Another Episode of...

…As the Progesterone Rises.

On Sunday it was 2.7, sending me into a panic because it was rising too fast for my work week. “I have important things on Wednesday, Claire,” I explained, “We cannot leave sooner!”

Well, we could but it would not be a good plan.

Claire is such a Cooperator!

Yesterday (Monday) it was only 3.05.

WHEW.

We are watching for something over about 4.5 to tell us ovulation is underway — and then we have two days to get to the honeymoon.

My hunch is that we will hit that number today. However, we cannot test until 5:15 pm as I am heading out for an all-day meeting.

If the number is as expected, we will begin our journey tomorrow after work (Wednesday).

But one thing we do know now is the due date because of Sunday’s progesterone. Assuming she gets pregnant (everything crossed), the due date will be Tuesday, November 12 (+\- one day).

WHEW.

The Plan & Boise Fun

I decided to check Claire when I got home on Friday because I got this message from Suzanne, who is now living about 12 miles north (that is a close neighbor in Montana):

“Lol, are you sure Claire is not in heat? Sundance has been howling a lot with his nose facing south 😉🤣”

I texted back:

“HOLY CRAP! I just checked her and Sundance is right! She IS in season!!!!!”

Isn’t that funny?!

GOOD JOB SUNDANCE!

Someday I hope we have Sundance babies because he is a wonderful dog — and has a great nose apparently 😉but not this time. We love Sundance so much but the goals for this breeding pointed in a different direction (south and west — not north).

So what’s The Plan?

We will begin progesterone testing later this week and will check daily or every other day, depending on the value. It will start off under 1.0 and if it is way under, we can skip a day.

When the value is between 1 and 2 we will know it is time to start making plans to get the show on the road, so to speak. My best guess is that we are about 12 - 14 days from the breeding dates.

In the meantime, I made my planned trip to Boise. Sparkle and I stopped on the way to do a short mountain bike ride in Stanley.

The weather could not have been more perfect and it was a nice way to break up the drive.

Even though I see them at least once each month, the changes in children in a matter of weeks is really incredible. Lincoln is nine months now and look at this…

Pulling himself to stand! He is a cozy, thoughtful, and active little human.

Berkeley got her first haircut! She is charming, chatty, and clever. She is talking in complete — mostly intelligible — sentences.

Berkeley remains easily hypoglycemic, but they manage her well with diet. There is still no known explanation for this.

Today’s adventures involve Sparkle and photos that Galen wants to do, Trader Joe’s (we do not have one in Montana), fun with small humans, and an evening with our friends-like-family.

I hope your day also includes fun adventures, no matter where you are.

Just Another Nope Update

The math is getting stressful. Only a few more days — maybe a week — until Claire’s hoped-for litter will be too young to show at the May National Specialty.

I especially want my puppy — if we are blessed enough to have one — to be ready for Specialty tracking. That, however, requires that said puppy be six months old on the day of the tracking test.

Come on, Claire!!!

This is not Claire — I just like the photo.

This anxious waiting is another cost of breeding. I am reluctant to enter any shows or plan any trips, and this is delaying some of my goals — like Harper’s CD — and it means I am missing fun weekends with friends.

People ask if I can meet on August XX and I cannot give a firm commitment — unless it is within the next 12 days. This is not conducive to life as a professional.

Further, it is looking like I will need to travel during the semester and while I can stay on top of things remotely, it still makes me feel flaky and anxious to be absent for a few days.

I know I have said this before but it bears repeating — breeding dogs well is not for the faint of heart, and that is for all kinds of reasons.

I am certain October is safe (knock on wood) and so Daisy will be in three agility trials in October. Agility is most certainly her Superpower — and it is a lot of fun for both of us.

Yes, that is Claire’s collar. It was a grab ‘n go kind of walk.

Harper B for Being Patient says she is fine waiting a bit to finish her CD.

After all, the Dog Days of Summer are pretty awesome for a dog in Montana.