Bluestem Kennels

Breeding Announcement

My reservation list for this litter is currently full, but if you wish to be on the backup contact list in the event of someone dropping out or us having more puppies than reservations, please e-mail bluestemkennels@gmail.com.

We had four ties between AKC/NAVHDA Bluestem Otoe Chief, NA II and Bluestem’s Prairie Fire, NA I between Wednesday, December 2nd and Saturday, December 5th.  When Fire and I went back to see Chief on Sunday, December 6th neither he or Fire showed any interest in continuing, so we assume that step one was completed.  I am hoping that she retained the pregnancy, but after last year (two ties and zero puppies) I am not taking any chances.  Fire and Chief had two litters previous to last year, so we know that it is possible, but for whatever reason the pregnancy didn’t come to fruition last year.  So Fire and I are heading down to rural Lincoln on Monday to Hillcrest Veterinary Clinic to have an ultrasound to confirm pregnancy.  I am pretty old fashioned, so this is my first time having a female ultrasounded to confirm pregnancy at 30 days.  I am excited to see how the process works and hope that we get the results that we are anxiously anticipating!  If things are going as planned, puppies will be whelped at the beginning of February and go home at the beginning of April.

God Must Need Griffonniers

2020 was the worst year for losing breeders of the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon.  I just got the news yesterday that Rob Garity of Pennsylvania, founder of Flatbrook Sporting Dogs (now operated by Dick Byrne) passed.  I had never met him, but really feel the urgency of continuing with our work when we’re losing so many good people.

Chuck Speiss was half of ChuKar Kennels in Michigan along with his wife, Karen.  They never missed a national specialty, here he is pictured in 2014 in Maine.  He handled in the field and Karen in the show ring.  He was very generous with the AWPGA (American Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Association) in that every year he made a metal Griff yard art sculpture.  We’ll miss him.

Chuck Speiss, far right, chatting with the Terrys

We also lost the best groomer in the breed, Claudette Blackburn, who was half of Elevage Des Battures in Quebec, Canada.  She handled in the ring and Dominic Brisson handled in the field.  I’m sure that Dominic will miss her expertise in his kennel and we’ll all miss her knowledge and passion for the breed.  Her male Bayou made the cover of NAVHDA’s Versatile Hunting Dog magazine for his influence on Wirehaired Pointing Griffons.  I was lucky enough to meet her and learn from her at the grooming seminar at the 2014 Maine Specialty.  See you at the big Griff party in the great beyond, Claudette.

Claudette Blackburn showing Ron Granai how to groom the head

Life Goes On

I promised to post pictures of Chief since he moved in with Kyle in November 2018.  He is the father of Ruth and so we didn’t want to have any father-daughter accident litters.  (I am still flabberghasted at the handful of “oops” litters I’ve had from one tie and then no puppies from two intentional ties last year.  But I guess it was my turn of having bad luck breeding after ten years of nothing but good.)

Fire, BB and Chief, North Dakota 2015

BB, Chief, and Fire, again North Dakota 2015

Chief in Downtown Omaha, Summer 2016

Chief, BB and Fire hanging at the lake, Summer 2016

Chief and Fire, North Dakota 2017

Chief going home with Kyle, November 2018

Chief is also immortalized in my entryway over my leash hanger in a painting by my cousin Sierra Furtwangler, check out her Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/UnFckedFabricOmetry

Psychedelic Chief Retrieves a Pheasant by Sierra Furtwangler

End of 2020 Hunting Update

Charles keeps busy in the field while I mainly stay home finishing up unpacking from our move (yes, it was two years ago but we are still unpacking) and overseeing the tile project in the kitchen, bathroom and bar (about 400 square feet overall).  We started the tile project the day after Thanksgiving and we have to be done by the beginning of February in the event that we have puppies!

He headed up the Sandhills at the beginning of November for deer season, stopping for a brief hunt with Obi, Fire and Ruth in Northeast Nebraska.  He only hunted one small area but got into both quail and pheasant successfully!

Northeast Nebraska mixed bag in November

He also got a nice muley buck in the Sandhills on opening day on public land.  It was the busiest he had seen the area in years with Nebraska being one of the few states without massive COVID restrictions.  License plates were spotted from all over the nation and trucks were everywhere, so the pressure was on to drop something as soon as possible because there might not be anything left in the area on day two.

Charles’s 2020 Nebraska Sandhills Mule Deer

The weekend after Thanksgiving Charles took our youngest son Caleb and our youngest dog Obi on a European tower shoot.  It was a great opportunity for Obi to get into lots of retrieves and Caleb to get some more dog handling experience.  The pheasants that were shot on this trip by Charles and his friends were turned into fried pheasant fingers for our New Year’s Eve celebration.

Eleven-and-a-half year old Caleb and one year-old Obi

Then at the beginning of December while I was getting Fire bred, Charles met up with a gang in south central Nebraska to chase some pheasants and quail on some private land.  He said that it was very thick cover with lots of birds hiding out in little draws and creekbeds.  Obi let a lot of the older dogs do a lot of the work, but he kept up, worked cover and had some good moments.  Ruth was a workhorse.

The bird gang with Ruth and Obi

Bird haul from the last day in south central Nebraska with Obi and Ruth

He’s also been getting out with the dogs and our neighbor who has private access in Iowa.  Iowa is visible from our house, so it is not that far away to get into some good spots.  Sam has a nice little Deutsch Drahthaar, a breed that the genetics of the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon contributed to.

Charles with Ruth (in the dark), Sam with Elsa the Deutsch Drahthaar

Home Life

Griffons don’t just get it done in the field, when properly exercised they are relaxed in the home and fun company.

Charity with Fire, Ruth and Obi

Obi, Ruth and Fire

Fire and Ruth

Pupdates

I have a couple of hunting pupdates.  Here’s Bluestem TracHer SH, NA III having fun up in North Dakota with Susan and a rooster retrieve.  She’s from our 2012 “C” Litter between Sam and Mae:

Bluestem TracHer SH, NA III

Here’s Han from our surprise K litter between BB and Chief in 2016.  Picking up a pintail duck water retrieve in Missouri for Mark.

Bluestem Han

We love to hear from our puppy owners, keep sharing the photos!

From our family to yours, best wishes for a 2021 filled with adventures and good health.  We hope that you all had a quiet and healthy holiday season full of good cheer.  We’ll keep you posted to new developments in the coming weeks.  Praying for puppies!