Wednesday 29 February 2012

DragonRam Nightingale - A lively black girl


Our DragonRam Nightingale is a lively black girl who loves to give kisses and snuggle. Nightingale is all black with just a couple of teensy white spots on her paw pads. She has shiny black eyes and the most winsome expression on her face. 

As I was saying...

In personality, Nightingale is a very sweet and quiet little girl.She is playful but not overly rambunctious, a good listener, and quick to come when called. She is obedient and snuggly, and absolutely the best kisser!

Nightingale has a non-shedding soft fleece coat that is very thick, straight and short. This is not standard for a Labradoodle, which normally have longer coats ranging from loose wave to tight curls. Because of her short fur, it is easy to see the love in her eyes when she looks at you. This also means a coat that will be very easy to maintain. 

 I'm ready to play if you are!

Nightingale will likely mature to around 20 lbs and 15-16” at the shoulder. She is the third smallest of the puppies, beating out Ariel and Scarlett. She currently weighs 3.8kg. 

 Or then again, maybe I'll just take a nap.

Nightingale would love to find a family with children to love, or some adults who are home in the daytime to play with her. She has had all her vaccinations except rabies, which is due in a few weeks. She is also spayed and microchipped. Nightingale could go home any day now!

Tuesday 28 February 2012

Amore: Agility star!


Amore just completed Agility Level II classes on Sunday 12 February. She had a super last class, performing the best she has since this round of classes started! One of the other dogs picked a fight with her and some of the others a couple of times – nothing major, but some unexpected growling and snapping – which had seemed to cause her some anxiety. But this last class she outdid herself, managing very well with all the obstacles including the weave poles, which are the hardest to learn. 

I'm getting dizzy with all this back-and-forthing!

Down I go!

Her forte is the dog walk (bridge) and A-frame. We think it’s because every night she climbs the ladder – with some assistance – to get into the top bunk of the bunk bed to sleep with my daughter. So climbing heights is old hat for her!! She also loves the jumps. She started off quite hesitant with the teeter, but by the end of the session she was doing okay – still cautious, but willing to take it at a slow pace. For some reason she was very hesitant with the tunnel this session after loving it in Agility I – who knows why? But at the last class she performed all the obstacles very well and with little hesitation. 

Whee!!!!


Way to go, Mo!

Monday 27 February 2012

DragonRam Galaxy - A beautiful black parti girl


Our DragonRam Galaxy is a beautiful black parti girl. Technically she might be called “abstract” instead of parti, as she doesn’t have quite 50% white on her body, but if you count her legs and belly it would be close. 

What's that funny smell?

Galaxy looks like she is wearing a black toga, with one shoulder and her chest all white, and white “tucks” at the hips. Her legs are spotted with black – we’ve had some people ask if she’s part Dalmation because of her spotted legs, though she doesn’t look the least bit like a Dalmation!! Her face is mostly black with a white band around the muzzle, a bit more pronounced on the left side of her face. She has white whiskers, too!!

Whassup, kid?

In personality, Galaxy is a very playful girl, and very sweet. She can sometimes be a bit uncertain in new situations but it doesn’t take her long to adjust and feel right at home. She gets along great with her brother Leo who is a feisty boy, and is right in there with the tug toy whenever Leo gets going. The two of them are very similar in colouring and when they were younger we sometimes got them confused (though Leo has a patch on his hip).

 Where'd that funny red light go?
(Puppies were chasing a red laser light.)

Galaxy has a very short and straight coat, which is not standard for a Labradoodle. It is a non-shedding fleece and very soft to the touch. Her coat will be very easy to maintain and the short facial hair makes it easier to see her eyes and her expression.
Ain't I good-looking? 
We expect Galaxy to mature to around 20-22 lbs and 15-16” at the shoulder. Until the age of 2 months she was the smallest of the puppies, but she has since surged ahead and is now third largest, after Cardinal and Leo. She currently weighs 4.2kg.

 You won't get away from me!!

Galaxy will be a great companion to a family. She would also do fine with a couple or single person with  time to play. She will be getting her final booster vaccinations tomorrow and will only need a rabies shot in a few weeks’ time. Galaxy is eager to find a home full of love with her forever family. She’s ready to go home any time!

Sunday 26 February 2012

The latest doodle romp


Our February Doodle Romp was held at Conroy Pit on Sunday 12 February at 11:30. We met Helios Zigzag from Montreal (who hasn’t been able to make it before but enjoyed meeting his uncles and grandma!), Carni and Galena, Oliver and his new playmate Leila, and of course Amore and Aspen were in attendance. Cassi and Lyra, Zigzag’s full sisters, also came but they were a bit late arriving. As we had set off after 5 minutes of waiting, we missed them and they had to romp just the two of them.


It was a cold day at -11° but the sun was shining brightly so it wasn’t unpleasant. The paths were a bit icy and slippery from all the recent warm weather and lots of traffic, but again not horrible. What with the cold, we made a shorter walk of it and did one of the smaller loops, staying out for only about 45 minutes so as to keep the dogs and people from getting too cold.
 

The next romp will be sometime in March, with perhaps another over the Easter long weekend and definitely in May sometime.  Watch for an announcement!
 



Saturday 25 February 2012

DragonRam Cardinal - a rare red parti girl


Our DragonRam Cardinal is very rare red parti Labradoodle. I’ve been calling her apricot, but in reality she has become a rich deep red.

 Coffee, anyone?

Cardinal’s coloured patches started off so faint I wasn’t even sure that “apricot” was a good description, but they have grown darker and deeper as time passes. It is now clear that she is a luscious rich red, darker even than our stud boy Zip. “Cardinal” was an apt choice of name for her!

Stare deeply into my eyes - You will fall in love with me!!

The red colouring is very rare and highly sought after among Labradoodle owners and breeders. The deeper and richer the red, the better! As Cardinal is a red parti, she has more white than red, but her red patches are placed very attractively on her body – she has a nice red saddle over her back, some red at the base of her tail, red ears and and red “bandit” spots over eyes. She looks super cute! Her nose started out as a very distinctive "butterfly nose" or "rose nose" - speckled white, pink, red and black. It is still somewhat speckled but has also grown darker with time, just like her coat. Now it is more black but still has specks of pink and red.

What is that spot? How come it's moving so fast!!
(The puppies were chasing a red laser light all over the floor.)

In personality, Cardinal is a very confidant little girl. She loves to wrestle with her siblings and play tug with anyone at all! As the biggest puppy in the litter, she does sometimes throw her weight around and try to be the boss, but she knows better than to tangle with Grandma Amore, who is the real boss! Cardinal is very huggable, quite content to be petted but always ready for playtime. She is generally a quiet and docile girl except when her sister Scarlett gets on her nerves. Cardinal is also very fast - the fastest of the lot!

I have the nicest spots!

We expect Cardinal to mature to around 20-25 lbs and 16” at the shoulder - a bit bigger than Grandma Amore. She will be a great companion to a family, couple, or single person who has time to romp. She will be getting her final booster vaccinations this coming Tuesday and will only need a rabies shot in a few weeks’ time. At 3 months of age, Cardinal is ready to go to her new home whenever a family is ready to take her!

I live in the lap of luxury!

Friday 24 February 2012

A romantic date for Amore!

On February 14th Amore celebrated her fourth birthday!! A Valentine’s Day baby, she was named for love… In celebration of her birthday, Mo received a lovely new bright red Martingale collar. It stands out nicely against her black fur.

 

Amore is now in heat and we are breeding her to Puppy Love’s Moto Moto, a red parti boy. She travelled to Alberta last Friday and arrived home yesterday.



We have a confirmed mating!! The two of them tied twice, on Monday and Wednesday, so we are expecting puppies!! This pairing will produce some fine red/apricot and black puppies, all parti carriers. We are hoping for at least two apricot/red females to retain/trade, and the rest will be gravy!


Moto is described as having strong pigment, a stocky build, and sabre tail (the Labradoodle ideal). He is “a wonderfully fun loving little guy” who is “extremely smart … the star of the Agility class … incredibly athletic and eager to please.” He “loves children and gets along really well with the other dogs.”  




Amore has some red in her lineage – her maternal grandsire and great-granddam were red – so we are sure hoping she has the ability to produce some nice reds, but we shall see. 


These puppies will be due around April 20th, give or take a couple of days. Pregnancy will be confirmed based on an ultrasound done in late March. The pups would be ready to go home around June 22nd – just in time for summer holidays!



Stay tuned for an invitation to submit your guesses for the next instalment of our “Guess how many puppies & whelp date” contest!!