Saturday, September 30, 2023
Monday, September 25, 2023
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
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
Sunday, September 17, 2023
Saturday, September 16, 2023
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
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
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 !
