Vet Check - GIRL Version

Like I mentioned last week, the GIRLS got to go the vet this week for their regular check-ups and shots and such. That's Elsie, Pinot, and Kenya, left-to-right in the photo above.


All are doing very well. Here's the scoop:

• Elsie has recovered nicely from last fall's litter, and the vet cleared her to breed again. So we'll breed her with her next heat cycle, which should be any time. We'll let you know!
  
• Kenya is developing FABULOUSLY by breed standard and seems to be in solid health. She turns 2yo in August so we'll have her hips, elbows, and eyes screened then. Then we'll hold off to breed her for the first time until probably the winter (provided her tests come back with positive outcomes) so we'd be looking at spring puppies with her.
  
• Pinot, at 8.5 months old, is still all puppy, but developing nicely. Her only obvious breed-standard fault so far is that long tail (it falls about an inch below her hock, when it should only just come to the hock), but we're hoping she'll grow into it. She IS growing in to her long nose--her head is broadening, and she's looking more like her mom every day. It's really too soon to tell what her final outcome will be by breed standard. But her temperament, intelligence, people-orientation, train-ability, desire-to-please, retrieving instinct, athleticism (boy is she fast!), and color more than make up for a long tail any day of the week (in our minds). We'll see how it goes, though. Only time will tell.

Now for the weight check:

• The Pinot Squirt is a whopping 65 pounds. Not bad for 8.5 months old. And she's still looking really leggy. But when I compare her legs to Elsie's and Kenya's (from shoulder joint to foot and hip joint to foot) her legs are no longer than the other girls'. (Yes, it's true, honest -- her legginess seems to be an optical illusion -- check out the photo above). When she matures and fills out, my guess is she'll fall around 75 pounds. That would be a really nice size.
• The Kenya Bean, our little tank, but built like the breed standard calls for, weighs in at 77 pounds. She actually looks good (vet doesn't think she's overweight). Like Baxter, she still has the tummy rise and the slight hour-glass when you look at her from above. I think 75 pounds is probably ideal for her, but 77 isn't bad.
• Now for the Elsie Bear. A BEAR she is -- at 95 pounds! WOW! I'm so glad she's made such a fine recovery from her litter (she was really underweight when she weaned her pups last fall). And she, too, still has definable hips when viewed from above. But we need to get her more exercise. Ninety-five pounds is huge for Elsie (IHMO). The vet would be happy if she were between 85 and 90.
  

So the girls are 65, 77, and 95 pounds. Ridge is 86 pounds, and Baxter is 111 pounds. That means we have 434 pounds of Lab here. :o)

And we love every ounce of them. :o)

'Til next time,
Joan