THE LAST OF THE 2006 WINTER LITTERS was whelped on the 9th December 2005 by KOLYMA OF SEPPALA (XPACE OF SEPPALTA x RIVER VIEW'S SPRITE), sired by QUEEQUEG OF SEPPALA (SEPALLEO x KIDRON OF SPIRIT WIND). Old Kol-Doll did a workmanlike job as always, keeping these four pups (two males and two females) stuffed full and putting on a steady three ounces a day. She won our heart by whelping one little guy who appears to be pretty much a replica of his dearly beloved granddaddy, white and black piebald SEPALLEO, but with a long coat. Orlov the larger dark-phase boy looks like a throwback to the Wheeler era and is quite a personality pup with a big bushy long coat at the moment. We unhappily lost Oka to an intestinal intussusception; the remaining female Olga is graceful, energetic, and zany. It has been an interesting litter.
A pair of long coats right out of the Harry Wheeler days!
THE SEPPALA KENNELS I-LITTER was born 17 November 2005, sired by PYOTR OF SEPPALA (SHAKAL IZ SOLOVYEV x ZIRCONIA OF SEPP-ALTA) out of our ten-year-old senior leader and queen-bitch TONYA OF SEPPALA (XPACE OF SEPPALTA x RIVER VIEW'S SPRITE). Tonya had an excellent whelping although it left us nervous wrecks just because she took so long with it -- why should it take four and a half hours to move that first puppy ten inches? Tonya whelped two striking male pups and said, "Take it or leave it folks, this is my final contribution to the cause!" We'll take it quite happily, because grandsons of SHAKAL IZ SOLOVYEV are just what we were hoping for.
Tonya's pair of little Russian princes grew like wildfire. We've never seen anything quite like it. At just 28 days of age, Prince Ivan weighed 136 ounces (eight and one-half pounds or 3.86 Kg) and Prince Igor weighed 124 ounces (7 3/4 pounds or 3.52 Kg). In the yearling yard with the rest now, they stand out and catch the eye. I have to say that at this point they sure do LOOK like princes and show a lot of personality and pizzazz. We think we'd like to see a few more of Pyotr's pups if that can be arranged for next year.
OUR "H" LITTER was whelped 11th November 2005 in St.-Sixte, Québec at the new Gatineau Kennels of Jean-Marie and Nathalie Belanger. It was sired by old ZAKI OF SEPPALA (SHAKAL IZ SOLOVYEV x NORDE OF SEPP-ALTA) out of BOIKA OF SEPPALA (SURGUT OF SEPPALA x JINX OF SEPPALA), who was shipped in whelp to the Belangers a month before the litter was born. Their growth and progress is being anxiously watched in both St.-Sixte and Whitehorse as both kennels have a stake in this litter! Gradually SHAKAL IZ SOLOVYEV, who now rules the roost in Isa Boucher's cabin as an honoured retiree, is acquiring grandsons to carry on his new Siberia import genetics, something that is very exciting for all of us.
THE "F" LITTER was born 24th October 2005, sired by COCÙ DE SA.RA.BE DE CAL SEGÙ (SHAPOCHKA IZ SOLOVYEV x BUFFIE DE SA.RA.BE DE CAL SEGÙ) out of ANASTASIA OF SEPPALA (MARKOBOSCO x KOLYMA OF SEPPALA). These kids are only 3/8 Solovyev import, all of it from the sire's side. They still seem to show the incredible vigour that we have come to expect from the Solovyev lineage! We are very glad to have pups from both our European import males so soon after their arrival; it feels good to mortar this building block into position so efficiently.
THE "G" LITTER was sired by DITKO DE SA.RA.BE DE CAL SEGÙ (ALADIN DE SA.RA.BE DE CAL SEGÙ x BUFFIE DE SA.RA.BE DE CAL SEGÙ) out of PIA OF SEPPALA (SHAKAL IZ SOLOVYEV x ZIRCONIA OF SEPP-ALTA) and born the 16th September 2005. The G-litter is genetically half Markovo-Seppala and half Solovyev Siberia import, but not a first-generation cross (they are second-generation on the dam's side and third on the sire's side). From the way the litter has grown I'd have to say that they are showing a whole lot of "hybrid vigour" from the combination of bloodlines from the same origin, yet isolated from each other for the past 75 years at least.
The G-litter are staked in the yearling yard now, along with all the other litters. The G's remind us strongly of the P litter (Shakal x Zirconia) at that age -- indeed, the silver grey male GORKI is quite similar to his uncle PAVEL OF SEPPALA. PIA was a touchingly faithful mother; even now she still loves to visit them at any opportunity. She's living in the cabin with Isa at the moment, a very happy house pet. The G-litter has amply established the value of their sire DITKO in the breeding pen. They will probably be key breeding stock for the future as they can be bred to almost any of our other young stock handily without worrying about too much inbreeding. They are energetic and affectionate youngsters; it will be exciting to watch them turn into yearlings in autumn of 2006.
