And the winner is…..

Surprise Surprise…..   no that’s the wrong Cilla Black show.    In this one Nina stands breathless and nervous on one side of the screen,  Cilla’s icon nasal tones proclaim that the winner is,  “Master Greyscale from Upminster”

His vital statistics are Age 1, 13 inches at the shoulder.   I am certain I have found the calm, intellectual sort to balance Nina’s blonde attitude – after all his nickname is …..TURBO

He’s a black and silver schnauzer and carries all 4 official schnauzery colours.   But Nina’s colour genes are dominated by Salt and Pepper so in all probability we will get some lovely S&P pups.   However if Leicester City can win the Premier League then one of the puppies can be Black and Silver.

Now he is waiting on Nina’s hormones like the rest of us.

O dear, O dear, O dear…… Its okay

So Nina decided to have some fun with us on the week of the 18th of March and became clingy, nauseous and began lick, lick licking.   These are all early signs of proestrus.   Exciting? Yes?  We even got the little panties and liners ready.

But?  It meant the eye check, blood test at the vets and 2 visits to the stud are going to hit the Easter Bank holiday weekend and continue through the week when Mum has 17 guests coming in various guise.   O dear, O dear, O dear.

Then, after 5 days, comedian that she is, everything is back to normal.

Decision Time

So its February and we are all settled in our new homes and I have some magic granules to help my insides.  So we have decided to follow our hearts and do this.   Nina is fit and wants to do what dogs do – not to mention the extra food and attention.  I love breeding pups and think we make good quality dogs. Mum and Dad want one of Nina’s.

Its time to search for the Dad.  I am interested in exploring the colours available in the Schnauzer breed so start to look for black stud dogs.    This could be Othello not Romeo we seek!

2016 – getting started

Since we last blogged, Nina and I decided that my parents should become independent and do their own ebaying and now have our own house with Mr and Mrs G four doors down – convenient for dog walking.

With that transition only completed in January and me adding Colitis to existing health problems the puppy project has looked in peril.    However nature is not patient and we had to make preparations before knowing if we were going ahead.   So in January Nina was vet-checked and had her 3-yearly booster vaccinations plus the Lepto – as the preganancy may make her more vulnerable to disease.

I have been Kennel-Club checked – a 2 hour inspection this time – and passed – so we are on the list of assured breeders.

We have also done fleaing and wormcounts up until the beginning of March.   No chemicals from then until after weaning the puppies.