Friday, May 23, 2025.

Yesterday we saw that Ginny had come into heat, so I immediately made an appointment with the vet to take a swab for bacteriological examination and for mycoplasma.

The results of this always take a few days and if antibiotics are still needed, you have to be quick with taking the swabs.

Waiting for the results.

Monday, May 26, 2025

Made an appointment to determine the progesterone. The result was still low. She was still in the early stages of her heat. Determine again on Friday.

Friday, May 30, 2025

Back to the vet to determine the progesterone. It had risen slightly, but was still quite low.

We had the results of the swabs in the meantime and they were good. That is always nice to hear.

In consultation with the vet, we decided to only have another progesterone injection on Tuesday, because it was still very low.

Sunday 1 June 2025

Richard, Mike and I went to Radewijk, because the Old English Sheepdog championship club match was being held there. We still had puppies from Xanthy at the time and they had already been vaccinated and were also almost 7 weeks old. We took them with us, so they could socialize nicely.

Joey and Leanne took care of the other dogs. At one point they indicated that they had separated Xavi after all, because Ginny and Xavi were circling each other a lot. Ginny was also already moving her tail to the side.

And in order not to take any risks, they had separated Xavi, because he is Ginny's father.

I still couldn't believe it, because she was still so low.

Monday 2 June 2025

Xavi was already very excited and just wanted to go to Ginny. Ginny, on the other hand, was right up against our stair gate where Xavi was sitting behind and was also whining. Was she perhaps already further along? We will know more tomorrow.

Tuesday 3 June 2025

To the vet to determine progesterone. I told the vet that I hoped she would be able to mate today and tomorrow.

We had chosen Chris's Cassanova, because he mates naturally and produces offspring. Ginny needed this.

However, Chris is going to Denmark on Thursday with another male to participate in the Euro Oes. Exciting.

At 13:00 the vet called that my prayers had been answered and that her progesterone was at 14 and we had to go to Belgium to have Ginny mated.

At 17:00 I was with Chris in Belgium with Ginny. There was a natural mating and they were paired.

I was happy about it. Back again tomorrow.

Wednesday 4 June 2025

We went to Belgium again and luckily there was a natural mating and a connection again. Now we have to wait and see.

Thursday 26 June 2025

I am very careful, but I think Ginny is pregnant. Her nipples are changing colour and getting bigger, thick mucus is coming out of her vulva and in the evening she sometimes has to be pulled along on the walk.

We have an ultrasound on 30 June 2025.

Monday, June 30, 2025

At 9:00 am I have an appointment for an ultrasound. Mike came along, because he wanted to be there.

Even though I had a feeling that she would be pregnant, it is still very exciting.

Ginny was as happy as always at the vet and was on the table very quickly.

The redeeming word came quickly. She is pregnant. I just got emotional. Our beautiful girl who has already won so much is finally pregnant.

Mike and I were so happy. We saw about 4/5 puppies.

To be sure, we arranged an x-ray for the exact number.

Once we were on the bus, I immediately sent a message to Richard and called Chris.

We are really super happy.

Ginny had already had that 2 days of not wanting to eat and took a long time eating. Sometimes she also left some.

I immediately replaced the adult kibble with puppy kibble when I got home and instead of 2 times she now gets 4 times food.

Now she eats everything. The portions are now smaller and energy-rich food.

We keep a close eye on her.

Wednesday, July 9, 2025, Day 36

Ginny is growing well. She's already developing a nice belly. Her nipples have discolored considerably and have grown quite large.

She still pulls on the leash during her morning walk. However, she's sometimes a bit quieter in the evenings. She's still a wild, energetic little lady when people come in.

She no longer runs and plays wildly with Xanthy, Indy, and Xavi. She ignores them and goes off to do something else.

She also takes her rest when needed.

She still eats puppy food four times a day, which is going well. When it's time to eat, she lets you know by constantly walking to her food bowl.

Wednesday, July 16, 2025, Day 43

A week has passed. Ginny is gaining weight well. She's become much calmer during the day. She still has her moments of hyperactivity, but she also takes her time to rest.

On Friday, I washed her backside a bit because I thought she smelled a bit. Especially with this heat, I thought it was wise to do so.

I washed her backside thoroughly, and then I noticed her anus was quite bulging. I didn't do anything else. She had had diarrhea on Thursday, and when she went outside after the wash, she had diarrhea again and kept straining. I thought that was strange. I then checked her discharge, but it was normal and didn't smell. I did notice her vulva was quite red, though.

I decided to take her temperature just to be sure, so she didn't develop a bladder infection. However, when I tried to insert the thermometer into her anus, she screamed in pain. I thought that was strange. The vet was already closed, so we agreed with Richard that we would go on Saturday. I wanted her to check her urine and anal glands.

We were able to go on Saturday. The vet looked at her gums, which were a nice pink. Then she looked at her discharge and agreed with me: it didn't smell and it looked normal.

Then she wanted to take her temperature, but she screamed again. The vet then checked her anal glands, and they were indeed extremely blocked. It took a while for both the left and right anal glands to empty. Fortunately, there was no fistula or abscess. Everything was fine. We did do an ultrasound just to be sure to check the heartbeats and/or whether there was any fluid in the uterus, which could indicate a uterine infection, but that also looked good. We saw a few heartbeats, and they were very strong. I was so happy and relieved. We were able to go home.

Afterwards, Ginny is eating well, and her stool is also very good. I was nervous, but she's doing really well.

Tuesday, July 22, 2022, Day 49

Ginny is lying down more and more. She's really taking it easy. She doesn't like the food anymore either. She eats it because she's afraid the others will eat it.

She won't eat the puppy kibble without anything anymore. We mixed some training treats in with it, but after a few times, she wasn't interested in that either. On Sunday and Monday, we mixed mousse into the kibble. She ate it quickly the first two times, but then it took her longer again.

Starting this morning, we got and gave her Energique meat for puppies. The other dogs really turn their noses up at it, but not Ginny. She does go to her food bowl and eats it pretty quickly. I wonder when she'll stop wanting it. Luckily, there are other flavors available.

She's gaining a lot of weight. Her mammary glands are growing well. They're filling up.

This morning I washed our Xavi, and when I was done, I felt Ginny's belly. I thought it might be too early to feel any life, but to my surprise, I felt light kicks. As I said before, that makes me really emotional. Now you actually have proof that there's life growing in her belly, and so early.

Of course, we've already experienced it with Xanthy: the puppy born to me becomes a mother herself. That's also very special. You really develop a strong bond with her.

With Ginny, it feels especially special because she was born to us on August 8, 2021, and that was our very first litter. I've been away to shows with her a lot, and she's won many titles, so that bond is even stronger.

She's my big champion, and I really hope we can keep a daughter from her, but we'll have to wait a little longer for that.

It's getting more and more exciting now. We're going to have an X-ray on Friday, and then we'll know how many puppies she's expecting.

Saturday, July 26, 2025, Day 53

Yesterday we had to be at the animal clinic in Dieren at 8:45 a.m. We were going to take an x-ray of Ginny's abdomen to see how many puppies she was carrying.

We assumed Ginny was pregnant with four puppies, because the ultrasound hadn't really shown any fetuses in one of the blisters.

The x-ray was taken, and the vet and I counted five. So it had turned out to be a puppy after all. We were so happy. It was all good. Size-wise, it looked good too.

I agreed with the vet that I would let them know when Ginny gave birth. She was also very curious. It's so nice how involved the vets and assistants are.

I was supposed to receive the x-ray by email.

Today I cleaned the entire maternity ward again. A thorough scrubbing and tidying. Then I set up the whelping box and prepared the supplies needed for the birth. The maternity ward is all set. This evening, Ginny checked out the room and smelled it. She walked into the whelping box on her own and was smelling everything. Afterward, she lay down with me for a while, and I felt another puppy moving in her belly.

Who knows, maybe we'll have puppies next week. For now, they have to stay put for a while.

We're counting down the days and thinking about what it will be like, Ginny, with the puppies.

Monday, July 28, 2025, Day 55

Today is still a quiet day. Ginny lies down a lot, but she still wants to be near me. She's getting a little more exercise starting today, because we can feel her spinal cord a bit.

She still has a firm gait and just goes along nicely when we're out for walks.

This afternoon I shaved her belly and around her nipples and gently cleaned them.

I also felt one of the puppies kick again. Ginny is doing well.

This morning we received the X-ray by email.

Saturday, August 2, 2025

From day 55, I started taking her temperature to see if we could detect a drop in temperature.

We took her temperature both morning and evening. Everything remained stable until Friday morning. Normally, she was around 38.0, and now she was 37.4. Then we did it again an hour later, and she was at 37.3. Another hour later, and she was still at 37.3.

Then I quickly cleaned and mopped the maternity ward again. After that, I checked her temperature again. It had risen to 37.8. So we knew she would go into labor within 24 hours.

I had already decided to move Ginny to the maternity ward starting Friday evening so she would have more rest.

Mike was still with us early in the evening, but at some point he left. She was very restless. She wanted to go outside a lot to pee and kept straining. Inside, she couldn't find peace and whined a lot. I let her out for the night and put down my mattress.

I had a light on, but she remained restless. At one point, I heard her moaning every now and then. That was around 1:30 a.m. I put the mattress away, and I knew the expulsion phase had begun. I had sent Miranda a text, but she hadn't heard it. I didn't want to wake her by calling. So I thought, I have to do it alone, and why not now?

At 3:30 a.m., she started straining harder and longer, which resulted in a puppy being pushed out. However, it was large and remained somewhat stuck. I decided to help her, but it hurt her so much that she bit me. This is not like Ginny, because that's not her style at all.

The puppy was finally born at 4:10 a.m. This was a male weighing 528 grams, so I completely understand that she was in pain. She latched on immediately after weighing, and that went well.

The placenta also arrived nicely. Then she started pushing again, and puppy number 2 arrived at 5:10 a.m. It was a small female weighing 284 grams. The placenta arrived immediately afterward.

It took another hour, and then another large male arrived at 6:10 a.m., weighing 476 grams.

The placenta also arrived, and quite quickly, female number 2 arrived. She weighed 440 grams and was born at 6:50 a.m.

Miranda arrived next. We still had to see if number 5, which had been seen on the x-ray, arrived, but that didn't happen. I took Ginny outside for a moment so she could pee.

We discussed injecting oxytocin to get the contractions going again. After the injection, this wasn't the case, so we knew there were no more puppies. Miranda went home, and Richard and I cleaned up. Then she lost her last placenta, which was also great.

After cleaning up, Ginny could go back into the whelping box.

She gave birth to beautiful puppies—no white  black. She can consider herself a proud mother.

The males

The females

Sunday, August 3, 2025

The night went well. Ginny is very alert; she hardly wants to leave the whelping box. She reacts to every little sound she hears. Even though she's in the whelping box, if she hears something, she wants to look and smell to make sure nothing's wrong. This caused me to take those mouse naps, because you have to make sure Ginny doesn't lie on a puppy.

The puppies actually only lie with her. Nice and warm and cozy. Every now and then they lie on the heating pad.

Ginny ate and drank a little this morning and last night, but today she doesn't want to eat or drink anything else. She's only occupied with the puppies and only wants to be there.

I also offered the food in the whelping box. She ate the litter box twice then, but not again after that.

The males have gained a lot of weight, the females a little less. They certainly haven't lost any weight. The puppies are happy and have nice full bellies. They pee and poop well.

We've also come up with names for the pedigree. This time, we were thinking of something sunny and a holiday. We have two favorite countries for holidays: Italy and Spain. We wanted to use the place names of those countries.

We wanted the name to begin with an E. This led us to place names in Spain, because they have beautiful names that sound nice.

So, here are the pedigree names for the puppies:

First, the males:

El Toro From Bobbers Love Of Beauty                      El Casar From Bobbers Love Of Beauty

And the bitches:

Escamilla From Bobbers Love Of Beauty                  Estivella From Bobbers Love Of Beauty

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

The puppies are gaining weight well. The difference between the large male and the small female is becoming increasingly noticeable.

I slept a little better last night. However, I noticed some hardness around her nipples. I massaged them well and then immediately put the large male to the breast. He drained them quite a bit, just like he did with the other nipples. Still, I wasn't entirely reassured. I took her temperature. 39.7... I thought that was a bit high. We waited another hour because Ginny is overly concerned about her babies, plus it's very warm here. That could be the cause. After an hour, I took her temperature again, and it was 40.2. We then called the vet and were told they could come. I had to take the puppies in the thermal box, otherwise she wouldn't be coming.

At the vet, she had a temperature of 39.9, and she did indeed notice some hard spots.

She then underwent an internal examination, but everything felt fine, and the discharge looked normal and didn't smell. We then looked at the x-ray we'd taken before the birth. This vet had examined it together with another vet, and they only saw four. Richard, the vet, and I discussed what we were going to do. Richard still wanted an x-ray to rule out any remaining puppy material, which could have caused a uterine infection.

Fortunately, this wasn't the case, and even the uterus looked nicely shrunk. So we suspect it's the beginnings of mastitis (inflammation of the mammary glands). That's easily treatable. She's now on pain medication and antibiotics.

Otherwise, she's doing well. She's now sometimes outside the crate, and she'll be on a more regular feeding schedule.

Thursday, August 7, 2025

Ginny is doing well. The temperature had already dropped on Tuesday evening, and by Wednesday afternoon it was back to acceptable levels. Her mammary glands feel supple, so I'm glad we sounded the alarm in time.

She's still a sweet little mother. She's out of the whelping box more at night now, but at every little sound, she's back to lie with them or feed them.

The nights are also getting a bit more peaceful. I'm sleeping a bit more now, which is really nice. The puppies are gaining weight well. They're growing right before your eyes.

Pigmentation is also developing on their noses and a little on their lips.

Other than that, it's all sleeping and eating. They're getting faster and faster, though. Their eyes are tiny, but it will take a few days before they open.

Saturday, August 9, 2025

The puppies are one week old today. Not much is happening during this period, as the puppies are just sleeping and eating. They are crawling through the whelping box faster and faster, though. We're trying to increase the time between feedings; they can now have eight feedings a day. It will take a while before that becomes regular again. We're waiting to see when their eyes and then their ears open. Those little beady eyes are often such a beautiful sight.

They're still gaining weight well. The little girl is doing great.

Ginny is also doing well. She just has antibiotics tomorrow, and then that's over. Her mammary glands are still very flexible. She's also eating her puppy kibble four times a day again.

So we're happy and satisfied with how things are going.

Monday, August 11, 2025

Ginny had her last antibiotics and painkiller on Sunday. She's doing well. She's eating very well and has plenty of milk for her puppies. Her mammary glands feel soft. So that's going very well. The only downside is that she doesn't feel like feeding at night. She does respond to the puppy sounds, but then I really have to move her a bit in the whelping box. She does lie down right away and feeds her puppies diligently and washes them as well.

There are now three hours between feedings, and that's going quite well. Every now and then they come early or are still sleeping.

The little girl and the male with the most black doubled their weight yesterday on the eighth day. I think the other large male and probably the day after tomorrow the white-headed female will double their birth weight.

They are very content and sometimes snuggle up to each other. Their eyes have become a bit more slit-like.

We've hung the lamp higher again, because it's already quite warm in this room. It only cools down a bit at night.

We'll have to wait until their eyes open. I often find that a beautiful sight.

Thursday, August 14, 2025

Yesterday, the last puppy also doubled its birth weight, so we're very happy about that. They're doing well. They're still just sleeping and eating. Every now and then, there's a bit more activity in the whelping box.

They're already standing on all fours and walking around a bit. It's all still very uncontrolled, but that makes it funny sometimes. They suddenly fall over.

The heat lamp is off during the day because one male kept whining after nursing from his mother. When I took him out of the box, he was quiet. Now that the lamp is off, he often goes straight to sleep and is much calmer. It's warm outside, and the ambient temperature in the maternity ward is good. I still have the heat lamp on at night.

Their eyes are slightly open, but not completely. They're opening a little more every day.

Mother Ginny is doing well. She has plenty of milk, and her mammary glands are flexible. She's doing exactly what a mother should do: washing and feeding. She's very active when she's out walking and enjoys meeting people because it gives her attention.

We're very happy with how things are going.

Sunday, August 17, 2025

The puppies were 14 days old on Saturday and were therefore dewormed on Saturday. As a result, they had diarrhea all day. It's also warm in the nursery and therefore in the whelping box. Two of them are still having some stomach problems today.

We removed the heat lamp today. The ambient temperature and the temperature in the whelping box are good.

They all have their eyes open, and some are already responding to sounds. A certain sound makes them very alert and they start barking. Ginny still needs to get used to these sounds, as she doesn't recognize them yet.

They're also getting more confident walking. They're really becoming little dogs. They're interacting with each other now and then. This is only increasing, and they're making sounds during these interactions, which Ginny then checks on to make sure everything is going well.

The number of feedings is decreasing, so they only need to be fed once a night. That's so nice, because then I can also get a few hours of sleep.

Next weekend, the puppy's prospective owners are coming to visit. They're really looking forward to it and are already counting down the days.

Otherwise, they're doing very well; despite their diarrhea, they're gaining weight well and are very active and alert.

Ginny wasn't feeling well yesterday either. She wasn't keen on eating, which was unusual. I think the heat is also bothering her.

Other than that, she's a good mother.

Saturday, August 23, 2025

Another week has passed. The puppies have grown well. They sleep a lot. Today they are 3 weeks old.

We've had a lot of impressions this week. Thursday was Mike's birthday, and we had some visitors. The puppies were very restless that day and squeaked a lot after feeding. They were hot. I then set up a small pen next to the whelping box so they could get used to having an area outside the whelping box. They liked that, because after they were able to get out of the whelping box, they were quiet.

On Friday afternoon, the first new puppy owners came to visit to meet them. They thought the puppies were still small, as they look bigger in the photos. They were very happy and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

The puppies were very calm that day and slept a lot. They were content.

On Friday evening, Joey and Leanne came over for Mike's birthday. First with the big male, but he was very active, and then with the little girl.

On Friday, I also started giving them mousse and formula. This was because it seemed like they were still hungry after drinking from their mother. That day, I tried it a little in between at first, but this morning, Ginny fed the puppies and then gave them the mousse. At 3:00 PM, they had mousse first, and then Ginny fed them. They've definitely gained weight.

On Saturday afternoon, the second new puppy owner came to see the little rascals. We talked a lot, laughed, and of course, cuddled. That afternoon flew by too. Great new people for our puppies. The third one is coming tomorrow afternoon. We know they're great people too, because we've met each other before. Mike spent Saturday evening in the small pen with the puppies, so he could easily cuddle them.

Tuesday, August 26, 2025

They now get the mousse with every feeding, starting last Monday in a trough, and Ginny still feeds afterward. They're gaining weight really well now; it seems like they're growing every hour. When I help Ginny feed in the morning and then look in the box, I see they've suddenly grown so big. The night is good for them; they now sleep through the night. Their last feeding is at 11:30 PM and then they report to bed at 6:00 AM, or they wake up when I set the alarm for 6:00 AM.

The puppies are hardly in the crate anymore, only at night. They love being outside the crate. They even play with each other every now and then, and I really enjoy that. Starting tomorrow, August 27th, we'll be clearing out the maternity ward and moving it to the kitchen. Ginny is really looking forward to that now; she misses the other big dogs. It will be exciting for the puppies again, as there will be six big dogs at once, which is quite impressive.

For me, it's a relief, too, to get back to normal a bit.

Friday, August 29, 2025

We've been busy again these last three days. On Wednesday, the puppies moved into the kitchen. They were very impressed with the adult bobtails, new sounds, and a different playpen.

We first set up the puppy playpen and then brought them upstairs one by one. We introduced each puppy to the adult dogs first. We really took our time with this. The little girl lay perfectly still. She found it quite exciting, while the others tried to interact with the big dogs.

After that, we put them in their new homes and then picked up the other puppy. Ginny was perfectly happy for the big dogs to sniff her puppies.

The puppies fell asleep very quickly after being put in the puppy playpen.

We also bought a play mobile with all sorts of stuffed animals on it. This helps them develop well, because it has sounds, rings to bite on, etc. They explore it very carefully. The female dog with a white head was very interested in it.

They still find it quite exciting.

The trough has also been replaced by a tray with feeding bowls. The little girl still finds it difficult to eat from it, but she's doing well.

Ginny is also weaning now. She actually wants to stand while feeding, but they're just a bit too small for that.

They can just reach it, but they fall over easily. Ginny is quite a large dog. After feeding, they quickly fall back asleep.

This morning we set up the tent, put up the ball pit, secured the tunnel, re-hung the swing, put out the stuffed animals, and installed a new item.

I always wanted those puzzle pieces with all sorts of textures on them, so the puppies can walk on different surfaces. I mentioned this to a puppy buyer from our previous litter, and she remembered it. So when they picked up their puppy to take home, we received it as a gift. I'm thrilled with it and so curious to see how the puppies will like it.

This afternoon we're taking them outside for a bit to introduce them to the great outdoors, with all the sounds and, of course, the various features in the playground.

Saturday, August 30, 2025

Yesterday afternoon, the puppies did indeed go outside for a bit. They were very excited. They first looked around quietly, and then three of them started walking around and checking everything out. The little female found it especially exciting. It took her longer to explore.

The white-headed male and female also went through the tunnel at one point. The other two were more inclined to seek safety and stayed close to me.

The puppies quickly tired from all the activity, so when they lay down, we brought them back inside and put them in the puppy pen. This way, they could recover from this little adventure.

Saturday morning the puppies were weighed, and they've gained a lot of weight. Mom Ginny really doesn't want to lie down anymore. Every now and then, the little girl had to be supported by her mom to drink, but she was doing quite well.

After eating, they were dewormed. They thought it was disgusting. We did have some puppy visitors in the morning. They cuddled all four of them. After a few hours, they developed diarrhea from the deworming. As a result, none of them wanted to eat at lunchtime. They slept a lot. Around 3:00 PM, they woke up quite well, and then we took them outside again. The weather was beautiful, the sun was shining.

Things were going much better than yesterday. Even the little girl was walking around quickly. She climbed onto the balance board, and that went quite well. The others did the same, but quickly fell off. She also started walking through the tunnel. The others were trying everything out. The other female was happily going onto the swing, and the other was exploring other things. I'm really enjoying this. It's so nice to sit with the puppies and watch them develop.

The big dogs are outside too. Jessy absolutely loves it, and if she can, she tries to connect with the puppies. So much fun!!

They did eat something again tonight. They're getting quite a lot of soaked kibble mixed with the mousse, but the little girl really wasn't interested. In the end, I just gave her mousse, and she ate that. I'll take a step back and gradually increase the kibble intake.

Wednesday, September 3, 2025

The puppies have been outside for a while every day, but not today. It was very windy and the sun wasn't shining. It felt like it might rain all day long.

So they entertained themselves inside today. They're a bit more active now, but they sleep most of the day. They're growing well. Their coats are also growing a bit.

Hopefully, we'll hear soon when the microchipped puppy is coming, so we can schedule an appointment with the vet for their first vaccination at six weeks.

In the meantime, I'd increased the amount of soaked kibble and decreased the amount of mousse. However, they weren't interested anymore. They smelled it and immediately turned away. So I decided to give them mousse for their last feeding on Monday evening. It went down very well.

On Tuesday, I contacted another experienced breeder who has since retired. I can always ask her questions, and she'll give me advice or tell me how she used to do it.

They supplemented the puppies with Energique meat. Ginny also ate this meat when she stopped eating the kibble during pregnancy.

On Tuesday during the day, we gave them some mousse and went to the store to get puppy meat.

They had this for the first time this morning. They finished their entire bowl and even licked it clean. Then, after eating, we put them outside immediately, and they pooped there.

We've done this with every feeding so far, and it saves a lot of poop inside.

They also finished their bowls completely at every feeding. By 6 weeks old, they'll have their teeth and can switch to kibble without us having to soak it. We'll see how this goes.

This morning we had a puppy visit, and this afternoon I started brushing Ginny again. It was really necessary. The undercoat is completely shedding due to the hormones.

I first brushed the entire gray coat. She's now completely tangle-free.

She stayed put, but at one point she leaked some milk. So I cleaned that first and brushed her again.

Tomorrow I'll do the white part. And then she'll be beautiful again.

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

The puppies are already five and a half weeks old. They're waking up more and more and sleeping less.

They're still eating meat and then some kibble. The moment I pick up the bowls, the puppies go absolutely wild. When I put the tray down, they attack, and in no time they've emptied their entire bowl. Then comes the kibble. The males are very quick at this too, while the females eat it at a more leisurely pace.

Ginny still gives milk in the morning and at night. They're still drinking very well.

The microchipper from the Dutch Kennel Club (Raad van Beheer) is coming tomorrow. They'll get a microchip number injected into their necks. Friday morning we're going to the vet for their first vaccination. Impressive days for the puppies.

We also have puppy visitors every now and then. Both new puppy owners and our own family or acquaintances. Last Sunday, we also decided which male puppy would go to which owner. We now have their names, so we'll call them that from now on. We'll probably know the female puppies by Saturday.

El Casar From Bobbers Love Of Beauty                     El toro From Bobbers Love Of Beauty

          Named Ollie                                                                          Named Oesko

The puppies always go outside after eating and they always poop outside. The run is always clean. They still pee in the run, but also a bit on the artificial grass.

They also spend a lot of time outside because the weather is wonderful.

We've also started training them with sounds, like fireworks. Hopefully, this will get them used to these sounds, which will make them very stable.

Thursday, September 11, 2025

Today is the day for the puppies to be microchipped. At 2:00 PM, the field staff member from the Dutch Kennel Club (Raad van Beheer) arrived.

He first handed out some brochures, then checked Ginny's pedigree and used the microchip reader to check Ginny's chip number. Everything was correct, of course.

Then, one by one, the kennel name and gender of each puppy were announced so I could pick up the puppy. The puppy was injected with a microchip number and then checked. Finally, a DNA sample was taken. This DNA allows them to determine the puppy's parentage. This DNA sample is taken by taking tissue from the cheek with a large cotton swab. This is called a swab.

They all squeaked when the microchip number was injected, but once they were back in the pen, they forgot about it and went back to playing with each other.

Tomorrow to the vet for vaccinations.

Saturday, September 20, 2025

On Friday, September 12, the puppies went to the vet for their first vaccination. It was the first time they were traveling on the bus, so Mike sat in the back of their crate with them to reassure them.

When we arrived at the vet's office, we put leashes on all the puppies, but that was still far too nerve-wracking. They wouldn't walk. At one point, Mike carried one puppy and I carried two. Jodey just had to walk, and that went quite well.

At the vet's office, we had to wait in the waiting room for a while. There were already a few dogs there, and of course, they received attention from many people, assistants, and other veterinarians.

Then it was their turn. Once in the waiting room, we took off the leashes, and they were very active and free. Fortunately, the vaccinations went smoothly, and they were all healthy. No umbilical hernias or anything like that. The males' testicles were still a bit high, but they're still so young.

The scale was on the floor, and some of them even stepped on the scale themselves.

After the puppies were finished, the vet helped put them back in the van. Mike sat in the front seat because the puppies were tired and slept anyway.

Back home, they slept in the puppy pen for a while. They didn't have any problems.

Annemarie and Paul Philips came on Saturday, September 13th. They used to breed Bobtails themselves, but they've since stopped.

They came to cuddle the puppies. Paul immediately put the females on the grooming table and they were thoroughly felt and examined. We want to keep a puppy ourselves and already had a preference for a female, but we appreciated him observing the females. He eventually indicated the female we preferred, so we could now tell the new puppy owners which female they were getting. They preferred the female they're getting now, so it all worked out well.

Estivella From Bobbers Love Of beauty                    Escamilla From Bobbers Love Of Beauty

           Aka Wobbel                                                                        Aka Jodey

Paul, of course, also looked at and felt the male dogs. We then put them in the playground, and Annemarie sat down with them.

Then, one by one, we introduced the larger dogs into the garden. Paul was smitten with their mother, Ginny. He thought she was a beautiful dog. And she certainly is.

Since they've been vaccinated, they're allowed to walk around the house. Every day, I take the puppies out to the house one by one. I put a leash on them and try to walk them. Walking on a leash is actually getting better and better.

We often encounter all sorts of people, children, and dogs. They find it exciting, but also very enjoyable. They really take everything in. The birds flying overhead, people on bikes, or cars driving by. They love the attention they get from other people.

Otherwise, they have the same daily routine. First, they drink from their mother in the morning, then they get meat, and then they go outside to do their business. Then they go back to the run. An hour later, they either go outside or to the other side of the kitchen, depending on the weather.

The run is then cleaned. After cleaning, I play with them for a while and then they're put back in the puppy pen. There they get food and water again, go outside, and then go to sleep. After sleeping, they play together, depending on the weather, but sometimes they go to the playground or they stay inside. Sometimes we have visitors, and then they get a nice cuddle. Then they get food again and go to sleep after doing their business outside.

When they wake up again, I take them outside one by one. Then the run is cleaned again, and I play with them for a while. Eventually, they get tired, and I leave the pen. Later, they wake up, but they play together. At 11 p.m., Mom Ginny goes into the run, and they drink from her. After that, they get some more meat, and I scatter a handful of kibble on the ground. Then they go outside for a bit, and then the lights go out to go to bed for the night.

Today they're already 7 weeks old. One more week and then they'll be gone. Time flies. I hope we can socialize a bit more this week and make some beautiful memories.

We also started socializing today. Mike always has to ride on Saturday mornings. And that's riding for people and children with disabilities. There's a canteen there, and the riders come in there first before they ride. Volunteers also come there for drinks in between.

We first put them back in the crate of the bus. Richard, Mike, and I were in the front. They weren't very happy yet.

When we arrived at the riding school, they were given a leash and could walk to the canteen. With lots of encouragement, they followed along.

In the canteen, two mothers were waiting for their children, and they loved it. Of course, there was peeing and pooping, but we were prepared for that. You can dry everything with paper towels. They observed everything from paintings to the planter. They also looked at and thoroughly examined a metal pole and a door you could see yourself in. In between, they also had fun running around together.

At one point, new children came for horseback riding. They loved it, both for the children and the puppies. Most of the children have autistic backgrounds, and cuddling with the puppies simply calmed them down. The parents even said it was like therapy, because their daughter often runs around the cafeteria and is very active. Now she was sitting on her bottom on the floor, focusing solely on the puppies. The puppies thoroughly enjoyed it, and we loved seeing it.

They were very tired afterward, and we went home happy.

On Wednesday, September 17th, Joey and Leanne made another video of the pups choosing their own collars. This was hilarious, because the puppies preferred running to Leanne. After all, she was on her knees, which was much more fun. Oesko went the wrong way. He just followed Joey, and Ollie, which settled down pretty quickly. In the end, it turned out to be a fun video, and they picked out their own collars.

Monday, September 22, 2025

Yesterday, the puppies and their mother, Ginny, were dewormed again. It didn't really bother them much. They had good poops pretty quickly.

In the morning, they happily moved to the side of our house. We have a fenced-in lawn there. Jodey immediately followed me to the grass. The others watched from a distance and slowly came to the grass as well. Once they were on the grass, they really enjoyed it. They were running around, and Wobbel found the conifers quite interesting. She was already chewing on them and snuggled under them. A little later, Wobbel and Jodey had discovered digging. That was fun. The sand flew everywhere.

After a while, we brought them inside, where they could rest comfortably.

Early in the afternoon, two more children came with their mother to cuddle and play with the puppies.

And late in the afternoon, they played in the playground again. Leanne and I were there. Jessy and Ginny wanted to join them too, so we let them in. Mom Ginny finds playing with the little ones quite difficult; she's still a bit wild. The little ones aren't really fazed by that anymore.

Ginny did try to provoke the puppies with a toy in her mouth, so the puppies tried to take it away. She did a great job.

Jessy is doing absolutely fantastic. She lies down with the puppies, causing them to crawl on top of Jessy or lie close to her. Jessy is mainly busy washing the little ones. If the little ones start playing wildly with each other, Grandma Jessy immediately comes and separates them. It's truly wonderful to watch. Because of this, Jessy is also raising them.

I also walk the puppies one by one on a leash every evening. Yesterday I was a bit late, so it was a bit darker. That was quite an experience too. I notice that Jodey is more free-spirited than the others. When she's outside and people approach with a dog, she happily walks towards them, wagging her tail. The other three wait until the people and/or the dog are with them, but then they enjoy it too.

This afternoon, Oesko's new owners will come over for a cuddle.

Tuesday, September 23, 2025

It was fun again with Oesko's new owners. Today we wanted to do something to socialize.

We grabbed the trolley and crate, put toys in them, and then the puppies. Mike pushed the crate and I pulled along. We first walked to the trucks. Lots of trucks come here to load, which makes a lot of noise. The trucks also frequently drove past the crate with puppies. This street is quite busy, so there's a lot of traffic.

We stopped regularly to listen to all the traffic.

After that, we went to the train station. First, we stood by the barriers so they could clearly hear the bells ringing. Then we walked onto the platform with the crate. Trains stopped on both sides of the platform.

There were also enforcement officers on the platform. They came right after the puppies to look and pet them. One of the officers really liked Wobbel and held her for a moment.

We then walked towards the center of Wehl. It was 2:00 PM, and schools were out. Lots of people passed by, including parents with children and young girls. They all wanted to pet the puppies, but they also wanted lots of information about the Bobtails. Some held a puppy for a while, and others petted them through the bars.

The puppies loved all the attention and weren't particularly bothered by the traffic.

We then continued our walk, having to stop occasionally along the way to check on the puppies. We then went to our hairdresser (Wiggers) and called some hairdressers. Even a customer came along to watch. Everyone was so impressed with the puppies, even people who didn't know they shed their coats at some point.

We then continued walking, and when we got home, some neighbors came to look and cuddle them. The puppies were tired. We put them in the puppy pen and went straight to sleep. All in all, a successful day.

Thursday, September 25, 2025

Only a few more days and they'll be going to their new homes. It's getting really close now.

The pups had a great time running and playing in the playground this afternoon. It was still quite chilly this morning because of the wind.

We tried to take some more photos to put on canvas. We do this with every litter; we take photos and then put them individually on canvas as a keepsake.

It was quite a challenge, because the pups just kept running and playing.

I think we finally succeeded. We just need to figure out which photo is the best.

Today we socialized again. We took our bus to Mike's work to pick him up with the puppies. They don't really like being in the bus. A few whine, but we don't know who.

When we arrived at work, we put the collars on the puppies one by one. They followed us pretty quickly. Entering the room where Mike works was a bit nerve-wracking for Ollie, but that was over quickly. They were very free with the caregivers and clients. Jodey wagged her tail at everyone, and one caregiver thought she was fantastic. She even gave Jodey lots of cuddles. The puppies weren't scared at all; they loved getting so much attention. A few clients even came to pet the puppies. Some clients were a bit nervous, but the puppies came to them on their own.

The puppies were also exploring the area and wagging their tails a lot.

It was wonderful to see. Mike also proudly shared the puppies' names, ages, and so on.

It was another fantastic experience for Mike, the clients, the caregivers, us, and of course, the puppies.

Saturday, September 27, 2025

Yesterday, Joey, Leanne, and I went to the Intratuin in Duiven for socializing. It was a blast for the puppies, us, and the people at the Intratuin.

The puppies were amazed. They were just a little nervous about entering the hall and sitting in a cart. They loved all the attention they received. They were petted while wagging their tails. There were children, adult customers, and even staff members who thought the puppies were wonderful. They even met a German Shepherd, which they found very interesting as well.

At one point, Wobbel and Jodey wanted to walk on their own. That was perfectly fine. The puppies really listened to all the sounds and watched all the lights and moving images.

We didn't make much progress because they were getting so much attention and because there were people who wanted information about bobtails.

There was already a real Christmas atmosphere at the Intratuin, which was wonderful.

When we arrived at the restaurant, all four of them were quite tired. They lay down nicely under the table, and when we finished their drinks, we put them back in the cart. Almost all of them lay down. On the way back in the bus, they were also quiet.

Once we got home, they drank and ate, and their tired mood had passed.

That evening, I walked them one by one. After that, they went to sleep for a while.

Saturday morning, I woke up with mixed feelings. Today, Wobbel was going to his forever home. These are the hardest things about breeding. You've poured your heart and soul into caring for the puppies for eight weeks, and now you have to say goodbye. This remains difficult. You have a good feeling about the new owners, but you have to learn to let go. And trust that the new owners will continue to take good care of your puppies.

Well, Wobbel is going to people who used to have many bobtails and also showed them. She's had other dogs in between, and still does, but her heart still lies with bobtails.

Wobbel was the second born. She was the first female, but also the smallest of them all. She did very well right from the start. She knows exactly what she wants and tries to make that clear in every way. She's feisty. While nursing from mom Ginny, she simply pushed another puppy away. She has a beautiful face, very endearing with her mask.

She's very cheerful and happy with other people.

At one point, they were only given kibble, but she didn't like that at all. We started with this: she got kibble first, and when the males had finished it and gone outside, the females got meat. She did eat that. Sometimes I didn't have time to put the bowl down, and then they'd already eaten it.

Wobbel would often give me a look when the males went outside, like, "Give me the meat now."

Wishing you lots of fun and happiness in your new home and family, Wobbel. I'll definitely miss you.

Big kiss

After Wobbel left and we had calmed down, we had something to eat and then I had to take Jodey to puppy class. We had a private lesson because we couldn't make it earlier that day. Next time, we'll join the others. Jodey whined the entire bus ride to the class. She didn't like it at all.

The class was on grass. She regularly stopped to listen to sounds or what was happening. She was very engaged with her surroundings. She also found the instructor very interesting. She was very relaxed, not pulling on the leash at all. She was mostly just getting in my way. She needs to learn to walk on the left.

Today was more of an introductory class.

When we got home, she went to sleep in the run. She was tired.

It was Ollie's turn now. He's being picked up tomorrow morning. So he got a bath. He didn't really enjoy it. A good bath with Biogroom and then some conditioner.

After washing, he was blow-dried and brushed. All exciting things. He also had to be trimmed between the pads of his feet. I then grabbed a chew bone and he happily played with it, which allowed me to trim the feet at the back properly. The feet at the front were a bit more difficult, but he looks handsome again and he's so sweet.

The puppies have eaten well again, and now it's Oesko's turn for a bath. He'll be picked up tomorrow afternoon.

Wednesday, October 1, 2025

It's been a few days since the three puppies left. Saturday evening we bathed Oesko. He wasn't too keen on it either, but he was less scared than Ollie. While trimming his paws, we gave him another chew bone, which made it easy to trim the hair between his feet.

Sunday was the day. First, Ollie was picked up. It was a hectic day because Jodey wasn't feeling well. She was vomiting and wouldn't eat or drink. I gave her water through a syringe every so often. Her tummy was also churning like crazy. When Ollie's new owners arrived, she suddenly started vomiting a lot. I had already contacted Evidensia in Arnhem. We were going to the vet after Oesko was picked up that afternoon.

Ollie was the third puppy born. He wasn't the heaviest male, but he more than made up for it. When he left on Sunday, he was the heaviest.

Ollie was quite feisty at first. He would make a lot of noise if he disagreed. He even did it to visitors. But over the weeks he was here, he became more and more mellow and easygoing. He's incredibly sweet and very open to people. He was also very easygoing with food; he always finished his kibble first and was then allowed outside. Sometimes he had to wait quite a while before another puppy was allowed outside. That was usually Oesko, and then the ladies. Ollie would sometimes look inside so sweetly, like, "Is anyone else coming?" I'm so lonely here.

Ollie is going to a family whose female had Bobtails before. She then moved on to other breeds and is now back to Bobtails. That's where her heart was. Ollie will be with two other dogs.

We wish sweet Ollie lots of joy and happiness in his forever home.

But I'm sure it will all work out.

Big kiss!!!

After Ollie left, the new owners came to pick up Oesko.

Oesko was the first to be born. He really had to make way for the others. He was also the heaviest at birth.

Oesko is a real cuddler. He loves attention. He made himself heard when we were feeding the puppies. He also ate his kibble well. He did this at a nice, leisurely pace. Oesko is also a very beautiful dog and incredibly sweet.

He didn't like being walked on a leash. He would usually just sit on his butt and watch out for people or dogs, because that's much more fun.

When we went to a new area, he had to wait and see what was going on, and then he was free. Then he wasn't afraid anymore and enjoyed everything.

Oesko lives with people who used to have Bobtails and now have cats and horses. Oesko will be living on a farm with lots of land where he can enjoy himself.

Oesko, I wish you lots of happiness and love with your new owner. I'll miss your hugs.

Big kiss!!

Once the owners left with Oesko, we drove to Arnhem with Jodey. The vet thought she might have caught a small virus, but didn't think anything was stuck in her stomach. She was given a shot for nausea, after which we were able to leave. When she got home, she drank water right away but wouldn't eat. Later, I put her on a leash and took her outside for a short walk. She met another dog there and was very happy and cheerful. When she came back inside, she immediately started eating. However, I still wanted her to eat kibble, not just meat.

The next day, I went to the pet store Prins to get some puppies, because she doesn't like Darf. She devours Prins kibble and doesn't need meat anymore.

Everyone's happy again.

So, Jodey is staying with us. We'd love to show her. She looks a lot like her mother, Ginny, so we hope she'll be as beautiful as Ginny.

Jodey is a very easy-going dog. She's very calm when she goes somewhere. She has a very open and cheerful personality. When she's outside and sees people or other animals, she starts wagging her tail happily and wants to go to them. She also radiates a lot of warmth.

In terms of temperament, she's very similar to her mother.

She walks very well on a leash. She often stops to smell a flower or hear something, like birds flying overhead, and she follows it completely. She doesn't like walking in the dark, but that's okay. She doesn't always enjoy riding on the bus either. Just like being alone in the kitchen, she really makes herself heard. She has a very shrill, high-pitched bark.

But we like her. She's very happy with all our family members.

We hope we have a wonderful time with you and that you're just as sweet as you are now!

It was quite an adventure with these wonderful creatures. Time flew by. I enjoyed them immensely. Saying goodbye is never easy, but I'm sure we'll see them regularly in photos or videos, which I'll thoroughly enjoy.

Our adventure isn't over yet, because we'll have new adventures with Jodey in our pack. Jodey is already a good fit with Xanthy, Jessy, and Ginny. The rest still need some time to adjust.

But we'll take our time with that.

Perhaps we'll see you again next time.