March 25, 2016 Puppy Announcement

<<< Information about our hound tangle is just to the left.

March 22, 2016 - Puppies are on the way!

This morning I went into the puppy room, to feed our tangle of hounds, only to find Clark and Cinnamon stuck together with confused looks on their faces. Nobody was hurt in the process, everyone seems very happy about it. Ann and I are very happy about it because puppies are a big initial part of what we are trying to do as we build the Farm project.

As the math suggests: May 24th the puppies arrive, they may be delivered about July 19th.

March 9, 2016 Returning to normality

The weather today is horribly rainy, so I am taking the day off of my regular work to avoid the mud and deliver the puppies. The kind of day where wet cheeks can be expected. We deliver our first flight of puppies to the Critter Cabana in Wilsonville today. Bittersweet. But this is also our standing in the light at the end of the tunnel and so a time for planning and organization.

We need to get more things started and this good fortune allows a few new projects. We have the money to get the trash off of the Farm, with loads of dumpsters and tractor day #4. We hope to do this the first dry week of Spring along with a big bunch of burning. We will also begin renovating our home in North Plains by building closet and office into the entry way. The layout of the house is a bit sucky where you go through the front door and this closet/office thing was planned a long time ago to add value to the house. Now that we are getting the house ready to sell we need to get this done.

Our breeding plan might go forward sooner than we had thought. Cinnamon was holding off on going into her breeding season while Carmen had babies, but this morning she was spotting blood, so another litter might be a few months away. We are getting better at breeding professionally, so this next litter might bring us to the point of adding another girl to our tangle of hounds. The Farm project's next big purchase, other than building permits, is a travel trailer to live in while we build the house. Once the house is built, the trailer is remodeled and becomes the new kennel, allowing us to begin taking boarders as soon as the grounds and fences are built. We are trying hard not to become a "puppy mill" as we go forward into the dog business. I heard a woman on the radio say that a "puppy mill" is a breeder who does this business for the money. I don't agree with that and can probably refute it on a great many reasonable grounds; but perception is everything in a political world, so we are being careful with our image and how the world might see us. Breeding is problematic, but in my opinion a good breeder might well be doing this for the money AND doing it for the betterment of the breed. Our hope is to breed a better pet. We are not interested in showing our dogs, though this might raise our puppy price and so may become a good idea in the future. So if showing dogs and losing money are the hallmarks of not operating a "puppy mill", then those who do shows and lose money are not good business people. We are trying to become farmers. Farmers exploit nature. So be it. The dog business plan was always the first step onto the farm and includes a dog hotel as an income stream as well as kennel - breeding - grooming - and hygiene rooms. The proceeds of this business then going to building the next phase of the Farm . . . The orchards.

 Today we take another tiny step toward the Farm.

March 6, 2016

We are into our last week with the babies. The puppies are fully weened from their mother (who is beginning her long recovery(more later on.) They spend their days playing in the puppy room, outside in the front (mud pit), or in their pen sleeping. Each has his or her own personality.

• Sugar Baby is still my first love. She is a little form of the Basset Hound but she has kept the clownish humor, fierce-ness in the face of her being smaller, soulful eyes, and beautiful looks. She appears much smaller than most in size, and rules like a little sister princess with good natured snappishness. She will go to our new friends at Critter Cabana in Wilsonville.
• Scotch Mallow, also going to Wilsonville, is second on my list. She is the biggest and I think the happiest. She is fearless and funny at all times. She fights with ghosts and charges in more directions than one most of the time except when following the pack. She is HUGE compared to Sugar Baby, but her ears haven't exceeded expectations like most of the others. Her coat is a slightly wire-y soft brown with some dark drown and good white patches. She is HEAVY, and will make a fine pet.
• Junior Mint has a home to go to, and the idea the new parents have is to replace a Basset for a friend that lost one. She will be the best possible companion. She is adventurous and a pure bred attention hound. She'll be good for walks. She is perhaps the prettiest baby as of today and she is definitely Ann's favorite.
• Tootsie Roll has continued to dominate the field for independent spirit. She will need a fenced yard and good parents to take her to obedience classes early on. She is a good-hearted person and will eventually expect to rule in your home too once you get the jhist of your new position. She is mostly black and really awfully pretty. Her ears are to the floor but she doesn't tred on them when exploring the yard (or they would be very muddy).  She will be going to Wilsonville.
• Skittles is arguable the loveliest Basset Puppy I have seen. Everything about her is right. She is everything her sisters are and a bit more. She will be going to Wilsonville too, I hope they are careful placing her in a home where she will be appreciated.
• Milk Dud (Dude) is still all male. He has taken to howling, while the others whine, and has quite a large voice for such a small fellow. His appetite is large and his features are perfect. He will being living in the northern Willamette Valley. He will be a protector and good friend for them there.

We are going to miss them. We won't miss the loads of soiled laundry. We will miss seeing them grow and change, but will not lose sleep over their going. Sleep will be nice once more.

I will be posting pictures tonight on our Facebook page.