Princess Sparkle...

[JENGOSMonkey]

@kembe said in Princess Sparkle...:

OMG! The pups are soooo damn cute! Loved 🥰 that first photo of Tank. It’s amazing how fast they have grown and changed in the past few days! They bring a to my face! ️

Ya know... every time I say to myself they couldn't get any cuter, they do. They're really super mobile now. Running, scampering, climbing us, clawing at us, licking and biting at us. When we climb in the x-pen they ALL come flying on top of us now, which is great! These lil' guys are gonna be great people dogs.

The whelping box is coming down today. They've slept in the blanket covered crate (which I learned about here) that's attached to the x-pen for several night now. No screaming or crying so far either. We put Sparkle in with them to nurse just before we go to bed and the pups will sleep all night till about 5:30 to 6:00am in the morning. I may expand their play area again, but we really like having them right in the middle of the family room between the couch and the TV. We vacuum around them every day needed or not, just make additional noise for them.

We're going to start grinding their kibble a bit courser now too. So far everyone seems to be taking to kibble pretty good. Sparkle nurses after breakfast and before bed, but that's it. Everyone's weight looks good.

We've been taking them out two at a time and we let them explore other parts of the house with us right there. They get to feel the couch, the carpet, the tile and generally explore a little bit. I wouldn't call our house puppy proof, so that's why we watch them closely when they're out of the pen.

We've had a few friends, family and neighbors stop by and we always ask them to handle a puppy to get them use to more people. So far so good on that front too; although, Sparkle will give a little growl if someone a person she's not familiar with moves to fast towards a puppy. It's not a really aggressive growl. More of a "Hey! I'm watching you!"

@tanza, @Zande Thanks for the great info. I couldn't find Illustrated Standard, but was able to find it to download, thank you for making that available. You know who you are. I liked both of your lists of things to look at. Don't know why I blazed on health. I suppose because my two have been Fanconi and PRA tested and have had hip x-rays. Done and out of mind I suppose, but yeah... SUPER important.

Someone asked me if I had a favorite. I do! All of them!

[eeeefarm]

@zande said in Princess Sparkle...:

But it doesn't alter the fact that 6 Basenjis were supplied by the Story Book Kennel, some of them male !

One other article about the film identifies two of the other dogs used as “My Lord of the Congo,” and “Flageolet of the Congo,” so Veronica Tudor-Williams breeding, and also states that " “My Lady,” however, did most of the scenes."

Sorry for the thead hijack, JENGOSMonkey!

[JENGOSMonkey]

I forgot to post this one. I took it a week or so ago and sent it to Stella. Told her I was on my way to the market...

[Kembe]

@jengosmonkey
LOL! This photo made me chuckle! I’d take the WHOLE BASKET of these pups!️

[eeeefarm]

Priceless! (free, right?)

[Zande]

When I had a summer litter, I'd pop all six of them into a big black garden bucket and carry them around the house to play on the lawns. So cute ! I'm sure you'd have had many offers and got a good price, Greg !

[JENGOSMonkey]

May be my favorite Basenji puppy pic ever...

[elbrant]

[Kembe]

@jengosmonkey
Precious! ️🥰

[JENGOSMonkey]

Pups continue to grow. They're much stronger and a lot more agile... sure footed. Although, they still do the puppy face plant if their feet can't keep up with their bodies. Everyone's ears are fully perked up now. Noses are nearly entirely black. Tails are curled and some are starting a second loop. Everyone has teeth and they are so happy to share them with me. They demonstrate that fact on my nose, ears, fingers, hands, wrists, ankles, toes, shirt buttons, etc.

We've spent this week on "NO BITING THE MONKEY!!!!" Some have figured it out pretty quickly. Others have to be reminded. They're making great progress. Most are not afraid to walk on the tile anymore. All have visited the backyard, have felt concrete and grass, have smelled redwood trees, and have felt the sun.

Princess Sparkle is feeding them less and less as we've shifted to kibble. We've scaled her meals back, but it's been a balancing act. Enough to keep meat on her bones, but not so much that she continues to produce tons o milk. I think we've finally found the balance. She still checks in on them, but she's really kind of let us step in to clean up, feed and play. We've had several friends stop by to handle and play with the pups to get them even more socialized. Sparkle's been a bit cautious but has only given one visitor a small growl. Good mama.

All the pups have distinct personalities and I love them all. I think every one of them will make fantastic people pets. I'll let Stella determine who may be a good show dog. I'm just not qualified to make that call. That said... I do have favorites in terms of temperament, energy, cuddleability (if that's a word), confidence, coloring, etc. Each one has great qualities and it'll be fun for whoever the new owners are to discover and nurture them. I kinda hope that one or more of the new owners might join this forum, so we can watch them grow and thrive.

[Zande]

@jengosmonkey puppies who have had the start in life that you are giving this litter will be very well set up to engage superbly with new families ! They are very lucky little people and their new owners should be very grateful to you and Mrs Greg.
You have done an excellent job. Well done !

[JENGOSMonkey]

Dotto, Tank and Zowie... killing squirrels together...

When I grow up, I will be the King of outside...

[Kembe]

@jengosmonkey
Thanks for posting these great photos - I look forward to the Sparkle pup photos. The pups are so cute! It’s amazing how much they have changed in such a short period of time. BTW - Love your entry mat! ️🥰

[JENGOSMonkey]

This is everyone...

Greg, Peter, Bobby, Marsha, Jan and Cindy; or Tri Baby, Tank, Dotto, Zowie, Spike and PW...

[Kembe]

@jengosmonkey
That photoshould be on a postcard or greeting card!! So sweet!🥰️

[JENGOSMonkey]

I suppose I should wrap this puppy chapter up...

Kind of struggling with my feelings on this…
It’s been an incredible experience. Working with a tenured Basenji Breeding expert has given me invaluable insight in the breed. Especially the standard. I’m no expert now, but I think I can understand it better and talk about it now. I also believe I have much more appreciation for the choices breeders are faced with while selecting traits. Again, I’m no expert now, but I understand better.

I also appreciate the costs much better now. Showing to demonstrate a championship line (entry fees, lodging, and travel); veterinary exams, x-rays, dewclaws, etc.; OFA certifications (Fanconi, PRA, hip x-rays, etc.); infrastructure necessary to keep adults of opposite sex, whelp pups and keeps everyone safe, healthy and happy; food, supplements, vaccinations, etc.; time to socialize, train to show and live in a house with humas; and I know I’ve only scratched the surface. Breeding responsibly is costly. Selling puppies helps recover some costs, but I’m not seeing that income beginning to cover all of them.

Responsible breeders really are the champions for the breed. Think of your one dog. Think of the effort and love you invest to keep that dog thriving. Now multiply that by a factor of 10 or more. Day in, day out, week after week, which soon leads to years. As pet owners we’re lucky if we get 15 years with our pet. Some breeders have been doing this for more than 30! Add generations of selective breeding to create a line that supports the standard while expressing some personal taste within reason. The commitment and difficult decisions required to be a breeder are enormous. Something I’ve really come to appreciate more than I can adequately express.

Another side to breeding is purely emotional. At least for me it is. I loved breeding my two, watching Sparkle grow and give birth. I loved seeing them born, getting them breathing, cutting cords and seeing them nurse from mamma for the first time. Weighing them every day to ensure they were thriving. Sleeping next to the whelping box on a cot for the first three weeks. Watching their eyes and ears open. Watching them take their first steps. And watching their personalities emerge. It’s hard not to get attached. I couldn’t do it. I definitely got attached.

Logically I know all the reasons why I couldn’t keep six puppies or even one right now. Not the least of which is they’re not my puppies to keep. Emotionally it hurts to see a couple of them go. Neither were the best of the litter show or breeding wise, but damn… I loved their spirits so very much. I’ve had to come to terms with never seeing them again. For me… this is the part of breeding that hurts the most, for me. It’s just hard to let them go I guess.

I’m still enormously thankful for the opportunity. Just struggling a bit with my feelings about certain parts of it. Bye Tank, D’Otto, Zowie, and Spike, our beautiful piranha babies. I’ll get to see Tri Baby and PW again as it looks like Stella is going to hang on to them, which I love!

Meanwhile I remind myself that I still have Sparkle and Logan. Two champions and dogs I love very much. Sparkle has bounced back so well. She’s playing with Logan again big time. And, I think she and I have bonded much more, if that’s possible, having shared trust in one another during this journey together.

Maybe I’ll get my head back in the game and show Logan again soon. We still need 19 points and 2 majors to hit our goal. That may ease the sting a little. Till the next chapter… see you then.

[Kembe]

@jengosmonkey
Greg - thank you for sharing your journey with Sparkle and her pups. It was so exciting and I always looked forward to your posts and photos. I can’t imagine how hard it is to see the babies go.

[JENGOSMonkey]

@kembe Thank you so much. I had fun sharing the experience. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'll pick out a few more puppy pics to share soon.

[elbrant]

I think we all enjoyed this Greg! You did a great job sharing with us along the adventure. It might be the closest I will ever get to experiencing a litter from birth to home. Thank you!!

[JENGOSMonkey]

@Kembe, I thought I'd respond here to your question about how Sparkle dealt with separating from her puppies.

On a Friday morning a few weeks ago we cleaned up the puppy pen for the last time, fed the pups, played with them until they passed out, and then carefully loaded them into a crate already sitting in the car. I had the task of delivering the pups to their next interim home. I think I'd gotten about two blocks from my house when one of the females, Spike if I recall correctly, started crying. Then Tri Boy joined in. Then D'Otto. Crying and screaming went on for 45 solid nonstop minutes. At the same time the phone starts ringing. Everyone's curious about how we're fairing. I thought my head was going to explode. Nothing I could do but keep going.

My wife and I had discussed the subject prior to the trip and decided she would stay home with Sparkle. We were concerned she might become despondent and felt it best that one of us remain with her to provide comfort if she did. She didn't. In fact, once I'd left with all her puppies, she could not have cared less. She was done. I could hear her thinking "Ahhhh! A day off. A spa day without the bath or nails. Finally. My day." My wife said that continued for the rest of the day.

The next morning was different. She'd slept with my wife on the big bed that previous night. Once Sparkle woke up, she stretched, yawned and moved to edge of the bed. She dropped off the edge then headed for the stairs. She meandered downstairs and into the family room, which was now empty. No whelping box, no heat lamps, no cameras, no puppy crate, no puppy pen, no puppy toys and... no puppies. This is when it finally dawned on her what had happened. She raced back upstairs, jumped up onto the bed and began whining while doing the frantic dance. My wife was able to settle her down and provide distractions pretty quickly, so she snapped out of it pretty fast.

I returned late the next day. I pulled everything out of the car and stacked towels and crate pad covers on the laundry room counter. The next morning my wife went into the laundry room, saw the pile and decided to throw everything into the wash. Sparkle had followed her in. Sparkle immediately smelled puppies! She was excited! My wife felt bad throwing the things into the wash, but whadaya gonna do?

Fast forward a few weeks. My wife and I went to visit the puppies one last time before they went off to their forever homes. Of course, we were all over the puppies and they were all over us. When we got home Sparkle smelled them on us. She would not leave me alone. I finally took the shirt off and placed it on the floor next to the couch. Sparkle would not leave the shirt alone. The next morning, she pulled it out of the laundry basket and was still sniffing it incessantly. I should, but I haven't washed that shirt yet.

Other than that, Sparkle is doing fantastic! She doesn't hate Logan anymore. She's happy. She plays hard with Logan racing through the house. She's excited to go on long walks again. She looks fantastic! I could take her into a ring today and she would place well. So she's back!