News regarding our next litter:
We bred "Penelope" on 9/22. We will know in a couple of weeks whether she will be having puppies (via ultrasound)
We used Artificial Insemination with "Harley" a 16 pound miniature AKC poodle. We are hoping for puppies that will grow to about 25-35 pounds.
We currently have 16 people on our No-Commitment waiting list. Not all will follow through on an adoption, but it is a long list...
Here is the approximate timeline:
- Day 1 (which happened 9/11/2020): Penelope enters her semi-annual "heat cycle"
- Day 11 (approximately 9/22): Penelope ovulates, and begins her "receptive period" - this is the ONLY time she will be willing to breed/mate. This time frame lasts about 5-7 days.
- Day 12-19 (Occurred 9/22/2020): We bred Penelope via AI with "Harley" - a 16 pound miniature AKC poodle (Pictures of Harley on "Daddy Page")
- Day 35 (SCHEDULED for Friday 10/16): Vet performs ultrasound to determine if (confirm!) Penelope is pregnant.
- Day 75 (somewhat approximate): Penelope's expected delivery date. Dogs deliver almost exactly 63 days (9 weeks) after breeding.
- Day 110: Approximately 4-5 weeks after delivery, Penelope begins weaning the puppies. We start introducing solid food (at first blended up into a liquidy mess) and cautiously remove Penelope from her nursing responsibilities. Most Mom dogs are excited about this time, as the puppies will start having their teeth come in, and it's a much harder toll on the moms as the puppies grow.
- Day 125: At roughly 6 weeks of puppy age, we start the process of families selecting their puppies. Deposits will have been collected, and the puppies will start having obvious personalities begin to show. (Details on this process often differ due to puppy maturity, weekend availability, and global pandemics)
- Day 160 (roughly Mid-January): Assuming the puppies are maturing as expected, we schedule a Vet visit and check up on the first Friday after the puppies turn 7 weeks old. Once they receive a clean bill of health, the puppies are ready to go to their new homes.
As you can see, from the first indication of Penelope, or any dog, entering her heat cycle, we have about 4 1/2 months before puppies will be ready for their new homes. This MAY seem like forever, but once this process begins, it blows by in a flash - or seems to.
Then what happens?
In early 2021 we expect Penny (not to be confused with Penelope) to enter her heat cycle in February, followed by Piper (a new mom to us), Biscuit (another new Mom), and Lady (in the Summer).
We are always on the lookout for opportunities to provide wonderful puppies to loving homes and families, so we MIGHT have other news down the line. Stay Tuned!!
Thank you for your interest!
