Lonesome Dove's Shootin' Star and Wings Arrow
Diary of a Breeding
By Robert Wing
Introduction
After months of planning and preparation, and a two-hour drive from Goldendale, I nervously pulled into the Delta cargo pickup at Portland International Airport. It was around 9:30 p.m., on May 31, 2007, and John and Cathi Simmons were already there. All of us hoping DeJong’s Lucas (call name Jake) would safely arrive on his flight from Salt Lake City.
Jake’s owner, Jim Koertge called me shortly after he put Jake on the plane. We discussed last minute items such as brand of food Jake ate, and final arrangements for Jake’s return, although these weren’t very final. You see, Jim and his wife Stella, were headed for the Yukon Territories the next day, and we weren’t entirely sure how or when we would get Jake back to them! Would I drive him back (great opportunity to fish Canada and the Yukon), or fly him back, or keep him for the summer? Time would tell!
One thing was certain, Jake would be taken care of, and he would have the best opportunity we could provide to impregnate Star.
Irony
Jake was scheduled to arrive at 10:52 p.m. in Portland and did so. There was a delay getting him to the cargo bay, however. John announced a fallen soldier was also on Delta Flight 922 and was being delivered to his family. He was given full military honors on arrival.
Here I was, anxiously awaiting a dog which would hopefully couple with Star and produce puppies, and on the other hand, a family was waiting and grieving the loss of a loved one who would never again have or hold children.
I am very thankful for the men and women who voluntarily serve to protect our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. As far as I am concerned, raising a litter of Small Munsterlanders falls under this definition
30-Seconds for the First Impression
Around 11:20 p.m., Cathy peaked in the cargo window and excitedly said, “He’s here!” I looked in another window, and there he was in his SkyKennel on a rolling cart. The attendant let us in, and we hurried over to welcome Jake.
Jake was all smiles to see us, but let us know he really needed to use the “john”. As soon as the leash was on him he pulled me across the parking lot to the nearest bush. After his business was done, we went back and readied the car for the trip back to Goldendale.
The ride back to Goldendale was uneventful. Jake stayed up for the first 15 minutes, and then crashed in the passenger seat as I finished the drive. When I pulled into Goldendale, he perked up in anticipation.
Jake Meets Star
I let Jake out when I pulled in the garage and he introduced himself to our cats. We have several cats (5 to be exact), and they all inspected the newcomer. After I took him out in the yard for him to relieve himself, he returned to the garage to take the “cat test”. He passed their inspection and Jake was allowed to enter the house.
Jake rushed in the house and followed me up the stairs. Near the bathroom, Jake met Star. I’d like to say it was “love at first sight”, but I don’t know what dogs think! Star bounced around a little; Jake’s ears perked up; and they raced downstairs!
I let them out and Jake chased Star around and urinated on everything she urinated on. Everything she did, he did. If their behavior was an indicator of “puppy love”, I’d say they had it! I also have to say I’ve seen more urination, and over-urination in the past week then I’ve ever seen in any other week of my life!
After their greeting, I went in the bedroom and woke up my wife, Candi, and introduced her to Jake. They hit it off from the start! Candi said “he’s handsome” and went back to sleep!
Jake slept in our room in his SkyKennel that first night and has slept there since. Star was not spotting at that time and was allowed to sleep on the floor as she usually does.
As usual, around 5:00 a.m. Star woke me up and I let the two of them run around the yard and see who could urinate on the most shrubbery—it was a tie!
The Next Few Days
I let both of the dogs stay in my outdoor kennel on Friday and they had a good old time! When I came home from work, they were both sleeping.
Saturday and Sunday weren’t a lot different. I went about my business, played with them in the yard, and generally let them get to know each other.
Just like Star, Jake is a very loyal companion who follows me wherever I go. His friendly demeanor, desire to please, and smile, tell me the Koertge’s have been wonderful to him.
On Monday, at noon, I noticed Star spotting. By my calculations, she should have spotted on June 1. She spotted on June 4. I also noticed she was lying under a ramp in the kennel to keep away from Jake. It was time to separate her from Jake.
According to Wilsonville Veterinarian, Ray Calkins, it is best to separate the dogs completely if they are near each other when the bitch is in heat. Mary, Dr. Calkin’s assistant, stated that males sometimes get too worked up if they are constantly around the bitch and it affects the quality of their semen. She suggested, “Put her at one end of the house and him at the other.” Easier said than done!
Solution
Tuesday morning, we put Jake in our utility room with his SkyKennel, food, and water. He started whining and whimpering as he knew what I was going to do!
Star went to school with me (I’m a high school teacher) in her crate and stayed in my truck until noon. This is very typical for her as she normally goes to work with me during the winter. She likes her crate and doesn’t know whether I’m taking her hunting or to work. Before I went home (3-minutes away), I let her out to do her work and stretch.
When I returned home at noon for lunch, Jake mauled me! I let him out to mark all our shrubs and he followed me wherever I went.
After a couple days of being left in the utility room during the morning and afternoon, Jake earned the privilege of staying in the house during the day.
Preparation for Breeding/Whelping
Dr. John Simmons of Adelshaus Kennels in Washougal, WA was instrumental in helping arrange this coupling, and prepare Star for the birthing process. He has seen and worked with both dogs, and felt it would be a match that would benefit the Small Munsterlander breed. Upon his recommendation, I started a more intensive conditioning program for Star.
For the past 45 days, Star has been exercising an average of 5-6 days a week in preparation of birthing. Some days are more intense than others. She looks forward to the exercise and she lets me know when it is time. As you know, a bitch in shape will have less stress delivering healthy puppies. Star has worked into incredible shape during this time.
Her regime has involved running dirt roads on the level and incline in farm country, as well as pine forests, near Goldendale, WA. Normally, it is in the evening, but from May 15 (opening of turkey season in Washington State), it could be in the morning.
For the last two years, fellow teacher and hunter education instructor, Terry Nickels, and I have turkey hunted once a week before school. We love getting out in the woods in the springtime, and we are successful in harvesting birds. We have harvested two Merriam gobblers before school the last two years!
On the way home from turkey hunting, Star gets her exercise by running down the mountain ahead of my truck. This is what I call “killing two birds with one stone”.
Water Work
The Little Klickitat River is 400 yards south of our house. Quail and pheasant roam this area in abundant numbers. I enjoy taking Star to the “creek” in my hip-waders and working on fetching and conditioning in the water. Star loves the water and I attribute this to the many walks and crossings she and I have had during her developmental years along the Little Klickitat. In addition to the creek, I have access to several local ponds.
Star has not done a lot of water work this past month, but over the next couple days before she is bred, she will be working in the water daily. She will be doing less running and more water work because I want to avoid the pounding that comes with road work. When it is time to couple with Jake next week, she should be physically ready.
This is a concept I learned from Bill Dove, owner of Lonesome Dove Kennels, who sold me Star. He suggested I not do any intensive training, just water work, three days before I took Star to the NA test to avoid injury and have her energy levels high.
His advice was sound as Star was primed and healthy to do well at her NA test where she scored a perfect 112.
Veterinarian
Dr. Simmons suggested I work with Dr. Ray Calkins at the Wilsonville, OR vet clinic. Dr. Calkins is familiar with the North American Versatile Hunting Dog of America (NAVHDA) organization. He joined NAVHDA in 1974 and was involved with starting the German Wirehair Pointer club in the Wilsonville area in 1976. He raises German Wirehairs at his kennel (Cascade Kennels), and he is a highly respected veterinarian. Since we had explored the option of Artificial Insemination (AI) several weeks before we decided to fly Jake in, Dr. Calkins name had surfaced because he is a leader in this area in the Pacific Northwest.
Interview with Dr. Calkins
I was able to talk with Dr. Calkins on June 21.
I asked Dr. Calkins what advice he would have for first-time breeders. “Find help!” was his reply. According to him, mentors are the key. A breeder, veterinarian, and reproductive specialist who are experienced are invaluable to the rookie breeder.
I visited his clinic Saturday, June 9, for a pre-breeding checkup that involved an examination of Star’s to see if there was anything abnormal that would prevent breeding or giving birth to puppies. It also involved a progesterone test to see where she was in relation to ovulation. This was done five days after I noticed Star spotting.
The checkup was done by veterinarian Andy Nyugen and he found a tag that he broke loose. Dr. Nugent described a tag as piece of flesh that was attached at the top and bottom of the uterus. He detached the tag and told me Star might bleed a little more than normal. I asked him about tags and he said it could be scar tissue or have been there from birth. A tag that is not removed could prevent proper penetration by the stud, or interfere with birthing.
On Sunday, June 10, 2007, Dr. Nyugen called back and told me Star was still early in the heat cycle. Her progesterone level was barely recognizable at .2 nanograms. He told me to come back on Tuesday, June 13, for another check up.
Progesterone Testing
Progesterone testing can be done two different ways. The “range” method is usually done in the vet clinic and involves getting a sample of the bitch’s discharge using a swab. It gives the vet and owner an idea of what the progesterone level is within a range. For example, between .2 and .8 nanograms. This test costs around $35.
The “numbers” method is done by taking a blood sample and analyzing it for an exact number of progesterone in the bloodstream. When the progesterone hits a certain level in the blood stream, usually between 4 and 8 nanograms, the vet knows the bitch has ovulated. Once this is known, the next five days are when the bitch is most fertile. This test cost around $70 for each visit.
Mary, at Wilsonville, described a game plan of progesterone testing until ovulation occurred, breeding Star and Jake the next day, and then once again 48 hours later. We decided to use the “numbers” method since this was Star’s first breeding and it would give us solid baseline information for future breedings. The plan was a sound one, although we did have to make some adjustments.
Tuesday afternoon, June 13, we had another progesterone test done. The results were available the next morning. The level had barely risen to .4 nanograms. We would continue this regimen every 48 hours until there was a change.
The Friday, June 15 test showed a big spike in progesterone levels. When I called the vet Saturday morning, I was told the “number” was 2.97. This called for a slight adjustment since the reading was from the night before. Since most vet clinics are not open on Sunday, we would have to assume Star would ovulate on Saturday and, hence, we should couple Jake and Star on Sunday.
I will also add that Jake was noticing these changes as well. Starting on Thursday, June 14, he HAD to know exactly where Star was, and he HAD to know where I was. He obviously associated me with Star. If I wasn’t around, I had to be near Star, or so he thought. If he lost either of us, he would start barking.
For the most part I had been able to keep both dogs separated per the vets instructions. I had a slight breakdown Tuesday, June 12, when I took them out to exercise at Count’s Pond. I let the dogs run the road leading to the pond (about ¾ of a mile). Star led the way, occasionally stopping to mark a particular bush. Jake followed behind, marking over the top of everything Star marked.
When we got to the pond, I started our fetching routine. On two occasions, Jake got the bumper first and Star didn’t honor his retrieve. She stole the bumper from Jake. The second time she did this, Jake followed her to shore and when they got to shallow water and were able to stand, Jake mounted her! I didn’t want this to happen, but it had, so Jake did his business and they stood coupled near shore for around 10 minutes. I’m not sure if Jake set Star up for payback or what, but he got what he wanted.
This was the second time Jake had mounted her and they coupled since he had arrived, so it would appear all his sexual apparatus was working, and the juices were flowing, and he was getting cleaned out. When I talked with Dr. Nugent the next morning and told him what had happened. He told me the plan from that point forward (June 12) was to conserve a valuable resource (Jake’s sperm) for the right time. That day turned out to be Sunday, June 17, 2007—Father’s day!
Traveling with Jake
On Saturday, June 16, my wife, Candi, and I took Jake to Ellensburg with us to watch our daughter Whitney play volleyball at a tournament. I wanted to see how he traveled and also examine his personality without Star around.
He traveled quietly in the crate and when it was time to get out, he would effortlessly lope around with his nose to the ground, and mark items as he deemed necessary. Jake has an easy gait that allows him to cover ground quickly. His nose is generally always on the ground. This is opposite of Star. Star generally has her head up and when she gets scent, her nose goes to the ground.
The day away from home was good for Jake. He was calm, enjoyed our company, and fired up when we returned to Goldendale Saturday evening. I knew that Sunday morning, June 17, 2007, would be the right time to let them couple. If nothing else, they would both be tired on Father’s day. Hopefully, Jake would not bug me throughout the day.
Father’s Day
Star was in her crate in my truck and Jake was in our room. He got up early, around 5:00 a.m. and started rustling around. He was ready. I wasn’t, though and went back to sleep until 6:40. I let Jake out to mark the yard, and went and got Star. I let her out the backdoor, and she worked her way around to the front of the house. She started trotting towards him and he ran at her and immediately mounted her. Needless to say, the front yard was probably not the most discreet spot for them to couple. When I told Candy they were tied up outside, she said “it’s in the backyard, I hope”. I broke the bad news. They stayed coupled for around 30 minutes. Jake has been nice and calm all morning!
The Next Week
Monday morning, we had another progesterone test to be sure Star had ovulated. The plan was to make sure she had ovulated over the weekend and breed her again on Tuesday, June 19. Lynn from the Wilsonville clinic informed me Star’s progesterone level on Monday afternoon was 16. She gave us the go ahead to couple Star and Jake again, and if successful, we could consider taking Jake to Wilsonville and having semen taken and frozen for future use. The 2nd breeding was successful as far as I could tell. Jake took two jumps out of our house after I opened the door, and landed on top of Star. They coupled for 30 minutes and after that I called Dr. Cheryl Lopat at Reproduction Revolutions. We then set up an appointment for Thursday, June 21.
Dr. Lopat suggested using Star as a “teaser bitch” after we were sure she had been bred. Dr. Lopat said she should be able to get four doses that could be frozen for future use if that worked out. Cost for this with DNA samples, Brucellosis testing, and office visit, will be around $550. Storage of frozen semen is about $60 a year. Since Jake is 8 now is the time to get this done.
Ray DeJong
Last night I was able to interview Ray DeJong over the phone. Ray was one of the premier Small Munsterlander breeders in the United States for several years beginning in 1987.
When did you first get involved breeding dogs?
I bred English Setters in the early 1980’s. Then I read an article in Hunting Dog magazine about Small Munsterlanders and I got my first SM in 1986 and tested her in NAVHDA in 1987.
What would you say were your best dogs? JoJo (Wolfsburg’s JoJo who was Spree’s mother) and her pup, Audi.
What would be the highlights of your breeding career? The success I had in raising, training, and selling dogs. My partner and I won the South Dakota Pheasant Championships and the Minnesota Pheasant Championships with Small Munsterlanders. I placed one ad in Gun Dog magazine, and that was all the advertising I ever did. I never had a problem finding homes for my puppies.
How did you pick out your breeding dogs? By their behavior and looks within the first eight weeks.
Can you tell me anything about the parents of DeJong’s Lucas?
East River Spree was my daughter’s dog. She was traveling a lot, early in her career, and East River occasionally ended up back at our house. She mothered several litters during this time.
Alan z Machalova (Czech) was shipped out of Prague to Amsterdam. He was accidentally flown to New Delhi, India,and his eardrums were ruptured during the flight. The problem was not found until a week and a half later. By then it was to late to do anything. Czech could only hear high-pitched dog barks, or shotgun blasts. Ray did all his training with Czech using hand signals and body movement.
The best breeding Ray ever felt he had was when Audi was bred to a dog named Eider owned by John Ripley, of Old Post, NH.
Some breeding/whelping hints from Ray DeJong
Run dogs for exercise before breeding.
Did you ever use progesterone testing? “No”. I just put them together every morning and watched them. Keep track of days. After 10-12 days things will usually start to happen. You’ll know when it’s over. They won’t be interested.
Milk will start the day before whelping—They’ll quit eating within 24 hours of when they whelp.
Whelping was a family affair with the DeJongs. There were usually five people (including the vet) in the room when it was time. Almost all his puppies were taken caesarean. Ray used to sleep with them in the room for 48 hours just to make sure they were ok.
Ray’s final words to me were “Good Luck!”.
Return Trip
Thursday morning, June 21, Jake, Star and I drove to Wilsonville to get semen drawn from Jake to be frozen for future use, and to get paperwork in order so I could cross the border with Jake. Jake needed a health certificate to fly from Vancouver to Whitehorse, and he also needed proof of rabies vaccination to cross the border. Mary noticed the rabies form was not signed, so she called the vet in Ogden, UT and asked them to FAX a signed copy. They did this while Jake was having the semen drawn. Little things like this could cause problems, if not taken care of, when we tried to cross the border the next morning.
Dr. Lopat works out of the Wilsonville clinic and is very helpful and professional. She and an assistant used Star to excite Jake and get a semen collection. She then analyzed the semen and we discussed the results. Jake’s semen quality was found to be excellent and semen was collected to be frozen and used in future breedings.
Interview with Dr. Lopat
I asked Dr. Lopat about her thoughts for first-time breeders. She said “have a breeding plan”. This would be developed with insight from a reproduction specialist and a reputable veterinarian. The plan should involve choosing an appropriate stud and bitch to meet your breeding goals. It should also involve progesterone testing so you can establish an ovulation date, and hence, a whelp date.
After our session with Dr. Lopat, I drove north for four hours up the I-5 freeway to spend the night in Everett, WA. I wanted to get as close to the Canadian border as I could, so it would be a short trip the next morning to the Vancouver International Airport. I didn’t want to take any chances with traffic problems or hang-ups at the border that would cause me to miss Jake’s flight to Whitehorse, YK on Air North flight 506 to meet Mr. and Mrs. Koertge. They had driven over 12 hours from their vacation spot in the Yukon to be in Whitehorse to get Jake, and I didn’t want to blow it!
The trip to Everett was relatively uneventful—when we stopped at Tyee High School near Sea-Tac, WA, Jake tried to mount Star. I told him “no” and he gave me a really sad look. Star flipped around and went over and nuzzled him as if to say “don’t worry about it, I still love you”.
I stayed at my brother-in-laws in Everett Thursday night and left his house at 6:00 a.m. to make the drive. Everything went smoothly on the trip from Everett to Vancouver, BC. The Canadian border guard asked me a few questions about why I was entering Canada and asked me if I had paperwork. I told him “yes” and he waved me on.
I arrived at the airport at 8:00 a.m. and walked the dogs. I then assembled Jake’s kennel, and took a few more pictures of Jake and Star. It was a sad time for me. It was as if I was losing a friend. Jake had become a part of our family in three short weeks, and hopefully I will get to see bits and pieces of Jake’s mannerisms, personality, and temperament in his offspring. They will be living reminders of Jake.
I checked Jake in at the cargo desk and said goodbye. I made sure he had food and water, and asked the attendant to make sure his water was filled before he left on the flight. I left the cargo area and let Star out of her kennel. She jumped up into her normal position in the front seat—she hadn’t been there for three weeks because Jake had been there. We headed back for Goldendale. Mr. Koertge called me when I was on Snoqualmie Pass and said Jake had arrived safely. He was an hour late, but he arrived! Three hours later, we arrived home. It had been a whirlwind project, but it worked because many people helped in various ways.
The Waiting Game
The 63 days after the breeding went quickly. I continued to exercise Star, and for the first month, there was not a noticeable difference in how she exercised, or how she looked. Around five weeks she started to develop a “spare tire” around her abdomen. She also didn’t have the stamina she had before when exercising, so I let her be the judge of how much she should do each day.
I talked to Dr. Calkins about her diet the last couple weeks and he suggested a growth food “puppy”. I purchased a bag of Diamond brand for puppies and nursing mothers and stuck with that. Star seemed to enjoy it.
Dr. Calkins also looked at Star’s chart of progesterone tests and predicted the puppies would be whelped August 18 or 19. The puppies were whelped August 18.
Although progesterone testing is expensive, it was worth it just for the fact we had a good idea when they should whelp. I was able to plan my schedule around this date and be ready.
Early Christmas
Saturday, August 18, dawned like all the others had over the last two months, however Star was acting differently. Three times she let me know she needed to go outside. She tried to defecate and no stool came out. On the third time, I noticed a little liquid come out.
Less than an hour later, she had puppy #1 in our closet. Our closet is near the couch where I read, use the computer, and drink coffee in the morning. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t even know Star whelped the puppy!
I was catching up on season 2 of the action thriller “24”, when there was a moment of silence from Jack Bauer and the team at CTU. I heard a faint cry, like a baby’s squeal or a kitten’s mew coming from the hallway. I rushed to the closet and there was puppy #1, a female. Star had her all cleaned up and she was suckling. Needless to say, that was very unnerving. That was at 10:40 a.m. Over the next three hours Star had 3 more females 4 males.
My son, Chase and I, got Star downstairs to the whelping box, and for the next 3 hours we stayed out of Star’s way while she took care of business. We recorded the time of birth, sex, and any distinctive markings on the puppies. When Star would start contractions, I would move the whelped puppies to another box with a towel and a heating pad set on low. We would let her whelp the puppy, clean it and let it suckle for a little while. Then I would put all the puppies back in with Star and the new sibling.
Overview
Below is a table showing data from this breeding. This data should help me plan any future breedings involving Star.
DEJONG’S LUCAS X LONESOME DOVE’S SHOOTIN’ STAR
Planned Breeding 2007
Date Description Result Days from Spot
June 4 |
Noticed spotting |
|
0 |
June 9 |
Progesterone Test |
.2 nanograms |
5 |
June 13 |
Progesterone Test |
.4 nanograms |
9 |
June 15 |
Progesterone Test |
2.97 nanograms |
11 |
June 17 |
1st Planned Breeding |
30 minute tie |
13 |
June 18 |
Progesterone Test |
16 nanograms |
14 |
June 19 |
2nd Planned Breeding |
30 minute tie |
15 |
August 18 |
Probable Whelp Date |
63 days from Breed |
76 |
October 13 |
7-8 weeks after whelp |
Deliver pups to homes |
132 |
In conclusion, a first-time breeding is a huge undertaking. With good help, though, you and your family can experience the miracle of life. As anyone who has ever done this would tell you, though, “there is more to breeding dogs than meets the eye!”
Robert Wing
Wings Small Munsterlanders
130 NW High Street
Goldendale, WA 98620
509-250-0357