OK, let me bring you up to date.

Temperatures have been soaring here in Cyprus, hottest on record since they began, or so the papers are telling us, many days reaching in to mid 40s. Now whilst that’s good for us, its not so good for the dogs, especially those in season, and those we wish to use at stud. It means 3am and 4am supervised matings when the temperatures have dropped to mid 30s, which in my opinion, and the dogs opinion looking at their performance is still too hot for a romantic evening between consenting adult Danes.

Diva came in to season and it was our intention to cover Diva with Turbo initially, then we had a change of heart thinking a Diva / Zac mating would be quite beneficial to the programme we had set out on, especially having lost Heidie as we did. Both Turbo and Zac are proven stud dogs, Diva and Odette are both maiden bitches, so either way, the combination was always going to be a first timer in the love bed for one or the other of the bitches.

Because Diva was an unexpected season having started some 4 months early, we were not really sure of her first day in order to calculate her most fertile period. Then of course we had the other 2 bitches following in her footsteps, both coming in to season only days apart, so calculations were up in the air as they were all giving different aromas of readiness. We presented Zac to Diva on day 9 and they just played about, he getting on top, trying to do his stuff and she thinking it was all a huge game, playing but not being aggressive or trying to fight him off. We presented twice on day 10, twice on day 11 and because I was not sure of her position, decided rather than miss the moment, see how Turbo got on, after all he had been her trusted companion since birth. Day 12 it was instant connection with Turbo. Now that could have been because she was actually ready on day 12, or it could have been that she did not fancy Zac or find him particularly attractive and was sticking out for a love match with Turbo. We then went on to have three ties over 2 days, each for 45 minutes a piece. We are firm believers of everything happens for a reason and our Turbo / Diva cover was just one of those moments when we believe it was meant to be, as had been our original plan.

At this point Tina is now in full flow having her first season very late at 14 months and having been brought on by Diva, Diva is still expressing her desire to be serviced again and we are trying to monitor the progress of Odettes season with all the different smells being given off and regulation of blood flow. Day 9 Odette was presented with Zac, twice on day 10 and twice on day 11. On day 11 I also presented Odette with Donny as equally he would have been a nice cover bringing back the Heidie lines combined with those of Zac. Each time and on each of the respective days there was lots of movement in the right direction from both dogs, but Odette was just thinking all this attention was just up her street to tease. Whilst she stood, cocked her tail, tempted and tantalised, she just would not stay still for a minute for either of them in their capacity as stud dogs to make their connection. They hit bulls eye a number of times, but Odette, well she wanted to give them a run for their money. I mean if this was to be her first time, if this is what all the fuss was about and this is what she had read about in all those doggie magazines, then at least she was going to make it last. Again needing a harlequin cover for Odette, it had to be a Zac or a Donny mating and as time was running out, my thoughts ran to A/I. (Artificial Insemination) I took Odette to the Vet, had her checked over, we had blood and swab tests done, only to be told our particular Vet did not do A/I. With the thoughts planted firmly in my head, time running out and no equipment available to do it myself, we located a Vet who did do A/I about 1hr 30 minutes away from where we live. So we got both Danes in separate cars and off we went, once in the evening and once early the following morning. They each have to go again on Monday (that is Zac & Odette), but in the meantime they have now both had a natural mating with a tie of 37 minutes. As our appointment is already booked for Monday I shall still travel over for one more A/I, but I will also let them try again today naturally. Fortunately the evening temperatures have dropped a little, there is a nice cooling breeze and love making on the mountain, under the stars with site of the Mediterranean sea in the distance once again becomes a little more enjoyable for the Danes that is and not myself you understand We had four A/I and one natural with Zac & Odette.

So the tiny patter of feet may be something we see in 63 days, or 8 weeks, which ever sounds the furthest away as I am sure when the time comes we will wonder what on earth we have done, mating 2 bitches at the same time, but then 2 lots of trouble are no more of a handful than 1 lot of trouble and if we are going to be up all night on puppy patrol, better it be done all in one session rather than extending it over the period of a year.

So if we have any friends wishing to visit, then may I suggest anytime between the 20th August and the 20th November as I am sure we can find a space on the baby calendar for distribution of duties.

Anybody interested in putting their name down for a puppy in advance and who have not already done so, please go to our Advance Purchase Registration form on our site, complete it fully and return it to us.

For Further information on Purchasing a Puppy please check out the separate pages on the right column, or click here. We have had a number of interested requests, but as our selection process is quite strict, we will consider each application on its own merit, both past and new, so if you have not yet completed your registration form, do not think it is too late.