Reggie is a Granddad !

Granddad Reggie

Reggie has become a Granddad to a litter of F2 Cockapoos. A couple years ago someone I knew from our children going to school together and the lady years ago was friends with one of my older sisters, asked if she could use Reggie with a Show Cocker spaniel of her Mum's called Poppy. I don't stud my boys out as a rule, but as I knew her and she had been friends with my sister I said she could try her Mum's dog with Reggie. Now you will read the email below and notice Wendy makes a comment about Darci's mum and I'm just going to say something about this and let you then put two and two together.

When someone uses one of our dogs, because I only use them with people I know and thus think I can trust, I charge £250, split in two payments,  she paid £50 when the bitch was mated and the further £200 if a live litter was produced. I don't charge a King's ransom to use my dogs and obviously there is a big element in trust with the owner of the bitch.

Well, six weeks after Reggie had the last mating with Darci's mum, Poppy, I saw the lady who's mum the dog was at the school gates and asked if Poppy was showing signs of being pregnant. She told me, "she was showing no signs and she was pretty sure she was not pregnant." The summer holidays started and after the summer holidays, I would not meet her at the school gates anymore, due to her second and last child leaving this school to go to secondary school after the holidays.

Time went past and I really did not give this much thought, until someone mentioned seeing an advert for a litter of Cockapoos already around eight weeks old, (seven pups looking at the photos in the advert, asking £650 per pup, not bad return for £50) with the lady who used Reggie, contact details. So I rang her up and left a message with her son, about the remainder of the stud fee, she turned up later that day with the rest of the stud fee and a bottle of wine and some chocolates. I will say no more on the matter and leave you to add that one up.

Any way, Wendy contacted me not long after getting Darci and told me how lovely she is and asked me lots about Reggie. The mum of Darci was a smaller type English Show Cocker and Darci at adulthood is around 8 kilos, so the size of an average Cavapoo (Cavalier crossed with the Miniature Poodle). Wendy earlier this year contacted me again asking advice on health tests, because she had decided to breed a litter from Darci, due to her health and lovely temperament. Wendy is an experienced dog owner, having bred Retrievers in the past. Although I was told the mother had been tested for PRA, the lady has not returned Wendy's emails for further details of health tests, so Wendy has had Darci DNA tested for the relevant PRA's for both breeds, has been gonioscopy examined for primary glaucoma and DNA tested for Familial Nephropathy (FN) a fatal kidney disease that occurs at a higher rate in English Cocker Spaniels, than in the general dog population, so is wise to be DNA tested for.

Wendy I  know from several emails and photos sent me over the last couple years. She seems to come over as genuine and caring about what she is doing. I have seen the health tests she has done with Darci, as she emailed them to me and will be available to view by interested parties. So if interested in one of these lovely Cockapoo pups, as looking at either the Cavapoo or Cockapoo, you can contact Wendy by email at [email protected]  Below is Wendy's email breaking the lovely news of Darci's birth and photos of the pups a couple days old and a photo of their Dad, Brisco.

Darci and her litter of F2 Cockapoos

Hi Jane,
as you will see by the photos, Darci has become a very proud mum of five, three boys, 1 cream 2 black 2 girls one black and one chocolate.They were born on 2nd Oct they are growing well and fast and Darci is proving to be a fantastic mum.I have bred her with a lovely cockapoo, see pic of him. All the tests have been done and both parents are totally clear of common hereditary problems in their breeds.
His name is Brisco and I have his pedigree, which brings me to my request.As I have dads pedigree it would be great to have Darci's Dads, I'm not even going to try with her mums!!!!I know you are busy but would you please take a few moments to send pedigree and any health certificates you hold for Reggie.Trusting alls well with you and your family both human and of the dog fraternity.Kind regardsWendy n Darci xxx

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It's been a long week here at Poundlane, work, running children around, looking for dogs that have gone on a jolly and running Treacle to the vets to be injected to stop her carrying any pups from her accidental meeting with her Dad. She was injected at 21 days from coming on heat with two injections 24 hours apart. The injection used was called Alizin and details of this drug can be found at this link http://www.virbac.co.uk/product.aspx?pid=129&product=67&&category=50#page=page-BRAND 
This product can be used up to 45 days after the mating occurred. I don't know that I could terminate a pregnancy in a dog at that stage. These injections have vastly improved for bitches and Treacle has shown, no side effects and at this stage you would expect her to just reabsorb any fetuses, she was from her mating, if she conceived around 8 days in pup. If injected at 45 days from mating, that's over two thirds through a gestation, the bitch would abort and go through labour. I will keep an eye on her for any early signs of pregnancy, as a very low risk of her still carrying pups still. Catching her this early, the vet feels there should not be any detrimental effects on her future fertility. Treacle is such a sweet heart and was so good in the vets. Thankfully she seems unaware of the drama and with seemingly no side effects of the injections, all is well.

Got this lovely email and update yesterday from Caroline, who has Dexter from Ysobel's last litter, last year. Thanks Caroline.

Dexter

Dear Jane & Family

We can't believe where the last year has gone. This this time last year we were on our way home with our little bundle Dexter!!.
Today we are resting whilst watching the rugby on the telly. I think Dexter is exhausted after his run with us this morning.
Every day he gives me reason to smile as I recall his daily exploits. Only yesterday I was telling friends about him running through the woods with what looked like a huge grin on his face and ears flapping as he charged from one place to another, every now and then checking in with me.
Love him, love him, love him!!
Hope you are all keeping well.
Lots of Love Caroline & Dexter
Xxx

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Last tonight are some photos I got of some of the dogs yesterday, as we were outside having a bonfire, burning up a load of hedge trimmings etc. Millie, Jessica and Belle decided to take refuge in the shed where we store our logs and Toby decided to curl up on the grass close enough to get a bit of warmth from the bonfire. When I saw them like this, I asked one of the children to run and get the camera, to catch the moment. I could not go and get the camera because as soon as I walk off anywhere, the dogs all jump up and follow me, along with the children, like a sort of  Pied Piper of Poundlane, minus the magic pipe. Lol