Plans

So things have changed here, or maybe they are settled rather than changed. Sammi's wonderful hip/elbow score means that I can now hopefully continue my line through her, as would obviously be my preference.

But what of the other girls? Well I will now permanently cancel plans to mate Jezi and spay her, she is a lovely bitch but has the highest hip score of the three, and a colour that I, like a lot of judges can not see past. (and she is likely to produce it in some offspring she may have - can you imagine the disappointment of great conformation and poor colour?) She also has a season every 4 - 5 months and as she has not had a litter it puts her at a higher of uterine/ mammary problems.  I hope I'm making the right decision as she does have lovely conformation and super movement, but in my eye Ziva and Sammi are more where I want to go with my line. Jezi and Nico dote on each other and neutering her also means that they can always be together! So no date set, but maybe bite the bullet and do it next month!
As I mentioned I will not be spaying Ziva, well you never know plans do change, things go wrong and keeping her entire means I will have a back up plan. Ziva has a season every 8 months or so, and having had a litter there are less future health risks for her than Jezi. Obviously if Sammi falls pregnant than Ziva can be spayed!
So when will I be mating Sammi? - Well depending on her seasons maybe at the end of 2016. She will be about 3 years by then, I want to campaign her in the ring for at least another 12 months without a break ... and I do prefer a Winter litter! No doubt from now on I will be taking a lot more interest in unrelated males with great health tests who are producing well. If I had to mate her tomorrow I know who I would choose, but a lot can happen in 12 months!
At the show last week end someone made a comment that was actually quite hurtful to myself and Ian. (Loki's breeder) I had decided to just put it out of my mind, but now I've been dwelling on it and it's really bugging me. So hopefully writing about it will help me forget it and move on! She insinuated, actually no she blatantly came out and said that I only had Loki because he was a "freebie!" Well anyone who knows me or even just reads this blog will know that I had a hell of a crisis of conscience over having Loki. I really did not want to bring a puppy in, but in the litter he always caught my eye. Yes I worried at the time that I was making a mistake, but as it happened he's fit in so well here, to be honest he's just another Blanik now! Also what she may not realise is that I gave up a lot to have Loki, I cancelled my plans to mate Jezi to Nico early this year, as I said at the time it was one or the other. And now, because Loki is here Jezi will not be having a litter at all, so actually if she thinks it's about finances (which it never was) I'm actually at a loss! Do I regret my decision? Hell no, not for one minute! Loki is part of our family, and as his name sake suggests he's quite the clown, mischievous and funny, cuddly and affectionate and he's growing up to be strikingly good looking. It's funny how the bigger picture comes together ... I guess these things are meant to be!