Yay!!

[Marjolein]

Ivil is in heat!! (where's the ecstatic smilie??)

I'm SO happy! Ivil was due to be in heat the second half of oktober...showed all signs ("huh? you talking to me??") but no blood drop anywhere... Two weeks ago, Dingo starts reacting, smelling, tasting (juc!) still nothing.

By now I'm getting nervous as I have to take vacation to go to the male in France, 2 days drive, not sure if it works the first time and like to breed her twice, so at least a week in France all in all.
But. In december we have the x-mas trees in the store, there is a vacation-stop during that time, nobody get's to go anywhere This thursday was the last possibilty for Ivil to be in heat, as she can (normally ) be bred at day 13, stay a short week, etc, have to be back 1st of december....

Yesterday, I was puzzling what to do if she would be too late. Another male? artificial insemination? (is that english??), wait 6 months? Decided on waiting 6 months. But I wanted to keep one this time, and have been searching for the right pup over 2,5 years now, so I was, to say the least, disappointed.

So after deciding, I lied down next to Ivil in her dog bed, her head against my head, nose to nose. I said "Ivil, I know you talked to the doggie-breeding-bitches union, I know you have rights, but maybe we can work something out, a strike is not the answer."
Ivil blew dogbreath into my mouth with a big sigh
I went on:
"ok Ivil, here's the deal, I'll give you some more kibble each day"
Ivil looks me in the eye
"and you get to sleep on the couch every evening when we watch tv together"
Ivil wags her tail, follows me to the couch and we watch TV.

Even when I actually did this, just to make Johan laugh, what d'ya know: this morning I found blood drops! And nobody was hurt! Ivil is in heat!! YAY!!

In about 12 days, we are off to France

[MeganBays]

LOL! That's a pretty awesome story Glad you and Ivil could make a treaty with the union.

I think it's wild how you can talk so casually about going to a complete different country as if it's no big deal. I'd be estatic to get to go to France for a mini vacation such as that! But I guess that's kinda similar to me going to a different state that's just a short drive away.

Best of luck with the breeding, and I hope you get your *keeper* out of it.

[felixone123]

yay!! what a wonderful story about you and Ivil!! Congrats to both of you!!

[Christie M]

Congratulations to you and Ivil!! I know how hard it is to sit there and wait for them to come it. For me, it seems like I should have no problem at all putting it on the calendar. It is going to happen at the very, very most inconvenient time for everything.

Looking forward to more puppy pictures!!

[Marjolein]

I think it's wild how you can talk so casually about going to a complete different country as if it's no big deal.

oh, it is a big deal! I do not speak the language, just a few words, we have to drive all the way down to the south, I have never been that far south in France, I have to make sure all the paperwork is done, get the meeting with the male arranged in my best French (=google translate), find a place to stay WITH Ivil in the room (she is not going in a kennel, out of my sight, when in heat). And if Johan was not able to come with me, I'm not sure if I had taken on the trip alone. That's a lie, I would never have gone alone

[Selena]

Meg, depending on where in France its about a 6-10 hr drive for Marjolein . Hell when she visits me its about an 1.5/2 hr drive and she lives in Germany( near the dutch border)

Yeahhhhh fot Ivil and for you, I can see the visualof Johans face when you had your talk with her

[MeganBays]

Meg, depending on where in France its about a 6-10 hr drive for Marjolein . Hell when she visits me its about an 1.5/2 hr drive and she lives in Germany( near the dutch border)

Yeahhhhh fot Ivil and for you, I can see the visualof Johans face when you had your talk with her

The drive to you is closer than what we are to Barry!

The trip sounds very exciting Marjolein, I hope you take plenty of pics for those of us who have to travel vicariously through you!

[feraloup]

Congrats! You will have to share stories of your francais adventure with us!

[vneerland]

I know how hard it is to sit there and wait for them to come it. For me, it seems like I should have no problem at all putting it on the calendar. It is going to happen at the very, very most inconvenient time for everything.

Absolutely true! Always off.

oh, it is a big deal! I do not speak the language, just a few words, we have to drive all the way down to the south, I have never been that far south in France, I have to make sure all the paperwork is done, get the meeting with the male arranged in my best French (=google translate), find a place to stay WITH Ivil in the room (she is not going in a kennel, out of my sight, when in heat). And if Johan was not able to come with me, I'm not sure if I had taken on the trip alone. That's a lie, I would never have gone alone

I bet no matter what, you would have spoken enough French to git-r-done (as they say here in the South)
You know....make suggestive hip movement....make sure you mumble the name of the stud and point at your bitch when you do that (to avoid confusion and fights between Johan and whoever else) and get the buns put in the oven.
You are certainly going out of your way for this, especially for European standards. May all your puppy dreams come true.

[leih merigian]

Oh, that was just too freaking funny!

So happy for you tho!

Good luck with everything! (Just tell Ivil that the more puppies she gets, the more kibble she gets )

[katm4110]

Woohoo!!!! That's exciting!

[Marjolein]

I bet no matter what, you would have spoken enough French to git-r-done (as they say here in the South)
You know....make suggestive hip movement....make sure you mumble the name of the stud and point at your bitch when you do that (to avoid confusion and fights between Johan and whoever else) and get the buns put in the oven.
You are certainly going out of your way for this, especially for European standards. May all your puppy dreams come true.

Ehm, I'll skip the hip movements if you don't mind, to avoid any misunderstandings
That is all the French I know actually, dog-French. I know breed "saillie" I know the stud "le male" I know the DNA profile "Profile ADN" and I know wine "vin" and bread "pain au chocolat", what more could we possibly need Oh yeah, "le voiture veux manger" (the car is hungry)

[alspyce]

Best wishes for a successful breeding, safe trip, and healthy litter!!!
The first time into Montreal for a dog show, we couldn't even understand the road signs, but still did okay, just didn't know if we were going North or South.

[vneerland]

Ehm, I'll skip the hip movements if you don't mind, to avoid any misunderstandings

That might be a smart move (not to make a suggestive move)

That is all the French I know actually, dog-French. I know breed "saillie" I know the stud "le male" I know the DNA profile "Profile ADN" and I know wine "vin" and bread "pain au chocolat", what more could we possibly need Oh yeah, "le voiture veux manger" (the car is hungry)

Sounds like you'll survive. Have you ever considered going by train? I am not kidding. Last time I went, I took a train. Granted, I went to Paris only, but the TGV goes all the way south. Rent a car for a day or so upon arrival and voila? (and yes, I was traveling with a dog)
With Johan going with you, I am sure that by car -despite the European gas prices- is probably more economical, but the train ride was quite relaxed, even though I had to change trains a few times. Maybe it helped that the train allowed me to get in and out fast. (right Eric?)

[Sugars Mom]

OMG, I laughed so hard at your story about your talk!! Congrats and hope all goes well for your trip and, well, the other thing

[Marjolein]

Glad I made everyone laugh... to me it was not funny at all to wait, change plans... well, not untill she was in heat

The train Judith...glad you had a good expereince with it... I remember travelling to Disney land Paris with a friend once, had some nice days, trip back: French were on strike, no train. Had to wait, no fun since we could not go into the park anymore and there is not another living thing outside of disneyland, no houses, no bar, nothing! So we wait. Finally the train came, and all the people that had been waiting at the previous stations all day were already crammed in, like sardines in a can. We sqeeuzed in, we could only stand, when the train had to brake, normally you have to hang on to something not to drop on the floor, no danger of that now, we could not move an inch. It got sweaty, smelly and very unconfortable. did not like that TGV trip...
Second time, delay...4 hours!!! No more...
And it is really expensive.

So, we'll go by car.

Oh, and even when it is not that far a drive for american standards, I believe it is a different way of driving, it is not like in the US where you have roads you can drive without seeing another car for an hour, here you are in the middle of LOTS of cars and trucks the whole route, maybe only the last half hour, into the mountains it will be quiet, But then you have to be on edge because of the small road full of hairpins and steap climbs. It will be about 10 hour drive for us, if we wouldn't stop. But we will, sonce we are bringing a dog and might want to pee and walk around ourselves

[cake73]

Congrats!
Best wishes for a successful trip!

(a former boss of mine once communicated, while in France, that her car had broken down by saying, "le auto est mort")

[vneerland]

The train Judith...glad you had a good expereince with it... I remember travelling to Disney land Paris with a friend once, had some nice days, trip back: French were on strike, no train. Had to wait, no fun since we could not go into the park anymore and there is not another living thing outside of disneyland, no houses, no bar, nothing! So we wait. Finally the train came, and all the people that had been waiting at the previous stations all day were already crammed in, like sardines in a can. We sqeeuzed in, we could only stand, when the train had to brake, normally you have to hang on to something not to drop on the floor, no danger of that now, we could not move an inch. It got sweaty, smelly and very unconfortable. did not like that TGV trip...Second time, delay...4 hours!!! No more...
And it is really expensive.

I must just have been lucky with the TGV. My delays and my "your train is departing from platform 7 Correction. Your train is departing from platform 9. Your train Your train is arriving at platform 5" nonsense was actually in Holland. During a snow storm. While dragging a 12 week old DS and two suitcases around with me. Fun!

Oh, and even when it is not that far a drive for american standards, I believe it is a different way of driving, it is not like in the US where you have roads you can drive without seeing another car for an hour, here you are in the middle of LOTS of cars and trucks the whole route, maybe only the last half hour, into the mountains it will be quiet, But then you have to be on edge because of the small road full of hairpins and steap climbs. It will be about 10 hour drive for us, if we wouldn't stop. But we will, sonce we are bringing a dog and might want to pee and walk around ourselves

True. The roads in the US are often more generous, wider lanes. And on large hauls, it is much more relaxed than Europe's stop and go traffic. Only in and around the big Amercian cities in rush hour do things tend to be unpleasant. So yes, I know what you mean. 10 hours to France is absolutely long enough. Best of luck! (next weekend?)

[Marjolein]

we're off on saturday, Dingo will be guarding the house (he has johan's mom there, helping him open the food container). Sure hope it will be a "succesfull" week

[Schlussdibusti]

Bon Voyage !