The pups from this litter are all
in their new homes. Another litter (in the planning stages this last year) will
be bred next February. Information on the Ariosa "E" litter to be posted
soon.
Chica and her pups, born October
4, 2007. As expected, all the pups are brown. As not
expected, seven of the nine have naturally bobbed tails!
Handsome
Rafu is a self-assured, fit and friendly lad. The world is his
oyster, and boy does he know it! Rafu strengths are his
gorgeous head, strong neck and topline, and phenomenal movement.
Why does Rafu have a tail? Because
he was born in Finland, where tail docking is banned. My
apologies to Finland, but this Rafu litter will have their tails
docked, as is traditional for Spanish Water Dogs.
Beauty and intelligence
in one package! Chica is the granddaughter of Ariosa's foundation
stock and displays the type and temperament Ariosa aspires to
conserve. Chica's dam trained in Search and Rescue; her sire is a
Spanish import. Chica passed her herding instinct test in 2006. She
and Jr. Handler Ande actively train and compete to State levels in
4H. This will be Chica's maiden litter.
August 2007 with newly corded coat (immature cords)
Rafu's Health Clearances
Hips: SKL B-C, Finnish equivalent to
an OFA "Good/Fair"
(3) tested progeny: all are SKL A-A ("Excellent/Excellent")
Elbows: SKL 0-0 (Normal)
Eyes: Normal; OptiGen
"Clear" for PRA
Thyroid: Normal T4
Tail: Natural long
Chica's Health Clearances
Hips: OFA "Good"
Elbows: OFA "Normal"
Eyes: CERF "Normal"; OptiGen "Carrier" for PRA.*
Thyroid: OFA "Normal"
Tail: Docked
*Only through DNA testing and careful breeding practices can we
begin to eliminate PRA, a form of hereditary late-onset blindness,
in our small gene pool. Both sire and dam of this litter have been
DNA tested for PRA. Projected PRA results for this litter: 0%
affected, 50% clear, 50% carrier. No puppies from this litter will
develop PRA.
TIMELINE
Chica and Rafu's
pups were born October 4, 2007 and went to their new homes in early
December. This was Chica's maiden litter, and I'm very happy to report
that she is an excellent and attentive mother.
Of the nine pups, two are males and
seven are females. All the pups are solid
brown with minor white on their toes, muzzles or bellies. Around 3 weeks of age,
the puppies' personalities begin to emerge. At this point, the real work
of the breeder begins: mental and physical nurturing, early
socialization and stimulation, careful observation of emerging
characteristics.
The pups were twice introduced to ducks
around 7-8 weeks. Not only are we able to see which pups might have the
first inklings of herding drive (hey, if I move this way, that giant bird
moves, too!), but also which would investigate and which would really rather
not have anything to do with birds!
Temperament Testing
at 7 weeks: This test can be a real nail-biter. Each puppy is
individually tested for several characteristics including curiosity,
self-assuredness, friendliness toward strangers, desire to retrieve, and the
ability to recover from surprising sights and sounds. The test can be a
little iffy--sometimes a pup may be just settling down for a nap when its
his turn! But looking back on the results from previous litters, the tests
have pretty accurately predicted adult temperament. It is just another
insight into the puppies that helps me place puppies appropriately in their
new homes.
Conformation Evaluation
at 8 weeks by AKC judge
Pat Hastings. This
evaluation gives me insight as to what the dog will or won't be able to
physically do as an adult. This helps me place the puppies into homes
appropriate for their builds. For example, a common conformational problem
in all breeds is a "ewe neck", a condition where the ligaments in the neck
are attached in such a way that the neck can be bent backwards to a greater
degree than usual. A ewe-necked dog will not have difficulties tracking,
chasing balls, doing regular agility, obedience or most other activities.
However, the muscles in his neck will tire more quickly while swimming, the
rear will slowly sink, and the dog will have difficulty propelling himself
forward--not the best candidate for the boating family.
Handsome
Rafu is a self-assured, fit and friendly lad. The world is his
oyster, and boy does he know it! Rafu strengths are his
gorgeous head, strong neck and topline, and phenomenal movement.
August 2007 with newly corded coat (immature cords)