Big Ears Kennel: July 2014

Welsh Cardigans

We specialize in breeding quality Black & White and Blue Merle Cardigan Corgis since 1999 . Have taken a fancy to Black & Whites and Blue Merles with tan points . We offer puppies for sale to qualified homes and generally have three litters per year. Our older Cardigan friends will sometimes be placed in special homes to enjoy their retirement .

Thanks to the enforcement of zoning restrictions from the Town of Glenville , we are no longer allowed to have chickens . Still enjoy vegetable gardening . Wife's two retired Greyhounds have passed away , but we still have YoYo ( a 3 legged cat ) .

We welcome inquiries about Cardigans and am generally available by email , bigearsk@gmail.com . Am member of Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America . Breeder in good standing with AKC . Have AKC , Canadian champions & Grand Champions . Recently AKC notified us that based on our history , number of champions , showmanship , & number of litters successfully whelped , Big Ears Kennel can apply for Breeder of Merit status !

Over the years two things that bother me are ; those that ask only price & the term corgi . There are so many questions a interested party may ask about Cardigans , price should not be the first & only question ! One fellow's entire inquiry was " How much , might be interested in a female " ? My reply based on this limited inquiry was " $82,000 " . He did not appreciate my humor . Now corgi is my second bafflement . Few people realize there are two corgi breeds . I've answered " corgi " inquiries in great detail , in a series of emails , only to learn they were only interested in Pembrokes . So if you inquire about " corgis " , I will try to define which breed . If your only question is price , I may not reply !

Wish people will understand Mother Nature limits color & gender of pups available . We try to match the best pup to a good home . That can only be done by visiting & bonding . Shipping is not an option , too many horror stories . Many online sites promise Blue Merles & shipping . Before you send money to these sites , check them out . AKC states 80% are fronts for puppy mills & scams . Some will never see their money or puppy . One site had over 144 complaints !

A common request we get for this uncommon breed is " A Blue Merle female " . Cardigans are not a common breed . There are only a few breeders east of the Mississippi . Only a few of these breed for Blue Merles . To get a quality Blue Merle , one must breed to a Black & White for crisp color & avoid genetic faults attached to recessive genes . Breeding for Blue Merles a litter may produce one or two Blue Merles . One might be a female . For every Blue Merle pup we get 10 inquiries . So don't be hurt if Mother Nature is cruel !

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Snowbound Flashback !

The girls out for a walk last winter !

Paper , Plastic , Or Cat Condo ?

Cat in the bag !

Oops , new tenant ?

Eviction was rough !

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

A Cardigan's Dream !

Sunny is practicing to be the first Cardigan to swim the English Channel !

Monday, July 28, 2014

Tomato / Cardigan Patch !

Raised tomatoe containers ( 11 varieties , 22 containers ) take advantage of heat from tar mat Yet provide shade for Cardigans romp .

Just Hanging !

Frosty & Sally staying dry on the ramp .

My 3 Sons !

George

Ricky

Harry

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Happy Waldo !

Can you spot the Cardigan in this picture that likes to chase chipmunks ?

Saving PVT Ryan ?

No , Saving tomato seeds ! Selecting best tomatoes harvested from each variety . An average tomato yields 20 seed cells , which at $3 each , would earn the seed company about $60 !

3 Amigo's !

Sunny ( way back ) joins Alfie ( front ) & Frostie ( what's left ? ) to spell " T " ! Canine cheerleading is very popular in Europe too !

Friday, July 25, 2014

Joanne Learns New Trick !

Didn't know a Cardigan could play an air guitar ?

Thursday, July 24, 2014

BoBo King Of The Tomato Vines !

BoBo battling a dinosaur !

BoBo taking a coffee break !

Glenville Beauty !

Will save seeds from this one .

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Who's Your Daddy ?

Kydd meets his great great grandsire !

Why The Sad Face Scout ?

Family says they're happy & you're happy too !

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

" Two For The See-saw "

Believe " Two for the See-saw " an old Robert Mitchum movie . This is two Cardigans for the ramp !

Saturday, July 19, 2014

It's Too Quiet !

Erin senses evil about to happen

Run it's Daphne on attack ! Now Erin knows what it's like to be tormented by a younger pup !

Who's my next victim ?

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Bean Pickin"

Planted a 6X12 bean patch . Today picked second half . Now I remember after picking beans for a season at 15 for 85 cents a basket , why I didn't go back for a second season ! These purple beans are easy to spot at picking & turn green when cooked .

Seeing Double ?

No , Kate took in a second rescue Greyhound . Rose is a lighter tan than Dragon . Now I can watch 2 Greyhounds race into the kitchen as I cook !

First Tomato !

Raised tomato plants provide shade for Cardigans & soak up the heat from tarmat .

What's That ?

Daphne on stakeout .

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Frosty's big day out !

Frosty loves outdoors , even on high humidity days !

How To Catch Bigfoot !

First Hestia masters the art of stalking !

Then Hestia springs into action . Like a true predatory , Hestia focused on the weak & young . Here's Hestia with a young Big Foot . Unlike all the other Big Foot sightings , this one's in focus !

Sunday, July 13, 2014

The Tale ( Tail ? ) Of Frosty !

Frosty was whelped , breach birth & dead on May 08, 2014 , after being stuck overnight in the birth canal . His story should have ended there , as his lifeless body was forcibly wrestled out . As the vets turned their attention to save the remaining puppies with a C-section , one assistant said " Wait a minute ! " & ran off with Frosty's lifeless frame . With all the pulling , he was more a torn rag than a puppy . A few minutes later , she returned with a happy hungry pup ! Next day we returned with the litter to have dewclaws removed . I noticed in the batch of moving puppies , Frosty's back paw was black ( ? ) . Seems while stuck in the birth canal the cord wrapped tight around his paw & cut off circulation to the whole leg . Now Frosty was facing being put down after surviving whelping . Everyone cried . Then we decided to wait . Surgery would have killed him ( too young ) . So Frosty was sent home under the care of my wife ( Kate former nurse ) & myself . We were told his leg would most likely fluff off , if he didn't die of gangrene . Somehow Frosty never gave up , he never knew how serious his condition was & once again survived and flourished ! The vet was amazed . Now Frosty can go to a special caring home . What a story . What a dog . You'd think being born a " White Head " ( mismarked ) would have been enough of a cross to bear ! Frosty's everything you could ever want in a Cardigan & moves well .