So There WAS A Puppy In There!

One single puppy.

Sally didn't think Holly was pregnant, but just to be sure she took Holly in for an x-ray last week.  And there it was - a single puppy.  I didn't post anything because I didn't want to jinx anything.  I've been telling Sally all week not to worry.  Things would go smoothly.

And so far - they have.

Born to CH WoTeH'sin Breakfast At Sniffanys (Holly) out of CH WoTeH'sin-S'Dandi Black Tie-N-Tails (Tuxedo - a singleton puppy himself!) one single baby girl - black and white - arrived tonight - of all nights - 10/10/10!  No C-Section required!  Thank you God!  And thank you Sally!  You are an amazing friend and mentor!

Momma, puppy and Sally are all doing well.  Pictures to follow.

Now to come up with an appropriate name!

We are truly blessed this wonderful October evening!

Disappointment

When you only plan on one litter every year, maybe two, each breeding is of monumental importance to the future of your breeding program.  Usually if you breed this infrequently, you have only a few brood bitches on which you've chosen to build your line and move forward.  You have taken care to keep or purchase only the best in your opinion and every breeding happens for a reason.  You may on occasion breed a bitch back-to-back (and recent studies I've done with reproduction specialists say it's not a taboo practice).  I still hate to do it, but will do so when cleared by my vet AND the situation warrants.

But here are two things you can take to the bank - if the bitch isn't REALLY ready she won't take and everything happens for a reason.

Suffice it to say that Sally believes Holly is not pregnant.  :(  We were very hopeful and all of the early signs were there.  But unfortunately, it was not meant to be.

If the bitch isn't ready - she won't take.

So what is the next move?  Hmmmm . . . interested readers will just have to wait and see.  But I can tell you this - I have a few possibilities that are VERY exciting.

Everything happens for a reason!

Stay tuned!  :)

Gimme a sign!

Week three since being bred and Holly has decided she won't eat her food without a little sumthin-sumthin on top - ground beef or chicken.

The picky eating phase of pregnancy maybe??

Stay tuned!

:)

Could there be the pitter patter of little paws in the near future??

CH Tuxedo

X

CH Holly

Fingers crossed! :)

Update:

We'll know soon! Puppies would be due in early October!

Puppy update

We have boys! Three beautiful boys. Sadly we lost two puppies but I am forever grateful to Sally for doing everything possible to make this delivery the best for my dear Holly. It is always sad to lose young babies - it is the one thing as dog breeders that hurts almost as much as losing one of your older dogs to disease or age. Sally once told me that if it ever stops hurting to lose a newborn, it's time to get out of dog breeding - and she's right. It's like a piece of your heart goes with that baby to the bridge - but you know you'll get it back when you pass on to your afterlife and you are reunited with your babies. It still doesn't make it any easier.

So boys! Lovely, perfectly marked boys! Three of them from which I can choose. This boy is an important element to my breeding program because of his pedigree. And I can't believe I have three perfect babies from which I can pick! I am blessed! I can not wait to see them, and I am planning my trip to Michigan to do just that! I simply can not wait to see them move - it should be beautiful!

There they are up above - no names yet - still thinking about that. So for now, just enjoy the picture of CH Rush x CH Holly baby boys!

Puppy News!

Hopefully I don't jinx this but while I lay here recovering from yet another cold, I have news of the pitter-patter of little paws on the horizon! Today Sally called me to tell me that Holly - CH WoTeH'sin Breakfast At Sniffanys - had a pre-delivery xray and there are five babies in there!

Holly has been living in Michigan for some time now with Sally and the S'Dandi crew. The last time she was bred, sadly it didn't take - I think that secretly Holly just loves Sally's home cookin' and decided she wanted to stay even LONGER so she didn't have any babies. But this time around Sally timed the breedings perfectly and we are keeping our fingers and toes crossed for a smooth delivery!

Holly is Magic's full litter sister and he sends his best to his sis! Oh and he says, I have a champion kid already that is a Best Puppy In Specialty Show winner - let's see what ya got!

Holly is shown above finishing her championship with Sally in Traverse City, MI

Anticipation!

It's been a while since we've heard the pitter-patter of little paws around here! Specifically, my last litter was a singleton puppy born in 2007 (that turned out to be something pretty spectacular). Tuxedo was Best Puppy In Show at the Greater Atlanta Shih Tzu Specialty that proceeded the Nationals last year! I thought then, and I still think, that was pretty AWESOME! Thank you again, Sally, for believing in me, my breeding program and that special little boy!

Well as luck would have it - I finally have an opportunity to repeat that breeding! Violet is cooperating and I'm sure Magic will when called upon! :) Now all it has to do is take!

So if all goes well, and I hope I'm not jinxing it, we should have cute little black & white puppies in June!

Now, as if that wasn't enough to be happy about, my little Holly is also in season! I've been able to work out the logistics and Holly will be bred as well.

I've been planning these two litters for well over a year now. It's been a rocky road to get to this point too. I won't go into details, but let's just say that I didn't think I'd be able to breed either girl! It figures both would come in at the same time! But I've been blessed to be able to work out the details. And I'm very excited!

Pictures of course will be posted here for bragging purposes!!

Pictured above is Violet (WoTeH'sin Booty-N-Charm) with her singleton son Tuxedo (CH WoTeH'sin S'Dandi Black Tie-N-Tails).

Here's Holly!

I know, it's been MONTHS since Holly finished her championship, but I'm just now getting around to getting her picture! Here she is in all her glory, finishing with her third major under Judge Betsy Dale, and handled by my dear friend, Sally Watkeys. Sally did such a wonderful job with Holly - her coat looked FABULOUS. This particular weekend in Traverse City I was so lucky because Holly finished on Saturday and Tuxedo finished on Sunday and I got to see them both finish! What a weekend THAT was!

Holly is an Iris daughter (and Crystal's grand-daughter), and Magic's full litter sister. She is also Tuxedo's Auntie!

So enjoy!

Shown above is Holly - CH WoTeH'sin Breakfast At Sniffanys.

TWO NEW CHAMPIONS!!

What a weekend!

Holly finished Saturday with yet ANOTHER major and Tuxedo got his finishing major on Sunday!

Pictures coming soon!

Published!

Over the last six months or so I entered into an agreement with The Shih Tzu Reporter to write a series I've entitled "Paying It Forward." It started out as an idea where someone would "interview" judges and present those interviews to the readership. Well, long story short, my suggestion turned into a new venture in writing. To find prospective interview subjects, I choose provisional Shih Tzu judges with email addresses. Real technical, eh?

So out went the email and the response was tremendous. I was amazed at how many interested people responded! One judge in particular followed my signature link to this blog and read through in an effort to decide whether or not to respond - to see if I was for real I guess.

I am.

So emails followed and I was honored to have one of my pieces right from this blog published in The Poodle Variety during the first quarter of '08! I am honored that people find value in my work. Most of the time I just come here to rant or brag. I guess sometimes I make sense! :)

So thank you Ms. Ann Kennedy for believing in my words.

The funny thing is that once I started to research Ms. Kennedy's judging schedule I realized I had already shown to her! And won! Talk about a coincidence!

As for The Reporter articles, I will begin to copy those published to this blog.

Pictured above is WoTeH'sin Breakfast At Sniffanys winning her first point under judge Ann Kennedy

Winning Streak!

Well, the kids of WoTeH'sin continue to tear it up out there in the rings.

Tuxedo (WoTeH'sin S'Dandi's Black Tie-N-Tails) now has 10 points, needing just one major and a couple of singles. This little guy is only 8 months old! What a thrill it has been during his whirlwind show career!

Holly (WoTeH'sin Breakfast At Sniffanys) gained another point last weekend and only needs three singles to finish!

Both Tuxedo and Holly are in the expert care of Sally Watkeys of S'Dandi Shih Tzu. Thank you Sally for your hard work and winning ways!

And on the home front, the kids and I went to Sierra Vista, AZ a couple of weeks ago and Garnet (S'Dandi's Crimson Crystal Of WoTeH'sin) beat the snot outta Magic (WoTeH'sin Smoke And Mirrors), taking WB, BW and the breed for her first point! The little brat! She had lots of fans by the end of the weekend, including one of my co-workers, Lauren, who joined us for the trip. Garnet is such a happy puppy, not to mention a stunning color, so people just gravitate to her. Red really does attract a lot of attention in the ring!

I was also approached by several folks in search of a good quality Shih Tzu puppy. Sorry to say that my next litter won't be bred until December! Ah but that breeding will be SO worth the wait - most likely a repeat of Tuxedo! Beautiful black & whites on the way! I hope this time there's a girl in there for me!

Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures in Sierra Vista - it was WAY too windy and I could barely get topknots in. I'll try to post some other candid shots if I can get any around the house this weekend.

Magic Man

I took Magic to Tucson last weekend for the IABCA Winter Seiger. It was a tiring trip, and cold, but well worth it.

The thing I like about the IABCA shows are the written critiques as well as the one on one time you get with each judge to go over the dog. In three shows you can complete an International title. I know of folks that have to keep going back to finish a dog, but I've been successful now twice in finishing dogs in consecutive shows.

My latest is International Champion WoTeH'sin Smoke and Mirrors - AKA "Magic".

Magic is a sweet little boy. He's a bit shy at first but he comes out of his shell quickly now. When I first started to show him earlier this year, he wouldn't walk. He'd put a few steps together but that's it. And each judge, patient as they were, told me they liked my dog but I had to get him to walk. And walk he eventually did - gathering four points in Traverse City last June. Since then he's been home, running the house, chasing the others around and being a dog. I expect to eventually finish him in AKC competition, but his sister Holly has to finish first. My checkbook can only handle so much. So in the mean time, Magic got his International championship and he'll run around some more until I decide to enter him in some shows here in the spring.

Pictured above is International Champion WoTeH'sin Smoke And Mirrors

Only 4 more single points to go!

Here is Holly's picture from her 5 point major win. She has grown into a beautiful girl! She should be a champion real soon!

Holly's travels with Sally

Just a brag here about my little girl Holly. Her full name is WoTeH'sin Breakfast At Sniffanys.

Holly's show career started earlier this year with me on her lead in Palm Springs where she won the 6 - 9 month puppy bitch class at the Shih Tzu Fancier's of Southern CA specialty. She went on to win the breed at the Superstition KC show held in Scottsdale, AZ in March for her first point.

In May, I flew Holly out to my friend and mentor, Sally Watkeys of S'Dandi Shih Tzu in Michigan. Sally said if she liked Holly she would show her for me, since majors out here in AZ are virtually non-existant.

Well, Holly's first weekend out with Sally in Canfield, OH resulted in a single point under Paula Hartinger. Later that weekend Holly, won a three point major under Dr. John Shelton. Over Labor Day weekend, Holly won another single in Marquette, MI under Maxine Beam. On to the Michigan Toy Club specialty in Goodells, MI where Holly went BW under Lydia Coleman-Hutchinson for a five point major! I think Sally likes Holly . . .

God willing, Holly will be Sally's boy Rush's (American/Canadian CH S'Dandi's On Loan From God) sixth champion, making him ROM eligible. What a special champion she will be! I am so proud of her! She is her mother Iris' first champion.

Holly's brother Magic (WoTeH'sin Smoke And Mirrors) has four points and he's waiting here in the wings being spot shown. Look for him next year.

The picture is Holly after winning her first major!