Random Thoughts

The pups got their second vet check at the 8 week point.  Preacher weighs a bit over 20 pounds.  Johnny and Bobby Lee weigh a bit over 15 pounds.  Their personalities are starting to really come through.  Preacher is demanding and very outgoing.  Johnny has a knack for theatrics.  Bobby Lee slobbers <S> I haven't had a slobber box in a long long time.  He also likes to sit in our laps.  They all love toys and will play for hours with each other and their toys.  Their perfect little teeth are needle point sharp too.  It won't be long until they will be going to obedience classes.  Speaking of which it looks like I'm going to have to take Jonesy to class pretty soon.  We did a show in Tueplo Miss and discovered that Jonesy is having a bit of a set-back.  After his big win in Memphis where he was obviously overwhelmed by staying his first night away from home at a hotel, then he was passed around from this person to that person when we were showing, and other drama went on where he crashed into the special in front of him.  The entire weekend has him a bit afraid of shows now which is just too bad because he was on a roll and looks fab.  I am going to have to work hard with him to help him over his phobia so he can get back on track.  I relearned an important lesson from that experience - be very careful with puppies.  Don't throw too many new experiences at them at once.  It has been well over 12 years since I've had one to back away from the judge during an exam.  It totally caught me by surprise because standing for exam was Jonesy's thing - he was a rock.  Anyway Robert and Maziey had a good weekend picking up one point each.  The show was a small quiet show and had it not been for Jonesy's change in behavior I would have really enjoyed the entire weekend. Until next time -  

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It is hard to believe that they are almost 8 weeks old.  I missed doing their 7 week photos and had to make time to get their 8 week photos done.  Life has been going into overdrive around here this past week and it seems I have had no time to do anything but go go go.  They are growing like weeds.  Johnny and Preacher are looking less like sweet babies and more like leggy teenagers.  The babyfaced cute stage is almost over.  Bloodhounds do not stay little long enough.  I cannot wait for the weekend! 

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"Polly" AKA Ch Grand Champion International Champion Mayflower's Shipwreck OFA'd Excellent on her hips.  We are very excited about this news.  She's the third Mayflower bh out of the second generation to OFA Excellent.

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Thank Goodness!  The new six week puppy pictures are up.  These pups are exactly what I love and want.  They have a look I've campagined for years in the show ring starting with their Great Grandmother Jama and coming right down to their Mother Heaven.  I am so pleased with these boys. 

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My computer is in the shop being repaired.  It is over seven years old and like an old car it needs parts replaced from time to time.  So, there's no new puppy pictures this week of the pups.  Sorry.  It is difficult to post from the library using a CD from Walmart:-) I did that at the 5 week mark.  I may eventually have to do that again.  We'll see how long it takes for my computer to get repaired.  The pups are beautiful.  They got their first round of vaccinations at the Vet's office today.  Preacher weighs over 12 pounds.  Johnny weighs over 11 pounds and Bobby Lee weighs over 10 pounds.  They are barking, growling, playing and being puppies at this time. The cute baby stage will soon be over and they'll be great big grown up looking dogs with puppy brains.  I spend most of my free time playing with them.  Until next time -

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I turned 50 today!  My husband turned 50 a few months ago and it really bothered me but today for some reason or other I'm okay with it.  I had to work so I didn't get to celebrate like I think I should have.  For years I barely noticed any kind of birthday or anniversary.  To me it was just another day.  Now though with the passing of my pets after only 10 or more years (some sooner) I realize that a birthday should be one of the biggest celebrations of all.  We should all be happy to know that we've lived another year.  Life is a blessing!

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They are growing up too fast.  They are walking, running, playing, barking, growling, etc.  They are very up happy puppies.  This week we tried stacking them on the table for the first time.  Preacher was a real show dog.  He was happy, playful and full of himself.  Bobby Lee was also a happy boy ready to play.  Johnny was a bit shy.  He was not too sure of that table. 

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Johnny (Black boy) does have an infection where his dew claw was removed on one leg but it doesn't appear to be bothering him a lot.  Other than that the boys are doing really well.  They are finding their voices, growling and barking.  They are walking now and investigating the world around them.  Yes, I've named them.  I can't handle calling them by the colored collars.  Orange boy is now Preacher.  Black Boy is Johnny.  And the runt red boy is Bobby Lee.  Mama is doing very well.  

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We've made it to week two with the babies.  I've sat and contemplated what to do.  The bottom line for me is it took me four years and thousands of dollars to get this litter and whether they are top notch show dogs or not doesn't matter to me as much as keeping them close and watching them grow as I wait on their health clearances when they are over two.  Their mother is an OFA excellent in hips.  Only 2.5 percent of all bloodhounds are OFA excellent.  If by chance any one of these pups inherited that from their mother he would be worth the wait.  However, if they wind up with an undershot bite or if a testicle doesn't drop I will place that pup under certain specific conditions in a pet home.  So that's where I am at this point with these three babies.  I will wait and see how they turn out as far as show conformation before I make any decisions but at the same time I am going to try and stay open for possible homes who may fit for the pup that doesn't turn out for show conformation competitions.

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As I feared we lost Junebug at midnight Friday night.  I sat in shock and held her for a long time.   All I wanted was a red baby girl from that litter and as luck would have it I got three handsome boys.   The boys have made it to be 1 week old now and are growing stronger with every day.  I caught Red Boy trailing his Mama today.  They are trying to walk and doing a pretty good job of it too.  Their eyes are not open yet so I found it remarkable that Red Boy was traveling after his Mama like he was.  Mama kept looking at him as if to say, "What are you doing?"

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What a long weekend!  Heaven handled everything very well and has passed her postnatal checkup with our Vet.   She had seven puppies total but puppy number 5 got stuck and it took far too long to be born.  Puppy number 6 was the largest bh puppy I've ever seen but both he and his brother Puppy number 7 died waiting to be born.  We were in contact with vets and struggling over what to do.  One two hours away said bring them in for a C - Section but wanted to keep all the puppies for two days.  Another told us to wait it out and assured us that she would have them.  Since she had four beautiful live babies it seemed best for their sakes to sit it out and wait so that's what we did.  There were a total of 7 puppies, 6 males and 2 females.  There were 6 reds and 1 very black black and tan.  We have four reds that have survived thus far - 3 boys and 1 girl.   This litter has been 5 years in the making and our first reds in 7 years.  There's longivity behind them with three grandparents still alive and in the double digits meaning two are 11 years old and one is 12. The other grandparent died at the age of 12.  One parent is 10 years old and the Mama is seven (just turned)... the health clearances are there.  There is no evidence of eplepsy for many generations and they are clear of DM for more than one generation.  If we place one or two of the males we want them to go into a show home that will stay in touch with us, show the dog, and do the health clearances on him when he is old enough.  They are too valuable to the breed to nueter.  So we only want very serious and honest inquiries for these puppies.

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I'm still in shock.  Saturday Maziey won a major win going  WB, BOW and Robert won a major win going WD, BOS, Polly went BOB and Jonesy went RWD.   Sunday Maziey went BOB, BOW, WB, Jonesy went WD, BOS (for their majors).  Robert went RWD.  Polly got Select Bitch.  That sort of weekend doesn't happen every day.   It was just me and my friends and they were very good sports and helped me show my dogs, load crates, walk dogs, etc.  We had a good time Sat afternoon eating out and relaxing by the pool.  I hope they will still be my friends after such a winning weekend. 

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     I am not sure how I feel about blogging.  This is my first attempt at it.  I guess if I don't like it I can delete it.   I got my first bloodhound in 1997.    I went through a lot learning about the breed and the show ring all at the same time.   By 2,000 I had my first bloodhound litter.  (I want to say we because my husband is a big part of this so just understand sometimes "I" means "we").   We've had three litters to date since the year of 2,000.   As you can see on the website we are planning our fourth wave - I mean litter.  

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