Last night while lying down next to 'Chrissy and whispering 'sweet nothings' into her ear I felt the gentle stirrings within her abdomen of the evidence of LIFE that she is carrying.  These are the first movements that I have felt with certainty.  I also was able to trace the outline of a little leg (?) as well.  Chris is shedding hair around her nipples which are just now starting to enlarge slightly.  At the show in December they were tucked up nice and tight, quite a difference in them now.  Her appetite the past few days has been minimal - very unusual for Miss Chow Hound.  Consequently, she enjoyed a gourmet breakfast of liver today which she did have to share with Rose and Molly.  Although the evidence of life has now been detected we have no way of knowing how many pups she is carrying.  As I whispered to her I reminded her that several people are really counting on her.  Chrissy has started to sprawl out more while sleeping; usually she cuddles up tightly into a fetal position no matter where she is.  I always feel that is a protective stance for sleeping dogs, leaving their backs exposed to 'whatever' while their more vulnerable parts are well covered up.  She's also started to scratch a little bit, although nothing as significant as will happen when her time comes to whelp. Chris is very attentive to 'herself' as well.  Last night, she was briefly interested in the space behind an end table.

Although we've declared a due date of April 5th, based on the day of actual mating - we can be off by several days on that.  Although she was bred to Jac on a particular date the timing of her ovulation determines when conception actually occurred.  We would like to see a fuller abdomen as the next week progresses.  Last time she carried 8 pups all of good size; she was not overly huge but of course much bigger than she is now.

Chris has been in the house with me exclusively for the past couple of days. I needed the time to focus on her completely so that when we begin to observe her over the monitor in her whelping box we'll know what is typical behavior and what isn't.  Miss Chrissy is ALWAYS extremely cuddly and physically affectionate - and when she is pregnant she is even more so.  It's her fault I slept in this morning! Usually the dogs will get me up to go outside at a reasonable hour.  Not Chris - she just wanted to snuggle on the pillow next to me and I won't confess what time we finally started our day.

Treasure's heat will in all likelihood trigger one in her mother.  We are keeping a close eye on Wish for that reason.  I was very excited to learn her intended, Field Champion Coos Rylee (also Scoobys grandfather) won another Amateur Gun Dog Field Trial in Connecticutt this weekend!  He was first place out of 24 dogs.  Ray Gorman has definitely produced some incredible gundogs over the years.  Another of his Brits placed 3rd in the same stake. 

I have enrolled in some new breed handling classes which start in April and look forward to showing Treasure in the many outdoor shows coming up.  Our CMBC show is May 3rd, with York County Kennel Club, and will be held in Acton.  She definitely enjoys outdoor shows better than inside. But some dogs love the ring and others don't - in all honesty, I think the whole showing thing totally bores her to pieces although we've had fun and done well in the few shows we've done together.

Spring? Is it really coming?  With snow predicted tonight?  I just read in the paper where the snowmobiling season may extend right into May this year - well that will be fun for MR. NASH and his family!  Nash has been snowmobiling with Steve and Steph, and we'll scan the pictures here soon to prove it! 

Speaking of Nash and Darling Clementines - we've so appreciated the calls and photos.  Each of them is enjoying their new life - and have move beyond their time here which is as it should be. 

We received a letter from the State saying they were very behind in their kennel inspections for the State Breeding Kennel License so they issued us a temporary Vendor License until such a time as we get the other one. With the new legislation that should pass soon - we may not need the State License anyway.  But in the meantime, we're considered 'vendors' of pups.  Gotta love it. NOT!

With that - will let you go!  John has 10 weeks to retirement - woohoo!  God Bless you and yours from John, Ann and All Things Brittany.