Bluestem Kennels

Sue and the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon pups take respite from the heat in the basement living room

This week we played a bit of musical pens due to the heat.  The wooden whelping box with cedar chips is out in the garage due to space and child (three year old boy) issues.  The garage is well insulated, but not set up to be cooled yet (I can make it hotter, but not colder).  It is the eventual goal to have the room climate controlled, but we’re not quite there yet.  The beginning of this week brought a few days of 95+ degree weather and it just got to be what I thought was too hot for everyone.  So I ran to PetCo and splurged on the 24″ tall Precision exercise pen.  It has been on our wish list for awhile, but the weather forced us to make the purchase and it was perfect for the pups and Sue.  Yesterday a front moved in and cooled things down, so I was able to open the garage door to air and move the pups back out there.

While they were in the house, the pups were on top of a plastic sheet covered by a blanket and wow, I’m glad I don’t use cloth as my normal bedding.  Cedar chips really rule, they keep things smelling clean, are absorbant and give the pups something to nestle down into.  I had to change the blanket twice a day to keep things half as clean as the cedar bedding.  Charles reads lots of old bird dog literature and he says that is what the old timers swore by it for puppy bedding, just because of the natural disinfectant that the turpines in the cedar create.

Speaking of old timers, Delmar Smith, realizing that Charles and I are breeders, spoke to the old days of puppy rearing at Pheasant Fest.  He said that it was expected to lose half of a litter to disease and the elements.  Not to say that loss doesn’t occur anymore, but the advancements in sanitation in puppy rearing conditions, vaccinations in the kennel population and increased awareness of temperature control have greatly increased puppy production.

Before I keep rambling, I’ll share the picture of one of the pups with its eyes coming open.  I didn’t want to annoy all of them to pull them out to take a picture.

Two week old Wirehaired Pointing Griffon pup with its eyes open

Here’s the still shot of the litter:

Litter of seven, two week old Wirehaired Pointing Griffon pups, Bluestem Kennels “D” Litter

Here’s this week’s exciting and action packed YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnf0OeM447o

Before I give you some updated photos on a few pups from previous litters, I have a couple of random things I want to soapbox on.

In my recent reading online, I see that there are a number of people who aren’t taking seriously the warning that most breeders provide about restricting exposure and contact prior to the puppy being through their shots and even being careful after that throughout the first year.  Those first couple of months in the new home, the pup should really not be exposed to dogs outside of their packmates.  Anywhere there is animal feces of any kind or even just eutrophic looking water should be off limits.  Puppy classes, doggy daycare or socialization with non-packmates has to wait until the puppy shots are done at a minimum.  These are serious risks to the health of the puppy.  Breeders are even wary of having other dog owners on their property when there are puppies on the ground, for fear of fecal material on their shoes.  I don’t even let outsiders near my puppies until after 4 weeks of age and even then, they are washing their hands and I’m checking their shoes that they are not contaminating my facility.  It sounds paranoid, the the health of my puppies is my utmost concern.

That’s the end of my soapbox time.  Now let’s look at some fun pictures!!

13 week old Wirehaired Pointing Griffon puppy from Sam and Mae’s litter, TracHer in North Dakota, had fun flower picking!

13 week old Wirehaired Pointing Griffon puppy Frankie, from Sam and Mae’s litter, kicking it on the patio in Colorado with owner, Mike

Two year old Wirehaired Pointing Griffon from Sue and Sam’s first litter, Whiskey, watches Andi and a chicken in Nevada

That officially brings me to the end of my allotted blogging time for the week folks.  If you just can’t get enough of us here at Bluestem Kennels, please be sure to follow my mobile updates on our Facebook page by giving us a “Like” at Bluestem Kennels ~ Wirehaired Pointing Griffons https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bluestem-Kennels-Wirehaired-Pointing-Griffons/185207431498228