Hi Eye Winnie

The first to have her little eye open. 

I know she can't see us yet, but it add character, and she soon will.

Today I have put a puppy collar on Spice, telling her and Chilli apart is paramount, and with Ginger not far behind it was becoming confusing. I can't believe how much little Basil has caught up now. Though smaller than Fudge still they are hard to tell apart at first glance, but Basil still has his white tip to the tail. To be honest if they are like Kaiah the tail tips will stay till the adult coat comes through and that will continue to be helpful for us.

Wake Up

I woke up suddenly to see the most beautiful face looking down at me - yes Sammi B was on the camp bed. It held the weight of both of us too, LOL 

She didn't stay long, just sat staring at me for a while then went back off to see to her kids. 

Blustery Out There Today

I'm Scared

Beautiful Biscuit

Like the rest of us I'm not too proud to admit I'm really scared. I go to bed hoping there will be less deaths tomorrow ... sadly it's still increasing. These are times that no one could prepare for and I think anyone who says they aren't just a little bit scared are either lying or stupid.
Had I envisaged this back in January then I would never have mated Sammi, but back then this was simply something nasty that was going on in China, to my mind not something that would ever reach our shores. It's effect on the country, on the world will be dramatic, well it is already.
I was sat here waiting to see if Asda had any slots I could book for shopping, I was hoping they would go online at midnight ... but then I realised it was only 11pm - Steve had already changed the clocks! Damn it I'm easily confused. With his health conditions it really is best that neither of us go out, but if I can't get food in for the second week of April then I'll have to do the trolley dash of death again!
I'm so worried about the future for the little family asleep in the kitchen. I can only hope that in 7 weeks time that things will be a little better and that their owners can indeed come and get them. I also hope that the people who are waiting patiently for them will be well and still in a position to want a puppy. Life is on a knife edge as it never has been before for most of us. The K kids will be ready to leave  from the 14th Of May, which is a Thursday so really ideally over those next 4 days. Will I be able to get them Vet Checked and Chipped .. as is required by law? I don't know. Of course vaccinations and the do I or don't I scenario will have to be addressed again. Of course if things are still as they are now then I have to do my very best by the K Kids. At least they are not puppies in kennels, their socialising will be well on it's way. They will hear the hoover, see the TV, meet the cats, play with uncle Ross and maybe even meet Mr Grumpy Loki .. and I could even take them for a drive round the field in the van ..LOL Don't tell Steve I said that!

Fudge - 2 days ago 

I spent the afternoon trying to sort out the registrations online. It just wasn't working, figuring it was me getting it wrong I kept at it until Id explored every avenue. Eventually I message Joe, I wish then I'd done it earlier, with Sisco being still in the ownership of his breeder in Italy the KC will only process the registration on paper. Oh God I'd not done paper registrations for years, it took me ages. Then I considered that if the KC are working from home that it may take ages to get them sorted. Hmmm, I had a rain wave, maybe in the current climate they will accept scans on the documents? That would also mean paying by card ... seems the better option than posting. I'll Ring them on Monday and ask, if not I guess I'll be walking to the post box!
I'm being asked over and over what I'm keeping, well to be honest I don't know. I really would prefer a boy, but I need a dog with show potential and if the girls out class the boys on that then I would be silly not to keep a female. I have three boys booked and a gentleman waiting to see if there will be one left for him, there will only be if I keep a bitch and not a dog. There are two bitches unsold, but I feel it is best I only commit to selling one more, should I get further enquires then I would have to put them in the picture and ask if they would like to wait and see what I decide to do. I do not want to turn round to anyone last minute and say for example, "sorry I've decided to keep brother and sister so you can't have one".. Honesty will be the best policy,and as long as anyone else who now enquires about a bitch understand like the gentleman waiting for dog no 4 then no one gets hurt. In that position I will always try and help people find the right puppy too.
20 mins to go before midnight. I do hope Asda add mor times to the list... Night all

Ken's Feet

A lot of this litter had white feet which has been helpful to identify them. Now the white is fading so fast I'm getting a little confused with the girls. Ginger has lost her two left feet making her almost impossible to tell apart from Chilli and Spice. The three are like peas in a pod, so hard to tell apart. Winnie is similar to them but smaller. Beth still has some white on her feet but also a white flash on her chest so she is easy to identify.

Ken had the most white in this litter, Biscuit has nothing with Fudge having a little and Basil a little more. At around 4am I was getting Sammi a drink and saw baby Ken in this position, (Above) well the phone had to come out - and then I noticed his feet - OMG look at the dark hair coming through already. How fascinating is that. I wonder how long before that white is completely gone too?

The bottom photos were taken last night, baby Beth with her little white flash on her chest - and Basil with his tipy toes and tail. The way things are going I will need coloured collars to identify this lot! 

Everyone was weighed yesterday and all are doing OK. For so many of them Sammi is doing them proud. Basil really has put on a fair bit but Winnie and Beth are still small .. but to be honest have put on about the same as the others, they were just smaller to start off with!

One Week Old

11.42 pm last night - 7 days old - just!

Happy At Home

Though they haven't been off the property in days we and they are blessed to have so much space.

A Week Ago

Last Thursday morning and we toddled around the field, Sammi giving little indication the K kids were on the way that day. 

Not quite a week old - but luckily they all made it before midnight. I'll get them photographed and weighed tomorrow. They are so much smaller than her last litter, but I guess these are a little more normal size wise. Already huge puppies at birth and with all that milk the other three seem to double in size in front of my eyes... We do have some smaller pups here but we make sure they get the chance to go for the best milk ... they will catch up ... they always do. 

A Winnie Wash

a photo to melt the heart 

Long Coats?

Last night was not the most peaceful of nights, someone screaming, shouting and getting in a muddle on a regular basis. I must admit I was glad when the day shift got up at 7am and I got a couple of hours in a proper bed.
My early prediction is that there are no Long Coats (LSH) in this litter. Of course it's early days but at the moment I can not see that classic LSH head shape in any of them. For a bit of fun last night I posted on a GSD page on Facebook, "how many LSH can you see?" Of course some took it seriously, but mostly it was taken as it was meant. Sammi did not produce any in her previous litter, but with only three there that wasn't maybe an accurate conclusion that she does not carry the gene. Kaiah, her daughter is tested - and does carry the gene, but of course she could have inherited that from Merlot.
In the current climate selling these puppies will be a different and difficult experience for me. This will be the first time that maybe I'll have to let the pups go to their new homes without having previously met the owners. I will just have to go with my gut. At least I'm already in contact with everyone and most have come to me through friends in the breed. Typically so far I could have sold 2 more males, but I have 2 females that are yet to be spoken for .. there is interest but nothing confirmed. Still it's very early days. I need to reassess my contract and discuss it with the prospective buyers too.. and I enjoyed looking at one of the prospective homes on google earth - with the owners full knowledge of course!