Russell Irish Setters

Birdy's temperature is down again this morning and we've set up her whelping box and a bunch of blankets in a quiet area in the dining room.  We still have a ways to go, but definitely progressing in the right direction.    She has nested a few times in the whelping box - or anywhere quiet and dark that she can get to.  This is the time when one has to make sure that a dog cannot get into a tight area; I have heard lots of stories of people having to dig their dogs ou...

So we began taking Birdy's temperature morning and night.  This will give us a baseline normal so that we can watch for a temperature drop which indicates whelping is imminent.    I have noticed in the past that there will be a small drop of 0.5 - 1.0 degree F a day or so ahead of the BIG drop of 1.0 or more.  I always get excited about this initial drop, but it always goes back up for a few hours to one day.   The cervix is softening, pups are moving i...

Rojo and I rode fenceline today - up the big hill at the back and all around the property line.   This was because of the fun time I had keeping red dogs inside the fence yesterday on our run.  The coyotes have dug under the high farm fencing in a bunch of places allowing access to the farm for them and OUTSIDE the farm for our dogs.  So today we rode fenceline and filled in holes with big rocks and wire.  Rojo was very good and worked up a good sweat which ...

We've been trying to get out and train more now that winter is leaving us and the lambs are on the ground.  We've just starting steadying Jack and Hope and both are doing really well.  We've been trying some new techniques that our friend Shirley Nilsson showed us and they've been working nicely to keep attitudes positive.  Candy is still running well, but needs a bit more time to mature prior to asking too much control of her!:D  Raisin has the opportunity to show off fro...

Birdy is getting quite big and I can feel the pups moving and see them wiggling when she is sleeping on her back.  She is such a sweet dog to live with, very laid back and easy.  We are getting ready for the litter, and have already made arrangements to stay with friends for the whelping so as to be nearer the veterinarian.  There is great excitement about this litter!:)  Stay tuned for more...