Hello! And welcome to the micro-blog page for the Pax x Sookie puppies. Further below are some journal entries about the puppies and also information about the parents. As of this writing, all puppies have been placed.
Socialization. January 30th. Day 34. For us, puppy socialization is a big deal. (We blogged about two litters on a daily basis here in 2020.) For a second, I was worried about how I was going to get these little ones socialized on the road, but then it dawned on me that we’re at a field trial. With friends. Who love dogs. And puppies. So the new rule is that anyone who comes to visit us has to meet the puppies, too! Anna Maria, Megan, and Dan were the first three volunteers. Cuddles, check.
Socialization. January 30th. Day 34. For us, puppy socialization is a big deal. (We blogged about two litters on a daily basis here in 2020.) For a second, I was worried about how I was going to get these little ones socialized on the road, but then it dawned on me that we’re at a field trial. With friends. Who love dogs. And puppies. So the new rule is that anyone who comes to visit us has to meet the puppies, too! Anna Maria, Megan, and Dan were the first three volunteers. Cuddles, check.
Road Trip. January 27th. Day 31. January and February for the last 6-7 years or so has typically found us out at the field trials, which is an AKC-sanctioned sport involving “competitive hunting with bird dogs.” The season starts in the Mojave Desert in Southern California, and then migrates to Sonoita, Arizona, Mesquite, Nevada, and then back to the Mojave Desert again. In these regions, dogs hunt both quail and chukar. Fun fact: Both Pax and Sookie have participated successfully in field trials, and it is our sincere hope that some of these puppies will follow in their parents’ footsteps.
The original plan was to send the husband down to Sonoita, Arizona, by himself while I stayed home to raise the puppies. But in a moment of spontaneity, I decided I didn’t want to miss out on Sonoita, so I loaded up the puppers and we pulled an all-nighter to make it to the field trial grounds just 20 minutes before one of our dogs was slated to compete. For the next couple of weeks, the puppies will be raised on the road and get to experience grass, hiking trails, sunny skies, and game birds!
Since we’re on the road, we have to get creative with space. Puppies are currently spending time in the shower. 🙂
Thinking of hopping out of the shower.
Pink Girl’s mug kills me.
Puppies are currently being weaned. Everyone ate lunch and then passed out. Sookie is happy to be left alone.
And when they’re not in the shower, they’re in the living room. 🙂 Hard to tell, but puppies are eating their meal out of a round bowl.
Playtime. January 20th. Day 24. The party has officially begun. In addition to playing with one another, puppies are also enamored with foreign objects. So this week, I pulled out the “Week 3” box of toys, and everyday, different pieces get put into the whelping box so that the puppies always have something new to play with (and you’ll want to be doing this too, once you have your puppy home). This prevents boredom. And next week, we’ll pull out the “Week 4” box.
Vision. January 13th. Day 17. Eyes are open! Sort of. Pink Girl started the trend and within a day, everyone else caught on. Now that puppies can see, they’ll start wrestling and biting one another. We’ll also start putting toys in the whelping box for them to play with. Pretty soon, these guys will be growing into bigger digs. It’s about to get fun!
Itty Bitty. January 9th. Day 13. Now that she’s almost two weeks old, I’m comfortable talking about “Itty Bitty.” She’s Green Collar Girl out of the litter, and, entering the world at 4.6 ounces, is also the smallest live-born puppy to survive this long. Nothing else appears to be abnormal with her. She eats like a champ and is gaining the same percentage of weight as her brothers and sisters. Fingers crossed she’s just little!
Snuggles. January 7th. Day 11. I’ve been sick[#thankyoucovid], so instead of sitting in the box with the puppies, I’ve been taking them into my bed for snuggles, one little puppy at a time. It’s amazing how quick they are to fall back asleep after being moved from their whelping box. And it won’t be long until they’re too big to hold this way.
Growth. January 6th. Day 10. Puppies are now about a week and a half old. Sookie is a very dedicated mother, feeding and cleaning as often as possible, and puppies have all mastered their nursing skills. On day three, we started the puppies on an early neurological stimulation program, and the following day, tails and dewclaws were done. No eyes are open yet, but everyone’s gaining weight everyday. Especially Pink Girl, who we’re currently nicknaming, “the hippo.”
Arrival. December 27th. Day 0. We have puppies!!! On Tuesday evening, Sookie delivered nine puppies, five girls and four boys. Unfortunately, the first girl was big, and stillborn. She was stuck in the birth canal and we weren’t able to revive her. It was sad and it was disappointing. But we also realize that this is a fact of breeding; sometimes these things happen, and we’re very grateful for the following eight puppies that were born thriving. Prospective families will be notified in the next week. Please earmark this page for periodic updates as the puppies grow over the next eight weeks!
Announcement. December 10th. In collaboration with Rugerheim Kennels in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Barrett Weimaraners is pleased to announce an upcoming litter with Pax and Sookie. Sookie is confirmed pregnant with puppies expected in late December. The purpose of this breeding is to produce puppies that will grow up to have their mom’s bird drive and their dad’s extreme hunting range. The best puppies out of this litter will become field trial prospect dogs, and the others will be placed in casual hunting homes and active companion homes.
For those who wish to dive in a little, below is some additional information on both Pax and Sookie:
Pax (2019 Echo x Gracie) was bred to be a field trial powerhouse. As a youngster, Pax lived with Mark and Kim Urbani in Central California and was given a proper start with basic training and socialization. As a juvenile dog, he went on to stay with Terry Chandler of Rugerheim Kennels and participated in the 2020 Field Trial Summer Camp program. More information on Pax, here.
Sookie was “Pink Girl” out of the 2016 Rossi x Mika litter. A standout from the get-go, Sookie is gifted with a long nose, staunch point, and 12 o’clock tail. She’s also extroverted; friendly and snuggly with everyone she meets. In 2018, Terry Chandler of Rugerheim Kennels piloted Sookie to a Fourth Place ribbon at the Western Classic and Field Futurity. At home, Sookie is quiet, affectionate, obedient, and GREAT with her human siblings; one is a toddler and the other is an infant.
Breeding Goals. The purpose of this out-breeding (COI over ten generations is low at 8.25%) is to preserve an athletic, quick, ground-covering hunting Weimaraner with a friendly disposition, compact size, and excellent endurance.
The best puppies out of this litter are expected to do very well in AKC field trials. As personal hunting or companion dogs, we expect them to be active, loyal, and family-oriented.
…
SIRE: Basecamp von Barrett Verdant Wildflower
“Pax”
Pax – Third Place in Open Derby
Pax at his Show Futurity
DAM: Barrett’s Independence Inn
“Sookie”
Fourth Place in Western Field Futurity (First Place went to her littermate brother)
First Place in Open Puppy
Sire Information:
BaseCamp von Barrett Verdant Wildflower, “Pax”
AKC SS1165102, DOB 4/8/2019, Sire: MK’s Echo, “Echo,” Dam: CH Barrett’s Lady Grey, “Gracie“ Bred by Erin Smith and Kim Burnell, Owned by Barrett Weimaraners, OFA: Prelim Hips Excellent, HUU N/N, HYM N/N, SD N/N, Coat Length S/S
Dam Information:
Barrett’s Independence Inn, “Sookie”
AKC SR93981414, DOB 7/2/2016, Sire: FCH AFCHPM Trax Trigger Happy NAVHDA NAI, “Rossi”, Dam: Southpaw’s in the Red, “Mika,” Bred by Kim Burnell, Owned by Jason and Sasha Robertson and Kim Burnell, OFA Hips: Excellent, Thyroid: Normal, HUU N/N, HYM N/N, SD N/N
Notable ancestors are hyperlinked below:
Pax’s Sire: Mk’s Echo, ECHO
Pax’s Dam: CH Barrett’s Lady Grey, GRACIE
Pax’s Paternal Grandsire: FCH Waybac’s Rascal FROM, HARLEY
Pax’s Paternal Granddam: Grau Geist’s Star of Heaven
Pax’s Maternal Grandsire: GCHB Camelot’s Heidelberg Maximillian Von Reiteralm JH, MAX
Pax’s Maternal Granddam: CH Axel N Reiteralm’s Gun Run Gal Friday JH, FRIDAY
Pax’s Great Grandparents:
- FCH Jax’s Waybac Tyler NRD, TYLER
- Grau Geist’s Remembr The Alamo FROM, ALI
- Grau Geist’s Freon Freeze
- Grau Geist’s Rising Star V Maus NSD FROM
- GCHS Camelot’s Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door BROM, STEWIE
- CH Axel’s Reiteralm Chica V Kasamar JH BROM, CHICA
- CH Axel Reiteralm of Weimar’s Joy CD JH RD NSD VX FROM BROM NAVHDA NAIII, AXEL
- CH Smokycity Off The Charts, VEBA
Sookie’s Sire: FCH AFCH PM Trax Trigger Happy NAVHDA NA1, ROSSI
Sookie’s Dam: Southpaw’s In the Red, MIKA
Sookie’s Paternal Grandsire: FCH Waybac’s Rascal FROM, HARLEY
Sookie’s Paternal Granddam: CH Camelot’s Good Morning Starshine
Sookie’s Maternal Grandsire: DC Outdoors Life of Riley CD JH RDX SDX VX2 NAVHDA UTIII
Sookie’s Material Granddam: WestWeim’s Southern Style SDX NAVHDA NAIII
Sookie’s Great Grandparents:
- FCH Jax’s Waybac Tyler NRD TYLER
- Grau Geist’s Remembr the Alamo FROM ALI
- CH Camelot’s Playboy to the Stars
- CH Camelot’s Any Day Now
- CH Greymist’s Xactly Right JH NRD V
- FCH Outdoors Twister
- FCH Buck’s Blue Boy
- FCH AFCH Gould’s Outlaw Jessie Jane NRD SDX NAVHDA UTI FROM JJ
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