This is part 3 of a 3 part series on my breeding plans for the year 2013. You can see part 1: Tag Update and part 2:Piper Update by following the links provided.
In this blog post I will be focusing on Georgie and her second and last litter. Last year Georgie was bred to River for a wonderful litter of 7 babies. All were outgoing and their conformation was good to excellent. I was very pleased with the litter as a whole, though they ended up maturing smaller than I originally thought they would. Other than the smaller size, the litter has surpassed my expectations. The puppies are all thriving in their homes, be it training for service, therapy, performance sports, or just beloved pets.
I looked high and low for a performance titled Std Poodle within a reasonable drive of Georgie’s home to sire her second and last litter. I located Tag, who lives near Nashville, TN, and spoke to his mom about the possibly of using him. Linda was very excited and started health testing Tag as time and finances allowed. Everything was on schedule until Tag came up hypothyroid a few weeks back. You can read about Tag here: part 1: Tag Update. I sent out word to a few of my friends, none of which have a performance titled dog within my driving distance (OK, MO, TN, MS, LA, AR, TX). I attempted to ship semen once and that failed. It is extremely expensive, I am just not willing to try that again with the fertility vet choices I have near Georgie’s home in Bella Vista, AR
Next, I visited Piper and her foster mom, and I decided she should not be bred. Piper is the puppy we fostered from our Georgie and River litter last year. She broke her leg in a freak accident and it isn’t healing correctly. You can read the entire story here part 2:Piper Update
Lastly, Georgie has come into season MONTHS early!! She wasn’t due in until the end of April – early May. Courtney called me on Thursday of last week to tell me the bad news. Oh the timing is HORRIBLE!! Keith and I will be going to Hawaii for our 18th anniversary the end of May. The trip is paid for in full with no way to get a refund. If I bred Georgie now, she would be due 3 days before that trip.
So, where does this leave us as far as Georgie and her 2013 litter? I would say most importantly, it has pushed us back a few months. I didn’t want to skip this cycle, but a short cycle (4 months or less) often results in small litters or no pups at all. I decided it would be better for her to wait and have a normal cycle before I breed her and ‘maybe’ I can locate a stud for her during these next few months. If I do not locate a stud I feel is suitable for her, I would be breeding her to River again. I loved that litter, the temperaments were amazing. I don’t own any of the pups from the litter now with Piper due to be spayed, so it would not be a waste for me to repeat the breeding. I believe Hazel and Jay are both still intact, they have not been altered yet. This means the combination of Georgie and River has not been lost. BUT neither Hazel or Jay’s parents are breeders. They may never show their dogs, they may never title their dogs, they may never health test their dogs, much less breed them after all that is done. It would be a shame not to have a puppy with such amazing parents bring more Poodles into this world.
With all this said, right now my plan is to look around for a stud who is titled in performance sports and fully health tested. If I do not locate that dog, I will repeat the litter between Georgie and River. I haven’t bred a litter of pups that are due Oct / Nov in 10 years! This will be an event. Winter puppies at Anutta!
Georgie and River, 2012
Please note, we are still on schedule for a summer litter with Ziva, who is scheduled to be bred to Bill (AKC CH UKC GRCH Jacknic’s Big Love of Jacknic Kennels). They will be lovely Standard Poodles, calm and sweet just like their parents.
~Becky