Big Ears Kennel: September 2023

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, September 30, 2023

Do Cardigans Get Along With Cats ?

Monday, September 25, 2023

Phoebe On Watch !

Saturday, September 23, 2023

Noisy Fall !

First day of Fall & all the boys are singing ! My girls are taking turns coming into heat & driving my boys crazy ! Not looking for winter litters so Cardigan Romance will have to wait . I wouldn't mind but when I let the Cardigan Romeos run with the girls , all I get is 5 days of circus clowns trying to push wheelbarrows across the yard before giving up in embarrassment ! With all the boys crying & howling for Cardigan Romance , I have to go to the vet for A.I. if I want puppies !

Friday, September 22, 2023

Jane & Lucy Ask !

With Fall here , how many Cardigans do you need to warm the pet bed ?

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Blow The Royal Birthday Trumpets !

Today's King Charles ( my Chuck ) first birthday !

Sunday, September 17, 2023

Sandy !

Doing the Woodchuck Stance !

Saturday, September 16, 2023

The Mirror Twins !

What to do on Saturday morning ?

Poor Response ?

To plan a litter of Cardigans , we are under Mother Nature's & AKC's rules ! Mother Nature allows Cardigan females to come into heat twice a year . AKC only lets one to breed 2 out of 3 heat cycles , giving mom a chance to rest . So to add numbers to this system , one has to plan at least 6 months in advance , with 63 days to whelp & 8 weeks to wean . Unlike hamsters that have 13 days gestation !

Then breeders are thrown curves . Mother Nature isn't always on schedule . Breedings aren't always successful . Cardigan Romance can get complicated ! It's impossible to predict colors , litter size , & genders ! Health issues can arise . The Beatles were wrong when they said " All you need is love " !

Recent trends have breeders confused . During the Pandemic people demanded puppies far beyond reason . Now the demand has tapered off . Over the years people get the puppy urge in mid-June for Summer puppies . Impossible for Mother Nature to meet . As shown it takes 6 months plus to plan a litter . So do we encourage Cardigan Romance or wait for puppy lust returns ? Maybe until the villagers storm the castle , as in Frankenstein , with torches demanding Cardigans . . . we might hold off having litters ?

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

On Your Mark , Get Set . . .

Wylie please wake up !

Worth Repeating !

Before I started breeding Cardigans , I showed them . Did fairly well , made grand champion , then devoted my time to breeding . Goal was to breed stable stock the ancient Welsh farmers would approved .

Sunday, September 10, 2023

Cardigan Traits !

Many Cardigans display common traits . There's the Zig Zag run . Cardigan stare . The Woodchuck stand . Add the Cardigan Smile as shown by Betty Boop !

Using My Psychic Gift !

What will I have for dinner ? Hmm . Getting an image , but with bacon ! I smell bacon !

Saturday, September 9, 2023

Jane Doing Saturday In Cardigan Style !

Let's Play Poker !

Cardigans ; three of a kind is a full house ! Maddie ( back ) , a AKC champion in 8 shows , Cary her pup ( middle ) , & Riley a pillow !

Friday, September 8, 2023

Hey How Do Your Dogs Get Along With Cats ?

Get that question a lot , but no one ever asks about ferrets !

Wednesday, September 6, 2023

Don't Get Mud In Your Eye !

Hard to tell , as flash wiped out most of mud , but compare before & after !

Monday, September 4, 2023

Going To Be A Heat Wave !

In Upstate NY , 3 or more days in a row of 90 degrees is a heat wave . In Southwest , 3 days in a row of 90 degrees , is called Monday ! We just set a rainfall record in July , after a cold late Spring . This " heat wave " will kill off my garden ! My Cardigans are facing cool baths & shady spells outside , to beat the heat .

Saturday, September 2, 2023

Human Nature !

Why is it people ask for female pups , when all there are . . . are male pups & male pups , when all there are . . . are female pups ? Breeders take what genders & colors Mother Nature gives us .

Man applies strict standards to dog breeds , especially herding Breeds . Cardigans , originally bred by ancient Welsh farmers as multi-purpose farm dogs , now have show standards . Erect ears are attractive , but does that help a Cardigan's original purpose ? The majority of my pups go as companions , a true gift of the Cardigan , not show rings or farms . Temperament & health are most important . How many of the breeders & owners would pass the standards we apply to our dogs ?

Sassy's ears are not perfect but she is pure Cardigan . She'd settle into homegirl or farmgirl but not show ring . . . but there are a dozen other AKC events she could handle , with right human companion !