Wirehaired Pointing Griffon | Bluestem Kennels

“H” Litter 7.5 weeks

May 20, 2014

Charity Upchurch Kennel Update, Puppy Update, Uncategorized Dog Training, Korthals Griffon, Puppies, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Leave a comment

Well the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. I was going to blog this weekend before the puppies started going home. I managed to get their pictures and video on Sunday, but here I am blogging in between puppies going to their new homes. Oh well, better late than never. Saturday morning Charles and Conrad took our 3 1/2 month old pup, Fire, out with a few quail; just to plant them and let her point and flush them. Then the whole family went and picked up some more quail for training this spring on Saturday from one of our game bird breeders down by Lincoln, so that was a road trip. Then Sunday we took our weekly dog exercise hike.

So here are the last shots of the “H” Litter 2014 from Sam and Mae before going home. Everyone goes home today except for one going over the weekend. Mae will be spayed at the end of the week, then head up to her retirement home with my brother in Valentine, Nebraska mid-June.

Herbert is staying in Omaha (not with us!)

Harold goes to North Dakota

Harriet goes to South Dakota

Hez will live in Maine

Hope is headed to Wyoming

The video this week is a little random and slightly controversial in dog training circles. Playing with the dead quail in such an uncontrolled environment should be very limited. Here I am doing it in the litter setting just to activate prey drive. Notice how they want to fight over it and hard-mouth it. That is why it is limited and I don’t recommend doing this at home with your new pup. Once you have your pup home, you want to work on retrieving with toys and dummies. Once they have that down, then you can graduate to retrieving a carcass. But don’t let them get rough with it like they do here. The second portion of the video has Charles playing with the pups with a wing. Once again, something that should be very limited if you do it at all. Ideally you’re looking for the pup to point the wing, but these guys are in their play yard and not in a training environment, so they just want to chase it. These pups are great pointers, but not the best on-call actors. If you look at the pics of Herbert and Harold, they are pointing the clicking of my camera. .

If you want a step-by-step “gun dog puppy training for dummies”, you can’t beat Richard Wolter’s Gun Dog. Here is a review I wrote of the book a few years back, you can pick up a copy on Amazon: https://bluestemkennels.com/2010/07/22/book-review-gun-dog-by-richard-a-wolters/

Here is the aforementioned YouTube puppy video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsQRVSpAsCA&feature=youtu.be

Tomorrow is the last day of school for the kids, so I’m looking forward to a puppy-free (with the exception of our Fire, of course) summer. Really working on getting into shape with September 1st on the brain and already excited to get back out in the hunting fields and swamps. I’ll post the homegoing pictures after the last pup goes home over the weekend. I hope that everyone enjoys their Memorial Day holiday and remembers those who gave their lives so that we can enjoy the awesomeness that is America.

Playing with Fire and “H” Litter 6.5 weeks

May 12, 2014

Charity Upchurch Kennel Update, Puppy Update, Uncategorized Dog Training, Gun Dog, Hunting Dogs, Korthals Griffon, North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association, Puppies, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Leave a comment

The puppy that we kept out of the “G” litter, “Fire” from Sam and BB is doing well. She is 3 months old right now and weighs about 17 pounds. We took her out with 3 of our captive quail on Friday, unfortunately 2 of them got away from us before she could get on to them, but we did have one good point and flush. My video camera was out of battery, so I only took a couple of stills from the day.

Three-month old Fire getting used to working out in front.

Fire pointing the planted quail.

Fire is doing okay on housebreaking, we still have an accident every few days. Instead of putting her in the ex-pen in the front yard for bathroom breaks, we’re working her on the puppy-gauge checkcord which is good practice for when we start to train with the adult-sized checkcord. Probably the biggest difficulty we’ve had with her the past week is with her stomach. She is obsessed with my hair ties and has stolen from the night stand and eaten about 5 of them. They’ve either passed back up or through, but I don’t want her getting a blockage from them, so they are hanging high from here on out. Also, she must have gotten into some wormy deer or rabbit poop out back, as we had to fight off a bad case of roundworm. Luckily, two days of dosing her with the over-the-counter liquid puppy de-wormer seemed to do the trick. So hopefully the stomach concerns are over for now.

The big dogs are all fine, just ready for their spring grooming. And of course my last litter of puppies for 2014, they start going home a week from tomorrow. They are all just wonderful pups and their owners should be very excited; they’re pretty feisty and are ready for some more individual time. In addition to our own de-sensitizing with the cap gun, one of our neighbors has been getting a new roof, so there has been plenty of popping going on. We had a 100 degree day on Wednesday, so I was outside with the dogs most of the day keeping them cool in the pool. They love to pick up random objects and carry them around. Plus they are super friendly! I have one of my frozen dead quail thawing out and we’ll play with that this week, then Friday is their vet appointment for microchips and shots. Here are their individual pictures:

Girl: Hope

Girl: Harriet

Boy: Hez

Boy: Harold

Boy: Herbert

This week’s YouTube is pretty funny, as it features my five-year old son, Caleb, absconding into the woods with two of the puppies and me trying to get them all to come back. You can see how active they are now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rnFdgULxIU&feature=youtu.be

Charles and our ten-year old son, Conrad, went out on Saturday to give a hand at the Heartland Chapter NAVHDA Spring test. They got to meet one of the Switchgrass griffons out of Oklahoma and were pleased with the dog’s performance. Plus it was just good for them both to get out with the dog people.

We weathered last night’s storm just fine, it was really no more than an average thunderstorm here, but I know that there are folks west of us who lost homes, barns, and animals, so our prayers go out to them and we’re thankful to all be safe here. I hope that both dog and human mothers had a blessed Mother’s Day yesterday. I’ll be sure to catch up with you again this weekend before the pups start going home.

“H” Litter at 5 1/2 weeks

May 5, 2014

Charity Upchurch Hunting Tales, Kennel Update, Puppy Update, Uncategorized American Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Association, Dog Training, Hunting Dogs, Korthals Griffon, North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association, Puppies, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon 1 Comment

The puppies are doing very well, they are now excited to get out of the kennel a few times a day instead of being scared to go out of it. It is hard to believe that they will start going home two weeks from tomorrow. After the week of rain we’ve had some nice sunny days, so it gives them the opportunity to experience all of the sights, sounds, and smells of spring.

We’ve been running the big dogs out in the country every weekend now, it really helps with control when we’re back at the house. Although we have an acre that is attached to the neighbors’ 4 acres, they need to get out into a hunting field that often to blow off steam. Plus it is good exercise for us and kids.

Here are the pictures of the pups:

Girl: Hope

Girl: Harriet

Boy: Hez

Boy: Harold

Boy: Herbert

Here is the weekly video update: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAKwT7lR9ak&feature=youtu.be

Susan and Tom shot some video of practicing with a live duck retrieve with TracHer up in North Dakota. TracHer really gets out there and swims just like her dad, Sam. She is from our 2012 “C” litter of Mae and Sam. Thanks to Susan and Tom for letting me share their video: https://vimeo.com/93433615

Happy 4th birthday to my “A” Litter of 2010 from Sue and Sam, the litter that started all of this craziness! It is funny how all of this versatile hunting dog stuff has totally taken over our lives and I am so thankful for all of the wonderful people we have met through pup and clubs such as NAVHDA and AWPGA. Time to get outside and let everyone out, so I’ll catch up with you next week.

“G” Litter All at Home and “H” Litter at 3.5 Weeks

April 21, 2014

Charity Upchurch Kennel Update, Puppy Update Dog Training, Korthals Griffon, Puppies, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Leave a comment

Our last puppy went home on Good Friday, Gallixe went across town in Omaha with Gil, while Ginny stays here with us.

Gil and his daughter taking Gallixe home

Saturday we took Ginny, now know as “Fire”, out with her mom and dad to the local dog training wildlife management area. Right now we are primarily working with her on housebreaking, coming when she is called and getting accustomed to cap gun fire when she is playing in the yard.

Caleb runs ahead of Fire

Sam and BB in the field

Conrad, Caleb, Charles and Cordelia with Fire in the lead

The “H” litter was big enough to move out into Mae’s new dog kennel on Saturday. We converted her from a 6 ft by 8 ft chain link to a 8 ft by 12 ft welded wire to give the litter more space. The pups are able to get themselves in and out of the dog house, so it is good for their little legs to get them some more space outside and the stimulation of all of the noise and smells. They also got their first sample of puppy mush, but weren’t very interested since Mae is feeding them well.

“H” Litter at 3.5 weeks old lounging around

And of course the weekly YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQqGAOHo2Uk&feature=youtu.be

I hope that you all had a blessed Easter and all of the “G” litter owners are enjoying their new pups! I’ll be sure to get updated individual photos of the “H” litter out next week. Talk at you then!

“G” Litter Homegoing and “H” Litter 2 weeks old

April 13, 2014

Charity Upchurch Kennel Update, Puppy Update Korthals Griffon, Puppies, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Leave a comment

A week ago today most of the puppies of our “G” Litter 2014 from Sam and BB went to their new homes. It was a big day for everyone. So big that I forgot to photograph both of the puppies and owners who went home to Minnesota. Gascon went home with Will and Gabriella went home with Brad, but I have no pictures! Hopefully, I can catch up with them later.

Here are the parting shots:

Gus flew home to Tennessee with John

George is in North Dakota with Jeff

Gayle headed to York, Nebraska with Curt and family

Gertrude went to Missouri with Kaylee

Gemma went to Broken Bow, Nebraska with Jeff and Mac.

Gilbert went to Roca, Nebraska with Karl and his wife

Garnet stays in Omaha with Charlie and family

Gisele flew to Mexico City, Mexico with Charbel

We enjoyed meeting everyone and sending these fabulous puppies home with them, but spending the afternoon with Charbel was quite a treat. He is the real “Most Interesting Man in the World” from the Dos Equis commercials and has had many adventures all over the world. Bluestem Freyja will be the first Wirehaired Pointing Griffon/Korthals Griffon registered with the Federacion Canofila Mexicana, the AKC of Mexico.

Tuesday, Gene flew to Texas to be with Colby and I hope to get a picture out of them as well. Charles and I are keeping Gallixe and Ginny will stay in Omaha with Gil and his family starting on Friday. So I have two puppies in my living room that I’m trying to keep from peeing and pooping on my carpet (that I am swearing I will tear out myself this summer, luckily, there is old oak flooring underneath).

Although it was almost 90 degrees here yesterday, today we are back down in the 40s and rain, so it isn’t quite time to put the “H” litter puppies outside yet. They are getting quite fat and their eyes are open. I took them outside yesterday to get some video and pictures of them. Today they got their silly names. Here we are, “H” Litter 2014:

Girl: Hope

Girl: Harriet

Boy: Hez

Boy: Harold

Boy: Herbert

And of course, the weekly YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prwTEPhu3Y8&feature=youtu.be

For those of you who are future “H” litter owners, I would like all of the puppies to go home between their 8 week birthday on Tuesday, May 20th and the end of Memorial Day weekend on Monday, May 26th. I sent an e-mail to that effect. If you have any problems with this timeframe, please let me know immediately. I love being with the puppies and look forward to puppy season every year, but I am already starting to dream about post-puppy adventures with my kids this summer.

This week we’ll be working on getting the pups up and moving around some more, as well as trying them on food mush. As there are only 5 of them, it isn’t as pressing to get them on to solid food as it was with 13. But either way, it will be time to stuff some puppies into an Easter basket or something next weekend, so keep your eyes out for that and check in with you then.

“G” Litter 6 weeks old and still waiting for “H” litter

March 24, 2014

Charity Upchurch Kennel Update, Puppy Update, Uncategorized Korthals Griffon, Puppies, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Leave a comment

Puppy shoppers please note: My 2014 reservation list is currently closed and all puppies born or unborn this year are spoken for. Next breedings are scheduled for Spring 2015.

Poor Mae is just completely miserable and has been for the last 5 days or so. She either lays around and moans, sleeps and snores really loudly, is at the door wanting to go out for every tiny tinkle or turd, or outside walking around (tinkling and micro-turding). According to my calculations, as of today she is 3 days overdue from first mating. But she was with Sam for another 5 days after that, so there is no cause for alarm just yet. Just as a precaution, I took her to the vet today. She weighs 81 pounds and is “full of puppies’ as the vet said. The vet tech asked me whether or not she has “had a large litter before”. Well, not yet, but I think that this will be the first. We didn’t bother to do an X-ray since we’ll know how many puppies are in there soon. She is dilated and should start labor at any time. If she doesn’t start by Wednesday, the vet will induce with the oxytocin shot.

Giant pregnant Mae in the woods

Giant pregnant Mae flopped out on the kitchen floor

BB’s 13 puppies are doing very well and growing like weeds! At 6 weeks old, they only have 2 weeks to go before they head to their new homes. Here are some snapshots from their running around the yard yesterday.

Laying in the leaves

“Whassup?”

On the run

Charles generates a mob scene with the quail

Sniffing the quail

More sniffing the quail

First retrieve

And of course, the weekly YouTube video:

I have some pupdates and brags from previous year’s litters that I need to be sure to get up next time I blog, which should be soon to welcome the “H” litter! It’s for real this time, next time your hear from me there will be more puppies!! Send us good vibes!

“G” Litter 5 weeks old and waiting for “H” Litter

March 19, 2014

Charity Upchurch Kennel Update, Puppy Update, Uncategorized Korthals Griffon, Puppies, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Leave a comment

I figured that I had better get this week’s blog post knocked out before Mae starts whelping (to those who are puppy shopping, all of my 2014 litters are spoken for and my next breedings will be for Spring 2015 puppies)! We started out this morning in the first stages of pre-labor, where there is quite a bit of unproductive grunting around (like she’s going to poop or pee) but nothing comes out. She is taking a nap now, but I have to get this done, then go grab a new bulb for my heat lamp and some more bags of puppy kibble at the farm store, then we’ll be ready to rock and roll. Puppies should be here tonight or tomorrow if things go the way that I think they will. But who knows what mother nature has in mind, it might be over the weekend.

Mae full of babies on the front sidewalk (the metal goat photobomb was an accident)

“G” Litter turned 5 weeks old on Sunday and has transitioned to the kennel and insulated dog house well, their body heat and snuggling keeps them all warm with these variable temperatures. They’ve even woken up a couple of mornings to dustings of snow. It didn’t seem to bother them this morning at all, they were whining at the gate to get out into the woods when I went to give them some more food. They are going through 1-2 gallon buckets full of kibble every day and are on straight Diamond Puppy kibble now with nothing else added. They enjoy playing with the human kids and running around. Less than 3 weeks to go until they go to their new homes and I’m not sure if I am ready to let them go! I don’t even have to chase them around the woods to get them back into the kennel when play time is over, I just call them in and they all come. That will probably change soon as they get more bold and independent.

Here are their individual photos for this week. Some of them are better than others. It has more to do with my photography and being in a hurry than it does with the puppy. Some of them posed lovely, some of them are a bit odd and blurry. But hey, it is better than nothing.

Girl – Ginny

Girl – Garnet

Girl – Gayle

Girl – Gertrude

Girl – Gemma

Girl – Gabriella

Girl – Gallixe

Girl – Gisele

Boy – Gene

Boy – Gus

Boy – George

Boy – Gascon

Boy – Gilbert

And last but not least, the weekly YouTube video:

I will keep you posted on Facebook and on the blog for when the “H” litter arrives. Wish us luck!

“G” Litter 4 1/2 weeks old

March 13, 2014

Charity Upchurch Kennel Update, Puppy Update Korthals Griffon, Puppies, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Leave a comment

Sorry for the delay in posting this week. The puppies were moved outside on Sunday when it was almost 70 degrees, just in time to move Mae into the house this Sunday to prepare for her whelping next week.

For those people who are out surfing the web for puppies, all of my 2014 litters are spoken for.

The puppies are up and running around. They have no problems getting up and down the stairs into the dog house and seem to enjoy having the extra space that the kennel provides. And I like it that they aren’t stinking up the house anymore (but that will soon change with Mae’s litter coming soon!). They are drinking from the water dish and eating both soft canned puppy food and snagging kibble out of BB’s food dish.

Mae is really big, her teats are like 4 inches off of the ground. I didn’t get a chance to take a shot of her before posting this, but I’ll get one for next week’s blog. She shouldn’t whelp until the end of the week, so I should have time. I’m hoping for 8 puppies, but I just don’t know until they are here!

I ran out of time to take individual pictures, I will do that over the weekend, but here are some quick snaps from the kennel:

A face in the crowd, around the food dish

Waiting for mom

Play fight!

Running amok

4 1/2 year old Caleb is still light enough to be able to climb up the kennel fence (because the gate is locked) and hang out with the puppies whenever he wants. Luckily, all of my females are tolerant of this and it’s never caused a problem.

Caleb peeking down on to the puppies

And last but not least, the weekly YouTube video:

“G” Litter is 3 weeks old!

March 4, 2014

Charity Upchurch Kennel Update Korthals Griffon, Puppies, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Leave a comment

BB and her 13 pups

The frigid weather has been pretty unrelenting, so we’re having to improvise with some of our puppy conditioning. Usually we are able to spend some time outside at this point, but our highs have been in the single digits and teens for the last two weeks. It appears that we’ll be lifting out of that trend, but I’ve got the puppies on a pretty good schedule that gives them enough exercise and stimulation for their little legs. They are spending their first 30 minutes to 1/2 each morning in the kitchen on the linoleum to help them get their legs underneath them. It is much easier for them to walk on their blankets since they can dig their claws in, but the hard surface makes them have to concentrate on keeping their legs steady and upright. Next, they go out into the ex-pen out in the living room (as in the photo above) to relax in the sun. There is an open gate on the pen so that BB can move in and out as she wants to. The kids come home after school to play with the pups off and on throughout the afternoon and evening. The puppies stay with us during our evening family time, then travel back to the whelping box for the night.

Caleb (4), Conrad (9) and Cordelia (12) hanging out with the puppies

Yesterday, I gave them their first taste of mush, which is a milk and soft puppy food mixture. Today, they had their first official meal with the puppy pan. Here it is on the weekly YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEJkKq059tw&feature=youtu.be

All of their eyes are open and their vocalizations are now barks, growls and howls. They like to play with one another too. Here are some updated individual photographs (to those of you new to the site, yes they are all spoken for):

Girl: Ginny

Girl: Garnet

Girl: Gayle

Girl: Gertrude

Girl: Gemma

Girl: Gabriella

Girl: Gallixe

Girl: Gisele

Boy: Gene

Boy: Gus

Boy: George

Boy: Gascon

Boy: Gilbert

Well let’s hope for some warmth soon so that we can get outside! Mae and Velma are due for more puppies in two to two and a half weeks!

“G” Litter 2 weeks old!

February 25, 2014

Charity Upchurch Kennel Update Korthals Griffon, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon Leave a comment

The 13 puppies hanging out

The puppies are all doing well, gaining weight, and growing. Their eyes are starting to open and should be done opening by this time next week. They are starting to try and get up on their legs and their grunts are sounding more growly and bark-like. (Yes, puppy shoppers, all of these are spoken for.)

The litter and mama BB hanging out in the living room.

I will take new individual photos next week once their eyes are all open. In the meantime, here are a few closeups of them sleeping.

And last but not least, the YouTube video for the week!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IVjOuE9Czw

Due to the continued cold, the puppies are still getting supplemental heat in the whelping box as their full time hang-out at this point. I’m hoping that the weather turns around in time for them to move outside when Mae’s pups arrive. I’m projecting Velma’s whelp date around March 18th and Mae’s around March 21st, so they will be close. I currently have 14 reservations on those two litters, but as it is Velma’s first litter the same as it was with BB, it is possible that it could be quite large. This is Mae’s last litter prior to retirement, so I’m expecting an average sized litter from her.

I think that we are all ready for this winter to be over, but we aren’t quite there yet. Until next week, stay warm!

Bluestem Kennels

“H” Litter 7.5 weeks

Playing with Fire and “H” Litter 6.5 weeks

“H” Litter at 5 1/2 weeks

“G” Litter All at Home and “H” Litter at 3.5 Weeks

“G” Litter Homegoing and “H” Litter 2 weeks old

“G” Litter 6 weeks old and still waiting for “H” litter

“G” Litter 5 weeks old and waiting for “H” Litter

“G” Litter 4 1/2 weeks old

“G” Litter is 3 weeks old!

“G” Litter 2 weeks old!

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