A Guest Blog from Ari Katz on His Dog's Puppies
So many of you comment on how much you love seeing photos of my four dogs - my Chow Chows, Champion Empress Qin and Emperor Han, and my French Bulldogs, Creme Brûlée and Bête Noire. I always enjoy sharing updates on them and I'm happy to report, they're all doing very well. Many of you also comment on how much you enjoy seeing photos of puppies, especially those of my young friend, Ari Katz. Ari is a very serious and passionate dog fancier. He enjoys breeding, raising, and showing champion Labrador Retrievers. Here is an update on his dogs and their babies.
This past winter, I decided to breed one of my dogs, Kima, to a male named Daniel. It is very important before you even decide to breed a dog to consider all perspectives. This includes veterinarian care for pregnant dogs and the litter of puppies plus all of the proper preliminary tests and clearances both sire and dam should have before getting bred. Foundations, such as the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA), are set up to help ensure the longevity and health of each breed. Responsible Labrador Retriever breeders X-ray their dogs’ elbows and hips for dysplasia along with getting echocardiograms done to ensure their dogs do not have congenital heart disease or any heart murmurs. Breeders like myself will also get their dogs' eyes examined by an ophthalmologist once a year to make sure our dogs do not have any abnormalities in the eyelids, cornea, uvea, or lens. Finally, good stud dogs (Daniel included) are tested for an array of genetic diseases such as Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC), the dilute gene, copper toxicosis, and many others. Dogs who pass all of these exams and clearances should only be considered for breeding. To breed a dog without these clearances or to purchase a puppy from a breeder who does not test their dogs can hurt the breed and lead to an unhealthy dog in the long run.
Equally as important in selecting which dogs to breed or puppies to purchase is temperament. Temperament is so important in breeding dogs because you are responsible for passing down the next generation of pets, service animals, companions, or show dogs. It is crucial that breeders only keep dogs that exhibit temperaments that are appropriate for the breed. Labradors, for instance, must exhibit a friendly, outgoing demeanor with both their kennel mates and all people. A Labrador should neither be shy nor aggressive. One must research the breed’s temperament and ask the right questions.
Enjoy these photos, and to learn more about my Labradors, my kennel, and my puppies, please visit www.aklabradors.com. For more information on dogs, the sport of showing them, how to find a reputable breeder, and articles about dog care and training, visit the American Kennel Club.
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- Here is Daniel, Paradocs AK’s Daniel, bred by my mentor Karen Helmers and myself. Daniel is 18 months old and will soon start his show dog career with his handler, Julie.
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- This is Kima, CH Gallivant RoundAbout. Kima, as some of you might remember, was shown at Westminster Kennel Club’s show in 2021 and won a Judge’s Award of Merit. Kima is a daughter of Safari, my college roommate and loyal companion.
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- This is a beautiful photo of Kima’s head. A Labrador, according to the standard, should have a head that possesses “’kind’ friendly eyes, expressing character, intelligence and good temperament.” Kima has a lovely head and beautiful almond-shaped, brown eyes.
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- Here is Kima just minutes before going into labor and whelping her puppies. Typically, a female dog’s temperature will drop and she will become restless – carrying towels around a house into a dark space, digging at area rugs, and will typically not eat breakfast or dinner the day they whelp. It is important to get an X-ray done a few days before the expected delivery date so you know how many puppies to be expecting. If an X-ray shows seven puppies, but only six have come out, a c-section may be needed in case the last puppy is having difficulty. Kima’s X-ray showed eight puppies – the exact number she had. Whelping puppies is very stressful, but incredibly rewarding. Once Kima went into labor, I called my friend Kristen to come over and help me. Together we made a great team.
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- I laid out my whelping supplies so Kristen and I could easily access whatever we needed. There is an umbilical cord cutter, iodine to put on the cut umbilical cord, hemostats to clamp the umbilical cord, warming discs to place puppies on once they are born, and dental floss to tie off their umbilical cords. It is very important to keep all supplies sterile and your workstation clean because you never know when the next puppy is coming.
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- These are some of the first-born puppies. They are sleeping on a heated pad while Kima continues to whelp. It is also important to put an identifying mark or collar on the puppies to compare their weights and other developments daily. A puppy should be gaining 10 to 15 percent of its initial body weight per day. It is alright (and not atypical) for puppies to lose weight during the first 48 hours, but after that, they should be steadily gaining weight.
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- These five puppies had some milk while Kima was taking a break from whelping. Letting puppies nurse while their mother is in labor naturally produces oxytocin, a hormone that stimulates labor and contractions.
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- This is an adorable picture of “Green Boy” feeling around Kima’s snout. Puppies are born with their eyes shut and cannot hear until about 14 days old.
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- Here are the puppies at nine days old. They have already grown so much and are thriving. Each puppy gained its appropriate amount of weight and grew just as a healthy puppy should. For the first two weeks, puppies are fed every two hours. Because I am a college student and have classes to attend, Carmen, who helps in my kennel, feeds the puppies at night and watches them while I am at school.
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- “Maroon Girl” is exhausted after her full meal! Note how I keep my puppies’ nails short. It is a good idea to cut the puppy’s nails regularly as it helps expose them to nail cutting at an early age.
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- In this picture, the puppies are almost two weeks old. They are still nursing regularly, and Kima is still being an excellent and attentive mother.
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- Here the puppies are almost three weeks of age. Their eyes have opened, they have begun to hear noises, and have started walking and rolling around.
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- At three weeks I begin feeding my puppies kibble. These dishes are designed specifically for puppies so they do not eat too fast or knock over the dish. In each dish, there is a cup and a half of kibble. I let it soak in very hot water for five to seven minutes before feeding it to them at this age because their teeth are not developed yet.
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- This is my favorite thing to watch: mealtime. The puppies are quick in getting to their food dishes!
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- The heads on “Blue Boy” and “Maroon Girl” are quite nice. Although they are wet from playing in their water dish. I am very excited to continue to observe these puppies grow and see who I may keep as show dogs. The others go to great pet homes.
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- These health records are very important in keeping track of the puppies’ vaccines and deworming schedules. I send these records home with all my purchased puppies. My puppies are also examined by my vet, Stephen Stang, DVM, before going to their new homes to ensure there are no health concerns.
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- This is Gabby, my young yellow Lab – she wants some attention too.
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- In addition to my litter of Labradors, I recently purchased a Whippet from my friends Justin and Cheslie Smithey of Pinnacle Farm and Kennel. Justin and Cheslie bred Whiskey and Bourbon – two of the highest winning Whippets of all time. Bourbon won Reserve Best in Show at Westminster Kennel Club twice along with winning more than 100 Best in Shows. Whiskey won The National Dog Show and the AKC National Championship – as did Bourbon. Here is my whippet, Maddy, CH Pinnacle Drop of Whiskey, with Justin. Maddy is 18 months old. I flew to Georgia to pick her up in February.
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- Maddy has been a great addition to my family. She loves running with the Labradors and is very affectionate.
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- This is a funny photo of Maddy I took one morning.
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- I hope you have all enjoyed this blog and found it informative. It is my priority in breeding these dogs to produce healthy and happy dogs that will advance the Labrador Retriever as a breed. If you have any questions, please visit my website: www.aklabradors.com.
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