Sushi anyone?

Meet new puppy Ebi.  Marcel had been wanting to name a puppy after my favorite piece of sushi for a few puppies now.  We have themes for litters like those born the day of an earth quake or a holiday or other event or something similar to the parent's names.  If there is nothing I want to associate with I will usually use a favorite song or music genre. We tend to name our pups based on their personalities, like Zoom who never stopped.  Why Marcel wanted to name this one after a shrimp on a little ball of sticky rice I will never know.  But I have to let him have his way some time so Ebi it is!

Today Ebi had a lesson on the grooming table about how good doggies can sit on the table and relax.  This gets them up and out of my way while I do my barn chores. I let Stitchy (the Pom) and Bridget (Shiba) sit on a table across from Ebi to show how proper dogs behave.  They are both angels and would sit up there all day.  The table exercise teaches patience AND teaches baby pups how pulling against a leash doesn't get them where they want to go. So after her little lesson Ebi had a nice bath.  She was really good in the bath tub and particularly liked being dried off with a towel.

I figured with the litters I have still being in the rat stage I should spend more quality time with Ebi.  New born's pass through stages, rat, hamster, guinnea pig, puppy.  This is my age description and the noises they make during the different stages.  Soon Ebi will be a teenager and like her human equivalent she won't want much to do with mom so I need to teach her manners NOW!

We purchased Ebi from another breeder and she will be shown and eventually take the place of LG in my breeding program.  I am breeding another line into my pedigrees.  This opens up to the possibility of using different sires on my females.  Now I can introduced some strong qualities that my own females are lacking in.  I like everything about Ebi but her tight cinnamon bun tail but hey,  no dog is perfect.  Most people do not realize that the preferred tail on the Japanese dogs is a sickle tail and NOT the tight curl.  A loose curl resting to one side is fine too.

Enough lessons today, I have been teaching things all day.

It's not all fun and games

Being a good breeder means you take excellent care of your dogs and you can make critical decisions when necessary.  Sometimes the decisions are made for you.

One of our puppies born Monday had to be euthanized by Friday.  Total bummer for the Thanksgiving  weekend.  It had a clef palate.  The vet said she was amazed I kept him alive so long and euthanasia was the only solution to the poor baby's problem.  I was draggin' my butt around by then too.  Getting up every two hours to tube feed a puppy is hard on a gal with Fibromyalgia.  People with FM need good hard sleep more than the average healthy person.  So he is gone now and I can sleep but the emotional toll is great too.

Almost everyone wants to raise puppies at some time in their lives.  It sounds like fun (no one ever thinks about all the poop), playing with puppies all day long.   Well, it's darned HARD sometimes.  Hard when one dies before his time.  Hard when you've grown attached to a dog for the last two years while you trained and showed her and a health test doesn't turn out well so you have to spay her and place her as a pet because you can only have so many dogs and you won't have room for your next show and breeding prospect if you keep YET another just as your pet.

People tell me stuff like "oh I couldn't give any of them up, I'd have to keep the whole litter" and "I couldn't raise a service dog puppy because I couldn't give him back" things of that nature.  Personally I think they are being selfish not to let a dog have his own family or not see the greater picture of raising a puppy to be of service AND the special companion to someone less fortunate then themselves.  Animal breeders are not heartless for the most part.  Sometimes we just have to make hard choices that are in the best interest of our animals.

PUPPIES PUPPIES PUPPIES

I am getting so excited about the puppies due at Kawako Shibas!  LG (Little Girl), Lexi AND Bridget were bred and now it's just a matter of waiting.

Of course I am busy getting ready for the deliveries and I hate to say my house will be crowded with ex-pens and whelping beds to separate the mamas.

I think I have only had 3 litters at a time on one other occasion but it was several years ago and I seem to remember saying I would never do that again but like drinking tequila I have to remind myself ever few years that it wasn't a good idea.

I have had two litters at a time many times and in fact, find it most helpful, especially if we are talking Pomeranian litters.  LG usually ends up taking over for the Pom mama because they just can't deal with it.

Granted I have had several females that don't like either the birthing process and/or the thought of cleaning up meaning eating the waste off of a puppy's tummy or bum!   It is well known that spoiled house dogs don't usually make good brood bitches.  Ouch, that's harsh.  But it's true.  When I think back of all the females that have had birthing problems and weren't good mothers all those dogs were my favorite girls at the time.  So I believe that saying.

People say that the dog projects the owners own personality and tendencies and in this instance that is absolutely correct.  I have never been able to bring myself to commit to motherhood.  The whole process seems unpleasant and I can totally understand why some mothers eat their young.  I'm talking canine and other animal species not human of course. I'm a rockin' Aunt but I don't think I would make a good mother.  I mean look at poor Lexi, looking so fat and uncomfortable...........

But I fell off subject didn't I?  Anyway.........can't wait to have the bouncing baby puppies!

This time I am doing something completely different when it comes to space and exercise.  Since we built all weather facilities for our horses I am now able to use the entire barn isle way and stalls for indoor puppy play area.  This will greatly lessen my time spent out in the elements which means neither I nor the puppies will be soaked in Washington's non stop winter rain.  Well, we'll give it a try and see how it all works out.  Hopefully it won't snow this winter.

Wish me luck and never stop praying for us, it seems to be working.

Cheri

More pics of Kawako Shiba's Brucie-Jean

I promised more pics of Brucie so here they are.  Brucie was born a singleton (only puppy) so she got TONS of attention.  Here she is in a tuperware container covered with toys.  She's next to my computer where I can watch her and see to her needs.  She looks relaxed doesn't she?

Brucie was trained and sold as a teenager to Brian & Angela of San Fransisco. Brucie had to make a change from country girl where she had a certain amount of freedom to being a city girl who lived in a loft and had to go potty on leash.  It was hard on everyone at first but I knew it would work because the personalities were a match. Brucie is a lovely dog and she is such an important part of Brian & Angela's life.

Even though a dog has manners and basic obedience skills when she leaves us it doesn't mean it will translate if the new owners don't know how to ask for the behaviors so I insist people have obedience classes lined up as soon as their Shiba arrives.

Training and love still isn't enough.  Dogs need exercise.  A tired dog is a good dog.  Our dogs can play all day in the barnyard and still need to take the edge off before they come in the  house.  Especially if I'm letting in more than one dog because they compete for my attention and that always takes things up a notch or four......

Some outings are stressful enough for a dog to take off the edged.  Puppies especially get tired from stress in the beginning.  A car ride to the post office works at first but older pups and young adults need to run. In the winter when I don't want the dogs to go out and get wet and/or muddy I use the treadmill. Not all dogs like the treadmill.  LG always disliked other dogs love it.  Koji for example, REALLY love it and gets in trouble for whining and crying while other dogs take their turn on the treadmill.  Since we are showcasing Brucie-Jean she is featured here on the treadmill.

I will show you other dogs enjoying the treadmill later.

Life is ever changing....

I've decided to place Zoomie as a pet with a couple that is on my waiting list.  I'm so torn. It was a hard decision to make especially after spending the afternoon in town training and socializing him.  It's just in the best interest of the puppy for me to let him go to a loving home right now.  Family obligations and construction work mean I don't have the time I would like to spend with Zoomie.  I can't let myself feel bad about placing one of my babies in a loving and doting home for goodness sake!  It's what they are made for!  And who could resist that face?  He's so cute!

Some Much Needed Rest

With the last litter's puppy activity slowing down it is down to just answering emails and phone calls of potential new Kawako puppy owners.  So I took the time to look through some old movie clips of puppies past.  This darling girl is Brucie-Jean and this video is from 2008.  Brucie is one of a few puppies sired by Ch. Dragon House Bruce Lee before he went to his pet home.  I kept Brucie for myself and used her in my dog obedience class for a demo dog.  She was marvelous.  I'll post grown up pics of her next time and move on to another past Kawako puppy over the next few weeks.

The puppies are growing like weeds and finally look like baby dogs and not hamsters.  Zoom is still looking promising as my choice for a show puppy.  The unnamed sold puppy is the sweetest little guy.  The cream puppy is FOR SALE! He is also unnamed but we tend to call him Whitey.  He is a big baby and cries like a girl when the Unnamed is pulling his ears but hey, those teeth are like needles!  Zoomie doesn't exhibit much personality wise yet.  He's pretty calm and tends to fall asleep when he's still.  HEY! Just like me................zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Victor the Rottweiler is looking mature and quite handsome.......and scary to strangers.  He's a super watch dog and I doubt anyone will be trying to break into my car with him in there.  I had someone try to break in at steal Stitchy my Pomeranian while I was in Home Depot.  On another occasion ALSO at Home Depot someone stole my purse from under the seat.  Home Depot's parking lot hasn't been good to me.

The lambs are growing too.  Soon they will be strong enough to cross the stream and we'll let the all the sheep go to the far side to graze.  The Soays are so fascinating to watch.  I can just stand there and trip on them forever on a warm morning like today.

The horses are losing their winter woolies and starting to slick out with a shiny summer coat.  I will start training them again soon.  Lesson's to continue from last year.  Marcel says he's going to put up an agility course for them so add THAT to the arms length list of todo's and I'll believe it when I see it.


I have been working on some of my Cafe Press items and some of my art on canvas for awards for a Shiba Specialty dog show in June.  I am cutting way back on showing so I can focus on my art for a while.  The Shiba Specialty draws a big entry of Shibas and I need on more major win on Kuro to make him a champion and then he can retire from the show ring and start a new career in the obedience ring.  I have to get back in the swing of things to compete in obedience since it's been a long time since I did anything accept teach basic obedience and manner in classes to others and I do about the same with my own dogs but nothing fancy.  I will have to ask for more perfection, more focus and some pizazz if I want to place in the ribbons with my Shibas.  Most people who show a Shiba in obedience just want to get the 3 qualifying scores they need in each level to complete a title.  I may end up feeling the same way!  I don't know......ve shall zee.....she said in her best Frau Blucher impersonation.  And the horses whinnied................

Life Goes On

That was the fastest lambing season ever.  Just 2 beautiful light and dark caramel colored ram lambs.  Unfortunately, my best ewe Amethyst lost her lamb.  I didn't check the gender but it had a large white patch on its dark chestnut colored head......dang it. That was exactly what I was going for to, white markings. Oh well, can't dwell on the loss when you live on a farm and other animals still need you to be bright and cheery.  

While I have to constantly remind myself to remain in the moment the animals don't understand being any other way, must be nice.  Amethyst was bleating for a few hours over the loss of her lamb but she eventually got on with her day.  Today she is frolicking with the lambs of the other ewes, some of which are her daughters.

There is loss and there is new life on the farm.  My favorite Shiba Bridget Jones had a litter of 3 healthy and hefty boys.  Two reds and my first cream colored puppy. They are about 4 weeks old now and starting to wobble around on fat little legs.  Now I know why pet people like the creams so well.  They are so cute.  My husband Marcel can't help but spout out "Polar Bear Alert!" every time the cream puppy wakes up to toddle around the puppy pen.

I have decided to keep a male puppy from the litter.  He's red and he'll have bright white markings.  I think I will call him either:

Kawakono Zip Zoom Zow and call him "Zoomie"

OR

Kawakono Zee Zee Tops and call him "Topper"

 

Which one do you like best????

To read more about my Shibas go to www.KawakoShibaInu.com

Lambing season has arrived!

We had our first Soay ram lamb born on the farm this evening about 6.  He's so cute.  I was able to catch him easily.  In a few days...........forget it!  He'll be as quick as his mama!  HA!  

I was watching the ewes eating their feed this morning and I noticed kicking in the flank of the youngest ewe and that the oldest ewe was bagged up so I told Marcel we'd probably see them lambing in the next days.  It's so cool, it makes the farm really seem like a farm.