10 days old!

The puppies are doing well.  They are healthy and strong, and gaining weight.  Peyton is such an amazing Mom.  She’s very careful and gentle with her puppies, and watching her with them, you can see how much she loves them.  

I was on vacation for the last 10 days, and didn't get much done.  All I wanted to do each day was sit and watch Peyton and her girls.  There is something so peaceful about watching the puppies nurse and sleep. 

Now that they are 10 days old, their eyes will soon be open.  And once that happens, they soon begin exploring and playing.  We are already beginning to see glimmers of their developing personalities.

They grow so quickly, and seem to change overnight. So we are trying to enjoy every moment with them, and have been using the ENS exercises detailed in previous posts.

These girls are so tiny and so perfect, I can’t wait to see how they develop over the upcoming weeks!

They’re Here!

 Last night our Peyton gave birth to three beautiful girls.  They are all roughs, and they are healthy and feisty.  They are letting us know what they want already.

We love them so much, and Peyton is an amazing Mom.  Once the first girl was born, the one in the pink collar, she instinctively knew just what to do.  Sadly, there was a fourth puppy, a little tri boy, but he didn’t make it.  That’s one of the heartbreaking things about breeding puppies, sometimes you lose one, no matter what you do.  But we are focusing on our three beautiful girls, and their sweet Mom.

We are so excited to welcome these tiny girls into the world and can’t wait to watch how their personalities develop.

Gestational Stages

Today is day 45 of Peyton’s pregnancy.  I thought I’d share where the puppies are in their development.

We are at 6 1/2 weeks, so they are starting to resemble puppies now.  The next 2 1/2 weeks will exciting as we prepare for their arrival.  We should be able to feel the puppies moving around Day 50, which would be Friday.

The images are from  Canine Scanning and they have some great info if you want to learn more.

The importance of Early Neurological Stimulation

 

There are many ways to raise a litter of puppies.  Some believe in letting nature take it’s course, allowing the mother to care for her puppies in the first few weeks.  Others follow a carefully regimented plan of care for raising puppies with no deviation.  We believe in providing a healthy diet, proper socialization and in following many of the established protocols of the Puppy Culture program.  

There has been a lot of discussion about the benefits of early neurological stimulation, or ENS.  According to research, starting ENS when puppies are 3 days old is important because this is when the period of rapid growth and development begins.  Between days 3 and 16, puppies experience a surge in brain development, which makes them highly receptive to the gentle manipulations of ENS.

The first step in ENS is to remove each puppy, individually, from the Mom, for up to 3 minutes. (No longer) As puppies cannot regulate their body temperature, they cuddle up against their Mom and/or littermates to stay warm.  By removing them for a very short time, they experience a slight drop in temperature.  This mild form of stress is enough to stimulate their hormonal, adrenal and pituitary systems.  When these same puppies are tested as adults, they were better able to withstand stress.  These individuals were also found to be more resistant to certain forms of cancer and infectious diseases.  According to the research, ENS is found to help dogs cope, adjust, and adapt to new or stressful situations as adults.

There are five additional exercises in the ENS program.  They are only performed once a day, and only for 3 - 5 seconds each.  The study advises that overstimulation of the nervous system can have a negative effect, so these should not be performed more than once a day, and for no longer than a few seconds.

The handler starts with one pup and stimulates it using each of the five exercises. The handler completes the series from beginning to end before starting with the next pup. The handling of each pup once per day involves the following exercises:

    1    Tactical stimulation (between toes)

    2    Head held erect

    3    Head pointed down

    4    Supine position

    5    Thermal stimulation

How to perform the exercises:

1 Tactile stimulation - holding the pup in one hand, the handler gently stimulates (tickles) the pup between the toes on any one foot using a Q-tip. It is not necessary to see that the pup is feeling the tickle. Time of stimulation 3 - 5 seconds.

2 Head held erect - using both hands, the pup is held perpendicular to the ground, (straight up), so that its head is directly above its tail. This is an upwards position. Time of stimulation 3 - 5 seconds. 

3 Head pointed down - holding the pup firmly with both hands the head is reversed and is pointed downward so that it is pointing towards the ground. Time of stimulation 3 - 5 seconds.

4 Supine position - hold the pup so that its back is resting in the palm of both hands with its muzzle facing the ceiling. The pup while on its back is allowed to sleep. Time of stimulation 3-5 seconds.

5 Thermal stimulation—use a damp towel that has been cooled in a refrigerator for at least five minutes. Place the pup on the towel, feet down. Do not restrain it from moving. Time of stimulation 3-5 seconds.

According to the research, these are 5 main benefits that have been observed in dogs that were exposed to the exercises:

1 Improved cardio vascular performance (heart rate)

2 Stronger heart beats

3 Stronger adrenal glands

4 More tolerance to stress

5 Greater resistance to disease

The research goes on to document additional findings.  They claim the puppies who have had gone through the ENS protocols are “more active and exploratory.”  They also claim that these puppies were able to navigate mazes with less stress and fewer errors.   Based on the results, following the ENS protocols can greatly improve a dog’s ability to adapt to new situations with less stress.  As the studies have been around a while now, and as the exercises have been successfully adopted by many dog breeders,  introducing ENS seems to lead to beneficial neurological development in puppies.  When raising puppies, we want to give them every advantage, helping them to become not only healthy and well socialized, but able to problem solve and handle stressful situations.  ENS seems to be the first step in raising happy, well adjusted puppies.  More to come…

(These puppies and their Mom are not our puppies.  My daughter whelps litters for other collie breeders, so I’m getting to spend time with these cuties while they are in her care.)

Down the Rabbit Hole I go…

Lately, I have been reviewing the pedigrees of our collies.  It started when I created pedigrees for our current collies, and I was looking back through the pedigrees of  the sires of our Addi, Rosie and ZuZu.  I can lose all track of time while researching all the collies that helped create our current generation, as I find it pretty fascinating.  This is a quiet time of year for us, as there aren’t many dog shows, and Winter weather limits our travels.  So researching collie history is a great way to fill the time during these long, cold, dark Winter days.  As I’m sure I will be writing many posts in the upcoming weeks on the subject, I thought I might begin by sharing one of my first blog posts, written back in May 2012.

I've written previous posts about how I traced our collies back through the generations to the first collies imported to America, and all the way beyond to the first collie, CH Trefoil.  And so to prove it, here is just one of the ways I can trace my collies back to these famous collies, as they can be traced back through many of the dogs in their pedigrees.

Our Abby, as a puppy

CH Marchello’s Seraphim Song, Abby (CH Signet’s Twice is Nice, ROM  x CH Marchello’s On Angel’s Wings)
CH Signet's Twice Is Nice, ROM (CH Marnus Golden Ruler, ROM x CH Signet's Hopelessly In Love, ROM)
CH Marnus Golden Ruler, ROM (CH Overland Everlasting II x Marnus Golden Rule)
CH Overland Everlasting II (CH Clouddawn's Grandeur Promise x CH Overland Imari)
CH Clouddawn's Grandeur Promise (CH Twin Creeks Grand Master x Clouddawn's Promise O' Twin Oaks)
CH Twin Creeks Grand Master (CH Twin Creeks Head Master x CH Twin Creeks C.O.D.)
CH Twin Creeks Head Master (Twin Creeks Post Master x CH Joius The Last Farewell)
Twin Creeks Post Master (CH Twin Creeks Post Script x CH Joius Amber Dream)***
CH Twin Creeks Post Script (Ch Twin Creeks True Grit x CH Twin Creeks Nitty Gritty)
Ch Twin Creeks True Grit (Ch Lochlomun's Interlock x CH Lee Aire's Amazing Grace)
Ch Lochlomun's Interlock (Ch Vi-Lee's Myster Mac x Lochlomun's N Lee Aire's Virgo)
Ch Vi-Lee's Myster Mac (Vi-Lee's Classic Contender x Vi-Lee's Tenth Thyme)
Vi-Lee's Classic Contender (CH Vi-Lee's Jubilant Jonathon x Vi-Lee's Jovial Jewell)
CH Vi-Lee's Jubilant Jonathon (Ch Vi-Lee's Redd Robbyn x Vi-Lee's Jeanne Belle)
Ch Vi-Lee's Redd Robbyn (Vi-Lee's Country Chipper x Bonneja's Trooper)
Vi-Lee's Country Chipper (Vi-Lee's Parading Chieftain x Vi-Lee's Tweedle O'Twill Parade)
Vi-Lee's Parading Chieftain (CH Silver Ho Shining Arrow x Lodestone Bandolieara II)
CH Silver Ho Shining Arrow (Honeybrook Big Parade x Silhouette of Silver Ho)
Honeybrook Big Parade (Ch Future of Arken x Honeybrook Helen)
Ch Future of Arken (Ch El Troubadour of Arken x Nymf of Arken)
Ch El Troubadour of Arken (El Capitaine of Arken x Gailly Arrayed of Arken)
El Capitaine of Arken (CH Eden Emerald x CH Halbury Jean)
CH Eden Emerald (CH Poplar Perfection x CH Eden Elenora)
CH Poplar Perfection (Ch Magnet x Pickwick Peeper)
Ch Magnet (Tonge Admiration x Southport Seal)****
Tonge Admiration (Clarksfield Superior x Clarksfield Countess)
Clarksfield Superior (CH Seedley Superior x countess of Clarksfield)
CH Seedley Superior (Seedley Squire x Seedley Constance)
Seedley Squire (CH Squire of Tytton x Southport Sissie)
CH Squire of Tytton (CH Balgreggie Baronet x Helle of Boston)
CH Balgreggie Baronet (CH Wishaw Clinker x Old Hall Duchess)
CH Wishaw Clinker (Heacham Galopin x Last Rose)
Heacham Galopin (Ormskirk Galopin x Wishaw Dolly)
Ormskirk Galopin (CH Ormskirk Emerald x CH Ormskirk Memoir)
CH Ormskirk Emerald (Heather Ralph x Aughton Bessie)
Heather Ralph (CH Stracathro Ralph x Apple Blossm Heather Ralph)
CH Stracathro Ralph (Ch Christopher x Stracathro Fancy)
CH Christopher (CH Metchley Wonder x Ch Peggie II)
CH Metchley Wonder (Sefton x Minnie)
Sefton (CH Charlemagne x CH Madge I)
Ch Charlemagne (Trefoil x Maude)

Trefoil


***It's through CH Joius Amber Dream that I can trace my collies back to the Sunnybank collies.

****Southport Seal is a dam, and this pedigree above only goes back through 40 generations, tail-male.  This doesn't even begin to cover all the collies that my own collies are related to through the bitches.

Southport Seal (Parbold Picador x Leyland Lucy)
Parbold Picador (Master Willie x Moss Hill Vera)
Master Willie (CH Anfield Model x Sweet Mary)
Ch Anfield Model (CH Parbold Piccolo x Bellfield Beauty)
CH Parbold Piccolo (CH Wellesbourne Conqueror x Parbold Pinafore)
CH Wellesbourne Conqueror (Wellesbourne Councillor x Wellesbourne Beauty)
Wellesbourne Councillor (CH Southport Perfection x Wellesbourne Chirstabelle)
Ch Southport Perfection (CH Edgbaston Marvel x Tabley Rose)
CH Edgbaston Marvel (Ch Christopher x Sweet Marie)

And this is only the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.  There are hundreds of other collies in our pedigree that I haven't begun to trace!

Trefoil, born in 1873, the ancestor of all collies

CH Charlemagne, born in 1879, a son of Trefoil

CH Metchley Wonder, born in 1886, grandson of CH Charlemagne

CH Christopher, born in 1887, son of Metchley Wonder.  All collies trace back to Christopher, and through him, back to Trefoil.

Finding a responsible dog breeder…

A friend and I were discussing Addi’s new championship title, and she remarked on how nice it is to see a collie with titles on both ends of her name.  This started me thinking, and gave me an idea for a new post about choosing a new puppy or dog breeder.  Thank you Anne for the inspiration!

I have always felt that both the prefix and suffix titles are equally important.  The CH, or Champion title, before a collie’s name proves they meet the breed standard.  Champions are collies that are not only beautiful, but are sound and have all the physical qualities and traits that make them suitable for reproducing the next generation of puppies.  But the championship title isn’t the only thing to consider, the titles at the other end of the name can be just as important when choosing to breed a dog, or purchasing a puppy from a reputable breeder.

The titles at the end of a dog’s name are often overlooked, but can provide significant information about the dog, and also about her or his family line.  When you see that the collie has earned performance or working titles, it proves that the collie has the correct temperament and intelligence inherent to the breed.  If you are looking for a puppy that may excel in herding or obedience, then searching for a collie with those titles might be your first step.

In every dog breed you will see less than reputable individuals trying to sell litters on social media.  If you ask to see the puppies’ pedigrees, and they either don’t have one available, or if you see many generations listed in the pedigree without any titles, you may want to look elsewhere for your next puppy.  You should also check with the National club for that dog breed, to see what health testing they recommend, as it is different for each dog breed.  For the collie, you would check with the Collie Club of America, to see what tests they recommend.  If the breeder hasn’t done those tests before breeding their collies, we recommend looking for another breeder.  For collies, they should be tested for MDR1, PRA and DMS.  When all three tests have been performed, the OFA will give the collie a CHIC certification.

The first mission of the CHIC program is to provide recommended guidelines for health testing. If a dog has the required testing submitted to the OFA, it gains the “Canine Health” or CHIC certification, showing that all appropriate testing has been submitted to the public OFA databases. DNA testing results do not have to be clear/normal to obtain CHIC certification. The only implication is that all relevant breed screenings have been submitted. The dogs must also be identified permanently, via a microchip or a tattoo. In addition to the parents having their CHIC certification, collie puppies should also be seen and examined by a certified canine ophthalmologist, and a copy of the test results should be given to the new families.

When looking at the titles and health testing, you will also want to make sure the dog breeder is a member of the National club, as Collie Club of America members have to follow a code of ethics.  We also recommend that the breeder is a member of a local breed club as well, which shows they are actively involved in the breed.  Members of local breed clubs are typically the ones who are involved in hosting dog shows and trials, helping when a collie is in need of rescuing, and promoting the breed by educating the public.

There is a lot to consider when choosing a puppy from a responsible, ethical dog breeder.  Identifying these 4 things should assist you in choosing the right puppy for your family and for your lifestyle:

1) Titles, both the conformation title of champion or Grand Champion, and the performance/working titles found at the end of the dog’s name.

2) Health testing, all breeding dogs should have their CHIC certification from the OFA.  All puppies should be seen by a regular veterinarian and a certified canine ophthalmologist prior to being sold.

3) Membership - the breeder should be a member of both the National and local breed clubs.

4) And ideally, unless they are just starting out, the dog breeders should have earned the title of AKC Breeders of Merit.

It can be difficult to decide on one, specific breeder, but that relationship can be invaluable throughout the dog’s lifetime.  It’s important to choose the right breeder for your new puppy.  The breeder can be a reliable source of information about feeding, training and caring for your collie, and they are always happy to hear updates over the years.  We love seeing pictures of our collies with their new families, watching as they grow, learn new tricks, earn new titles,  celebrate birthdays and just enjoy their lives.  Hopefully this post, and the  others we’ve written, will help you find the preservation breeder that is just right for you.

Saying good-bye

 

 



Being a dog breeder is never easy.  You carefully plan, choosing the best stud dog for your bitch.  Sometimes there are difficulties, and you end up spending thousands to produce that highly desired litter.  And then even after all that time, planning and expense, you end up with either no puppies or a singleton.





 

 

 

You bring your puppy home, and you take turns sleeping in shifts for the first two weeks.  You don't dare leave that precious puppy alone for even a minute, because even the best dog mom can roll over and smother the tiny pup or accidently step on him and break a leg or worse.  So you grab a few hours of sleep when you can, and watch your pup grow.  You watch his eyes open, you watch him learn to walk and play.  You watch  him become confident and begin to explore his surroundings.

 



 

 

 

You wean him from his mother's milk to the best kibble you can buy.  You take him for whatever health checks are required for your breed, because you are a responsible, reputable breeder.  You socialize him, play with him, guide him and love him.

 

 

 

 

And then, no matter how perfect and adorable he is, if he isn't exactly what you need in continuing your line of collies...you have to let him go.  Because you know you can't keep them all.  So you choose the best home you can, and with pride in the beautiful puppy you have produced and sadness in your heart, you hug and kiss him good-bye. 

 

 

 

Today was little Tate's 3 month birthday.  And today Tate left us to live with his new mom, and his new collie brothers and sisters.  But he was sold on a co-ownership, so he will make appearances on the collie blog from time to time, so it isn't really good-bye.  But the house is so quiet without him, we sure miss our little man.

 

Breeders vs rescue

Depending on how active you are on certain social media websites, you may have read the story about a little sheltie and the battle over her fate.  The sheltie lived with her mom, who was also her breeder.  She was a show dog, but she was also her owner's beloved companion.  From what I have read so far, the sheltie was being cared for by a friend, while her mother was out of town.  While her friend was caring for the sheltie, she lost her, and it took a few days to locate her.

While people were looking for the lost sheltie, she was picked up by animal control as a stray.  And after the mandatory stray hold time was up, she was pulled from the shelter by a sheltie rescue.  It was at this time that the woman discovered that the sheltie was picked up by animal control, and when she contacted them, she was told the sheltie had already been released to a rescue.  Both the woman caring for the sheltie and her owner began contacting the rescue, and this is when the battle began.  The rescue refused to return the sheltie to her owner.  They demanded proof that the sheltie actually belonged to the owner, which she provided.  However, the rescue claimed that the AKC registration, pictures and veterinary records were not enough.  And even though the sheltie was microchipped, because the owner hadn't registered the microchip, the rescue continued to refuse to release the dog.

And ongoing legal battle began, with the rescue refusing at every turn to release the sheltie.  After months, a decision was finally reached by the courts.  Finally, on Wednesday, a judge ruled that the sheltie was to be immediately returned to her owner.  However, when the sheriff arrived to pick up the sheltie, the rescue refused to relinquish her.  They have been given five days to turn her over to the sheriff’s department, which means they have until Monday to produce the sheltie.  When I visited the rescue's Facebook page, I read that they are refusing to discuss the case, and they are tired of being harassed over this issue. 

Now, I cannot give enough praise to rescues and the people who tirelessly work to save the lives of dogs, cats and other animals.  But I have started seeing a trend where some rescue groups are demonizing all dog breeders.  This just is not fair, as reputable, ethical breeders genuinely care about the animals they breed.  We have our puppy buyers sign a written contract, in which the new owners promise to return the dog, at any age, to us if they cannot keep the animal.  Many dog breeders are members of their local breed clubs and they too work in rescue.  And they are involved with their chosen breed because of a deep love for that particular dog breed, they are not simply "in it for the money."  In fact most dog breeders barely break even, as every dollar from the sale of their puppies gets funneled back into the expense of caring for their dogs.  So when I read of a rescue group refusing to return a dog to its owner, just because the owner is involved in showing and breeding dogs, it breaks my heart.  Both the rescue groups and the dog breeders are involved with dogs because of their love of dogs, so shouldn’t everyone be working together?

Which brings me to my next story.  Two days ago a fellow collie breeder wrote a post about a smooth collie puppy that was surrendered to a shelter by his owner.  The owners left him there, along with his AKC registration papers.  A few of the collie breeders in the area of the shelter have contacted the staff, concerned that this could be a puppy from their kennel.  The shelter is refusing to let them know if they are listed on the registration as the puppy's breeders.  Even after someone explained to the staff that when a breeder sells a puppy it's with a contract, which states the puppy will be returned to the breeder and not surrendered to a shelter, the manager refused to cooperate.  The shelter manager said that it would be an issue between the breeder and the puppy's owner, and that it does not concern the shelter, and the breeders should contact the puppy's owners.  But if the staff will not release the name of the collie's breeder, then how is anyone supposed know if he is a puppy they bred, and thus contact the puppy's owners? 

It is very disheartening when people continue to vilify dog breeders, and refuse to work with breeders for the benefit of the dogs involved.  What do you think?  How should these two situations have been handled?

And just so this isn't only a sad post, here is a cute puppy belly!

Look what the wind blew in...

Two years ago today, following Hurricane Irene, three little puppies were born.  Two were little boys, and both were rough collies.  The third puppy was a little girl, and she was a smooth collie.  The first puppy born was larger than the other two and his sweet collie mother labored for a long time to whelp him, but he was stuck.  On the way to the animal hospital, while riding in the car, he was finally born, and so his name became Ryder. 

  

At the animal hospital his sister, Kori, and his brother, Luke were born.  Ryder and Kori stayed with their collie mother, Abby, and their Aunt Holly Collie.  Their human mom and sister decided to keep them both.  Luke, was deeply loved, but he had a job to do.  He went to live with a family who were grieving over the death of their beloved collie.  Luke is now the best friend of two little boys, who love him very much.

Kori (left) and Ryder (right)

Their 1st birthday, and the story of their birth

Happy 2nd Birthday Ryder, Kori and Luke!  You make us so happy, and we love you all very much!

Today Holly the happy collie had her surgery!  She is home and resting, with her paw wrapped in a pink bandage.

Happy 1st bithday!

One year ago today, three special collies entered our lives.  We waited years before breeding our first litter of collie puppies.  And we waited, excited and hopeful, throughout Abby’s pregnancy.  We felt the puppies moving, and tried to imagine what they would look like, if they were boys or girls, rough or smooth.

Then a few days before Abby’s due date a hurricane hit the East Coast.  It hit our town particularly hard, and many houses on the beach were destroyed.  There was flooding, and we were left without power for days.  To stop looting of the destroyed homes, the National Guard was called in to patrol the area.

These homes were just a 1/2 mile from us

 

I read that the hurricane caused many pregnant women to go into labor early.  Our Abby decided to join them.  So there we were in the middle of the night, trying to deliver our first litter of puppies by candlelight!  Abby pushed for a while, and finally a little face appeared.  But the puppy was stuck!  And then the worst happened, Abby broke the sack. 

All that was visible was a little nose, and a little mouth with a tongue sticking out.  My sister thought the puppy was dead.  But we had to act quickly, to save the other puppies.  So my daughter and sister began packing everything we would need, as we prepared to take Abby to the animal hospital.  I remained with Abby, to keep her calm, and as I was sitting by the whelping box, the little puppy cried!  The puppy was still alive!

So we raced to the animal hospital, my daughter sitting in the back with Abby.  Abby tried pushing a few more times, and was able to get the puppy’s head and one arm out.  My daughter was able to get the rest of him out.  He was a bit blue by this time, so my daughter rubbed him with towels, as I continued to drive down the highway.  He was a little sable and white, rough male.  Since this puppy was born in the car, on the way to the animal hospital, he was immediately given the name Ryder.

Ryder

We arrived at the animal hospital, and they too were without power.  They had some lanterns, so the veterinarian helped deliver the rest of the litter there on the floor, on a pile of blankets.  The next puppy born was a smooth, sable and white girl.  She was born without her sack, completely blue and stillborn.  The vet tried to revive her, but it was too late.

Next came another smooth, sable girl.  She was born alive, though smaller than Ryder.  Ryder was the largest puppy, he weighed 12 ounces.  The little girl was given a few different names, but we finally decided on Kori.  After a little more time, a final puppy was born.  The fourth puppy was another boy, another sable, rough boy.  He was small like Kori, and weighed 8 ounces.  Which is still a healthy weight for a newborn puppy.  We named him Luke.

Luke

Kori, Ryder and Luke

While losing the one little girl was very sad, we couldn’t help being happy that we had three healthy puppies and a healthy mom.  We bundled them up, and took them home.  We watched them grow, and waited for the day when they would first open their eyes.  We laughed in delight when they began playing and when they discovered how to bark and growl.  We completely fell in love with our puppies. 

Kori (left) and Ryder (right)

Kori

Ryder

Ryder, Luke and Kori

Luke, Kori and Ryder

Little Luke

We had originally planned on keeping just one puppy.  We found the perfect home for little Luke.  The family had lost their elderly collie a few months earlier.  And after speaking with them we discovered their collie was distantly related to ours!  The family had two little boys, who were so polite and gentle around the puppies.  They loved Luke and it was decided that he would be their puppy.  While letting him go was heartbreaking, we couldn’t  have asked for a better home.  They take him everywhere, and he has two best friends.  The family also allows Luke to use their computer to send Ryder and Kori emails, to let us know how he is doing!  This one came today –

Dear Ryder and Kori,

Happy Birthday! Hope you had a fun summer. I went on two vacations – camping in New Hampshire and a week at Grandma and Grandpa’s house in Michigan – I had a blast on both trips and was an extra good boy on both trips everyone was proud of me. My kids are planning a small birthday party for me. You can tell Kathleen that I am getting my AKC registration for my birthday.

Have a good day.

Your “baby” brother – LUKE a.k.a. the Lukeness Monster

I think it is so sweet, that they have Luke write the emails.  And I love that his family kept his name, as they could have changed it to anything they wanted.  But the little boys, Matthew and David, thought he looked like a “Luke.”

We decided to keep Kori, and were half-heartedly looking for a family for Ryder.  But after his rough start, almost losing him, and then having my daughter save him, we didn’t want to let him go.  We finally made the decision to keep him too, and had to turn two families away.  We just couldn’t part with him.  And he has grown up to be a beautiful, sweet boy.  And Kori has grown up to be a character.  She is sweet like her brother, but she has a tendency to get herself into trouble.  And Ryder, usually follows along with her plans. 

So happy birthday to our wonderful puppies, we hope to celebrate many, many more birthdays with you both!