Playing Hard to Get

Don't know how every other breeder does it, but when I have a girl come in heat, I immediately separate her from ALL my male dogs, even the neutered ones. I have several breeder friends who put a cycling female in with the male they want her bred with and just leave the 2 of them together until she is out of heat. I don't do that because some females can be REALLY obnoxious... as in downright vicious... with males until they get to the part of their cycle which is called "standing heat" (when her hormones tell her she is ready to be bred.) And if the girl rips an interested boy's head off, some guys lose interest.

So, Cotton has been away from Brogue for the last week... they are in the tv room in separate pens. She is with her mom and grandma and the 2 pens are side by side, actually touching, so Brogue can sniff at her when she gets close but she has room to move away. He started showing interest... pawing through the wire to pull her blanket close... several days ago. She's pretty much ignored his efforts except for the occasional snarl when he's touched her.

Here's how things have progressed since Friday, the first day I let them out in the yard together...
Friday: Brogue wants to sniff and lick. Cotton has a headache which makes her stay as far away from him as possible.
Saturday: Brogue wants to sniff and lick. Cotton prances around near him, then runs away when he gets close.
Sunday: Brogue wants to sniff and lick. Cotton lets him but heads for the hills when he tries to mount. Then she comes trotting back as soon as he looks elsewhere for something to do.
Today: Brogue wants... well, you know what he wants. And so does Cotton. She is this close to thinking it's a good idea....

Moving right along! If only Keogh's cycle had gone this way!

Spring grooming, Who-Doos

It looks like the worse of winter is over so I've started clipping everyone. Got Emy and Di done... next to Sparky, they're the smallest and the ones I do myself. I didn't clip them in November, except for the back of the ribcage to the tail, because they were both pregnant and I keep the house really cool. All that hair kept the pups nice and warm. All those pups got the hair nice and matted! But it comes off easy then, like shearing a sheep. They went running out into the rain and came in soaked to the skin which they seemed to enjoy. Tomorrow Brogue is going to the groomer. He's not matted except for under his ears and where he's chewed a little on his rear, but he has a really thick coat and when it starts to mat it does it all over in no time. Keo will probably go this week as well. Again, she's not matted but has a ton of hair. Both Sparky and Shadow are still fairly short from their early winter clipping... doesn't seem like the hair grew all that fast this year which is odd since this was the coldest winter we've had in a long time. I actually liked it a lot!

My second attempt at a Who-Doo litter has hit a snag. Trying to get this Goldendoodle girl here from California is proving to be a job. She can't fly because we don't have planes coming in here big enough for the crate and so far, neither her owner nor I have located ground transport we're comfortable with. I remember sending a group of dogs to Idaho via ground several years ago and I was definitely unhappy with the service. If we don't get it worked out before Debbie-Doodle comes into season, all bets are off. I even talked with my vet... again... about doing surgical a.i. with Keo and Brogue. They are all for it... but it's not THEIR money (until I spend it there!) I really hate disappointing the people who have been waiting so long for one of these puppies. AND I'd love to have more Keo pups... her one and only litter was wonderful.

Sounds like maybe the rain has let up a little... I should try letting some dogs out and maybe get them all settled down before Dancing with the Stars starts at 8.