2024 Litter Plans

Esky (Bucolick Tavia of Tjanth) is a girl that I found to be particularly interesting in my first litter. I set up various Puppy Culture-style obstacle courses and whilst other puppies floundered, she picked her way through them effortlessly. She was tiny relative to the other puppies in the litter. The other boisterous puppies bowled her over. The iconic photo of all 8 puppies on the farm steps has Esky in the background with just her ears and one eye visible behind Moose. She was tear-stained and quiet. Not shy quiet or timid quiet. Just underwhelming next to her squirming littermates. She was not in any way a striking puppy, but I liked her very much. I could have sold her easily interstate, but I wanted to keep her close and watch her develop.

And develop and blossom she did. She went to my friend Claire at Tirnacu Kennels, initially just for a short stay, but this ended up being.. well... a long stay. She was just so easy and calm. Overall the three bitch puppies in the litter ended up being more similar in type as adults than early signs predicted. Esky's tail is a bit low set: something not well rewarded in Australian show rings albeit perfectly fine in the breed standard. She has nice head confirmation. She could be a bit longer in leg. But I admit that I love her proportions and she reminds me of many older influential lapphund bitches in her overall conformation. Her personality is delightul. In recent years Esky has earned the title of 'most welcome back' at the Bucolick household for her general easy going nature. We have many lapphunds cycle through our family home and to be permanently welcomed back is high praise. Esky, unusually for the breed is not a barker, just a friendly relaxed girl who has just a delightful pretty face and solid construction.

At time of writing its her second birthday. She has been hip scored in the past week and has returned a score of 2/4 for a total of 6. This is well above average for the breed and correlates with a score of A-2 in the OFA scoring system.

I had planned to use Esky for a litter at Bucolick in a couple of years time. I wanted someone special for her, and did have specific plans for 2025 or 2026, but.. plans change.

Great hip score, steady easy temperament, solid moderate confirmation. Did I mention that my huband adores her? That's a very respectable benchmark that should never be ignored.

The planned litter is a frozen imported semen litter using a historical popular sire called Chelville Tapio, previously owned by the late Clive Muzzelle of Chelville Kennels in the UK.

Chelville Tapio, aka Jukka, is behind many of the current show lines for the breed, and you might argue that he's had his time in the sun. I would agree with you. But he himself lived to a healthy old age of 16. He was rarely put to a bitch with great hips, and his progeny were frequently inbred. Rather ironically this 'popular sire' gives the proposed litter a COI of 1.99% which is lower than most other options that I have available for Esky in Australia currently.

The semen was collected nearly 20 years ago: Jukka himself died over 7 years ago. Jukka was the first Imported semen to Australia thanks to Ros at Theldaroy Kennels. The quality is already known to be poor, and so the chance of success is pretty low.

But... I'm not one for secrets: I'm ok with disretion when it comes to the plans of others, but my own? Nope. I need to blab. So I'll be trying this combination and if the AI cycle is successful, I'll be singing from the rooftops some time around Christmas/New Year. Puppies will be due Around Australia day if it works. Greatest thanks to Ros Seare at Theldaroy for giving me the opportunity to try this combination and for using the last of Jukka's semen in Australia.

This will be the T litter. Theme to be announced if the mating/whelping is all successful.

(We all love a good cheesy puppy naming theme, right?)