he hopes of Henry Valer, a breeder registered with the American Kennel Club, were dashed last Thursday when some thieves broke into his apartment and stole four English bulldog puppies. According to the city police, the four canines, three males and one female, were fathered by Cherokee Legend Rock, a male bulldog and last year's best of breed winner at the Westminster Dog Show.

Valer told the police that when he returned home from work on Thursday, he found his apartment door kicked open and the 5-week-old puppies valued at a total of $10,000 missing.

"Just the mother and grandmother (bulldogs) were there. The puppies, somebody took them from the house," Valer told the Connecticut Post.

Valer said he had taken the dogs out of his apartment only a few times, and that only a few people knew he owned them.

Valer had appealed the burglars to return the puppies because they are so young to be able to survive without their mother. Whoever stole the puppies can put them in a box and place them outside his apartment on Sylvan Avenue, no questions asked.

Vilma Vicente, owner of Head to Tail Grooming where Valer works, told the Post that Valer had deals to sell three of the dogs and intended to keep the fourth as a potential show dog.