Owners: Rod and Marta Beckstead, Allentown, Pennsylvania
I-Ron vom Wichtelhaus
Pedigree:
I-Ron was brought to the U.S. from the vom Wichtelhaus kennel in Switzerland. He belongs to Rod and Marta Beckstead, owners of Ravenswood, and lives in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Smaller than Bianca, and a handsome dog, Iron has a sweet, open expression and courteous temperament.
On January 16, 2010, I-Ron of Ravenswood kennels finished the requirements for a United Kennel Club Championship. He now will be addressed as UKC CH I-Ron Ravenswood Von Wichtelhaus. He also received a Group 3 Placement on the same day.
Cecily is now seven months and she is beautiful. Her coloring is lovely and the hair on her ears is crimped into little locks. Her black earrings are growing longer and her tail is a feather plume. Cecily is always busy. Her almond eyes are full of mischief. She is the quintessential nature girl, happiest when she is running like the wind, scrambling up rocks, chasing birds and squirrels and digging holes.
In this year’s summer heat wave in Atlanta there’s nothing that Cecily likes better than simply messing about in the creek. Cecily is a water baby. A few times a day she finds her own way to the creek that runs below our house to cool down and do some doggy paddling. She loves to have sticks or pebbles thrown for her to chase and show off her swimming prowess. And the great thing about her coat is that it’s drip-dry – a few shakes to make sure the humans got wet too, a roll in the grass, and a good brush down and she’s good to go.
At around 1:30 I heard the unmistakable cry of a newborn puppy and found that Bianca had quietly and secretly settled herself on the comforter in Ochie’s kennel and had given birth to her first puppy. Quickly I pulled out the birthing equipment, stationed it in the living room where there would be plenty of room and placed mama and baby in the birthing tub. With a gentle push, Bianca birthed puppy #2…another boy…and by around 4:00 she had added five more for a total of seven beautiful puppies…three boys and four girls.>
I realize that the old saying about “the miracle of birth” is just that…old and trite. But if those words are stale and over-used, I am feeling compelled to find others that I can use to tell you about the emotional “high” I attained by watching this amazing process. I have watched piglets, lambs, calves, puppies, kittens and human babies being born on many occasions, but that does not blunt the sharp awe and excitement I again felt as Bianca’s puppies were born one after the other.
An easy push brought the emergence of a glistening sac with a puppy secreted away inside; a quick bite and tear of the membranes from her teeth ruptured the sac and suddenly a new life was released into the room where only a moment age there had been one fewer creature. When it was all over, Bianca and I were both exhausted!
At birth, each of Bianca’s puppies was given a name and a color-coded yarn necklace, photographed, weighed and measured. They ranged in size from a couple of blocky little fellows to a tiny and fragile little girl, the runt I suppose. While the other puppies eagerly cuddled up to mom for warmth and dinner, this tiny one always wandered to the cool sides of the box and seemed to lack the vigor the others had. In spite of my best attempts, little Colette did not live and sadly I had to bury her tiny body this morning among the flowers in my yard. The remaining puppies are vigorous and healthy and are singing beautiful “puppy music” as I sit at my desk writing.
And now, a little about the names we chose for the puppies: Because this is Rosewood’s C Litter, we of course chose C names. But not just any old names would do! Because Kooikers are such special dogs we wanted to pick names that reflect their uniqueness and their regal appearance, and where else better to obtain such names than in ancient history? As you view each puppy picture you will see that I have given a short description of the name in history and that I have also included links that will allow you to read more about each one.
On January 16, 2010, I-Ron of Ravenswood kennels finished the requirements for a United Kennel Club Championship. He now will be addressed as UKC CH I-Ron Ravenswood Von Wichtelhaus. He also received a Group 3 Placement on the same day.
I-Ron Winning Championship and Group 3 at UKC
I-Ron was bred with Rosewood’s Bianca who produced a litter of five puppies on November 17, 2009.
I thought you would appreciate an update on Bianca … absolutely nothing is happening. Well, sort of. She is growing by the day and showing just a tiny bit of milk. I am now taking her to work with me so I can earn money and watch her every move. It is a good thing that my boss is so nice. Bianca is not bulgy … just thick in the middle. She was laying on her side on the comforter I have at work and I could see the puppies moving … pretty cool.
I will let you know as soon as she has the pups. By the way, Bianca is still very active. She worries the squirrels, tries to climb trees, terrorizes the critter that lives in the roots of the hollow tree in the back yard, hops up (with ease) onto my bed and generally doesn’t act pregnant.
The great pleasure of a dog is that you make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, he will make a fool of himself too.
– Samuel Butler
Personally, I would not give a fig for any man's religion whose horse, cat and dog do not feel its benefits. Life in any form is our perpetual responsibility.
- S. Parkes Cadman
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
- Groucho Marx
To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs.
- Aldous Huxley
Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring—it was peace.
- Milan Kundera
Heaven goes by favor; if it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.
