Big Ears Kennel: October 2015

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 !

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Happy Halloween !

My first pumpkin carving ! What do you think ? I did it without instructions ! Actually it's a Pink Banana Squash I took apart to save seeds .

Friday, October 30, 2015

Momma says . . .

"Clean your plate ! ". These pups all they do is eat , sleep , & poop ! If they do this now , what will they do in retirement .

Can't Believe We Ate The Whole Thing !

Puppies eating well & still nursing . No picker eaters here ! Starting to schedule for five week visits . New computer has me baffled , so please contact me through the the Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America web site ( breeders ) incase your email inquiry was lost to cyber space .

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Food Fight !

Three weeks old today . Been feeding the pups twice a day besides mom's milk bar . Will increase to three feedings plus mom . Hard part is getting them hungry enough to eat . Mom is too willing to feed them ! So I have to run mom out for an hour , to get them hungry .

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

. . . Tear Down That Wall !

Erin keeping a wall of safety between her & the pups .

" One , two . . . . eight , nine , yup they're all there !

Monday, October 26, 2015

Ninja Cardigans !

Erin using her stealth skills .

Belle risking the Ramp of Death , to make her move !

Da Boyz !

GCGeorge & Frank waiting to be let back in .

Let Me Bite Your Neck !

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Good News !

First time since her C-section , correction . . . Belle stopped eating 2 days prior C-section , that she ate a bowl of food by herself . Up to now she had me trained to hand feeding her , right out of my hand ! Sure I had plenty of females eating right out of my hand but this was different . The warmed food was a mixture of baby food , select tins from vet , yogurt , cooked duck eggs , chicken broth , & spooned on a Beggin Strip or my fingers . Feared she would be a fussy eater . This morning I was in a hurry & just left the exotic warm mixture , with kibble ( a first ) in front of Belle . When I returned , Belle had cleaned the bowl ! Excitement rocks the house ! ( Well it's more exciting then pooper scooping ! )

Before !

& After !

Saturday, October 24, 2015

My Belle

Belle has Bogarted the Greyhound's bed .

Dreaming hard of tropical vacation lands . Wait is that a lemon tree ?

Round 2 !

Earlier Today !

Late Breakfast Or Early Brunch ?

What ever ! Erin's litter working on table manners . Surprised how well they took to eating .

Friday, October 23, 2015

Aye Aye !

Or more correctly " Eye Eye ! " . Hard to see , dark eyes on dark puppies , but their eyes are open !

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Too Early ?

Setting up to start seedlings . February you onions . Note heat mats made out of recycled rope lights & stop lamps adjustable as plants grow . Warm spot in basement & some light from window . Will move seedlings to porch , more natural light & a little cooler .

What's New ?

Some of the pups are starting to open their eyes !

Monday, October 19, 2015

Cardigan Neighborhood Watch !

Joni perched up high & watching for evil doers !

Erin & Pups !

Look how big !

Sure grown a lot !

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Happier Days !

Belle playing with Scout . Early days . Yesterday Belle rushed to vet . A few days away from her due date , she started to leak a blackish fluid . Always a natural whelper , she needed a C-section . Vet saved 3 premmies . The fourth pup was long gone . Mom only starting to come into first milk today . Kate tube fed pups every 2 hours . Too weak to nurse on Erin . Still we lost another pup today .

Down to 2 pups but with Belle coming into milk , we might be able to save the rest . Might . Belle is a good mom , cries when pups away & cleans them . Question is are the pups strong enough to nurse ? This is the dark side of raising pups . You can do all you can , only to lose to Mother Nature . Maybe this is one of the many reasons there are few dog breeders & fewer Cardigan breeders . We take our good days for granted sometimes & look forward to more good days .

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Half The Whelping Room !

Pups .

Erin & pups .

Erin .

Belle's First Litter !

Because Belle had only one pup , we foster cared 2 King Charles Spaniel pups . The KCS pup's mom had no milk & Belle had plenty , way too much for one pup . Our pup also had playmates rather than being a lonely pup . That was Belle's first litter . Now we're working on her last !

Thanks Belle !

Spent another night in the Whelping Room waiting for Belle to whelp . She didn't eat all day yesterday & temperature dropped to 99.2 . It's true , a watched Cardigan never whelps ! Tomorrow is her due date , but last time she went a couple days over . Looks like another night in the Whelping Room , maybe more !

Friday, October 16, 2015

Where's Momma ?

Erin takes a well earned break . Past few nights I've been staying in the Whelping Room watching puppies & watching Belle if she whelps early . I don't know how Erin does it !