Off To Camp

I love this picture!  The only thing that would make it better would be having Rob in it too, but Rob had already passed on when Argus joined us - in fact 12-year-old Watson was born the same week that his great grandfather Rob passed.  Funny how certain dogs are forever in your thoughts. . .   I still miss Rob and think of him often.

This picture shows "Watson" Ch. Paisley Pragmatic, "Josie" Ch. Hapi Dal Paisleys Preference (L), "Argus" GCh. Paisley NspirD By Broadway (L), and "Coral" Ch. Paisley Snowood Family Ties (L), all Rob descendants.

Fernly did well at Puppy Class last night.  Even managed to do two recalls to ME, despite all the far more exciting things going on around her.  I won't take that for granted though, as she's pretty scatter-brained right now!  Sits and downs were very good - amazing what pups will do for tasty tidbits.  Stays come next, and we'll be working a lot on leash walking in class next week.  Gotta practice that every evening.

Puppy playtime was not as fun as it should have been.  Two dogs in our class apparently don't play well with others, and in both cases Fern was the target.  When they were wrestling as puppies do, each of them started showing their teeth and snarling, and not in a playful manner.  NOT appropriate behavior for 3-4 month pups.  In each case one of the instructors quickly stepped in, but I was not happy about having Fern in that position.  It's important to me that my dogs are comfortable playing with other dogs, and I don't want Fern having bad experiences.  If that happens again next week, I will opt out of the playtime.  Just not worth it.

It would be interesting to find out when those pups were separated from their litter mates.  Am guessing in both cases that it was far too early, and the pups did not have a chance to develop appropriate "social skills" with their litter mates, and their dam or other adult dogs.

Fern goes camping this weekend with my daughter Jess, her partner Don, Dal "Meribel" and senior Shepherd "Simmie".  Not a camp actually, but we call it "camping" and it's an important thing for puppies to do, especially puppies that stay with their breeder rather than going to new homes.  Fern is friendly and outgoing, but this will help her confidence level even more as she adapts to a totally new situation.  Hopefully Meribel does NOT teach Fern to dig holes, as Fern already has enough "hobbies", but oh well.  Hope Jess and Don and Simmie survive the non-stop wrestling and running that are inevitable with two young Dals!

Today I need to finish up a new puppy brochure and send it out to a number of people who have inquired about pups.  I've tried to make it both interesting and informative, and have included a lot of pictures.

Puppies? Probably

Puppy plans are still up in the air, as we await the results of Holly's progesterone test.  Because her owner is not sure that she caught Holly on the first day(s) of her cycle, and because she will be out of town for a few days, Holly went in for a progesterone test to help determine how far along she is in her season.  If she's too far already, it won't work to ship her here next week - it might already be too late by then.  Tools like progesterone testing are very helpful in situations like this.  If the timing is OK, I've decided to go ahead with this.  Holly is lovely, has a pedigree full of beautiful dogs, including some very nice livers, and the temperaments are consistently very good.  Fingers all tightly crossed - and I told Argus to cross his paws too!

Puppy class for Fern tonight, her second week.  She did well last week and really enjoyed the puppy playtime part - of course!  Like Letty did last year, Fern enjoyed leading the pack, then doubling back and jumping over her classmates.  Is that a Dalmatian thing?  We'd been working on sits at home, so she caught on quickly to that, but lead walking not so much.  I've never had a Dal pup who found the treats in my hand more interesting than the other dogs and people in class!  No way will Fern learn to walk sedately on a buckle collar.  We're walking every evening, using a cloth slip collar and teaching "Walk" as a command, keeping her on my left side.  We include a bit of gaiting too - wow, can she fly!  I'm sure she will be unable to concentrate on walking nicely at class tonight, with all the distractions, but I'm pleased with how well that is coming along.  I'd like to show her a few times in the new 4-6 month class at AKC shows - if I get to any this fall.

Puppies? Again?

Do I really want to do a litter of pups this winter?  Have I recovered from Pauli's litter?  Am I ready to keep another puppy that will only be 6 months younger than Fern?  Gotta do some serious thinking here!  It's been many years since I've done two litters this close together, probably not since Jess still lived at home.  If I'd raised Lucy's litter I would not even consider it, but because that was Patti's litter and because they did all the work, it's not really part of the equation.  This would be MY litter.

I've been talking to the owner of this lovely Dal for a long time about "leasing" her to breed to Argus.  Because Argus is already 7 years old, and because I don't own (outright) any Argus kids, I need to think seriously about that.  Other than Fern, my own dogs range from 7 to 14+ years.  There's also MY age to consider - if I want to keep another Dal Boy, I'm going to have to do it pretty soon.  What I'd like from this combination is a liver boy for ME.  When we are looking for black girls we always get liver boys, so I'm probably jinxing myself by even thinking liver boy . . .

One of the issues was health testing, since this Dal's owner doesn't do it regularly, and many of the dogs in her pedigree didn't even have their hips x-rayed.   It's a rule here that we do no breedings from dogs who have not (at the very least) had hips, hearing, and eyes certified.  Holly passed everything, including elbow x-rays, and will be able to get her CHIC number, so that issue does not stand in our way.

Winter pups are "easy" in that I'm usually home, and there isn't much else going on.  On the other hand, depending on the weather, it's hard to get the pups in for vet visits, and it's a lot harder to socialize them, plus all socialization has to be done indoors, in the family room - so much easier to do it outside!  Sure saves on the paper towels!  Then there is the issue of puppy placements.  Although I have a very long list of people wanting pups NOW, how many of them will want a winter pup?   Actually, we've been lucky that way and only once had trouble placing a winter litter.  That happened during the popularity crash, when there were NO homes for Dals - well do I remember having to housetrain 4 pups in February!  But we got it done, and got those pups placed too.  I've always found winter housetraining goes very quickly!  It's tough on the owner for a few weeks, but the pups sure catch on quickly.

So much to consider . . .

No Need To Read This

A glance at my list of posts and the number of hits each of them has gotten so far indicates that a catchy title makes a lot of difference.   Mundane titles get fewer hits, while catchy ones like "Longcoated Dalmatians" are read by many more people.  Had I used "Dals With Long Hair" it would have worked even better!  The ones I post to Facebook get the most hits of course, but I only do that with the ones that I consider the most interesting or educational (or controversial).  What I really need to do is plan postings in advance, taking advantage of the thousands of pictures I could use to illustrate those posting.  But that sounds like work!

The blog always gets more hits when I have pups and post pictures regularly.  People always seem to enjoy following a litter and looking at puppy pictures.   Fish-related postings don't do nearly as well.

So here's my Betta, just for kicks.  I've had him since May and he's doing well.  Just a fish store Betta, possibly raised locally, most likely shipped in from Florida or SE Asia.  They arrive by the millions every year, many of them in poor condition.  The average pet store Betta lives a short and unpleasant life, in a small bowl of polluted water that is far too cool for a truly "tropical" fish.  My Betta lives in a one gallon jar in the fish room and gets a weekly water change,  Seems to be working well for him as his lovely finnage is still looking good.  He's not a top quality Halfmoom Betta, but he's quite handsome, and spends his day flaring at the Betta he sees is the mirror next to his jar.

Time for another cup of coffee.

Oh So Busy

The title refers to my weekend, and also applies to my puppy.  We got lots accomplished this weekend, most of it outdoors, but with a 100 year old house there is ALWAYS lots more to be done.  Gutter cleaning and repair was one of the projects for this year.  Now, if it ever rains again, the elderly gutters will drain better, through the new downspout. The older couple who do our gutter work are great fun, and we had some excellent discussions on nutrition - glad they charge by the job, not by the hour!

My personal project was trimming the Mock Orange and Honeysuckle bushes that grow along both sides of my house.  They were all very overgrown and received serious haircuts.  Ron made many trips to the recycle facility with the trimmings, as I started my fall yardwork.  Once I get the beds around the butchered bushes raked, I'll dig in some compost and plant spring bulbs - but I'll wait until the bulbs go on sale!  Pricey little devils this time of the year.  Next weekend I'll tackle the yard and do a lot of reseeding to remedy the damage done by the Japanese Beetle grubs.

The "busy" applies to Fern as well.  What a whirling dervish she can be.  Busy, busy, busy.  Not a puppy you can leave unsupervised for long as she notices and has to check out, taste, and play with everything.  Nothing is safe from her right now. Fortunately Josie & Argus play with her, and especially Josie is endlessly patient.  Fern a "good" puppy in many ways, great in a crate, friendly with everyone, perfect in the car, very well housetrained, and catching on to her obedience work easily.  Even her leash work is much improved with a few extra lessons, but oh so busy.  Yesterday she went along with me when I visited mom, and got to run and chase a ball in the athletic field across the street.  Really wore her down, and she was great the rest of the evening.  A tired puppy is a good puppy!

When Did Bad Become Good?

As I read through the Facebook updates every morning, I am continually astonished at the stories about dogs doing bad things.  I'm not astonished that dogs DO these things, but that the owners almost seem to be bragging about it.  Rather than correcting and training their dogs, or taking measures to prevent these things from happening again (like using a crate), these dog owners seem to take delight in trying to "one up" each other on whose dog(s) can be the worst.  Drives me crazy!

Whatever happened to the idea of raising your dog to be a good pet and companion?  One that can be left loose in the house without destroying things, doesn't steal everything off the counter, jump up on the table, threaten the company, and destroy the furniture?  Stealing the sandwich out of your hand between the plate and your mouth really isn't very funny, nor is it "cute" when your dog starts to scream and fuss when you walk out the front door.  An adopted adult dog may arrive with these behaviors (and that may be the reason he was homeless to begin with), but there is no reason to accept this for the rest of his life.  Train him!  And there is absolutely no excuse for accepting this from a dog that you raised from a puppy.  Yes, preventing these behaviors takes time, training and SUPERVISION, but if you don't have the time for training your dog, perhaps you don't have time for a dog at all.

Long-Coated Dalmatians

The pup in this picture is a liver long-coated Dalmatian.  The recessive gene for long hair can occasionally be found in this breed but it not very common, nor is it acceptable for the show ring.  There was a time when something like this showing up in one of your litters would be cause for concern, but because genetic testing is now available for such things, it's possible to breed this out of a line, or to breed around it.   However, many Dal owners (including show people) are actually quite fascinated by long coats, and also by well marked tri-colors.

This pup is AKC registered, and the owner found me on the Internet when searching for information on long-coated Dals.  Because I have coat and color pages on my website, people often contact me about such things - but rarely are the dogs this cute!  Long-coat is a simple recessive, meaning that both parents must carry the gene, but it may not be evident on them.  A dog must carry two copies of the long-coat gene to have long hair.  Dogs that just have one copy of will have normal short coats.  This pup had two short-haired parents, but was from a father/daughter breeding, presumably an accident, which increased the chances of doubling up on recessive genes.  Inbreeding does not "create" recessive characteristics, but does increase the chances of them being doubled up on.  As in the case of Nova!

Dogs Welcome

People often ask where the dogs stay on dog show weekends.  With us, of course!  They stay in the motel room, or sometimes in the car if the parking lot is safe and well lit.  Although careless dog owners have soured some motel owners or chains on dogs, many of the moderate priced or low end chains are fine about dogs in the room.  Motel 6 even advertises that dogs are welcome.  Some chains charge an additional fee (this is typical of Super 8s), and we are fine about paying an extra $5.00 or $10.00 for that.  It's important that guests with dogs follow the rules though, to insure that we continue to have this option.  In some areas there are no motels that will accept dogs - it may be due to local regulations, but is often due to negligent dog owners.

Argus always stayed in my motel room when he was being campaigned.  He probably stayed in over 100 motels with never a problem.  I always packed an old sheet to put over the spread so he could sleep with me.  He's extremely trustworthy, but if I left the room for more than a few minutes I'd bring up one of those soft crates for him, and leave the TV on to keep him company.  Weather permitting, he went along in the car if I went out to dinner, but if I left him behind I knew that he would be quiet and well behaved in the motel room.

It's important to follow the motel's rules on where dogs may be walked, where poop bags may be deposited and what areas of the motel might be off limits to the dog.  Sometimes the lobbies are OK, at other times dogs must be kept out of all public areas.  In motels with restaurants or breakfast areas, dogs need to be kept away, and they are normally not allowed at poolside.  It is particularly important to ALWAYS clean up after your dog(s), never allow them to bark and disturb people in neighboring rooms, and never ever to leave them unsupervised.   Always report dogs when you check in, even when motels advertise that dogs are OK, and always report IMMEDIATELY any damage.  Dogs in elevators should be told to Sit and kept under control at all times.

If we are traveling with multiple dogs and staying at a motel in a safe area, we may leave two dogs (never just one) in crates in the car.  Because our dogs are used to being crated and are comfortable traveling, they are fine in the car if weather permits.  We check from time to time to be sure they are not making noise and disturbing anyone, and if they fuss we are careful not to park right next to any guestrooms.

Fern went along with us last weekend and stayed in her first motel, along with her Grandpa Argus.   We brought up her small crate, and she slept there at night.  We let her play in the room, but always kept a close eye on her, and when we took her out first thing in the morning we carried her down the hallway and out the door, to be sure she did not have an accident.  Her manners were perfect.

"Dogs Welcome"

A man wrote a letter to a small hotel in a Midwest town he planned to visit on his vacation.  He wrote: "I would very much like to bring my dog with me. He is well-groomed and very well behaved. Would you be willing to permit me to keep him in my room with me at night?"

An immediate reply came from the hotel owner, who wrote: SIR: "I’ve been operating this hotel for many years. In all that time, I’ve never had a dog steal towels, bedclothes, silverware, or pictures off the walls. I’ve never had to evict a dog in the middle of the night for being drunk and disorderly. And I’ve never had a dog run out on a hotel bill.  Yes, indeed, your dog is welcome at my hotel. And, if your dog will vouch for you, you’re welcome to stay here, too."

Socializing Fern

Whew, a break in the weather.  After yet another hot humid day, the promised cool front moved in and it's lovely this morning.  Unfortunately, the changing weather pattern didn't result in much rain which we desperately need.  The humidity dropped before the temperature did, and when I was working in the yard after dinner, the temp was 89 but felt like 85 because the humidity was only 21%.

On Thursday Fern starts puppy classes.  It's going to be a busy time, as Thursday evening is also fish club, and I need to be there as well.  Fern's class begins at 6:00, and the club meeting at 7:15.  Tight.  Because she'll be tired, and is used to being crated, Fern will  be fine in the car while I'm in the meeting.

Fern had a great time at the dog shows last weekend, and it was a marvelous opportunity to expose her to a variety of new things.  It's important that pups be introduced to as many new people and novel situations as possible.  Pups that sit home and grow up in the yard never develop appropriate social skills with dogs and people, and are either overly stimulated or fearful when they encounter new situations.  The time period between 4 weeks and 4 months is particularly important, and a pup who does not receive appropriate socialization during that period can never catch up on what he has missed.

Fern has a middle-of-the road sort of temperament.  She is neither fearless nor fearful, just sensibly cautious. She's socially attracted to both dogs and people, but will occasionally startle in new situations or act overwhelmed if too much is happening at once.  She recovers quickly, so the goal is to introduce her to as many different situations as possible.  If properly socialized she will grow up to have an ideal companion-dog personality, and should make a good show dog as well.

Last weekend Fern was exposed to lots of vehicle noises at our motel, and by the end of the weekend was oblivious to the roar of trucks and buses when waiting to cross the street.   At the dog show she met dogs of all ages - but it's important that she meet friendly dogs.  A bad experience with an aggressive dog will leave her cautious about meeting new dogs.  She spent the weekend in a motel room, sleeping in her own crate, but playing and exploring the room with Argus. Walking down the long hallway and up and down the carpeted stairways was another new experience.  At the dog show she was walked or carried, depending on the situation, and if she seemed a bit overwhelmed when too much was happening, she was picked up or taken back to her crate in the car.  When a pup gets a bit nervous on the floor, picking them up so they can meet people face level, rather than surrounded by a forest of legs, will make a big difference.  Because most dog people understand the need for socializing pups, there is never a shortage of people willing to interact with pups at dog shows!

Fern's socialization continued over the weekend, when I picked up my mother for a picnic.  Pups need to meet people of all ages.  Children and seniors smell, sound and act different than your average adult.  She loved my mother, who was only too willing to give Fern extra attention.  When I took mom home, Fern went along to my mother's senior building, where she got to ride in the elevator (something she will often do on show weekends), and walk down the long hallway beside my mother's walker (another novel experience).  We gave her a chance to explore mom's apartment too, another totally new place for her.

Definitely a good weekend of Socializing Fern.  No need to take her to more new places for a couple of days, but tonight we'll go for another walk on leash - wish I could say her leash manners were great, but that is not yet the case!  Young pups need to visit a couple of new places every week.

At least once a day I put Fern on the grooming table and we do some stacking - for food of course - and I examine her all over and check her bite.  Then we sit on the deck and work on sit, down and watch - also for food.  Takes only a few minutes, but it will give her a head start in puppy class, and if she should get nervous, we have the familiar commands to fall back on.

Dog Show Weekend

Where to begin?  With the dog shows?  With the people?  With the places?  Or with the dogs?

Maybe the dog shows.  It was a lovely long weekend, although the weather was not particularly cooperative.  Jess & I drove to Amana, Iowa for the shows that included the Greater Twin Cities Dalmatian Club specialty shows - held in Iowa because we can no longer draw majors in Minnesota (so few Dals here).   The Amana RV Park has acres of parking for motorhomes, as well as a very nice air conditioned building for some of the show rings.

Although there were five shows we were only entered at three of them.  The judging panels did not appeal, and there were too many things we wanted to do at home to spend the whole weekend at the dog shows.  We had heard some bad reports about the one judge on the panel we had never shown to before, but we thought she did by far the best job.  Although we did not win anything very exciting under her, she sorted and placed her dogs extremely well, ran a great ring, and was nice to dogs and exhibitors.  The judge I had thought would do the best job was extremely disappointing.  I had watched her do a nice job in small entries, but with a larger one she seemed to lose her way and made some bad decisions, particular as far as being far too forgiving of bad feet.  Good feet are of major importance in a breed that was supposed to run with a carriage for a whole day.

Argus and Pauli were both competitive, with Argus earning a Select and an Award of Merit his two times in the ring.  He'll be 7 on Friday, and I am delighted that he can still hold his own in any competition.  I look forward to showing him as a Veteran from time to time.  Argus's daughter Ch. "Rita" did extremely well, earning the points she needed to finish her Grand Championship.  New dog Gemma looked lovely in the ring but needs to learn about standing still and paying attention.  She gaited well and was very confident, and the shows were a training session for her.  We were delighted when she went Reserve at one of the Specialities - a very nice start for a totally inexperienced and untrained dog.  Eddie showed well but did not win and we all agreed those were his last shows.  As a puppy we did not consider him a real show prospect, but we tried him out last fall and he did well at the some Specialties from the Puppy Class.  Maturity didn't help though, and finishing his championship would be too time consuming and expensive. He's showable but not really show quality - a big difference.  He's got a fabulous disposition and loves to show, but will have just as much fun being a Therapy Dog.

One of the big downers for the weekend was another Dal with an "enhanced tail".  What's wrong with everyone?  Why are they trying to cheat the system?  It seems to be all about winning, and ethics be damned.  (Please do not ask me the identity of this dog - just look for floppy tails.  If it flops for a day or two it may be an injury, if it flops for weeks, well . . . )

Out of time - tomorrow, Socialing Fern.

Experiences

Couldn't remember if I had used this photo before and didn't have a new one to use.  This is Fern and me, taken about a month ago by our friend Kathleen, sitting in the chair that Fern's mother Pauli won when she went Best In Show a couple of years ago.  Her face is cuter now, as her eyerims have thickened, and she looks less sweet and a lot more mischievous!

We're leaving for the shows later this afternoon, and Argus will get his pre-dogshow bath.  Hope I don't find little bite marks all over him, as I watch Fern swing from his ears.  Although she pesters Coral & Watson, she understands that they don't put up with puppy nips.  Argus & Josie have not yet come down on Fern, and are endlessly patient with her.

Fern goes along to the shows this weekend so she'll learn about long car trips, sleeping in her crate in a motel, walking down long hallways and through lobbies, and perhaps ride in an elevator, all important things for a puppy who will presumably be a show dog someday.  She'll walk around the show site parking areas too, listen to generators, motor homes, barking dogs, and blow dryers.  We may smuggle her into the show building too, especially if it's going to be really hot.   She'll meet lots of friendly strangers, as everyone wants to play with puppies, and perhaps we'll find some pups her age that she can play with.  It's important that Fern's first dog show experience is a fun one, so that when she is old enough to show she will be comfortable with all the noise and confusion that is part of dog shows.

Time Crunch

OK, how am I going to get everything done in time to leave for dog shows on Thursday?  Life is so much simpler when there are no shows!  And to think that for years I did this several weekends a month.  No wonder I got so far behind on things - but why am I still so far behind when this is only my 4th show weekend of the year???

Got the third seat out of the van last night - not an easy job on a 2007 Caravan.  I need the third seat in the van when we take mom to dinner, but it gets in the way otherwise.  The seat comes out nicely, it's just so darned heavy and awkward to move to the porch.  Am getting too old for this kind of stuff.  Fortunately, a nice teenage girl stopped and offered to help.  Bless her!

The three large crates and buckets are loaded, as well as a small crate for Fern who will be going along to her first dog show (as a spectator).  Decided to do the heavy stuff before it got so hot - 90s today and tomorrow.,

The bar is a pile of things I need to take along this weekend.  Haven't even begun to pack my own clothes.  What am I going to wear?   Argus has had his nails done, but still needs a bath and trimming.  He's entered just for fun, to support the specialty entry, and will enjoy it.  He misses the Veteran's class by only a week - how can my silly puppy be that old???

Tonight we are going to dinner with dear friends who are in town visiting relatives.  Wish the timing was different, but we'll make this work.  I'll work a full day today and tomorrow, and we'll pack and we'll leave tomorrow after work, stopping to pick up Eddie on the way.  Jess will get Gemma tomorrow and bring her along - Gemma's first dog show weekend.

After several weeks of lovely weather, and good weather forecast NEXT week, this weekend promises to be ugly weather-wise.  HOT!  Oh well.  Looking forward to seeing friends I have not seen since the national, and others I have not seen since last year.  Should be fun if we don't melt!

And Then There Was One

Starting today Fern is an "only puppy" as Murray flew off to Florida to his forever home.  I've been corresponding with his new dad Tom for quite awhile, and was satisfied that it was a good situation for Murray.  Tom works from home and has a 2-year old Lab who was ready for a housemate.  Question was the weather of course, and whether I could even ship the puppy to Florida this time of the year.  Rain cooled things off just enough to keep the forecast temperature at 85 or below when the flight was due to land, so we lucked out.  Delta Dash - Pets First is about the only way for us to ship a pup in the summer. It's a bit expensive, but they do a good job with live cargo.  Have a good life, Murray!

It's a lot easier to place pups locally, but I'll ship if I have to, if the home seems like an extra good one.  The time involved in taking the pup in for a health certificate, making the necessary arrangements, getting the pup ready, plus the airport run (generally early in the morning), take a lot of time.  I like to keep the pups a bit longer too, give them extra socialization, and make sure they are comfortable in a crate of their own.  Murray has been many places, and done lots of things, and should have no trouble at all handling the three-hour trip.

Now it's just Bad Fern, who is actually a terrific puppy other than being into everything.  Make that EVERYTHING.  Nothing escapes her notice and everything must be investigated, tasted or tugged.  She's a busy puppy, harassing the adults, playing with her toys, and playing with things that are NOT toys, like my shoes.  BUT she's great in a crate, rides well in the car, loves everyone and all dogs, and has very good house manners for her age, so I can't really complain.  Now, that jumping up . . .

Puppy class starts next week, and I see Fern being either the Class Clown or the Class Bully.  She looks like such a little princes, but can hold her own in any wrestling match, and is quite sure she is Queen of the Universe.  She's good on her sits & downs and is stacking on the grooming table, but her leash manners leave a lot to be desired.  Need to work on that before she starts puppy class.  Think we'll start going for evening walks with a pocket full of cookies, so she learns to watch me a bit, rather than trying to drag me up the street, looking for kids or dogs to play with.

Off Topic

No dogs or fish today, not even flowers, family, housework or yard work.  Time out for a political observation, on something that should not even be part of the political scene.  Although I feel strongly about many issues, the one concerning marriage issues bothers me more than almost anything else.

I can not understand WHY the conservatives are so determined to pass laws making it illegal for two consenting adults to marry.  Although I personally would not be interested in being married again (been there, done that), I firmly believe that everyone should have that right, whatever their sexual orientation.  What is so "sacred" about marriage, and why should it be denied to some?  If marriage is defined as a union between one man and one woman, should we prosecute everyone who strays outside those boundaries?  Half the marriages end in divorces, and many married people stray.  So what exactly makes the traditional marriage sacred?  And why should any government be involved?  This is a personal issues, not one to be decided by any governmental body.

Please VOTE NO!

Growing Pains

It's fun to have a puppy around here again.  Hopefully Fern continues to look good so I have an excuse to keep her!  She's added a small amount of ticking (the itty bitty spots that come in after the "real" spots are already in place) which I don't care for, but most Dals have a few of those.  When I roll through her coat I don't see any more lurking on the skin, just waiting to shoot out colored hairs.  Although she has a really cute face, I'm not sure that she has quite enough underjaw for my personal taste, but that's something no one will ever notice - except me.   So far I'm only seeing minor issues that I don't care for.  The basics, and the really important stuff still look good.  She's nicely marked, has reasonable breed type, really nice legs & feet, very pleasing movement (when she can collect herself and slow down enough to actually trot), and a great temperament.  Her eyes are very dark and her tail shape/carriage are also very good, two things very important to me.

It's often hard to watch show puppies grow up unless you just close your eyes and concentrate on the Cute Factor.  Few puppies grow up in one piece, and most go through oh so many stages, most of them awkward, ungainly, and uncoordinated. Some of them just plain ugly! Their ends don't develop at the same speed, their proportions are all screwed up,  Their backs can look long, soft, dippy, roached, you name it.  They lose their chests and look like tubes on legs.  They can be so narrow in front that their elbows touch, and so rubbery in the rear that their hocks cross and you wonder how they can walk.  When they teethe their ears can hang limply, with creases in the wrong places, and their lovely feet can look like pancakes.  Some pups grow up "in one piece".  Mancini/Ramsay might do that.  Fern definitely will not.  We always says that a puppy who looked good at 6-7 weeks will look good again.  Someday.  Patience will be the key word here!

Socializing Show Pups

Give Your Pup A Chance

Sue MacMillan

I noticed a recent posting on Facebook where the poster mentioned that she’d taken her pup to his first show and he’d freaked out.  He was a little better the second day but still very frightened.   She’d decided just a few weeks earlier that it was time to start showing the puppy, but had she taken the time to prepare him for dog shows?

Postings like this, as well as all the spooky Dals I’ve seen in the show ring, make me wonder if their owners have put any work at all into preparing their pups to become show dogs.  Dog shows can be stressful, and the barking dogs, crowds of people, loud noises, strange smells, and unfamiliar objects can be extremely frightening to a puppy that has not been properly socialized.  If a puppy grows up “in a backyard” and is just walked around the neighborhood (if he is walked at all), he will be totally unprepared for the stress of dog shows.  If he grows up with littermates and/or his dam, he is also dependent on them, and even less ready to go off to a show by himself.  Why do breeders keep promising pups and then put no work into preparing them to be show dogs?

 

Most people who purchase a puppy to show are prepared to put the work into raising the puppy properly, especially if they buy from a breeder who understands and emphasizes the importance of socialization. It seems to be the first-time breeder or occasional breeder who forgets that any pup they keep will require a lot of individual work.  It will actually require more work, because leaving home and adjusting to a new situation is actually socialization.  The pup that stays behind needs to be separated from the dogs it lives with, at least for a while.  It needs to “go to camp” and get away from home for a weekend and even longer, and preferably more than once.  It needs to make friends both canine and human, and learn to be self-sufficient and comfortable in a new environment.  Many breeders do this automatically, sending their pups off to stay with friends, previous puppy buyers, or with other breeders.  Puppy camping is fun for everyone, and invaluable for the future show dog.

Pups need to learn that riding in the car is fun, that strangers give treats, and that other dogs are friendly and like to play.  They need to see bikes, strollers, and kids on roller blades.  They need to hear trucks, motorcycles, airplanes, barking dogs, and children playing.  A puppy who has been exposed to and is comfortable with these things will be comfortable with the confusion at dog shows, will not be spooked by ring barriers, crowds of dogs and people, the squeak of crate dollies, and the sounds of PA systems and blow driers.

Kindergarten Puppy Classes are a great place to socialize pups.  They learn about different buildings, strange sounds and smells, new people, other breeds, and get a chance to meet and play with other puppies.  In many of the classes they will also get treats from strangers, which helps prepare a puppy to be comfortable with the approach of a judge.  Learning to sit for a treat will not screw up a show-dog-to-be.  Pups can easily learn the difference.  Teaching the pup to stand for a treat with a different command can be done at the same time or can be done later.

Many pups benefit from a basic beginners obedience class too, as long as positive methods of training are used.  Again, teach him a stand as well as a sit.  He’ll figure it out.  Even if he were to forget and sit in the ring once or twice, that’s much better than having him freak out or be excused.  It’s far easier to teach a stand than it is to convince a freaked out puppy that dog shows are not really as scary as he thinks.

All pups who will be shown need to learn the basics, either in an obedience class or a show handling class if there is one available.  Private handling lessons may also be an option.  Pups need to have experience wearing collars, walking on lead, as well as following and being followed by other dogs. They must be comfortable being touched by strangers, gaiting on rubber mats, having their tails and feet handled, their testicles checked (if males) and having their mouths examined.  Repetition is the key here.  Gentle handling, lots of praise, and the use of words they will remember and associate with a pleasant experience – “stand”, “stay”, “ok”, “teeth” or whatever words you prefer.  A puppy gains security from hearing familiar words and performing familiar actions, and the use of food rewards is always helpful.  Teach him a trick or two as well – something you can praise him for doing if he gets nervous.

If you don’t live in an area with training classes, there are still many way to train and socialize a puppy.  Visit pet stores on the weekends, take the pup to ballgames, parades, and picnics, walk him around parking lots, shopping areas and schoolyards, or take him into stores that allow leashed pets.  Carry him in if you have to.  Invite people to pet him and feed him treats.  Ask if it’s OK to bring him along when you visit friends.  Be pro-active about finding dogs for him to interact with and set up play dates with them.  Play dog show and ask your friends and family to examine him and check his bite.  Especially useful is taking him along to dog shows before he is old enough to show, just for fun. Enter puppy matches if you can find them, but don’t take them too seriously.   Your goal is a puppy that is happy and self-confident when you are ready to show him.

There are some dogs in this breed that are what I call “genetic spooks” – they will be uncomfortable about dog shows no matter what you do with them as babies, but you can generally modify their behavior enough to make it acceptable.  However, they will never be fun to show or enjoy the experience, and would be better off placed in appropriate pet homes.  If your puppy is not one of these born-to-be-spooky dogs, and has a genuinely good disposition, then get him out and socialized, and give him a chance to display the happy, confident, fun loving personality that is the reason we love and admire this breed!  

Don't Eat The Yardstick!

Poor Fern.   I'm sure it seems to her that every time she discovers a fun new toy, Josie or Argus take it away, or I yell, "Fern, No!"  So many cool toys around here, but all three of them want the same toy at the same time.  Especially the treat balls - then even Coral and Watson get into the act.  If I put bits of biscuit or some cheese in one of the various treat balls, the big dogs can't wait to steal it from Fern.  And each other.  If she picks up a squeaky toy, that was really the one Josie wanted to play with, and the tug toy she found will soon be in use by Josie & Argus.  So she searches for the things they won't take away - like the yard stick, or one of the sofa pillows.  Then she hears the "Fern, No! Don't eat the yardstick."  She just can't win.  I could crate the adults and leave Fern to the toys, but then she carries a toy over and lays it down in front of Argus's crate, inviting him to come out and share.  Too bad he doesn't share!  He's currently working at getting a biscuit from one of the treat balls, while Fern rolls around on her back trying to distract him.  Morning in Paisleyland.  

Hope to find a puppy sitter this weekend so Ron & I can go to the fair.  I could put Fern back in the puppy pen on newspapers for the day, but it seems a shame to do that as her house training is coming along so well.  Only accident she's had was when *I* got distracted and she was forced to pee on the rug at the door.  Can't remember a puppy who caught on so quickly.  Next chore is to teach her that it's OK to go in places other than the dog yard, like when you go for a walk.  She'll need that when she starts puppy class.  No way will she be able to wait from the time she leaves the house until she is home again.  Just need to know that, "Hurry, hurry," means pee, not just pee in the dog yard!

A Home For Furry Murray

Two good homes waiting for Murray.  Now to see if we can work out the logistics for shipping him which is not always easy in the summer.  In the meantime he's visiting with Heather and her family, and will obviously get a lot of lap time!    Murray & Fern spent much of the day outside in the dog yard, and she was soooo tired yesterday evening she didn't even think about getting into mischief.  A tired puppy is a good puppy!

Fern is OK about being an only puppy again, and the house is much quieter without non-stop wrestling.  She's catching on to which items are toys and can be chewed, and Josie & Argus have been pretty good about not stealing the ones she's playing with.  Murray came back from his first adventure with a new Nyla Bone, which Fern has appropriated as her own.  I'd go over to snap a picture of her with her bone, but like her granddad Argus, the minute I make a move she's right there wondering, "So what are we going to do now?"  Makes it hard to get candid pictures!

We spend a few minutes every day working on restraint, learning Sit & Down, and stacking on the grooming table which is right outside the patio door.  Fern does not love working on the table yet, but knows that it means treats, so will stand with her feet on the table edge waiting to be boosted up.  She walks well on leash, other than tripping me and pulling!  Need to walk her when she's hungry, rather than after she's eaten.  A pocket full of treats works a lot better for keeping the attention of a hungry puppy.

Because poor old Coral is gradually failing, as they do at 14+ years of age, I'm very glad that Ron likes this puppy and is pleased that we kept her.  Coral is having increasing difficulty getting around, and the small lumps she's had in her rear breasts for several years have started to grow in size.  A vet trip is scheduled for this week, but we won't do anything heroic at this age, and will just keep her comfortable.  Losing Coral will be extremely tough on Ron, as it was when we lost Coral's great-granddam Eloise who was Ron's special dog. Coral's granddaughter Josie will do her best as a stand in, and is a wonderful dog in her own right, but Ron has a special attachment to Coral.  Sigh . . .

Back From Camp

Furry Murray is back from camp.  Gia dropped him off last night and Murray & Fern spent the next few hours wrestling with one another.  Thought they would never settle down, but it certainly tired them out!  He shared Fern's crate last night and they were perfect, but that's not going to work for feeding them as they are both a couple Power Eaters.  This evening he will go to spend some time with another friend while we decide where Murray will eventually end up.  Because neither potential home is local, it takes a bit longer to work through the process!   Very nice to have two pups so well started on housetraining at this age.  Sure makes it easier.

Out of time.  Spent it trying to get updated pictures of Murray for the people who are interested in him.

I'm Back!

A Sunday posting to make up for a couple of missed days.  Guess I just had Writer's Block.  Sometimes I sit down knowing what I'll write, while other days I sit down and the words "just happen".  Neither worked last week!

New Resolution - fewer commas.  I reread some old posts and noticed that I often use far more commas than are needed!

Entries are in for the Amana shows and we have majors!  There's actually five shows, but Jess & I are staying for only two days, three shows, including both Specialties.  That's plenty of dog shows, and I'd like to be back to attend friends' 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration.  Judging panel is not very good, and we don't have anyone who really needs to be shown.  Gemma (Cruise/Penny) and Argus will be in only at the Specialties, and Eddie (co-owned Argus son) is in at all three shows.  He's got five points and we need to decide if we want to put the money into finishing him.  This will be Gemma's first show weekend, but we'll concentrate on her next year.

Good news from Colorado that Ellsworth (Cruise/Penny son) finished with a 5-point Specialty win, the third Champion from that litter, all with Specialty wins and still only 12 1/2 months old.  Definitely a good combination.  Now Jess & Laurie have to decide if they want to repeat that breeding, or try something different with Penny next time.

Have to admit that I am suffering Dog Show Burnout, despite a really successful show year.  Part of it is because the judging panels are so bad,  Many of the good judges have aged out or passed away, and the current crop is pretty uninspiring for the most part.  Many of them aren't even "real dog people" but rather people who have bought their way into the sport and are not very knowledgeable.  Not breeders, but part of the It's-All-About-Winning generation.  Sad state of affairs.

The other thing that really bothers me is that (at least) one of the Dal Specials is winning with a fixed tail.  How sad that some owners and a lot of professional handlers have no ethics whatsoever, and it's all about winning.  This dog was shown for three years with a "natural" high curly tail.  Not a bad dog, but definitely a bad tail, as well as a bad attitude.  Owners sent him out with a handler who has done the "tail thing" in the past, and suddenly the dog has perfect tail carriage - except when it hot or he's tired and the end starts to droop.   So glad I am not campaigning a dog this year.  I'd probably lose my AKC privileges by speaking out in the ring.

Dog shows were originally about judging breeding stock and some of us still feel that way, but nowadays it's often just about winning, no matter how you have to do it.  How sad.  It's crap like this that keeps me home.

That's Fern pictured above, Paisley Fabulous Fern.  She looks good at 10 weeks, though seems to trip over her feet when she trots right now.  Lots of nice angles, but not always able to manage it yet.  Am pleased with her so far.  Very dark eyes, great feet, a lovely disposition, and a good tail, things that are important to me along with correct structure and breed type.

Her brother Murray has been "camping" this past week, so Fern has been an only puppy and has done really well with her house training and crate manners.  Murray will be back tonight for a photo session and perhaps a video, then go off to stay with another friend until we decide where he will finally end up.  

So Empty Around Here

Seems so empty around here!  Just the four oldsters plus Fern who seems to have settled in nicely to being an only puppy. Josie & Argus are only too pleased to keep her company as both enjoy pups.  They play nicely with her one on one, but when they are playing together and Fern tries to join in I worry that she'll get squashed, but she seems to be able to stay out of the way of dancing feet.

My summer has basically been spent doing puppy things, entertaining them and the people who have come to visit.  The older dogs sure enjoyed all the company, and puppies were very well socialized.  It was fun, but it's nice to have things back to normal - well, as normal as they ever get around here.

Luci's trip to California was uneventful.  The folks at Delta Dash were very nice, and Luci's new mom is very pleased with her.  Her new name is Marly, which I like.  Murray is doing fine at camp, other than objecting to his crate at night.  This too shall pass.  He still needs a permanent home, but we've had several good inquiries.

Kennel Cough seems to be winding down.  Josie is pretty much back to normal and Coral never really coughed, just did some throat clearing.  Argus is much better this morning, not nearly as bad as yesterday, and is back to being his silly cheerful self.  Watson is just doing some gagging, not much coughing.  Hopefully in a few more days everyone is back to normal.  Fern still seems to be unaffected - sure hope it stays that way as I'd like to continue the socialization and take her places this weekend.

And Then There Was One

Luci's flight should have departed about half an hour ago and she'll be in California by mid-day.  She's quite sure that everything is a party planned just for her, and had a lovely time meeting everyone at the Delta Dash office.  The staff was great this morning, everyone really friendly, and they even offered me coffee.  I REALLY needed that as 4:30 is way too early for getting up, but I wanted the pups to play and do their business before Luci had to depart.  Thank goodness I only live 12 minutes away.

Fern is now an only puppy.   She was up in the family room for awhile when I got home, playing with Josie who seems to be over her bout of kennel cough.  Josie is great with pups, and she & Argus will keep Fern entertained.  Tonight Fern will move up into the kitchen to a crate of her own.  She'll be exposed to kennel cough of course, but she and Luci have avoided it so far, probably because they were so recently vaccinated.  We'll see, and deal with it if we have to.

Josie will be thrilled to go for a short walk today!

Kennel Cough, Ugh.

Kennel Cough, what a drag. We haven't had a case of it in many years, but apparently Dog Parks are the hot spot for Kennel Cough nowadays. Josie started coughing last Monday and we were hoping that the old dogs would not come down with it. She and Letty go to the same Dog Park, and when we checked with her owners, Letty was also coughing. And so were a number of their Dog Park friends. Lots of different strains, some you can vaccinate against, some you can't.

When I took Josie to the Vet last Tuesday, my Vet observed that they were seeing lots of it now, especially in dogs who go to Dog Parks.  It's annoying and inconvenient, but rarely a problem for the dogs.  I asked if there was any way to protect the older dogs and she observed we might just as well let it run it's course.  Bummer.  Said the incubation period was generally 5 - 7 days.  She was right on that!

Yesterday, Watson & Coral started coughing, and this morning Argus was coughing. Poor Josie is really bummed about having to stay home. Argus is going to hate it, and the old dogs really need their walks to stay fit. So does Ron! Guess I will be doing a lot of biking until I get my walking partner back.

So far the pups are OK and we've kept them totally separate from the adults. Their recent vaccinations might also be protecting them. Told the new owners about it, and what to expect if their pups came down with it. When Luci leaves tomorrow, I'll have to bring Fern upstairs with the other dogs, and she'll either come down with it or not.

What a drag. IF your dog is coughing, please keep it home! It's just like a kid with a bad cold going off to nursery school and infecting all the other kids.

Names

Pups are sleeping, or at least no one is yelling yet, there's very little on Facebook, and no interesting emails, so a good time for a short blog post.

Now we are three.  Only three pups left, as handsome Mancini is gone too.  Mickey is now Axe (not a name a like very well), Dixie is still Dixie (I'm glad), and Mancini is now Ramsay (which I like a lot).  That's Ramsay in the picture, with his new mom Brandee.  Luci flies off on Tuesday and will probably be renamed Velvet.  Fern will stay Fern, though I am calling her Fernly, I find.  We'll see about Murray.

Murray is still looking for a home.  Have someone who wants him later, if I will keep him for a few weeks, which I may end up doing.  But he really needs a home of his own, and I really need to be down to just one puppy so I can start training her.

I ought to be in bed, as the weather is cool and breezy, and perfect sleeping weather, but today is Dog Park Sunday.  Jess & Meribel (Argus's granddaughter) will be joining us for our trip to the dog park, then Jess & I will be heading to Dr. Chocolate's Chocolate Chateau for brunch to celebrate her birthday.

E Dalmatians

Ran out of time this AM and the pups are yelling, so here's something to read with your morning coffee.

E Dalmatians
- current issue.

E Dalmatians is a privately owned on-line Dalmatian magazine, with up to the minute ads and information. Great pictures of our lovely breed.