1/18/11

  Well it was a busy weekend around the kennels.  Had an electrician in Friday to look at a heat problems we had so I took off work Friday and helped (watched) him.  Found out we had a fan motor shorted out parts are on order and we should be good to go this week.
  The weather warmed up a little and I finally got a chance to clean kennels.  Couldn't get the hose out but at least I was able to scoop frozen poop and the kennels look much better, tough keep them clean at this time of the year.  But I do the best I can.
  Sunday I started to try to find my garage floor.  I have too much stuff so it is time to thin it out.  I filled the Suburban from front to rear and ceiling high with stuff to go to Goodwill.  We have kept a good record of what we are donating and I will take it off our 2011 taxes.  The garage is coming around I have it about half done the trash man comes tomorrow and  he will earn his money because I threw a ton of junk away.  I am in a major downsizing mode and trying to get ready to retire so the work will continue.  Once the garage is done then it is out to the kennel building and do another search and destroy out there need to get it cleaned as it has my training table in it and I need to get Patch on the table and get her bench work started.
  Tsgt Travis Schuler who I wrote about in a previous post sent me and email Saturday and told me his new email address at home as Sunday is his last day in Iraq.  I am so happy for him and his family.  Now he will get to start his life over with his wife and kids.  I am looking forward to hearing from him once he gets back in the country and settled in and back to his normal job and spend sometime with his family.
  Woke up Monday and started back on the garage and Tina let the dogs out and thought she heard puppies well I ran to the whelping house and sure enough Morgan had already had 2 puppies.  By the end of the day she had had 6.  3 females and 3 males, during the night she lost 2 I don't know if she laid on them or they got off the heated mat and got cold.  Warmth at this time of the year is critical and I have the boxes heated and a heated mat on the floor but it may not have been enough.  But now we have 3 females and 1 male left.  We are trying to go out every hour or less and keep an eye on them and make sure they stay next to mama and on the mat.  The first 48 to 72 hours are always the most critical when it comes to puppies.  They have to start nursing and get themselves hydrated and warm after 72 hours they are usually strong enough to make it on their own.
  Elmer Lee Graber brought his big male over yesterday to breed to Katie but we couldn't get them hooked up yesterday but will try again tomight.  Katies heat cycle has been really wierd this time she drips one day and not the next so If we don't make it this time we will try again later.  Elmer's big male Max is a nice looking dog he is Miller's Silver Bullet on one side and Pork Roll on the other exactly like Katie so this breeding should be excellent.  I sure hope I can get them together  this week.  Elmer will be over to pick up his male later this week.  So we shall see.
  Missy is due wo whelp this week and that means another long night and hopefully quite succesful delivery.  This is her first litter and she will take some help so looks like I will be spending my nights in the whelping house sometime this week.
  Exacly 6 months until I retire looking forward to that it is getting harder and harder to get up and go to work in the morning when I know I have so much stuff to take care of at home.  I know I need to show patience but man I am ready to give it up and play with the dogs.
Until Later
Jim