J-C Pups: 8 week and final stacks!

With the conformation evaluation and temperament testing completed, we have matched all these lovely pups to their new homes.  We could not have been happier with this litter, one of the most consistent and typey litters we have produced.  

Miss Purple will be our keeper and she not only a beautiful package but full of sass.  

J-C Pups: 7 week stacks

Our Holiday litter out of Chaz and Jam are maturing beautifully.  At 8 weeks, we will do the final conformation evaluations by respected Weimaraner breeders along with the Avidog Puppy Evaluation Test (temperament test) and use this information to decide which home each puppy will go to.

J-C pups day 25 - Puppy Training

The Holiday litter continues to thrive.  They all weigh around 5 lbs which is amazingly consistent, a rare thing to have them all the same size. The pup love to play and as seen above, already have terrific focus and held their positions while I took photos.  We've started litter box training by adding wood pellets (safe, non treated) to the whelping box to encourage them to do their business on the wood pellets instead of the fleece pad.  Starting in the whelping box will make their transition to the litter box in the puppy pen easier.  They will move to their new digs in a few days and have luxury accommodations right in our living room.

The pups have spent almost a month in our family room where they have been exposed to all kinds of sounds, a number of different surfaces and toys.  We completed the BioSensor Early Neurological Stimulation exercises last week which we did along with Early Scent Introduction.

Once the pups turn 4 weeks and make their move to the new pen, we will continue to introduce all kinds of new things and many visitors to help create sound, healthy puppies.

Merry Christmas

J-C Pups Day 3: Momma Jam is the best

How lucky am I to wake up to this?  Momma Jam is awesome with her babies, keeping them fed and immaculate.  Jam is an experience mother which makes my job easier. She is also very happy, notice the tail wagging.  And yes, she is a talker.

I sleep next to the whelping box for at least the first two weeks after the pups are born to make sure that they are safe, not accidentally rolled/stepped on and doing well.  They have been eating nonstop and the daily weigh ins show they have all gained weight.

J-C Pups Birth to Day 2 - Cuteness Overload

We have been super busy getting the Holiday litter settled and just spending time with these adorable pups. I had time to upload the photos we took during the whelping and the first two days. Jam had an easy time whelping the pups, which made things less stressful for us and it was a textbook whelping. As soon as the first pup was born, we broke the sack, made sure the pup could breath, dried the pup and then took care of cutting and cleaning the umbilical cord. These pups came out screaming and were so vigorous, there was no need to suction fluid out of them. We then let Jam take over, as she was anxious to do, and the pups began nursing. We would then clean the whelping box and get ready for the next pup.

After each pup was born, Jam was given a bowl of premium vanilla ice cream - she loved that part!  It wasn't just a celebratory treat but a needed boost of calcium to help with the contractions and extra nourishment.  She licked the bowl clean!

 Weim pups are born with stripes which fade within a few days.

 We use colored Velcro collars to safely identify each pup. In a few weeks, the pups will get their first set of real collars with a plastic snap release buckle.

 Jam spends all her time in the whelping box nursing the pups.  We also have a heat lamp and thermometer to ensure that the pups stay warm as at this age, the pups cannot regulate their own body temperature and if get too hot or too cold, can die. The fleece pad also helps to keep them warm and dry plus gives them traction as they crawl around the box.

 The white railing around the box are called pig rails and are a safety feature.  If the dam rolls onto a pup, the pup will be pushed under the pig rail and protected.  Jam is very careful with her pups but you always have to be vigilant to make sure an accident doesn't happen.

 The Holiday 6 are a robust bunch and spend lots of time at the milk bar!

 The pups are born deaf and blind and with their amazing sense of smell, find their way to the nipples to nurse.  They are also unable to defecate on their own and it is Jam's job by licking them to stimulate the pups to urinate and have bowel movements.  She also eats their poop which keeps the box clean.  This will go on for a few weeks.

And J-C stands for Jam-Chaz pups aka the Holiday Litter!

Welcome the Grayhart Holiday Litter!

Introducing Grayhart's Holiday Litter (Chaz, BIF/BIM GCH Roschel's Dauntless of Graykin x Jam, GCH Grayhart's Purple Haze,CD,JH,AX,AXJ,SD,VX), 4 girls and 2 boys whelped on December 19th! Making their appearance on the third night of Hannukah, all six are little miracles. Jam did a terrific job and all the pups are vigorous and eating well. Weights ranged from 15.5 oz to 18 oz.

In order of appearance and weight:

• Miss Pink         15.7 oz
• Miss Purple     15.9
• Miss Teal         18.0
• Mr. Black         17.6
• Miss Red          15.5
• Mr. Blue           17.8

Weim puppies are born with stripes which fade after a few day.  They are also blind and deaf but have amazing sense of smell to find their mother and nurse.

Jam is a fantastic mother, keeping her pups fed, cleaned and loved.

Getting closer to pups

The first official photo of the Holiday litter (Chaz x Jam).  Today, we took Jam to our reproductive vet for an x-ray to confirm how many puppies she is carrying.  Many breeders like to x-ray within a week of the due date to get an accurate count so that they can have this information during the whelping to make sure all the pups have come out or if there is a potential problem and a c-section is needed.  Our vet numbered the pups, matching skulls and spines and identified six pups - a perfect litter size.  We still have no idea of the sexes and wait in anticipation for Jam's labor to start which should be sometime on Thursday or Friday.  Her due date was based on LH surge and progesterone testing to pinpoint her ovulation and then a 63 day pregancy.  The whelping box has been assembled and all the supplies are ready, now it is up to Jam to start the show.

Exciting litter news! Jam & Chaz are expecting!

Our fabulous and talented Jam has been confirmed pregnant via ultrasound and is due December 18th. Chaz is a Best in Futurity winner (2011) and was also Best in Maturity at the 2012 WCA National Specialty.  He is a proven producer of champions and multiple Best of Breed winners but most importantly, has passed on his amazing temperament and good health. All health clearances have been completed with passing grades for both Jam and Chaz, with CHIC numbers received. 

I have had the pleasure of spending a great deal of time with Chaz, at both dog shows and as a guest at his home, with his mother and daughter, all with wonderful temperaments.  Chaz is friendly, sweet and although has not competed or trained in performance venues, is biddable and smart.  Chaz has a gorgeous front assembly and typey build and we are hopeful that with Jam, will produce beautiful puppies.  Puppies from Jam's first two litters are already making their mark in the show ring, with major wins, at hunt tests earning JH legs, a tracking title, and training for agility.

We have decided to call this our Holiday Litter.  Not only will they be born during the Jewish celebration of Hannukah and a week before Christmas but the theme and puppy AKC registered names will be based on Madonna songs, one of our favorite artists, whose hit song Holiday is a classic.  As the Madonna lyric goes...It's Time to Celebrate!