| Ginny's Jazz Quintet - 6/9/2008 |
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| HSDAA Jr & NAKC Int'l Ch Elfin Just In Time "Maximus" |
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| AKC Ch Elfin Sweet Virginia Breeze "Ginny" |
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This is Ginny's first litter. She was 2 last September and has passed all her health testing and certifications which can be verified at OFA (www.offa.org) This is Max's 2nd litter. His first litter, with Pala, produced five beautiful pups with outstanding personalities. I expect no less with this litter. Max has passed all his health testing. Because he is not yet two, his hip results are not on the OFA site but we have his prelim report...hips are rated GOOD.
Because we do progesterone testing to pinpoint ovulation, we knew that Ginny's due date was June 9th, 2008 and she was right on time. She delivered her first pup just before 7AM and the last one a bit after 9AM. She had an easy delivery and took to mothering like a seasoned pro. 4 boys and 1 girl. The theme for this litter is musical...Jazz singers/musicians. Hopefully once they find their voices, they will sing on key and in perfect harmony! The first week has gone by peacefully...and we are pleased to present, Ginny's Jazz Quintet!
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| Week 1...we are 5 days old! |
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Week Two in the Studio!
Another week has flown by in the Jazz studio. The little musicians are still resting up, getting ready for the big tour. Their coats are growing, soft and silky and, eyes are starting to open (little sleepyheads are taking their sweet time!) They continue to be very uniform in size ranging from 1lb to 1lb 3oz. Ginny is being a very good mother, keeping the babies neat and tidy and very well fed (lil fat pups...maybe I should have named one Fats...grin.)
This was a very busy week in Elfinland as we had a big Silk Dog show in Richmond last weekend so it's good that the puppies had a quiet week. Aunties Penny and Pearlie both finished their HSDAA Certified Championships and Pearlie was Best Opposite with an entry of over 40 dogs!
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| Reach for the sky, Louis! |
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| Ginny's Jazz Quartet, warming up. |
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Week 3 and we are growing!
We will be three weeks old tomorrow morning and BOY, have we changed! Last night we moved out of the whelping box (the studio) into the Green Room in preparation for our big debut next weekend! Our eyes are wide open and the wonders that we see all around are very interesting. We have TOYS and our first blankie to wrap up in AND, most exciting, our very own toilet! Yes, we are big puppies now and we know how to get OUT of bed before pottying. If you don't believe me, look below and you can see the proof's in the peeing! Our coats are growing and we are very shiny. We are starting to get ruffled collars (hey, musicianas gotta wear way cool clothes, you know!) Before you know it we'll be on stage and also playing our first outdoor concert (5 part harmony howls of 'where ARE we...it's really BIG out here!") Maybe Doc will make a video and put it on You Tube...hahaha.
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| The Jazz Quintet in the Green Room |
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| Jolson & Louie warming up...etc. |
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Week 4, already??
We are going to be FOUR weeks old tomorrow! We are growing out our silky coats in bits and pieces. Little cowlicks and spikes are springing out on our bodies...very funny and great targets to grab and pull on our brothers and sis.
We wrestle and growl like big, scary dogs, but it doesn't scare anyone...we sound like cats purring. We can wag and our tails are sticking up and we got our feet bottoms clipped so we don't slip on the potty pads.
Doc gave us something she called "food" today but, to us it looked like paint...so we walked in it and wallowed in it and drew neat designs on the potty pads...we sort of ate a little of it (what kid hasn't eaten fingerpaint, right?) Mama Ginny is getting a little tired of us as we are like little milk vampires when she gets within range...we can dry her out pretty quickly so we'd better learn to eat soon!
We were going to move into the kitchen this weekend but we decided that we'd stay here in pre-school for a couple of more days til we learn to paint within the lines (ie, get the food INTO us instead of all OVER us!) In the meantime we're warming up our pipes and polishing our instruments in preparation for the big concert!
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| The Quintet chillin' out. |
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| Creative talents...pawpainting class! |
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| Quintet reminder board. |
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Five weeks...we jus' keep on growing!!
Yup, tomorrow we will be five weeks old and boy, have we been busy puppies! We moved out of the green room and onto center stage and we've already given our first concert! We took one look around the new, strange place and the AUDIENCE...whew, big hairy dogs (everything is relative) and we did an acapella howl in 5 part harmony! It took us about 5 minutes to realize that we were in a FUN place...room to run around, toys to play with and lots of friends sticking their noses into our business. We are the main attraction at Elfin Acres. Our half sister, Cidra is just fascinated with us. She tries so hard to play with us but, luckily for us, we're in protective custody cause Cidra can play rough.
When we first moved out here, the whole stage was covered with piddle pads (in case we got stage fright...haha) but we're already past that. We have a litter pan (stage right) a dressing room (stage left) and only a couple of pads so we don't have to walk so far to the bathroom. This place is FUN! And we have catered meals, too...we are eating more cause Mama Ginny is finding other places to be besides with us...hmmm. She likes to sit on top of the dressing room, just out of reach...not nice to tease little puppies so when she does come in, we attack her and hang on for dear life! We got our feet trimmed and nails cut...again! And some of us got sort of baths....that's where unmentionables are washed off certain parts of your rear...the dryer didn't even scare us...we are brave little jazz stars...way cool!
We had lots of visitors today... it was fun and we weren't the least bit shy about showing off. Doc even gave us a little girl to play with and we gummed her really good cause we don't have teeth yet. She was a very good sport about it.
We saw our first toddler...he wore a leash just like a puppy...he was gentle and his big sisters were very happy to see us.
They're going to come back in a couple of weeks so we can play with them outside and run like nuts. Check us out...we are all fitted out with luxurious fur coats now!
The Jazz Quintet of very hip puppies.
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| Cidra and the Quintet |
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| Pearlie wants our dinner!! |
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| Our Stage Photos! |
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6 weeks old..can you believe it?
It's Sunday and tomorrow we are going to be SIX weeks old. That means we have our morning weigh in and get another dose of yummy worm medicine (not that we would think about having icky worms but it's da law. We've had a lot of fun this week. We get to go outside every day. It's been really hot so our favorite place is to dive under the porch steps where it's shady. Today Willie was there first so we played with him. Willie is a ginormous fat black/white cat. He's sort of nice to us unless we get "out of line" (as opposed to keeping 'in line'. He nips us if we're naughty. Today Louis got it...poor Louis.
Guess what WE GOT...TEETH! Now we can really chomp on stuff. No more gummy bears, we're grrrrrrrrizzlies now! We can eat big kids' food. Doc still soaks it for us and now she has to lock our gate cause Mama Ginny jumps in and takes candy from the babies...bad mama. Course while she's stealing our food, we belly up to the milk bar. We have to be very fast now cause she eats and runs...not very polite, huh!
We had a visitor this weekend who played with us but she left today and she TOOK big Sis, Cidra with her...tha's ok with us cause Cid plays ROUGH. Cid went to Cincinnati...but she'll probably come back to visit in the Fall. She said she was gonna be a SHOW dog. What's the big deal...we're the Jazz Quintet...we're ALL show dogs...warm up those trumpets and vocal cords...we be jammin'!
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| Making sweet music together! |
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Week 7 - tuning up!
We'll be 7 weeks old tomorrow and we've been rehearsing really hard for our big concert. We can sing in FIVE part harmony now! We've spent more time playing outside this week and graduated to the really big backyard. We love to play under the deck where it's shady and red clay is way COOL. Last week we got some poopy butts and Doc said we needed medicine for coccidia (Doc: Coccidia is a parasite found in the soil that commonly affects pups when they are weaning and exposed to the soil outside. Two fecals did not yet reveal it but the smell is pretty characteristic so we treated with Albon and poops are back to normal now.) and we really love it...yummy! We feel fine and are eating like little piggies. Doc likes to cook for us but we prefer plain ol' Proplan Puppy...go figure.
We are doing great with our potty habits. We really do prefer to 'go' outside. Tonight Jolson was in the litter pan trying to get farther away and complaining about it so Doc took him outside and he pottied in the grass like a 'big' boy. Whenever we go outside we all potty right away. Next weekend we get to go on the road....guess we're going to our first big gig! We're going to Lexington to do our portfolio photoshoot. Doc calls them 'soapshots'...we'll sing and turn it into a soap opera! Then we get to take a test to see if we have aptitude...we have lots of attitude, that's for sure!
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| The Quintet Outdoors |
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Week 8...big doings here!
It was a big week for the Quintet...on Sat they had their very first ROAD TRIP! We packed up and headed for Lexington, VA to visit Bill & Diane Klumb for Soaped evaluations. They traveled very well, spending a fair amount of time warming up their pipes...Nina is a Soprano...and LOUD. I don't know if you've seen that You Tube video of the guy singing a litter of Boxers to sleep with "Good Night, Sweetheart" but I was getting desperate. I'd tried Leonard Cohen and Bob Marley, both of which only cause the pups to redouble their efforts and volume so I started singing. Unbelievable...by the 40th repitition they quieted down and finally fell asleep. Blessed relief! When we arrived, they all went into the little pyramid pen, pottied, had a drink then played and relaxed in the grass. Bill and Diane were impressed with how well behaved they were...and quiet. I think they'd just used up all the songs they knew! They were great for their baths, posed nicely for their soap shots then were cooperative for drying. On the way home they just slept...worn out babies!
On Sunday, we had visitors...LOTS of visitors. First Marsha came over and we did the Puppy Aptitude Test. Each litter has it's own 'signature' dynamics and, if I had to find one word to describe the Quintet it'd be 'thoughtful'. With each exercise, you could almost see them thinking...observing and then deciding how they would react to it. Example is the first exercise...the tester puts the puppy down, backs away a few feet then tries to get the puppy to come to her. The one who took the most time was Louis...he sat there, looked at her, listened to her, cocked his head this way, then that way, finally decided she was 'ok' and happily went to her. Same with the 2nd where the tester walks away and calls the pup to follow. He sat there for a few seconds then "Ok...here I come" and followed her happily around. To some degree, all the pups were similar...relaxed for restraint, social, sight, sound, touch stable...I was delighted with them. Considering that Pala's Players were a tough act to follow, that is really saying something!
In the afternoon, two of their families came to visit and find out which pup would be theirs...both were very happy with their chosen pups. In addition we had new visitors who came to meet the dogs to see if a Silk Dog would suit them. The Elfin ambassadors were on their best behavior and it appears that Silks are in their future! The pups and I will all sleep well tonight...tired!
Thurs they will go to my office to get their first puppy shots and BAER testing. We're waiting for Thurs so they don't have to stay at the office all day long cause Thurs is a half day for me. The following are some photos I took yesterday...nothing fancy or I'll be up all night...the pups are cute enough without the glitz...grin.
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| Basie and Miles run! |
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| Jolson &Nina wrestle. |
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| 4 out of 5 ain't bad. |
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| Louis on the move. |
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| Miles on watch |
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| Nina in the grass |
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| Jolson in flight |
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| Let Sleeping Puppies Lie! |
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Week 9! This has been another big, busy week for the Quintet. This was 'graduation' week cause next week we leave to go on tour! Friday we went to Doc's office and her technician, Stephanie, played with us and helped us relax while Doc stuck needles in our heads and played weird alien space music in our ears. The good news is that we can all HEAR! The bad news is we were able to hear the icky 'music'. Yuck! After the BAER test, Steph gave us yummy liver treats so we didn't even know that we got our first shots...what shots? Didn't feel a thing! Doc uses tiny lil needles so they don't hurt. Then we got that yummy wormer that tastes like a milk shake.
The weather has been good this week and we just love to go outside...we run and play and chase the cats. Pala is our nanny...she likes to run and play with us (maybe she misses her kids) and she teaches us good stuff like how to come arunnin' when Doc or Richi calls us. Doc says we are the best little puppies and it's TRUE. We never try to jump out of the transport cart, we come when we are called (unless there is something 'mo interestin' out there...haha) and we sit politely waiting our turn to get in the cart.
We are trying really hard to pee in the right place. We got pooping down pat..in the pan. But, the boys among us sometimes only get their front feet in the pan to pee...ooops, close, but no cigar! We are getting better, though, so Doc is using a lot of puppy litter! Our new families are coming to get us next weekend...it's a little scary but we're going to be brave little troopers when we go on tour. Me, Nina, is not leaving yet...Doc says I can stay a little while longer and if I work really hard at running (she says she's running me on...whatever that means) I don't hafta leave but can be a hometown girl. I'm gonna really try and I won't miss my brothers...boys drool, girls rule!
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Week 10...where did it go?
Well, week 10 came...almost. The four male members of the Quintet hit the road for their big tour the weekend before they became 10 weeks old. Miles (Max) and Jolson left on Friday and Basie and Louis on Sunday. Little Nina was left to hold down the fort and she is doing great playing to a hometown audience. At first, when she realized that she was ALL alone, Nina Simone was singing the blues but, by Monday she was running with the big dogs, using the dog door and finding her place in the pack (at the bottom...grin.) The boys are getting rave reviews in their new venues...what a wonderful bunch of puppies this was to raise! Each litter has a dynamic of its own and if I had to sum up the Quintet in one word, it'd be mellow. In fact, Nina is named Elfin Nina Fine And Mellow. May it always be so! This concludes this episode of Ginny's Jazz Quintet. Look for another puppy page at the end of Sept when Ms Pearlie, the Diva, is expected to present us with our third, and last, litter of the year.
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| Ginny's Jazz Quintet...most mellow |
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