You have found yourself exploring the wonderful world of Keepsakes Chihuahuas, a legacy of legends, where we are striving to build on the values, time and knowledge of breeders, handlers and colleagues that have helped shape these dogs into what they are today.
Although I have spent years of research on this breed — compiling data bases, watching lines, studying dogs, attending shows and meeting some of the legends in the ring — my total knowledge to date, is what some of my esteemed colleagues forget in a day. This breed, perhaps more than any other breed I have had the privilege to be a part of, is made up of dedication, trial and error, and stories like those traditionally told around the campfire. The famous ones become larger than life, and their progeny (and the breeders who produce them) become the hope for the future.
The people that make up Keepsakes Chihuahuas are dedicated to becoming stewards of that future. It is our intention to enhance the breed both in temperament and conformation; pass knowledge, respect opinions, and in all instances- learn, learn, learn from those who are willing to teach and mentor in positive ways. Yes, we have beautiful dogs. We have show dogs and pet dogs and everything in-between. We have our campfire stories and are building our legacy. We are doing it with the help of our village--our great friends in the show ring and our lovely furry companions who have entrusted their futures to us.
Come explore our family and see if you might fit in to what we are hoping to achieve.
Enjoy,
Carole Paulson, Denise Buntjer, Emme Clark and the gang of Chihoos
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We're off to Nationals! So, it is the day before we leave for Chicago and I decided that I should update a bit. Back in July I entered Woody (now owned by Teri Rudy) aka Keepsakes Hooray for Hollywood in the Portland show where he won Winners Dog and Best of Winners for a 3 point Major. It was his first show. In his second show at the chihuahua specialty he took class wins his first and second day (while being a butt) and a class win andWinners Reserve the third day. So what! But, his next show, in Shelton two weekends ago, he was entered Saturday and won Winners Dog. He was beaten for best of Winners by a ravishing blonde bitch- oh yeah, Keepsakes Burgundy Amulet of Quilceda, Ollie's sister and our Keepsakes breeding! She now has six points and one Major at just over a year with very limited showing. Yay us!
Magic has taken 1st place in his puppy class 5 of 7 shows and actually took Winners Reserve in his last show! He is looking better each day and has been quite the surprise.
Also I had much fun in Eugene showing Mr. Yama's Ring Ring to Best of Winners two of the four days. Now we are off to Nationals in Chicago- no dogs, just us three caballeros! What a possible adventure this will be.
CHECK OUT THE NEWCHIHUAHUA HUMOR BLOG http://hubpages.com/_22wakuqk9qvgw/hub/How-to-or-not-whelp-a-chihuahua?done
Keepsakes Do You Believe In Magic Wins Class! Keepsakes Do You Believe In Magic has won his class over several nice puppies in several shows. His first win was in Portland, he also won in Enumclaw and is entered in Shelton this weekend. Go to Available and scroll down to Keepsakes Do You Believe In Magic to see his most current pictures.
WE HAVE PUPPIES Check out the new litters! And more on the way! Look under Available and scroll down to Available Puppies to see what we have!
"Ollie" takes Best of Winners both days in Bandon Keepsakes Burgundy Kissed All Over is on his way toward his championship now having won Winners Dog in the last four shows he's been entered in, and Best of Winners both days this weekend. His sister "Trinket" took Best of Opposite right beside him on each day as well. It was a fun outdoor show even though the weather on Sunday was a bit blustery. Pam Hayes, our partner in dogs, also had quite the weekend with not only Trinkets wins, but "Skylar" (Zuran's Reigning Sky) winning Best of Variety both days as well! Congratulations to Jill Hopper and "Butchie" who took Best of Variety longcoat and Janet Blannin for her wins as well!
Congratulations to CH. Keepsakes Mikey Likes It!
The little red engine that could- did! On May 27th under Judge Jane Forsyth, Keepsakes Mikey Likes It took his 5th Major and became a champion at 17 months of age! His show career began last October and by his third show, he had picked up his first major win.
Denise Buntjer, co-owner and primary handler for Mike, showed him beautifully right up until the last show. Unfortunately, she was not able to show him for the last win. Instead, with many nerves and a willing heart, I put him through his paces in front of the wife of the husband and wife team who wrote The Forsyth Guide to Successful Dog Showing, ( Robert & Jane Forsyth).
Well, I must have done something right (thank you Vern Wheeler aka "Big Daddy Wheeler" who encouraged me from the sidelines when I hit that "deer in the headlights moment" in the ring) as Mikey took Winners Dog and Best of Winners for a three point Major thus finishing him on the last day of the four day Spokane/ Cour De Alene circuit.
Also thanks to Judge Ed Embry Bivin who put up Mikey for Winners Dog and Best of Winners under Denise's handling on Saturday, May 24th.
In other Show news, Keepsakes Burgundy Amulet of Quilceda (Trinket) also took a 3 point major under Judge Bivin the same day! No other Keepsakes dogs were entered- Ollie (Keepsakes Burgundy Kissed All Over) is still angry at me about this.
Keepsakes Chihuahuas was cooking that day! Watch for win photos to appear soon!
As a footnote, we couldn't have come this far without all of the love and encouragement from all of the people who we participate with in this wacky sport! Kristi, Melissa, Toni and Ken; Brenda; Marie, Norm and Sarah; Linda, Darcy, Gary, Mike, Sharon, Jill and all of the other people who were so supportive, helpful and genuinely thrilled for us when I screamed from the ring at the top of my lungs that Mikey was finally a Champion!- Professional? It wasn't my best moment- Passionate? Yes, and if I ever lose that, I hope I have left the showhalls long before...
Thanks to all of you reading this too- What a great fan club "the little red engine that could " has had!
Stay tuned-
Carole Paulson
Keepsakes Chihuahuas
Mikey Takes another 3pt Major in Albany! On March Saturday, March 15, 2008, Mikey again took Winners Dog and Best of Winners, giving him another 3pt. Major. He is well on his way to becoming a Keepsakes Champion.
Keepsakes Burgundy Kissed All Over wins both days After placing 2nd in the four-day Lewiston shows, Keepsakes Burgundy Kissed All Over (Ollie), who the judge said "was too pretty to be a boy" won Winners Dog both days in the Rogue Valley show. He placed over his very jealous half-brother, Keepsakes Mikey Likes It, and judge Harry Smith Jr. who gave him the win on Sunday said "he was the best dog there".
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Ch. Keepsakes Mikey Likes It
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Life can be funny sometimes. Mostly not, however and for this very reason I wish that someone had provided me with a very specific handbook on whelping chihuahuas when I first started out.
It's not like I haven't whelped a truckload of dogs before. I was a vet tech, my parents raised dogs my whole life, and for kicks and giggles, I was the one who traversed around the neighborhood delivering puppies- The doggie doula- if you will, complete (at age 12) with my own set of forcepts lovingling donated by our only in-town vet, Doc Peterson. Oh, I did cats too- not much to that. But dogs were my forte.
I lived in farming country so, the dogs I helped with were- big dogs- the kinds of dogs that deliver a full-grown goat disguised as a puppy- wait, let me amend that, 12 full-grown goats.
This is not what will happen when you deliver chihuahua puppies.
First- temperature is critical- NOT! See, that's a joke. Because, while I have found the old temperature drop to be fairly reliable in many larger breeds of dogs- ha! maybe yes, maybe no... You can have a chihuahua drop temperature for a week (talk about pins and needles) or you can have another one not drop temp, go outside to take a pooh and look! It's Junior!
I think a good indicator of a chihuahua coming close is the fact that they will demonically possess a bed space, dig, dig dig, stretch, pant and do it all in the very middle of the night right after you have hit good REM sleep. If this happens, you can probably bet she is in real labor. Oh yeah, not only should it be the middle of the night, it should be a Saturday or Sunday night so that if there is trouble- it is a huge emergency vet bill.
Lets review: If your bitch has turned into Cujo regarding where she wants to sleep, if she is panting, arching, digging and you are so tired that you could die- combined with the fact that it is probably the middle of the night on a weekend- your little love bunny is probably in labor. DO NOT ATTEMT TO TAKE HER TEMPERATURE AT THIS TIME! I gurarentee you, it will not go well.
The arching you are seeing is contractions. Are you seeing full-blown arching her neck, looking like a stretch with a strain added to it? Contraction. Usually their position is sitting up or stretched way out. If they are laying on their backs, stretching their legs, asking for the remote control and some liver snaps- these are not contractions. These are chihuahuas in repose.
Once you see the contractions coming harder and more frequently you should prepare for puppies. NO. Preparing for puppies does not mean getting on the internet and placing ads or updating your website. Preparing for puppies means having those items in place and checking that they are still there. Do you have a small pair of scissors, washcloths, hemostats, thread or dental floss, an extra pair of hands? Well, what are you waiting for? Get that stuff!
NO, don't stand there saying it is only day 58- these things happen, you could be delivering stuff under two ounces or over 5 ounces. Did you get an xray? Then you are ahead of the game. If not, you are living on the edge- that can be fun too. I prefer the xray method as I know how many and how big- if there is a St. Bernard in there with those chihuahuah pups, I worry about mom's natural ability to pass. That is called a C-section. Well, it is called a complication but lets cut to the chase, it's a C-section!
But before we jump the gun, we have puppies to deliver. She is pushing, you are seeing something- something drastically wrong in your eyes- a black bubble that looks like what the car mechanic takes out of your tank during an oil change looks like- hold on, don't call CNN, this is the bag of waters. Sploosh, it breaks. She keeps pushing, I offer ice cream or cottage cheese throughout these points, also raw hamburger. It works for me. Other people offer other things. DO NOT OFFER YOUR CHI HER OWN BANKCARD OR A WING BUILT ON TO YOUR HOUSE AT THIS TIME! That is just panic setting in and it will pass.
As she pushes, you see another one of those opaque bags, but this time you think, you feel, you know that's a puppy! It's not moving in the bag, oh God! It's drowning! STOP! No, it is perfectly fine at this point, once the bag is out, mom or you will break it, take the slimey little feeder mouse and briskly rub it with that washcloth. Cut and tie off the umbilical cord (you can also pinch the umbilical cord off and keep rubbing, pinching and trying to piss that puppy off. Get it crying. Mom should be doing something really disgusting and eating afterbirth at this point. The afterbirth came out with the puppy but it is not the puppy's malformed, hideous twin. It is the placenta and the rest of the bag that the puppy was in. You need to know this because this is the same point that usually small kids come in and are traumatized for life. "Mommy, Princess is eating her own liver that fell out!" Usually I am to busy to explain so I have come up with "That's okay, she'll grow a new one." Kind of like the Lee Press-On-Nails commercial.
If you have gotten this one squeeking, you can put him on a heating pad or with mom. Keep checking him (I say him because it's a boy- they are always boys- someone is producing girls but I have know idea who it is- maybe they are genetically cloned in some warehouse somewhere- mine, inevitably are boys.) So, put this guy with mom and be prepared to do it all over again.
Make sure mom is hydrated during this prosess. Don't do what I did my first litter, and even if she is begging for it with her eyes, do not give her a Margarita. Water is just fine, or chicken broth if you want to go crazy.
All of the little squeekers should be rubbed, pinched and put with mom. Watch them to make sure they don't "fade". Weigh them with that nifty little scale you bought. (I know you did) and record the weights for the first week or so. This will drive you crazy with worry and then I will have company. MIsery loves company. Now, if they all look alike you can put a little nail polish on the fur (not skin) to tell them apart. The best nail polish is one they make for kids. Non-toxic and mom wont wash it off in the night.
In case of a tragedy, please do not wrap the puppy up in paper towels, put it in a baggie and place it in the freezer if you have human children. Someone I know did this and had to answer all kinds of questions from the school counselor on tuesday just as I (I mean she) was trying to figure out how she had missed a pediatricians appointment for that same nine year old. The counselor, obviously never having been raised around pets, felt that this child was traumatized. This was the same child who assisted the vet for the last C-section. Well, this is just a warning-take it how you will.
Now, it goes without saying that, since I'm not there with you, and if you see your dog straining for a length of time (a length of time being two hours) with out producing anything- or if you see something that you are worried about, (a puppy that you can see being stuck, a foot but nothing else, no contractions after the first puppy and it's been a few hours) well, get thee to a vet.
Also, just so you know, during this process, some chihuahuas have big teeth.
As for the new happy family, enjoy the fact that mom eats the poop for about 4-6 weeks. Then it's all up to you. Beleive me. I think that is the only great thing about the small litter size.
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