Tori’s babies have their eyes open and are up on their feet – wobbly but making their way around the pen to find their mom wherever she may be. They are making little squeaks and growls – this is the fun stage where they sound like little chipmonks.
We will be starting solids in a few days – let the new sensations begin 🙂
For those who know me well, I have had a journey of ups and downs in my cavalier king charles breeding program. I have had many missed pregnancies, and re-absorbed puppies or puppies that have been DOA. Breeding is not for the faint of heart at the best of times, but sometimes it feels like the stars are not alinging.
Miss Tori is almost 3, and fully health tested. This was her first litter, and between you and me, she isnt the best eater. I was not sure how pregnancy would go for her. Surprisingly she took to pregnancy quite well and was looking rather round. I suspected maybe 6 on board.
Cavaliers are a little sneaky and like to give birth on day 58-61 rather than waiting the full 63 days, so when she started to show some signs of digging and restlessness on day 60 I watched her even closer than I had been before.
I slept overnight beside her, but it wasn’t until Tuesday that it seemed like things were kicking into gear. She didn’t want me to leave her side and wanted to pee frequently – both favorable signs.
The snood around her ears protects her ears from getting tangled/mucky during the birth process.
Around 9pm she started to push actively and at 9:20pm we had our first baby – a little girl
by 10:15pm she had her second little girl
By this stage I was surprised we got 2 blenheims – so when baby girl 3 came and it was a tri, I was so excited – another girl
I was starting to think maybe we were going to have a litter of all girls, but no baby 4 was a boy
Then another blen boy at 12:15
And one final boy arrived just after 1.
Tori was an absolute rockstar and already loves her babies – she licks them and pushes them close to her.
It was a lovely spring day (yes, I am excited that it is officially spring) and so we took some photos in the green garden.
These little cavalier pups are heading to their first opthlamologist appointment this week to have an eye check – then they will see a cardiologist too. This is standard procedure for all Kazuri cavalier puppies so we have all the information we need before they set off to their forever homes.
These pups have the most amazing families waiting to bring these sweet little pups home.
Pipers little Manny is 6 weeks old and Ruby’s girls Mistletoe and Holly are 5 weeks old. They are enjoying three meals a day and are getting very good at using their potty box, so their play area is staying nice and clean.
It is fun to see their little personalities starting to emerge. Manny is very outgoing – he has started to growl which sounds like a little trill from a chipmonk. He thinks he is very tough, but melts when you pick him up.
Mistletoe and Holly have started to play too, but are much more laid back than their “brother”. I think Holly is the most laid back right now, but that can easily change as they are exposed to new experiences coming up.
We play movies for them through the day – Jurassic park, Transformers, Saving Private Ryan – anything with loud, strange sounds so they think those noises are normal and not scary.
I am so pleased with these sweet babies – I am so thankful they are healthy and happy little ones.
I am so proud of Mr Charlie who won WD/BOW on Friday under judge Yvonne Savard and then reserve on Saturday on Mrs. Carol C Sommerfelt and then WD again on Sunday under judge Mr. Gary Stiles.
Charlie (Kazuri’s The Mystery of Hope) is owned by me (Sarah Sweetman) and was bred by Becky Smith & Sue Savage Green. I am very thankful to them for trusting me with this sweet boy. Thank you to Cheyenne from Sirius handling for taking Charlie to these shows when I couldn’t attend.
Phoenix and Watson’s pups are now 7 weeks old. It rained a bit this weekend so I figured this was a perfect time to do their blue chair photos – and they didn’t disappoint me 🙂
Phoenix’s cavalier boys are growing up so fast now – they are eating 3 meals a day and still nursing as much as Phoenix will allow – we can tell she doesn’t really want to as much anymore so the weaning process is happening slowly but in a healthy way.
I took the boys outside for their photos – the blossoms falling are so pretty right now and everything is so green and vibrant. Spring in the PNW is so pretty
The cavalier king charles babies are thriving and we are starting to see some personalities emerge as they are starting to explore their baby pen. They are beginning to make little growls and trills – I love this stage.
What an INCREDIBLE year indeed. Here is a recap of it all. I have SO much to be thankful for – most of all for my beagle and cavalier community – I couldn’t have done any of this without you all.
Nick – MBIS MBISS GCHP Kazuri’s All I Want For Christmas CGC TKN ATT finished the year as the #1 15 inch beagle for the 2nd year. He was recognized at the 2023 National Beagle Club as People’s Choice as voted by fellow breeders. He is in semi-retirement and will show in select shows in 2024 and beyond. We are also thrilled that he had 6 more of his progeny finish their CH titles and several others are close to finishing. These six gives him 12 CH get already. I am so thankful to the breeders who incorporated Nick into their program and am excited to see what happens next.
We had several champion beagles
McKinley – CH Kazuri’s Aint No Mountain High Enough (CH The Whims Legato x CH Hailstorm’s Feeling A Little Foxy at Kazuri)
Callie – CH Kazuri’s Everything’s Sugar N Spice (CH Bill T’s Rush to Alpenglow X CH Kazuri’s Everythings Coming Up Roses). She finished in the 13 inch TOP 20 for 2023
Murphy – CH Kazuri’s Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (CH Bill T’s Rush to Alpenglow X CH Kazuri’s Everythings Coming Up Roses) – lovingly owned by Sarah Smith-Falkner and Sarah Sweetman
Darwin – CH Kazuri’s While Dreams of Finches Danced In His Head (MBIS MBISS GCHP Kazuri’s All I Want For Christmas CGC TKN ATT X CH Kazuri’s Dreaming of An Emmy)
Buck – CH Kazuri’s Call of the Wild (GCH Van-Mar N Kazuri Brewin’ Up Trouble X CH Kazuri’s Feeling The Siren’s Call)
Ivy – CH Kazuri’s Tangled Up In Trouble (GCH Van-Mar N Kazuri Brewin’ Up Trouble X CH Kazuri’s Feeling The Siren’s Call)
Nova – CH Kazuri’s All I Want is a Supernova (MBIS MBISS GCHP Kazuri’s All I Want For Christmas CGC TKN ATT X Hailstorms Alouette)
Johnny Rose – CH JoyfulNoise N Kazuri Keeping Up With the Roses (BISS GCH Van-Mar The Duke of Hazzard X CH Kazuri’s Keeping Up Appearances) – bred with Dolly from Joyful Noise
Audrey – CH Rosehound’s Brown Eyed Girl at Kazuri (MBIS MBISS GCHP Kazuri’s All I Want For Christmas CGC TKN ATT X CH Foxtail’s Fast Curves) – bred by Bonnie and William Farrell and owned by Bonnie Farrell and Sarah Sweetman
And a Cavalier King Charles Champion also
Stevie – CH Kazuri’s You Are the Sunshine of My Life (CH Angels Pride Zakkary X LoKazuri Star Fourth In Line)
And a First time achievement for Sarah
I also won my first (personal) specialty show with Dutch (BISS GCH Van-Mar N Kazuri Brewin Up Trouble) bred by myself (Sarah Sweetman) and Chelsea Metteer and lovingly owned by Sarah Smith-Falkner, Sarah Sweetman and Chelsea Metteer. While my dogs have achieved this before, this was the first time I have been at the end of the leash for it.
I am so grateful for an incredible year of achievements. Let’s go 2024!!
