All pups are 3 days old. Oh my god, I was so wrong.

 JANIE ORDER THE AKC PAPERS TODAY. SCANNER/CHIPS TOO

Birth order of the pups by the way. Number 7 was born on 11/27. and those after

11/30/2021 514pm Did the ENS tonight. Humans are born with two innate fears. Loud noises and fear of falling. I am not sure if it translates to dogs but it is close. Light was burning so we can film. Lucy went to play with the squirrel and I did the Early neurological stimulation now I can catch them at an off time. But lime green and brown collar did well the first go round.  And oh, took my owner who talked me into Puppy culture (took her a whole 1hr and 45 mins to catch that! inside joke) but since first time, we didn't do the cold towel and the qtips on the toes. but we hold them up right in the air for 5 seconds. give them a break, hold them upside down (nose pointing to the ground for 5 seconds give a break and then belly up (supine) for 5 seconds. So day 1 of early neurological stimulation. Lucy went out to play with the squirrel while I went through the litter and you only do once a day until their eyes open. Marked on this record. I promise when it comes to shots wormer vaccinations? I promise will take more than this. I have the vet segregate in the records ( I went to the vet yesterday with emerald green/orange and yellow.) they are already in my vets system. Meaning this becomes ens record. Vet records? rofl. How about you get those records as detailed as this blog. Not a one pager, you will get vet records. 

11/30/2021 320pm Lucy is eating like a queen. Yesterday at the vet , my vet said asked "You feed raw right? Make sure she has liver."  I do love the fact that my vet and I are very open with each other and I wouldn't have it any other way. I need my vet on my side irrespective how they feel about my methodology but he doesn't chide me. And we don't actually feed raw all the time. But she won't touch the expensive can of green tripe so husband today brought home PACKS of liver from walmart and costs like $3 dollars. Now you can't feed too much liver at once that is too much Vitamin A. that poop goes black way to much but she got a decent helping of seared liver. And gobbled it up. He also said vitamin supplements of calcium. Now that is harder at the moment. She still is particular but she will be in full force soon. I think she finished her afterbirth, read the first post of today. 

And tonight we start Puppy Culture. Early Neurological stimulation. At this stage, we won't be able to video it. John will probably take her out to distract her, while I start the ENS. 

Puppy culture I was talked into by an owner who was a first time owner of a german shepherd and she was impressive in her research. She bought from our 2018 litter (Edelweiss' littermate) do you know she is a german shepherd trainer now? With a waiting list??? I know a lot of trainers and refer them all the time and said, please make a spot on my list. but as mentioned know a lot of trainers and one was looking for an apprentice and my owner asked me about it. I said you would be perfect!  I gave huge reference. You listen well, contemplative, you analyze and research. The trainer who hired her, came back and said I am looking for another trainers and I said "I don't grow (OWNER) on trees! I am careful about privacy but I said I wish I could grown an orchard. But the aforementioned owner whom I bet she is watching.  "A" I know you too well! haha Clocking to see when you message me! You are probably training a dog! But in any event Puppy culture is a process to condition the dog. We do a twist with bowl drops and umbrellas but promise you will see that. 

We have a youtube channel and it shows the volhards from years past and a lot of stuff ----but click this link-----> Early Neurological Stimulation Is a video of us personally doing it and we have a youtube channel so the video is of us doing it and will occur tonight but I got 4s on elevation on that volhard. Will explain that as we get there. 

We do this from today (3 days after birth) until eyes open. 

11/30/21 129pm Breeders diary- lol. As I typed this? One male goes to reserve until after Volhards. Gives me wiggle on the match. 

I think I may reserve a boy for wiggle, have done it every time before. Now that I think about it I know I will. I have donated a dog that was the highest of drive. Too much dog. Yep as I type this? Yep one is reserve.  Called in the deposits of $100. $1,700 due at date of sale. Initials are DJB, AF, KR, KE, TIA, and I am keeping female pick of litter. After the volhard tests, I contact the owners and we together discuss the right boy. I ship the exercise pen, a done deal. We send a ton of supplies included. Exercise pens, food collar leash bowl puppy pads, mom's scent, papers contract, whew, mason jar for the night of.  That leaves 4 males. I have historically kept one in reserve for wiggle. I have always did a reserve and may do it now. What I mean is if I keep one boy reserved? I have more wiggle to match the owners to the pup.  I have always done reserve. I am not worried about getting the owners for the pups. Some dropped off because I didn't have enough females and I don't blame them for that. Why I don't call in deposits until after the birth and a few days. I know what I have. But I do believe in getting the dog you want. There is only one adherence I do and that is sex. Coat color etc I don't.  I will probably post on AKC marketplace just for validity. But I tell knew breeders, reputation is everything. You gain a solid one? You don't have to worry about owners. After five years, gained it. New breeders see other breeders command prices and I am a little on the cheap side but it is a sweet spot. I get the owners I want. My owners are dreams and if you are a "Whelping box to grave breeder" like I am? Owners are EVERYTHING! I can make the most fantastic dog in the world but with the wrong owner? Tree in the forest. And I take back my dogs. I don't get returns often. Only once. And I rehomed myself (owner brings back to me) and I established a new relationship. I will never sell littermates together (and the same sex) again. Anyway, deposits are all sent in. Promise the balance of the boys will go organically I have a call or two I will make, but 

11/30/21 1009AM  There are 28 grams to an ounce. If I used ounces right now, the scale wouldn't move why its in grams. Weighed pups this morning. We weigh in grams. Soon we will switch to ounces but first three days, easy to lose a pup. We use grams for its sensitivity. But all are gaining weight nicely. Think purple was flat but think we are getting out of the woods now. Ill still weigh several times a day. This litter is large. Easy for a pup to be missed and bullied off the teats. People will soon discover the importance of those collars. Ain't no way I could tell them apart without them. And why would make it hard on myself when the collar remedies it fast! We did write the color on the collars with a pen however. The collars start getting dirty and start to look alike. but making head way! 

11/30/2021 846AM Breeders diary- I feed so dumb. Last few days after Lucy would come in from outside she would dig and whine and look at pups and dig and whine. Why there are no washable and disposable puppy pads in the box. I thought she was stressed out all the pups were not there. John took the nightshift on the cot and took her out to potty this morning. He said she had a lot of discharge. I was asleep on couch and Lucy went back into the whelping room. No whining, no scratching. Licked her pups and layed.

Then occurred to me. JANIE- WHY does Lucy scratch, whine and dig? It is because she is in pain and needs something to come out. She had not finished her afterbirth. Why did that not enter my brain. We ust went through it. I wasn't picking up the fact she wasn't done. I was so wrong. Perhaps now. We can change out the gym matting, put in the washable puppy pads and she will eat. I missed that sign and next year when she has another litter? I hope I read this. I made sure the post header will clue me in. If I can't remember from two days ago how will I remember a year from now. Answer? the header. 

I am playing a dangerous game. A secret in the breeding world no breeder talks out loud about. Unless in our own circles

11/29/2021 754pm I handfed Lucy while nursing that is a dangerous game. But she ate everything I gave her but her dedication to the litter was more important than food. There is an irony here. Want to ever see a more effective piece of information this is it. You see the biggest thing you never do is allow food next to a pup. Mom could attack the pup. It isn't that Mom doesn't love the pup and not all dogs do it but most breeders I speak to they NEVER feed Mom around the pups or pups around the Mom.  I could chalk it up to if you take my food from me, I can't sustain the litter but I hand fed Lucy and I can't let a single morsel around the pups. Is this a harsh reality? You betcha. Do us breeders talk about it openly, no. We feel our dog isn't of good temprament. But you make the mistake once and never again. Mom will definitely tell a pup never do that again But you NEVER let an ounce of food in the proximity of the pup. If you ever wanted to know a huge secret in the breeding world? that is it. You see it once, "once bitten twice shy" Up there with parvo, you see breeders getting on to you?  Because we learned our lesson and you don't have to teach us twice. 

I grilled her a nice steak too and fed her that as well. 

We got the nanny cam up and my husband said thinks only works with the phone. You have to know me to know this next statement is hilarious. I have an old flip phone and not the money. But if it means I can't see the nanny cam with night vision? (Keep in mind could have helped me with gps because I get lost constantly) but this would be hilarious but no worries, I would buy a new nanny cam with night vision that works on pc before capitulating! I am stubborn like that!

I assure you the day I concede? Will be because of a german shepherd!

 

Pups at day 3. Tomorrow we start Early neurological stimualtion

 JANIE*****NOTE TO SELF- IN TWO DAYS REGISTER LITTER WITH AKC-Get a new scanner too.

11/29/2021 516pm Breeder's Diary--  Went to the vet and back in 30 mins! Will explain why that was important! 

You have never seen such speed in your life. Three pups had back dew claws. A new concept to me but it can happen. Our dogs occasionally have front dew claws. First time I have ever removed from a pup but necessary. Front dew claws we don't remove. It is the back ones that need it. Back dew claws "think thumbs" can cause injury and need to be removed young. Orange/Yellow/and Emerald had them. I think Orange had only one. A genetic concept. But a given to remove the back ones. But here was my problem. Everytime Lucy goes out she comes back in, looks over her pups and searches the room for missing pups. If I ACTUALLY took her pups? Oh my god would never had heard the end of it! She searches the room for 10 mins for missing pup. I have never seen a dog count to 10 wrong more in my life. If I had taken 3 of them? and brought them back? she would never trust me. Lucy is a new Mom. A reason why you don't breed until after 2 years of age. I had John put Lucy in the "barn" with him which isn't a barn but a climate controlled 2000 ft man cave. I needed Lucy not to know they were gone so was segregated and got back in 30 mins! Brought them back, put the pups back and Lucy came in none the wiser. Fooling a german shepherd is not as easy as you thing! 

Anyway, I got the vets. And took them in the back to get the dew claws removed. While waiting, I had the receptionist put in the collar colors and said, thank you. When the pups go home, I release any and all records and give permission to owners to talk to my vet freely. You will have access to all records.  

But here is the funny part! And I promise Dr. Walker and I have known each other a long time. He was the attending vet when Lucy was born. He came out and said "You wanted the tails docked too, right?" I said, "That ain't funny!" They better have tails! Dr. Walker is awesome and you will get his card in the packet.

I called Dr. Walker because in my speed, I didn't ask a question. We give our dogs heartworm/ flea and tick medication at the beginning of the month. Lucy went to topical which is a long topic and I said do I give her the rx? He said no, wait a while. He asked is she eating and you feed raw correct? I said yes, and lately we will feed her anything. She is so diligent in her care, she is neglecting herself I gave her two chicken tenders. Dr. Walker said give her liver. I will pick up some beef liver as the green tripe she isn't touching. But she loves beef liver and we don't feed that raw. We sear it. We are a hybrid feeder. Liver we like to sear in the skillet and she does like that but she is distracted. Tonight? I am literally going to broil her a steak, and cut off the bone. Raw is another involved topic and he said give her calcium supplements. I said I will try. At a certain point she will a.) get more secure in being a new mom and b.) become hungry. So working on that.

Did I mention I am behind at work? But the good news is that I have CPA, MBA behind my name and was the expert of the expert of Turbotax for 9 years. I accepted the job I have now, and minimal pay and I mean low. But I said I will accept the pay but I am taking the job because and I meant this. "I need dog money!"  So I have the luxury of backing off of work because the paycheck and the flexibility afford me to do my passion at both respect.  Those credentials command six figures but it also means not doing my passion.

To owners, my vet is Walker Hometown Animal Clinic You will be given access to the records of your pups, and I will give permission for him to speak freely.

Dr. Walker was at a different clinic but this is him giving Lucy her first exam and shots years ago.

This was a picture of he an Lucy in October. I have uploaded the breeder's diary for October from facebook yet . We were doing CBC testing and progesterone testing before the breed.

You know we must know each other. If another vet had said "You wanted me to dock the tails?" hahah How about that was rapport at its finest! 

So glad I blog, can post my tail off vs FB.

JANIE*****NOTE TO SELF- IN TWO DAYS REGISTER LITTER WITH AKC-Get a new scanner too.

11/28/21 151pm I can't believe the squirrel worked! Lucy almost refuses to leave the room to eat or drink, but I brought out the big guns! The 7 dollar squirrel! She got out of the room and kept slipping. Promise girl has nothing wrong with her legs, she came in ofa excellent elbows normal dm clear hell she came up clear on all diseases. We even did an embark.  We also contacted Diana Bunch who is exquisite at volhards and beg her to come out again in six weeks. 

Link to her Embark Lucy's Genetic Embark test

Link to her OFA results Lucy's OFA results

Link to Titan of Kreative ofa (Dad) Titan of Kreatives ofa

Link the pedigree of this litter and can put your pup in for you. But this is what your pup's pedigree is. Pedigree of your Pup

Needless to say wasn't her legs she is stiff from labor and nursing. But oh man she got some leg stretching

Boy she needed to stretch her legs and she did

She ate some and we feed raw but at the chicken and ground beef

We are going to set up the Nanny cam and has night vision

11/28/21 1252pm 2nd times a charm I had to get the pups weight so made sure the scale wasn't cold. Lucy needs to get up but nervous first time mom. When she doesn't see a pup sleeping under a ledge gets a little panicked. I bet she knows how to count to 10 now. Also we got gallons of raw goat milk! I will buy out raw goat farmers. You would be SHOCKED how much a litter this size goes through. Gallons a week.  I do need Lucy to eat and drink so we need to coax out of the room even for a little while. 

 

Brown dropped 24 grams but John made a valid point. He was born last. Pups drop weight after being born. Then they pick back up. All the other pups are older so they dropped and now coming up. Even still, he gets prime time seating. when you have a litter this large? Collars and scale are paramount. A pup can easily be bullied off a teat. So everytime I walk into the room? boy goes on to a teat until he looks like a tick ready to pop. but we weight 3 x normally to make sure everyone is gaining. 

11/28/21 1151 am Breeders Diary- getting messages about the remaining boys. I asked people can we talk tomorrow? I need a fresher brain. I don't have an application. I am worse. Get ready to talk a long time and ask me a thousand questions. I follow you until the dog is one years old. I am keeping female pick of litter. You will watch the whole litter grow up together. So we talk a lot. I want to make sure I find the perfect dog. Our dogs tend to have a bell curve of personality. I don't want you to have too much dog or not enough dog but remember that is relative. They are all working line german shepherds but I get into the tiniest of details like would an introverted or an extraverted dog be preferable. I am a CPA by profession. I do tend to get very detailed. 

Once our pups leave our house, we register that chip. Owner is in the first slot, we are on the second slot. Registration is lifetime and done by email. Your pup gets lost or stolen, you don't have to look for the microchip number but we can put your pup in pedigree database and we put the chip number there so you can google your dogs name. But if it does happen, you just call akc. say dog is lost, give dogs name your name and address and boom chip is registered lost. THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO CALL ME AND I WILL TELL YOU WHY. I have aided in finding many a lost dog. I run a boost on my page (facebook and make sure every man woman child, bettle, slug, building sees that dog.  There was a dog on Season 3 episode one a doberman named Aiko. I knew Summer and met Aiko. He got lost. I ran a hard boost. Sometimes people aren't on lost dog pages but in a day? she got him back. I ran an ad where he went missing. I didn't ask her if she was discovered by my boost. I have a feeling that was the case. But waste zero time. Quicker I run it, higher chance found quick. I have found a missing dog 9 months out but unless stolen? dog hasn't gotten far.

   In a couple of days we register the litter with AKC. What happens is AKC asks you for the date whelped, and how many pups. This is where the pups get their AKC registration numbers. The stud owner, Laurel Getchell of Schattenhaus- has to sign off that was the Stud of the litter. We got pictures even to prove it but you don't need to see that. It was just confirming witnessing the tie (meaning he is the daddy.) they then send us the papers with individual akc numbers. While we are there we are order the AKC reunite chips. We have some left from last litter but we chip the litter. Well a vet chips the litter. but the other thing we need to get from AKC very soon. We have them chipped around week 6 or 7. Last time we had a vet come to our home. Way easier than hauling in 12 pups, usually takes two trips we don't let the pups hit the vet's floor. We wheel them on a crate and a dolley. See why we just paid a vet to come. Of course that vet was my trainer and owned the stud of Lucy's litter. Meaning Lucy's dad. 

11/28/2021 1032am I tried to weight the litter with Lucy present. You can tell its been a long time. You don't weigh in front of Mom. She thinks you are hurting them. Will get the weight when she goes to the bathroom. In three days we will start Puppy Culture- Early Neurological Stimulation. Puppy culture is designed to condition the dogs out of certain concepts. Day 3 - until eyes open you we will train them to get used to heights for lack of better term. This is an involved process but when we do the volhards makes for some impressive scores. Hard to explain in a paragraph. You'll see. For example during weaning every time they eat? We drop bowls and open umbrellas? Why? Get rid of fear of loud noises and fireworks/thunderstorms. Stay tuned. 

This image is of the volhard scores. Lucy is Aqua in this litter. 

This is what Early Neurological Stimulation. This was from Desdemona Litter Gamma. Lucy was Aqua collar. Purple became Athena and belongs to an owner. Link is of a video of us doing it.

Early Neurological stimulation

11/28/2021 958am A friend of mine is bringing the 6 gallons of raw goat milk I asked her to bring. She lives in Pensacola and trains in silverhill al at my trainers. So John is going to go pick up the raw goat milk in an hour. I am way too punchy to drive. 

I walked into the whelping room to check on brown collar and Lucy has been hunching over the litter as if to say "These are mine" but this time I walked into the whelping room she leaned forward to show me a pup was under the ledge behind her as if to say "Can you get that pup for me?" the ledge is designed to keep Mom from accidently crushing the pups. But they often get stuck under there going in the wrong direction. 

Went down the waiting list to confirm the pups. The litter was large. So the price is $1,800. Deposit is $100. We had 7 pups called for. But 3 wanted females excluding myself. I am keeping female pick of litter, one waitlister, has been there for 2 years so she gets the other. I messaged those and said, you can opt for a male, but I said get the dog you want. If a female is what you want I say wait. We don't breed often. I haven't had a litter for 2.5 years. Lucy was that litter. But we only breed a bitch once a year and Lucy is the only breeding girl we have online. So will be a year before having another litter. Given the amount of work you see? You can appreciate why. Litters are hard work and expensive. And they we follow the litter for a year. The girl we are keeping, we will be training and titling. She has to be health tested and all of that before she comes online. That is IF she passes. Medusa's vendetta of Cerberus the girl I am keeping won't come online to breed no sooner than over 2 years old. A lot of work bringing a dog online to breed. The whelp was hard but that was "power packed" all the work before breeding and all the work after breeding, makes the whelp of a litter small. It is just super concentrated. 

After the deposits are called and received, we reopen any pups that were initially reserved. I know 4 males are open. However, to be an owner we do a lot of vetting. We puppy culture and we volhard (temp test ) the litter. Owners can't select a particular puppy until the volhards. I won't pick which girl I am keeping until that time. But those temp tests have been invaluable for picking the right dog for the right owner.  Will talk to prospective owners in a couple of days. I am so bruised/scratched up and sore from the whelping. That bench and that brick wall, beat me up! was not meant for sleeping on. Next year gonna get it more "cushy" lol

Think Momma is done. 10 pups 8 boys 2 girls

 11/28/2021 527am Breeder's diary- Think Lucy is done. Afte about 40 hours of not sleeping I caved. I am unable to nap. I am adhd and takes two hours to "shut down" my brain to sleep. So I crashed and husband took over. I woke at 4am and long and the short of it. think she is done. I will go through my waitlist but 2 girls. and the other girl goes to someone who was waitlisted for 2 years. and will touch base with all the other waitlisters. I told my husband lets get settled and more rested before new vettings. About 4 I am not sure might be open unless the girl waitlisters want a boy. then that would make 3 boys open for sure. One of those girls (only 2) will be mine. Medusa's Vendetta of Cerberus. Pink collar or Purple collar. Purple was born breach with tail wiggling. When she was born, I said, "You coming into this world, showing your ass, wagging your tail and blocking traffic, ain't ya?" 

Brown collar by the way was screaming his head off at me and was doing amazing last night 

Cleaned up Lucy's box. I do hope to clean up my blog, but lack of sleep would have made for some interesting notes

Now the tough part. Does she have more?

11/27/2021 326pm Breeder's Diary- Boy did Lucy need that! The pups had been fed and placed on the heating mat. My husband went out to walk out the other dogs. I layed on the most uncomfortable bench possible as bed. And Lucy fell asleep without panting. The room was errily quite. Lately, you hear 10 hungry pups whining, Lucy panting or whincing and my husband I talking about what we need to do next or me making notes. But the room was so quiet and she was sound asleep I didn't even from the position I was laying in and my hip was sore. But that girl needed that nap more than anything else in the world and don't know how long it was but I lied still not to interrupt a second! 

Next time I have a litter this bench will be modified I hit the brick wall with my back and neck lying down too quickly and my hip hurts and I am 5'2 but I aint that short but she deserved every single second of that rest! 

11272021 135 Wrote vet to be on the safe side. Going into 6 hours delay. I said she is tied but wanted to mention and feel exhaustion is setting in.  She did eliminate but have two pups that need to nurse. Not trying to overwhelm her. just want the pups to nurse a bit and try to keep to one or two between things. Red and Blue collar are next. Gave brown collar 1 min just for good measure his weight isn't at issue he fusse harder

11/27/2021 1258pm I do think Lucy has more but that is not the tough part. Will they make it? I have seen an 8 hour delay before. As long as the pup doesn't seperate have a fighting chance. But mom's exhaustion makes it hard for her to deliver. John took Lucy out and did "number 2" About time? yall have any idea how much we have been feeding her? Funny story, this morning she was exhausted and you know that girl picked up her rope and said "let's play?" She still has fight in her. She is wincing again been going off and on all day. Lets see if she has regained strength. Just got in from outside and FINALLY did number 2, and contacting . hope this helped her. 

Brown collar boy number is 10 very weak.

11/27/1059a The problem with color collars is look alike and you don't know if that is the pup you did. Did a weight and do it in grams for sensitivity. Pups do need to eat. They won't yell loud and she can concentrate on the potential pups she has left.  I am taking a risk but pups need to eat. So weighed them but begs the question was that the right color, may write on those colors. 

11/27/21 1038am Brown collar is latching better and on his own, but what I am really hoping and praying to hear? I need to hear "good, strong cries" but he latched on his own and that is a vast improvement but I want that boy to "cuss me out in puppy language" to make me happy. Problem is husband and I didn't keep track of who nursed this last round. I am going to have the weigh the pups and see who dropped the most. Lucy isn't done so I need to be efficient on the nursing. until she is done. Or could lose the pup yet to be born. 

 11/27/21 924am I think Brown collar latched! Lucy is off in the corner resting and put brown collar under her leg, you can't see if he latches and too weak to really hear it, but I watch his stomach slowly get larger! hallilejuah I think the boy latched. I could take him to the vet but what that boy need was Momma! I am not out of the woods. But if anything was gonna help him, it was momma's milk and care. Good job Lucy know you are tired girl! 

11/27/2021 824am Brown collar boy is very weak, we do have canned goat milk. but the raw is better, so we are slinging massaging keeping warm. 

Pups born 11/27./2021 7th born and forward

11272021 315am LOVE PUP NUMBER 9 Lime green collar was born at 308am weight 474 grams and you guessed Another boy! . 7 boys and 2 girls thus far. so for my owners who wanted a boy, oh man your lucky day! and she isn't done. We have really been doing a good rhythm and I don't nap but had been almost 24 hours since I slept if you wanted to call it that. so dozing off by the bench on the whelping box, but she is drinking a lot and eating between pups. She still ain't done. I am sure she has a couple of more pups in her. 

11/27/2021 1241a Tan collar male came on 544grams boy is huge, he is number 8 

11/27/2021 1212am 6 pups were born on the 26th. 7th pup- Yellow collar male was born on 1205am at a massive 532grams. A big boy came out with a big strong cry out the gate. He is still wet so don't know his color

Pups are coming - Videos are showing birth as warning

11/26/2021 1041pm Orange collar male born 6th. Looks like might be a bicolor but hard to tell until born, we knew (because we dna'd that 1/2 would be bicolor and 1/2 sables. 2 females and 4 males thus far, she has several more left 

Orange boy, purple collar came out showing her ass (wagging her tail and blocking traffic) 

 

Lucy has been eating "cheeseburgers" all night. 

11/26/2021 1002PM On pup number 5 and think only half done this one was born breach but we have 3 males and 2 females, all have cries good weights and latched

Green collar male might be a dark sable hard to tell. red collar dark sable male will catch up on all of this when things settle but pups are coming in fat, latched and good strong cries

11262021 414 p pink collar bicolor female

11/26/2021 409 blue collar boy born 311pm 510g latched, came with placenta good strong cries. She has a lot more to go.

These are prob out of order will fix it later. not halfway done.