B Litter News
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Although we hadn't planned to breed this summer, the dogs had other ideas. Nakita went into heat in early June, right on schedule, and things seemed to progress normally at first.
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Then, one day while I was making toast for breakfast, supervising the dogs, not ten feet away, things were just TOO quiet. If you've had young children, you know the panic that ensures. I turned around to see what they were up to and found them tied (breeding dogs get physically stuck together during the breeding).
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I called our vet, but with Covid restrictions, they were only seeing emergencies. We decided we could wait for an ultrasound to confirm results. Dogs don't have hormonal changes specific to pregnancy, rather their bodies react as if every heat cycle is successful, producing either pregnancy or false-pregnancy for the next 64 days. The ultrasound at 30 days is the first proof their owners have although there are little signals that make us suspicious.
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Nakita was bred on July 12th and we anticipate pups arriving around September 14th. We will use AVIDog methods to raise the puppies to be the best they can be - stable, friendly and healthy for their new homes. They should be ready to head home around mid November.
These puppies will be born on the ranch in Bergen, Alberta and with continuing Covid restrictions, we will be giving preference to Canadian homes. It was challenging to get some of our pups home when Covid struck earlier this year. This does not necessarily eliminate Amercian homes, but it would require some detailed planning.
If it is possible, I am prepared to fly pups to a somewhat central location in the US, perhaps Salt Lake City airport, and hand over pups to new families there. This was a workable solution in March and it should be easier this time, knowing already that we have to plan this carefully and of course be flexible to ongoing changes.
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Our process: You may be wondering how this all works.
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Families indicate an interest in a puppy and join our 'puppy list'
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We contact families when we have bred our dogs and know that we have a litter on the way. We ask them if they are still interested in a puppy - is the timing right, have circumstances changed?
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Interested families are sent an Application Form which is quite detailed. It will ask about what you are hoping for in a puppy and what your expectations are for caring for the dog.
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Phone interviews are held with each family to expand on the application information and answer questions.
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We will contact 3 references - a vet if possible, a friend with a dog and a personal reference. We will ask them some basic questions on a form and possibly on the phone as well.
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We will select all families that we feel are ready for a puppy, able to manage an Entlebucher pup's energy and provide for the dog's longterm health and welfare. These families will then be "Approved" for a Bar TT Entlebucher puppy.
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Once puppies are born, and all is well, we will let you know how many in total, how many females and males. We will chat again about what you are looking for in a puppy as we watch them grow and develop. We will have you complete a Matching Form that provides us with some detal on specific temperament qualities that we can observe.
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At about 7-8 weeks, we will evaluate the puppies for conformation (physical structure, soundness, athleticism), health (any abnormalities or possible concerns) and temperament (pup's personality).
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Once we have the evaluations complete, we will match each puppy with its best possible home and let you know which one is headed your way. We will schedule a phone video call to introduce you to your puppy.
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We will set a few days for Puppy Pick-up and ask that you plan to join us at the ranch for at least a half day. This will give you time to play with your pup while he is still beside mom. It will also help mom to feel comfortable when you leave with the pup later.
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We will go over the Puppy Contract and take the final payment. We will provide you with a package of information to help you in the first weeks. And we will put you in our book of Puppy Friends, anticipating many years of photos, stories and problems that we will help you resolve.
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After you head home, you will need to get a vet check for your puppy to ensure that he is healthy to complete the contract.
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We hope to stay in touch for many years, meet at the ranch for Entlebucher get togethers and share our enjoyment of this wonderful breed. We will always be here if you need help, are frustrated by a problem or just need somewhere for puppy to stay for a short while.