Bwana Kennel

What a Month March turned out to be! Never anything boring around here that's for sure.  We begand the month with a near disaster. Our daughter had to go to Hospital and this left me handling the 6 house dogs and 2 grandkids on my own.  While answering a phone call I made a HUGE mistake.  I let Zion out side when the Old Men ( Kota and Phelan ) were already out.  Zion is the soul of peace. He loves everyone and never holds a grudge.  On the other hand Kota can be quite the grump. He absolutely hates intact males.   A little back ground  info to explain why as this is uncommon in our line.  When Kota now 11 yrs, was 8 we had girls in season .  Kota was outside in the back yard with  a puppy we were training.  The pup was about 7 months old.  We have a 6 foot privacy wooden fence around our back yard.  A neighbor's pit bull slipped it's collar and climbed the red top bush next to our fence hoping to find the girls in the back yard.  When he hit the ground the only dog he saw was Nemo the pup so he charged it.  Kota came from the other side of the yard and slammed into him before he could latch on to Nemo ! The battle that ensued was horrifying. Blood every where , the Ridgeback's Battle Roars and the Pits deadly growling and snarling.  It felt as if it went on forever , finally I had help in the back yard as Bonita Amiee ( Our Daughter) came running.  Zion bolted past her hoping to help Kota , But Kota could not tell if Zi was there to help or gang up on him.  Bonita pulled Zion back inside and I grabbed ahold of the PIt's rear legs destroying his traction.  Bonita came backout and Grabbed Kota and we both yelled his name hoping he would hear us and cease the fight.  I managed to shove the Pit out of the side gate door and ran back to Kota. His scalp was lacerated and would require nearly 60 stitches to put back in place, he had one small gash on a leg and several smller ones on his throat.  Once I had Kota at the vet I drove back home to see how the Pit was.   Walking up the drive way you could see where it had been chained to a tree outside.  Footprints and debris everywhere.  I knocked and a surly looking man came to the door.  I explained that his Pit had come into my yard and there had been a fight , that my vet was expecting the dog  to tend his wounds.  The ignorant jerk spit on the ground a few fet from us and said " We ain't got no dog"   I hastened to assure him I was not interested in suing I just wanted to be sure the dog was okay.  Again the " I told ya we aint got no dog"  I paused and said I have seen your teen son walking him around the neighborhood,  he shook his head and closed the door  in my face. To say I was furious would be a gigantic understatement.  I called the Sheriff and the Animal Warden and was told that the dog had been kicked out of a car at the Humane Shelter's gate.  The Vet had been there delivering puppies .  The Pit had  broken collar bone,  legs, and a fractured skull. The gashes from the fight were deep and too many to count. The shelter thought he had been used in a 2 on 1 dog fight and lost.   They euthanized the poor dog immediately.  The family who had owned it packed up and moved in the middle of the night.  I guess they thought the law would be as unforgiving as I was.

So with that knowledge you can fully appreciate why Zion and Kota are never allowed out together  off lead.  Perfect manners on the leash but off Kota is determined to take Zion out. He loves Phelan the other nuetered male and the girls. Tolerates puppies under 6 months of any sex.  But he will never again be safe around Zion.  Sadly they used to be best buddies, sharing blankets, pillows, and food bowls.

As Zion stepped out the back door Kota T-boned him, slamming him to the ground on his back. He was on him in a heartbeat trying to gain a hold on Zion's throat.  Zion is 2-3 inches taller and a good 15 -20 pounds heavier. He used his longer legs to keep Kota back preventing significant damage. I was able to pull Kota off and  order Zion to stand down.  There were several small gashes on both dogs but nothing needing a vet.  Or so I thought.....

Fast forward 3 weeks. Dreamer is finally in season and Zion was playing her adoring suitor . Dreamer really wanted puppies and was "in the mood"  I decided to go with an A I  ( Artificial Insemination from a Fresh collection) as I still had back spasms from trying to break up the fight and worried I would not be able to control the mating dogs easily. ( we can talk more about the problems that can happen in unsupervised matings).  When Zion was collected at the vet's we were shocked that his ejaculate was nearly clear, it should be milky white.  Speaking with our Repro Vet he asked if Zion had been ill, ran any tempetures or been injured. I explained about the fight and he shook his head saying " He will recover in 2-3 months but I am willing to bet when Kota was on top he tapped danced all over Zion's Testicles"  While we could see no sign of bruising it surely made sense.  So we went ahead , collecting Zion 3 times over the course of the week and only used the collection once, when the count was close to 30% . Dr Langston told us if we get a litter out of this breeding we should invest heavily in Lotto tickets as our luck is through the roof!

On our way home Dreamer in my car and Zion in Bob's we were chatting on the cell phones. I was beyond bummed out. So many awesome applicants and no puppies?  Caine had just come into season the week before she was on day 8 of a normally 21 day heat.  I commented it was a pity I had not signed up for a dog show where we could have bred her to our second choice stud CH Nashira Southridge's The Lion King ~ Regal.  Regal echos Zion's lovely heavy bone and temperament.  We arrived at home and a few minutes later Bob said Call the Girls , (Kathy and Linda of Southridge) and see if you can bring Caine up to Clarksville Tennessee?  I was surprised but thrilled at the same time. Ceattle, our 7 year old Grand daughter, rode up with us.  We arrived late Saturday and Sunday was a day for visiting with our dear friends.  Monday put Caine on day 11 of her heat.  The doctor took a swab and pronouced her too early to try but that she should be truly fertile in the next 4-6 days.  Since Caine did not know Regal as a playmate I again opted for the A I form of breeding. Fresh Collection and vet supervised. I really , REALLY want this litter!  Wednesday we returned and she was tested, the swab showing she was much closer, so we had Regal collected and Caine Inseminated.  The Repro vet who is considered one of the finest in Tennessee proclaimed we should try again Friday ,  On Friday we returned with tremendous expectations ony to be told she was out of season !!! On her 15th day.   This can mean she took and was bred on the Wednesday Insemination or it could mean we have a finicky girl who is only fertile one or two days of her entire season.   Bear in mind al the work and costs to test and select the best stud for our pedigrees and what we hope to produce in every litter.  We were now up to  nearly $2000.00 with doctor's fees and the travel to Clarksville with zero guarantee of puppies.

On Saturday we drove the 7.5 hours back home feeling exhausted and  down hearted. If the girls had been running loose it would be a sure thing they would be expecting mutts.  But NOOOOOOO, we work so darn hard at keeping them safe and close. Sheesh! 

Today is the 10 th of April,  we will ultra sound on the 18th to see if there are puppies in either of the two girls.  We may have none, one girl expecting or even two!  While we wait I watch them , trying to gauge whether their abdomens are changing at all. One day I think Yes! the next I plummet to the depths of despair thinking Nope, no puppies.   I have sent 5 of our 30 Short Listers to other breeders and Rescue only to have 4 ask to remain on our wait list . They want the Adventure not just the puppy, and frankly we are the only Breeders I know that make our future puppy owners  are as involved as possible in the entire process. 

If we end up without a litter we will breed again in October.  The Breeding window on the girls is closing.. Even with Vet checks and Okays we are extremely reluctant to breed a bitch once they pass 6 years old.  They are 5 year old now.  We would like to have 2 litters each and then they will be altered and retired from the program.  Dreamer has had one spectacular  litter with Zion.  Caine stands a good chance at throwing  Liver noses with Regal's help. He is out of a Top winning Best In Show Liver nose. Ihave the pedigrees typed up and a info sheet on Regal prepped yet I must wait for confimation prior to posting the information to the web site and the dog world.

And So We All Wait, first to see if there ill be puppies, then to see with whom, and finally to catch pups and pick the very best home for each new soul we bring into the world. 

Did I mention I hate waiting?   sigh.......