[pyrnet] 11 puppies and how they grew...# 3

[Ken McNamara <conmara@grandcanyonhiker.com>]

Hi again -

I see my last note was on 7/15 or 4 weeks AP (after puppies).  So now it
is 12 weeks AP - and I'm just getting a little time.

Some part of that time has been spent creating a web site for our pups
(and taken on the name 'MacIrish Kennels') - I'd appreciate any comments
from the list:

http://www.pyrpups.com


All 11 puppies continue to thrive at 10 weeks the largest was 24.5# and
the smallest was 20#.  The standard deviation between the pups was 1.5#
- still just 7% of the average weight (from 16% at birth).  My interest
in this measurement is that it would seem to indicate an even spreading
of nutrition across the litter.  Comments anyone?  Reference weight
chart at:

http://www.pyrpups.com/litter_weights.htm


My wife has been engaging in puppy therapy.  This amounts to getting in
the whelping box with all 11 pups and being mauled and drooled on
(poetic license - I know Pyrs aren't supposed to drool).  She claims
that this is good for many ailments of modern life - it is certainly a
cure for boredom.  But then again, 11 pups are a cure for that...<g>.

Unfortunately, puppy therapy has been less successful as they have
reached weights of over 20# and have entered the stage where they nip at
anything they can get their teeth into.

Dad has been teaching the pups respect.  They seem to like his food
better than the food in their dishes - sometimes he's aloof to this
transgression.  But usually a low throated notice moves the pups away
from his food.  Woe to the pup who ignores this subtle warning.  Soon
this poor misguided miscreant is yelping on his/her way - and the other
pups delight in tormenting the offender.

Mom is much more tolerant - unless she is downright hungry the pups can
move right in and eat.  I've solved this dilemma by feeding mom and dad
first - leaving the pups in the barn for the few extra minutes it takes
for mom and dad to eat.  I wonder how many parents would like a barn to
keep their children in while they eat breakfast in peace.  (sorry, that
just slipped out)

As long as the subject is not food dad allows the pups to aggravate him
endlessly.  Before they were completely weaned they would try him for
food - he would just move away.  Now he is occasionally the center of
attention - he pretty much ignores (tolerates) them.

The pups personalities are beginning to come out.  Some are 'people
pups' right there following on your heels - others have taken on the
regal lion lounging.  Three of the pups 'escort' the sheep as they move
around, laying down when they stop to graze.  A couple love to have
their bellies rubbed (like mom).

Puppy identification has been a constant problem.  The markings they had
at birth have faded dramatically.  We've added nail polish in strategic
locations - but that requires keeping up.  We took Polaroid's of the
face at the first vet visit which seemed to be a great idea - in
retrospect it turned out to be marginal at best.

This brings to mind a pet peeve.  The cost of chips and chip
registration.  It's a rule in electronics that to make one of something
costs $1 million - but if you make a million they cost $1 each (well,
almost a rule).  Anyway, the continued high cost of chipping,
registering, and chip readers is unconscionable.  Chips should cost $5
or less and registration should be free.  With that I'll get off my soap
box.

As to puppy placement.  My mentors in this told me that we should have
had homes for at least 1/2 the pups before they were born.  They were
certainly right.  We are going to keep two of the pups and are still
working on placing the rest.  That is one (obvious) reason for the web
site.

But another reason for the web site is to document our experience - and
provide as much information as possible for potential buyers to make
informed decisions.  To that end our site includes a cost estimate of
everything we can project about having a Great Pyrenees - your comments
on this would be appreciated:

http://www.pyrpups.com/keepcost.htm


Something else that putting together this site has made me aware of is
the need for a marketing tool to separate the puppy mills from sincere
breeders.  I call that concept 'Forever Home'.

I think that every responsible breeder already provides this - at least
the ones I've run across - but they don't have a name for it.  In
marketing, a name is very important.  To that end I'm suggesting
something like the following:

http://www.pyrpups.com/foreverhome.htm


How to publicize or enforce this concept is a mystery to me.  But as a
beginning I've reserved the URL 'www.foreverhome.org'.  There's no web
site built for this URL - but perhaps someone out there would be
interested in helping me pursue this idea.


Well, that's it for the moment.  If you're reading this line then I
thank you for listening to my ramblings.

Thanks.

Ken McNamara
MacIrish Kennels