Bluestem Kennels

Note:  All of the puppies are spoken for at this time, but if you would like to be on the contact list in the event of a last minute back out, please email bluestemkennels@gmail.com.

I think it is so funny when people admit that they’ve been following my blog and YouTube channel for several years.  It makes both parties feel embarrassed, but it is really flattering.  If I think about it too much it makes me so self-conscious.  My personality is very split between extrovert and introvert.  When I’m around people, I’m very outgoing and talkative.  But I also love to spend lots of time home alone, just hanging out with the dogs, watching the birds, and doing the endless chores that go along with three kids and small dog kennel.

Oh and “the magazine” as it is known around here.  It takes a lot of time and patience.  It is like having to do a quarterly summative grad school group project.  I lose sleep over it and it makes me crazy.  But when it comes in the mail all shiny and chrome, it’s like “damn, we did it again”.  Thanks to my very good friend Amy Caswell-O’Clair of Soonipi Point Griffons in Newport, NH for doing this life with me.  It is great to work with someone so smart and kind.  She knows so much about griffons and training and grooming and breeding, it is fun for us to to share our experiences and knowledge with each other.  To get this amazing magazine, the Griffonnier, you have to join the AWPGA, the American Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Association https://awpga.com/membership

Oh and while you are joining clubs, join NAVHDA, the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association.  At their training days, they can help you train your dog.  And you get a magazine each month.  And it brings you good hunting karma (I made that part up).  One of my Facebook friends just got his premium membership package the other day and was so excited about it that he took a photo and posted it. http://navhdastore.org/membershippackages.aspx

NAVHDA Premium Membership Package.  Photo by Matt Kadlubowski

So if you want to be in the cool dog nerd clubs, there you go.  Okay puppies, must talk about the puppies.

“K” Litter

It is hard to believe that the “K” Litter is four weeks old today.  I was over at Aaron’s on Sunday and got some pictures and video.  Sorry that I’ve been slow to post them, between the magazine and the kids and the “L” Litter and the other dogs and Charles has been traveling for work…it’s just a lot.

Aaron and I were really busy talking, so I didn’t get many photos, but I did get some video.  I go and pick the pups and Velma up tomorrow to bring them over here while Aaron is on a fishing trip.  Plus it will be good to spend time with them to evaluate them and start to think about who goes where.  So I’ll be in touch with the future owners over the next week about specifically what you’re looking for in a pup and what I’ve got.

“K” Litter at 3 weeks old chowing down

Here is the video that I took of them: https://youtu.be/tmL7ve7C3V0

“L” Litter

Nine puppies of the “L” Litter are big and developing, with their eyes starting to open and starting on puppy mush.  Puppy mush is where I take canned puppy food and mix it with puppy milk replacer.  Right now they are eating it off of a spoon.  Once they get up on their legs over the next week, we’ll transition to eating from a dish.  Notice that I said nine.  Four males and five females.

11 were born, but there are two males that are just not developing correctly.  Amy has had similar situations where they just fail to thrive.  The other puppies are nursing from BB and eating from the spoon and getting big and fat, and starting to open their eyes.  I can’t get these two to latch on to BB and I have to basically force feed them because they won’t suck from the bottle.  They are wasting away and I can’t bear to watch it.  So I have an appointment at the vet to have them put down tomorrow.  Something like this is caused by internal organs not developing correctly and there is nothing that I can do to fix it.

This isn’t Disneyland.  Being a breeder isn’t all fun and playing with puppies.  I am sad, but in my sixth year as a breeder I’ve learned to harden my heart a bit to this.  There were years that I was just destroyed and crushed over losing pups.  But now I know that it is the nature of things and the reason that even though I have a health guarantee, I’ve never had to replace a pup or give a refund.  Because I am honest with my buyers that I’m not going to coddle a reject and send it home with them.  So may their little puppy souls rest in peace.

(Post-Script:  I had an honest conversation with Dr. Andrew Kliewer, DVM this afternoon.  He said that his wife, Susan, checked their hearts and initial internal organ function when I brought them in for tails and dew claws.  He said that when there is a large litter, it is possible that there are “premie” type pups.  Where they are internally normal, and will eventually function and perform the same as the advanced pups, and just need a little extra time.  And that two weeks is too early to make a call.  That there is not necessarily anything congenitally or genetically wrong with them.  As if the two male pups had read my post about having them put down, they started spoon feeding with their bigger siblings tonight.  Honestly, I cried when it happened.  I hope that they “power up”, as my kids say in video gaming.  I am not taking reservations on them until they establish themselves in the pack, but should they be ready for homes eventually, I will seek them locally.)

Here are some pics and a short video of the nine cute and healthy pups.  Two week-old puppies are just not very exciting.  It is amazing to look at the difference one week makes.  The next week of their lives is huge: https://youtu.be/dhphJSjuA_Q

We are getting into some dangerous heat over the next few days, so they might have to spend some time in the cool of the basement.  Our property is really shaded in, so we won’t have the worst of the heat, but I will have to keep a close eye out to make sure that they aren’t overheating.

Okay it is noon and it is 91 degrees already and I need to move some pups.  Talk at you soon.