Last night was my first night back in bed for almost a month, but it was still a night with things to do. We put Sammi in her crate as we went to bed, but I knew she would not be able to go the whole night without checking on her brood. I set the alarm for 3am and got up to feed her and allow her time with the pups. 45 mins later she had fed them, cleaned them and was ready to go back to bed, it was 7am before she next let us know that she needed to see the kids. Not a bad night for us all then!Sammi is starting to struggle to feed the pups now their canines are coming through. Really the ball is in her court and with us feeding them 4 times a day it really is up to her to call time on it. I guess she will start spending less time with them now too, but they still have so much to learn from her the other adults and us.
My heart is still set on keeping a male, I really hope one of these boys will be right for me. Of course one is pulling at my heart strings, but he may not necessarily be the right one! I'm trying not to get too close to him, I know full well the disappointment of a stunning male not having both his testicles! A necessity in a show dog, but not in a pet dogs who merely needs neutering once the growth plates have closed, at around 18 months. Leaving a dog with an undescended testicle within the body poses a high risk of the testicle becoming cancerous in middle aged dogs, it is too hot within the body for the testicle, therefore not neutering is not an option... anyway I've digressed. If the males are not suitable for me then I will keep a female. First and foremost I bred this litter for me, to be left with nothing would be too much for me and whilst I don't want to let anyone down I have to put myself first! Hopefully it won't come to that and one of the boys will have a future here and in the show ring.
I got a little sensitive yesterday as so many people commented on the photo of one pup and said sod all about the others. Yeah a handsome pup ... but they are all our babies and I did honestly feel it! Like I say I was probably being over sensitive and over thinking it but when people put photos of a litter on I do try and share my comments through out! Anyway today I decided to take the 2 x 2 photos which proved the photo and not the pup was the reason for the attention!It's hard to believe that we are now half way through our time with them. The hard work for Sammi will now reduce and the hard work for us really begins. I can only hope the dry weather continues as they get older so we can set the puppy pen out in the yard for them during the day. To add insult to injury Kaiah is now a few days into her season ... obviously the wrong time to mate her but hopefully in 6 months we can reassess. I can't tell you how much I want a sable Zalu x Kaiah daughter. So much about Zalu makes me think of Louis ... I'm not saying he looks like him, though Milano his sire does .. but yeah that spark that Zalu has so reminds me of Louis ... the highest praise ever from me!
