A.K.C. Doberman Puppies For Sale|Hawthorne FL

We Have Ears!

7/16/2021

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Storm Showing Them Off

Heidi For A Hind Shot .....

And Fendi Showing Us The Side

Baby Dobermans... Phase Two Of Breed Specific Beautification Complete!

And....
If Your Run Into People Who See A Tape and Post and Question....
"How Could You"?

Show Them This Pic Of Three Hours Post-OP

A Tough Breed...
Likely Far More Tough Than The Breed Who Dare To Question You!

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And another process. Crappy connection today that led to multiple stalls and need to reboot my website a multitude of times in order to succeed with task completion! The joys of being rural I guess. Even so, I wouldn't trade it!

Photos are late and weights early but both are posted. Couple days short of 8 weeks on the weights but the last I'll be doing. Pups are outgrowing the weighing basket and aren't inclined to stay in it without a struggle. Good gains though. Seems they're liking their kibble.
Photos were taken at the 7 week 4 day mark.... fairly typical I guess.

GN!

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And This Weeks Award Goes To .....

7/15/2021

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Bella!

For Being So Appreciative Of My Props

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Week Seven Extras...

7/14/2021

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Seven Weeks plus Four Days

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All Done...

7/13/2021

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A process for sure but generally an enjoyable one. Just hope the jars all seal properly and I don't later poison myself...

25 pounds of peaches reduced to 13 quart sized jars.

Now it's playtime for the pups who have been troopers hanging out enjoying the day in the dog run!

Then onward toward getting the pup pages updated.

Blanched and ready for peeling and their water bath! A few imperfections. Not bad.

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Getting Down To The Wire!

7/13/2021

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Good morning pup pals! Time for a week in review....

A good week it was. Finally I got the opportunity to meet the rest of the people on our reservation list or at least a representative or two... or several from each family. And we've got a few pup names to add.

April and her kids arrived to start things off on Thursday. It was pretty obvious within a short amount of time April's eldest daughter was the one who prompted the addition of a Doberman to the family. Bright kid who's obviously done a lot of research and holds high aspirations for the pup they chose. I'm excited to follow little miss Blue's progress. They've decided on the name Fendi for her.

Mike arrived Friday to claim his girl. Recently retired from the military, a pup is sure to keep him busy while he settles in to a new chapter of his life. Thanks for your service Mike. I can think of no better retirement gift to give oneself than the addition of a pup. Especially a Doberman pup. I have know doubt you will enjoy miss Green aka Khaleesi!!

Saturday we welcomed Miguel who simply came for a visit and to meet his boy Mr Blue. He's chosen the name Mathayus for him and is already planning to add a female to his small pack a year or two down the road. I hear that a lot actually. And I'm happy and proud to say often those who desire a second pup become repeat customers. Three in this litter alone actually. A pair of Dobermans really do round things out nicely within a family. But I do recommend at least a couple year age spread so the first one can get some training under it's collar and become a help with a new addition rather than a hindrance.

Saturday we also had a couple families who arrived for the sole purpose of a meet and greet with their pups prior to cropping. As it turned out the day was owned by the red heads. Mitch and Holly arrived to meet Miss Orange and have decided on the name Lady for her. Overlapping their visit, Dalanda and her family arrived to meet Mr Brown aka Chase. A name I once nearly chose!
Looking back I think I failed to mention the name Heidi as chosen by Meredith and her family for Miss Red.
That leaves us with Little Miss Gray who has grown leaps and bounds this week... Jennifer and family will name her Storm. An appropriate name for any dog from this litter I think. But specific to her, the name sort of jives with her collar color.

And were down to two pups. And I remain somewhat torn. I think I'll hold off a bit longer and ask my Cropping Vet what he thinks of the two. That possibility was discussed with Lori and Keith back when their selection was made. The drawback of not knowing.... until the very last minute. I don't doubt they're waiting in agonizing anticipation. Sorry guys. All I can say is the time is nearing!!! We do know one will carry the name Doobie.... and I've selected a name. I think. lol

All in all it was a great week. Hurricane and all! Great visits and a fun time. Pup selections and meet and greets are one of the things I cherish most when it comes to breeding. While I have lengthy discussions over the phone with people when they inquire about pups, it's not the same as a face to face meeting.

As far as the hurricane goes, i think she helped to change the weather patterns for NC Florida for the better. We had the typical calm before the storm and beginning Friday we've actually enjoyed some pretty decent weather. Finally!!! My dogs as well as myself and the pups have appreciated and enjoyed it!

On a side note.... I've had a few inquiries about nail care for the pups going forward. I'm a strong supporter of the use of Dremel for Dobes. And it's important to introduce them early to make the path ahead an easy one.
Additionally I'd like to take the opportunity to discuss proper nail length for the breed. Dobe's anatomy is such that they should have tight feet with a good degree of angle to their toes. Nearly 60 degrees. At least 45 depending on the particular dogs foot conformation. A short nail allows their foot to grow to it's potential and maintenance of those short nails promotes strength of their feet. If nails become to long the dogs are no longer using their toes to maneuver. More the back end of the paw. Allowed to grow too long it not only has an unsightly appearance, it also affects their mobility and comfort. I'll post a few pics to explain as it seems photos generally speak louder than words. To achieve this goal, I recommend weekly nail trims. If done regularly it's a painless and easy task. The dogs quickly get used to the routine and it's not a big deal. If you wait until you've got a 70-100 pound dog to deal with prior to starting nail care it's another story entirely! Not a good scenario for anyone. Additionally, the longer nails become, the longer the process is to get them back under control. Exponentially longer.

THIS!!!

Not This!

Photos

I was beginning to wonder if I'd get week seven photos done.... Getting down to the wire I've got to start gearing up for our cropping appointments.... preparing the pups, my truck and getting paperwork set and ready for go home day. Yesterday though, I had a marathon photo shoot and managed to get the whole pack complete. And Now the task of uploading. We did have a couple pitfalls mid day. One was funny... not funny. I heard a pup that sounded to be in a bit of distress while photographing Blue. While I took individual pups out for their shoot, the rest of the pack spent the day in the dog run getting some air and increased freedom of movement. When I heard something that sounded outside the realm of play I hurried back to find Heidi upside down in a space created between the fence and deck. She was wedged in there feet and leg flailing in the air with no way to maneuver herself out. I assume she was sleeping, rolled and slipped of the edge of the deck. It was kind of a funny sight and no harm done. But I did feel a little bad for her scary predicament. Pups definitely can get themselves in predicaments.

Hopefully I'll get the pup pages done this evening. We'll see. I've got a few other things on the to do list to complete too. Well, several actually but one is getting to the critical stage. I ordered a 25# of Georgia peaches a few months back. They arrived a few days ago and they too are getting down to the wire. Need to be dealt with! So this morning/afternoon I plan to give my first attempt at canning a go! This year is the second time I've ordered from the company and the peaches themselves bring back unpleasant memories of a year ago. My first box went to waste as I sat in a hospital bed with a broken foot and wrist compliments of last years 7 week photo shoot. Don't want to waste another box... that would be shameful. The peaches are incredible this year and I highly recommend The Peach Truck for those of you who may not have heard of them. They deliver to various spots throughout Florida. I picked mine up at the Rural King in Gainesville. I know Jennifer got some this year too and plans to order bigger next year!

Good stuff!

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Hallelujah!

7/7/2021

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Pup pages are done once again! Late but done! Navy was being a lazy boy for his shoot. And Grey looks extremely pot bellied but mainly because his shoot came right after lunch. Maybe part of Navy's problem too. Full belly and nap time.
These pups are a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to our next photo shoot. Gives me a good chance to interact with and look at each individual. The task becomes more difficult as the weeks march on. They get pretty quick and active. Still an enjoyable endeavor trying to capture them with a camera though. Some I'm more successful with than others. It does take some cooperation on their part too. Patience on mine.

Tomorrow we welcome and April and after that, just one more pick to go! We're getting there!

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Hello Elsa!

7/7/2021

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Well, Finally I'm getting to the head shots I spoke of earlier in the week and shot nearly a week ago now. But better late than never as they say. The pups are a bit dirty. Most evident on close up. Combination of dirt and remnants of lunch. Thought I'd captured them all but found in review a few were all a blur so I took them out the next day for purpose of a close up. Even so a couple are still a bit blurry. Cute babes regardless!

Hope everyone fared well with the storm. Most of you are south of me so maybe slept through the worst of the weather? For a Hurricane Elsa didn't pack much of a punch. At least not around here. More rain... lots more rain but not unlike that which we've received most days the past month. Survey of the property and parameter this afternoon found all trees still standing and no fences down. A pleasant sight to see. And fortunately we've not lost power. A brief flicker and a fairly strong band and a few gusts early this morning but that was it. A flicker and right back on.

I had to go into town this morning and was surprised how lightly travelled the roads were. Surprised too to see how many businesses, including fast food joints, were closed. Schools too. Guess everyone anticipated more than we got. Always good to prepare for the worst and hope for the best I suppose. My preparations were fairly non existent outside of making sure all buckets and trough were full in the event we lost power.

So, one down... I wonder how many more to go for the year? Path and severity? The joys of Florida living!

One nice feature of the storm was the lead in. The calm before the storm as they say. Andrew's wife, Meredith and their two boys came to select their girl Monday. Just prior to their arrival we had a drizzle but a rain free visit and basically a beautiful day after. Another long romp in the yard for the pups and some hangin' out time in the small dog run off the back of the house later in the day. Yesterday was nice too and they again enjoyed their free range time.

Meredith and the boys chose Red... and Copper made me out to be a liar. After all the talk I've had about her loyalty and stick-to-me-ness I didn't hold a candle to the boys. She latched on to them and her ears were at that time deaf to my voice. Hurt my feelings a little but I've forgiven her. :-)

Yesterday evening I was able to get some mowing done...after fixing the mower! At least the area right around the house. Much needed as the pups were to the point of being half hidden in the length of grass. Didn't bother them but doesn't make for good photos! Last time I mowed I had some trouble getting the thing to go after turning it off. It would start right up but when the handles were brought in to engage, the engine would immediately shut off. Did a quick google search and narrowed the likely problem down to some safety switches. Seat and each steering lever. Went out and jiggled a few wires and connections and was able to get it housed properly. Did a little more research later same night regarding replacement wires and switches and came across a very promising YouTube video. That video came in handy yesterday when I encountered the same problem. The guys explained the problem of corrosion at the connection and suggested cleaning them with a very thin file and then cleaning same connections with sandpaper. Fortunately my neighbor had a set of tiny files he lent me and I went to work. Carl's been great about helping me keep my mower up and running and is an all around great neighbor. He's fixed the thing and a few tires multiple times. But I try, at least, to figure things out on my own before bothering him. YouTube, it turns out is a great source for information and direction. Including direction for a successful tape and post. Some pretty good trainers on there too!

I'll work on getting the pup pages updated this evening... They're late even though I started them early and finished in a timely fashion this week. Gotta get them up there though because it's nearly time to start on a fresh batch. Nearly seven weeks old already! I can hardly believe it!!!

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A Week In Review....

7/4/2021

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Happy Independence Day!

Hope everyone is having an enjoyable and safe Holiday!

The only constant here is the rain which continues. Nearly non stop! I think we're going on nearly a month now. Three weeks definitely! Everyday and nearly all day with occasional cloud breaks. As a result the pups and I have spent quite a bit of time on the porch, them romping and me just watching it come down. They'll venture out once in a while but not too far out. And I'll ask them to follow me into the rain at times if not raining hard. They offer next to no resistance. They just follow. Copper however isn't fond of the mud puddle that routinely forms between the porch and yard. Runoff held captive by the railroad ties separating the two areas. It's funny to watch her. She has an exceptionally strong desire to follow me but I can see the wheels turning when faced with the puddle. She actually gets pretty upset. Barks and jumps around but always bites the bullet and crosses the water feature. Pink on the other hand doesn't bat an eye at the rain. Overall, their follow me is getting pretty good. Rain or shine. They're Dobermans and that desire to stick by your side begins early. It does seem to be most evident in Copper. Seems she's chosen me. And there's a good chance I've chosen her too. Have been watching her and a few others for a few weeks now. Four actually. The loyalty I see in Copper though is hard to ignore. But as a breeder I have to constantly remind myself to look at the big picture. The whole. And let me tell ya, it's been a struggle. Probably the hardest time I've had choosing a pup to date. Coming down to the wire though as we've already had four families visit. First time I've asked people to make a first as well as a second choice pending my decision. And in one case a third because selections overlapped.

Yellow seemed to gravitate to Rod and his family right from the beginning of their visit and continued to hang a bit closer to them than the others. That selection has been made and they're thinking Shelby will be her name. Not yet set in stone though.

Lori and her hubby actually arrived out of order, ahead of Rod and family due to distance of drive, the holiday and timing. Turned out timing wasn't great though as they fought rain the entire way compliments of tropical storm Danny. White knuckling it as they said.... While here Yellow caught their eye too. But because they were out of order they had to choose an alternate incase she was chosen. During Lori's visit I actually held back the two pups I was considering leaving them with 6 to choose from. But once home and having a chance to think things through, based on photos they called to request to be allowed to claim whichever of the two pups I decided against. Seemed reasonable to me but because of it, I had to bring the entire litter out while Rod was here and offer him the same deal. From there things have grown even more complicated. It's come to the point that I have to make a decision.

Sherry and her Hubby, along with Sherry's sister Bev and her hubby arrived for their meet and greet yesterday. Sherry and Jim with only two boys to chose from made their selection pretty easily I think. Another case of the pup basically choosing it's people. Black won their hearts and they'll call him Seger.

Bev and Bobby's situation was a little different. As I explained the growing predicament, they too were allowed to visit with all the pups.... and again some overlaps occurred and they were left to choose not only an alternate but also a third. Never before have I experienced this. When I've kept pups in the past there were never so many to chose from and I was able to stall selections for a couple weeks. Six weeks is really early to try and select actually. Especially for a breeder. They change so much over the course of a week and much more over the course of two.
I will say there are no bad pups in this group. Or in any group really. Each has their positive points and each some slight fault or another. It's quite rare to get the whole perfect package in one pup. Don't care if you're an an American Show breeder or a non show breeder that takes breeding seriously. I fall into the category of the latter. Going forward I naturally want to put the best forward so I want to get as close to the total package as I can get!

But tomorrow we've got another visitor and it seems it's becoming unfair to continue asking people to make alternate choices.

And I'm still stuck. In fact instead of narrowing things down, I've added a third to consider. I'm about to the point of drawing straws honestly. Not quite sure at this point what I'm going to do but I'll have to make a decision by 11:30 tomorrow. Before our 5th family arrives. The struggle is real!

Outside of my dilemma and the weather, we've had a good week. Lunch and a romp on their own in the little dog run one day. Running in the yard when we got the chance. An hour or two in the yard with mom on one of our nicer days. Lunch and at times evening meals on the porch have been fairly routine.

We did have a not so nice episode this week. I think we had a bug run through the litter. Each outside of maybe one or two has had an off day One day one... the next day another. They went off their food and struggled with some pretty nasty diarrhea and for a few vomiting. Worried me though as those are signs of Parvo. But outside of Ritz going in for her C-section there's been no exposure to clinics or other dogs. And the incubation period for Parvo is much shorter than it's been since Ritz spent her day at the clinic. So just a stomach bug I guess? All were fine and eager to eat the day after their "off day". Thankfully! They drop weight so quickly at this age! One day, or even one meal is obvious. And now that I think about it, each only skipped one meal... possibly two for a couple of them, not an entire day of meals. Odd.....

I managed to complete the weekly photo shoot today... started it it Thursday and finished the last two today. Now just have to get them uploaded and posted.

I did some head shots during one of our porch days and will include them too. But for now.... A week in review.

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