BIG BOYS DON'T CRY - OR DO THEY?

Being a part of the Facebook community allows us to make friendships with people that most of us will never meet in person. But everyday we invite these strangers into our living rooms to share a piece of our lives with them and them with us. It's a comfortable environment. We can pour ourselves a cup of coffee and lounge around in our pajamas without having to get a robe to cover up. We get a peek into their relationships both good and bad. Sometimes they share too much information, but some feel this is a good way for them to vent their frustrations and disappointments. There also are lots of good news........babies born, engagements announced, birthdays celebrated, etc. Then there are the deaths and those that are grieving for their lost loved ones. Well yesterday one of these loses came across on my screen. This was from a man who seems extremely popular and well liked if the number of responses he gets from people everyday is any indicator of this. I don't know him personally, but by reading his posts everyday, I feel I know a little something about him. We share his life through his pictures he shares with us and his words he writes on his posts. You can tell this man has a lot of love in his heart for those that are in his life and his beloved dogs. They say every picture tells a story and in his case this is very true. The picture that he posted yesterday will remain in my memory for a very long time.

Most people think of women as being the ones that can share their pain and express their emotions more easily than a man does. I mean we are raised in a culture that applauds the hero in men, the strong, the noble.....the "men don't cry" persona. You know the mind set......big boys don't cry! Well yesterday, this man's picture blew that mind set out of the water! His picture showed just two faces, two faces with their heads laying down on the floor. The man had his head touching his dog's head. A picture of a man and his dying dog stared back at me. The black eyes against the dark fur with a blank look in her eyes and the sorrowful eyes of the man who was saying good bye to his beloved dog was a picture of unquestionable love. "Good bye my friend, good bye a part of my heart" spoke to me from that page. We shared in his sorrow. We knew that we were looking at a very special bond with a man and his dog. He shared with us his vulnerability; unashamed of his sorrowful heart. Although it was very heartbreaking knowing the pain he was suffering, it was also very beautiful seeing this man share his softer side. I say that because I look at all his pictures and he seems like a macho type of guy. He trains his dogs and shares those pictures with us as well. They are so beautifully trained and cared for and loved. He handles and loves his puppies with a loving, gentle but firm hand. We see pictures of him and his love who he just became engaged to. We see him and his sons and his grandchildren. This is a man who is loving his life and has much to be thankful for. But it's the loss of his very special dog that brings him to his knees.

When there are times when our hearts are heavy, it seems that it's just you and your beloved dog against the world. He's got your back covered. When he's no longer there, it's just your memories that get you through. For all the times that you cried, he was there to lick away your tears and reassure you when you didn't feel so sure yourself that all would be alright. He never left your side. It's when he has to leave your side that you may feel alone against the world. But if you watched the lessons that your dog taught you throughout his short life, you will take that love into all the other areas and relationships in your life. You see once you've decided to own and love a dog, your heart no longer belongs to you. You've just signed up for 10 - 15 years of unquestionable love, but nothing can prepare us for when that purity of love is taken from us. They may have taught us how to love, but they never taught us how to say goodbye!

You may ask how can one of God's creatures that is not another human being do this to us? To ask that question would mean you never shared your heart and life with a dog. If you view the dog as "just a dog" than you missed the whole point of that animal coming into your life to begin with. It is this writers belief that the dog is one of God's angels on this earth. If you own a dog and you miss that, you've missed one of life's greatest mysteries. There is no other purpose for them to be here. Sure you can train them, use them for herding, protection, breeding, etc. If you miss the point that dogs are pure love and I mean pure love because of their desire to only be with man, then you have missed the opportunity that has been given to you. This is why I feel that they are here such a short time on earth. They are here to teach man about loving and if you ignore it, you've denied yourself the most beautiful of all emotions, the most beautiful of all gifts. If you just breed them for the champions that they may produce or the dust collecting trophies that you may accumulate than you have used the dog for your own glory instead of the blessings that has been bestowed on you for even being in their presence. They are angels. You can be sure of that. They can do no bad unless they are ignored and forgotten about. Then you are left with a dog that is angry at you for not recognizing his real purpose here on earth. Listen to what he is saying to you without his capability to utter a single word. If you don't know that love is standing in front of you and if you've ignored it, then you've ignored that angel that was sent to you. Think dog spelled backwards is God is a coincidence? If you believe that God is love and loves unconditionally, then the dog that he has sent to you is indeed a Heavenly gift.

So I'm sure this man on Facebook will compose himself and continue to love the rest of his dogs, but he'll never forget the girl he just said goodbye to. He's acknowledged the fact that she was love. He said that she was his beginning. She took a part of his heart to Heaven with her where it will be written in the Book of Life.........this man knows how to love. Good night "Mocha," your time on earth was well spent! You did what you came here to do. Your master was touched by an angel and he'll never be quite the same again!


From the book: GOODBYE FRIEND: HEALING WISDOM FOR ANYONE WHO HAS EVER LOST A PET: For pet lovers, the loss of a cherished pet ranks almost as high as the loss of a close family member in terms of grief experienced. In Goodbye, Friend, Gary Kowalski takes you on a journey of healing offering warmth, guidance, and practical advice on how to deal effectively with death by honoring your animal companion's life. A superb and comforting book for both adults and children.

My rating: Dealing with the loss of a dog: (1 - 4).....there are stages we all must go through to it through it!

IS BIGGER ALWAYS BETTER?

So the last couple of times that I talked to one of my friends she has made mention of wanting to get a bigger dog. Mind you MOST of the time throughout her years, she has owned smaller dogs. WAY smaller��.having owned and still owns a Chihuahua! Now let me explain to you a little more about my friend. She�s a lovely woman with a kind heart and has a beautiful home. She is elderly (69 � 70) but looks and acts more like a 59 � 60 year old. In fact she looks wonderful! Did I mention that she has a beautiful home? Oh yeah, I just did. Well this �youthful� looking 70ish year old woman is what I call a �Fuss Ass� meaning she is a fanatic in her home!

About two years ago my friend rescued a Chihuahua mixed female to come live with her and her husband and her purebred female Chihuahua. Life was wonderful when the new puppy arrived. Her other dog now had a companion and my friend had a new �baby� to love. It seems the purebred is more her husband�s dog than hers. So this �new kid on the block� would be hers to spoil and love on. She�d call me up to ask about advice about food and health questions. The puppy was extremely loving and extremely �puppy� in behavior.

So the cute, adorable love fest went on for awhile until the �puppy antics� showed its ugly little head a little more than my friend could or would tolerate. First of all the pup had the terrible, yucky habit of eating her stools. She tried everything that I suggested and the stools were still her puppy�s �treat of choice!� Take one point off for stool eating.

Next the little rascal starting eating her wallpaper off of her walls. Seems she had one favorite place for doing this. Take off another point for wall paper eating. Then there were the usual puppy leaks on the floor and carpet. Yup another point was taken off for puppy potty deposits in the house. I encouraged her to get a dog crate which she did and the puppy was fine with going into her �den.� But it was those times that she was out of the den that left �Mrs. Susie Homemaker�s� nerves stretched to its limits. Now mind you this is a woman that is a fanatic in her home. I�m sure she must walk around the house with a spray bottle of Lysol attached to her pants. Smudge marks, muddy paw prints, water on the floor, dog biscuit crumbs might just send her running to the medicine cabinet for another tranquilizer!

She bought a new mat to place in front of her back door. Seems like the little mixed breed thought it was her invitation to leave her �tinkles� on it. So now the last point was taken off! It looks as though the little dog ran out of points and second and third chances! So long story short, she just placed the �new kid on the block� on someone else�s block to live and they love her very much; especially the teenage daughter. So the youngster is doing fine, but now my friend is experiencing the �empty nest� syndrome!

So she gets this brainstorm that she must get a large dog. Her birthday is coming up soon and her husband asked her what would she like? Wrong question to ask a �determined to get what she wants� obsessed woman!!! Her husband is not in favor of a large dog mind you! So she runs this by me again yesterday. So I went down a whole list of reasons why she should not get a large dog. This is what I told her��..small dog = small problems. Large dog = large problems! Now I�m not saying that large dogs are necessarily problem dogs, but they are dogs after all and dogs do, well doggie things!

She says to me, �Well you have three large dogs.� Yeah and I say to her, I�m not a fanatic around the house either or I would have shot them a long time ago! I told her there is no guarantee about her new dog�s personality traits. I might have three dogs, but they are most certainly different in personality. My house dog is a great house dog. Her daughters are horrible house dogs. Yes, yes, I know a trained and obedient dog is a wonderful dog to live with. But therein lies the key��..personality traits also dictate the obedience time spent on training a dog. My housedog is very smart and willing to learn. Her nerves and concentration level is more steady. I believe her two daughters have �attention deficit disorder!� Oh they�re very smart too, but their concentration level is on another planet somewhere! And with my own health issues and my lack of physical endurance and strength, I must use caution when trying to train them. A younger me probably could have trained them properly, but the older me just can�t keep up with these two. So these are things my friend needs to think about as well. Does she have the strength and health to train a dog of this size? The little dog she can just pick up and put him back down again. Try doing that with a 60 � 90 pound dog!

Oh yeah, I also mentioned to her that she better get ready to change her home owners insurance now that she was getting a large �guard dog!� I told her depending upon where she lived, she might have a hard time getting insurance once she owned this type of breed. She didn�t think of that before.

Having owned German Shepherds for most of my adult life, I find them great dogs to live with, but there are those occasional few (like two of mine) that might make you rethink about owning them at all. They can be destructive. They are highly intelligent and they never miss a trick. Their noses are on everything because of their need to investigate anything new that might come into the house. They might communicate with you that they want to go outside by smudging their noses on your sliding glass door or scratching at the back door with their heavy paws. Be prepared to use your vacuum cleaner a heck of a lot more than you normally would. Hair and dander removal from rugs, floors, clothes, etc. is a normal part of your life now. Smudges and scratches and dog hair and dander are not for the fanatic housekeeping type. Before I get those private e-mails sent to me����I AM NOT SAYING LARGE BREED DOG OWNERS ARE LOUSY HOUSEKEEPERS! I�m just saying that having a larger dog is more work than having a smaller dog. Oh yeah, lets not forget about cleaning up after them after they have done a �potty call!� It�s a whole lot different then picking up after a smaller dog!

So to my friend that is thinking of adding 70 or 80 more pounds of dog flesh and hair to your beautiful, �magazine picture perfect home,� do heed my advice. Your friends and family don�t want to see your face plastered on the front page of the National Enquirer announcing �Woman locked away for the rest of her life� because large dog squashed his nose against her windowpane for the hundredth time. Enjoy your little dog and the teeny tiny piddle that she may leave behind because it�s a heck of a lot easier to clean than a darn lake all over your antique Oriental rug!


My rating: Large dogs or small dogs: (4), Taking care of large dogs: (2), Taking care of small dogs: (3)

WHAT DOES YOUR DOG'S LIVING QUARTERS SAY ABOUT YOU?

More and more I�m appalled when I see people showing pictures of their dogs and puppies whether on one of the e-mail lists or on Facebook. What I�m appalled about is looking at the background of some of these pictures. I�m seeing a gazillion dogs cramped in one muddy, dirty looking dog run after another. I�m seeing dog houses that are ready to fall in on their occupants. I�m seeing filthy looking puppies that look like they roll around in their urine and feces all day. I�m seeing many more dogs than the owner can possibly give the much needed attention that they all deserve.

I�m seeing nails that look like claws, and ears that look as though they�ve never been cleaned. Some of these people are �proudly� displaying these pictures and are advertising their animals for sale. Even sadder is seeing the positive comments that people write about the pictures that they are looking at. Besides feeling sorry for the poor dogs, who wants to buy them? I mean really. Coming from a filthy environment, how can one expect the dogs to be healthy?

Now I understand that this time of the year when the springtime is "trying" to sneak in the backdoor of "Old Mister Winter" that along with the warmer weather, she brings the sticky, yucky mud right along with her. We all have dogs that track more than a few muddy paw prints in on the kitchen floor. This is part of normal dog ownership. But I'm not talking about a few muddy paw prints. I'm talking about dogs that are literally living in the mud! It's one thing that they are, but letting the public see it, well let's just say that they're advertising the fact that their dogs are very poorly kept.

Throughout my lifetime involvement with the German Shepherd Dog breed, I have been to some very well known breeders kennels as well as the smaller less known breeders. Let me tell you, being well known doesn�t necessarily mean their kennels and therefore, their dogs are being very well taken care of. Some of these animals only feel a brush going through their coats to make them look pretty just for the show ring. Once it�s all over, back to their �not so nice� kennel enclosure they go. Now I�m not talking about people that are poor. I�m talking about dogs that are kept poorly!!! You can be poor, but be clean.

And how about those dog bowls and water buckets? I bet those bowls don�t know what hot water and soap feels like. The water buckets match the color of the mud that the dog is running through. I mean how much does it cost to give your dog fresh, clean water every day? How much effort does it take to pick up those dog dishes and soak them in hot soapy water?

I have a friend that bought one his Select champions from a breeder that told me that the mother of the dog was decorated in caked on mud and when he went into the breeder�s home, he was afraid to touch anything for fear of all the germs that he was sure to contact. Yuck!

I went to a very well known breeder one time that owned some of the top producing Select dogs in the country. I mean if you went in his back yard, one dog was more outstanding than the other as they gaited through piles of thick ice and snow laden with dog droppings. Oh he was a very well liked old guy alright and boy could he breed some great dogs. But those great dogs lived in not so great living conditions. Looking at the man�s house neither did him or his family.

Why just a couple of weeks ago, a breeder calls me up and asked me if I saw some puppy�s pictures that were being advertised on Facebook. I told her that I did. Then she asked me, did I notice the person�s house where the pups were set up. I did. What she was saying is the place was a mess. Now I�m not going to win the �Martha Stewart� award for the best kept house in the dog world, but if I were advertising puppies, I would make sure that the place I was taking their pictures wouldn�t attest to the fact that I need to hire a housekeeper!

The way a person takes care of their dogs and their living quarters says a lot about that person. Many times if the dogs are kept dirty, the owner isn�t that much better. Certainly people that advertise their dogs looking like this and showing the environment that they live in one could easily say that �truth comes to advertising!� What you see is truly what you get!!! Dropping a bowl of food on the ground and in some cases, dropping the food on the ground without a bowl��well let�s just say that animals deserve better than this!


From the book: "It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff"......This book changed my life! Veteran "organizational consultant," TV show host and author Walsh (How to Organize (Just About) Everything) has more ideas in his latest book on clutter management than the spare closet has junk, and, even better, it's organized, in-depth and entirely user-friendly. Part One examines the "Clutter Problem": how it happens, how it hampers and how to face it without excuses or discouragement. Part Two presents a step-by-step approach to "Putting Clutter in its Place," which begins with "surface clutter" and developing a household plan before moving on to the bulk of the book, a walk through of each room in the home. Also included are ideas for involving other family members, letters Walsh has received from viewers of his TLC show "Clean Sweep," vignettes illustrating how real people deal with common organizational challenges and plenty of charts, checklists and sidebars ("Clutter Quiz," "Yard Sale Planning") for added utility. Walsh is upbeat and funny throughout, treating the task at hand like "a thrilling archeological dig," a "positive and exciting" way to unlock your "ideal home" and "unearth those things that are most important in your life." Entertaining and instructive, this is one guidebook readers should place in their "keep" pile.


My rating: Dogs deserve clean living quarters: (4)

WORRY FREE!

I heard this sentence on a program the other day, �We�re the only species that worries!� Animals, birds, insects and all other living creatures never worry. They just go about their business each and every day never carrying the burdens of the world on their shoulders. They leave that �good stuff� to us humans.

We worry and fret and worry some more and most of what we worry about never happens anyway. We prepare for a show, and many of us are a nervous wreck. Some of us can�t eat, some of us spend half of the day in the bathroom and then there are those of us that snaps at the first person that says good morning to us. The dog isn�t worrying. He doesn�t care if he wins or loses. He�s not up all night the evening before the show. He�s passed out on the rug while you�re walking around the house talking to yourself.

The dog is not worried about what kind of food you�re going to be feeding him today. He just wants his dinner, plain and simple. He doesn�t care if it�s a holistic brand or a store bought brand. The only time it matters to him is if you have given him a choice. That�s when he may become fussy, but he�s not worrying about it all day. Oh sure he knows when its time for him to be fed, but he�s not worried about if he�s going to be fed all day long. He just assumes that he is!

If you groomed your dog with a shampoo you bought at the dollar store, it wouldn�t matter to him. He�s accepting of everything that comes his way. Only the human owner frets that it�s not an all natural product, or it doesn�t have the specific fragrance that the human prefers. The dog doesn�t care if he smells like fresh coconut or French vanilla.

So one can see if they are really honest with themselves that we do things for our dog not because the dog will like it, but because we like it. It�s pleasing to us��not necessarily the dog.

The dog is not worried about whether or not it�s going to be too hot or cold outside for him to go in the backyard. We worry about the temperatures. Of course, he�ll complain if the weather does bother him by howling, barking or holding an icy paw up off the ground. But he�s never worried about it ahead of time. He�s just reacting to his circumstances.

If worrying hasn�t changed the fact that we can�t afford a more expensive handler, a holistic dog food, a fragrant shampoo, a bigger van to hold more dog crates, why do we do it? Wouldn�t we enjoy the dog shows better, accept what we can afford and sleep a heck of a lot better if we didn�t worry so much? I don�t know anyone that worries all the time that is a happy person. They may be a sicker person, but not a happier person!

We worry if our new litter will produce a new �star.� We worry about our dog�s health problems. We worry that we�re not doing enough for them. We worry about them getting older. Some of us do not feel �normal� unless we�re worrying about something.

If we have financial problems or health problems, then truly this would give most people something to worry about. But truth be told, all the worrying in the world doesn�t change anything. It is totally out of our hands whether or not a judge is going to put up our dog. It�s out of our hands whether or not a puppy will amount to anything great. It�s out of our hands whether someone is going to buy a dog from us or not. It�s out of our hands if our dog gets sick. We can only do our best to take care of something that comes our way, but we can�t do anything about it by worrying. We need to take action and give worry a back
seat!

Just think if we didn�t worry, we could laugh off our losses to an inferior dog. We could shrug our shoulders when we hire a third rate handler that trips and falls over our dog thereby leaving our animal limping and costing him the class win. We could feed our dog�s bag after bag of �road kill� and never give it a second thought. We could wish a potential puppy buyer that didn�t buy our puppy best wishes when he buys someone else�s puppy. Yes being worry free would mean we could take our losses with a smile on our faces, empty wallets and a fellow competitor patting us on the back saying �Better luck next time old fella!� Yes, worry free��that�s the way for me!


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The book has one purpose: to help you live better, more fully, more richly. Your life is calling on you to make that choice, and the skills in this workbook can help you make it happen. Find out how your mind can trap you, keeping you stuck and struggling in anxiety and fear. Learn to nurture your capacity for acceptance, mindfulness, kindness, and compassion. Use these qualities to shift your focus away from anxiety and onto what you really want your life to be about. As you do, your life will get bigger as your anxious suffering gets smaller. No matter what kind of anxiety problem you're struggling with, this workbook can guide you toward a more vibrant and purposeful life. Includes a CD with bonus worksheets, self-assessments, and guided mindfulness meditations.


My rating: Worrying: (1)

IS THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG A DESIGNER BREED?

What does the average person in America think a German Shepherd Dog looks like? Now clearly I�m not talking about a breeder or a show person. I�m talking about �John Doe� that lives down the street from you. How would he describe the German Shepherd Dog? What would he say he looks like? What would he say about the disposition of this breed of dog? Are we the breeders representing the German Shepherd Dog the way most people think of them? Or have we designed a dog that most people wouldn�t identify as the �average� German Shepherd?

If �John Doe� came to a dog show or if he looked up kennels on the internet, I dare say he would be faced with many different types of German Shepherd Dogs being represented. Just take a look on Facebook at all the breeders and the pictures of their dogs on there. I have never seen such a variety of German Shepherds in one place.

What does the general public think a German Shepherd Dog looks like? I bet if you asked them, a majority of them would probably describe a black and silver or black and light tan dog to you. They would probably describe an ordinary looking dog with a protective type of personality.

I was disappointed the other night when I was watching �The Dog Whisperer� and a poll was taken asking the general public which dogs were the most aggressive breed. I knew that the Pit Bull would be the first dog people would name. However, the German Shepherd was rated as being the most aggressive right under them and then followed by the Rottweiler! It doesn�t look like our breed has such a great reputation! I�d rather them be listed as a protection breed for their family and loved ones rather than an aggressive breed. It really is two different things, in my opinion.

If a person �Googled� the words German Shepherd in the search window, thousands of breeder�s names and kennels would come up. Now if you went on those web sites, many times you would see a dog that looks different from other people�s dogs on their websites. Oh sure you�d see the same noble looking head with his ears standing up straight on his head that most people would associate with this breed. But many times this is where the similarity would end. You�d see many different colors of the German Shepherd Dog�s coat. You�d see short coats and you�d see long coats. You�d see average sized dogs and monster bone sized dogs. You�d see American style German Shepherds and you�d see German style German Shepherds. You�d see light pigment. You�d see deep, dark Mahoney red pigment. They�d be straight backs and there would be roach back dogs. You�d see short backs and long backs. Some would stand straight and look boxy and others would be slopping with their rears close to the ground. This could all be very confusing to "John Doe" for he wouldn't know what the standard for our breed is. All he would know is that they all looked so different.

When one talks about one of �those� designer breeds, are we too not designers of our breed the German Shepherd Dog? If you were to look at the first picture of a German Shepherd when this breed first became recognized and look at it now, you would think that it is a different breed. So indeed, we as breeders have designed the German Shepherd Dog and how it looks today! We changed the whole look to the dog. In many ways for the better, I believe. But we have designed him to look a certain way and not the original way at all. I wonder what the breed will look like in another twenty years or so. Should we be changing the looks of the breed so much? We have a standard, but I see very few dogs look like what the standard calls for. Because a breeder is a designer of sorts, he will have bred for a certain style of dogs. Many kennels have generations of their lines in their breeding program and one only has to look at their dogs to know that this is from their kennel.

Are we all heading in the same direction with the same goal to breed the best representative of the German Shepherd that we can? Or are we all doing our own thing and designing a dog that doesn�t really fit to the standard at all? Take a look at the dogs on some people�s websites or on Facebook. Have we created a designer dog or do they look like the standard set for our breed? You decide!


My rating: Breeding to the standard: (4)

GO AHEAD, ASK ME ANYTHING - SEE HOW MUCH YOU REMEMBER

So you think you know the German Shepherd dog and the people associated with them. Put your thinking cap on. Here you go. Just for fun!


What handler said: "I can finish anything?"

What handler said: "Give me a spooky dog to show. They always move."

What two litter sisters went Grand Victrix?

Who wrote the memorial tribute for LaMar Kuhns and her husband read it at the 1984 National Specialty Show in Arizona?

Who wrote the book "This is the German Shepherd?"

Who was the editor of the GSD Review in 1985?

If a dog is advertised as producing his phenotype, what does that mean?

What GSD Specialty club does Ed Barritt still belong to and most years still stewards at but he no longer lives in that state?

If your dog is diagnosed as having SIBO, what do those letters stand for?

I was the first ROM import since 1967, who am I?

Who used to advertise in the Review and put on the bottom of their ads: "Records live, opinions die?"

I came from a famous kennel. I was a Grand Victor. My father was a Grand Victor and I produced two Grand Victor sons and a Grand Victrix daughter. I had one good hip and one that was a little off. Me and my father before me lived long healthy lives but one of my Grand Victor sons was not as lucky. He bloated and died. Who am I?

I write �Inside the German Shepherd Dog�s World.� Who am I?

I write a blog from the German Shepherd Dog Club National Specialty shows these last several years. Who am I?

What are the names of the German Shepherd Dog family of handlers that consisted of father, mother and child that dominated the show ring back in the 1980�s and the child still handles today?

What well known breeder/exhibitor/judge owned �Rex the wonder dog?�

With some of today's dog's you might see attached many different awards or titles at the end of his name, for hips, health and obedience titles that he may have earned. You'll see them identified with a gazillion initials. If you hear the initials EPI associated with a certain dog, is that a good thing and what does it stand for?

At a specialty show, a judge has standing before her five German Shepherd Dogs. Which dog has to be excused? The roach backed Shepherd, the long coated Shepherd, the white Shepherd, the dog with four missing molars, the overshot mouth Shepherd?

The following day at the next specialty show, the judge has the following dogs in her ring. Which dog has to be excused? The dog that has a nose that is not predominantly black, the dog with the undershot jaw, the dog with hanging ears or the dog that tries to bite the judge?

So how do you think that you did? Do you think you got them all right? Share your answers with us and see how many of them you got right. Let's see who the first one is to get them all right, then on Monday I'll post the answers here to these questions.


My rating: German Shepherd trivia: (4)

REMEMBERING YOUR FIRST TIME

Someone wrote to me this morning and asked me if I could write about this subject. So I gave it a little thought and decided, �Sure, why not?� Everyone in dogs has a �first time� doing something. The woman that wrote to me was so thrilled that she had just put the first point on one of her own animals that she was showing. Here are her own words: �I handled my girl Piper a few weeks ago in Urbana Ohio. Nothing new except she went Winners Bitch. I was on cloud nine and sill am. It�s the first time I ever put a points on my own bitch. I handled others and got majors, but this was different. It is a very special feeling, one that I have never experienced before, and I hope to again and again. I know I will never forget it.�

Looking back in my own involvement in dogs, I was never that talented to show my own dogs so I left it to the professionals. I probably am the world�s worst double handler and every professional handler�s worst nightmare so pretty much the dog was left to win on his own merit. The very first time that I ever showed at a major specialty show, I hired Jimmy Moses and my dog won a big four or five point major and back in those days the entries were huge. First of all I was thrilled that Mr. Moses was showing my dog because I was a young, �just starting out� novice and he consented to show my dog. So that was my �first time� having a cream of the crop handler showing for me. Then the other �first time� was that my dog won his first major! So those two things stand out in my mind of �first time� events. I remember driving to the show that day, but I don�t remember driving back home because I was floating, because my feet hadn�t stepped back on the ground yet.

Then there are memories of the first litter I ever bred and there are memories of the first champion I ever finished and the first champion I ever bred. There are memories of the first �big shot� I ever talked to and that was so sweet and supportive of me. That was Carol McPheron who owned GV Ch Scorpio of Shiloh Gardens. She was just the nicest and most helpful person to a newcomer like me.

Can I ever forget the first time an icon of the breed bred to my stud dog? When Bill Goldbecker bred one of his German bred bitches to my dog, I couldn�t believe it. He was a fascinating man who knew a lot about the breed. He didn�t let you forget it either. Now most people when they breed to your dog, they bring the bitch to him. Nope, Bill expected and he got me bringing my stud dog to his bitch. What did I care anyway? He thought enough of my dog to breed to him.

Could I have been any luckier than to be able to lease a bitch for my very first litter from the kennels of Marge Dolan of Dolmar Shepherds? She was from the famous Reno/Rhyme combination. I�ve always said it many times on this blog, I was VERY LUCKY when I first started out to have some knowledgeable people take me under their wings.

Another first for me was when the GREAT, late Joan Ford judged a match show. The entry was huge. I kid you not; there must have been a hundred entries that day. The sun was shining brightly; a cool breeze was in the air��a perfect combination for a dog show. We entered our sable �Charlie� son and without a professional handler at the end of the leash. Well can I tell you when she pointed to him and gave him Best Puppy at this match; you would have thought he just won the Grand Victor title. I was stunned that she awarded our super moving puppy this title.

Then owning BIM Ch Arbar�s Xanadu ROM afforded me many, many �firsts.� She was the best thing that ever happened to me in dogs for a gazillion and one reasons. She was a once in a life time dog and I owe her so much more than she ever got.


And writing this article wouldn't be complete if I didn't include when I bought my very "first" German Shepherd Dog, Helga. Bought from a pet shop, but loved like she was a champion because although she may have taught me everything that a good quality German Shepherd shouldn't look like conformation wise, she also served to remind me of the fantastic mind and temperament of this breed. And after all that was the real reason I bought a German Shepherd to begin with. It was who they were that attracted me to them in the first place. It was their nobility, loyalty and the love for their master that first caught my eye. My very first German Shepherd made me realize that my first choice of a dog breed was the right choice for me.

So looking back over my ownership and involvement with the breed, I remember many �firsts.� How about you? Do you remember some �firsts� in your dog show career? Do you remember the thrill of it all? Did it feel different then then what it feels like today when you win? Do you still get that �rush� when you win? Are there still �firsts� that you are looking forward to experiencing?


From the book: "CHOOSING GRATITUDE: YOUR JOURNEY TO JOY" - Gratitude is a choice. If we fail to chose it, by default we choose ingratitude. And once allowed into the heart, ingratitude does not come by itself but with a lot of other seedy companions that only succeed in stealing joy. To not choose gratitude - daily and deliberately - is more costly than we usually realize. And when we do choose a lifestyle of heartfelt, humble gratitude, we are mindful of the benefits received from our gracious Savior and those He has placed around us. By intentionally thanking God and others, bitterness and entitlement are replaced with joy and the humble realization of just how undeserving we really are. Derived from a popular Revive Our Hearts radio series, Choosing Gratitude: The Path to Joy challenges and equips the reader to live a life of intention. A life based on thankfulness - for the freedom Christ has provided and for the blessings of others.

ON THE SPOT - MASSTANA'S GERMAN SHEPHERDS

I like interviewing people for my blog that are not just the big name kennels and breeders but also the smaller breeders and exhibitors that have made their own contributions to the breed. Today my interview is with John and Nancy Vaught of Masstana�s kennels in Richfield, Connecticut.

I have been friends with John and Nancy Vaught for many years�..probably going all the way back in the mid-late 70�s. We belonged to the same club (The German Shepherd Dog Club of Greater New Haven), we showed our dogs together often sitting together at the shows. We had supper at one another's homes and had some great times together at �Dog Show� parties. Probably my most fond memories is those times that I spent with Nancy when she and I would get together a few times a week and exercised our dogs by taking them to this huge reservation. It was good for the dogs and it was good for us. Sadly those days are behind as. I�ve moved from their area, but when I think of the time I�ve spent in this breed, these two people will always hold a special spot in my �memory bank� and heart. Thank you John and Nancy for taking the time to do this interview with me.


1) When did you two become involved in the German Shepherd breed and why did you choose this breed to own?

Nancy and I loved Rin Tin and Bullet (Roy Rodgers dog) so when it came time to get a dog, this is the direction we went. We got our first German Shepherd (a 4 month old white male puppy) the same year that we got married in 1964. We did not know anything about whipworm or hookworm so our apartment was quite a mess at the time. Because we both were working, it did not take long to realize that having a young puppy was a big mistake so we placed him on a farm in Pennsylvania. Our real involvement in the breed began in 1968 when we bought our first house. By then we had our first child and Nancy was a stay at home mom so getting a puppy was the first thing we bought when we moved in. We bought Nikroc�s Nikki, a Halmark�s Tanto�s of Cosalta daughter at 8 weeks of age. She turned out to be a beautiful dog and folks would walk up to us and make nice comments about her. We decided to breed her in 1971 and enjoyed the experience so much that we decided to learn more about the breed and the AKC Standard.

Pictured above:  BOSM Ch Masstana's Mercede (3rd generation Masstana)

2) How did you discover there was a sport known as showing dogs? Whose idea was it to show dogs?

We discovered the idea of showing because a number of folks would say something like "You should show her" (Nikki). When we looked at puppies in the area we were exposed to many champions and Shepherd enthusiasts so the concept of showing was there early on. We both decided to try it. We entered the Framingham KC show and John showed Nikki. The judge was a nice person who overlooked John's attire (shorts and tee shirt) and placed Nikki 4th out of 7 in the novice bitch class. We were thrilled! That basically "hooked" us.

3) Did you have any mentors that helped you when you first became involved in the breed?

Around 1972 or so we met Edie and Bob Trocki and Edie became our first mentor and best friend. In fact Edie arranged for us to get our first show bitch, Eva of Anton, a Ch Asslan of Robinsway daughter from Alice Zygmont. Eva had already won her futurity class but Alice was keeping her sister, so Eva was available. We bred Eva to a Ch Reno son that Edie had bred and got our first real competitive show dog, Masstana's Ferris of Anton. Ferris never finished his championship but he was always competitive. That is when we met Jimmy Moses who showed Ferris for us in a few shows. Through Jimmy we met Ed Barritt and they both took an interest in mentoring us. After Jim told us that he probably wouldn't be able to finish Ferris we met Lamar and he showed Ferris a couple of times. In fact in the first show Lamar showed Ferris it was a huge 5 pointer and he took him into the open class of 22 dogs and won the class! Everybody was congratulating us, but then we had to go back in and unfortunately we lost to an American Bred dog that Jimmy showed. It was a good dog though, (soon to be GV!) Kismet's Impulse of Bismark. We went reserve that day. The next day the exact same thing happened again. We stopped showing him after that weekend. During those early years we would have to say that Edie, Jim, Ed and Lamar were our mentors.

4) When did you breed your first litter and do you remember what stud
dog you used?

Our first litter was out of Nikki in 1972 and we bred her to an Italian import named Yago Di Casa Gatto. The dog was owned by a fellow named Romie Yagmenis (Sp) in Bridgewater Mass. We got some nice pets but no apparent show dogs.

Pictured above:  BOSF Ch Masstana's Brix (5th generation Masstana)

5) Your kennel name is MASSTANA. How did you come up with that name?

John was from Montana and we were living in Massachusetts so it seemed a natural. It was either that or Montachusetts. There were already a number of GSD kennels using John and Nancy in their names so we went with Masstana.

6) When choosing breeding partners for your bitches, what are some of the things you are looking for in the stud dog?

We both like strong backs, good color, harmonious movement and sound temperaments. We both will choose a dog that has proven that he can produce what we need for our bitch. The overall dog is important to both of us. Looks ("type"), temperament, health, show attitude, beautiful correct outline, and balanced extended movement are more important to both of us over extremes at either end. We have no interest in dogs with weak backs, light pigment or faulty rear action no matter how good they might be from the side.

7) What differences (if any) do you see with the breed from the time you first started until now?

We feel that overall; there is better temperament and stronger ligamentation now. Back when we started, hip dysplasia was much more prevalent and heart problems, ear problems and dippy backs were more common. We still have bad backs but not as many as the old days. Unfortunately we (the breed) have lost some of the great male heads we used to see.

8) You've both been involved in The German Shepherd Dog Club of Greater New Haven for many years. What changes are you seeing in the clubs? Many clubs are folding due to lack of membership, funding, participation, etc. Where do you find the problems lie? Any ideas for a solution?

We think the reduction in the number of conformation breeders everywhere has impacted the conformation aspect of many of the regional clubs. It is difficult to get new people involved in conformation and breeding. It seems that, for many, there is just too much time involved to become successful. There are more folks who are interested in Schutzhund work and other performance oriented aspects of showing than there are those interested in breeding the "perfect" dog. So if a club still wants to be a breed club rather than a training club they might be in trouble. We are lucky in that our club still has a number of folks who are still breeding and showing dogs who they hope will meet the AKC or even the German Standard. It is also very apparent that parents of young children today have little time for things that are not related to raising their kids. Also the expense of showing a dog is a major factor to young people. We also feel that PETA has had an effect on the social aspects of breeding/owning pure bred dogs. We have no "silver bullets" to solve these problems.

9) You�re both partners in this sport. Do you work side by side or is one more responsible for something and the other for something else (planning, breeding, conditioning, showing, etc.)? Nancy does everything. I handle some of the pups and help train the dogs. Generally we agree on the breedings.

Pictured above:  Ch Masstana's Karli (7th generation Masstana)

 10) What do you know now that you wish you would have known when you first started out in the breed?

If we had known that we were going to go into showing to the extent that we have, we probably would have made a more concerted effort to get the best bitch available. But with two growing children and other demands on our time, showing was just something that happened without a lot of planning.

11) What are some of your concerns in the breed right now?

We both believe it is most difficult to breed a male who can move like we want and still have the great head piece and bone to go with it. Also we like a dog (or bitch) who is motivated to move (i.e.: ATTITUDE). A show dog should love to show. We believe that even a "great dog" needs to perform to show his/her structural attributes properly. There are too many dogs that do not "cover the maximum amount of ground with the minimum number of steps" because they simply can't. But they can win under some judges (many of whom have no knowledge of how to judge movement) because of the handlers on the other end of the leash or the owners of the dogs. While we don't condone racing around the ring, we feel the breed loses something if we see a dog plodding around not having any fun and certainly not showing how he/she is built. But the racing around is not a problem with the dog anyhow. It is with the judges who allow flat out racing. We believe that at some point the judge should be able to see the dogs move on a loose leash. That doesn't mean go slow. We believe that those people in the breed who make the most noise about dogs moving with alacrity own dogs with no attitude or showmanship. They would like to see the breed move like their dogs. We sincerely hope that doesn't happen while we are showing. We believe that, while we need to bring some more diversity into the breed now, what we see from Germany is not what we want our dogs to look like. Back in the old days the better German dogs had a lot to offer. Now, other than red and black color and nice head pieces, what are you getting?

12) Do you see more health problems now than when you first started breeding?

It's become very difficult to find a stud dog that does not produce ME and EPI. There's nothing worse than to have to put a sweet little puppy to sleep because he had a bad case of ME. We realize it takes two to tango, but stud dog owners have to be honest about what their stud dogs produce. We will never breed to a dog if we think the owner doesn't want to honestly answer our health questions regarding what his/her dog is producing. We realize that any dog that is bred a lot is eventually going to produce every problem in the book. We simply want to know how often it happens with the dog we are interested in. We have seen fewer heart problems now than in the past and better hips for sure.

13) After all these years of being involved in breeding, raising and showing dogs, what makes you continue?

It is something we do together and we love our doggy friends that we have met over the years. Our dogs are our therapy! We truly enjoy raising puppies and finding loving families for them. Also, through showing dogs, we've made friends all over the country that we would otherwise have never had the good fortune to meet. And we enjoy the challenge of trying to breed the "perfect" dog.

14) You two go to many National Specialty shows. What do you consider are some of the biggest differences in the dogs that you see come from all parts of the United States?

In the old days, it appeared to us that many of the really great movers came from the East. The most beautiful dogs came from the West. Now it appears that the Midwest is producing some of the best moving dogs in the country. Time will tell but we think the rising expense of shipping a bitch to a stud will adversely impact the dispersion of bloodlines throughout the country.

15) Are there any things that you would like to see change in the parent club (The GSD Club of America)?

Probably to recognize that change (i.e.: significantly smaller National entries) is upon us and maybe cut down the number of days (to reduce the expense) of the National. We love the German Shepherd Dog Review so hope that is not where the cuts come from. Also we should consider again a realignment of the Fut/Mat system. We love these shows but find such small entries that one has to wonder if there is a better way.

16) When picking your top puppies, what are some of the things that you are looking for? In you opinion, what makes a puppy a star?

We love a good top line in a young puppy followed by a curvy rear and playful attitude. We like to pick a puppy that is good looking and has good balanced movement with a showy attitude. We recognize that puppies go through stages. Thankfully, most of our good ones grow pretty steadily, but they still go through some changes in top line and angulation. You have to be patient and know what stages to expect at different ages from your bloodlines. A "star" is a puppy who demonstrates effortless movement, that "look at me" attitude and a beautiful outline. It is easy to tell if you have a "star" when you go to a match or show and everyone comes up and asks "who is that?" However, unfortunately, we have learned that not all "stars" turn out.

17) Up to this point, what has been your most proud moment in the breed?

There have been many. We feel very proud when we win a Futurity/Maturity (11 of them so far) or when some of the big "names" in the breed inquire to buy one of our dogs. Our Ch Masstana's Mercedes was probably the best dog we ever produced, but our Ch Masstana's Brix (her grandson) brought about the largest buy offer. Mercedes is behind Ch Oscar so it is nice to see that he is a top producer. She is also behind one of the Fasano's ROM bitches who is the dam of MV Sel Ch. Woody Bearelson. Another of our males was GV Tacoma's grand sire. Our bitch, BIF, Sel Masstana's Vivacious of Farmil, won the 9 to 12 class at one national under Dan Dwier, American Bred at the 2nd National under Helen Gleason and went Select at the 3rd national under David Rinke. She certainly made us proud. The fact that one of our current champion bitches represents 7 generations of our breeding also makes us feel proud.

18) If you had to do it over again, would there be anything that you would change?

Probably not. We consider the mistakes we made along the way were lessons for the future.

19) What would you like to be remembered for in this breed?

We would like to be remembered for producing dogs that are good representatives of the breed in every way. The kind of dog that anyone could be proud to walk downtown and have people come over to pet them, but will be there as a protector if needed. From a show standpoint we would be pleased to be remembered for having dogs that had good balanced movement, good temperaments, strong backs, nice top lines and great show attitude. And of course we would like to be remembered as being nice, honest and reasonably knowledgeable breeders of German Shepherds.

Thanks for letting us tell you about Masstana German Shepherds. John and Nancy Vaught

My rating:  Furminator deShedding Tool:  (4)

TO HELP MAKE YOUR LIFE A LITTLE BIT EASIER

I�ve gathered some ideas to help make your life a little bit easier when you�re looking for solutions to some of your pet questions.

Just because summer is now officially over (boo hoo) doesn�t mean that ticks and fleas are still not looking for tasty drops of your or your dogs blood to help sustain them through the cooler months. Nope these tiny, itty bitty �yuckies� are not going away just yet. If you plan on hiking with your dogs, still wear lighter colored clothes to make ticks stand out. Spray your clothes with a product like Repel�s Permanone which has a chemical called permethrin. You can also use a product containing oil of lemon eucalyptus such as Repel Lemon eucalyptus Insect Repellent to use on your skin. I spray my dog�s everyday with a mixture of Lavender Essence and water to help repel these and other �buggy� creatures.

The fleas are still biting so try dabbing a drop or two of lemon essential oil (like lemon balm or lemongrass) on the back of your dogs� neck and on his rump. The citrus oil contains a powerful chemical called linalool that is toxic to fleas but not to dogs. The fleas should move on.

For the persistent little buggers (fleas) that reside in your house, here�s a trick that seems to work. Salt�..it is the perfect de-bugger. Just sprinkle a liberal dusting on rugs and carpets, banish pets from the room for a few hours, and then vacuum thoroughly. Repeat twice a week as needed. Salt dehydrates flea larvae that hatch from eggs deposited deep in carpeting, arresting the insects� life cycle.

Has your dog put his nose where it doesn�t belong and got tangled with a skunk? Here are a couple of remedies to help your dog smell like a rose once again! Rub a can or two worth of beer into his coat, then rinse with water and bathe him with doggy shampoo to remove any beer scent. Beer�s yeast cultures will penetrate the skunk sprays� water resistant oils so the brew�s carbonic acid can dissolve them. Plus, the alcohol will kill odor causing bacteria, resulting in a fresh smelling dog once again. Then you can sit down and enjoy the rest of the �six pack� of beer knowing that all is well with your dog once again.

Another idea for a skunk smelling dog is to mix � cup of baking soda, 1 tsp. of liquid soap and 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide. Work it into the pet�s fur, then rinse. Caution � keep the mixture away from his eyes! Hydrogen peroxide neutralizes the sulfur compounds in a skunk�s spray to render them odorless, while the other ingredients leave fur smelling clean.

Got a dog that hates going for rides in the car because he gets sick all the time? All dogs love cookies, but give him one gingersnap cookie 10 minutes before you leave the house. If the trip will be a longer time, give him another cookie while en route. The ginger in the cookie will stimulate the flow of his digestive enzymes to help settle his stomach, so you both can get to the destination without an incident.

We all know that German Shepherds are notorious for shedding their fur all year long. They leave their calling card where ever they go from room to room. My house dog Amber has little area rugs that I put out for her to lay on. Well she also thinks that that is her invitation to lie on my bath rug as well. I hate that when she does that. The last thing I want to do when I come out of the shower is to step on a hairy bath rug. So I found an excellent and quick way to pick up the loose dog hair lying on my bath rug without using the vacuum cleaner that tries to eat the rug. I use my �squeegee� type �thing a ma gig� that I use to wipe away the excess water on the walls of my shower. I just take it and run it across the rug and like magic it gathers any of the loose hair so I can easily pick it up and throw it in the trash. Simple and it works!

Does your dog need to go on a diet? If cutting back his food consumption is leaving your dog begging for more, there are a couple of things that you can do. Try adding some vegetables like string beans or carrots to his daily meal. This way you won�t be adding very many calories and he�ll feel fuller. Also recommended by a vet, to slim him down while satisfying his appetite, gradually substitute 1/3 of his usual food portion with canned PURE pumpkin. The low-cal addition is high in fiber, which will prevent hunger pangs.

I hope you can use some or all of these tips to make living with your dogs just a little bit easier and without breaking the bank.

CHRIS CHRISTENSEN SYSTEMS

Well looks like we are saying �goodbye� to the summer and �hello� to the fall. There is nothing like showing a dog at the fall shows. The weather is perfect for it, cool and crisp. The dogs feel good and the owners feel good. So out come the grooming supplies once again. Are your supplies in tip top shape or has some of them seen their better days? I was talking to a breeder friend yesterday who shows her dogs year round and we were talking about supplies. She loves the Chris Christensen Systems products. When I did a review on brushes before, I included this company�s line of products. Today I decided to devote a whole article on what they offer as it�s been a name well known in the dog world for years of offering top quality dog brushes.

WHY PROPER BRUSHING IS SO IMPORTANT:

Other than the primary function of brushing or styling hair, hair brushing serves several other important purposes; cleaning and massaging the skin, and stimulating the release of beneficial oil called sebum. Sebum is released by the sebaceous gland at the base of the hair follicle as a result of the gentle hair tugging action caused by brushing. Brushing the hair cleans the hair shaft, follicle, and skin by removing trapped scale, dirt, and oils. Brushing also distributes the Sebum, coating, lubricating, and protecting the hair shaft resulting in a healthy glow or sheen and more flexible hair. Because sebum protects and moisturizes, regular brushing results in hair that is healthier, more manageable, and easier to style. All of Chris Christensen Systems brushes are well balanced and easy to use. Handles are designed to ensure comfortable grip and use.

I�ve always known that this company made some of the best dog grooming brushes on the market, but I didn�t realize that they make some other grooming supplies as well. Here are some of the products that they make.

Oval Pin Brush - Large - A top quality pin brush. The finest quality pin brush that money can buy. Use 20mm for short coats; 27mm for medium to long coats; 35mm for long thick full coats. Ground and polished tips are the smoothest available and will not push into cushion. The supple, relaxed pin cushion is set in a light-weight solid wood body with an easy grip handle.

Thick N Thicker Volume Response Foaming Protein adds astonishing volume to any coat type. Replenishes protein and creates volume by implanting a high volume of low molecular weight proteins. The dense compact foam base allows easy distribution through the coat. Naturally volumizes thin, skimpy coats while repairing and protecting coat hairs. Strengthens weakened hair shafts and repairs split ends.

Buttercomb - 6 inches - Solid brass core with round core top to reduce friction and eliminate unnecessary breakage. Exceptionally smooth teeth glide through the coat like butter to reduce combing time by 50 percent! Steel teeth with a highly finished tips and high quality nickel chrome finish. This heavy dog grooming comb features1.25 inch long staggered teeth with a 6 inch total comb length.

Beautifully handcrafted Beech wood slicker brush with high grade steel pins for less coat damage. Ultra-soft, extra flexible cushion with base of one fourth inch foam. Shape and contours of the handle do all the work for you instead of wrist being at a constant angle. Less stress for groomer and animal.

Miracle Air is a natural but powerful way to completely eliminate odors. It can be sprayed directly on your dog, cat, puppy or kitten, around food and even on baby diapers. Chris Christensen Miracle Air is food grade. Miracle Air breaks apart odor molecules on contact. It is not a cover up. It eliminates all odors from pets, urine and fecal matter, cigarette smoke, cooking odors, body odors, diesel and gasoline.

These are just some of the products this well respected company carries.

My rating: Chris Christensen Systems dog grooming supplies: (4)

THEY WALK AMONG US

I touched on this subject a little bit last week, but I wanted to write about it some more because education is always a good thing. I wrote about the black German Shepherd female that was used as a brood bitch for a fighting dog operation. They used this bitches puppies as bait dogs for their nasty �hobby.� I also reported that she was rescued and is spayed living with a family. The reason that I�m re-visiting this subject so soon is because of a few things that I saw and read this morning.

I belong to Face Book. I never thought I would really enjoy it as much as I do. I�m not however, one of those people that is on it 24 hours a day. I check in a few times a day because there is always some new up to the minute news that is added. Besides there are a ton of German Shepherd Dog people on there. There are lots of pictures and lots of conversation and some enjoyable activities I partake in. This morning there was a video about a book that is due to be launched in October called �Oogy.� I watched the video and it told of a story of a pit bull puppy used as a bait dog like the black German Shepherd�s puppies were. His story wasn�t any different. He too was used and abused like all the other puppies for this horrific act of violence. Most of them never come out of that ring alive. And the few that do are damaged beyond repair. Oogy is one of the fortunate ones that made it out with his life but Oogy is terribly disfigured. When you look at his head face on, it looks lopsided. One side of his face is severely scared and his one ear was totally torn off his head. He is a funny looking character and some might call him downright homely. But once you get past his unattractive head, the thing that catches your eye is the spirit of this dog. It is the spirit of this dog and the smile on his face if you will, that lights up an otherwise unappealing face.

This is what I wanted to touch on today; the spirit of the dog. How can dogs that have been so badly abused and tortured, love and trust a human being ever again? I am totally amazed and in awe of these dogs that have had their lives almost taken from them at the hands of a human being (????) turn around and give and accept love from us ever again. How can they be so forgiven of man? How can they allow the hand that abused him to now stroke and love him? How do they do this? Is this what is called blind faith? Are they what some call, �just a dumb dog� after all? What separates the dogs tolerance of unfairness from that of mans? Most of us would lash out and protect ourselves or at the least never forgive extreme abuse from anyone. What makes the dog so darn forgiving? Why does he tolerate so much from man? Some may say because man is his main source of his food supply. Without man feeding the dog, surely he would starve if left to his own means. Or maybe he would be forced to turn to his ancestor, the wolf and learn the �call of the wild� methods of survival once again.

Do you think that the dog has been so domesticated by man that he will accept anything and everything that man does to him? When you think of it, man is all the dog knows about. He is so far removed from his ancient ancestors (the wolf) that his need to survive is so dependent on man. Man is the alpha in the pack when a dog is involved and like in a pack in the wild, the subservient members will take just about anything from the alpha including being beat up, mauled and sometimes killed. Is this why the dog tolerates so much from man? Is this why he would give up his life for man? It could very well be.

So no matter how long we domesticate the dog, way down deep in his DNA, he is programmed for his need to have a pack leader and because of this (in my opinion) he will take whatever is given to him as his lot in life. So if he is born in to a life of abuse, he will suffer silently just as he would if he was one of the lowly members of a pack in the wild. Take a look at the animal programs about animals that live in packs. The lowest member of the family is often the one that is mistreated, picked on and sometimes killed by the alpha or those in higher authority. Could this then explain why the dog tolerates so much abuse from man?

I received an e-mail this morning from one of the rescue groups that I send this blog to a very interesting but disturbing letter. Those of you that don�t belong to my e-mail list don�t always get everything that I send to that group or the things that they send to me. Last week I wrote a letter to a Free Cycle group that I recently joined. I mentioned it here on my blog as well. However, on my list I forwarded the letter that I wrote to one of the owners of that list. My concern was that they now will be offering animals to people on their list. She reassured me that the majority of the people on her list were all for this, so I was voted down. It is something new that they are doing. I saw a turtle listed there a few days ago and someone already claimed him. I�ll be watching what other animals that they list as well.

Well anyway getting back to today�s e-mail from one of the rescue lists. It was a very well written and informative letter about a woman that is a �collector� of animals. She used Craig�s list to make money off of the animals that she adopts from shelters. They are left in cages in their own urine and feces. It seems that this woman is contacting breeders about puppies that they have advertised. She gets the dogs and abuses them for her own sick, evil mind and then re-sells them. Because some people are very desperate to find homes for their puppies, this person could call them and sweet talk them in to letting their puppies go to her. PLEASE BE CAREFUL! There are a lot of �not so nice� people roaming the streets looking for unsuspected victims!

Be aware of lists and groups and social websites. Predators walk among us. I just heard of an incident last night from a teenage girl that I mentor who had a page on My Space. She contacted me and copied and pasted something someone wrote to her. I told her not to respond to him at all. Her aunt and uncle made her close her page down. So we have to be careful with our children and our animals. It truly is a jungle out there but unlike the animals in the jungle who hunt and kill to survive, there exist in our world those that hunt and kill for the sheer pleasure it brings to them.


From the book: "THE LUCIFER EFFECT: UNDERSTANDING HOW GOOD PEOPLE TURN EVIL"....Social psychologist Zimbardo is best known as the father of the 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment, which used a simulated prison populated with student volunteers to illustrate the extent to which identity is situated within a social setting; student volunteers randomly chosen to play guards became cruel and authoritarian, while those playing inmates became rebellious and depressed. With this book, Zimbardo couples a thorough narrative of the Stanford Prison Experiment with an analysis of the social dynamics of the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, arguing that the "experimental dehumanization" of the former is instructive in understanding the abusive conduct of guards at the latter. This comparison, which is the book's core insight, is embedded in a sprawling discussion about situational influences that cobbles together a discussion of the psychology of evil, a strong criticism of the Bush administration, and a chapter celebrating heroism and calling for greater social bravery. This account's Abu Ghraib focus will generate demand.


My rating: Social networks and lists: (1 - 4)

ADDING NEW WRINKLES EACH AND EVERYDAY

I�ve always had a thirst for knowledge. Each and everyday that I live I like to learn something new. You know so I can add another wrinkle to my brain! But it�s true. I don�t care how small it is, or how trivial, I want to learn something new everyday. I believe just by living with our dogs that we can gain so much knowledge by watching their actions and how they try to figure things out. They live in their own special world with their own special coping techniques sometimes very different from yours and mine, but yet sometimes very similar even though less complicated than ours.

So what did I learn yesterday? Well I received some nice e-mails from people about my article entitled �SQUISH.� Kathy shared her thoughts with those on my e-mail list (The German Shepherd Dog Showcase) about what I wrote and how it applied to her angel child Kaitlyn. She�s a good writer and knows how to put into words the most heartfelt of expressions that only a mother could feel. Then there is my friend �Ms. Diane.� Seems I caused �Ms. Diane� to have laughed harder than she has in her entire life (her quote). Wow��I was responsible for that?!?! In your whole entire life???? In my rush to get my blog out yesterday, she caught a major blunder�..well to the meaning of the sentence anyway�..when I said, that �My life is no (bowel) of cherries.� It should have read �My life is no bowl of cherries.� Diane didn�t want me to change it and asked that I leave it that way. I guess she thought it added some kind of character to the sentence. Well I kept it that way most of the day, but my fragile ego got in the way, and sorry Diane, I had to change it. But be on the lookout��.just knowing that I can add laughter to someone�s life will make be strive to make some more of those �blunders� for entertainment purposes only! I do aim to please!

So I came across this list of thought provoking questions (and I�m adding a few of my own as well) and changed it to reflect our dogs and the people who love them. Here goes:

1. What type of penalty would you want someone to receive if someone killed a stranger�s dog, but saved your dogs life the month before?
2. What�s the most expensive dog that you ever bought? Was it worth it? Was he the best dog you ever owned?
3. Is it ever good to lie to someone about the quality of their dog or lack of if he�s just a child asking the question?
4. Stealing is immoral, right? But what if stealing was the only way to feed a starving dog?
5. If someone could tell you the exact day and time that your dog was going to die, would you want them to tell you?
6. If you found out you were going to die today, would you have any regrets? Would you be happy with the way you spent the last 24 hours of your life?
7. What�s your single greatest moment in the ownership of your dogs?
8. Have you ever discriminated against someone because they were a newbie or they really weren�t all that bright?
9. If you could be given another talent or ability besides being in the sport and breeding of the German Shepherd Dog what would you want it to be?
10. When you help someone in the breed do you ever think, �What�s in it for me?
11. Are you willing to sacrifice the life of your dog to support a war?
12. In this breed if you are a new person, do you ask enough questions, or do you settle for what you know?
13. Pertaining to the sport, breeding or ownership of dogs, if you could do it all over again, would you change anything?
14. If your life with your dogs was a novel, what would be the title and how would your story end?
15. When you pass away, do you think that people will take up donations in your memory and put an ad in the Review?
16. When the next great book about the German Shepherd Dog is written, will your name be among its pages?
17. Do people like you OR respect you?
18. Will you be remembered in the breed for having �talked the talk� or for �having walked the walk?�

So there you have it. Short and sweet although I think very thought provoking. I can�t wait to hear what some of you have to say. I�m looking forward to adding a few new wrinkles to my brain today. Gee, when you look at it that way, so many of you are deeply imbedded in my brain and I carry you everywhere I go. Yikes, some of that is a good thing and others I wish would take a hike on over to someone else�s brain!!!!


My rating: Knowledge is good: (4), Be careful what you ask for: (1 - 4)

ARE THE GREAT LADIES DRAWS FALLING?

Let me say this right up front. I hate politics. I always have and probably always will. So someone calls me last night talking about some of my recent articles on this blog and the conversations that it has started. She said to me this is a good thing because people are talking and talking is good for exchanging ideas and initiating changes. She was talking about my articles about clubs falling, the lack of entries at the specialty shows and the waning interest in the breed. She asked me if I could continue this topic and expand it to include the Parent Club (German Shepherd Dog Club of America). She asked me if I could talk about the politics of the club. I told her I hate politics. It probably is one of my least favorite subjects. I don�t like talking about it and I certainly don�t feel qualified to write about it. She answered me by saying more and more people are leaving the club. Perhaps if we can get people talking, maybe we can understand why this is.

The German Shepherd Dog Club of America is one of the largest specialty breed clubs in America. It�s a proud club of hard working dedicated German Shepherd enthusiasts. The regional clubs are the lifeline of the Parent Club. They are the branches of the �Great Lady� and they sustain her by providing major pointed shows where the German Shepherd can win the points necessary for his championship. The regional clubs are responsible for putting on the Futurity/Maturity shows. Without these major point winning shows and futurities, there would be very little need for the National Specialty Show which helps generate revenue for the Parent Club. Without dogs finishing their championships there would be no need for the Best of Breed competition at the National Specialty level. There would be no Grand Victor/Victrix and no Futurity/Maturity Victors and Victrixes. Would the general population of German Shepherd breeders go to a National that consisted solely of obedience and herding titled dogs?

Without the Specialty shows, the German Shepherd breeder would only be able to compete in the All-Breed shows. More and more people are doing this now already. Will those dogs that are known for their great movement look as good in a small cramped show ring?

Like anything else in life, you start a club and there will be �cliques� in that club. There will be those that form their own groups (almost like a club within a club). The Parent Club is not any different in that way. Because of its large membership it would only seem natural that different personalities will have different opinions about how things should be run. And it�s when those different personalities disagree that either it can prove beneficial because they can come up with a solution to the problem or it can divide a club. Then that�s when the two opposing forces look to gather people in their corner and it is no longer how we can make the club stronger, but rather how they can make themselves stronger. It no longer is about promoting the breed. It�s about promoting ones self and their agendas. And this is when the walls begin to chip away and start to crumble.

Why did you join the Parent Club anyway? Was it to get the German Shepherd Dog Review? Was it to learn everything that you can about this wonderful breed? Was it to be part of a club where the elite of the breed are members as well? Is it everything that you hoped it would be? Are you happy with YOUR club? Do you contact your board members when you disagree with something? Have they been helpful addressing your concerns?

When you vote in a new President and board members in this club, do you know who you�re voting for? When you vote for the judges for the National Specialty show, do you know who you�re voting for? Are you picking people because they are well known breeders or are you picking people because they are well known LOVERS OF THE BREED and have done something more than breed a few champions? Are these people that extend their hand to you with their pearly whites smiling back at you at election time showing you the same good will at other times? Are these people nice to you because they want to help you or are they nice to you because they want you to help them get where they want to go by giving them your vote?

The thing that has always �bugged� me about politics is that the people that we elect are working FOR US! If they�re not and they�re working for their own agendas, then WE have the power to �un-elect� them as well. All breed clubs are run by volunteers and there are some extremely hard working German Shepherd loving individuals. We owe our gratitude to these selfless people for they are truly dedicated to the betterment of the breed. The Parent Club was started for the betterment of the breed, not the betterment of those in cliques with there own agendas. It wasn�t about making anyone �important�. It was about making the German Shepherd important. It wasn�t formed to make any individuals stand out and for people to take notice of them. It was formed to make the German Shepherd Dog stand out and the general public take notice of them. It was built by our forefathers of the breed to stand strong and supportive of our breed. It wasn�t built to showcase individuals, but instead to showcase the German Shepherd Dog. When we lose our focus of the purpose of this club, this is when the walls begin to chip away until they collapse and the Great Lady ends up with her draws around her ankles. We don�t want this to happen.

The unfortunate thing is that some very good people are leaving the club. What�s the answer then? Get rid of the cliques that are there for their own benefits and political agendas. If they�re not there for the betterment of the German Shepherd Dog, let them go elsewhere and form their own club. Their followers will follow them. They won�t be missed. Remember that the membership voted these people into office. We remain strong when the membership takes back THEIR club and ACTS MORE LIKE THE BREED THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE REPRESENTING��..loyal and fierce and �woo to those� who try to divide them! Truly like the song���United we stand, divided we fall!� Grrrr�����


My rating: Specialty clubs: (4), cliques in clubs: (1)

COAT CONDITIONERS - DO THEY REALLY WORK?

A few days ago on one of the lists that I belong to people were talking about coat conditioners. Some like one product while others preferred another product. Like in anything in life, some products may work for some of us and another product works for the rest of us. Manufactures will pay advertising companies millions of dollars to come up with the right adjectives to entice the consumer to buy their products. When it comes to show dog people, the majority of those products are bought by us. Buy this shampoo, use this coat conditioner, spray this product, and add this supplement to your dog�s food. You too will have a dog that walks into the show ring ready to blow the competition away. But do they really work? Well yes and no.

Last year I did an article right here on this blog about some coat conditioning products. I tried to review some of the more popular products that show dog people use and like. They must all work to some of your satisfaction or you wouldn�t be buying them. But I�m here to say that there is no �Miracle in a bottle!� Why do people buy these products? Well they�re looking for their dogs to have a healthy, shiny coat and then there are some that are hoping that it will give their dog a longer, plusher coat.

Before any coat conditioning product can do anything at all for your dog, your dog needs to be healthy inside. He needs to be fed a good quality food. He needs to be free from worms and other diseases. What�s going on inside your dog will show up on the outside as well.

One of the most important factors in what a dogs coat will look like is his genetics. It always amazes me when people look to buy a product that will change the length of their dogs coat or give their dog a plush coat rather than a shorter, drier type of coat. It �ain�t� going to happen.

Most people know that I sell Vibrant Pets Ultimate Formula supplements. Although it has flaxseed and omegas listed in its ingredients to help enhance the condition of your dog�s skin and coat, I never sell this product as a coat conditioner. Rather I sell it as a HEALTH conditioner. My feelings are, healthy insides makes for a healthy outside (skin and coat). That said one time a large kennel bought this product from me because her dogs all were hard, dry type of animals. She expected by using this product that she would get lush, plush coated animals. This didn�t happen. Neither I nor anyone else could ever make that statement about a product. Why is that? Because if it isn�t in the genetics of your dog to have a longer, plusher coat, then all the top products in the world is not going to give it to them.

Genetics is what determines the length and pushiness of a dog�s coat. Not a supplement or a spray or shampoo. What a top product can do is give your dog a healthier, shinier, fuller looking coat. And some of the shampoos and conditioners can even �fatten� the hair shaft of the dogs coat to make it look fuller. What these good products do is ENHANCE what �mother nature� gave to him. How a groomer grooms a dog can also make the dog appear to have a fuller coat. But if it isn�t in the dogs genetics to be plush, then he never will be.

I was a licensed skin care specialist (esthetician) for many years. I�ve sold some of the most expensive skin care on the market. Did it mean that the $100 jar of cream was going to be better than the $20 jar of cream? Well like in anything else in life, something being more expensive isn�t necessarily better. Ingredients are the key factor to look for in a product. Some products will definitely do more for you than another product will. That said, not everyone that buys an expensive product will go from an overly oily complexion to a soft, dewy complexion. Products can help correct some things, but it won�t change what a person has a predisposition for. The same things are true for dog coat products. If products could change our hair and skin, then Prince William who is a very nice looking young man in my opinion would be able to afford to buy the best hair conditioners on the market. He like his father before him is losing his hair and probably will have a bald spot on his head like his father as well. It�s in his genetics.

What I�m trying to say is that don�t expect to get a longer coat on your dog by using a product. The only way that you will get the kind of coat that you want it be is by breeding to it and incorporating it in your bloodlines. Oh sure some of the better products will make your dogs coat look beautiful, healthy and shiny too. But looking to add length or add a plush coat��then breed to it. If they ever make a product that guarantees these attributes, then I want it for my hard, dry bitches and I want to sell it!

My rating:  Vibrant Pets Supplement:  (4), good quality coat conditioners and shampoos: (4)

WHAT WE DO FOR OTHERS AND THE WORLD REMAINS AND IS IMMORTAL!

What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal. � Albert Pine

This is another saying that I love. And oh boy is it true. When you think of it, this certainly can apply to our German Shepherds Dogs. Oh they can be a little selfish and jealous when they are looking for our attention or they perceive another dog is challenging them for that attention. But this breed does so much for mankind that it remains long after the dog is no longer here. If we were to truly develop our dogs into all that they are capable of doing, when they are no longer with us, our heart would probably break even more. This is why I believe that we get so attached to this breed. There isn�t too much that we can ask of them that they can�t do. For although the dog is truly dependent on us for his needs, we have become dependent on this breed for there isn�t another dog that can replace their uniqueness. All dogs are great and have their own wonderful qualities, but the German Shepherd spoils us with his advanced intelligence and capability to love us.

No other breed that I�m aware of leaves so much behind when they depart this earth. If developed his potential for greatness has not limitation. I don�t believe any other breed has had more movies with him in the starring role. No other breed has been in the Police Department for as long as the German Shepherd. No other breed has fought more wars than the German Shepherd. The list remains endless for this breeds capability to work along side of man.

When showing this breed of dog, can there be any more beautiful in stance? Can they be anymore elegant in gait? Can there be any more obedient in trials and herding competitions?

There�s no doubt about it, this is truly an excellent all around type of dog. He�s not too big that he�s clumsy and he�s not too small that he doesn�t get the respect that he deserves. The general public admires the breed. The owner of one of these magnificent dogs knows what it�s like to be loved and protected by this breed. You couldn�t find a more loyal companion.

And what role do we play in the ownership of the German Shepherd Dog? What responsibility do we have to ensure that this breed does all that they were born to do? Do we owe a dog of this superior quality more than a hard cold cement kennel run? Do we owe this dog to be let out of that kennel run for other things besides going to a dog show or to produce a litter of puppies? Some dogs only see the inside of a house when they are giving birth to puppies. Then others never come in and remain in the kennel to fend for themselves.

When we show our dogs and win big prizes with them, we are doing that for ourselves. The dog doesn�t know what he just did and really doesn�t care. The only thing he cares about is being with us.

Some great dogs of this breed will always be remembered no matter how much time goes by. The Great Grand Victor Champion Lance of Fran-Jo ROM probably more than any other dog changed and dictated the style of dogs for decades to come. Some great breeders have a page in the history books reserved for them with their names on it, like the Fran-Jo kennels, the Covy-Tucker Hill kennels, etc. But you don�t have to be a big shot breeder or owner of a well known stud dog to leave your mark in this breed. It�s about those that do all the work in the clubs that never get recognized for their dedication. It�s about all those that give unknown hours upon hours of their own personal time rescuing dogs that no one else wants. It�s about those breeders that breed animals with wonderful minds that can serve in the military or visit the sick and old in the nursing homes. These people�s names you may never read about, but without them this great big wonderful breed of ours would never get the recognition that they have.

How we treat people in this breed stands as a testament to what remains behind when we leave this earth as well. Have we been kind to one another? Have we lent a hand to help those just starting out? Have we added to the gossip chit chat trying to destroy others reputations? That too remains long after we are gone��..how we treat others.

Have we helped with rescue efforts in some way or another or did we choose to turn our heads convincing ourselves that it�s not our problem? After all we didn�t cause it and why should we be made to feel guilty about it? I am forever grateful for all the selfless hours and time spent that some people put into rescue work. This too shall remain.

The older that you get and the more you realize that you�ll be stepping up to the plate some time in the not too distant future, the more you think about your life and what you will leave behind on this planet that we all share. Oh you could get yourself all wrapped up in the �Do you know what she said about you� kinds of conversations. You can get mad. You can get sad. Yes we�ve all experienced those feelings, but you always must consider the source of where it is coming from. And you know what your first impulse may be to lash out and reciprocate. But then you just can�t help it because you find yourself smiling. Not planned smiles mind you. But it�s there nevertheless. You realize that you have just been given so much power over the weaker vicious �gossip lovers� (without even looking for it) because you�re still bothering them and you didn�t even have to lift a finger to do it! And to add to that, you didn�t have to do anything about it at all. In time it will all be taken care of. You find that you�ve got someone bigger in your corner. Payback is a bitch! Don�t you just love it!

I would hate to think that I left this earth not having touched some people positively. Having bred some wonderful dogs and having them go into some wonderful loving forever homes is more than I could have ever asked for in this breed. Having the winning show dogs has been a wonderful journey because of the friendships that I�ve made in the breed and the wonderful people that have come into my life. Knowing that I�ve made some people happy, knowing that I�ve helped some people and that I�ve bred some dogs that brought happiness into other peoples lives, well then I�ve lived a successful life and it remains when I leave.

If I can be remembered for what I wrote, whether I wrote a memorial for your dog or an article that helped you to understand something better, then I�ve done what I�ve set out to do. I�ve set out to touch you��.and this too remains.


From the book: "THE HIDDEN POWER OF KINDNESS".....You're almost certainly not as kind as you ought to be - and your relationships with God and those you love may be suffering as a result. Probably you just can't find the time - and can't ever seem to develop the patience - that you need in order to be consistently kind amid the irritations that afflict you daily. That's why these pages are such a godsend. You'll learn how to be kinder, even in difficult circumstances! There's nothing complicated or magical about learning to be kinder; it just takes greater attention to the things that you do and how you do them. These pages show you how to become more aware of even your most offhand daily actions. You'll find simple, step-by-step, and spiritually crucial directions for how to overcome the habitual unkindnesses that creep - undetected - into the behavior of even the most careful souls. If you want to make progress in the spiritual life you can't afford to miss the bracing insights in this handbook for souls who yearn to be kinder. They'll give you years of solid help in overcoming sin so that you'll live more fully with others - and truly transform your corner of the world!


My rating: Being remembered for the dogs you bred: (1 - 4), Being remembered for the lives you've touched: (4)