Bluestem Kennels

This is going to be a short update and I’ll get more detailed information up over the weekend.

Too Hot

I know that I owe you updated individual pictures, but we are totally in survival mode right now.  It has been between 95 and 105 degrees every day for the last week and it shows no signs of stopping.  This not only provides challenges with the puppies, but keeping the big dogs comfortable is tough too.  I have had to groom down all of the big dogs and make sure that they have cool water in their pool and dog bowls all of the time.  For the puppies, I also make sure their dog bowls are full of cool water and occasionally haul five gallon buckets of water to their kennels to either dip them in or just rinse off the kennel floor to not only clean it (after poop scooping, of course), but to cool it down.

Oh and don’t think that my dogs are rich when I say that they have a pool.  It is actually just an old kids’ durable plastic sandbox that I fill with water.  That is the next scheduled dog improvement, to get a stock tank with a drain on it, but it will have to wait for next year.  This year we will continue this aspect on low budget.  Eventually we also want to get city water piped back there with one of those farm spigot water hydrant thingies, but we’ll just keep hauling water and running massive lengths of hose for a few more years.

Low budget dog pool

The dogs have also dug themselves various holes and dens around the property to beat the heat.

Free dog house and shade hole

“K” Litter

We moved the “K” Litter to my house last week so that Aaron could go on a fishing trip and so that I would have a chance to evaluate the pups and do picks.

I will be working on my breeder picks for the “K” litter over the weekend and will have them finalized by sundown Tuesday.  So “K” litter future owners, be prepared for some questions over the coming days.  I have a few that I’m settled on already, but still need to go over my notes from talking to folks in the past and doing some more evaluating on the pups themselves.

Here are some shots of our kennel techs and the move.

Aaron’s kennel techs Avery and Josie with the pups and Velma loaded in my truck.

A closeup of the pups

Two of my three kennel techs: Conrad and Cordelia moving the pups from the truck to the kennel.

They have gone to straight dry kibble and I am feeding Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy.  If you are looking to pick some up to transition your pup home, here is the store locator: http://www.diamondpet.com/where-to-buy/

Over the weekend, I will post a list of recommended supplies for when you bring your puppy home when I post the new individual pictures.  Oh but here is a photo of the doggy dinner pile:

K Litter chowing down

They also like to get out and about in the yard.  Here are just some random shots.

“L” Litter

Well in spite of my efforts and hope, I did end up losing those two males last weekend.  I rode it out without going to the vet to put them down, but it was a pretty rough ride.  Right before I brought the “K” litter over last weekend, I moved the “L” litter inside to try to help those two.  The basement was too cold, so we settled on the upstairs living room for a few days.

Indoor setup

My smallest kennel tech, Caleb.

Once the two undeveloping pups were lost, I knew that I needed to start to condition them to the heat, so they were back in the garage with a fan on them.  They are stumbling around a bit and their eyes are open.  I will get individual photos over the weekend.  Random shots.

They have also started on canned puppy food:

And then finally yesterday, with a heat index of 110-115, I had to move them outside.  I knew that I couldn’t keep the garage cool enough.

Oh and a few parting shots before I go and run dogs around some more.  I had to get an updated photo for the magazine earlier this week.  It is the puppy issue after all.  But then I wanted you to see what I really look like coming out of the kennel area.

What the world thinks a dog breeder looks like. Photo by Charles Upchurch

What a dog breeder really looks like.  Note the sweaty t-shirt.  I had washed the dog hair off of my arms though. Photo by Cordelia Upchurch

Time for more dog adventures, talk at you soon.  I will come bearing videos as well.