Profile on Willis Mc Parti

Hello,

Many people who visit here or check out our website will comment on the 'pretty brown and white' doodle who lives with us. I thought you might enjoy a commentary on Willis and why she is not part of our breeding program even though she is well tested.

Education of the public on breeding philosophies can be a dangerous subject to write about, because it is such a personal choice. There is no right or wrong - just 'selective options'.

With Willis, I was very excited as she continued to pass each and every test so very well. Her coat is fabulous - a perfect fleece coat with a lovely crimped wave; her colors were such a surprise and delight; her confirmation is very nice and the temperament on that dog could not be better. She is such a lovebug and grunts when you hug her. Training Willis was a joy with hardly any effort and there are very few dogs I could say is perfect on a leash, but she is.

What happened? A bit over a year old, I took her in for a routine heart check to get 'certified' - it was our last test before deciding on her breeding career. I about fell off the chair when my dear vet told me she had a 'heart murmur'. Normally, a heart murmur is not an issue on a puppy as the heart muscles continue to develop and most go away but not when they 'show up' at a year.

This lead me to visit a Canine Cardiologist. I went for three tests and it was finally confirmed as 'Metrial Valve Dysplasia'. This is a condition that allows the bottom ventricle to 'backwash' with blood (leak) and creates a thicker wall then normal. It stresses that portion of the heart muscle and typically results in a shorter life span. There is no cure and no operation is available. I made the heart rendering decision to spay my beautiful Willis and keep her as our dear pet for the rest of her life.

Willis, is by far, our most physical dog. She is fast as lightening, jumps 4 foot fences, fetches like an athlete and has incredible hunting instincts. She shows no symptoms of being at all incapacitated, which makes us all happy. However, she should not be bred as her condition COULD be passed onto her pups. No, not every pup would be affected but I could not in good conscience breed a dog KNOWING she has a condition.

There is no possible way that any breeder can guarantee that a pup of theirs will not develop a health issue. In my opinion, there is a huge difference in producing pups from a dog WITH a condition.

WE HAVE A MATING! Yeay!!!!!

My vet called me today with Maple's progesterone numbers done yesterday. He said 'Breed! Breed! as they were 10.8 ng. That means Maple has finally ovulated and is prime for a mating.

I was a bit hesitant about Coriander being able to 'do his duty' and had 'Rumple' on standby, but this little guy performed with gusto! At the end of it all, both were smiling and quite pleased with themselves.

Let's keep our fingers crossed for a healthy litter sometime in February! Good going little man!!

An EXCITING new stud comes to Annabelle Doodles!

As a responsible breeder who frowns upon inbreeding, I feel it is necessary to contribute actively to the development of unrelated lines so the Labradoodle can someday stand on its own merits. I do this NOT to join the ranks of any organization like the AKC (American Kennel Club), but instead to hopefully prevent the future of this hybrid from falling into the same fate as our pure breeds.

I am sure many of you have read that the Australian Labradoodle is comprised of a minimum of three breeds used specifically for either temperament, size, color and/or coat type. Some of the mini and medium sized doodle lines were outcrossed with pure Spaniel types which include the American Cocker, English Cocker and Irish Water Spaniels. Later in this process of development, another popular hybrid called the 'Spoodle' (Australian name for a Cockapoo) was used to set the type further. Although these hybrids were introduced to improve a trait on the originals; - none of the reasons were more important than for the hybrid vigor that occurred. Without hybrid vigor, the Labradoodle will face the same end as most of our AKC breeds. The more times you keep breeding 'the same lines to the same lines', or close stud books, the more you increase the percentages of strengthening the good genes as well as the bad ones. By outcrossing to other breed types, you are able to 'dilute' common genetic issues that affect both health and temperament.

The American Labradoodle, which is only comprised of the AKC Poodle and AKC Labrador is the original Labradoodle hybrid. This is what Wally Conran created for a blind woman whose husband had allergies. Although Wally was successful in providing a non-shedding service dog to his client, his future endeavors were not and he sold some of the original stock to Australian breeders who further developed the Labradoodle by outcrossing to other breeds and the name 'Australian Labradoodle' was born. The beautiful, gentle, sweet natured, but shedding Labrador was only used once as a foundation parent. To my knowledge, the Labrador was never, ever bred into the Australian lines again like the pure Poodle and Spaniel types were.

When you look at the Australian Labradoodle, you can definitely see where repeated breed infusions have occurred. Too much of the Poodle influence shows particularly in the coat with tight curls and thickness. (see Maple Sugar) Although this type of coat is great for allergy sufferers, it is a costly upkeep. Another indicator is the narrow skull with a long, pointy nose. The body is rectangular rather than more square and their boning can be too light.

Those lines infused with the Spaniels/Cockapoo have a much different look. They are more 'boxy' with thicker boning and have a shorter, square snout. (see Willis and Rumple) Their heads are broader and many of their coats have a softer feel and loopy-er, not tightly spun curls. Most do not have an undercoat. Although smaller in size than the standard Australian Labradoodle, they are not fragile looking like a Toy or Mini Poodle. They tend to be less 'yappy' than backcrossing to pure AKC mini Poodles as well. You cannot deny the intelligence and beauty of the Poodle; however, it has always been my choice to pick and raise dogs from breeding stock which included more hybrid infusions than pure Poodles who tend to be heavily line bred.

So I searched for a well tested Cockapoo which was daunting because very little testing (if any at all) are done on this hybrid. Although the coat, color(s) and hybrid vigor of Cockapoos did make them a worthy addition to the Australian Labradoodle, I feel it is unethical to bring a breed into a line without a complete health testing protocal. A responsible breeder should stringently test all breeding foundation stock whether Cockapoo or Labradoodle or any other infusion breed for that matter.

To this end, my co-partner and I have had the good fortune to purchase a Cockapoo stud for infusions with some of our curlier/Poodle coated Australian/Multigen Labradoodle females. We are delighted to introduce 'CORIANDER' of Annabelle Doodles & Ocean State Labradoodles.

Coriander and Maple Sugar will have a litter available for homes in May of '09. The litter will consists of apricots, apricot-red and creams. I am also expecting some pups to have white markings and possibly partis as well. It is an exciting time!! :+)

'Cori' has been fully tested with qualifying scores and will be used in both our programs to improve coat, body type and promote the development of new foundation Multigen Labradoodle lines. His very desirable size of 16 1/2 inches and 27 lbs. is such a plus as he can be used for both our large mini and medium girls. Coriander has a wonderful, non-shedding, wavy coat and is a mellow young man. Coriander gets along beautifully with all dogs no matter the gender or size. He has a gentle manner and passive nature.

The Australian Labradoodle is STILL developing and requires numerous new and unrelated lines in order for this hybrid to actually become a true breed. We are both thankful that the originators of our unique hybrid saw the wonderful traits the Spaniel and Cockapoo gene pool brought into the Australian Labradoodle.

Our matriarch retires along with her daugher.

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Miss Annabelle Potts was spayed and 'officially' retired from having any more puppies. It was a sad day for me because Annabelle loves having and rearing babies. She was a remarkable mom who always packed her whelping pool with all of her stuffed toys to welcome her babies into the world. It was the cutest thing ever - even though it made cleaning time twice as long!

In her breeding career, Annabelle had six litters - all of them beautiful and well loved by their owners. Once both she and her daughter Harriet Potter (also retired) shared rearing litters. At that time, Harriet had ten puppies and Annabelle one. Although Harriet was a bit miffed, Annabelle bathed in the glory of nursing not one but four pups! Harriet doesn't know how lucky she was to have a surrogate helping her with that huge litter! By four weeks old, both mother and daughter would be in the same pen offering 'dining services'. :+)

An amazing level of intelligence and wit abounds in Annabelle. As a puppy, she was certainly mischievous and I often wondered if she was smarter than I was! Taking her to puppy classes was pretty much a disaster as she would be car sick going, pooping in the class, would not stay still when asked and would bark. Oi vey! Perseverance is something I am blessed with and I would not give up. It was many months later at a romp in Massachusetts that I realized what a character I had for a doodle. At insistent urging, I competed in an Obedience Contest. Trust me, I did NOT want to do it knowing full well how awful we did when we attended puppy classes. During the competition, Annabelle did every command with aplomb! She beat out some very, VERY good doodles (those that are good ALL the time), and we came out with the Blue Ribbon. To this day, I am still confounded. LOL! What I did learn is that Annabelle behaves when she wants to show off! :+)

Annabelle has provided me with some lovely offspring and I am so grateful for that. They include my creamy velcro girl - 'Harriet Potter', a curly redhead named 'Maple Sugar', our beautiful apricot and white parti girl 'Clara Belle' and the silken black delight - 'Olive Oyl'. All but Harriet (retired) will hopefully carry on Annabelle's tradition of producing wonderfully intelligent puppies with personality and character.

To explain Harriet's early retirement - her uterus got an infection during her third whelp. To save her life, we did a C-section first and then had to remove the uterus at a second surgery. It was a difficult time for her and for me, but she has pulled through and is a happy, healthy pet who loves to sit on my lap and give me a face wash each evening. :+)

So here is a pic of both my retired 'leading ladies' that has made Annabelle Doodles what it is today. Thank you girls - you provide sunshine on even the grayest of days.

SPRING '09 puppies!

I am sitting here in the grey, cold, damp month of November and smiling because Maple is in heat - and if her breeding is successful, we will have flowers, green grass and bouncing puppies ready for their homes in the glorious month of May! Ahhh....what a sweet thought. :+)

Sometime this coming week, I will take her to our vet for a progesterone test to be sure of the ovulation . Then we will set up her 'dates' with Coriander, who is a 'gentleman in waiting'.

With this mating, I am expecting both very curly as well as soft wavy coats. Typically, the curly coats seem to be better for families with allergies. Those clients that do not have sensitivities tend to love the wavy coats. It is so nice to be able to offer prospective clients both. :+)

So, stay tuned as these events unfold. I simply cannot wait!!!!

CHARLIE HAS A NEW, WONDERFUL HOME!

Thank you to all that called, emailed, visited and inquired about our wonderful puppy, Charlie. He has been placed and I hope those of you who had so much love and care to give will find the pup of your dreams in the very near future.

Hugs to all of you for opening your arms, hearts and pocketbook! :+) Joyce

PARVO - A great read.

Hello!

I just followed this link to an excellent article about Parvo, breeders, exposure, etc. It is from another breeders site who has generously allowed us to use the link to help you understand the ramifications of Parvo exposure and how to prevent this horrible disease from attacking your pup.

Although my pups are here for a longer time than most facilities, they are not immune to a possible exposure. Use due diligence until that third puppy shot is received.

Please read this link, it could prevent you from a lot of heartache. Copy the link below and paste in your browser.

http://www.geocities.com/englishbulldogpup/parvo.html

:+) Joyce

FINALLY! New owner pics from our last litter.

First, let me apologize PROFUSELY for such a lapse in getting this done! It has just been kind of frantic around here with the upcoming wedding! So much to do! However, I have been getting some wonderful reports of how the pups are doing and it warms my heart. :+)

Marilyn and Hershie are so enjoying the antics of Kobie Potter. They tell me he is so good about going to his 'bedroom'. He is pottying rather well, except when they wait a bit too long to get him outside! He seems to love Bitter Apple, so I suggested hot Tobasco Sauce instead. His vet loves him and he is one happy boy!















A pictures says a thousand words, doesn't it? Barbara and her sweet dad, think Charlie is simply the best. Barbara tells me how thrilled she is to have Charlie in her life. Her dad visits often to see his 'best buddy' (and his daughter, of course!) LOL!















I truly don't know a more beautiful family than this one. From Mom and Dad to their 5 grown children - wow! :+) Nancy was so delighted that her children accompanied her willingly to visit the puppies and would sit on the floor with puppy tongues, teeth and tails frantically vying for attention! Couple that with the four 'big' dogs and you have doggie overload. What a great gang!! Lola is going to be some socialized puppy!















Yes, they are sure giggling! Who wouldn't be when puppy licks abound! Bailey will keep her little owner occupied for many an hour. My guess would be - 'who is going to be more tired.... Julia or Bailey????















What a lucky breeder I am to have had this family on my waiting list. One of my pups was just so shy and really needed a family that would take the extra mile to help him develop his confidence and here they were...ready, willing and able. :+) Marley is the light of this famiy's lives and he is doing wonderfully under their tender care and direction. Thank you, Yokens!















The Arnold's have another dog of mine named Lily and there was no question that Daisy would be the perfect companion for them and their curly-coated, black 'first furry child'. Nothing but smiles from this family! I sure hope they are having 'double the fun' with two doodles. :+)















The Cohens are enjoying their big furry black bear, Ozzie. From reports Ozzie behaves very well at the college where his mom works. I don't know how long it will take, but I think Professor Ozzie, Ph. D. has a nice ring to it, don't you?















Molly has been keeping her family quite entertained. She had a bit of spunk when she was here, but the Cooney's seem to be handling her quite well. :+) Their son finally has a furry friend that can play outdoors with him and Dad has a companion to bogey board with him in the ocean. Mom and daughter enjoy all the cuddles and kisses Molly has to offer.















Little Miss Tessie is not featured because I forgot to take a pic! Oh my! All of us were running that day unfortunately! But I get great pics and updates and she is having a ball with her 'older' brother. She is still bossy, loves getting wet and rolling in the mud, digging in the garden and harassing Lando. Some things don't change. :+) Her family adores her, mud and all.

A breeder's Poem - Author Unknown

This is a perfect time to share this heart-warming poem with all of you. It is especially touching to me because this is a very bittersweet litter.


I love my little puppy; she makes my house a home.
She is my very sweetest little friend; I never feel alone.
She makes me smile; She makes me laugh; She fills my heart with love . . .
Did some person breed her, or did she fall from above?

I've never been a breeder, never seen life through their eyes;
I hold my little puppy and just sit and criticize.
I've never known their anguish; I've never felt their pain,
the caring of their charges, through snow or wind or rain.

I've never waited the whole night through for babies to be born,
The stress and trepidation when they're still not there by morn.
The weight of responsibility for this body in my hands,
This darling little baby, who weighs but 60 grams.

Should you do that instead of this . . . or maybe that was wrong?
Alone you fight and hope, one day, he'll grow up proud and strong.
You pray he'll live to bring great joy to someone else's home.
You know it's all just up to you; you'll fight this fight alone.

Formula, bottles, heating pads, you've got to get this right,
two-hour feedings for this tiny guy, throughout the day and night.
Within your heart you dread that you will surely lose this fight,
to save this little baby, but God willing . . . you just MIGHT.

Day one; he's in there fighting; you say a silent prayer.
Day two & three, he's doing well, with lots of love and care.
Day four & five . . . he's still alive; your hopes soar to the heavens.
Day six he slips away again, dies in your hands, day seven.

You take this little angel, and bury him alone.
With aching heart and burning tears, and an exhausted groan,
You ask yourself, "Why do this? . . . Why suffer through this pain?"
Yet watch the joy your puppies bring,and everything's explained.

So, when you think of breeders and label them with "Greed,"
Think of all that they endure to fill another's need.
For when you buy your puppy, with your precious dollars part,
You only pay with money . . . while they pay with all their heart.

....Author Unknown....

Cooperation at 12 weeks. :+)

Hello!

I know I said I was not posting anymore individual pics, but today I was doing my weekly grooming and trimming on the pups and they were so cooperative that I thought I would give it one more photoshoot.

They ARE rambunctious, noisy, leaping, grabbing, energetic lovebugs! Let me add full of mischief as well. :+) They are NORMAL puppies.

Here are the darlings (ahem...)


CHARLIE started it all. He was just so complient and sweet as I was grooming him. You can all thank CHARLIE for this post. :+)



















TESSIE, the little 'wind-up' toy! She squeezes through the gates in the kitchen when I let them roam about and teases all her littermates. She has no fear of the adult dogs, but is very smart to show them respect. Do you see that little smirk??? I adore her. :+)



















MARLEY the Gentle. Always the one waiting for attention instead of demanding it. He is the type of pup you put on the lap of children and the elderly.



















Look at that tongue! OZZIE too, is quite passive as compared to some of his littermates. He doesn't take any baloney though. KOBIE and he get into quite a few skirmishes but are always friends afterwards - like children. :+)



















Almost as white as the toy she is carrying, DAISY gives her namesake grace and beauty. Did you notice that she and the toy's texture are nearly identical? My 'big' dogs love her. (They do have favorites, you know.)



















Curly, soft, inquisitive and loving KOBIE is a trip. If there is something going on, he is usually involved. Pick him up though and you are his lollipop! Flip him on his back and he submits totally. What a glorious package he is! My vet's favorite.



















BAILEY the Adorable. She reminds me of Chinese Sweet and Sour chicken fingers - just enough sweet with a bit of sassy that makes you want more. Smart and curious with just enough softness to make it difficult to be mad at her.



















LOLA adores being the center of attention. She wants to cuddle with you lots and lots. Loves sharing your lap, but she wants the biggest part of it. :+) A girl that holds her own but also gets along well with others. She has a way of looking at you that melts your heart.



















Lastly, MOLLY. Of the girls, she thinks she is in charge, yet she has a very gentle demeanor. She has size and energy but doesn't abuse it. Easy to work with and grounded. A pup that will enjoy playing outdoors, swimming and being active as well as cuddling.

The girls are spayed and doing great!

I tried getting this uploaded yesterday but my AnnaBlog had the hiccups. :+( The surgeries all went well and I have to say that these girls were so quiet to and from the vets. Not one peep! All the vet techs were fighting as to who was carrying which pup and we looked like a furry train going out the door!

Prior to me preparing for their pick up, I had rearranged the pup room again to keep them separated from the boys and it was a good thing I did because the ladies used the 'restroom', had a bit of dinner and promptly took a nap. :+)

The boys were all excited to see their sisters again and caused a bit of a ruckus, but eventually settled. Today the girls remained in their area until this evening. It has now been 24 hours and they were quite happy to go outside with their siblings and play. I did, however, keep them all in the enclosed puppy pens. They were not allowed into the grassy play area because of all the rain.

THE 'HOMESTEAD' OLYMPICS!

THE SLOPES! Or should it be titled SLIDE CLIMBING?

All the pups are excited about this event! They are anxiously waiting for their 'numbers' to be called. Who will it be? Ozzie? Lola? Charlie? Duffy? Bailey? Daisy? Kobie? Tessie? or Molly?















You think I can climb this BIG hill? Daisy's face is surely not convinced.














Kobie has lots of confidence and is willing to try just about anything!















Of course, the big guys - Charlie and Duffy claimed First and Second Place easily!















Bailey and Tessie are staunch competitors and don't give up!















AHA! FIRST PLACE for Daisy on the BABY SLOPES! Does she not look proud??















The 'SWIMMING EVENT'

My interpretation of this scene is that Molly has decided that this is a 'team' sport and they need more teammates and has sent out Tessie to gather them.















Tessis did an excellent job and now there are TOO many!















Okay, we got some of the others to compete in another event, but look who is rushing to get her spot on the team - TESSIE!















This must be the 'BOTTOM'S UP' event and I must say that First Place should go to the cute little touche of Miss Tessie. :+) She is the one on the right.

The eleventh week!

As the thunder continues to roar above, I expect showers to follow and the pups to run back outside to play in the raindrops. This has become almost a daily event. I don't remember a summer quite like this one. Did we move to the tropics on the geological maps????

In any event, this will probably be the last time there will be individual shots of the pups until pick up time - which is VERY close!!! The girls go in for spays on Tuesday - their turn to wear the 'coneheads'!! Now the boys can tease them for a couple of days. :+)
....................................................................................................................

'DUFFY' continues to be a very laid back pup. His softness reminds me of one of the pups from the last litter that the owners named 'TABOR' in honor of us! They are so delighted with him and I am sure the owners of DUFFY will have the same experience. (12 1/2 lbs.)



















'OZZIE' is another gentle giant who is very flexible. I can see MIT students fighting to take him for walks when he attends later this year. :+) (weight 12 lbs.)
















'CHARLIE' is a delightful pup that is inquisitive, curious, steadfast and cuddly - exactly what a 'future' therapy dog should be. :+) I will be watching his progress closely. (12 lbs.)



















'KOBIE POTTER' without a doubt, will be the 'manager' of the condo where he will be living in no time flat. A personality plus pooch that will have everyone wrapped around his chocolate paw. A non-stop wagging tail and a never-ending supply of kisses abounds on this charmer. (10 1/4 lbs.)
















Lucky, lucky 'MOLLY'! Her owners go to the shore a lot in the summer and it so happens, MOLLY loves the water, too! A girl with a good amount of zip will entertain the family but also snuggle for hugs and kisses. Enjoy the water MOLLY - GIRL! (12 lbs.)



















'LOLA' is another waterbug! Thankfully, it is available in abundance where she is living. Hmmm....that 'mud room' is aptly named for her and her roomate, Rossi! (10 lbs.)


















Talking about 'mudrooms'! Hey Barbara, did you know that 'CHARLIE' is earning a degree in plumbing? (I could not post this pic, it is too darn cute! It is also how the pups look daily. They clean up well though, huh?)

















Miss Dainty Delight, 'TESSIE' is quite the show - not only in coat color, but in her personality as well. Sometimes full of it and others - quite demure. She has a very soft manner but can get 'charged up' and instigate the group easily. She will have a blast with Lando, once she is comfortable. :+) (weighs 8 1/4 lbs.)



















What can I possibly say about 'BAILEY'? That little face says it all. Is she an imp? Sometimes. Is she adorable? Always. A more 'middle of the road' pup will be hard to find. She will have so much fun with her little owner along with their neighbor's new pup as well. (8 3/4 lbs.)



















'DAISY' was 'made to order' for her new owners. Already pros at loving and wanting more submissive furry friends, she will waltz into their lives easily. A graceful girl in build, temperament and personality, DAISY will be a great addition. (9 1/4 lbs.)

We're fine! We're fine!

I equate the boys' getting neutered akin to baseball. :+)

My version:

If, at eight weeks, you have both testicles - GREAT JOB! It's a DOUBLE! :+)
If you are healthy enough via the pre-surgery bloodwork - an infield hit and you get to FIRST BASE.
A TRIPLE PLAY happens when all the above goes great and the surgery was on time and the pup came out of the surgery in good shape. WAHOO!

A HOMERUN? That is when the trip to and from the vet was relatively peaceful with no diarrhea (bad calls) or vomiting (pop ups!) in the car or on each other! We hit a homerun today!
KOBIE & CHARLIE were chewing their stitches, so they are in headcones! No stitch tampering!



















The boys are trying to navigate their area with the cones on and bumping into things is common. They did use the potty box, devoured a small meal (another one will come in 2 hours or so) and are drinking. Good signs.















I gave them a Rimadyl (pain killer) and it works rather quickly. They want out!















Their sisters are close but cannot be mingling with them as they may play too hard. They will be kept separated for about a day. Tomorrow is suppose to be hot, so I will wash down one of the enclosed outside pens for the boys to be in while the girls romp in the playarea. It will be a bit noisy around here for the next 24 hours or so as I expect the boys will not be too pleased with the 'accommodations'. :+(

Busy weekend.

I was sweating it, but all our visitors arrived with minimum difficulty and we avoided getting wet! Everyone was gone before the heavy showers hit - thank goodness! It won't be long before all the pups will be in their forever homes. The next two weeks will be crazy busy for me with a number of vet appointment for surgeries, vaccines, eye checks, more visits, and paperwork galore.

Here little yellow girl is now known as BAILEY'S IRISH CREME! 'BAILEY' will be well loved by her family and especially little Julia who now has an animated teddy bear to add to her room! BAILEY now weighs 7 3/4 lbs. at 10 weeks old.















Pink Girl is now named 'DAISY' and this is the second doodle that this family has embraced into their home from Annabelle Doodles! DAISY will now be a great companion for Lily, their curly coated black doodle from Harriet's litter with Zack. They will look like piano keys when they begin playing in their yard! DAISY'S weight at 10 weeks is 8 lbs.















After much discussion, it has been decided that OSBORN aka 'OZZIE' will be most loved and cuddled in this household. He also will probably be extremely will read as the man of the house is an English professor and loves literature and his Mom works at MIT and they allow dogs to go to work with them! I am expecting a PHD after his name in a couple of years!! Continuing his bid for the heavyweight, OZZIE is 10 1/2 lbs. but still behind Blue Boy at 10 weeks.















It is good that Red Girl now known as 'MOLLY' will have an active boy to play with her! She likes to play! MOLLY likes cuddling too, so it seems she is a perfect fit! One of the more solid girls, MOLLY weighs 10 1/3 lbs at 10 weeks old.