LET IT SNOW....LET IT SNOW....LITTLE PAWS

As it was only -1C out today I decided to try the pups outside...so my girlfriend and I took them out to the top deck...so it was controlled and fattened down where Quila had been.

We only had them out for a short time but the cold did not seem to bother them at all...

         They were quite interested in the snow and enjoyed running around...tasting it.

                                 This is blue boy smelling and tasting the snow....

          Even outside the pups can take a minute from their fun to have a snack from mom!!

Purple girl was the most adventurous....really had to keep our eyes on her ...as she tried to get off the deck                                    to explore the world beyond!!

THE PUPS START EATING... GOATS MILK

This is the first time they have seen any food other than their mother...it is goats milk...they took to it like milk to a baby!!

They are four weeks old here...the time you start feeding the pups depends on how much milk their mother has and if she is starting to "kick " them off of her.

In my case Quila has tons of milk and has no problem caring for her young...so I started to feed them small amounts to get them started and to encouarge Quila to start weaning them.

 You can see they don't have any problems drinking the goats milk. As I feed raw and believe in the value of the raw diet ,they will start on goats milk and then I will add some raw patty to it and eventually it will just be the patty.

 They get their little face in the bowl and lap away....if faces and paws get dirty they clean each other or Quila takes over that job.

 Now here I have added the meat patty to the milk....they loved it!! It is gone very quickly!! I will monitor them to see how many feeds I do a day and how much I give them...of both the meat and goats milk...
So far Quila is still feeding them regularly and so I am only feeding once a day at this time....they are now five weeks old.

QUILA'S PUPS...HOW THEY HAVE GROWN !!

Well I have been both busy with the pups and also totally enchanted by them. They change everyday and are becoming such beautiful goldens...not that I expected anything less. I have to say, yet again, how exciting and rewarding this whole process has been. Breeding can be a very hard experience as many things can go wrong, but when they go right....oh it is just so good!! The other side of things is also finding those forever homes...now this sounds like a simple thing but to me and many others it is not. We want our pups to go into the best homes where they will be loved, trained etc. Screening people and sometime just finding people who are serious in spending the time, energy , money etc that it takes to properly train a dog...as well as the ongoing costs of owning a dog is not as easy as it sounds. It is important that a potential puppy owner know the needs of the puppy and later dog. I have to say my girlfriend, who is also Quila's breeder, did a fab job....I have kept the families uptodate on the pups through video cam, emails of pics and videos....three of the four families have been able to make the long trip to my home, at a very busy time of year, to come and visit the pups. I have been able to enjoy seeing them around the pups, interacting and playing with them.

Now to go back abit , as I haven't posted for awhile...the pups have been growing ...growing and growing...Quila's milk is really good. I did start them on goats milk yesterday , only because they now have teeth and are starting to bite her...she will start kicking them off soon.\
So their eyes open, ears opened and the walking and playing started....

 The eyes and ears are open...the world is a big place and the wobbly legs will only go so fast...
At first they didn't seem interested in toys...but soon that changed...

 First I added the soft stuffy....they love it....they sleep on it and also tug on it....
It is such a hit I got four more so that I can get the puppies smell on them and they can go home with each of them

 Next I added a tug rope and another tug toy that is soft....they like them all....when they are out with me I utilize other toys...to help in the shaping of their personalities....one that utilizes them thinking, their balance etc

Everyday their playing increases as does their walking...or should I say running now!!

They also spend alot of time playing with each other...this play is getting rougher....with some growling and the odd barking when one wants to play and the other one isn't playing back....



Socialization of the pups is very important....these pups have had alot of socialization already....but as they are four weeks old now I have started to increase the socialization ....it is not hard to find people who like to play with adorable pups...
I am careful of how Quila reactes around the people , especially children...she has been so good ...which is no surprise...

 Introducing another dog to the pups....first I don't want alot of dogs around them as they have not had their vaccinations yet...only what ever protection their mother has passed onto them...this was my daughter's dog and we did clean the feet etc before they were introduced...once again keeping in mind how Quila reactes...and once again she was a star ....she grew up with this Boston and so had no problem with her playing with her pups....in fact she went and had a much deserved nap!

 We have had the pups around a baby....both baby and puppies were happy to interact...

 We have many adults...both female and male playing with the pups everyday

Now we have also added children...the pups have been held, carried and petted....and love it all!!

As you can see I am working had to have well adjusted puppies , that enjoy all people and love to be handled....so far it is working....

Well I finally found a little time to do this blog...but now it is back to the pups....hopefully tomorrow I will post on the pups and their introduction to goats milk...stay tuned....

PUPPY CARE.....and Christmas

Well as you can see we are trying to get ready for christmas!

No this pup is not a present...which brings me to the subject of is getting a pup for Christmas a good idea. I don't think it is , for a number of reasons...the first being is the person receiving the pup really wanting and ready for that pup....is it even the breed they want...and is it the breed that is best for them and their lifestyle...even if they have said," oh I really like boxers"...does that mean they just like boxers or have they done research on them and really feel they would fit them and their lifestyle.

Christmas is also a time of celebration, noise and confusion....lots of people coming and going...unregular hours from normal etc....is this the best environment to bring in a puppy?

There are also alot of items around that aren't normally there and are unsafe for the pup...ordaments, the tree , toy parts etc.

It is much better to bring a new pup into a family when they can spend some time with the new members of their family and the environment can be prepared for the pup.

This will lead to better adjustment for the pup, less stress on the pup owner etc....

The pups are doing really well.They have been gaining weight everyday and are now just over three pounds. They feed well and Quila, their mom, is very good with them.

Pink girl was the first to open her eyes on Monday...purple girl and yellow girl followed suit yesterday...with blue boy and red girl waiting today...

Now you can start to see a little of their personalities...and now the trouble will start!

Pink Girl

Now that their eyes are open and they can hear , it is time to start stimulating them with sights and sounds.

As my house tends to be quite quiet I will have the TV on more, CD playing at times ...including one that has noises that help them to be well adjusted to lightening etc...will play it softly at first then increase the volume...I want well adjusted pups that are secure and not easily frightened.

Pups are alot of work....and I could do the minuim....see that they are clean and fed...and let the mom do the rest, but I want more for my pups....I want them to be smart, independant...while being a reliable, well behaved member of a family....whether just a pet or a working dog I want them to enjoy their lives to the fullest ....and to do that I need to put the work into them now. I need to get them thinking, let them experience things in a safe, controlled environment so that they develop a strong well being.

These pups are already demonstrating a calm personalty , with some independence ...now to work with that to assist them to be strong, intellegent, calm dogs.

One of the first experiences for the pups is their mother and how she treats them...this will be a lasting effect.
Quila is very gently, concerning and loving to her pups. As a new mom I was there helping her at the beginning...reassuring her and assisting the pups onto the teats as needed. Making sure she got her attention, adequate food , rest etc. She has always been a calm, gently girl and that is why I wanted to breed her...along with her being a great working dog for Search and Rescue...I am keeping a pup for that very reason...I know how good it is going to be.
When getting a dog of any age you need to know what you want to do with it and will it fit your lifestyle etc...all pups are cute...but they grow into dogs....will a large dog work for you , or a high energy one etc.
Then you need to look at the breeding if you are looking at a purebred...not all goldens are the same...they do have a general good disposition, but depending on their upbringing as to how they will be as adults.

My first golden was a lovely girl...when she was about 6 yrs...before that she was a handful...I was able to utilize that with working her in rally, agility, etc....another home would most likely have rehomed her.

When I got Quila I was much more careful...and I got the girl I have always wanted...now I want to share her with other , via her pups...they are going to be special...and luckily they are all going to special people .

You can already see how special they are......

THE JOY OF PUPPIES....

I have to say that the whole experience is one of pure joy....

It is also very stressful....worrying about the pups....had to go back to work and so have people staying with the pups...plus have myself and others keeping track of them on the live feed I have on them at home.

Now this may be over kill but I really want these pups to do really well!! When I set up the live feed it was initially to keep an eye on Quila while I was at work to ensure she didn't go into labor with me not there for her...but it has expanded as we have invited the puppies soon to be owners, their family and friends as well as mine and Shannon's family and friends etc...you get the idea...to enjoy the pups along with me .

Everyone has really enjoyed the site and I have to think it will help the soon to be puppy owners bond better with their pups. They have been able to a part of all the pups lives right from the begining...isn't technolongy wonderful!!

Quila is being such a great mom...so concerned for them and really careful where she steps or lays...couldn't have asked for anything more from her.

The pups are all growing well...gaining weight everyday and moving around more each days as well....not sure how much trouble they will be once their eyes open!!

Well will post more when I have a little time...now going to weigh the little "angels"

The Puppies....

    Notice the colored collars...this is how we keep track of each pup

Well I actually think I have a few minutes where I can be on the computer ....it has been a very busy time with the puppies. I am enjoying every moment. As I was my first litter it has been a great learning curb!.
I have been lucky to have my friend, Shannon, here with me as she is an experienced breeder.
We waited patiently...well I wasn't so patient!...for the process to start. She was officially due on Nov 22, but that day came and went without much evidence of anything happening....she did do some nesting and pacing but not much else. Nov 23 arrives...and during the early morning she has increased her pacing, panting etc...she is showing all the signs of first stages of labor....Ya Hoo!! Anytime now...or so I thought...wrong! The day passes and all continues but no pups...so at midnight we decide we better get some sleep...hard when she is on the bed panting, off the bed pacing and then on the bed panting again...a long night. Around 2 am I can tell that something has changed, so I get up to have a check on her...well there is a large amount of green discharge...this is necessarily good...especially as the contractions are not at all strong enough yet and the pups are still too high ...we wait and watch hoping she will progress quickly and start having her pups. Well after an hour it was time to head off to the vets...as this is an hour away it is better to be there than at home at this stage. No change on the drive. The vet checks her out and it is not going to be possible for her to deliver naturally without greatly risking the pups and possibly her...so a C-section it is. As you know from the post below all went well and she has five beautiful pups...
So now comes the hard work...keeping the pups warm, fed and safe. We have a heating pad, and a warming disc ( you warm in the microwave),and  a heating lamp ...all to make sure that they are warm. At this age they are unable to control their temperatures. Quila is being an excellent mom and all the pups are feeding really well...so I weigh them each day to see how they are doing...and so far great...getting to be little fatties!! I also monitor for safety...they are in a great welping pen ,( shannon brought it down), and it has a safety rail so that if  Quila get them to close to a side she won't lay on them , they will just go under the rail and be safe. I also monitor them very closely. The hardest thing is having to go back to work but I have got one of my LPN students staying in the house this week while I am at work. As I also have a video cam set up I can monitor them as well. It has been great as the other people who are enjoying the video cam are also monitoring them and letting me know if they are seeing a problem...so lots of eyes on the pups.
The other thing I started on day three is the Early Neurological Stimulation...I was going to type this out myself, but my friend, Michelle, sent her posting that she did a while ago...so here it is
Her blog is thealbertacanaancrew.blogspot.ca 
She has some great resources on her blog as she has been doing it alot longer than me...she raises Canaan dogs.

Early Neurological Stimulation

 

We use the Bio Sensor/Super Dog Program which is early neurological stimulation exercises done from days three to sixteen of the puppies life.

 

The U.S. Military in their canine program developed a method that still serves as a guide to what works. In an effort to improve the performance of dogs used for military purposes, a program called "Bio Sensor" was developed. Later, it became known to the public as the "Super Dog" Program. Based on years of research, the military learned that early neurological stimulation exercises could have important and lasting effects. Their studies confirmed that there are specific time periods early in life when neurological stimulation has optimum results. The first period involves a window of time that begins at the third day of life and lasts until the sixteenth day. It is believed that because this interval of time is a period of rapid neurological growth and development, and therefore is of great importance to the individual.

 The "Bio Sensor" program was also concerned with early neurological stimulation in order to give the dog a superior advantage. Its development utilized six exercises, which were designed to stimulate the neurological system. Each workout involved handling puppies once each day. The workouts required handling them one at a time while performing a series of five exercises. Listed in nor order of preference the handler starts with one put and stimulates it using each of the five exercises. The handler completes the series from beginning to end before starting with the next pup. The handling of each pup once per day involves the following exercises:

1. Tactile Stimulation - holding the pup in one hand, the handler gently stimulates (tickles) the pup between the toes on any one foot using a Q-tip. It is not necessary to see that the pup is feeling the tickle. Time of stimulation 3 - 5 seconds.

2. Head Held Erect - using both hands, the pup is held perpendicular to the ground, (straight up), so that its head is directly above its tail. This is an upwards position. Time of stimulation 3 - 5 seconds.

3. Head Pointed Down - holding the pup firmly with both hands the head is reversed and is pointed downward so that it is pointing towards the ground. Time of stimulation 3 - 5 seconds.

4. Supine Position - hold the pup so that its back is resting in the palm of both hands with its muzzle facing the ceiling. The pup while on its back is allowed to sleep struggle. Time of stimulation 3-5 seconds.

5. Thermal Stimulation - use a damp towel that has been cooled in a refrigerator for at least five minutes. Place the pup on the towel, feet down. Do not restrain it from moving. Time of stimulation 3-5 seconds.

Ash with one of her puppy crew

These five exercises will produce neurological stimulations, none of which naturally occur during this early period of life. Experience shows that sometimes pups will resist these exercises, others will appear unconcerned. In either case a caution is offered to those who plan to use them. Do not repeat them more than once per day and do not extend the time beyond that recommended for each exercise. Over stimulation of the neurological system can have adverse and detrimental results. These exercises impact the neurological system by kicking it into action earlier than would be normally expected. The result being an increased capacity that later will help to make the difference in its performance. Those who play with their pups and routinely handle them should continue to do so because the neurological exercises are not substitutions for routine handling, play socialization or bonding.

Five benefits have been observed in canines that were exposed to the Bio Sensor stimulation exercises. The benefits noted were:

• Improved cardio vascular performance (heart rate)
• Stronger heart beats
• Stronger adrenal glands
• More tolerance to stress and
• Greater resistance to disease.

Puppy "Creed" & "Rook"

In tests of learning, stimulated pups were found to be more active and were more exploratory than their non- stimulated littermates over which they were dominant in competitive situations.
Secondary effects were also noted regarding test performance. In simple problem solving tests using detours in a maze, the non-stimulated pups became extremely aroused, wined a great deal, and made many errors. Their stimulated littermates were less disturbed or upset by test conditions and when comparisons were made, the stimulated littermates were more calm in the test environment, made fewer errors and gave only an occasional distress when stressed.

I will post pics of the pups doing these exercise later on...need someone to take the pics first....

QUILA'S BABIES ARE HERE

Well the wait is finally over...the pups are here! There are four girls and one boys...so the ultrasound was right for the count. My friend ,who is also Quila's breeder, was here at my home to assist me and Quila thru the process....her years of experience is invaluable!! We were going to welp at her home in Calgary but unfortunately two of her goldens got kennel cough at a dog show just prior to Quila's due date and we couldn't risk the pups getting it.
Well I waited, impatiently for something to happen....yesterday her temp went down and things slowly started to progress.... we finally went to bed at midnight as it seems that nothing was going to happen very quickly and so we should try and get some sleep. At two am I could tell something was happening and so up we got, but there was dark green discharge from Quila, which indicates a severed placenta of one of the pups....they can still deliver but need to do it in a relatively short time frame for the pup to survive. Well we did everything to encouarage her to have the pup....gave her calcuim, walked her in the house but no success. Although she was having contrations she wasn't having strong ones and definitely not strong enough to pass the pups. So off to the vets...which is an hour away! At the Vets he examined her to see if she would be able to deliver vaginally, but the pups were still up to high and she was not having any strong contractions.
So Quila had a c-section and all five pups were born alive and strong. We did not loose one, like we thought we might as the placenta cord was only partially torn.

Brought Quila and her pups home and set them up in the welping box....not sure Quila knew where they came from!! She wasn't overly pleased to see them...she just had surgery and pain meds....maybe she thought she was having a nightmare!

At first she was fine with them feeding but didn't want them getting close to her face...after a short while she started checking them out, then licking them and now she has settled into motherhood like a natural.
I will be monitoring her and the pups carefully to ensure that they are thriving and that she fulfils her role as mother.

                                              Quila has moved into motherhood with ease!!

This is going to an exciting ride....watching the pups grow , as well as watching Quila grow as a mother.
Stay tune for more puppy updates!

                                                      Had to leave you wanting more......

Later this week I will talk about weighing them, Early Neurological Stimulation etc....

QUILA IS GOING TO HAVE PUPPIES NOV 22,2012

Well Quila is pregnant and is having a litter of 5-6 pups....due Nov 22, 2012. That is a nice size of litter for my girl, as it is her first . She is going to be a great mom and there is alot of interest in these pups. I am planning on keeping a female and hope to do search and rescue with her as well. We have a number of really good, working homes lined up for the remaining pups.
With her quiet, sweet demeanor and great work ethic , along with the father of the pups history of producing great working service dogs...these pups should be exceptional!!
To say I am excited is an understatement!! Can hardly stand the wait....at least it is only 63 days...don't we humans wish it was that quick for us !!
 She will be welped at my breeders in Calgary...for safety of her and the pups. I have a great vet that I trust totally but he is 45 mins away on good roads...don't want to risk it
Well stay tune for the birth announcement and photos.

Well it is really hard to see her expanding belly....but it is there trust me!! She has been so ravenous during her pregnancy that she has tried a few new methods to get food....counter surfing....which she had never done before...stealing out of my hand....while I am eating!!....never did that before and doubt she will again!!

She is being fed a really good , well balance raw diet and is eating better than me most days!!

She is really handling everything really well....can't wait to see those puppies!!

GOLDEN RETRIEVER PUPPIES......

Well I had to make a difficult decision....when to breed Quila....after much thought and soul searching I have decided to do it now. So she was bred this past weekend and is due Nov 22,2012. I am excited but also worried about her search and rescue training. Search and rescue is something we both enjoyed and she has been doing so well. I plan on continuing for as long as is safe for her and hopefully will only have a couple of down months. We will continue to do our practising at home as long as she is ok to do so , so that she doesn't loose too much.
 So I will now have the experience of balancing a pregnant dog with training...should be interesting.
I will be keeping one of the pups and hope to train her for search and rescue as well....that should make interesting blog material!!
We will do ultrasound the end of Oct ....stayed tuned....pregnant and how many?


QUILA ALL GROWN UP
AFTER A REFRESHING SWIM 



MANASLU AVALANCHE 2012

MANASLU

Shawn is the one in the front...the days before the avalanche

Little did he know that his trip would have such a sad and tragic end

Once again I will say that I don't usually talk about my day to life on this blog...it is for my dog activities...but I just wanted to talk about my son and his climb for a minute and then I will get back to dog business...some of you may have heard on the news this past weekend the in Nepal at Manaslu they had a avalanche on the mountain....my son is fine but was at camp two that was hit as well. As him and his tent partner were in their tent , they were woken up by the winds...they thought that they might be blow off the mountain. They did not know that there was an avalanche....their tent was collapsed and covered with snow....they were able to cut their way out of their tent and get out. No one in their camp was killed but 12 tents were hit, 2 slightly injured...which is lucky compared to camp three where 11 are known dead and many more missing....thanks you for your prayers ....I like to think it kept my son safe...now continue to pray for those missing and dead...and their families.

MANASLU

Now for those of you that don't know what that title means....it is a mountain...the 8th highest in the world....my son is climbing it right now. I don't usually put anything but my dog stuff on here but I thought some of you might be interested....you can follow him on his blog at peetclimb.com ....you can also go to  www.mountainguides.com/wordpress/climb/manslu/  and that will be updated with news of how they are doing....

 This is Shawn just about to leave for the airport....it took about 30 hrs to get there....his route was Houston to Newark to Dehli to Katmandu ....Nepal

Here they are setting up the tents for the night..

This trip will take about 40 days...he left on Aug 24,2012 and will return home on Oct 11,2012

This takes temendous training, determination and drive to complete something like this....he has made many climbs now...you can see them on his blog....but this is one of the highest....keep him in your thoughts and prayers for me....

A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING...SWIMMING, GEOCACHING, ARTICLING ETC

Well have been busy training with Quila for search and rescue....hard to take pics and run after her... sorry about that. We have been progressing her training and so now she has to wait to be release to find her "hider"...first it was a minute and then five ...we are now up to ten minutes. It hasn't seemed to bother her and she now knows she has to wait until I release her. I have to say I learned alot about the wind by watching her...the hiders have tried tricking her by going around things etc but it doesn't matter ....when she gets that scent she is gone right to them. I also made the mistake of correcting her when I thought she was going the wrong way, and in fact she had the person's scent thru the bushes and was going that way to her....as I had corrected Quila she would not alert on that person....I learnt a valuable lesson....listen to your dog and allow her to fiquare it out. About  a week later I was in a similar situation , due to the wind, and I allowed Quila to work thru it and she did...and alerted well on the hider.
We are also working the articles....we have decreased the number of articles and increased the area for her to search...it is going well. I have found that I really need to make this a fun activity as she was loosing interest ...so since I increased the " fun " of finding something it is going much better. We have also started to include some gun shell casings to see what she would do....this was after a discussion with a member of my local RCMP as they call their dogs in from a great distance to find evidence , such as guns , shell casings , knives etc. So I just wanted to see what she would do. The first time I put out a pile of them ....shs alerted no problem. The next time I only put out one , and it was hiden in high grass....she alerted really well on it. So I don't anticipate a problem. We want to try a gun next...empty of course.
Tracking has been on the back burner although I would like to get at it. Did do one short track the other day and she went no problem....the corners still need a little work but the biggest problem is that I need to learn to read her body language better and to trust her...getting there!

Well all work and no play makes for a dull girl and dog....so my friend, Jackie and her golden, Quincy came to the trabin for a visit....we did a short track ( as above) and some articles....them we did a geocache with the dogs ...it was so much fun

This is what we found...it had another rock on it. If you haven't tried it you really should....you can get the app...geocaching and you can see where some are in your area or you can go online to geocaching and print off the ones in the area where you will be....beware it can be addicting!! When you find the item....and they are all different....you will write the date and your names on the book in it ....then you will usually add an item inside and can take one if you want....great to do with kids

We tried a second one but where it was was in a swamp due to all the rain...have to go back when it dries up!

So the dogs were getting tired of this game so off to Peliquen Point ( spelled wrong I think)...to the lake.
I love this lake for the dogs ,as it goes out for a long ways before it gets deep....so they can run and play and not have to swim all day.

                                             I love this picture of Quincy bringing back the frisbee

The dogs had such a great time....my girlfriend and I enjoyed the sunny day as well.

Quincy will fetch all day long and did so!! Quila was learning to bring back the frisbee...she did pretty good but was really just happy running in the water.

This was the two dogs at the end of the day....I think they are both dreaming of the beach!!


The next day I headed off to Calgary to help my daughter move ....Jackie was so kind as to keep Quila for me for the day....when I went to pick her up she was having a blast with Jackie's dogs....in the water again!!

So all in all a great few days......and one very happy dog!!

I am hoping to breed Quila down the road....working it around Search and Rescue....we will see...but one of the things that my breeder and I want is to be responsible in our  breeding....we do not want contribute to the growing problems that our breed  has...as do all breeds... due to the breeding of purebreds that have genetic problems but are bred anyways passing on those issues to further offspring

So first we have tested her eyes and heart....all good.

Now we have had her hips and elbows tested...looks good but waiting on the official word....

We have also sent her blood to the states to be tested for the three prominant genetic issues with this breed....one test is completed and is negative...waiting on the other two....

So if all this testing is good then we will go ahead and breed her in the future.

Now if I haven't said it all correctly....I am sorry as I am a novice at this myself.

I just want to be sure that we are breeding healthy puppies and not passing on undesirable traits.