The last time that I wrote on my blog was right after my first surgery and I was not looking forward to the second one down at good old Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York City! Facing the unknown is always a scary prospect. I must say I didn�t dwell on it, but there were times that it hit me in the face with the force of a brick being thrown at me. I could never really wrap myself around the fact that I had uterine cancer! My relatives and my friends shared with me their cancer horror stories in the past, but now my reality was I too was added to the list of those that would battle this invader of life! Having lost my beloved mother to colon cancer, I was all too familiar with this dreaded disease. And that�s exactly what it is��.an invader! Who asked it to come and reside inside of me anyway? Invited or not; it took up residency and it planned on staying for awhile.
The morning (and I�m talking about the wee hours of the morning) of my dreaded surgery, was dark, dreary and raining heavily. I said goodbye to my three dogs and told them to be good and I�d see them in a couple of days. My youngest brother Jack who had been taking me back and forth for my Sloan Kettering appointments was once again at the wheel of the car as we hydro-planed our way down to Manhattan. If I was nervous about the operation, riding in this temperamental weather ran a close second to my already stressed nervous system that morning! Thank God my brother is a good driver and knows his way around the city because if I had to depend on �yours truly,� I�d still be looking for the hospital!
Arriving at the hospital and walking down those long, cold corridors that would lead me to �who knows what� is like playing an old black and white news reel that spins in my head. I know I was there, but it�s like someone else was pushing my reluctant body along. I didn�t want to be there, but I knew I had to be! Filling out more papers, signing in at the desk, small obligatory chatter exchanged between me and the receptionist and all of those nurses. My, my, there were so many nurses! I met so many people before the actual operation and now their faces are but a blur in the memory bank of my brain.
I�m told, take off this and put on that. I remove my gold cross and hand it to the man that takes my �valuables� down to security. I�m given a cap to put on over my head and a robe with the opening in the back. I can�t ask my brother to tie the little strings that holds the gown in place so I struggle to make myself �decent� before I pull open the drapes. My brother, who has probably one of the funniest senses of humor that I know, decides that I�m looking more like a scrub nurse than a patient and snaps a very unflattering picture of me on his I-Phone. He threatens to expose me on Facebook but feeling sorry for me shares it instead with my other brother and my best friend. Let me tell you, looking unfashionably yucky is the last worry on my mind. I have every needle pricking me, x-ray of my chest taken, and the anesthesiologist reassuring me as I tell her once again that I almost died from anesthesia one time. Oh let�s not forget about the little old lady in her 80�s that came around my bed and said prayers over my unattractive looking self. What did she say her name was? Sister Hillary? Oh well it was �Sister� something or other. She was a gentle soul and was sweet and kind and momentarily made me forget while I was talking to her in the first place. Wasn�t she there to say a prayer that I make it through the operation alright and if not, may I be taken into the hereafter and hopefully God might find a place for me in Heaven?
Finally after a couple of hours of waiting, my bed is moving along the hallway that will lead me into that sterile, white, cold place called the operating room! My brother walks along side of me and I grab his hand one last time as I turn the corner and he is left behind me. The bottom of the bed hits the double doors and opens into a smaller room than I would have imagined the operating room to be. I was having robotic surgery and I was expecting a larger area for this �robotic doctor� to perform his magic on me! I was asked to get off of the bed that I was on and crawl up on the operating table. More nurses are in here. There�s a man above my head whose face I never really get to see. He�s kind and gentle and keeps on talking to me. I�m nervous and confused as I�m strapped on this gurney that will secure my body for the next four hours. Where�s the doctor I wondered. Then the man above my head was saying, �Barbara, I�m going to put this needle in you now to help you relax. I never did remember relaxing, because I woke up in the recovery room instead.
I�ve got five different needles in me. If that wasn�t bad enough, I am told that they are going to put a sleep apnea mask on my face as I was in the high risk category. Let me tell you, everything up to that point was nothing compared to this horrific thing on my face for an hour and a half. I thought I would just about die with that thing. I felt myself become panicky probably because I felt claustrophobic. And they wouldn�t remove it when I asked them to. They insisted I needed it on. When I was finally released from the �torture� mask, I literally breathed a sigh of relief.
Once in my room, my brother was texting everyone he knew to let them know that I pulled through the operation just fine. But because of the pain that I was feeling, I made many unattractive and goofy looking faces. My brother couldn�t stop laughing at me even when the nurses came into the room to attend to me. I told him that I was happy that he was having a good time for himself laughing at my misery! But all kidding aside, I laugh a lot at myself anyway, so I found myself laughing right along with him until a sharp pain would snap me back to reality!
They gave me dinner that night and most of it I couldn�t eat anyway. My poor brother was exhausted because he hadn�t slept the night before and then driving in that awful weather for two hours and worrying about me knocked him out. Little did I know while I was sleeping, he pulled open this lounge like hard bed and lay down and in minutes was peacefully sleeping. I awoke being serenaded by the deep, robotic sounds of an overly tired brother laying ten feet away from me. �Oh no, I�ll never get back to sleep now� I thought. I didn�t have the heart to wake him���..well not just yet anyway.
So what was a �just operated on� girl suppose to do? I looked over at my bedside table and I saw that my dinner was never removed. So I took a couple of straws and removed the wrapper and threw it at my brother thinking foolishly that something as light as this would make him roll over. Really? What was I thinking? Blame it on the anesthesia that was still cruising around inside of my body. I buzzed the nurses several times for pain meds or some other incidental that I needed and even with them coming back and forth into my room and talking to me, my brother never budged. He just kept on snoring as loud as could be and I just kept on thinking how am I going to get him to stop. Now I ask you was I selfish to think that I needed rest as well? Nope I didn�t think so. So after a few hours of this torture, I called out his name several times and woke him and told him to turn over, stop snoring or go lay in the lounge for a while because my weary body was, just that��.weary. No argument on his end. He just got up and told me he�d see me in a few hours. I guess he must have remembered all those �Hot Wheels� that I bought him when he was a kid! I didn�t know it then, but it must have left a positive influence on him!
Anyway, I�m happy to say that I�ve made it to the other side but not without a few complications here and there. After being home for about two weeks and complaining about this tremendous pain I was having, come to find out I got an infection following the operation. My doctor put me on an antibiotic and thank God, it took care of that. It is now a month and a half since the operation but I�m in pain because I�m not yet healed inside. Some days are better than others. It�s a process and I deal with everything on a daily basis. I�m happy to say that my doctor said that they removed the �invader� and that I do not have to have chemo or radiation! WHOOPIE! I am so very blessed.
I have so many people to thank, but that will be for my next blog writing. For now I thank my doctor and his team of professionals for saving my life. I thank God above everyone else for it was he who held my hand through this whole thing. I could not have made it without my faith! But for this blog I want to thank my brother Jack for he was my hero and I will never forget how he laid in my room at the hospital and how I awoke to his annoying snoring, but the love I felt for him at that moment for being there with me, I shall never forget. Thank you brother!!
My rating: There is life after cancer: (4) Going through life threatening diseases with friendship and love: (4)
Showing posts with label german shepherd dog breeders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label german shepherd dog breeders. Show all posts
Friday, 10 June 2011
Monday, 21 February 2011
JUST HOW IMPORTANT IS A RESERVE WIN?
Are you beginning to think that your dog is always a �bride�s maid� and never a �bride� when it comes to her show wins? Is he/she always winning a reserve at the dog shows? I know of some really good dogs that have accumulated many of these reserve wins over the lifetime of their career before they�ve finished their championship title.
So just what does it mean to win a reserve at a point show? Your dog doesn�t win any points for all his and his handler�s expertise! On a positive note, if he wins a reserve at a major pointed show, then he will have helped contribute to his parent�s ROM (register of merit title).
I would like to see the AKC award a point to a Reserve Winners Dog that has won at a major specialty show but put a limitation on how many points that he can win this way. Many times the reserve winner�s dog is just as good as and maybe even better than the winner�s dog, but perhaps he didn�t show as well on this particular day. Maybe tomorrow he�ll be the winner�s dogs and the other dog will be the reserve winners. Different judge will see different things and maybe the dog is feeling better on this day and shows his little heart out.
Many people believe that a conformation show is a �beauty contest� for dogs. And perhaps in some ways it is if you didn�t count the importance of temperament and movement. I mean if we just judged the dogs on what they looked like, I can understand where some of these people are coming from. And if that were the case, then like in a beauty contest if the winner can�t live up to her expectations, than the second place winner (reserve) would take her win and her title. It�s not the same in a dog show.
So in some cases a reserve winner�s dog is little more than a brag for some people especially if it was received from a major pointed show. A dog that I bred many years ago (Am Select #3 BOS futurity Am & International Ch Chieftains� Kharu CD) was the Reserve Winners Dog at the National Specialty show out in Arizona the year before he went Select. It was a huge show and I was so proud and excited that he achieved such a wonderful award, but it didn�t add any points towards his championship.
I searched and searched on the AKC website to give me some more information about the reserve win at a conformation show. I couldn�t find it. That doesn�t mean it�s not there, but �yours truly� just couldn�t find any information about this award outside of the fact that the second place dog in any class will compete for reserve winners if the winner�s dog came from his class. In other words if the Winner�s Dog came from the American Bred class, then the second place American Bred dog would go back in the ring to compete for the reserve win.
So why is there a reserve win to begin with? Just how important is it or is it important at all? Do you think that the AKC should award a point to a major winning reserve dog? How many reserve winners� ribbons have you accumulated over the years of showing your dogs? Perhaps someone can enlighten me to the importance of the Reserve Winner�s Dog award besides ROM points for his parents if he won it at a major pointed show.
From the book: "NO CONTEST: THE CASE AGAINST COMPETITION"....Are you of the belief that my success depends upon your failure? Contending that competition in all areas school, family, sports and business destructive, and that success so achieved is at the expense of anothers' failure, Kohn, a correspondent for USA Today, advocates a restructuring of our institutions to replace competition with cooperation. He persuasively demonstrates how the ingrained American myth that competition is the only normal and desirable way of life from Little Leagues to the presidency counterproductive, personally and for the national economy, and how psychologically it poisons relationships, fosters anxiety and takes the fun out of work and play. He charges that competition is a learned phenomenon and denies that it builds character and self-esteem. Kohn's measures to encourage cooperation in lieu of competition include promoting noncompetitive games, eliminating scholastic grades and substitution of mutual security for national security.
My rating: Reserve Winners Award: (if achieved at a major pointed show) - (3 - 4)!
So just what does it mean to win a reserve at a point show? Your dog doesn�t win any points for all his and his handler�s expertise! On a positive note, if he wins a reserve at a major pointed show, then he will have helped contribute to his parent�s ROM (register of merit title).
I would like to see the AKC award a point to a Reserve Winners Dog that has won at a major specialty show but put a limitation on how many points that he can win this way. Many times the reserve winner�s dog is just as good as and maybe even better than the winner�s dog, but perhaps he didn�t show as well on this particular day. Maybe tomorrow he�ll be the winner�s dogs and the other dog will be the reserve winners. Different judge will see different things and maybe the dog is feeling better on this day and shows his little heart out.
Many people believe that a conformation show is a �beauty contest� for dogs. And perhaps in some ways it is if you didn�t count the importance of temperament and movement. I mean if we just judged the dogs on what they looked like, I can understand where some of these people are coming from. And if that were the case, then like in a beauty contest if the winner can�t live up to her expectations, than the second place winner (reserve) would take her win and her title. It�s not the same in a dog show.
So in some cases a reserve winner�s dog is little more than a brag for some people especially if it was received from a major pointed show. A dog that I bred many years ago (Am Select #3 BOS futurity Am & International Ch Chieftains� Kharu CD) was the Reserve Winners Dog at the National Specialty show out in Arizona the year before he went Select. It was a huge show and I was so proud and excited that he achieved such a wonderful award, but it didn�t add any points towards his championship.
I searched and searched on the AKC website to give me some more information about the reserve win at a conformation show. I couldn�t find it. That doesn�t mean it�s not there, but �yours truly� just couldn�t find any information about this award outside of the fact that the second place dog in any class will compete for reserve winners if the winner�s dog came from his class. In other words if the Winner�s Dog came from the American Bred class, then the second place American Bred dog would go back in the ring to compete for the reserve win.
So why is there a reserve win to begin with? Just how important is it or is it important at all? Do you think that the AKC should award a point to a major winning reserve dog? How many reserve winners� ribbons have you accumulated over the years of showing your dogs? Perhaps someone can enlighten me to the importance of the Reserve Winner�s Dog award besides ROM points for his parents if he won it at a major pointed show.
From the book: "NO CONTEST: THE CASE AGAINST COMPETITION"....Are you of the belief that my success depends upon your failure? Contending that competition in all areas school, family, sports and business destructive, and that success so achieved is at the expense of anothers' failure, Kohn, a correspondent for USA Today, advocates a restructuring of our institutions to replace competition with cooperation. He persuasively demonstrates how the ingrained American myth that competition is the only normal and desirable way of life from Little Leagues to the presidency counterproductive, personally and for the national economy, and how psychologically it poisons relationships, fosters anxiety and takes the fun out of work and play. He charges that competition is a learned phenomenon and denies that it builds character and self-esteem. Kohn's measures to encourage cooperation in lieu of competition include promoting noncompetitive games, eliminating scholastic grades and substitution of mutual security for national security.
My rating: Reserve Winners Award: (if achieved at a major pointed show) - (3 - 4)!
Thursday, 17 February 2011
CAUTION - SHOW DOGS - A "DOGUMENTARY!"
What perfect timing that I should receive this DVD about Show Dogs when the Westminster Dog Show was on television this past Monday and Tuesday. I just watched it this morning and it was a delightful way to spend 61 minutes of my time! Show dogs, no matter which breed you favor are really different from your next door neighbor�s dogs. Or better put, it�s the people that own them that are really different from your other neighbors! Yup, we show dog people are unique among other folks that one might know. Can I say that we live and breathe dogs?
CAUTION � SHOW DOGS is a dogumentary that was orchestrated by Leslye Abbey. This is what the outside of the DVD case says. �Repeatedly throughout the year, at the many prestigious Dog Shows, hundreds of breeders from all over the country present the very best of �Man�s Best Friend.� While showing at these events, the dogs are evaluated alongside all the other competitors to eventually contend for the highly coveted top prize � BEST IN SHOW.
Behind the glamour and excitement lie endless hard work, enormous amounts of love and an all-consuming dedication difficult to imagine. Get to know four top breeders and their dogs and share the years of knowledge and experience required to produce consistent champions. CAUTION � SHOW DOGS puts you behind the scenes so you can feel the excitement and exhilaration of the big world of SHOW DOGS! It you love dogs and are just a wee bit curious about the intrigue and hoopla of Dog Shows, this is your movie!�
In easy to understand language, follow some breeders, handlers and judges as they take you along with them on their road to a dog show. I found the interviews with these people refreshing and enlightening especially for the novice person just getting into the world of show dogs. And even then for those of you that just simply love dogs, it�s an amusing way to get a little educated about the sport of showing dogs.
Some of the subjects they talk about are showing, handling, judging, agility, etc. They even touched a bit on politics and the show ring. You�ll see a German Shepherd breeder who has a lot of success breeding and showing her Australian Shepherds as well. She showed some pictures of her Australian Shepherds winning with Jimmy Moses as their handler. I have to admit for me, it was a little unusual seeing Jimmy with anything but a German Shepherd. Then too, there is a little interview with Alan Stone who was very well known in the breed for many years. Alan is no longer with us, but it was good hearing what he had to say once again.
Naturally this DVD is not just about German Shepherds, but anyone who is a show person in another breed goes through very similar things that we do with our breed. I loved hearing what some of those handlers from other breeds had to say and a couple of judges as well that talked about politics and some �tricks of the trade.�
Do pay attention even at the end when the credits are being shown because the camera will cut back to more comments from some of the people on this DVD. What was really interesting and amusing was what a professional handler had to say about a dog that was being shown. Apparently this dog had one testicle as a youngster and the breeder liked him so much that she wanted to show him. So doing the �unthinkable� she had a plastic surgeon �sculpt� him a second testicle! Yup, it�s done folks. I�ve heard of this one before even in our own breed! Well on this particular day in the show ring, it seems that the judge was spending too much time �back there� with the dog�s testicles. Finally, he shakes his head and says, �Geez, this dog�s got three testicles!� I laughed out loud. Apparently the owner never checked her dog any more after the testicle surgery. Seems like if she would have been a little more patient, she would have found out her dog �grew a new one� all by himself! The truth was out. She got caught!
I also loved the saying that seems to go around the show ring about show dogs. It goes something like this: �A good dog will win some of the time. A great dog will win most of the time!� Love it!
CAUTION � SHOW DOGS doesn�t take itself too seriously. Rather it shares information and stories about the show dog circuit and what it�s like to be part of it. One thing remains true throughout this movie. These people love what they�re doing and most of all they love the dogs that they�re sharing their lives with! All in all, a light, breezy and most of all entertaining little piece of �dogumentary.� In my opinion this is a great way to introduce the novice to the world of dogs and to show them that what we do is a lot of fun and to encourage them to get involved in the world of the show dog. Dog shows should be fun and this movie showed that indeed, it is!
My rating: CAUTION � SHOW DOGS: (4)!
CAUTION � SHOW DOGS is a dogumentary that was orchestrated by Leslye Abbey. This is what the outside of the DVD case says. �Repeatedly throughout the year, at the many prestigious Dog Shows, hundreds of breeders from all over the country present the very best of �Man�s Best Friend.� While showing at these events, the dogs are evaluated alongside all the other competitors to eventually contend for the highly coveted top prize � BEST IN SHOW.
Behind the glamour and excitement lie endless hard work, enormous amounts of love and an all-consuming dedication difficult to imagine. Get to know four top breeders and their dogs and share the years of knowledge and experience required to produce consistent champions. CAUTION � SHOW DOGS puts you behind the scenes so you can feel the excitement and exhilaration of the big world of SHOW DOGS! It you love dogs and are just a wee bit curious about the intrigue and hoopla of Dog Shows, this is your movie!�
In easy to understand language, follow some breeders, handlers and judges as they take you along with them on their road to a dog show. I found the interviews with these people refreshing and enlightening especially for the novice person just getting into the world of show dogs. And even then for those of you that just simply love dogs, it�s an amusing way to get a little educated about the sport of showing dogs.
Some of the subjects they talk about are showing, handling, judging, agility, etc. They even touched a bit on politics and the show ring. You�ll see a German Shepherd breeder who has a lot of success breeding and showing her Australian Shepherds as well. She showed some pictures of her Australian Shepherds winning with Jimmy Moses as their handler. I have to admit for me, it was a little unusual seeing Jimmy with anything but a German Shepherd. Then too, there is a little interview with Alan Stone who was very well known in the breed for many years. Alan is no longer with us, but it was good hearing what he had to say once again.
Naturally this DVD is not just about German Shepherds, but anyone who is a show person in another breed goes through very similar things that we do with our breed. I loved hearing what some of those handlers from other breeds had to say and a couple of judges as well that talked about politics and some �tricks of the trade.�
Do pay attention even at the end when the credits are being shown because the camera will cut back to more comments from some of the people on this DVD. What was really interesting and amusing was what a professional handler had to say about a dog that was being shown. Apparently this dog had one testicle as a youngster and the breeder liked him so much that she wanted to show him. So doing the �unthinkable� she had a plastic surgeon �sculpt� him a second testicle! Yup, it�s done folks. I�ve heard of this one before even in our own breed! Well on this particular day in the show ring, it seems that the judge was spending too much time �back there� with the dog�s testicles. Finally, he shakes his head and says, �Geez, this dog�s got three testicles!� I laughed out loud. Apparently the owner never checked her dog any more after the testicle surgery. Seems like if she would have been a little more patient, she would have found out her dog �grew a new one� all by himself! The truth was out. She got caught!
I also loved the saying that seems to go around the show ring about show dogs. It goes something like this: �A good dog will win some of the time. A great dog will win most of the time!� Love it!
CAUTION � SHOW DOGS doesn�t take itself too seriously. Rather it shares information and stories about the show dog circuit and what it�s like to be part of it. One thing remains true throughout this movie. These people love what they�re doing and most of all they love the dogs that they�re sharing their lives with! All in all, a light, breezy and most of all entertaining little piece of �dogumentary.� In my opinion this is a great way to introduce the novice to the world of dogs and to show them that what we do is a lot of fun and to encourage them to get involved in the world of the show dog. Dog shows should be fun and this movie showed that indeed, it is!
My rating: CAUTION � SHOW DOGS: (4)!
Thursday, 28 October 2010
HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY KNOW ABOUT THE PEOPLE BUYING YOUR PUPPIES?
Probably one of the hardest things to do when you have a litter of puppies is to find them the best homes that you can. We are all hoping that we can get our puppies into loving �forever� homes. Many people will promise you the world when they come to your house seeking to buy one of your puppies. Most of the time, we are satisfied with the homes that we get our pups into. But there are those other times that can become a nightmare for us. If I had a dollar for every time that one of my breeder friends tells me the horror stories that she goes through dealing with puppy buyers, I�d probably be wealthy by now. Dealing with the public can stretch your nerves to its limits sometimes.
I was probably one of those few people that didn�t have too many problems with the puppy buying market. First of all, I didn�t breed many litters so therefore, thankfully didn�t have to deal with the public all that much. But when I did, I grilled the people ahead of time on the telephone so they sort of knew what to expect when they came to my house. Then the grilling continued when they came to visit me and my dogs. I wasn�t mean to anyone, but if I didn�t think they were the kind of home that was suited for my puppies then I would politely refuse to sell them one. I figured I brought these babies into the world and it was my responsibility to get them into the best homes that I could find for them. Even when I did find the good homes, many times I�d act the fool when the little guys were walking out the door with their new owners. Yup, sometimes my eyes would well up with tears and the people almost felt guilty taking the puppy with them. Every one of my puppies meant something to me!
They are certain types of people that shouldn�t own a dog no less a German Shepherd. Unfortunately when someone comes to your house, they can promise you the world and many times you can still be fooled. There�s no way of knowing 100% if someone is going to be good to your puppy. Most of the times we�ve got to go with our gut feelings about someone. As I said, this is the hardest part of breeding dogs is selling them into the right homes. Sometimes the �right� home turns out to be the worst home.
In certain parts of the country now, there has been more crime being reported than ever before. Someone called me last night to tell me that there has been many break ins in her neighborhood and other towns in the area. People are being robbed, beaten or raped and she has become very frightened by this new criminal activity in her own backyard. She told me that she�s thinking of getting a dog for protection purposes. She readily admitted to me that she�s not a dog person and even though she�s had a couple in the past, after she�s had them for a few years, she ended up giving them away. I told her I didn�t� think it was a very good idea for her to get a dog. First of all, she has already admitted not to being a dog person. Secondly, she is very fussy in her house. Everything has to be just so. She hates dirt of any kind especially if it�s in her house. Dog hair? Oh my goodness this is a given when you own a dog. She has a son and he already told her if she gets a big dog that he�s not picking up after him. He wants a small dog. I can just see it now. After a very short period of time, I�ll ask her how the dog is doing, and I won�t be surprised to hear her say, she found him a new home.
I�ve had people come to my house and tell me that they want a German Shepherd to be used as their guard dog at their business. I love it when people are honest with me like this because then I tell them that I don�t have the type of dog that they�re looking for. It�s those that tell you that the puppy will be part of their family and you find out its been tied up in their back yard most of their lives that you loose sleep over. No one wants to be fooled especially when it comes to a dog that you�ve bred.
A friend of mine recently told me a heartbreaking story of a gorgeous male puppy that she sold into what she considered to be an excellent home. The puppy had a marvelous temperament and one could tell that he was well taken care of. So my friend sold the puppy to a couple who claimed to love the dog so much. After having him for a few months, he ate something and he became ill. They took him to their vet who did an x-ray and he located the object and said he�d have to perform an operation on him to remove the object. The husband and wife talked it over and they both decided to have the youngster put to sleep rather than have him go through the operation. The vet assured them that the puppy should be fine, but no they decided to have him put to sleep instead. Did they call my friend to let her know? No they called her after the dog was put to sleep. My friend who truly loves each and every one of her dogs like children was hysterical. The puppy was never given a chance. His life was decided for him. He got himself into a little trouble and the people that CLAIMED to love him; decided it wasn�t worth it to try to save the little guy. And the breeder thought she sold him into a loving forever home�..it was forever as long as there wasn�t any problems!
So I tell people before you get yourself a dog, make sure you want a dog for the right reason. Just to get a dog for protection isn�t the right reason. You�re not doing yourself any favors or the dog. Before you know it, the dog will probably be out the door after a short amount of time. A dog is a lifetime commitment��or should be. This means that adjustments to your lifestyle will need to be made. If you are not willing to change the way you live when you welcome a dog into your home, then in my opinion, you are not ready for a dog. Bring a dog into your life because you would love to have a dog. The dog is so much more than a growling, barking protection dog. If you don�t have your heart to give him, then have a heart not to bring him home in the first place because his heart will become attached to you whether you want him to or not.
Do you find yourself strapped for money? Do you have some puppies that are just not selling? Is the expense of holding onto puppies getting harder and harder for you? Are you considering selling one of your puppies to that guy that came by last week wanting your dog to guard his car dealership? In my opinion if you don�t have homes for your puppies when you decide to breed another litter or have deposits on most of them, then why are you breeding in a deflated economy? More and more people are buying things out of necessity rather then just because they want something. Many times buying puppies is an impulse type of purchase. Sometimes those puppies are returned. If you�re not prepared to hold onto puppies that don�t sell right away, then maybe right now is not the best time to breed your bitch. I have some friends in the breed that tell me that they have puppies that are six months to a year old that they can�t find homes for. Maybe the economy is trying to tell us something.
From the book: "LIVING WITH DOGS" - Man's relationship with the world of dogs is not only universal, but also frequently all-encompassing, influencing how we live, what we collect, and how we spend our leisure time. Living with Dogs explores the multitude of ways that dog owners share their lives with their pets. In 26 delightfully written stories, a witty, admiring text, and 400 full-color photographs, the authors of The Sporting Life and A Passion for Golf capture the experiences of dogs and people--at home, in the country, in the city, and even at work, with a special focus on the nostalgic memorabilia that remind people of their devotion to their pets. The authors visit passionate owners, breeders, trainers, and collectors across the country and offer a look into their dog-filled lives. Profiles include an interior designer who has amassed a lifetime of canine art; a collector with a house full of four-legged porcelain figurines; a bibliophile with an outstanding assortment of dog-literature first editions; an artist who specializes in dog portraits; and a veterinarian who proudly displays antique tools of his trade. The authors also focus on other aspects of dog devotion, including the Philadelphia All-Terrier Show; a hotel decorated with canine appointments; a New England camp exclusively for dogs; a boutique devoted to canine accessories; the American Kennel Club; and a Manhattan gallery specializing in 19th-century dog art. Whether they are devoted to a particular breed or have simply fallen in love with dogs in general, the people featured here have succumbed to the "Slipcover School of Dog Management, allowing their dogs the complete run of their lives as well as their hearts. With an extensive resource list that includes dog art galleries, dog shows, kennel clubs, breeders, supply houses, and more, Living with Dogs is the ultimate tribute to canine companions. In 26 stories and 400 full-color photographs of homes, collections, galleries, meets, shows, kennels, and camps, Living with Dogs celebrates the devotion and passion of the millions of Americans for whom a life without dogs is not worth
living.
My rating: breeding dogs: (4), finding the right homes for puppies: (1 - 4)
I was probably one of those few people that didn�t have too many problems with the puppy buying market. First of all, I didn�t breed many litters so therefore, thankfully didn�t have to deal with the public all that much. But when I did, I grilled the people ahead of time on the telephone so they sort of knew what to expect when they came to my house. Then the grilling continued when they came to visit me and my dogs. I wasn�t mean to anyone, but if I didn�t think they were the kind of home that was suited for my puppies then I would politely refuse to sell them one. I figured I brought these babies into the world and it was my responsibility to get them into the best homes that I could find for them. Even when I did find the good homes, many times I�d act the fool when the little guys were walking out the door with their new owners. Yup, sometimes my eyes would well up with tears and the people almost felt guilty taking the puppy with them. Every one of my puppies meant something to me!
They are certain types of people that shouldn�t own a dog no less a German Shepherd. Unfortunately when someone comes to your house, they can promise you the world and many times you can still be fooled. There�s no way of knowing 100% if someone is going to be good to your puppy. Most of the times we�ve got to go with our gut feelings about someone. As I said, this is the hardest part of breeding dogs is selling them into the right homes. Sometimes the �right� home turns out to be the worst home.
In certain parts of the country now, there has been more crime being reported than ever before. Someone called me last night to tell me that there has been many break ins in her neighborhood and other towns in the area. People are being robbed, beaten or raped and she has become very frightened by this new criminal activity in her own backyard. She told me that she�s thinking of getting a dog for protection purposes. She readily admitted to me that she�s not a dog person and even though she�s had a couple in the past, after she�s had them for a few years, she ended up giving them away. I told her I didn�t� think it was a very good idea for her to get a dog. First of all, she has already admitted not to being a dog person. Secondly, she is very fussy in her house. Everything has to be just so. She hates dirt of any kind especially if it�s in her house. Dog hair? Oh my goodness this is a given when you own a dog. She has a son and he already told her if she gets a big dog that he�s not picking up after him. He wants a small dog. I can just see it now. After a very short period of time, I�ll ask her how the dog is doing, and I won�t be surprised to hear her say, she found him a new home.
I�ve had people come to my house and tell me that they want a German Shepherd to be used as their guard dog at their business. I love it when people are honest with me like this because then I tell them that I don�t have the type of dog that they�re looking for. It�s those that tell you that the puppy will be part of their family and you find out its been tied up in their back yard most of their lives that you loose sleep over. No one wants to be fooled especially when it comes to a dog that you�ve bred.
A friend of mine recently told me a heartbreaking story of a gorgeous male puppy that she sold into what she considered to be an excellent home. The puppy had a marvelous temperament and one could tell that he was well taken care of. So my friend sold the puppy to a couple who claimed to love the dog so much. After having him for a few months, he ate something and he became ill. They took him to their vet who did an x-ray and he located the object and said he�d have to perform an operation on him to remove the object. The husband and wife talked it over and they both decided to have the youngster put to sleep rather than have him go through the operation. The vet assured them that the puppy should be fine, but no they decided to have him put to sleep instead. Did they call my friend to let her know? No they called her after the dog was put to sleep. My friend who truly loves each and every one of her dogs like children was hysterical. The puppy was never given a chance. His life was decided for him. He got himself into a little trouble and the people that CLAIMED to love him; decided it wasn�t worth it to try to save the little guy. And the breeder thought she sold him into a loving forever home�..it was forever as long as there wasn�t any problems!
So I tell people before you get yourself a dog, make sure you want a dog for the right reason. Just to get a dog for protection isn�t the right reason. You�re not doing yourself any favors or the dog. Before you know it, the dog will probably be out the door after a short amount of time. A dog is a lifetime commitment��or should be. This means that adjustments to your lifestyle will need to be made. If you are not willing to change the way you live when you welcome a dog into your home, then in my opinion, you are not ready for a dog. Bring a dog into your life because you would love to have a dog. The dog is so much more than a growling, barking protection dog. If you don�t have your heart to give him, then have a heart not to bring him home in the first place because his heart will become attached to you whether you want him to or not.
Do you find yourself strapped for money? Do you have some puppies that are just not selling? Is the expense of holding onto puppies getting harder and harder for you? Are you considering selling one of your puppies to that guy that came by last week wanting your dog to guard his car dealership? In my opinion if you don�t have homes for your puppies when you decide to breed another litter or have deposits on most of them, then why are you breeding in a deflated economy? More and more people are buying things out of necessity rather then just because they want something. Many times buying puppies is an impulse type of purchase. Sometimes those puppies are returned. If you�re not prepared to hold onto puppies that don�t sell right away, then maybe right now is not the best time to breed your bitch. I have some friends in the breed that tell me that they have puppies that are six months to a year old that they can�t find homes for. Maybe the economy is trying to tell us something.
From the book: "LIVING WITH DOGS" - Man's relationship with the world of dogs is not only universal, but also frequently all-encompassing, influencing how we live, what we collect, and how we spend our leisure time. Living with Dogs explores the multitude of ways that dog owners share their lives with their pets. In 26 delightfully written stories, a witty, admiring text, and 400 full-color photographs, the authors of The Sporting Life and A Passion for Golf capture the experiences of dogs and people--at home, in the country, in the city, and even at work, with a special focus on the nostalgic memorabilia that remind people of their devotion to their pets. The authors visit passionate owners, breeders, trainers, and collectors across the country and offer a look into their dog-filled lives. Profiles include an interior designer who has amassed a lifetime of canine art; a collector with a house full of four-legged porcelain figurines; a bibliophile with an outstanding assortment of dog-literature first editions; an artist who specializes in dog portraits; and a veterinarian who proudly displays antique tools of his trade. The authors also focus on other aspects of dog devotion, including the Philadelphia All-Terrier Show; a hotel decorated with canine appointments; a New England camp exclusively for dogs; a boutique devoted to canine accessories; the American Kennel Club; and a Manhattan gallery specializing in 19th-century dog art. Whether they are devoted to a particular breed or have simply fallen in love with dogs in general, the people featured here have succumbed to the "Slipcover School of Dog Management, allowing their dogs the complete run of their lives as well as their hearts. With an extensive resource list that includes dog art galleries, dog shows, kennel clubs, breeders, supply houses, and more, Living with Dogs is the ultimate tribute to canine companions. In 26 stories and 400 full-color photographs of homes, collections, galleries, meets, shows, kennels, and camps, Living with Dogs celebrates the devotion and passion of the millions of Americans for whom a life without dogs is not worth
living.
My rating: breeding dogs: (4), finding the right homes for puppies: (1 - 4)
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
DON'T THINK IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU?
Just a couple of days ago I was reading in the news about a story of some low life that killed a mother and her children in their home in Connecticut. He didn�t know these people but he would be forever connected to them once he did his dirty deed.
It is a known fact that more attacks on women happen during the day when the husband is away from the home. If you have a kennel full of dogs, make sure you have a couple in the house with you at all times. If you don�t have a kennel full of dogs, don�t keep your dog tied out in the backyard. He can�t do anything for you restricted like this. If you have a dog, make sure he�s your companion or what�s the sense of having one at all? Sure if the perpetrator has a gun, the chances are that the dog will get shot. Your chances of getting away are better if there are a couple of dogs in the house. If one doesn�t get him, the other one is sure to do the job.
No one wants to be paranoid, but more and more people own guns and are being trained how to use them. We live in hard times and desperate people do desperate things. It�s better to be prepared then be totally shocked and have no defenses.
Sometime back in the mid to late 80�s I remember reading a story in either People magazine or perhaps it was Life magazine. The name of the magazine doesn�t stick with me but the story has all these years later. Someone in the German Shepherd Dog Show community who was an active small breeder and owner of a Select dog had a tragedy show its ugly face to her family. I knew these people well having gone to supper with them and having parties with them at their or our homes. We sat together at many of the dog shows here on the East coast. She was best friends with another mutual dog friend. She lived a well to do lifestyle that afforded her to show dogs and then later on to own and show horses that she and her daughters delighted in.
This lady had a brother that I never met. He and his wife had always worked and lived in the city. Stressed out and tired from the �rat race�, they decided to �chuck it all� and move to a completely different environment altogether. They were giving up the city life for the quiet of the country life. So they packed up their bags and headed out to the Midwest. They found and bought a beautiful farm like home with a country barn and friendly �Howdy neighbor� types of people that they called their friends. Life was good for the city couple. They went to barbecues, fairs and festivals and you would have thought that they lived here all their lives because of how well they were welcomed in their new community.
Life was everything that the new couple to the neighborhood could have asked for. Their blood pressure was normal and they led what they believed to be a relatively stress free life. Then one day an out of town bus stopped in their little village. One lone scruffy looking poor excuse for a human being stepped off the last step of that rickety old bus. The bus pulled away from the curve leaving the vagabond behind. He hung around the small village for a short time and then he turned and walked heading out of town toward the country road that would lead him to my friend�s brother�s home. Little did he know that his actions on this day would land his name on a 4 -5 page spread in one of this countries most popular read magazines. Up until this time, no one knew his name.
People in those neck of the woods was so confident of their surroundings and believed in brotherly love that no one locked their doors at night����or in the daytime either. My friend�s brother was out in the barn perhaps storing the hay or doing something else that country folks do. Before he knew what hit him, he was being attacked and thrown to the floor. He was beaten up pretty bad and then tied up. His attacker made him stand up and shoved him towards the house. He did not know that his wife had already been attacked and tied to a chair. The low life was on a roll now. He had a captive audience for his devious acts. Although the wife screamed and cried, she was made to endure watching her husband be beat some more until his attacker finally killed him. Then the wife cried no more as she too was murdered.
The vagabond was caught and sent away as he should have been. He confessed he never even knew these people that he brutalized and murdered. He was just a drifter with no sense or purpose. The city people that came to the country to get away from the stress and crime of the big city had no way of knowing that dirt is dirt whether it comes from the city or the country.
So if you have a dog or dogs, let them be a part of your life. Bring them in the house because they�re not going to be able to do anything for you �out there� when you�re �in here!�
From the book: "PROFILERS: LEADING INVESTIGATORS TAKE YOU INSIDE THE CRIMINAL MIND" - A bone-chilling conversation with Jeffrey Dahmer is just one highlight from this anthology of seasoned examinations of one of law enforcement's grimmest challenges. Campbell and DeNevi's second collaboration (after Into the Minds of Madmen) casts a wide net; although famous profilers like John Douglas contribute several of the 28 essays here, most are written by accomplished but little-known specialists. The result is a no-nonsense, technically oriented but readable look at how cops grapple with the worst felonies, including hostage taking, serial rape and murder, and child abduction/murder. The contributors take a measured tone toward the lethal predators they examine, as in Robert Ressler's discussion of his Dahmer interviews: "We must never forget that... there are many Jeffrey Dahmers walking among us." James Fitzgerald gives an account of using forensic linguistics to decode more than 200 of the Unabomber's writings, such as elusive marks like "indented writing," marks left by writing on another piece of paper over the examined one. FBI Special Agent Mary Ellen O'Toole offers a useful overview of the often misunderstood science of profiling ("Contrary to the current television and movie depictions..., a successful profiler is not psychic"). Other chapters offer updates on multidisciplinary approaches to cold cases and geographic profiling innovations. This is a rigorous and disturbing collection, accessible but compiled with law enforcement professionals in mind.
My rating: Keeping dogs in the house for protection: (4)
It is a known fact that more attacks on women happen during the day when the husband is away from the home. If you have a kennel full of dogs, make sure you have a couple in the house with you at all times. If you don�t have a kennel full of dogs, don�t keep your dog tied out in the backyard. He can�t do anything for you restricted like this. If you have a dog, make sure he�s your companion or what�s the sense of having one at all? Sure if the perpetrator has a gun, the chances are that the dog will get shot. Your chances of getting away are better if there are a couple of dogs in the house. If one doesn�t get him, the other one is sure to do the job.
No one wants to be paranoid, but more and more people own guns and are being trained how to use them. We live in hard times and desperate people do desperate things. It�s better to be prepared then be totally shocked and have no defenses.
Sometime back in the mid to late 80�s I remember reading a story in either People magazine or perhaps it was Life magazine. The name of the magazine doesn�t stick with me but the story has all these years later. Someone in the German Shepherd Dog Show community who was an active small breeder and owner of a Select dog had a tragedy show its ugly face to her family. I knew these people well having gone to supper with them and having parties with them at their or our homes. We sat together at many of the dog shows here on the East coast. She was best friends with another mutual dog friend. She lived a well to do lifestyle that afforded her to show dogs and then later on to own and show horses that she and her daughters delighted in.
This lady had a brother that I never met. He and his wife had always worked and lived in the city. Stressed out and tired from the �rat race�, they decided to �chuck it all� and move to a completely different environment altogether. They were giving up the city life for the quiet of the country life. So they packed up their bags and headed out to the Midwest. They found and bought a beautiful farm like home with a country barn and friendly �Howdy neighbor� types of people that they called their friends. Life was good for the city couple. They went to barbecues, fairs and festivals and you would have thought that they lived here all their lives because of how well they were welcomed in their new community.
Life was everything that the new couple to the neighborhood could have asked for. Their blood pressure was normal and they led what they believed to be a relatively stress free life. Then one day an out of town bus stopped in their little village. One lone scruffy looking poor excuse for a human being stepped off the last step of that rickety old bus. The bus pulled away from the curve leaving the vagabond behind. He hung around the small village for a short time and then he turned and walked heading out of town toward the country road that would lead him to my friend�s brother�s home. Little did he know that his actions on this day would land his name on a 4 -5 page spread in one of this countries most popular read magazines. Up until this time, no one knew his name.
People in those neck of the woods was so confident of their surroundings and believed in brotherly love that no one locked their doors at night����or in the daytime either. My friend�s brother was out in the barn perhaps storing the hay or doing something else that country folks do. Before he knew what hit him, he was being attacked and thrown to the floor. He was beaten up pretty bad and then tied up. His attacker made him stand up and shoved him towards the house. He did not know that his wife had already been attacked and tied to a chair. The low life was on a roll now. He had a captive audience for his devious acts. Although the wife screamed and cried, she was made to endure watching her husband be beat some more until his attacker finally killed him. Then the wife cried no more as she too was murdered.
The vagabond was caught and sent away as he should have been. He confessed he never even knew these people that he brutalized and murdered. He was just a drifter with no sense or purpose. The city people that came to the country to get away from the stress and crime of the big city had no way of knowing that dirt is dirt whether it comes from the city or the country.
So if you have a dog or dogs, let them be a part of your life. Bring them in the house because they�re not going to be able to do anything for you �out there� when you�re �in here!�
From the book: "PROFILERS: LEADING INVESTIGATORS TAKE YOU INSIDE THE CRIMINAL MIND" - A bone-chilling conversation with Jeffrey Dahmer is just one highlight from this anthology of seasoned examinations of one of law enforcement's grimmest challenges. Campbell and DeNevi's second collaboration (after Into the Minds of Madmen) casts a wide net; although famous profilers like John Douglas contribute several of the 28 essays here, most are written by accomplished but little-known specialists. The result is a no-nonsense, technically oriented but readable look at how cops grapple with the worst felonies, including hostage taking, serial rape and murder, and child abduction/murder. The contributors take a measured tone toward the lethal predators they examine, as in Robert Ressler's discussion of his Dahmer interviews: "We must never forget that... there are many Jeffrey Dahmers walking among us." James Fitzgerald gives an account of using forensic linguistics to decode more than 200 of the Unabomber's writings, such as elusive marks like "indented writing," marks left by writing on another piece of paper over the examined one. FBI Special Agent Mary Ellen O'Toole offers a useful overview of the often misunderstood science of profiling ("Contrary to the current television and movie depictions..., a successful profiler is not psychic"). Other chapters offer updates on multidisciplinary approaches to cold cases and geographic profiling innovations. This is a rigorous and disturbing collection, accessible but compiled with law enforcement professionals in mind.
My rating: Keeping dogs in the house for protection: (4)
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
ONE MORNING YOU WAKE UP AND THERE ARE NO MORE DOG SHOWS!
What would you do if you woke up one morning and there were not more dog shows? I know that a lot of people that read this blog are dog show people. With the entries being down and it becoming harder and harder to find �majors� anymore, could this become a reality in our lifetime? So what would you do then?
The majority of people that got into the German Shepherd Dog breed started out with a pet. They �discovered� dog shows along the way. Many people that become involved in the showing of dogs become �hooked� and they have now found themselves a new hobby. It�s not for the faint of heart. It�s a competitive sport and like in any other sport, only the strong survive.
So we all got our first German Shepherd because we love the breed. All the other stuff (showing, breeding, obedience work) came after. So if there were no more conformation or performance shows to go to anymore, would you still own a German Shepherd Dog? Would you still breed litters of puppies? Could you be happy just have pretty looking pets once again? Or maybe you would enjoy them in another way and work with them to do something else.
How would you feel if there wasn�t a show to go to most every week-end? I guess a lot of us would be spending more time with our family and friends once again. Would we remember how to do that? Would we remember how to have a non-dog type of conversation?
Maybe we would find another hobby to take up our time. Who knows maybe we would even discover something about ourselves that we didn�t know already. If no one could accuse you of having �gone to the dogs� anymore, would they accuse you of going to anything at all?
I�m sure many people would no longer have as many dogs as they now do. Would not having dog shows to go to, make you look at your dogs in a different way? Would you give him more attention? Would you play ball with them more often? Would you change the food and supplements you give them now that a show coat was no longer important?
There would be no more need for dog clubs. Heck there wouldn�t even be any need for the show dog e-mal lists. There would be no Parent Club. There would be no German Shepherd Dog Review. There would be no competition among the breeders looking for show homes for their newest little star. All puppies would go into pet homes.
You could sell your van and get a smaller compact car just for the family and the dog can ride in the back seat. Just think they�d be a lot less dog hair to pick up off the carpets and furniture. Vacations would revolve around the family instead of the family of dogs. No more National Specialty Show to save up for each year. No sir�..Disney World will be seeing a lot more of you and your family every year now!
You would no longer need the house with all that property that you bought just for the dogs. You could sell it and move into a Town House where your yard work is done for you. Just think no more lawn to mow! No more dogs runs to pick up after. Yup, life would be a heck of a lot simpler if you didn�t show dogs anymore. Oh yeah, and the added bonus is all the money that you would save. You could now do all the other things that you�ve been meaning to do. Only problem is many of us forgot what it was that we were meaning to do when we become involved in dogs. Once you�ve been a show dog person, would you, could you be happy just being a pet dog person again? Do you remember how to do that?
From the book: CRAFT, INC: TURN YOUR CREATIVE HOBBY INTO A BUSINESS - Craft, Inc. is the hipster business primer for entrepreneurial crafters to turn what they do for fun into what they do for money. Pro crafter Meg Mateo Ilasco offers a step-by-step guide to everything from developing products and naming the company to writing a business plan, applying for licenses, and paying taxes. Chapters on sales, marketing, trade shows, and publicity round out the mix. Plus, in-depth interviews with such craft luminaries as Jonathan Adler, Lotta Jansdotter, Denyse Schmidt, and Jill Bliss provide inspiration and practical advice. Accessible, informative, and more than a little spunky, Craft, Inc. paves the way for today's creative minds to become tomorrow's trendsetters.
My rating: Showing dogs: (1 - 4), having hobbies: (4)
The majority of people that got into the German Shepherd Dog breed started out with a pet. They �discovered� dog shows along the way. Many people that become involved in the showing of dogs become �hooked� and they have now found themselves a new hobby. It�s not for the faint of heart. It�s a competitive sport and like in any other sport, only the strong survive.
So we all got our first German Shepherd because we love the breed. All the other stuff (showing, breeding, obedience work) came after. So if there were no more conformation or performance shows to go to anymore, would you still own a German Shepherd Dog? Would you still breed litters of puppies? Could you be happy just have pretty looking pets once again? Or maybe you would enjoy them in another way and work with them to do something else.
How would you feel if there wasn�t a show to go to most every week-end? I guess a lot of us would be spending more time with our family and friends once again. Would we remember how to do that? Would we remember how to have a non-dog type of conversation?
Maybe we would find another hobby to take up our time. Who knows maybe we would even discover something about ourselves that we didn�t know already. If no one could accuse you of having �gone to the dogs� anymore, would they accuse you of going to anything at all?
I�m sure many people would no longer have as many dogs as they now do. Would not having dog shows to go to, make you look at your dogs in a different way? Would you give him more attention? Would you play ball with them more often? Would you change the food and supplements you give them now that a show coat was no longer important?
There would be no more need for dog clubs. Heck there wouldn�t even be any need for the show dog e-mal lists. There would be no Parent Club. There would be no German Shepherd Dog Review. There would be no competition among the breeders looking for show homes for their newest little star. All puppies would go into pet homes.
You could sell your van and get a smaller compact car just for the family and the dog can ride in the back seat. Just think they�d be a lot less dog hair to pick up off the carpets and furniture. Vacations would revolve around the family instead of the family of dogs. No more National Specialty Show to save up for each year. No sir�..Disney World will be seeing a lot more of you and your family every year now!
You would no longer need the house with all that property that you bought just for the dogs. You could sell it and move into a Town House where your yard work is done for you. Just think no more lawn to mow! No more dogs runs to pick up after. Yup, life would be a heck of a lot simpler if you didn�t show dogs anymore. Oh yeah, and the added bonus is all the money that you would save. You could now do all the other things that you�ve been meaning to do. Only problem is many of us forgot what it was that we were meaning to do when we become involved in dogs. Once you�ve been a show dog person, would you, could you be happy just being a pet dog person again? Do you remember how to do that?
From the book: CRAFT, INC: TURN YOUR CREATIVE HOBBY INTO A BUSINESS - Craft, Inc. is the hipster business primer for entrepreneurial crafters to turn what they do for fun into what they do for money. Pro crafter Meg Mateo Ilasco offers a step-by-step guide to everything from developing products and naming the company to writing a business plan, applying for licenses, and paying taxes. Chapters on sales, marketing, trade shows, and publicity round out the mix. Plus, in-depth interviews with such craft luminaries as Jonathan Adler, Lotta Jansdotter, Denyse Schmidt, and Jill Bliss provide inspiration and practical advice. Accessible, informative, and more than a little spunky, Craft, Inc. paves the way for today's creative minds to become tomorrow's trendsetters.
My rating: Showing dogs: (1 - 4), having hobbies: (4)
Thursday, 19 August 2010
AND IN THIS CORNER......
I�m a fan of most animal programming on television whether it�s on Animal Planet, National Geographic or National Geographic Wild. If it�s about animals, I�m there. Some of them can be entertaining while others are very informative. Then there are those that can be very shocking and down right horrific. Like everything else in life, there is the good and the bad. I�ve always been a sensitive person when it comes to watching anything in pain. I�m even more so as I get older. I�m fascinated by the Predator and Prey types of shows with the Big Cats but when it comes time for the Predator to kill his prey, then I turn it off to watch a commercial or two and then come back to the programming.
Some of you might remember me writing about how much I really like the Pit Bull dogs. They can be some of the most loving and affectionate among the dog breeds. But naturally man sensationalizes everything and all we hear about is how mean they are and that they�re vicious killers. Just like the German Shepherd Dog is known to be one of the breeds of dogs reported that do the most biting offenses against people.
Well in this last week, I watched another part of a series on the Pit Bulls used for fighting. Here again, I turn the parts off of the dogs killing one another in the ring. What disturbed me on this particular night though was talk about a black German Shepherd female. This dog was used for breeding to produce puppies known as bait dogs! You read that right. Her purpose was a brood bitch for this sadistic operations unsavory behavior. Bait or baiting is the act of worrying or tormenting a chained or confined animal by setting game dogs upon it as sport! The dogs bite and tear to subdue the opposing animal by incapacitating or killing it. Baiting is a blood sport used for entertainment and gambling. It is illegal in most countries with varying levels of enforcement.
Well I�m happy to report that this particular lowlifes operation was shut down and the dogs were confiscated and received medical attention. Some were too far gone with their injuries and then there were others that were too aggressive for rehabilitation. The female black German Shepherd was also seized. She was very frightened and distrustful of people. Well with some work and training, she is now leading a life as someone�s loving companion. She was spayed and there will be no more of her babies used as bait dogs for the sadistic pleasure of these monsters.
It infuriates me to hear that German Shepherds are used in this manner. That�s not to say that I think that any dog should be used in this way. Our beloved breed should never find itself in the �pit�s of hell� known as a fighting ring used as bait for a dog�s jaw that is more powerful than his and can rip him to pieces.
Yesterday I saw a program on Dr. Phil on this very subject of fighting dogs for profit or someone�s sick pleasure. There was a man on the program that was sent to prison for fighting dogs and cited for animal cruelty. This cold, callous individual was there to say that he didn�t think what he did was cruel to his dogs. This was a sport like any other and didn�t see the difference from what he does with his dogs and those that chose and enjoy watching boxing. Again a video (that I didn�t watch) was shown to the audience and it was one of this man�s own dogs that was getting mauled and ripped apart. What I did hear was the screams of his dog in apparent agony. I muted the sound after a short bit. He claims that the dog was just scared because it was his first time in the pit. He said he was fine and he took him back home and put him on his chain again. Some home life with a big old heavy chain wrapped around his neck. Dr. Phil was all over this guy. The man didn�t seem too concerned. He had his lawyer sitting out in the audience. He was asked how many dogs he killed. Without too much thought, he answered a couple of hundred. He said he usually just took a gun and shot the dog if the dog was too injured to save. He thought that he was doing the dog a favor and doing the humane thing by putting him down. By this time, I�m ready to jump through the television screen and choke this ignorant �poor excuse� for a human beings neck!
We as breeders and owners of the beloved German Shepherd Dog must diligently protect them from the predators out there that are looking to do them harm. Sometimes these types of people will go to animal shelters and use the dogs from there as bait dogs. They will also pick up strays that are roaming the streets.
Now this just came across my computer yesterday. I recently joined a Yahoo Group for recycling. It�s called Freecycle. I get e-mails from them all day offering items for people to take for free. They just need to come and pick the items up at the person�s house. Also people will post that they are looking for certain things as well. Yesterday one of the moderators came on and I�m quoting one of the sentences from her e-mail�����We are looking for someone who has knowledge about caring for pets and wishes to help members offer or seek animals through this group.� (End quote). Now I was gone most of yesterday (sorry I didn�t get a chance to write on my blog before I left), so I haven�t got a chance to write to her about this yet. I do not think that this is a good idea. I can understand what they are trying to do here. Obviously because some people find they can no longer keep their animals, they are looking to place them in good homes. However, these moderators do not know the people that join their lists. Many of these predators look for free dogs or puppies and read the want ads of their local newspapers. Some might be used as bait dogs, and others may find their way into a lab used for experimentation. There is lots of money to be made on animal�s misery! So although the moderator�s intentions are good, I will have to write to them today to voice my concern.
We live in a scary world. We don�t want to have to become paranoid, however no concerned animal lover can ever be too watchful about the people that we invite into our lives. The predators are out there looking for their next prey or meal ticket! After all, this is their �SPORT� of choice. When they need to �train� their dogs, they might come knocking on your door when they hear about one of your dogs that you are looking to place in a �loving forever� home! We don't want to ever hear that one of our dogs is being used for someones profit from animal cruelty!
From the book: "BADD NEWZ: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE MICHAEL VICK DOG FIGHTING CASE"......Book Author, Kathy Strouse, has launched her first book, �Badd Newz-The Untold Story of the Michael Vick Dog Fighting Case�. She reveals the never before reported twists, turns, obstacles, plots, and setbacks that made building a case against superstar Michael Vick the challenge of a lifetime. Readers will be shocked to learn how close and how often Vick came to walking away from justice. Investigators were fueled by a determination to rescue the innocent dogs and to bring Vick and his Badd Newz crew to justice. The small team of �dead game� investigators put everything on the line to take a stand against the brutal �sport� of dog fighting. Strouse also introduces the undercover investigator known only as Dog Angel. A shadowy, elusive figure, he has worked for over 35 years infiltrating the underground world of dog fighting, rubbing shoulders with some of the most infamous characters in the �game�. The reader will learn how Dog Angel infiltrated the inner Badd Newz circle and used every skill in his arsenal to help make the case against them. No dog fighting case has ever captured the attention and the hearts of the public like the Michael Vick case. Most Americans had no idea that such cruelty even existed. The stakes in this case were very high. Success would send a message to dog fighters across the country that law enforcement was pledged to stamp out this cruelty and send the perpetrators to jail. Investigators knew they had to bring Vick to justice in spite of his wealth and fame. Climb aboard the rollercoaster for the story of how they did it.
My rating: The use of German Shepherds as bait dogs: (1), Profit from animal cruelty: (1)
Some of you might remember me writing about how much I really like the Pit Bull dogs. They can be some of the most loving and affectionate among the dog breeds. But naturally man sensationalizes everything and all we hear about is how mean they are and that they�re vicious killers. Just like the German Shepherd Dog is known to be one of the breeds of dogs reported that do the most biting offenses against people.
Well in this last week, I watched another part of a series on the Pit Bulls used for fighting. Here again, I turn the parts off of the dogs killing one another in the ring. What disturbed me on this particular night though was talk about a black German Shepherd female. This dog was used for breeding to produce puppies known as bait dogs! You read that right. Her purpose was a brood bitch for this sadistic operations unsavory behavior. Bait or baiting is the act of worrying or tormenting a chained or confined animal by setting game dogs upon it as sport! The dogs bite and tear to subdue the opposing animal by incapacitating or killing it. Baiting is a blood sport used for entertainment and gambling. It is illegal in most countries with varying levels of enforcement.
Well I�m happy to report that this particular lowlifes operation was shut down and the dogs were confiscated and received medical attention. Some were too far gone with their injuries and then there were others that were too aggressive for rehabilitation. The female black German Shepherd was also seized. She was very frightened and distrustful of people. Well with some work and training, she is now leading a life as someone�s loving companion. She was spayed and there will be no more of her babies used as bait dogs for the sadistic pleasure of these monsters.
It infuriates me to hear that German Shepherds are used in this manner. That�s not to say that I think that any dog should be used in this way. Our beloved breed should never find itself in the �pit�s of hell� known as a fighting ring used as bait for a dog�s jaw that is more powerful than his and can rip him to pieces.
Yesterday I saw a program on Dr. Phil on this very subject of fighting dogs for profit or someone�s sick pleasure. There was a man on the program that was sent to prison for fighting dogs and cited for animal cruelty. This cold, callous individual was there to say that he didn�t think what he did was cruel to his dogs. This was a sport like any other and didn�t see the difference from what he does with his dogs and those that chose and enjoy watching boxing. Again a video (that I didn�t watch) was shown to the audience and it was one of this man�s own dogs that was getting mauled and ripped apart. What I did hear was the screams of his dog in apparent agony. I muted the sound after a short bit. He claims that the dog was just scared because it was his first time in the pit. He said he was fine and he took him back home and put him on his chain again. Some home life with a big old heavy chain wrapped around his neck. Dr. Phil was all over this guy. The man didn�t seem too concerned. He had his lawyer sitting out in the audience. He was asked how many dogs he killed. Without too much thought, he answered a couple of hundred. He said he usually just took a gun and shot the dog if the dog was too injured to save. He thought that he was doing the dog a favor and doing the humane thing by putting him down. By this time, I�m ready to jump through the television screen and choke this ignorant �poor excuse� for a human beings neck!
We as breeders and owners of the beloved German Shepherd Dog must diligently protect them from the predators out there that are looking to do them harm. Sometimes these types of people will go to animal shelters and use the dogs from there as bait dogs. They will also pick up strays that are roaming the streets.
Now this just came across my computer yesterday. I recently joined a Yahoo Group for recycling. It�s called Freecycle. I get e-mails from them all day offering items for people to take for free. They just need to come and pick the items up at the person�s house. Also people will post that they are looking for certain things as well. Yesterday one of the moderators came on and I�m quoting one of the sentences from her e-mail�����We are looking for someone who has knowledge about caring for pets and wishes to help members offer or seek animals through this group.� (End quote). Now I was gone most of yesterday (sorry I didn�t get a chance to write on my blog before I left), so I haven�t got a chance to write to her about this yet. I do not think that this is a good idea. I can understand what they are trying to do here. Obviously because some people find they can no longer keep their animals, they are looking to place them in good homes. However, these moderators do not know the people that join their lists. Many of these predators look for free dogs or puppies and read the want ads of their local newspapers. Some might be used as bait dogs, and others may find their way into a lab used for experimentation. There is lots of money to be made on animal�s misery! So although the moderator�s intentions are good, I will have to write to them today to voice my concern.
We live in a scary world. We don�t want to have to become paranoid, however no concerned animal lover can ever be too watchful about the people that we invite into our lives. The predators are out there looking for their next prey or meal ticket! After all, this is their �SPORT� of choice. When they need to �train� their dogs, they might come knocking on your door when they hear about one of your dogs that you are looking to place in a �loving forever� home! We don't want to ever hear that one of our dogs is being used for someones profit from animal cruelty!
From the book: "BADD NEWZ: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE MICHAEL VICK DOG FIGHTING CASE"......Book Author, Kathy Strouse, has launched her first book, �Badd Newz-The Untold Story of the Michael Vick Dog Fighting Case�. She reveals the never before reported twists, turns, obstacles, plots, and setbacks that made building a case against superstar Michael Vick the challenge of a lifetime. Readers will be shocked to learn how close and how often Vick came to walking away from justice. Investigators were fueled by a determination to rescue the innocent dogs and to bring Vick and his Badd Newz crew to justice. The small team of �dead game� investigators put everything on the line to take a stand against the brutal �sport� of dog fighting. Strouse also introduces the undercover investigator known only as Dog Angel. A shadowy, elusive figure, he has worked for over 35 years infiltrating the underground world of dog fighting, rubbing shoulders with some of the most infamous characters in the �game�. The reader will learn how Dog Angel infiltrated the inner Badd Newz circle and used every skill in his arsenal to help make the case against them. No dog fighting case has ever captured the attention and the hearts of the public like the Michael Vick case. Most Americans had no idea that such cruelty even existed. The stakes in this case were very high. Success would send a message to dog fighters across the country that law enforcement was pledged to stamp out this cruelty and send the perpetrators to jail. Investigators knew they had to bring Vick to justice in spite of his wealth and fame. Climb aboard the rollercoaster for the story of how they did it.
My rating: The use of German Shepherds as bait dogs: (1), Profit from animal cruelty: (1)
Friday, 13 August 2010
"I JUST DROPPED IN TO SEE WHAT CONDITION MY CONDITION WAS IN!"
I think I�ve mentioned that I love music and their lyrics as well as my love of quotations. The title of today�s blog article is from an old song that Kenny Rogers made popular many years ago. Aww��.�the genus of a song writer�s quick wit and imagination!
Several months ago I wrote about taking care of ourselves as we hit our senior years. We are all concerned about our aging dog�s health, but if we are not healthy ourselves taking care of a breed like the German Shepherd Dog can prove very challenging indeed. I bring this subject up again because of an e-mail letter that I read on one of the rescue groups that I send this blog to. A woman wrote that she didn�t feel that she could take care of a rescue like the German Shepherd Dog. She felt she was too old to take care of a dog. I think she said that she was 60 years old or in her early 60�s. So she was being honest and this is how she felt. Well many people wrote in response about this subject of the mature person taking care of this breed. I think everyone who wrote thought that the woman�s age should not have been a deciding factor about taking care of a rescued dog. Some went on to tell of many wonderful people in their advanced senior years happily and capably taking care of a dog or two or even more. But one must remember that not everyone�s circumstances are alike.
So I thought I would re-visit this subject again. Like the breed that we all love, some of us age better than others. While we may read of the 80 year old woman who just graduated from college or the 72 year old man that just ran the Boston marathon, those numbers are fewer than what the average person of this age is doing. Few (but some) may say that they are feeling better now than they ever did when they were in their thirties. However, this is just not the normal confession of a person over sixty.
Taking care of and raising a German Shepherd Dog is work��period! It is not all fun and games. It�s not just about throwing a ball to �Shep� a couple of times a week or teaching him how to sit or roll over. It�s a lot more and then some. Because each of our dogs like ourselves is individuals, they learn differently, they react differently, they age differently, and the one constant is that they challenge us differently. It�s just like kids. Some kids never give you any problems and are a �dream come true� when raising them. Then there are those that keep you down on your knees visiting God in prayer more then you ever did in your entire lifetime. Well it�s the same thing with raising a German Shepherd Dog. They all might be labeled a German Shepherd, but they�re all not cut out from the same mold.
In an ideal world, we humans will age well. We won�t be troubled by arthritis or other crippling physical and mental disabilities. We will not have had suffered a car accident or an accident on the job. Depression will not have immobilized us. Our life�s partner will remain healthy as well and we�ll both take that trip to the �pearly white gates� of Heaven at the same time. Our dogs will live to be a ripe old age of 15 or 16 with never a moan or a groan because arthritis is keeping them from doing the things that they love. His hearing will be as sharp as when he was a six month old puppy. He�ll eat well until the day he dies and he�ll slip away to the �Rainbow Bridge� while peacefully sleeping on his soft warm bed. Yes this is in an ideal world!
But what about reality? How does it work in the real world? What about those of us who don�t age well? What about our dogs that don�t fair any better? Maybe the sixty year old woman has all she can do to get out of bed in the morning. We�re not walking in her shoes��.or moving around in her body. Maybe our grandmother doesn�t look a day over fifty, but this woman may feel several years over seventy. We all know what we are capable of doing. What feels right for one person may not feel right for another person.
Because all German Shepherds are not created equal��because they all come from different pedigrees��..and if you are adopting a rescue dog��.we don�t know how he was raised. Some in this breed make wonderful house dogs and you wouldn�t even know that they are there. Well except when you want to use the bathroom and you notice a shadow following you. But let�s face it, some dogs make excellent house dogs and others do not. Case in point, most of you know that I own three bitches. I own the mother dog and her two daughters. The mother dog is my constant companion as she�s my house dog. Her two daughters are the �Wild Childs!� Would they make good house dogs? No, no and again no. Oh they�re in the house a few times a day and when they are, its total chaos�s. Their mother was very easy to train. Her daughters are much wilder than she ever was. �Bu� can never sit still and her sister �Jess� imitates everything that she does. Now my house dog would be great living with a senior citizen. Just give her love 24 hours a day and feed her and she�ll be happy and content. Would her daughters be good companions for a senior citizen? NO! They might put her in an early grave!
Another thing to consider is the financial responsibility for the senior citizen especially if she�s living on a fixed income. Taking care of dogs is expensive. Some are wondering how they�re going to feed themselves no less a dependent animal.
Don�t get me wrong, I�m not saying that all people over sixty have one foot in the grave! Not at all. Many people are healthy and strong and have taken good care of themselves and are aging very well. But there may come the day that age does get in their way and I don�t care how well someone ages, he isn�t what he used to be. Each step becomes more calculated. A dog not only needs his basic needs to be met, food, water and shelter, but he needs a fair amount of exercise to keep him healthy and strong. If the human isn�t up to that then both of them may suffer.
On the other hand, a dog can be the greatest gift for a senior for many reasons. A dog can give the aging owner a reason to get up out of bed in the morning to begin with. The dog can provide comfort and companionship to an otherwise lonely person that may have said good bye to some important people in her life. A dog can provide hours of entertainment and laughter to someone that might need a good laugh once in awhile. Taking care of a dog can take one�s mind off of her own problems and help soothe a weary soul.
So not everyone�s conditions are the same. Some age well. Others do not. Some are financially secure. Others are not. Before you take on the added responsibility of a dog, check out �what conditions your conditions are in!�
Taken from the Audio CD..."21 NUMBER ONES"..........The gravel-and-grits voice of Kenny Rogers ultimately came to define the "Urban Cowboy" era of pop excess, even as the earlier "Lucille" and "The Gambler" were some of the most galvanizing story songs in country music's history. Looking back at this body of hits, it's easy to poke fun at the treacley "You Decorated My Life" or wince at the cheesy string arrangements on "Through the Years." It's also natural to wish Rogers had never heard of Sheena Easton, his misguided duet partner on "We've Got Tonight," and recorded more with the soulful, sad Dottie West ("Every Time Two Fools Collide") and the randy Dolly Parton ("Islands in the Stream"). (A bonus track, "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer," pairs him with old pal Kim Carnes.) As the years went by, Rogers got fatter, lazier, and more content to make crappy TV movies and wallow in the flaccid sentimentality of adult contemporary pop ("Buy Me a Rose"). He also got smug--the worst of sins for a man in his business. But behind the microphone, he always knew how to make even the hoariest of lyrics resonate with feeling. And at his peak, he was the perfect male country superstar, equal parts swagger and sweet, sweet promise. --Alanna Nash
My rating: The German Shepherd Dog is right for everyone: (1 - 4), Senior Citizen raising the German Shepherd Dog: (1 - 4)
Several months ago I wrote about taking care of ourselves as we hit our senior years. We are all concerned about our aging dog�s health, but if we are not healthy ourselves taking care of a breed like the German Shepherd Dog can prove very challenging indeed. I bring this subject up again because of an e-mail letter that I read on one of the rescue groups that I send this blog to. A woman wrote that she didn�t feel that she could take care of a rescue like the German Shepherd Dog. She felt she was too old to take care of a dog. I think she said that she was 60 years old or in her early 60�s. So she was being honest and this is how she felt. Well many people wrote in response about this subject of the mature person taking care of this breed. I think everyone who wrote thought that the woman�s age should not have been a deciding factor about taking care of a rescued dog. Some went on to tell of many wonderful people in their advanced senior years happily and capably taking care of a dog or two or even more. But one must remember that not everyone�s circumstances are alike.
So I thought I would re-visit this subject again. Like the breed that we all love, some of us age better than others. While we may read of the 80 year old woman who just graduated from college or the 72 year old man that just ran the Boston marathon, those numbers are fewer than what the average person of this age is doing. Few (but some) may say that they are feeling better now than they ever did when they were in their thirties. However, this is just not the normal confession of a person over sixty.
Taking care of and raising a German Shepherd Dog is work��period! It is not all fun and games. It�s not just about throwing a ball to �Shep� a couple of times a week or teaching him how to sit or roll over. It�s a lot more and then some. Because each of our dogs like ourselves is individuals, they learn differently, they react differently, they age differently, and the one constant is that they challenge us differently. It�s just like kids. Some kids never give you any problems and are a �dream come true� when raising them. Then there are those that keep you down on your knees visiting God in prayer more then you ever did in your entire lifetime. Well it�s the same thing with raising a German Shepherd Dog. They all might be labeled a German Shepherd, but they�re all not cut out from the same mold.
In an ideal world, we humans will age well. We won�t be troubled by arthritis or other crippling physical and mental disabilities. We will not have had suffered a car accident or an accident on the job. Depression will not have immobilized us. Our life�s partner will remain healthy as well and we�ll both take that trip to the �pearly white gates� of Heaven at the same time. Our dogs will live to be a ripe old age of 15 or 16 with never a moan or a groan because arthritis is keeping them from doing the things that they love. His hearing will be as sharp as when he was a six month old puppy. He�ll eat well until the day he dies and he�ll slip away to the �Rainbow Bridge� while peacefully sleeping on his soft warm bed. Yes this is in an ideal world!
But what about reality? How does it work in the real world? What about those of us who don�t age well? What about our dogs that don�t fair any better? Maybe the sixty year old woman has all she can do to get out of bed in the morning. We�re not walking in her shoes��.or moving around in her body. Maybe our grandmother doesn�t look a day over fifty, but this woman may feel several years over seventy. We all know what we are capable of doing. What feels right for one person may not feel right for another person.
Because all German Shepherds are not created equal��because they all come from different pedigrees��..and if you are adopting a rescue dog��.we don�t know how he was raised. Some in this breed make wonderful house dogs and you wouldn�t even know that they are there. Well except when you want to use the bathroom and you notice a shadow following you. But let�s face it, some dogs make excellent house dogs and others do not. Case in point, most of you know that I own three bitches. I own the mother dog and her two daughters. The mother dog is my constant companion as she�s my house dog. Her two daughters are the �Wild Childs!� Would they make good house dogs? No, no and again no. Oh they�re in the house a few times a day and when they are, its total chaos�s. Their mother was very easy to train. Her daughters are much wilder than she ever was. �Bu� can never sit still and her sister �Jess� imitates everything that she does. Now my house dog would be great living with a senior citizen. Just give her love 24 hours a day and feed her and she�ll be happy and content. Would her daughters be good companions for a senior citizen? NO! They might put her in an early grave!
Another thing to consider is the financial responsibility for the senior citizen especially if she�s living on a fixed income. Taking care of dogs is expensive. Some are wondering how they�re going to feed themselves no less a dependent animal.
Don�t get me wrong, I�m not saying that all people over sixty have one foot in the grave! Not at all. Many people are healthy and strong and have taken good care of themselves and are aging very well. But there may come the day that age does get in their way and I don�t care how well someone ages, he isn�t what he used to be. Each step becomes more calculated. A dog not only needs his basic needs to be met, food, water and shelter, but he needs a fair amount of exercise to keep him healthy and strong. If the human isn�t up to that then both of them may suffer.
On the other hand, a dog can be the greatest gift for a senior for many reasons. A dog can give the aging owner a reason to get up out of bed in the morning to begin with. The dog can provide comfort and companionship to an otherwise lonely person that may have said good bye to some important people in her life. A dog can provide hours of entertainment and laughter to someone that might need a good laugh once in awhile. Taking care of a dog can take one�s mind off of her own problems and help soothe a weary soul.
So not everyone�s conditions are the same. Some age well. Others do not. Some are financially secure. Others are not. Before you take on the added responsibility of a dog, check out �what conditions your conditions are in!�
Taken from the Audio CD..."21 NUMBER ONES"..........The gravel-and-grits voice of Kenny Rogers ultimately came to define the "Urban Cowboy" era of pop excess, even as the earlier "Lucille" and "The Gambler" were some of the most galvanizing story songs in country music's history. Looking back at this body of hits, it's easy to poke fun at the treacley "You Decorated My Life" or wince at the cheesy string arrangements on "Through the Years." It's also natural to wish Rogers had never heard of Sheena Easton, his misguided duet partner on "We've Got Tonight," and recorded more with the soulful, sad Dottie West ("Every Time Two Fools Collide") and the randy Dolly Parton ("Islands in the Stream"). (A bonus track, "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer," pairs him with old pal Kim Carnes.) As the years went by, Rogers got fatter, lazier, and more content to make crappy TV movies and wallow in the flaccid sentimentality of adult contemporary pop ("Buy Me a Rose"). He also got smug--the worst of sins for a man in his business. But behind the microphone, he always knew how to make even the hoariest of lyrics resonate with feeling. And at his peak, he was the perfect male country superstar, equal parts swagger and sweet, sweet promise. --Alanna Nash
My rating: The German Shepherd Dog is right for everyone: (1 - 4), Senior Citizen raising the German Shepherd Dog: (1 - 4)
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
"GREATNESS" WAS BURIED TODAY
I went to a funeral today to watch �Greatness� be buried. It was a sad occasion indeed. �Mediocrity� stood up at the podium and read a eulogy about �Greatness.� There wasn�t a dry eye to be found by those who were in attendance. �Mediocrity� said that all of us in this church today could only hope to strive to be like �Greatness� was. When talking about �Greatness� the word ordinary never came up in conversation. All conceded that he was beyond reproach and no one ever questioned his integrity.
There were those that never made it to the funeral today. �Must be right� decided to give her point of view while writing to someone on an e-mail list why the club needed to stay the way it was. �Meekness� could only shake her head in agreement as no one ever listened to what she had to say anyway. When backbones were given out, someone else got hers as well. So �Meekness� just went along with �Must be right� because well, maybe she is right after all!
Then there was �Good Old Sap� who goes along with everything everyone else says because being liked is more important to him then being right. He figures if the majority wants to change the club, well he�s up for anything.
�Old timer� tells everyone to leave everything alone. The club has survived all these years with things the way that it always has been. �Old timer� doesn�t like change. She believes leave things alone and stop trying to change them all the time.
�New beginnings� is bright eyed and hopeful. She wants so much to learn and hopes that she can follow in the footsteps of �Greatness� some day. �Cranky old geezer� has her nose way too high up in the air to take �New beginnings� even remotely serious. She�s of the thought that you start at the bottom, scrap and claw your way to the top like she did. Don�t look for any hand outs from her! Nope �Cranky old geezer� and �New beginnings� don�t even correspond with one another.
And how about �Under the disguise of?� �Under the disguise of� is the guy that aims to please everyone. One day he�s serious and the next day he�s the joker. Most of the time the rest of the crowd enjoys reading his e-mails and laughing at his jokes. But there are those other times that the crowd doesn�t appreciate his brand of humor when they are trying to get something serious done. �Under the disguise of� can be very shrewd while trying to win the popular vote of the day.
�Leader of the Pack� is the one everyone thinks has all the answers to the clubs problems. Sometimes she does and other times, well lets just say, everyone is left to draw their own conclusions. When she has the answers, she�s a saint. When she doesn�t, there are those that wonder why they voted her in to office in the first place.
�Quarrelsome Ed� is the guy that say�s white if you say black. No if you say yes. �Quarrelsome Ed� is the one that is out to prove everything you say is wrong. If someone says the club should stay the way it is, �Quarrelsome Ed� will say, �No it�s time for a change in the club.�
�Don�t give a damn anymore� is tired of all the bickering in the club and feels that nothing ever is accomplished anyway. So he�s moving on and won�t be renewing his membership dues come the end of the year. He feels the money he puts out for his membership dues will find a better purpose.
�Sick and tired� is moving on also. �Sick and tired� is sick and tired of all of the bickering, jealously and back stabbing. Not only is she giving up on renewing her membership to the club, she has chosen to get out of the German Shepherd Dog breed all together and has just bought herself one of those expensive designer dogs where they don�t have any AKC conformation shows anyway���well not yet.
So some remained and some left and some wondered if they should stay or leave. And those that went to the funeral of �Greatness� walked with a heavy heart from the church to his burial plot. Oh �Greatness� would have been so proud of the stone that his loyal friends bought for him. He would have looked at the headstone with pride as he read the words for all those to see that ventured past his grave site. They would read: �Here lies �Greatness� which only few hope to ever achieve; loyal beyond compare. Heaven opens her gates for him because what Heaven sends it calls home again.�
And so the battle rages on about the future of the club. While they continue to �get their points� across, some forget about the real reason they got involved in the German Shepherd Dog breed to begin with�.to promote, to love, to get the word out about the best dog on earth. They forgot today that �Greatness� got buried. They forgot that today they buried the German Shepherd Dog!
From the book: HOW WE CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY: THE 9 CHOICES OF EXTREMELY HAPPY PEOPLE....Foster and Hicks conduct workshops internationally in the development of interpersonal skills. For this book, they interviewed happy people from all walks of life, from the United States to Eastern Europe. The resulting personal stories, writing exercises, and quotes together inform and instruct the reader in the nine principles discovered by the authors in their travels. Foster and Hicks use their nine choices to teach leadership development in the corporate world and also as a diagnostic tool for medical doctors. These choices include the active intention to be happy, accountability, identifying needs and desires, and centralizing goals by creating a dream list. These are followed by recasting (looking at experiences in positive ways), exploring options, appreciating every day, the art of giving, and, finally, exploring truthfulness. Similar to Sarah Ban Breathnach's Simple Abundance (Warner, 1995) and the Chicken Soup for the Soul books, this is recommended for public libraries and consumer health collections.
As one reader wrote: when I stumbled across this book a few years ago, it changed everything. Of course, I still have normal bad days, times when I feel sad or discouraged. But it's different now -- I don't despair -- I know that I'm finally learned how to be truly happy, and nothing can take that away from me now. READ THIS BOOK!!
My rating: The German Shepherd Dog: (4), Club woes and troubles: (1)
There were those that never made it to the funeral today. �Must be right� decided to give her point of view while writing to someone on an e-mail list why the club needed to stay the way it was. �Meekness� could only shake her head in agreement as no one ever listened to what she had to say anyway. When backbones were given out, someone else got hers as well. So �Meekness� just went along with �Must be right� because well, maybe she is right after all!
Then there was �Good Old Sap� who goes along with everything everyone else says because being liked is more important to him then being right. He figures if the majority wants to change the club, well he�s up for anything.
�Old timer� tells everyone to leave everything alone. The club has survived all these years with things the way that it always has been. �Old timer� doesn�t like change. She believes leave things alone and stop trying to change them all the time.
�New beginnings� is bright eyed and hopeful. She wants so much to learn and hopes that she can follow in the footsteps of �Greatness� some day. �Cranky old geezer� has her nose way too high up in the air to take �New beginnings� even remotely serious. She�s of the thought that you start at the bottom, scrap and claw your way to the top like she did. Don�t look for any hand outs from her! Nope �Cranky old geezer� and �New beginnings� don�t even correspond with one another.
And how about �Under the disguise of?� �Under the disguise of� is the guy that aims to please everyone. One day he�s serious and the next day he�s the joker. Most of the time the rest of the crowd enjoys reading his e-mails and laughing at his jokes. But there are those other times that the crowd doesn�t appreciate his brand of humor when they are trying to get something serious done. �Under the disguise of� can be very shrewd while trying to win the popular vote of the day.
�Leader of the Pack� is the one everyone thinks has all the answers to the clubs problems. Sometimes she does and other times, well lets just say, everyone is left to draw their own conclusions. When she has the answers, she�s a saint. When she doesn�t, there are those that wonder why they voted her in to office in the first place.
�Quarrelsome Ed� is the guy that say�s white if you say black. No if you say yes. �Quarrelsome Ed� is the one that is out to prove everything you say is wrong. If someone says the club should stay the way it is, �Quarrelsome Ed� will say, �No it�s time for a change in the club.�
�Don�t give a damn anymore� is tired of all the bickering in the club and feels that nothing ever is accomplished anyway. So he�s moving on and won�t be renewing his membership dues come the end of the year. He feels the money he puts out for his membership dues will find a better purpose.
�Sick and tired� is moving on also. �Sick and tired� is sick and tired of all of the bickering, jealously and back stabbing. Not only is she giving up on renewing her membership to the club, she has chosen to get out of the German Shepherd Dog breed all together and has just bought herself one of those expensive designer dogs where they don�t have any AKC conformation shows anyway���well not yet.
So some remained and some left and some wondered if they should stay or leave. And those that went to the funeral of �Greatness� walked with a heavy heart from the church to his burial plot. Oh �Greatness� would have been so proud of the stone that his loyal friends bought for him. He would have looked at the headstone with pride as he read the words for all those to see that ventured past his grave site. They would read: �Here lies �Greatness� which only few hope to ever achieve; loyal beyond compare. Heaven opens her gates for him because what Heaven sends it calls home again.�
And so the battle rages on about the future of the club. While they continue to �get their points� across, some forget about the real reason they got involved in the German Shepherd Dog breed to begin with�.to promote, to love, to get the word out about the best dog on earth. They forgot today that �Greatness� got buried. They forgot that today they buried the German Shepherd Dog!
From the book: HOW WE CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY: THE 9 CHOICES OF EXTREMELY HAPPY PEOPLE....Foster and Hicks conduct workshops internationally in the development of interpersonal skills. For this book, they interviewed happy people from all walks of life, from the United States to Eastern Europe. The resulting personal stories, writing exercises, and quotes together inform and instruct the reader in the nine principles discovered by the authors in their travels. Foster and Hicks use their nine choices to teach leadership development in the corporate world and also as a diagnostic tool for medical doctors. These choices include the active intention to be happy, accountability, identifying needs and desires, and centralizing goals by creating a dream list. These are followed by recasting (looking at experiences in positive ways), exploring options, appreciating every day, the art of giving, and, finally, exploring truthfulness. Similar to Sarah Ban Breathnach's Simple Abundance (Warner, 1995) and the Chicken Soup for the Soul books, this is recommended for public libraries and consumer health collections.
As one reader wrote: when I stumbled across this book a few years ago, it changed everything. Of course, I still have normal bad days, times when I feel sad or discouraged. But it's different now -- I don't despair -- I know that I'm finally learned how to be truly happy, and nothing can take that away from me now. READ THIS BOOK!!
My rating: The German Shepherd Dog: (4), Club woes and troubles: (1)
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
DOG BREEDING PROBLEMS - (Part 1)
People that do not breed dogs are under the misconception that if you just let nature take its course and let two dogs breed that nine weeks later, you�ll be throwing a baby shower! The puppies have arrived and little Johnny and Jane have just witnessed the miracle of birth! If only life were simple like that. Oh sure this is the way that nature has planned it which is very evident by all the unwanted dogs and cats in shelters today.
But what about dog breeders that plan their animals litters? Isn�t it just as easy for their dogs to produce a litter of pups as the one�s that roam the streets? Sometimes yes and other times no.
There are a few reasons why a bitch may have infertility problems. Not knowing when to breed your bitch is one of the top reasons why a litter of puppies are not born. Some people assume all bitches should be bred around the same time as another one of their bitches are bred. The length of a bitch�s cycle varies from one bitch to another. There is not �one size fits all� when it comes to breeding. A good stud dog that has had much experience normally can tell when a bitch is ready for breeding although this is not always the case. If the bitch is willing to stand for the male, then breeding her every other day is a wise decision if you own both animals. Some bitches have been known to stand on the third day of her cycle or as late as the 21st. day of her cycle. Many breeders wisely use vaginal cytology and progesterone assays to help determine when the bitch is ready to be bred. This is especially important if one uses artificial insemination to impregnate the bitch.
It�s true, but some bitches will not always breed with certain males. Sometimes they can be very discriminating against certain males. Then you may have a submissive male that will not breed to a more dominate bitch. It is ALWAYS advisable to muzzle a bitch when you�re breeding her. You never know when she may get snappy with the male and turn around to bite him. Then you have the bitch that will fight you every step of the way to avoid being bred. I�ve had bitches throw themselves on the ground flipping over or refusing to stand up and you have to force her to stand. Always a pleasant experience when breeding one of these darlings!
The male isn�t free from breeding problems either. Ever breed to an inexperienced male that wants to play once he�s tied with the bitch? I have and let me tell you it was a horrific experience for him. My bitch was absolutely fine having been an experienced broad bitch. This young stud dog was in a lot of pain caused by him trying to play instead of getting the job done. His owner was an experienced breeder but I know she wasn�t expecting his shenanigans either. Or you might have a male dog just lie down in a corner when your bitch is ready to be bred. I�ve seen this happen sometimes with males that are bred too much. It�s almost like they become bored with it. I got my bitches finally bred and they both had litters so the girls were ready to make whoopee but the guys didn�t want any part of it! Guys can be funny like that sometimes!! (Ooops I mean dogs).
For the novice or pet person reading this you may not know, but a bitch can get pregnant from more than one male during her breeding cycle. So the litter can be sired by more than one dog. Maybe that�s why all those bitches that gets pregnant while roaming the streets has puppies in all shapes, colors and sizes!
Sometimes if a bitch it overweight or underweight she may have a problem conceiving and delivering a litter of puppies. If the bitch has health problems especially hormonal disorders such as hypothyroidism they can affect her fertility.
Males too may have infertility problems. These may include a decreased sperm count, poor sperm structure (morphology) or poor sperm motility. These problems may be caused by genetics or may be due to injury or an illness. A male�s semen sample can be collected and analyzed in helping to determine the problem. Also an infection such as canine brucellosis can cause sterility. That�s why most stud dog owners require your bitch to have a canine brucellosis test before he will breed her to his male.
A breeder can fix a poor timing of a breeding but other breeding problems can be more of a challenge and difficult to fix. Sometimes a reproduction specialist can be a breeder�s answer to a prayer when dealing with breeding difficulties. Careful consideration should be made when attempting to breed animals with infertility problems. These problems may be passed genetically to their offspring and carried down through their bloodlines for future generations. I know of many bitches that sit in people�s kennels that have beautiful bloodlines but have never been able to have a litter of puppies. This is heartbreaking for the breeder.
(To be continued�..)
From the book: THE COMPLETE BOOK OF DOG BREEDING...A veterinarian with many years of canine practice experience offers guidance to novice and professional dog breeders, emphasizing the responsibilities of reputable breeders to their dogs and to the buyers of the puppies they produce. Topics covered include: the choosing, health, quality, and conditioning of brood stock; practical DNA use, and Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) surveys and data storage to scientifically improve the selection of healthy brood stock and puppies; potential breeding problems; artificial insemination; pregnancy and its duration; embryonic and fetal activity; pregnancy nutrition; physical changes during pregnancy; stages of labor; normal and Cesarean-section births, and how to assist in both; nutrition of dams and puppies and how to recognize and prevent potential problems in both; neonatal puppy care; lactation and weaning the puppies; socializing the puppies; pedigrees, registration, and titles; and much more. Filled with color photos and line art.
My rating: Breeding only from strong, healthy bloodlines: (4)
But what about dog breeders that plan their animals litters? Isn�t it just as easy for their dogs to produce a litter of pups as the one�s that roam the streets? Sometimes yes and other times no.
There are a few reasons why a bitch may have infertility problems. Not knowing when to breed your bitch is one of the top reasons why a litter of puppies are not born. Some people assume all bitches should be bred around the same time as another one of their bitches are bred. The length of a bitch�s cycle varies from one bitch to another. There is not �one size fits all� when it comes to breeding. A good stud dog that has had much experience normally can tell when a bitch is ready for breeding although this is not always the case. If the bitch is willing to stand for the male, then breeding her every other day is a wise decision if you own both animals. Some bitches have been known to stand on the third day of her cycle or as late as the 21st. day of her cycle. Many breeders wisely use vaginal cytology and progesterone assays to help determine when the bitch is ready to be bred. This is especially important if one uses artificial insemination to impregnate the bitch.
It�s true, but some bitches will not always breed with certain males. Sometimes they can be very discriminating against certain males. Then you may have a submissive male that will not breed to a more dominate bitch. It is ALWAYS advisable to muzzle a bitch when you�re breeding her. You never know when she may get snappy with the male and turn around to bite him. Then you have the bitch that will fight you every step of the way to avoid being bred. I�ve had bitches throw themselves on the ground flipping over or refusing to stand up and you have to force her to stand. Always a pleasant experience when breeding one of these darlings!
The male isn�t free from breeding problems either. Ever breed to an inexperienced male that wants to play once he�s tied with the bitch? I have and let me tell you it was a horrific experience for him. My bitch was absolutely fine having been an experienced broad bitch. This young stud dog was in a lot of pain caused by him trying to play instead of getting the job done. His owner was an experienced breeder but I know she wasn�t expecting his shenanigans either. Or you might have a male dog just lie down in a corner when your bitch is ready to be bred. I�ve seen this happen sometimes with males that are bred too much. It�s almost like they become bored with it. I got my bitches finally bred and they both had litters so the girls were ready to make whoopee but the guys didn�t want any part of it! Guys can be funny like that sometimes!! (Ooops I mean dogs).
For the novice or pet person reading this you may not know, but a bitch can get pregnant from more than one male during her breeding cycle. So the litter can be sired by more than one dog. Maybe that�s why all those bitches that gets pregnant while roaming the streets has puppies in all shapes, colors and sizes!
Sometimes if a bitch it overweight or underweight she may have a problem conceiving and delivering a litter of puppies. If the bitch has health problems especially hormonal disorders such as hypothyroidism they can affect her fertility.
Males too may have infertility problems. These may include a decreased sperm count, poor sperm structure (morphology) or poor sperm motility. These problems may be caused by genetics or may be due to injury or an illness. A male�s semen sample can be collected and analyzed in helping to determine the problem. Also an infection such as canine brucellosis can cause sterility. That�s why most stud dog owners require your bitch to have a canine brucellosis test before he will breed her to his male.
A breeder can fix a poor timing of a breeding but other breeding problems can be more of a challenge and difficult to fix. Sometimes a reproduction specialist can be a breeder�s answer to a prayer when dealing with breeding difficulties. Careful consideration should be made when attempting to breed animals with infertility problems. These problems may be passed genetically to their offspring and carried down through their bloodlines for future generations. I know of many bitches that sit in people�s kennels that have beautiful bloodlines but have never been able to have a litter of puppies. This is heartbreaking for the breeder.
(To be continued�..)
From the book: THE COMPLETE BOOK OF DOG BREEDING...A veterinarian with many years of canine practice experience offers guidance to novice and professional dog breeders, emphasizing the responsibilities of reputable breeders to their dogs and to the buyers of the puppies they produce. Topics covered include: the choosing, health, quality, and conditioning of brood stock; practical DNA use, and Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) surveys and data storage to scientifically improve the selection of healthy brood stock and puppies; potential breeding problems; artificial insemination; pregnancy and its duration; embryonic and fetal activity; pregnancy nutrition; physical changes during pregnancy; stages of labor; normal and Cesarean-section births, and how to assist in both; nutrition of dams and puppies and how to recognize and prevent potential problems in both; neonatal puppy care; lactation and weaning the puppies; socializing the puppies; pedigrees, registration, and titles; and much more. Filled with color photos and line art.
My rating: Breeding only from strong, healthy bloodlines: (4)
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