And the answer is....

Well with a very heavy heart I am posting that the ultrasound says we have no puppies. The vet searched for over 45 minutes, because she was convinced there should be puppies.

As soon as we have figured out what is the best path to follow is we will let you know!

Week 2

Here is Envy week 2, (post floors!! The grout, I'm told, will follow shortly). Two more weeks and we can go for the ultrasound.

Day # 8 (Week 1)

I know, I know...no real change, but I would be remiss if I didn't post it. Keep in mind that this picture was taken post dinner one hour.

Day #1 Photo August 28th 2006

So I figured that we could all be on preg-watch together. Here is a picture of Envy hanging out in the kitchen (pre-tile, for those that follow that drama!) the day of her surgical insemination, if you look closely enough you can see the sutures. I'm hoping if I take a picture every Monday then we can all look for changes.

The time is now!

Envy goes in for the surgical A.I. tomorrow early afternoon. Then we wait, and wait some more! I figure we will go for a palpation and ultrasound during the last week of September to see if we have puppies.

Happy thoughts everyone!

Stuttering Blood Work

Well in typical fashion Envy who can't make anything easy. Her progesterone tests started at 2.1, rose to 2.3, then dropped to 1.7....for those who don't know, it's not helping! LOL We will do more blood work tomorrow and hopefully it will be between 4.8 and 5.5, then we're off to the races!

More PWD Puppy Pictures

Silver Curly Parti Boy Light Wavy Girl
Parti Wavy Boy

PWD Puppy Pictures

Wavy BoyMini Me and Silver Parti (Both boys)
Dark Wavy Girl
Mini Me Wavy Boy
Curly Boy

We have lift-off!!

Well maybe lift off isn't the best analogy, but at least Envy's progesterone tests are saying that she is going to play nicely with us! Envy will go back in for another progesterone tomorrow (Thursday Aug 17th) and if all goes well we will be back in for the surgical AI on either Sunday or Monday. Everyone keep their fingers (...toes, and any other crossable bits) crossed!

If anyone wants the science lesson of progesterone tests keep reading....

When we do progesterone tests to the Lab, it is a blood sample that is collected, spun down to separate serum and red cells and then sent on for testing. Once the Lab gets a hold of the sample they will produce a number measuring the level of progesterone in the bitches system to tell us what stage of estrus she is in.

The results that we got back stated that Envy has 2.1 ng/nmol in her system which tells us that her progesterone is on the rise and needs to be tested further until it rises over 5ng. At 5ng Envy will have ovulated. With frozen semen it can only stay alive in the uterus for 12 hours which is a very small window of opportunity! So if we know that she ovulates at 5 ng, and that it takes 72 hours for the eggs to mature to be fertilized we bump up our chances and odds for a successful litter.

Make sense? LOL :)

My Precious

Have you ever found that when you know too much about things you tend to worry more? All happy with the thought that Envy was coming into heat and we could start dreaming of a Dane litter, when those nasty little thoughts came creaping forward from the back of my mind.

You know those thoughts of self doubt and worry...maybe she's not in heat but an open pyometra, do you really want puppies ready to be going to their new homes around Christmas?, winter puppies are harder.

So here we wait for the vet to come back from vacation to settle my mind, but until then, I'll go sit in my corner and mimic Smeagol (Gollum), muttering insanities for "my precious".

Are the Fates playing nicely??

Envy might be starting to think about getting with the program and going into heat!! We would be on day one or two today (I believe Day 2), I will take her into the vet shortly to start our progesterone testing to 'see' where we are in the cycle due to the wait we've had.

Everyone think happy thoughts!!

Self Imposed Quarantine Lifted

After the tragic loss of Luke in a matter of hours from him not feeling well, we placed all the girls in a self imposed quarantine until we heard from the necropsy (animal autopsy). We just recently got the results and it seems that Lucas had passed away from a rare type of pneumonia caused by gulping food (at least that was the translation from the vet).
I just wanted everyone to know that the girls are all doing great and will be happy to go out for walks and adventures again!

Envy's Health Certifications!!

I just got Envy's OFA Hips in the mail....it was EXCELLENT!! Yeah!

I'm not all happy because of the health of the bitch (...that's why I got her), but I think the reason it makes me so happy is that I took the xrays myself (vet was too busy with an emergency c-section)!

I scanned everything and posted it so you can see what the reports look like.

Introducing the Gang...

In no particular order...The Gang:

Gold Collar Girl

Large Parti Boy

Teal Boy

Small Parti Boy

Silver Boy

No Collar Girl

No Collar Boy

Gold Collar Boy

Blue Boy

and the number is 9!

So last night 07/07/2006, Tuesday had 9 puppies (7 boys and 2 girls).

Here is the crew: Now if only the Dane would co-operate and come into heat!

13 days to go

With 13 days to go I am starting to take bets as to how many puppies! Next week I will have an x-ray done and see how many kids we have. A trip to Anipet for whelping supplies is in order.

Time will tell...

Here is a picture of Tuesday about 6 weeks along, with approximately 3 weeks to go. Looks like hoping for a litter of 5-6 was way off!

Dog People...

When I was young my Mother taught (beat into me) me certain manners; it's polite to say/not say this or that, catch more flies with sugar, give people the benefit of the doubt....So as I aged, through various employment and situations I refined this 'politeness', but there are days when I wonder if I was the only one who got beaten, uuhh...I mean, taught manners?

Has no one else heard the expression, "If you have to ask, you can't afford it!"???
I consider myself a very patient person with newbies and usually will be more then happy to overlook the faux pas that they get themselves into, but why, oh Lord why, do I set myself up every time?

As a breeder we get tons of enquiries daily about puppies, but 80% of them are carbon copies of each other and read something like this:
"I want a Dane puppy. How much?"
Some aren't even run through a spell checker and I'm lucky to get the use of capitals or punctuation.

Do people actually think I would waste my time responding?? If you can't even take the effort to put together a short explanation of who you are, why you want a Dane and proof that you have done some research, why should I believe that you will put any love or effort into a Dane puppy?

Of course I thought I was crazy because I'm a dog person but I'm really starting to wonder if maybe I'm the sane one and non dog people are crazy....

I'll stop ranting now.

And the answer is...

Tuesday is pregnant!!! I palpated her and she is full of puppies. Hopefully not an obscene amount like her grandmother (13 puppies). Because it's soooo obvious that she is prego I doubt that we will do an ultrasound....but there will be an x-ray done after day 54.

Now if Envy would just play the game and come into heat we'd be stylin'!

Soon?

Well we've had one near bitch fight between Tonka and Envy and even Lucas (neutered male) seems kafuffled when Envy is near. She also seems to be paying more attention to her rear.

So maybe, just maybe the Dog God will make this process happen shortly!

...And we wait some more...

... at least we got Envy's finishing picture! I'm starting to think that this lousy weather is effecting the whole process. So here we sit and wait some more.


Tuesday will be going into the vet for an ultrasound in 5 days to see if we will be blessed with puppies in July. I will try and get photo's of the ultrasound when we go.

Champion!

Envy proved that even with dropped ears, she has it! She is now Can Ch Diamond Danes Heavenly Sin. Way to go Envy!!

Tuesday did her thing today too!! Not to be left out, she took Reserve Winners! Although no points she showed very well today. Sandy says she isn't eating well (could have fooled me the way she snarffled back my bait!!), so here we are, fingers crossed, hoping that she's pregnant!

Auld Lang Syne Results (sun/mon)

Sunday May 21st 2006

Judge: Dr. H Smith (1-3-0-0)

BOB/BOW/WD - Ladoguerie Blackstrap a Ranconteur (12-18 mth Black)Breeder: Michele Valois
Owner: Annette Gauthier & Michele Valois
Handler: Cynthia Lerfold

WB - MiHi's It's All About Me, CD (needs 1 pt to finish)
B/O/H: Michele Grenkow

BP - Lagarada's Forever After At MiHi
Breeder: Fran Lass
Owner: Michele Grenkow & Ellie Hunter
Handler: Michele Grenkow

Monday May 22th 2006

Judge: Mr W Schicker (1-3-0-0)

BOB/BOW/WD - Ladoguerie Blackstrap Le Ranconteur (Finished!!)
Breeder: Michele Valois
Owner: Annette Gauthier & Michele Valois
Handler: Cynthia Lerfold

WB/BOS - Diamond Danes Heavenly Sin (FINISHED!!!)
Breeder: Karen Martin
Owner/Handler: Michele & Darcy Grenkow

BP - Lagarada's Forever After At MiHi
Breeder: Fran Lass
Owner: Michele Grenkow & Ellie Hunter
Handler: Michele Grenkow

BBE - MiHi's It's All About Me, CD
B/O/H: Michele Grenkow

Day 3 of Shows

Well I'm now in that position that no breeder ever wants to be in. I have two bitches at nine points, up against each other for their championship tomorrow.

With each bitch I have a lot invested; Dade is my own breeding, can be used towards my judge credits, is another champion for both Tonka and Rocket and makes her a dual champion (conformation and obedience). Envy is due to be bred, her Canadian championship is the stepping tone to her American championship and it would be another champion for Sarah and Ace.

So here I am, torn, wanting both to win as equally as the other, but hating leaving it up to chance.

The Dreaded Nine

So Envy is now at the dreaded nine points...in Canada it takes 10 points to make a champion, so to have 9 points is a nail bitter! Tonka stayed on 9 points for 3 years (not that I showed her, but still!)

Tuesday can't seem to catch a look in the ring, but was showing beautifully today.

Results from Friday and Saturday Show (Danes)

Friday May 19th 2006
Judge: Ms D Graffmann (1-2-0-0)

BOB/BOW/WD - Ladoguerie Blackstrap a Ranconteur (12-18 mth Black) Breeder: Michele Valois
Owner: Annette Gauthier & Michele Valois
Handler: Cynthia Lerfold

WB/BBE - MiHi's It's All About Me, CD (now has 7 points!)
B/O/H: Michele Grenkow

Saturday May 20th 2006
Judge: Mr F Neuwirth (1-3-0-0)

BOB/BOW/WD - Ladoguerie Blackstrap Le Ranconteur (& a Group 3!!) Breeder: Michele Valois
Owner: Annette Gauthier & Michele Valois
Handler: Cynthia Lerfold

WB - Diamond Danes Heavenly Sin (now at 9 points!)
Breeder: Karen Martin
Owner/Handler: Michele Grenkow

Dog Show This Weekend

We started the Auld Lang Syne Show today. Had the girls entered to finish up their respective championships.
I'll actually be good and post the results throughout the weekend. Neither of the girls took points to day but one of my other Danes did, so that was nice.
Hopefully by the end of the weekend someone will be finished!
Maybe if I get a chance I'll get some pictures at the show this weekend and have more pictures to post. Sandy (Tuesday's owner) wasn't impressed by the tongue shot that I posted, so we'll have to fix that.

As a side note: Huge Congrats to Erin and her new position as a Wrangler (aka Teacher) of First Graders! Here's hoping the little beggars don't tie you up on your first day.

Pregnancy Calendar

I've added a calendar for those who want to track Tuesday's possible pregnancy. It's interesting for those new to dogs and a good tracker of large milestones.

Now if I pray to the Dog Gods, maybe Envy will come into heat! I'm not sure if we planned this very well, we have a potential to have two litters on the ground at the same time and it's not all puppy breathe and cuddling!! I start to go a bit twitchy by week 7 with one litter, can you imagine 2? Hopefully with the 4 years in between my last liter and this one I will have recharged my batteries.

Envy just has to have her OFA Hip test done (other then the preliminary x-rays) to get her CHIC certificate, and then if we have puppies they would be third generation CHIC!

The Deed is Done

We took Tuesday to Val and Dave's place and got a breeding to Sailor on May 8th-10th 2006. So now we keep our fingers crossed for 28 days and then run her up to the vet for an ultrasound.

A friend who is a PWD lover, already said that if we get puppies I can do a photo shoot by her lake (every PWD needs their own photo shoot!). If all works out maybe I can start to learn how to do the Courier and other water tests.

Envy is being stubborn and won't come into heat....they don't call 'em bitches for nothing! I'm so excited to use the frozen semen that we brought up from Lagarada. I'm hoping that Travis will be just that perfect compliment of body, substance and movement, to Envy. Then we just keep our fingers crossed that there are a few fawn girls to choose from! (Travis is known for throwing boys.)

I'm happy with the companion people that I have started to line up for both litters, I'd love more show homes, but who wouldn't!

I am nervous that Tuesday will have a typical Portie litter of 11 puppies, thruthfully I just haven't the homes yet for the possibility of such a large litter. Porties are too much of a working dog to place with just anyone. They need experienced dog people who are active.

Time will tell how it all will turn out, and our journey begins.

This is Tuesday, That's Eh EuphoricFX, a parti Portuguese Water Dog. She is owned by Sandy Potter of EuphoricFX and leased by me for this litter.

This is Diamond Danes Heavenly Sin, "Envy". A brindle, Great Dane, with 7 points towards her Canadian championship.

A Breeders Blog

Have you ever noticed that when you start a sentence with "I have an idea!..." people around you cringe and run for cover? ....or is that just me? Well my brilliant idea this time was to start a blog to document my thoughts as a Breeder with two completely different litters planned. I know for sure that I will entertain myself, which I guess in the end is all that matters, so here it starts a blog about 2 litters (Great Dane and Portuguese Water Dog) from start to finish.