiently, drumming fingers on the table, noooo puppies yet.

Posted by: Vistadei at 15:19 | link | comments (1)

Nooooo puppies yet....

Posted by: Vistadei at 12:06 | link | comments

I'm stillllllllll waitin' sittin' here in the rocken chair, dreamin' of what ma puppers will be like IF they ever come out.  Miz Crystal put bumper pads in ma welpin' pen so if a puppy gets out when she isn't watchin me, it won't slip out the edge but stay in where I can take good care of it.  I like the welpin pen, it is warm and cozy and has extra heat that will be turned on when the puppers arrive.  I want to go in there this morning, and I will in just a little bit but for right now I had to get out for some exercise.  Miz Crystal keeps takin' ma temp and waiting for it to drop to 98 degrees, and this morning it was 98.9 but I'm a not tellin her that I went outside and sat in the snow to try to make it come down low.  When it is around 98 degrees then I will have ma puppers in 24 hours from then. I think there is another "Drifter" type pup in ma belly.  That one is on ma right side and it keeps pretenden to do agility stuff inside ma belly.  It pretends there are jumps and tunnels and A-frames inside there and it makes its feet run real fast.  It tickles ma ribs.  There is another one on ma left side that is just impatient.. It kicks real hard some times - bam - bam- bam.. let me out bam-bam-bam!! Maybe the easter bunny will bring the pups instead of easter eggs. but I like easter eggs too.. yum  yum...

Diana

Posted by: Vistadei at 07:59 | link | comments (3)

Ma puppies is still inside ma belly this morning, guess tomarrow is their first day they might be due ta come out and I canna wait!  They been kickin so much I couldn't eat dinner last night, and it sure is hard to get up n down and walk around now.  I think I weigh twice as much as I used to.  Last night Miz Crystal trimmed all the hair off ma belly so ma boobies stick out and the puppies can have em dinner once they come out.  It feels funny to lay down wif no belly hair, but if the long hair is there the puppies might get stuck in it and fall when I stand up, so that is why Miz Crystal trims it off before the puppies come. As soon as they come out, I get to have some yogurt and egg in ma dinner, so I think I would like that SOON.. 

Diana

Posted by: Vistadei at 10:35 | link | comments (1)

So you have been reading the blog for years, and have come to know our dogs, but you don't know me - the person that helps them write on the computer and put their thoughts and feelings into words? Well... if you would like to know more about me click here:

http://www.wag-n-trainllc.com/whoarewe.html

And for those of you who DO know me, but haven't seen me since last summer.. you know you are dying to see a current picture of what a 95 pound weight loss is looking like!  I just had to loose some weight to continue on with agility.....

Posted by: Vistadei at 12:09 | link | comments (3)

Stop by and see the entries we are getting for our Wag-N-Train LLC photo contest!  There are lots of shelties, but now we are getting some other pets entering too, some cats, other cute breeds of dogs, and even 3 little pigs! no.. really.. go look if you think I am kidding.. http://www.wagntrainllc.com/frfunphco.html

We extended the Photo contest deadline to March 30 to get more entries, then we are going to set up public voting, so if you wanted to enter, you still have time... and everyone entering the contest gets a coupon for $5 off a $59.99 purchase too!! PLUS.. for those of you who told us you just wanted to buy something small, like those car rescue magnets, but the shipping was too high for priority mail flat rate, we listened... we lowered the shipping on orders under $59 to just $3.99 so we will see if we can get stuff shipping out first class instead of priority. Hey, we are learning as we go!

Diana is still hanging in there.. litterally.. belly hanging like a pot bellied pig... babys kicking.. just a few more days till her first due date..

Posted by: Vistadei at 07:52 | link | comments (5)

This morning Diana was very picky with her food, took each piece of food out of the bowl and spit it on the floor of her crate and didn't eat much of it, just left the mess.  The puppies are dropping down under her, giving her a "hollow" look right between the ribs and hips with the bulk now down under her rather than just round girth.  I hope she holds till her first due date next week.  I think I will start taking her temperature now twice a day.  Usually, dogs have a normal body temperature of about 100 to 101, but when a female is going into labor there is a sudden drop in temp to 98 degrees.  Once that drop in temperature happens the pups will arrive within 24 hours, so I use that as an indicator of when to call off work, get the towels and such ready, give the vet a "heads up" call just incase he is needed and settle in with a book in the bedroom and start watching.  I am working extra this weekend so that I can call off when the time comes and stay home with them.

Posted by: Vistadei at 15:28 | link | comments

Just a little over a week now until Diana's first due date.  I think tomarrow I will get out the welping box and set it up so she gets cozy and secure being there.  I am going to find some time tonight to just sit and feel the puppies rolling around, I like that part so much, guessing how many what colors etc, trying to figure who is the little "energizer bunny" of the group.  She got a hamburger mixed with her breakfast this morning and was real happy with that treat!

Posted by: Vistadei at 11:20 | link | comments (2)

When Dave and I first started talking about starting www.Wag-N-TrainLLC.com  we decided that part of the profits would go to help animals in need.  Well, since we just started, we don't have any profits yet, heck we are just struggling for some sales, but a really sad situation came to our attention, and we just had to make a donation to help with the care of animals taken in a raid at Apache Junction, AZ in Feb 6, 2008. 185 animals including 47 dogs, 96 rabbits, 18 chickens, 13 goats, six horses, two cats, one pot-bellied pig, one African Parrot and one cockatiel were removed from the property. Unfortunately, 42 of the dogs were shelties....  Here is a link to the news story about the animals in need: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/108365   

Here is a link to see some of the poor shelties removed

http://www.ibokshelties.org/rescuedogs.htm

 We sure hope they all get into new homes and get the love and care they all deserve!

Posted by: Vistadei at 15:20 | link | comments (3)

Darby is happy that he got to go to agility class this Wednesday.  He did really well and was happy to be back out on the course!  Last night he got to help with the CGC tests that were given at the Beaver County Kennel Club.  He was the "Meet and Greet" dog.  I think almost everyone passed, so congratulations to all those that earned their CGC!

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

Is Me.. Diana Marie... I am here to tell you that this bein' pregnant thing is purty nice rite bout now.  I gets extra food now, and got a heap of yogurt and egg on ma meal this morning.  Got a belly rubbin too, Miz Crystal is hoping to feel puppy kicks, but didn't yet.  I'm a waddlin around and  have not quite 3 weeks ta go before I can show you my puppies!  I look like I need a maternity dress, and when I stand up on ma hind legs ma belly poogin out.  Miz Crystal sez there COULD be a CHW (Color Headed White) puppy in ma belly, and she thought it was kinda neat that one of the first entries in the Wag-N-Train Pet photo contest is a CHW sheltie and thought ya might want to see how pretty they can be!  

http://www.wag-n-trainllc.com/frfunphco.html We gots some other real purty shelties entered too, we thinks they are blog readers... you want to enter your pet too??  Come on.. we show you lots of pictures of us.. we wanna see what you guys look like too!

 

Posted by: Vistadei at 13:54 | link | comments (3)

 

Grand Opening of Wag-N-Train Pet Supplies and More --- Round up the Best.. For LESS!

 

Dear Friends,

We are excited to announce the formation of a new business, Wag-N-Train LLC, owned by Dave Shumsky and Crystal Morton. We are thrilled to let you know about our new online store, http://www.Wag-N-TrainLLC.com which is just the beginning of something even BIGGER!  We hope our online store will become both a great place for people to find good deals on useful items for their pets, and also become an educational tool with training tips, fun contests and more!  We are proud to have partnered with some really great USA based companies such as Scamper Ramp, Pet Stairz and Flint River Ranch and while we realize that in this day and age it is nearly impossible to exclusively buy USA products, we are trying to support companies and manufactures who have kept their business in our country.  We have also committed to donating a portion of our profits to help rescues or homeless animal shelters, every item you buy helps us help less fortunate animals.

 To celebrate our grand opening, we are offering you great pre-season savings on popular flea and tick medications, lots of fun agility items, dog treats, toys and much, much MORE! We are also offering a limited time offer of $5 off your purchase of $59.99 or more, offer expires March 9, 2008.  Just enter the code wnt-01-5 in the promotional code area on the second page at check out to receive your savings.

 

 Please stop by and enter our Pet Photo Contest – submit your entries in soon, we will take entries March 1-15 and then public voting will start March 15, 2008. No purchase is necessary to enter or to vote, just have a fun time showing off your pets!

 

We would love it if you would help us spread the word about our new business to your friends and family.

Thanks so much for your support

Crystal and Dave

 

 

Posted by: Vistadei at 13:06 | link | comments (2)