Puppies!

Since Tonka died back in December (see the post here), we've been looking for another akita. Luna's really missed having a buddy around and we've missed having a second dog, and of course we wanted to pick up where we left off with our dreams of showing and finishing a dog, and eventually starting our own line of healthy, beautiful akitas that will improve the future of the breed.

(which incidentally is the only reason anyone should be breeding any dog in the first place, but that is a whole 'nother conversation...see here for details if you are entertaining any notions of breeding your dog, especially if you are doing it to make money or to "show the kids the miracle of life").

Well the point is that, because of our high hopes and plans for this dog, we were looking for something really specific, and it took a REALLY long time to find it, but it's finally here. Lexie had a litter of NINE healthy, beautiful puppies yesterday; 6 boys and 3 girls, and if all goes as it should one of those babies will be ours. The sire is Chrome, a gorgeous dog we have admired for some time, who is himself the son of Cuervo, who was the number one akita in the country in 2005 (for those of you non-dog people, that means he won a lot of shows).

That in itself doesn't really matter since it's the culmination of all the ancestors that determine (in part) the quality of the dog...but it sure sounds impressive so I'm mentioning it. More important (to me) are the health, beauty, type (akita-ness), temperament, and structural soundness of all the dogs in the pedigree.

Here is the link to Lexie's wonderful owner/breeder Carrie Holgate's website, and below you can see pics she took of the new babies. I'll post more as they grow, especially when we go down to visit them cuz I will definitely bring my camera. And once we know which one is going to be little "Winter" (yes we named him months ago), I'm sure this blog will be inundated with pics of him. And maybe some video. And a few bronzed paw imprints.

Come to think of it, I'll just replace all the pictures on my website with puppy pics. You guys don't mind, do you?

Winter will be coming home with us in May, and all of you are welcome to come over and help socialize him. And ya know if you wanna book a wedding or something too while you're here, I wont stop you... ;)

Edit: see the individual puppies and watch them grow here.

Lexie and her babies: