Identifying LH puppies at birth

[Irena]

This could be a very useful topic in the case of a country where tail docking is allowed and LH puppies can be born into mixed litters.

Please share your experience as to identifying LH puppies so that their tail does not get docked, etc.

[arielskennels]

I have not personally had a litter of LH's yet, but I will more than likely be breeding my Mike' after she has completed her tests. I would really like to breed her to another LH, but if that is not possible, then my SH Australian male will definately be the sire.

There is a site that identifies the LH and the SH so that people can see the difference. I believe that the site was based here in the States, but I am not sure. I have added the link here so that everyone can go look at it. I was refered to this site after aquiring my LH. Yes, my LH is a result of 2 SH mating. There were 3 puppies in the litter that were LH and (believe it or not), I purchased 2 of them for $400 US dollars each b/c the breeder thought that the pups were genetically defective. I sold Mike's brother to a friend and I will be getting him back within the week or so. I will post pictures of him also on my site. She decided that TX was not the place for the LH and since I keep mine in the house, that is why I will be getting him back. (She can't have him in the house as her kids are allergic to his fur). The 3rd LH from that litter was sold to someone here in the States and was spayed. (She wanted nothing more than an "unusual" pet.)

Anyway, here is the site that I was refered to:

www.weimaraners.com/coats.htm

I thought that this site was helpful, but still I would need to know how to tell at 3-4 days old when the pups are ready for their tail docking. I am sooo afraid that I will make a mistake and dock a LH puppy by accident. If anyone has any information, please post!
Thanks!!!!!
Melissa

[acewild55]

If anyone every needs info on selection of LH/SH mixed litters.. send pics to Ingrid at Grausturm... even her girls can pic a LH from a SH at birth... she has identified LH Puppies from all over the world by pics.. and never wrong... Its easy once you know what you are looking for.. even I can pick them now and I've got GSP's.. but being midwife to most of Ingrids litters and seeing them very first time.. makes learning even easier... Cheers Maree

[addicted2weims]

Wow this is great! Thanks to you both. Shela

[syrinx]

My litter of only two had one of each, and from birth you could tell who was who. As the hair is longer on the longhair, what you see is the whole hair, so it is silkier in texture. On the smooth, what you see is the ends of all the hairs, so they don't have the same homogenous feel. If you look at the curve on the top of the head, the curve just in front of the ears is probably the easiest, you see quite a shine that is not there on the shorts due to ends of the hairs rather than the sides. There was not really hair noticable between the toes, or the other spots mentioned in the article. In my smooth, the stripes were darker, clearer and there were more of them compared to the long. As soon as I learn how to upload pics into the message, I will put some up of the two together.
Wendy

[syrinx]

Ok, worked it out, I think. These are the only two pics I have at the moment of my two, there are some more but I can't get to them right now. Unfortunatley there are none showing the shine, I will make sure I get it from my next litter as there should be both.
tinypic.com/hrbomb.jpg [/img]



The one with the darker stripes is Bailey, short hair, the one alone is Riley, longhair. You can see on the shorhair (the one closest to the camera) that the wrinkles on her face seem much more defined, again I think this is because the ends of all the hairs are visible, where with the long, the hair flows over a bit more. These were taken the day they were born.

[syrinx]

Don't know what happened to the other one. Here is Riley, longhair. Probably the biggest clue is the feeling, the softer and silkier texture of the coat. They feel beautiful!