It's been a very exhausting and somewhat traumatic day today. Last night we saw the first of our pups leave for their new home and today another 4 left. We're so happy to see them going to such wonderful, enthusiastic, loving new owners but it's also sad to see the back of the little guys after being there so far for every minute of their wee lives. On one hand it seems just last week that Jess was giving birth to them all as we stood by nervous and excited. On the other hand though it feels like these puppies have evaded our lives for as long as I can remember ! It's hard to picture our household with Jess being the only dog in it !
It's been a truly rewarding and interesting journey, and I've really enjoyed learning and sharing everything about the whole breeding process, but it's also been very exhausting. We've got to say our goodbye's to another puppy tomorrow, then another on Tuesday. The last one is staying with us for a couple of extra weeks and then we will just be left with our girl - Lucy (and Jess). From 10 dogs back down to 2.
The million dollar question everyone is quick to ask is "Would I do it again". If it meant doing it all in 4-6 months time from now, my answer would definitely be no ! Seeing as though it will be a lot longer than that though (16 months till Jess' second season from now), I'll defer my answer to closer to the time :) I would love to do it again but it would definitely all depend on our situation at the time - especially with regards to work. I've been lucky enough to be able to take it easy on the work front for the past 6-8 weeks - without the ability to do that it would have been an impossible task !
Saturday 10 July 2010
Saturday 3 July 2010
Cost update
Hopefully, all costs from the breeding are now in. I've estimated that over the 8 weeks that Jess required additional food (up to 4 times her normal amount at peak lactation) to the tune of £168. Extrapolating what it's costing us at the moment to feed the puppies to next Saturday brings the total cost of their food for the (nearly) 8 weeks to £90 for meat, plus £24 for the kibble for a total of £114.
Add to that £10 for puppy pack folders and DVD's etc... and the grand total cost of this breeding comes to
£2,337.33
Certainly not an insignificant amount of money !
Add to that £10 for puppy pack folders and DVD's etc... and the grand total cost of this breeding comes to
£2,337.33
Certainly not an insignificant amount of money !
Eating out of house and home
It seems like these guys are draining the freezer of meat nearly as quickly as I put it in ! They are now on about 400g per day split over 4 feeds. That's 3.6 kg per day for the 9 pups, plus about 600g for Jess or a total of 4.2kg. That equates to nearly 30kg in a week of food ! We're feeding nearly the equivalent of ten adult Labrador dogs at the moment. Just as well they start to leave from next Saturday else we would go broke with the food bill..... :)
More photos....
Week Six
and
Week Seven
Nicky, who took some amazing puppy photos back in week three, came back again today and did some studio and groups shots. It will take a little while for her to go through them all, touch them up and to upload but I will let you know as soon as she does.
Can't believe that they start to go to their new homes a week today. Not sure whether that deserves a :) or a :( - perhaps both !
and
Week Seven
Nicky, who took some amazing puppy photos back in week three, came back again today and did some studio and groups shots. It will take a little while for her to go through them all, touch them up and to upload but I will let you know as soon as she does.
Can't believe that they start to go to their new homes a week today. Not sure whether that deserves a :) or a :( - perhaps both !
Tuesday 29 June 2010
Worming, First vaccination and micro chipping
Big days for the pups today !
This morning we weighed them all and then dosed them all with Drontal puppy worming. We put it in their food this time and fed them individually rather than try and inject it into their mouths. With the heaviest pup now tipping the scales at 5kg, that equates to 5ml of worming solution each - never would have been able to squirt all that in successfully. Now that they are all little food hoovers, it was so much easier to just put it in their food :)
Then this afternoon it was off to the vets en masse for their first vaccination and micro chipping. We used 3 large cat carriers with 3 pups in each to get them there (along with Jess). Took a few trips to get everyone into the surgery from the car. Each puppy was given a complete health check along with their shots. I am happy to report that all puppies are doing extremely well and are in perfect health (as is Jess :). We were there for nearly 2 hours !
When you come to collect your puppy, your puppy pack will include the vaccination card from the vet along with details of how to register the micro chip in your own name.
This morning we weighed them all and then dosed them all with Drontal puppy worming. We put it in their food this time and fed them individually rather than try and inject it into their mouths. With the heaviest pup now tipping the scales at 5kg, that equates to 5ml of worming solution each - never would have been able to squirt all that in successfully. Now that they are all little food hoovers, it was so much easier to just put it in their food :)
Then this afternoon it was off to the vets en masse for their first vaccination and micro chipping. We used 3 large cat carriers with 3 pups in each to get them there (along with Jess). Took a few trips to get everyone into the surgery from the car. Each puppy was given a complete health check along with their shots. I am happy to report that all puppies are doing extremely well and are in perfect health (as is Jess :). We were there for nearly 2 hours !
When you come to collect your puppy, your puppy pack will include the vaccination card from the vet along with details of how to register the micro chip in your own name.
Puppy insurance
As mentioned earlier in the shopping list post, one of the things I believe is very important to have for your new puppy is pet insurance. I am able to provide 4 weeks free cover with Petplan for those that want it, but after that, you're on your own !
When choosing pet insurance be very careful about the type of policy. They fall into 3 categories :
1. Time limited policies. Cover is provided up to a maximum amount per condition. There is a 12 month limit on how long you can claim for each condition. After 12 months the condition claimed for will be excluded from the policy
2. Maximum benefit. Cover is provided up to a maximum amount per condition (eg £3000) but there is no time limit. Once you have claimed the maximum amount, the condition will be excluded from the policy
3. Lifetime policies. Cover is provided up to a set amount of vet fees each year which is renewed at the start of each policy year. As long as you continue to renew the policy without a break in cover, there is no time limit on how long you can claim for each illness or injury.
Types 1 and 2 really need to be avoided. What you want is policies of the third type - that will pay out for a injury or illness for life and where the amount of vet fees claimable is renewed each year.
Petplan has policies that fall into the type 3 category, they are the biggest pet insurer in the UK and offer excellent coverage on their premium lifetime policies BUT they are very expensive. I personally use Axa pet insurance. Axa underwrite a lot of the other store pet insurance policies that are out there. I had a quick look at the main categories to compare the policies and price for Jess :
- Vet fees (renewed each year) - Axa (£7,000), Petplan budget (£4,000), Petplan premium (£12,000)
- Complementary treatments - Axa (£250), Petplan budget (£750), Petplan premium (£750)
- Third party liability - Axa (£2m per event), Petplan budget (£1m), Petplan premium (£3m)
- Emergency boarding - Axa (£750), Petplan budget (£250), Petplan premium (£1,000)
- Advertising costs - Axa (£1,000), Petplan budget (£250), Petplan premium (£1,000)
- Overseas quarantine - Axa (£2,000), Petplan budget (£1,500), Petplan premium (£1,500)
- Excess (per condition) - Axa (£50), Petplan budget (£90), Petplan premium (£90)
In my opinion, the two most important items are veterinary fees and excess. Now the cost :
Axa (£11.15 per month)
Petplan budget (£25.70 month)
Petplan premium (£36.23 month)
So to get better coverage than the Axa policy (but a higher excess) it will cost you an extra £300 per year !
Important : I am not qualified to give insurance advice, nor am I suggesting the Axa is the only alternative to Petplan. It's simply my personal experience/opinion and should be used as a general illustration. Please do your own research into Insurance before making your decision - just make sure what type of policy it is and exactly what you are getting :)
ps - I have made a couple of claims with Axa and have had no issue with getting money back - they have been very prompt and my premium even came down the second year after making claims in the first ! I will certainly be using Axa to ensure our new puppy. A years worth of premium with Axa costs £131 - this is the cost of a single out of hours consultation !
When choosing pet insurance be very careful about the type of policy. They fall into 3 categories :
1. Time limited policies. Cover is provided up to a maximum amount per condition. There is a 12 month limit on how long you can claim for each condition. After 12 months the condition claimed for will be excluded from the policy
2. Maximum benefit. Cover is provided up to a maximum amount per condition (eg £3000) but there is no time limit. Once you have claimed the maximum amount, the condition will be excluded from the policy
3. Lifetime policies. Cover is provided up to a set amount of vet fees each year which is renewed at the start of each policy year. As long as you continue to renew the policy without a break in cover, there is no time limit on how long you can claim for each illness or injury.
Types 1 and 2 really need to be avoided. What you want is policies of the third type - that will pay out for a injury or illness for life and where the amount of vet fees claimable is renewed each year.
Petplan has policies that fall into the type 3 category, they are the biggest pet insurer in the UK and offer excellent coverage on their premium lifetime policies BUT they are very expensive. I personally use Axa pet insurance. Axa underwrite a lot of the other store pet insurance policies that are out there. I had a quick look at the main categories to compare the policies and price for Jess :
- Vet fees (renewed each year) - Axa (£7,000), Petplan budget (£4,000), Petplan premium (£12,000)
- Complementary treatments - Axa (£250), Petplan budget (£750), Petplan premium (£750)
- Third party liability - Axa (£2m per event), Petplan budget (£1m), Petplan premium (£3m)
- Emergency boarding - Axa (£750), Petplan budget (£250), Petplan premium (£1,000)
- Advertising costs - Axa (£1,000), Petplan budget (£250), Petplan premium (£1,000)
- Overseas quarantine - Axa (£2,000), Petplan budget (£1,500), Petplan premium (£1,500)
- Excess (per condition) - Axa (£50), Petplan budget (£90), Petplan premium (£90)
In my opinion, the two most important items are veterinary fees and excess. Now the cost :
Axa (£11.15 per month)
Petplan budget (£25.70 month)
Petplan premium (£36.23 month)
So to get better coverage than the Axa policy (but a higher excess) it will cost you an extra £300 per year !
Important : I am not qualified to give insurance advice, nor am I suggesting the Axa is the only alternative to Petplan. It's simply my personal experience/opinion and should be used as a general illustration. Please do your own research into Insurance before making your decision - just make sure what type of policy it is and exactly what you are getting :)
ps - I have made a couple of claims with Axa and have had no issue with getting money back - they have been very prompt and my premium even came down the second year after making claims in the first ! I will certainly be using Axa to ensure our new puppy. A years worth of premium with Axa costs £131 - this is the cost of a single out of hours consultation !
Puppy shopping list
A few of you have had puppies before so you know what to expect but for those that don't, I thought I would put together a quick list of recommended things you will need for your new puppy :)
1. Crate or basket for puppy to sleep in. I would personally recommend the use of a crate - more details can be found by searching earlier posts
2. Water and food bowls. These need to be durable (ie not chewable !) - either stainless steel (ones with rubber underneath are good to stop the bowl being pushed all around the room) or ceramic ones are the best
3. Chew items - your puppy at this stage is a chewing machine ! It's important to have some good, durable toys that they can use to help with teething rather than your prized shoes. Puppies need to know right from the beginning what they are allowed to chew and what they are not ! Don't put down countless toys for them, just one or two at a time which can then be rotated to provide the puppy with some variety (and allow you to clean them if necessary). Once the puppy is older and going outside, it's good to have a "special" toy that you take outside for use with training. Labradors are very powerful chewers and you will need sturdy toys if they are to last. Nylabone and Kong make some excellent products.
4. Food. The puppies are being raised on predominately a raw diet and they have had chicken mince, chicken carcasses, chicken fillet, liver, heart, kidney, duck necks, green tripe and pork belly ! For those keen to continue with a raw diet there are some good suppliers around (if in Edinburgh, contact Steven at http://www.fifeanimalfeeds.co.uk/). For England, http://www.landywoods.co.uk/ is very good. If you are wanting to feed them on biscuits then the only one I would recommend is Burns (http://www.burnspet.co.uk/dog/index.asp). For more detail on other commercial pet food companies see my earlier posts. I can provide you with some Burns when you collect your puppy
5. Poop bags. Until their final vaccination they will need to stay inside your own property but once out, it is your responsibility to clean up after your dog. For those that are interested in the details, the relevant legislation can be found here - in England Dogs Fouling of Land 1996, and in Scotland Dogs Fouling Scotland 2003
6. Lead and collar. Even before your puppy is safely able to go outside you can start some basic training inside. I'm a big fan of Red Dingo Collars - you will only need a small one to start with. You can get matching Red Dingo Leads as well - Hamish McBeth do some fantastic collars as well but are more expensive. Once the pup is getting bigger (eg 9 months) I would personally recommend investing in a good quality leather lead and collar - a good one will last for years (still good to pack a cheap one for trips to the beach !)
7. ID tag. Under the Control of Dogs Order 1992 your dog must be identified (either on the collar or by a tag attached to the collar) with the name and address of the owner. Your telephone number is optional but advisable. Once again (I promise I don't work for Red Dingo ;), Red Dingo have some really nice ID tags
8. Wire brush for grooming
9. Stair gate. If you have a house with stairs you must be very careful to ensure that the puppy cannot run up and down them until they are at least 6-8 months old as doing so can cause damage to their soft, young bones and joints. Stair gates are an excellent option giving you peace of mind that the puppy will be safe (also good for restricting puppies to a particular room within the house rather than shutting the door). You can get ones that don't require any mountings to be screwed to the wall. Lindam have a great range of gates (and extensions for bigger gaps) and can be bought at a number of different retailers (eg Amazon, Argos, Asda, Tesco)
10. Vet. For those that don't already have a vet I would recommend hunting around for a good local vet. Get registered with the vet and let them know you are buying a new puppy. It's a good idea to take the puppy along to the vet a day or two after you have them home so you can get them checked over and get all their details on the system. You will need to take the puppy back for their second vaccination once they are at least 10 weeks old
11. Insurance. In my opinion an essential purchase for peace of mind. Looking after your puppy if something goes wrong can be very expensive - especially if you need out of hours consultation which usually will charge you a minimum of £100. For as little as £12 a month you can be covered for up to £7000 a year, every year. I will put some more details around insurance in a separate blog. When you pick up your puppy I will offer you free 4 weeks insurance from Petplan which will cover you from the moment you leave with your new puppy. If you wish to take advantage of this, I can organise it online in a matter of minutes when you collect your puppy.
Happy shopping ! :)
1. Crate or basket for puppy to sleep in. I would personally recommend the use of a crate - more details can be found by searching earlier posts
2. Water and food bowls. These need to be durable (ie not chewable !) - either stainless steel (ones with rubber underneath are good to stop the bowl being pushed all around the room) or ceramic ones are the best
3. Chew items - your puppy at this stage is a chewing machine ! It's important to have some good, durable toys that they can use to help with teething rather than your prized shoes. Puppies need to know right from the beginning what they are allowed to chew and what they are not ! Don't put down countless toys for them, just one or two at a time which can then be rotated to provide the puppy with some variety (and allow you to clean them if necessary). Once the puppy is older and going outside, it's good to have a "special" toy that you take outside for use with training. Labradors are very powerful chewers and you will need sturdy toys if they are to last. Nylabone and Kong make some excellent products.
4. Food. The puppies are being raised on predominately a raw diet and they have had chicken mince, chicken carcasses, chicken fillet, liver, heart, kidney, duck necks, green tripe and pork belly ! For those keen to continue with a raw diet there are some good suppliers around (if in Edinburgh, contact Steven at http://www.fifeanimalfeeds.co.uk/). For England, http://www.landywoods.co.uk/ is very good. If you are wanting to feed them on biscuits then the only one I would recommend is Burns (http://www.burnspet.co.uk/dog/index.asp). For more detail on other commercial pet food companies see my earlier posts. I can provide you with some Burns when you collect your puppy
5. Poop bags. Until their final vaccination they will need to stay inside your own property but once out, it is your responsibility to clean up after your dog. For those that are interested in the details, the relevant legislation can be found here - in England Dogs Fouling of Land 1996, and in Scotland Dogs Fouling Scotland 2003
6. Lead and collar. Even before your puppy is safely able to go outside you can start some basic training inside. I'm a big fan of Red Dingo Collars - you will only need a small one to start with. You can get matching Red Dingo Leads as well - Hamish McBeth do some fantastic collars as well but are more expensive. Once the pup is getting bigger (eg 9 months) I would personally recommend investing in a good quality leather lead and collar - a good one will last for years (still good to pack a cheap one for trips to the beach !)
7. ID tag. Under the Control of Dogs Order 1992 your dog must be identified (either on the collar or by a tag attached to the collar) with the name and address of the owner. Your telephone number is optional but advisable. Once again (I promise I don't work for Red Dingo ;), Red Dingo have some really nice ID tags
8. Wire brush for grooming
9. Stair gate. If you have a house with stairs you must be very careful to ensure that the puppy cannot run up and down them until they are at least 6-8 months old as doing so can cause damage to their soft, young bones and joints. Stair gates are an excellent option giving you peace of mind that the puppy will be safe (also good for restricting puppies to a particular room within the house rather than shutting the door). You can get ones that don't require any mountings to be screwed to the wall. Lindam have a great range of gates (and extensions for bigger gaps) and can be bought at a number of different retailers (eg Amazon, Argos, Asda, Tesco)
10. Vet. For those that don't already have a vet I would recommend hunting around for a good local vet. Get registered with the vet and let them know you are buying a new puppy. It's a good idea to take the puppy along to the vet a day or two after you have them home so you can get them checked over and get all their details on the system. You will need to take the puppy back for their second vaccination once they are at least 10 weeks old
11. Insurance. In my opinion an essential purchase for peace of mind. Looking after your puppy if something goes wrong can be very expensive - especially if you need out of hours consultation which usually will charge you a minimum of £100. For as little as £12 a month you can be covered for up to £7000 a year, every year. I will put some more details around insurance in a separate blog. When you pick up your puppy I will offer you free 4 weeks insurance from Petplan which will cover you from the moment you leave with your new puppy. If you wish to take advantage of this, I can organise it online in a matter of minutes when you collect your puppy.
Happy shopping ! :)
Friday 25 June 2010
Puppies registered
Finished processing the online registration of the litter this morning. Costs £12 per puppy to register, £7 per puppy for a 5 generation pedigree and £6 for breed record - total £177 ! Beginning to think that the Kennel Club is a license to print money :) That's also taken the total breeding cost over the £2000 mark now.
Tuesday 22 June 2010
Less than 3 weeks to go
Yes, its less than 3 weeks to go now before we will have to say goodbye to these wonderful little bundles of joy :( For the new owners that have not had a puppy before (and for anyone else who is interested) over the next few days I will post some information up about things that are good to have ready for your new arrival :)
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