A little bit of Opal in your Life

Yesterday’s email was a hit!

Good thing you clicked on it.

If you don’t remember reading it, then you probably didn’t. You might want to see if you can find it in the unopened email pile on your desktop. haha. *don’t worry, I’m right there with you.

I can’t wait for the NEW video to come out next Monday. But it seems like such a long way away. Oh man… I suppose if I have the time to film and edit the next one in time, I might send it out early. We’ll see how things go around here... and then STILL drop another video on Monday.

Phew… I will be busy, but I feel like you just NEED to experience these puppies! They are amazing.

Oh… you need to know this, too. If you weren’t aware, our black Lab/German Shepherd Dog cross named Opal is having babies!

She began producing milk a couple of days ago and is eating like a horse…

Well… she looks like a horse, too!
Haha.
Going to be a big litter, I think.

Psst… come closer and I’ll tell you a secret…

Right up to the screen now… lend me your ear.

*Even though Opal is only about 85 lbs, she has only large size genes in her DNA. Because she is bred to Baluster, who has large size genes plus giant ones… we are going to see some giant puppies in this litter.

And I CAN’T WAIT!

Oops… you can lean back now.
Sorry about that.

In all seriousness… Opal’s litter is NOT going to be for everyone. Maybe not even a minority of you on this email list.

Let me explain.

As I mentioned, Opal is a 50/50 cross between a silver Labrador Retriever and a gold German Shepherd Dog. She is quite a bit different than our American Dirus dogs. Quite a bit.

You can read all about our thoughts on the reasons for bringing her into the breed on her profile page, plus see some great photos of her:
https://direwolfdogs.com/pedigree/7357/

Here are some extra thoughts that only you, one of our special Inner Circle subscribers, will receive.

Yay, you!

Opal barks… a LOT. Just check out this video of a trained German Shepherd Dog barking at a trainer in practice… this video of a black German Shepherd Dog performing the “bark and hold” for Schutzhund training is JUST LIKE Opal… and she didn’t need to be trained. When she is focused on something, but she can’t get to it… the barking frenzy begins.
https://youtube.com/shorts/jsUqMK8EvcY?feature=share

Opal also has a LOT of quick energy. She can run and run FAST! Check out this video of a super-fast Border Collie. Opal is a little bit less agile than this Border Collie, but Opal has some speed to her.
https://youtube.com/shorts/fUBNeXPxntM?feature=share

Opal is friendly. REALLY friendly… to the point of being needy about it. She wants so badly to crawl into your skin and absorb you. If that sounded creepy, it kinda is. She’s pretty intense.

But… don’t be fooled by these differences from our breed. Opal is very kind-hearted, super sweet and loving, and wants nothing more than to please you.

She is also extremely… like genius level… smart.

Think of this… a smart dog with the stamina to play hard who only wants to please.

Now that’s an amazing working dog right there!

She will do anything for you.
Because she wants to.
She craves it.
She needs it!

I bet she is going to be an amazing mother because of her high level of devotion and desire.

Now put all of that together and think about this.

Opal was bred to Baluster.

Baluster has an ideal American Dirus temperament. Loving, sweet, kind, submissive, serious, gentle, low energy, low drive, a bit goofy, and very smart.

He is so laid back and mellow that I didn’t think he accomplished the mating ritual a couple months back. I did not see him mount or tie. Didn’t even look interested whenever I came around.

But there you go… he sure did the job.

FYI: This will be Opal’s ONLY litter with us.

We are going to pick the ONE best puppy in the litter and sell the rest.

We are looking for quiet, first and foremost. We also want to make sure the pup we choose is the mellowest and calmest pup in the litter.

NOTHING else matters.

It will be interesting to see the temperament testing results of this litter compared to our fourth and fifth generation pups. I anticipate that the pups will have a good bit more energy and more vocalization, but we shall see.

After this litter, Opal will need to find her forever home and retire in style.

She would be an excellent family dog… LOVES life and wants to be a part of it. She will give a more energetic family a run for their money. Opal would run with you, if you go running. She will go hiking or just play for hours out in the backyard with the kids. She is a happy dog and loves to do fun things.

You gotta have the stamina, though. Her mind is constantly going… and she can multi-task.

Give this gal something to do!

She might excel in Agility, now that I think of it.

Or… dance… or flyball, even.

Anyway, this litter will be named “the Miner’s Litter”, to remind me of Opal and where she came from. (Thanks for the suggestion, Katie!)

Puppies from this litter will be VERY reasonable in price. We’re talking around $800, unless I see an exceptional puppy, which we would have to keep.

First generation cross puppies benefit from “hybrid vigor”, a scientific term meaning extra boost in healthfulness and longevity due to the dissimilar genetic make-up from each parent.

If you want a super healthy, long-lived puppy that is more outgoing, friendly, playful (i.e. active), intelligent, willing to please, will easily bark at intruders, and can get the job done, these are the puppies for you.

If you want a low key, easy-going, go-with-the-flow puppy that has the gentle calmness to hang out and snuggle for hours, the Miner’s Litter is NOT it.

If you want to go active on the waiting list for this litter, now’s the time to let me know. Remember, you have until the puppies are four weeks old and then it’ll be too late when we close the waiting list.

That’s it for today. Talk with you tomorrow! Enjoy your day.

Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project, founder of the DireWolf Guardians American Dirus Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus dogs.