Topper - Gambit Litter

All grown up at nearly three

2011-12-07T21:51:00.000-05:00

I received a few pictures of some of the puppies from this litter. First are the flower girls Daffodil and Magnolia. they have grown up to be beautiful liver girls. It appears that Magnolia likes to chew on Daffodil's ears. I have seen other dogs do this and for some reason the dog getting her ears slobbered on really seems to enjoy it. Unfortunately it discolors the ears.

Below is Daisy one of the three LUA girls in thia litter.

Below is Sydney one of the other LUA girls with one of her owners Lindsey

My First LUA /NUA Champion

2010-06-30T18:39:00.005-04:00

On June 26, 2010 Lila became a UKC Champion!!!!! Recently the UKC changed the Dalmatian standard to address a major health problem in our breed. That problem is deafness. It has long been known that the number of deaf and unilaterally deaf puppies born can be reduced by a few simple breeding practices. Don't breed blue eyes or unilateral deaf dogs and do on occasion breed patched dogs. As you can see Lila has an ear patch and I do believe she is the first dog with a patch to finish her championship since the new standard revision.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY.....

2010-04-03T22:16:00.003-04:00

It doesn't seem possible that the Topper - Gambit puppies are a year old already. Lila had a very nice day beginning with a broiled boneless, skinless chicken breast for breakfast. Then she spent a good part of the day playing with her new wabba toy. She shares very nicely so her best friend Bizzi had a lot of fun too! She also managed to dig a few holes so you will see her nose is very dirty. Here are some pictures of Lila, Daffodil and Magnolia. I am hoping to get some current pictures of some of the other pups now that they are all grown up. Lila
Lila and her mom Gambit

Lial and her best buddy Bizzi

Lila hard at play

Daffodil on the left and Magnolia on the right

Magnolia

Daffodil

Snow Dogs!

2010-02-07T08:34:00.006-05:00

Lila enjoying the Blizzard on 2-6-10. This is also LilaBelow is beautiful Magnolia!
And sister Daffodil checking things out.

Daffodil in the lead and Magnolia following.

Below is Burdock enjoying Christmas!

New picture of the Flower Girls....

2009-11-18T20:48:00.003-05:00

Here is Daffodil and Magnolia at 7 months of age. I am so glad that Susan keeps me informed of their progress. Thanks Susan.... or should I say Cruella!

Lila at 6 months

2009-10-18T15:52:00.002-04:00

Today I took Lila to get her microchip and while we were there LaDonna snapped some pictures of her. She was very happy to get to see lots of dogs and people.

SIX MONTHS OLD ALREADY....

2009-10-15T18:38:00.005-04:00

Here is Sydney one of the three NUA girls in the litter. She is growing into a stunning girl. She is keeping her new family busy but they love her and she manages to sleep in someone's bed every night! This is Daisy another one of the NUA girls. She is turning into quite a hunter. She recently caught a rabbit much to her new Mom's dismay.
Below is Magnolia graduating from her first class. Daffodil also graduated!
The picture below is very special to me because it is Norman with his big brother Floyd. Floyd is a Sawyer (Ch Rim Rock's Country Spirit) son and he looks so much like Sawyer did in his old age that this picture brought tears to my eyes when I received it. Floyd was the only puppy that survived from his litter so I got quite attached to him.

Some new pictures!

2009-09-15T21:37:00.007-04:00

Here is my sweet Lila growing into a lovely young lady.Below is Sadie (formerly Dahlia)
Below is Sadie (HUA) and Lila (NUA)
Susan and the liver lovelies. Magnolia on the left and Daffodil on the right.

Magnolia

Daffodil

Here is Burdock enjoying a bone to help with the teething process.

VIOLET GOES ON VACATION

2009-07-16T22:54:00.003-04:00

Violet went to Hilton Head, SC and it looks like she had a very good time!

Bizzi wins Best In Show.....

2009-07-05T21:28:00.004-04:00

This weekend a group of us from The Greater Pittsburgh Dal Club decided to go to some UKC shows that were being held in Ravenna, Ohio. We had a blast and did some winning! There were 4 multi-breed shows and at the first one Tammy and Jolene went Best of Breed and on to a Group 3. At the second show Tammy and Jolene went Best of Breed and on to a Group 2. At the third show LaDonna and Gage went Best of Breed and on to a Group 2. At the fourth show Bizzi and I went Best of Breed and on to a Group 1. To make the weekend a little sweeter we also went on to BEST IN SHOW!!!!! Pictured below is Bizzi, I and the judge and the biggest ribbon I ever won!!!! Chris and puppy Ryder were there too and although they didn't get a Best of Breed win the were awarded Best Male at two of the shows.
Tammy and Jolene have already completed there UKC Championship and are now competing for Grand Champion. Bizzi, Gage and Ryder have a good start on acquiring their UKC Championships as well.

As most of you know the Topper - Gambit litter was a UKC registered litter because the AKC, at this point in time, won't register the NUA Dalmatians at the request of the Dalmatian Club of America. Many true Dalmatian enthusiasts across the country are willing to give up the AKC to incorporate the gene for Normal Uric Acid in their bloodlines. In the process we are learning what fun it is to show our dogs at UKC shows. The politics that have soured so many on the AKC are just not there at UKC.

Burdock

2009-07-02T22:35:00.003-04:00

I received this picture today of Burdock and he is looking very handsome. He will be starting puppy school at the end of the month and I imagine he will want to do it his way! I am sure his buddy Cezar and the two cats will be hoping he comes back from school very tired so they can have some peace.

Magnolia and Daffodil

2009-06-30T22:54:00.003-04:00

I received these pictures today of the two liver girls that broke my heart by not inheriting the NUA gene. They are growing to be as pretty as I expected.

The first three pictures are Magnolia and the second two are Daffodil. Susan said they are a hit with all the neighborhood children. Who could resist that much cuteness?

Lila and Tolliver

2009-06-29T23:03:00.003-04:00

It looks like Lila is giving Tolliver a raspberry. She has been going with me to the shows and seems to be enjoying it.

Little Helper

2009-06-27T22:26:00.005-04:00

Daisy is ready to help with the painting! Hopefully I will receive pictures from some of the other puppy owners so you can watch them grow too!

Sydney and two of her three big sisters

2009-06-21T20:29:00.002-04:00

Sydney formerly Tulip is pictured giving her new big sister Kiertsen a kiss!Pictured below is Sydney with Lindsay.

Daisy's First Swim....

2009-06-13T12:22:00.003-04:00

My friend Katie took me for my first swim! It was great! I knew just what to do, the doggie paddle! Love, Daisy

New beginnings for the pups...

2009-06-07T13:33:00.005-04:00

Strawberry DreamsRita tells me that Daisy (formerly Iris) steals strawberries from the strawberry patch but she only picks the red ones.
Above is Violet (formerly Viola) with the man in her life, Pat. They live in a very dog friendly area and the dogs are welcome to come to the restaurants. This is a picture of them at an outdoor restaurant.

Above is Burdock with his new big brother Cezar. Cezar must be a very tolerant old soul because Burdock loves to play!

I just love this picture of Dalton and Lila. I call it the "Age of Innocence" picture. Holly, Dalton's Mom brought Dalton to visit the puppies and took this picture. Dalton is my friend LaDonna's Grandson but he lives closer to me than he does his grammy.

Something different

2009-06-06T07:10:00.005-04:00

Tagged! I have been tagged by LaDonna to tell how the dog that owns my heart came into my life. As many know that dog is Garrett. Garrett wasn't the first dog to own my heart but he is the current one. In the 50 + years that I have shared with Dalmatians I have lost count of how many I have owned, bred but most importantly loved. Of that vast number of spotted dogs I have been blessed with four that touched a spot in my heart above all others. They were my first Dalmatian Buckshot who I got in 1958, Watson, Watson's daughter Chloe and of course Garrett. After breeding Garrett's mom Posey twice with discouraging results I decided to try a third time. This time I chose a very sweet old dog by the name of Dutch who had a very nice pedigree to sire Posey's last litter. Dutch had been neglected due to his former owners marital problems when my friend Jeff rescued him, fed him and subsequently finished his championship. I had known Dutch from the time he was a young dog because I competed against him many times with Sherman. I would have bred Chloe to him years earlier if his owners at the time would have finished his championship title. Dutch could not breed naturally due to an injury to his back when he was hit by a car so I brought him to my home so we could do an artificial insemination. From that I got a litter of 6 puppies. All 14 ounces of Garrett entered my life on January 13, 2002 at 7:25 PM. I swear I bonded with him before he was completely born. As you know Dals are born white but while they are still in the birth sack you can see their spots. Once they are dry the spots are no longer visible. In that tiny window of opportunity I saw the teardrop under his eye like Watson had and I had the feeling that the spirit of Watson had come back to me. I knew at that moment that Garrett was here to stay. I have never regretted that decision for a moment. I can't even bear the thought of him not being with me forever...
Now I would like to Tag Cindy and Eric to tell us how they became Dalmatian lovers. Any of the GPDC members who get tagged can use the GPDC blog http://www.gpdcspot.blogspot.com/ to tell your story!

Day Fifty Eight

2009-05-31T16:32:00.003-04:00

And now there is one!!!! OR should I say four....

Pictured below is Susan who has been waiting for some time for her two girls Magnolia and Daffodil. I usually won't let two puppies go to the same home but I am certain that Susan is ready for the challenge! I will miss all the puppies but Magnolia had a special place in my heart and letting her go was not easy. As an added bonus Susan lives close to my good friend, Judy, who does a remarkable job with her three Dal boys. Judy came with Susan to pick up the girls and we had a very nice visit!

So let me introduce you to Rim Rock's first NUA addition. She was Lilac but we are shortening her name to Lila. Formally she will be known as....

RIM ROCK'S U GOTTA B KIDDIN'

I want to say THANK YOU to all of you who have followed the adventures of this litter. It has been an experience and a labor of love. I won't be updated daily now but please check back often for updates on these 9 wonderful Dalmatians and the people who are sharing their lives with them.

Day Fifty Seven

2009-05-30T22:21:00.003-04:00

And then there were three... What could be better socialization for three little liver girls than a visit from four children. The puppies were as happy as the children at this encounter.Today Burdock went to his new home with Milt and Roberta. He will have a senior Doberman friend and he will get to meet his first kitty. He may even get to spend some time in the company of horses!

Week Eight

2009-05-29T23:13:00.004-04:00

"Hey... go get your own toy....this one is mine..."

I am sure the puppies can't figure out why I keep putting the toys back in the toy box after they get them out. Today I trimmed the toe nails. It will be the last time I do this for most of them because after this weekend just Lilac will remain. It is sad to see them go but it is time. I am looking forward to begin with Lilac's socialization. I will be taking her with me to the shows and will enroll her in a puppy kindergarten class. It is so important to have them get all kinds of new experiences at this tender age. If young puppies don't get socialized they may become either spooky or reactive when out of their comfort zone.

Day Fifty Five

2009-05-28T21:52:00.006-04:00

And they call it puppy love! Burdock and his angels

MMMMM...ears taste good!

Gambit did some thing today she never did before. She went into the pen and regurgitated for the puppies. I know it is natural and normal but I can certainly live with out it. She didn't do that with her first litter but they were all in their new homes before this and I didn't keep one. I was surprised that she gave up some of her food because she is a ravenous chow hound but she has been such an attentive mother it shouldn't have surprised me.

I took off Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday but it is back to work for me tomorrow.....

Day Fifty Four

2009-05-27T21:51:00.004-04:00

Daffodil is entertaining herself with a toy. It was rainy again today so the pups had to spent a good bit of the day indoors. Lilac is searching for the best toy.

HMMM.....which liver girl is the NUA?
Below is a picture I received today of Tulip who may be called Tia now....I am not sure yet.

Pictured below is Viola now Violet on her way home at a rest stop with her new Mom Ellan.

This sign was made by a friend of Pat and Ellan's while they were here picking the puppy up!

Day Fifty Three

2009-05-26T21:54:00.004-04:00

And then there were four...Today Dahlia went to her new home to live and be loved and spoiled by George, Barbara and Granddaughter Katie. She will also have a big liver K9 best friend named Forrest! Perhaps she will be called Sadie!
Because it rained most of the day the puppies had to stay inside and play. Below are some pictures of them burning of some energy!

Magnolia is forever trying to escape the pen with a toy so no one else can have it. Because she is the smallest she has learned how to outsmart the big ones. She is a hoot to watch! The day started out with five puppies and when I woke up no one had pooped in the pen all night! As soon as I put them out they all ran to the grass and did their business. Good puppies!!!!

Bizzi had a very rewarding day today because she finally managed to catch and kill one of the groundhogs that has been driving her crazy all spring. She has been watching this group of groundhogs in a field behind my father's house but of course she is in a fence so she can't get to them. Today she managed to run out the back door when I was not paying attention and ran like the wind over to where the groundhogs were. She grabbed one of them and killed it so fast it didn't know what hit it. Then she proceeded to bring it to me like a trophy and wanted to bring in inside to show the other dogs. She is a very sweet gentle dog with people and other dogs and particularly the puppies but she has a very high prey drive. We had to put a strand of electric around the bottom and the top of the fence so she couldn't figure out a way to get our chickens.

Day Fifty Two

2009-05-25T23:24:00.002-04:00

Here is Daffodil sound asleep. They played very hard outside today and of course i forgot to get some good pictures. Below they are all sound asleep for the night. However, they wont let me sleep past 5:00AM. Tomorrow Dahlia will be leaving for her new home.

Day Fifty One

2009-05-24T21:52:00.005-04:00

As the puppies start to leave I can notice a difference in the one remaining. This evening they were somewhat noisy which up until now they were a quieter than normal litter. They finally went to sleep which sounds like a great idea. Today Viola met and was instantly in love with her new parents Pat and Ellan. Pat and Ellan recently lost their wonderful companion Iris so Violet will have bit pawprints to try to fill but I am sure that her new parents have plenty of room in their hearts for this new little sweetie. Brier went home with Mary Kay and Zack this morning. Mary Kay and her husband Dennis have a big brother to Garrett they got from me 10 years ago. Zack was just a boy then. It was great to see Mary Kay again and she hasn't aged a bit and is still beautiful. Zack is all grown up!

Here is a picture of Daisy who is adjusting to her new home quite will it seems!

Day Fifty

2009-05-23T22:14:00.004-04:00

And then there were seven...Iris who is now Daisy is pictured with her new Mom Rita. Daisy has a lot of learning ahead of her. She will be a Therapy dog and bring joy to lots of people. She will have a best doggie friend too named Lizzie!
Pictured below is Tulip who also went to her new home today! I forgot to get a picture of her with her new family but I am hoping that Lindsay will take one and send it to me so everyone can meet her new family too!

Week Seven

2009-05-22T23:10:00.002-04:00

Daffodil is expressing her unhappiness about being put to bed.I don't think that Gambit will ever wean them on her own.

Tonight is the last night the puppies will all be sleeping together because they are starting to leave tomorrow. I have done all that I could to see that they had the best start in life but now it is time to start letting them go. I have trimmed their nails weekly so they know and accept this as something that they must do. I have handled them and had many other handle them to get then used to being touched. I hope each of them has a wonderful, long, healthy life full of love and understanding.

Day Forty Eight

2009-05-21T21:38:00.002-04:00

Here is Viola and Brier looking very cute.
I stayed home from work today so I could spend all day with the puppies watching to make sure no one had a reaction from the inoculations. Soon some one else will be laughing at their antics but for now I try to spend as much time with them as I can.

Here they are around the food bowl again. It is still impossible to tell which ones are NUA just by looking. One of the biggest arguments that the people who are against AKC registration of these genetically enhanced dogs uses is the fact that they are not marked like Dalmatians. I guess every picture tells a story. This one says that argument is false.

Day Forty Seven

2009-05-20T22:30:00.003-04:00

ALL NINE PUPPIES ARE BILATERAL HEARING!!!!
Above is Dahlia actually falling asleep during her BAER hearing test. Most of the puppies were unfazed by this test. Burdock wasn't real happy that he wasn't in control of the situation but once he realized this was going to happen he settled but the others took it in stride.

Above and below is Lilac during her test. As you can see she isn't very concerned about the needles in her head or the earphones in her ears.

Daffodil decided that she would assist the Vet Techs. They got a kick out of her.

Below is the BAER testing machine. You can't really see it but the results of one of the puppies is on the screen.
After we got home for the BAER testing the puppies had a play break and something to eat and then it was off again to get their check-up and first shot. The Vet pronounced them healthy!

Day Forty Six

2009-05-19T23:20:00.004-04:00

Today I didn't have time to take many pictures but I thought this one was kind of cute. I had to watch the Dancing With The Stars finals. I have to admit that I was very disappointed that Gilles and Cheryl didn't win. I watch precious little TV but I do get hooked on DWTS.

Tomorrow is a very big day for the puppies. In the morning they go for their BAER testing and in the evening they go for their Vet check up and first shots. Everyone keep your fingers crossed all is well!

I hope to let everyone know which puppy will be theirs tomorrow and they will start going to their new homes on Saturday. I can't believe that time went so fast. It seems like I was just meeting Topper and now the babies are almost ready to leave. Gambit will be spayed soon as she has produced and reared two wonderful litters for me and I won't ask her to go through it again.

Day Forty Five

2009-05-18T19:47:00.004-04:00

Here is Burdock and Magnolia both looking like sweet little angels. I am glad that they can get to go outside and burn off some energy.When they are tired of playing they all come on the porch and take a nap unless it is too hot then they go under the porch for their nap.

Susan... the next two pictures of Magnolia are just for you!

DAY Forty Four

2009-05-17T20:11:00.003-04:00

Lilac, Daffodil and Iris

Dahlia

I thought a short video of a game of Tug O War would be amusing.

Day Forty Three

2009-05-16T22:48:00.008-04:00

After a big day outside the puppies are finally ready to sleep! Well most of them anyway.
Since I had the luxury of being home today I got to spend a lot of time puppy watching. Poor little Burdock had the misfortune of sitting right where Garrett marks his corner beside the porch. Needless to say Burdock got his first washing today. Garrett didn't even realize what he was doing until I yelled at him. Of course since he rarely gets in trouble he was very ashamed of himself.

Daffodil is quite the little escape artist. She has managed to find every low spot in the fence however she cannot find her way back in so she sits out side the fence and screams her little head off until I rescue her.

After each litter I seem to forget how much work is involved from week five until they go to their new homes. It is a monumental task just finding things to entertain them with that will stimulate their brains. The clean up is mind boggling but watching them learn is very rewarding.

Week Six

2009-05-15T20:45:00.004-04:00

Today we are six weeks old and we are big enough to look out!Left to right is Lilac waving hi, Daffodil, Burdock and Dahlia. Below is Burdock who reminds me the most of daddy Topper.
It was very hot today and the puppies had a grand time with the water bucket.

I'm not digging a hole.....honest!

Of course today was puppy pedicures and weighing. They are growing very fast now. The smallest is Magnolia at 6 pounds and the largest is Burdock at 8 lb 1 oz.

Day Forty One

2009-05-14T20:53:00.009-04:00

Brier is thinking....come on Lilac they are bigger than us I think they are Raptors.... lets get the heck out of here!The puppies are getting very good at climbing up and down the steps.
Lilac is curious about the chickens.
Beautiful little Viola
When I left work it was raining so I was afraid that the puppies wouldn't get to go out to play but the sun came back out so they got to play even though the grass was a little wet. They didn't seem to mind the wet grass at all.

Day Forty

2009-05-13T19:15:00.004-04:00

Garrett is making sure he doesn't step on a puppy while he whispers in Gambit's ear. I hope he is telling her she still looks beautiful to him even though she did have a fling with another man. Below is a short video of Bizzi having a ball!

Day Thirty Nine

2009-05-12T18:48:00.003-04:00

AHHH....THE GREAT OUTDOORS!

When I came home from work today the pen was a stinky mess and the puppies were really happy to see me! Hubby has no problem with feeding the little critters but he isn't very good at cleaning up the output. Since it was a very nice day I decided that it was finally time to take them outside. They had a ball running and rolling in the grass and chasing each other around. I let them play until the were exhausted and now they are all blissfully sleeping!

Day Thirty Eight

2009-05-11T22:36:00.003-04:00

They are finally asleep! I was just commenting a couple of days ago that this litter was very quiet. Well they have found their voices and aren't shy about letting me know when they want something. I think all the attention this past weekend was great for them but it also spoiled them a tiny bit. Below is Lilac. I have to decide whether I am going to keep Tulip or Lilac. I will be watching both of these girls closely for the next two weeks to try to make my decision. I wish I could keep them both but that is out of the question.

One more thing I wanted to mention is that there is still a few more days to sign the petition. If you haven't already signed it please go to http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/AKCforDals/index.html and check it out! I would appreciate your signature of support. For those of you who have already signed the petition I would like to send sweet puppy kisses from each of these babies! Thank you for your support!

Day Thirty Seven

2009-05-10T22:37:00.004-04:00

Today is a special treat because I have uploaded individual pictures of each puppy from all angles! Right now they are totally exhausted as am I. We had many visitors again today. First Cindy and Katie came to play with the puppies followed by LaDonna and Marion who helped me take all these pictures. Thanks Ladies! Later on Nanci and Mary Ann came to enjoy the puppies.

I hope you enjoy the pictures! Make sure you click on "older posts" after you view Viola to see the rest of the puppies.

Tulip (black and white NUA female)

2009-05-10T22:24:00.001-04:00

Lilac (liver and white NUA female)

2009-05-10T22:21:00.001-04:00

Burdock (black and white male)

2009-05-10T22:19:00.001-04:00

Dahlia (black and white female)

2009-05-10T22:16:00.002-04:00

Iris (black and white NUA female)

2009-05-10T22:10:00.005-04:00

Viola (liver and white female)

2009-05-10T22:07:00.002-04:00

Brier (black and white male)

2009-05-10T22:04:00.001-04:00

Magnolia (liver and white female)

2009-05-10T21:52:00.005-04:00

Daffodil (liver and white female)

2009-05-10T21:47:00.004-04:00

Day Thirty Six

2009-05-09T21:56:00.002-04:00

Tulip, Viola and Daffodil looking very cute!Today was very big day for the puppies. They had 10 human and 2 canine visitors. I think they should sleep good tonight.
They are finally big enough to stand up and look out of the puppy pen. Pictured above is Dahlia and below is Lilac and Magnolia.

Daffodil is trying to show this bear who is boss but it looks like the bear is winning!

Week Five

2009-05-08T17:47:00.008-04:00

Magnolia was the first to discover the big dog water bowl but it didn't take the others long to see what she was doing.Burdock seems to have a very strong personality. He will need a owner who is up for the challenge. I believe that he will try to train his owner if given the opportunity.
Here is short video of play time!

Today was time to trim their nails and weigh them again. They were all very good babies for the pedicure. The smallest weighs 4 lb 9 oz and the biggest one is 6 lb. Tomorrow will be a big day for them because I have lots of people coming to visit.

Day Thirty Four

2009-05-07T22:07:00.003-04:00

Here is Brier.....who could resist that face? Happiness is a lap full of warm puppies!The next two pictures are of Burdock

Below is DahliaHere they are investigating a new object

Day Thirty Three

2009-05-06T22:16:00.003-04:00

Below is my precious liver NUA girl Lilac. All four liver girls have beautiful spotting.Here are two of the other liver girls Magnolia and Viola. Viola was shaking the toy that is why here ears are straight out. Today is the first they have done what I call zoom races. They run as fast as they can which usually ends up in a wipe out. It is too funny! I am hoping for some nice weather this weekend so they can experience outside. Right now they would get swamped in the mud.
Here is great grandfather Garrett actually playing with Brier. Garrett interacting with puppies this small is a rare occurrence. He usually hides from them.

The next two pictures are of Brier.

Day Thirty Two

2009-05-05T22:05:00.003-04:00

Tulip and Magnolia are having a ball rolling and jumping over this roll of paper.Daffodil my little angel.
It is still hard to pick out the NUA puppies by looking at them.

Iris standing still for a second.

Tulip and Iris

Sweet little Brier

Tulip

Iris

Day Thirty One

2009-05-04T19:58:00.004-04:00

Here is Lilac who is my beautifully spotted liver patched NUA girl.Please can Bizzi come out to play! The next two pictures are Brier who decided yesterday that Chris must be his new Mom. I don't have the heart to tell him that no one has picked him yet.

Day Thirty

2009-05-03T22:18:00.004-04:00

As you requested Susan here is Daffodil on the left and Magnolia on the right! Today was a big day for the puppies because they had lots of new experiences. LaDonna and Chris came to help socialize the puppies and both came bearing gifts! LaDonna brought something for each of the adult dogs and lots of obstacles for the puppies to play with. Chris brought yummy brownies for me and lots of toys and treats for the dogs. The puppies were rather unsure of all the strange noises and people they didn't know but before long they made up with everyone and played with their new toys.
After all that excitement they were zonked out.

Yes..... that's right I actually put a picture of Dahlia peeing on the blog. I am pleased to say that it didn't take them long to figure out that the paper was where they should go the the potty and the crate was for sleeping. Good puppies!

Day Twenty Nine

2009-05-02T22:45:00.002-04:00

Tulip is getting cuter everyday! Here is Daffodil giving brother Burdock a kiss. She is so pretty it hurts me to look at her knowing she will be someone else's beautiful girl.
This is Lilac sleeping on the red toy. Behind her is Iris the other NUA girl.

Below are 3 livers and 2 blacks... Two of the liver girls look lighter but that is because their spots are still coming through. Some of the puppies have a coat that is a little bit thicker than the others. This happens in many of my litters. Gambit has a luxurious coat and she passed it on in her first litter. It looks like these babies are going to have very nice coats too.

Week Four

2009-05-01T23:32:00.005-04:00

Viola is investigating the heat register. They are getting curious so I give them time each day out of the pen to explore. Tonight there was a thunder storm and they were aware of the thunder. They didn't freak out but they did listen each time the thunder clapped. None of my current dogs are afraid of thunder storms but I have had dogs in the past that were really affected by them.It just seems like yesterday that they were born but it has been 4 weeks already. Today I clipped their toe nails again and weighed them. They now weigh between 3 lb 8 oz and 4 lb 4 oz.

Below is Burdock playing with a roll of paper. We go to the newspaper print shop and get the end of the rolls of paper to use in the puppy pen and it works great. Newspaper is OK but the newsprint makes the puppies gray so getting the paper before it is printed on is really nice.

Lilac is trying to get Garrett to come out and play but he isn't interested in playing with them when they are this small.

Bizzi doesn't have any problem playing with them at this age.

Gambit doesn't spend very much time with the pup now that I am feeding them three times a day. I can't say I blame her because they have sharp teeth now and that has to hurt. She goes in and feeds them when she is full of milk but she seems to be producing less now.

Day Twenty Seven

2009-05-01T00:03:00.004-04:00

Aunt Bizzi and the kids!

Hey where's the milk?

Day Twenty Six

2009-04-29T22:47:00.002-04:00

Bizzi is finally finished with her heat cycle so life around here is much more pleasant. Garrett finally decided that he would check out the puppies for the first time. He wasn't overly impressed I have to say. He will tolerate them but when they are this small he really isn't buying into their charm yet. Bizzi on the other hand thinks she died and went to heaven with all these new playmates. The two in front are Burdock and Lilac and the picture below is Viola sleeping with a friend.
The cute little guy below is a very frustrated Burdock because everyone else is sleeping and he wants to play. You will see in the next picture that he did find a playmate!

The puppy below who is fighting sleep is Brier. In a few more days they will be very playful and that is when I start giving them other things to experience.

Day Twenty Five

2009-04-28T23:22:00.004-04:00

Viola is so sleepy but she is afraid she will miss something so she positions herself so she can be the first to respond in case she hears the PSST. She is very pretty but no one seems to be interested in her so I must not have taken many pictures of her.Below are the two girls who broke my heart by not receiving the NUA gene. Magnolia on the left and Daffodil on the right.
Many people have asked me if these puppies can be shown in AKC performance competitions since they are UKC registered. I really didn't know the answer to that so I inquired with many people plus I contacted the AKC directly and the answer is yes. In order for these pups to compete in AKC obedience, agility, rally and tracking they have to first, be neutered and secondly, apply for a PAL (Purebred Alternative Listing) number. So I learned something new today also!

Many of you have inquired as to whether I know which puppies are going to be available but they are just now developing their personalities so it is hard for me to make a commitment. I know many of you are only interested in a black girl and since there are only three and two of them are NUA I will not have enough of those to go around. Before you decide that you couldn't live with anything but a black girl come and meet all the puppies and see what beautiful brownies I have.

Day Twenty Four

2009-04-27T22:34:00.004-04:00

The puppies are changing very quickly and today they are wagging their little tails when I talk to them. They are barking and playing with each other which is very cute.

They are making it out of the nest to poop but still aren't always making it out to pee. I am sure in a couple more days they will have mastered that also!

Day Twenty Three

2009-04-26T22:25:00.007-04:00

TA-DA Here are the three NUA puppies!

For those of you who guessed, thank you for playing the game. No one guessed all three; they were #1, 3 & 4. In the picture above they are Lilac, Tulip and Iris.
Lilac , Iris and Tulip

I was already getting attached to Magnolia and Daffodil so the results were a bit of a letdown when I realized that those two exceptional girls would be offered to some other lucky families. If it wasn't for the fact that the reason I produced this litter was to incorporate the NUA gene in my line of Dals I would not be offering either of those girls to a new home. However, I have three other lovely girls to concentrate on!

Just so today's blog is not all about the NUA puppies, the picture below shows all the pups in their new surroundings. Yesterday I eliminated the pool and put in a large crate bottom. Now is when they learn to leave the nest to potty. They are starting to get the idea because lots of pottying was done out on the paper. I good number didn't quite make it though. The two boys are in the front.
Rita...these next two pictures are for you!

DayTwenty Two

2009-04-25T15:37:00.004-04:00

HERE IS THE SURPRISE I PROMISED YOU!Here is a picture of the puppies eating out of the flying saucer for the first time. Yesterday I received the results of the DNA test and 3 of the puppies received the NUA gene from Topper!!!!! I would have liked more but "hey" three is better than none.... Anyway I thought it would be fun to play a little game so I numbered the puppies so you could guess which three are the NUA puppies? I will tell you tomorrow evening. You can leave your guess in the comment section or you can email me or do nothing but I thought it would be fun to make the blog interactive. Don't forget you can click on the picture to enlarge it.

Week Three

2009-04-24T23:00:00.004-04:00

We are all very tired after a very busy day. As many of you know I feed my dogs a raw diet which is also called B.A.R.F. The main protein source is chicken backs and today we ground 120 pounds of chicken backs and packaged it in 2 pound tubes. We also grind a large assortment of veggies and fruit. This is very time comsuming so after a long day at work and making dog food I didn't have time to get pictures before I tired them all out by clipping toenails, weighing them and individual sound/food test. I am about 95% sure all can hear in at least one ear! I am also certain many of them can hear in both ears. I will continue to condition them to the psst sound until I am sure about every ear. Then I will see how right I am on May 20th when they have their BAER test. I also wormed them today. They are all still growing relatively uniformly the smallest weighed 2 lb 5 oz and the largest was 2 lb 15 oz. That is all for tonight but I have a big surprise for tomorrow!

Day Twenty

2009-04-23T21:52:00.006-04:00

Since the puppies are starting to interact with each other I decided it was time for some toys. I am getting more hearing responses today. I feel that week three is a very scary time because this upcoming is the week that I will get a good idea if any are deaf. It is a little to early to tell if any are uni but it is always a relieve when all can hear.

Pictured above is Burdock, Brier and Daffodil.
Daffodil
Daffodil and Magnolia
Dahlia and the boys

Here are the only two chicks we got from the 11 eggs that we incubated. There were 4 fertile but the other two didn't make it. To give you an idea of how tiny they are...they are sitting in the palm of my hubby's hand.

Day Nineteen

2009-04-22T22:31:00.002-04:00

It is particularly crazy at my house right now. Bizzi is in full blown heat and Garrett is a wreck. He won't eat and and all he does is whine. I feel really bad for the poor dog. I suppose I should get him neutered since I can carry on with his daughter Bizzi. I am already keeping my eye open for the perfect NUA boy for Bizzi when she finishes her AKC championship.

I noticed today the puppies are cutting their puppy teeth. It will soon be time to take over some of the work that Gambit has been doing. She seems to be producing plenty of milk though. The sound/food conditioning is paying off as I have a number of the puppies awaken when I make the noise now. Burdock was the first to respond and Magnolia and Daffodil are responding too! The others haven't ever been the first to jump up yet so I don't know about them. Today's pictures are of them interacting with one another. Enjoy!

Day Eighteen

2009-04-21T22:42:00.006-04:00

In this picture of Dahlia and Daffodil you can see the color difference on their noses. Dahlia is black and Daffodil is liver. Here is Dahlia trying to climb out.
Chow time!

Lilac, Iris and Daffodil

NUA???

Day Seventeen

2009-04-20T22:32:00.003-04:00

Our newest baby!As many of you know we also have chickens. We have been incubating 11 Bantam eggs and today the first one hatched! I hope he isn't the only one to hatch or he will be very lonesome.
The puppies are getting more alert everyday. Above is Tulip and pictured below is Lilac.

Day Sixteen

2009-04-19T23:00:00.007-04:00

Today was a very beautiful day so we went for a hike in the woods picking wild mushrooms. It was great to get to enjoy spring! Not much can top a breakfast of wild morel mushrooms and fresh eggs..... supplied by my very own hens!

Day 16 is when the puppy stimulation exercised ends but we are only on day two of the sound/food hearing response conditioning.

Pictured below is Daffodil (liver) and if she is NUA and bilateral I may not be able to part with her!

Gambit continues to be an excellent Mom and she is eating at least twice what she was eating. She is getting 3 meals a day plus snacks in between. I am a raw feeder and in addition to her veggies and chicken she is getting goat milk, eggs, cottage cheese, different oils, fish a couple times a week and turkey necks. I am lucky because my sister in law has a milk goat so I can get fresh goat milk and I have chickens so I have an endless supply of fresh eggs.

As you can see in the next two pictures they are starting to interact with each other.

Below is Magnolia (liver) trying to climb out which she did succeed. If she is a bilateral hearing NUA too I will have a hard decision to make!

Day Fifteen

2009-04-18T20:04:00.005-04:00

GRAND CHAMPION STOCKLORE TOP SPOT Since you have seen lots of pictures of Gambit I thought you may like to see some pictures of Topper. These pictures were taken by my friend Holly while Topper was here on vacation courting Gambit. He is nearly 11 years old in these pictures and still a very handsome dog.
Today I began the sound/food conditioning. I will explain what this is and why I do it. As everyone knows deafness is one of the health issues we have in the Dalmatian breed. So in order to tell the hearing status of each puppy as early as possible I condition then to a sound which means food is coming. What I use for the sound is psst. Just like I was trying to get their attention. As I say psst I pop a tiny ball of raw ground beef in the puppy's mouth. They absolutely love the taste of it from the first time. I will do this once a day for the first day. Then twice a day. I increase it to three times a day. I also make the sound every time Gambit goes in to feed them. With consistency it doesn't take them long to jump up from a sound sleep when they hear the psst sound. If there is a puppy that never jumps up he is most likely deaf. If a puppy only jumps up some of the time he may be a unilateral hearing puppy. I will be able to tell at a very early age the hearing status of each puppy.
Pictured above is Viola, one of the liver girls, having a nap.
It looks like puppy kisses but actually they were licking the ground beef from each other.

Week Two

2009-04-17T23:36:00.004-04:00

Two weeks old already! This was a very busy day for the puppies. Toe nail clipping, weighing and DNA testing all in one day. They were all very cooperative for their pedicures and they now weigh between 1 lb. 13 oz. and 2 lb. 1 oz. so now there is a 4 oz difference between the biggest and the smallest. I am happy that they are all growing uniformly. Now that their eyes are open they are becoming aware of their surrounding.

Let me explain the DNA testing procedure for those of you who are interested in the scientific part of this. What we are checking for is to see which puppies received a copy of the normal uric acid gene from Topper. It could be none or many. If it is none I will be disappointed because I am hoping to keep one for future breeding. If it is many, I will be thrilled if I have more than one to choose from.

What I had to do was collect buccal cells on brushes and then send them to UC Davis in California. How this is done is by swirling a brush vigorously against the inside of the check and gum. Actually three brushes were collected from each puppy. The puppies had to be separated from Gambit for a half hour before the testing but I kept her away from them for one hour to be sure I was safe. Then I washed my hands between each puppy to make sure I didn't have any DNA from a previous puppy on me. Although I never touched the brush itself I am anal about such things so I was very careful. The picture below shows all the brushes and the paperwork ready to go before I started. I had to label three brushes for each puppy so they could be identified. After the brush had the buccal cells on them they were inserted back into the sleeve with the identifying information on it. It was a big job and I am glad it is over. All I have to do now is insert everything in an envelope with a check for close to 2 weeks take home pay and send it off and wait for the results.

Day Thirteen

2009-04-16T22:42:00.003-04:00

First, let me say thank you from the bottom of my heart to those of you who signed the petition! If you haven't signed it yet there is still time. We hope to get 1000 signatures and are well on our way. Hopefully someday the beautiful Dalmatian puppies you are looking at will be double registered with the UKC and AKC.

As you can see the eyes are opening. Burdock has one eye fully opened and the other is about half way.

Below is Tulip.
Viola one of the liver girls.

Tulip and Brier

Daffodil

Dahlia with a brother on each side.

Day Twelve

2009-04-15T22:32:00.004-04:00

Today I decided to add a short video so you could see the puppies in action during a feeding frenzy.

There is also something else I would like to mention. All of you know that the daddy of these puppies Topper is a very special Dalmatian because he is one of a small number of Dalmatians that carries the gene for Normal Uric Acid! The AKC at this point in time will not register these dogs because the DCA voted by a small majority not to discuss registering these dogs. They are content with the status quo. An ever growing number of Dalmatian lovers are not content to breed dogs that have a known genetic defect when there is a solution. There is a petition circulating to ask the AKC to include these NUA dogs in their registry. I would very much appreciate having your name added to the large number of concerned dog lovers who have signed this petition. Please follow this link and give the gift of your signature to help promote a healthier breed of much loved dogs. http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/AKCforDals/index.html

Once you are on the petition site make sure you read some of the comments from people who have had Dals suffer from urinary stones. Also, after you add your signature a box will appear asking for a donation. Please just close that box as a donation is not necessary. Your signature will still appear. It only takes a minute and you will be doing a wonderful thing for future Dalmatians!

Day Eleven

2009-04-14T23:25:00.003-04:00

Today the feature puppy is Brier! Why, you ask? This evening while I was doing their Super Dog exercises I heard a thump from the puppy pen and sure enough Brier had climbed up over the side and onto the floor of the pen. He never even missed a beat. He just started making his way around looking for something familiar. I suppose not being able to see is a real pain but since he doesn't have a clue what sight is he just made the best of his situation. He certainly wasn't afraid and never made a sound. He is pictured here getting some time away from the pack.

Below are a couple pictures of them just being cute!

Day Ten

2009-04-13T19:58:00.003-04:00

Since they are still in the eat and sleep stage it is hard to get cute pictures but at least you can watch them grow. I know some of you have attempted to call me but I am sorry to say I have been at the mercy of Verizon since Friday. They can't send a repairman until Wednesday.Above are the 4 liver girls...which one will be staying here?Above are three of the four liver girls.

They are getting more and more spots!

Day Nine

2009-04-12T22:46:00.002-04:00

I hope everyone had a Happy Easter! Pictured above are the two boys Brier on the left and Burdock on the right.

In the yellow collar is Dahlia.

I thought I would show you the pen the puppies live in. It looks small but it is actually 4 foot by 8 foot. It takes up a very large part of the room.

As you can see the front opens so Gambit can get out and the puppies, when larger, can't. I also close it so Gambit can have her privacy. My husband built this pen for me back in 1992 and it has weathered quite well. It comes apart for storage.

Did someone say food?

Day Eight

2009-04-11T23:01:00.004-04:00

Today was very uneventful because all they do is eat and sleep. They are getting very comfortable with me handling them. They snuggle up and go to sleep. I am not getting much done because I can't walk past them without picking one up. Below is a picture of mealtime.

The picture below made me laugh and I put it on the blog even though the color is bad. The puppy on her back with her legs in the air just got bumped of the nipple and I am sure she was miffed. Gambit seems to have plenty of milk to go around.

Now they are all full and taking a nap.

Week One

2009-04-10T21:58:00.004-04:00

Today the puppies are one week old and that means they got weighed and their nails clipped for the first time. In order to get them use to have their nails cut I start at week one and clip them every week on the same day. By the time they go to their new homes they will know what this is all about. If the new owners continue this practice the puppies will always have nicely groomed feet. I took the opportunity to check each of their eyes to make sure that there was no infection in the eye. Occasionally a puppy will develop an infection in the eye before the eye opens. If this should happen and it is not caught the puppy can be blinded in that eye. It is a rare occurrence but I always check just to be sure. All of them passed my inspection with flying colors.Here is Brier getting weighed. When they were born they weighted from 12.8 oz. to 15.2 oz. Now one week later they weigh from 1 lb. 4 oz. to 1 lb. 7 oz. so they are growing uniformly.

Here is Magnolia and she is way too cute!

Day Six

2009-04-09T23:19:00.004-04:00

Nothing to much to report today other than the fact that the DNA test kits arrived. I am anxious to see if any of the puppies got the NUA gene from Topper. Everyone keep your fingers crossed that either Magnolia, Daffodil or Viola got the gene so I can get my NUA liver girl.

Magnolia

Daffodil trying to stand up.
Burdock on his back

Dahlia

Daffodil and Magnolia

Burdock again

Dahlia again

Tulip, Iris and Lilac

Day Five

2009-04-08T22:33:00.004-04:00

Here we are 5 days old already. If you look really closely you can see spots just starting to become visible. If you click on the pictures they will enlarge for a better peek! When I did their exercises this evening I checked the dewclaw removal sites to make sure there was no infection or anything that looked abnormal and I am happy to report all is normal and healing nicely.They are growing uniformly which means all are getting plenty of milk and they are very robust puppies. I have had to change their collars already because they are growing so rapidly.

Right now all they do is eat and sleep and Gambit is doing all the work.

Day Four

2009-04-07T21:13:00.003-04:00

First thing this morning the puppies went to the Vet to have their dewclaws removed. Then this evening was day two of the Bio Sensor exercises. Already I can see a difference in how they react to the stimulus. Most of them don't like the tactile exercise and most of them do like the supine exercise. Gambit seems to drift off to never never land when the puppies are nursing. She gets a far away look in her eyes like she is hypnotised. She is such a wonderful Mother but this is her second litter and she will be spayed after these babies are weaned.

Day Three

2009-04-06T19:12:00.004-04:00

Today we started the Bio Sensor exercises or The Super Dog program. What is that you ask? It is a series of exercises developed to stimulate the puppies. I won't even try to explain it because if you click on this link http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/battagliahiachievers.htm you will get a wonderful explanation. The puppies are pictured below showing each of the exercises.1. Tactile stimulation

Holding the pup in one hand, the handler gently stimulates (tickles) the pup between the toes on any one foot using a Q-tip. It is not necessary to see that the pup is feeling the tickle. Time of stimulation 3 - 5 seconds.

2. Head held erect

Using both hands, the pup is held perpendicular to the ground, (straight up), so that its head is directly above its tail. This is an upwards position. Time of stimulation 3 - 5 seconds.

3. Head pointed down

Holding the pup firmly with both hands the head is reversed and is pointed downward so that it is pointing towards the ground. Time of stimulation 3 - 5 seconds

4. Supine position

Hold the pup so that its back is resting in the palm of both hands with its muzzle facing the ceiling. The pup while on its back is allowed to sleep struggle. Time of stimulation 3-5 seconds.

5. Thermal stimulation

Use a damp towel that has been cooled in a refrigerator for at least five minutes. Place the pup on the towel, feet down. Do not restrain it from moving. Time of stimulation 3-5 seconds.

Day Two

2009-04-05T16:46:00.005-04:00

Below you will find an individual picture of each puppy. The name, sex and color will be listed below each picture. I hope you enjoy! They are pictured in birth order.Tulip is a black ear patch girl

Lilac is a liver ear patch girl

Burdock is a black ear patch boy

Dahlia is a black girl

Iris is a black eye patch girl

Viola is the girl I wasn't sure of the color. She is a liver!

Brier is a black ear patch boy

Magnolia is a liver girl

Daffodil is a liver girl

Here they are!

2009-04-04T17:27:00.005-04:00

I am pleased to announce that the final total is 7 girls and 2 boysAfter a good nights sleep both Gambit and I are ready for the next 7 weeks. I will describe the whelping process so you can get a feel for what went on. Gambit started into first stage labor at around 9:00PM Thursday evening. The signs she displayed that let me know she was "getting ready" were subtle. First she skipped a meal which she never does. Then she was restless she didn't seem to be able to get comfortable; she finally went in her crate and went to sleep. Also her temperature was beginning to drop. That went on until Friday evening at 6:00PM at which time she had her first contraction. The contractions came around 10 minutes apart and then she would rest in between. I realized then that she was going to be a very slow whelper just as she was with her first litter. I was prepared for a very long night. At 7:18PM the first puppy arrived! It was a black girl with a patch on her left ear. She weighted 12.8 oz. Then we waited for what seemed like an eternity for the second puppy to arrive. I was concerned because Gambit didn't seem to have any milk! At 9:35PM the second one arrived! Yippee it was another girl this time she was liver with a patch on her left ear. Her shade of liver is very dark so I wasn't sure at first what color she was. She weighed 13.6 oz. Then at 9:55PM our first little boy arrived. He is black with a left ear patch also. I'm starting to see a pattern here..... He weighted 14.4 oz. Things are starting to look better because Gambit finally started to have milk. Then 50 minutes later at 10:45PM here comes puppy number 4. Goody..Goody another girl this time there is no patch!!!! She is a black girl too and she weighed 13.6 oz. I put the puppies in a box with a heating pad when each new one arrives so they don't get wet and cold; then as soon as the new one is clean and dry I put them all back with Gambit to nurse. Since she takes so long between puppies I have plenty of time to see that each new arrival has a chance to nurse. At 11:49PM puppy number 5 makes her debut. This is the biggest girl so far weighing in at 14.4 oz. and she is black and white too with a patch on her left eye. After another hour wait the 6th puppy comes at 12:50AM. This one is also a female and I am guessing she is black but I am not ready to bet the farm on it. She weighed 14.8oz. At this point Gambit is way too tired to have any more puppies and goes about taking care if the ones she has. I knew she wasn't finished regardless of what she thought. We waited nearly 2 hours and I decided it was time for an oxytocin shot. After I administered the shot she had #7 at 2:50AM. This was the second boy and he was black and white with a right ear patch. He weighed 12.8 oz. Not long after he came at 3:11AM another girl came. This one was the biggest puppy in the litter and she weighted 15.2 oz. and YIPPEE she is a liver and white! Now we waited another hour and this time Gambit was certain she was finished or I believe she really didn't care whether or not she had anymore babies. I felt her and I could still feel another lump so I gave her a second Oxytocin shot and sure enough here comes #9 at 4:15AM. This one was also a 14.5 oz liver female!!!!!! Now we were all exhausted but Gambit needed to be cleaned up so off to the bathtub we went. I'm sure she had to feel better after getting all that mess off of her. I cleaned the kiddie pool where she has the puppies and put a fresh rug in for her and then went to bed at around 6:00AM. Now that I am rested I am trying to think of names for the new babies. I am thinking of perhaps spring flowers for the girls and since I don't want to call the boys sissy names I think they will be Burdock and Brier.

Puppies are coming!!!!!

2009-04-04T00:05:00.002-04:00

Gambit started to have her puppies at 7:18PM and so far we have five. Here is a picture of the first four. Right after I took this picture number five made her appearance. So far we have 3 black girls and 1 liver girl and 1 black boy.

Gambit in the last week!

2009-03-30T23:30:00.003-04:00

It won't be long now only a few more days! I took Gambit's temperature today and it is 101 degrees. It hasn't started dropping yet so I don't think she will have the pups for a few more days. This picture was taken on day 59 from the first breeding. The puppies should come on day 63 so we will have to wait and see.

DAD AND MOM

2009-01-31T23:16:00.001-05:00

Here is a picture of UKC GRCH STOCKLORE TOP SPOT (Topper) who is the sire of this litter.Below is a picture of RIM ROCK'S WHOA BLACK BETTY (Gambit) who is the dam of this litter.

This is a litter of Dalmatians from the Back Cross Project started by Dr. Robert Schaible back in 1973. I am proud to be a part of this history making breeding program which has the potential to eliminate a breed specific defective gene. The litter is due on April 3, 2009.