Bluestem Kennels

“Now why don’t he write?” – Timmons the drunk wagon driver on Dances With Wolves

If you’ve seen that movie more than once, you get the reference and know that I haven’t been shot full of arrows by natives.  But the weather predictions have kept me hustling to get things ready for the puppies to arrive.  They’re saying that by this time next week we should have 2 feet of snow on the ground.  I am working towards being organized enough to have a dedicated puppy whelping area ready all year around, but the space that I use for those purposes tends to get re-appropriated in the 0ff-puppy season for sorting unused items for charitable donation and storing seasonal/holiday items.  So here it is in all its glory (or lack thereof):

Whelping area

That’s just a camera phone shot, so I wasn’t able to get the whole room in, but it is about 12×20 feet so the mama has plenty of space to move about.  The wooden box is the actual whelping box and where the puppies will be born and spend their first few weeks (when we’re not messing with them).  I also picked up an extra large kiddie pool in case I need to do some shuffling when Mae’s puppies arrive.  Other supplies that I’m stocked up on:

1) Wet canned adult and puppy food for the mamas to have extra energy right before and after the puppies are born.

2) Powdered milk replacement and canned liquid goat milk replacement.  Both to give the mamas as they are whelping (they won’t eat solid food while whelping, but will drink milk if it is placed at their mouths) or if it looks like some of the puppies need an extra boost with a little bottle feeding.

3) Wood chips.  My favorite all-around bedding, it keeps things very sanitary.

The room itself will be heated when labor begins and the box will be heat lamped.  All of my dogs are conditioned to outdoor temperatures, so they really are not comfortable in climate controlled environments, but for the comfort and safety of the puppies the females have to deal with being hot for a few weeks.

As the temperatures were warm at the end of last week and on Saturday, I took the opportunity to groom and bathe all of the dogs.  It takes me a good hour per dog at least to get that done, but it’s necessary and good quality bonding time with them.  Sorry, I didn’t have anyone handy to take pictures for me.

I do have some shots of the mamas though, they are both doing fine.  We are a week and a half to two weeks away from Sue’s pups and a month or so away from Mae’s.

Sue is very pregnant

Another angle of Sue

Mae is definitely showing

Another angle of Mae

Not only are we waiting for puppies, but we are getting Sam and BB ready for the next level of hunt testing, so it is a very busy time around here.  I feel so much better now that the whelping area is prepared and am looking forward to welcoming Sue’s puppies soon!  If you are looking for a puppy this spring, please know that I currently have 14 reservations with deposit.  I would be okay with taking additional reservations and in the event of not having a puppy available, either returning the deposit or having the reservation carry over to next year.  Feel free to call (402) 682-9802 or e-mail bluestemkennels@cox.net with any questions.