2024: A Year in Review
Working Dogs
Our dogs are first and foremost working guardians. They live with our livestock, protecting them from the various apex predators we have sniffing around our delicious critters! Here are some pictures from this year of the dogs/puppies doing their job.
Show Ring Highlights
While we didn’t get to very many shows this year, we did get some nice recognition for our dogs!
Hercules was awarded Best Puppy in Sweepstakes by Ms. Laura Edstrom-Smith at the ASDCA Regional Specialty in April.
Daisy went Best of Breed with Sam handling her under Mr. Dana Cline in Missoula.
Jyn was awarded Best of Breed in June, while Shamz her son was awarded Best Puppy in Show at 4 months old in California!
Shamz surprised us by winning Best of Breed over many beautiful specials in November. He finished his Championship at 8 months old. Shamz is our first Apex Champion!
We look forward to a great 2025, and hope to attend more shows!
Two Litters
Shazam/Jyn - 2 Males
When my mentor lost Shazam, we cried together on the phone. He was a truly outstanding dog. Everyone who met him speaks highly of Shazam. He was a Grand Champion Silver show dog; Janet’s first dog invited to Westminster. He only had one litter in Arizona when he passed, and Janet only had some frozen semen that was low count/quality left from him. She offered me the opportunity to try for a litter with what she had left! Of course, I said YES!
Jyn and I traveled to Janet’s, and Jyn got established with Dr. Souther, a local theriogenologist. Jyn stayed with Janet to await her heat cycle, and Janet took her to the vet for all her Progesterone tests and two TCI procedures with 5.5 breeding units of semen. We all knew it was a long shot and that we likely wouldn’t get any pups. I brought Jyn home to Montana to wait and see.
To our grand surprise a month later, I saw two pups on her ultrasound! That was confirmed by Dr. Trevor, my therio. Jyn delivered the boys via cesarean section on February 7th after she didn’t progress into active labor on her own. (This is common when larger breed dogs only have one or two pups because the pups start the hormone cascade required for mom to start pushing.)
Both boys remain co-owned by Natalie and Janet, and Dr. Souther (who made these miracle puppies!) has Baloo at her property.
Shamz lives with Janet at Karaboudjan Anatolians and is learning her goats. He finished his AKC Championship in one weekend this November at only 8 months old! We look forward to seeing him mature.
Baloo protects his family and spaniel siblings. We hope to see him shown in 2025.
Demir/Xena - 2 Males, 2 Females
Demir belongs to my friends up in Northern Montana (almost Canada!) He protects goats, pigs, poultry, cattle and horses on 200 acres. I was so happy to get the opportunity to breed to this health-tested, working boy! Xena gave us four pups by Demir, and they are growing quickly!
