Hello! 2021

 Blogger made some changes and until today I have not been able to get into my account!! 

 A lot has happened.  If you remember or have puppies by Boomer, well we lost our old boy.  He had dog COPD.  I fear it's fear its because I was not a good dog parent and did enough with his teeth as far as taking him in and getting them cleaned.  I don't know this for sure as the vet didn't say it WAS the cause. 

He was a pretty healthy boy and I know heartworms didn't compromise him and so I just naturally look to myself as in fault.  I know that in humans infected teeth or periodontal disease can lead to heart issues.  He had his share of chews and tooth exams but he also had evidence of tartar on his teeth.   I have revamped my tooth protocol with my other dogs and also including some special tartar reducing chews, doing tooth inspections, etc.  

We did however earlier in the year, found a beautiful young male dog, Sumo whom we renamed Summerlin (his AKC name is KONG XI) and he's an incredible boy that Boomer actually liked!  (he was not fond of Maximus, his grandfather)  He's a chocolate trindle boy. 

We already have 2 litters on the ground by him in the 8 months we have had him.  He carries 
"dd" meaning he is able to pass on the dilute genes to lighten colors and double chocolate so it as some interest to our breedings.  Had one puppy, a female that he put his stamp on in a litter and she has ice blue eyes (dilution of color) and is a fawn with patterned markings like him. 

 The other pups were brindles and spots more like their mom, Pinky.  Beetle just had pups by him and they are pretty normal colored other than there are two very dark brindles, almost solid black!  That's something we rarely see.

2020 was a real challenge.  For everyone I know.  As far as work, I am considered essential agriculture worker and so 2020 was just like every other year other than the real possibility of getting exposed to someone at work and becoming sick.  I was careful from the very beginning and it really was a pretty easy move to distance, mask and increased personal hygiene since at our farm we have practiced the same things daily since inception. Bringing items into the facility,  even ourselves,  presents a real risk to the pig's health so we showered completely and changed into "farm" clothing that stays there daily to protect them.  Anything that comes in, even our lunches are carefully kept away from the animals and outsides sprayed with disinfectant.  Supplies have a 3 day "downtime" to reduce risk.  Pigs raised in clean, high health environments are treated this way all across the state each day! 

 Pig farmers have been practicing the same for decades to reduce the possibility that their pigs catch diseases that are out there from other pigs, just like we are now careful to protect ourselves from Covid.