At the beginning of 2023, Dogs NZ changed the rule that allowed long and smooth coat Chihuahuas to be mated to each other. Until then, NZ was only one of 3 countries left in the world that would only allow smooth-smooth or long-long matings. As the only thing that separates a long coat Chihuahua from a smooth coat Chihuahua is a single recessive gene, this severely limited the NZ gene pool.
Since this much needed rule change was passed, we have been on the lookout for a handsome smooth coat boy or two to join us at Kitaco, bringing some welcome genetic diversity to our lines, with the proviso that the dogs must carry the recessive long coat gene. The smooth coat gene is dominant, so a smooth to long mating would result in all smooth coats, which could very quickly eliminate our long coat lines, if we weren't careful to find a dog guaranteed to have the long coat gene.
Which brings us to Warlaven Kennels in the North Island and their litter we have been anxiously awaiting since the rule change made it possible for NZ's top Long Coat Chihuahua Show Dog, Thor (NZ CH El-toro Fly the Banner at Warlaven) to be mated to their lovely cream smooth coat girl, Yasmin, (NZ CH El-toro Marvillosa at Warlaven), a union guaranteed to produce some amazing smooth coat boys who definitely carried the long coat gene (thanks to their long coated sire) that we needed.
Sure enough, Yasim produced 3 fabulous smooth coat boys and a sweet little girl in June and we have been watching them grow with great anticiaption, hoping our new smooth coat boy would be among them.
With a kennel name like Warlaven (so jealous - such a cool name) we suggested a bit of Shakespearean word play that was simply too tempting to resist. So the boys are named Shakespeares Pen at Warlaven (Quill), Cry Havoc at Warlaven (Jagger) and the best of all, Let Slip the Dogs of Warlaven (Ice).
The quote is, of course, the famous line spoken by Mark Anthony addressing the Romans after Caesar is murdered in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: "Cry havoc! And let slip the dogs of war!".
Such fabulous names and so thrilled that Fleur and Lavinia allowed us to name their litter for them. The little girl, who's pet name is Zen, we dubbed Warlaven Kiss My Chakra.
Following Nationals last week, where Ice took the Best Baby Puppy Dog in the Smooth Coats, Let Slip the Dogs of Warlaven, aka The Iceman, made the long trek back from Auckland with Desiree and the Labs and Lagottos of Glenstar Kennels to join us here in the South Island.
We can't wait to see how he develops. He is full of beans and shows great promise, but at only 14 weeks, he has a lot of growing to do. He's a sweet boy, though and has already made friends with Teddy and Stella.
Now we wait for him to mature and develop and hopefully next year he will sire the first official Kitaco smooth coat litter. Watch this space.
