Here is the whelping box I put together for our litter of Labs. It cost around $30 and took about an hour to put together. It requires the following:

(1) Sheet of good quality 1/2″ plywood
(1) 4′ x 2′ additional piece of 1/2″ plywood
(2) 2″ x 4″ x 8′ for bumper rail
(2) 2″ x 2″ x 8′ for supports
(1) Roll of contact paper

We cut the plywood in half and formed the floor, then we cut the remaining half into thirds (3 pieces at 16″ less the saw kerf). Next cut the 4′ x 2′ piece of plywood to the same 16″ width and save both sides. Next cover the inside of each piece with contact paper. Contact paper is relatively cheap and makes messes easy to clean up. It is easiest to cover before it is put together and the pieces are flat. Next, cut the 2″ – 2″s to go around the outside of the floor base and up the insides of the box (see photo) and assemble with screws from the backside of the plywood. Next, stand three of the 16″ walls around the inside of the floor and screw them down. For the front of the box, while the pups are small use the 8″ piece of the plywood so the dam can more easily step into the box. When the pups are a little older and more adventuresome we will replace the front with the 16″ side. Finally cut the 2 x 4s and notch for the 2 x 2 edges and screw in at the level of the dam’s backbone when she is laying on her side (for my lab it is 4″ from the bottom). I use several rubber backed bathmats for the flooring, when they are damp or soiled, just toss in the washing machine.

The design is fairly light and can be moved when and where needed. The dog took to it right away. The small size seemed to be just the right next she was looking for. Because it is screwed together I can take it apart into a few stackable pieces when we are done with the litter and save storage space.

I wanted to let folks know about a scam someone tried on us the other day. We are only a few days away from Allie delivering her puppies. I posted a litter expected ad and immediately got an email response saying that this person was ready to buy a puppy. The email was a little odd, as it didn’t really fit a litter expected ad, plus the grammar was poor. I am not trying to make money selling puppies, but rather want to produce excellent dogs that will be cherished in hunting homes, where they go is critical to us. Therefore, I sent an email back saying to contact me and we can discuss the litter over the phone, and a list of questions for they to answer by way of application for the dog. The next morning I got a call from a supposed deaf person talking through an interpreter. They didn’t seem to care about the dog or even the cost; they were more concerned about getting me the payment. They later sent me an email stating that they would send me a certified cashier’s check for the dog, plus fees for their shipping company and I was to pay the shipper via Western Union from their check. There was an urgent undercurrent in the message, plus things like “God bless” and “your brother in Christ”. I blocked all further contact from this address. Here’s the kicker, a day later, I posted the same litter expected announcement on another site and again, within minutes, I got an identical email to the first one, from a different address. Beware that these people are lurking. The addresses were both gmail accounts. I read somewhere that this scam (or similar) is being run out of Nigeria. Watch out.

Max, my pointer and I got it tonight.
We were working on heeling on a checkcord in shin-high grass and WHAM!
Before I could blink, we got it right in the face. It was so strong it about made me vomit. So strong that it almost doesn’t smell like skunk; more like onions. Max didn’t know what hit him. Julie wouldn’t let me in the house. I took care of Max on the front lawn and then had to strip and dash for the shower.

This isn’t the first time, but I had forgotten just how bad it is. Man, I hate skunks!

The recipie we use to wash the dog is the following:
1 quart Hydrogen Peroxide
1/4 cup Baking Soda
1 tsp dish soap

Stir together and bathe dog with it like a shampoo and rinse thoroughly with a hose or buckets of water.
Don’t store the mixture. Mix fresh and use. I bathe the dog about three times in a row. If necessary you can follow up with another washing the next day. (Here’s another tip: don’t use your wife’s good bath towel to dry the dog. The next several times you wash the towel it spreads a mild eau-du-skunk through the laundry.)

I had an opportunity to go fishing with Dave Walker at Lake Powell this Spring and we had a great time. The first day fishing was hot, then a storm blew in and the fish just shut down. That left plenty of time for visiting. Dave is the author of “The Bird Dog Training Manual” and numerous pointing dog DVDs. He is a hall of famer and the pro’s pro of dog training. Most of what I know about pointing dogs comes from Dave and he is a pleasure to spend a few days fishing with.

I finally found the right male to breed with Allie, my female yellow lab to produce pups that have the conformation, energy, drive and stamina to hunt the upland days on end for quail, pheasants, chukars and grouse. My focus for this breeding was on size, conformation, drive, behavior and trainability. The breeding should produce medium sized (50 to 60 lbs) dogs with a smooth gait that can hunt for days in a row. Both the sire and dam have proven themselves in the field hunting wild game. They are both excellent companion dogs around the family and in the house. Both dam and sire are OFA certified for hips and elbows.

Duke, the sire (Royal Duke of Canyon View), is an AKC Master Hunter and has proven himself over the last several years with over a thousand waterfowl retrieves per year for a hunting guide. His pups carry his square head and muscular build, gentle temperament and strong bird drive.

Allie, the dam, has proven herself with her ability to find upland game and her stamina to hunt rough desert country days on end for Gamble’s Quail, Mearn’s Quail, chukars, grouse and ducks. She is a pleasure to have in the house and around the kids. Her strong drive comes from her father, “Nitro” Field Champion Yellowstone’s TNT Explosion.

I am excited about the breeding and am confident that it will produce dynamite puppies. The litter is expected May 2nd. Contact us to reserve your pup.