Thank God it�s Friday and where the heck did the week go anyway? This is the weekend of the Canadian National Specialty show and a lot of my friends are up there enjoying that right now. Everyone seems to have fun at this show. Good luck to all the exhibitors! One of my friends and her husband take their motor home up there every year. I always wanted to travel cross country in a motor home and just take my time and take in the sights along the high way. Oh well, maybe one day when I get rich and famous!
Speaking of rich and famous��I�m going to make this plea this coming week on a couple of lists that I belong to. I just put it on my Facebook page yesterday afternoon. I need your help, so I�m networking it here as well. I wonder if any of you can give me advice or lead me in the right direction. Recently I wrote an idea for a television reality show. I�ve had it copyrighted with the Copyright Office and also have a registration number from �The Writer�s Guild of America.� Because of my research on the internet, I was led to believe that MTV accepts unsolicited material so I wrote them a letter with my concept for the show. When I didn�t hear back from them, I called them and they told me they no longer accept unsolicited material and in fact haven�t done so for the last two years. They advised me to get an entertainment lawyer or agent. I contacted a lawyer that I know lives in California (non-entertainment) and he was kind enough to inquire about this for me. He was told the same thing that studios don�t accept unsolicited material. So what I need is an agent or an entertainment lawyer. Do any of you guys know anyone that fits this description��.friend, family member, associate, friend of a friend, distant relative��..anyone at all that can guide me in the right direction? No scratch that��.anyone who can get me into a production company??? PLEASE WRITE TO ME PRIVATELY at: uwish@hvc.rr.com Mucho thanks!
Now back to the doggy stuff. A couple of days ago I asked my readers what state did they think should be the official state of the German Shepherd Dog. Naturally I got answers from people who thought that the state that they lived in should be declared the official state of the German Shepherd. I heard from those from New York, Ohio, Texas, Colorado, etc. Oh and even someone wrote to me saying British Columbia, Canada should be the winner! The most responses came from New York. Two people wrote to me to tell me that New York tried to make this their official dog after the 9/11 incident but for some reason it hasn�t passed yet so one of the ladies that wrote to me just wrote a letter to her state Senator to inquire about it. She told me when she hears from him, she�ll let me know. Speaking of 9/11, this is a story that I wrote all those years ago concerning that horrific event in our countries history. Have a great week-end everyone!
THE MAJESTIC LADIES
By
Barbara J. Galasso
From a distance you could hear the steady humming of a jet that grows increasingly louder as it speeds ever faster towards its target. Closer now; the humming is replaced with a roar. Deafening, crashing, and crushing�..no time to prepare. Just a blank expression; not even recognition of ones surroundings. Jet fuel leaking, angry black smoke rising, red hot fire spreading. Steel beams collapsing, walls surrender, little Joey�s framed picture falls to the floor, a telephone rings from a forgotten desk in the corner of the office. Voices scream, crying and shouting. �Get out, get out� is the last words some hear as the voice succumbs to the dead of silence. The falling, the awful falling. The walls cave in; the floors disappear as the majestic ladies tumble to the ground, floor by floor, stairwell by stairwell.
Thick black choking smoke. Flames dance across the bleak landscape. Debris, so much debris. Crushed stone, twisted cables, a set of keys, a wedding band, and a scrap of paper with a note saying �Don�t forget 2:00 meeting today.� A cell phone rings among the trappings of the fallen buildings. A German Shepherd rescue dog lays exhausted by the feet of the dirt covered fireman who sits in shocked bewilderment among the rubble that was once known as the majestic ladies.
In other parts of the country, two more jets are racing towards their destiny and a place in the history books. No survivors, all victims have succumbed to their fate in a lone field or the side of a building. The majestic ladies are not alone in their heroic defeat.
Oh America, your innocent, your brave cry out for justice. Hear them shout from the top of a snow capped mountain, or your painted valleys awash with a tapestry of colors, or through the deep crevices that reverberate through your canyons. Hear them in the whisper of a gentle breeze that caresses a lone tree top that sits in a barren meadow. With each new dawn that starts the day and when dusk follows her lead, those who have gone before us prepare for their day of reckoning. They can no longer be silenced by the deafening thunder of a jet. The souls of the past beg to be remembered. Peace escapes them as they search for America to be vindicated.
The flags will be flown at half mast today as the breeze catches the fabric with her stars and stripes that ripple ever so gently across the clear blue sky. Wave high, wave proudly Old Glory, as we�ll never forget what you stand for and represent. The majestic ladies stand ever tall in our hearts. And if one walks past ground zero late at night and you listen long and hard enough, you may still hear the echoes of life begging to be remembered. One may think they can still hear the telephone ringing, faxes sending, copying machines copying, ideas exchanged at the board meeting�..business going on as usual. �Hey Jane, what did you do over the week-end?� someone asks. �No dear, I won�t forget to pick up a container of milk on my way home tonight,� another softly whispers in to the phone. A secretary types her boss�s presentation papers for the meeting early this afternoon. She accidentally types in the wrong number. She goes back and corrects it. She changes the 0 to a 1. �There now, that looks better,� she compliments herself. Her boss comes over to her desk and reminds her, �Don�t forget, I need to get out of here by 3:00 this afternoon. It�s my son�s birthday and I promised my wife I�d get home before rush hour traffic.� The secretary nods her head up and down in acknowledgment of his request. She makes a mental note to herself; �Today is not a good day to ask for that much needed raise. Tomorrow� she tells herself. �I�ll do it the very first thing in the morning.� She turns back to her paper she�s typing and dates it September 11, 2001. �Gee, I�d like to get out of here early myself,� she chuckles. The majestic ladies hear her. She�s about to make history.
NO PART OF THIS STORY MAY BE REPRINTED WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHOR!
My rating: Thank God it's Friday: (4)
Friday, 10 September 2010
Thursday, 9 September 2010
I'VE BEEN REPLACED!
Oh wow, looks like my owners are packing up the van with dog crates and supplies, water and food dishes as well. I see luggage and lawn chairs being put in the van also. I can�t wait. My tail is wagging faster and faster. I�m turning around in circles now. My eyes are wide open with delighted anticipation. They brush by me and say to me, �Buck get out of my way and go lay down someplace will you?�
Go lay down, what are they crazy? I can�t lay down with all this excitement around me. I know where we�re going. We�re going to a dog show and we�re even going to stay in one of those fancy hotels that allow me to stay in the room with my owners. I can�t wait to share one of those big old king size beds with my masters. And if I�m really good, my owners will bring me some left over steak from one of those fancy restaurants that they always seem to find no matter what city we go to. Yup life is good being a show dog.
But wait what is this that I see? Why is my owner going over to the kennel and getting that young male dog out of his run? What�s that about and where does he think he�s going? I see him jumping up and down now as they put a collar around his neck that I would like to bite right about now. They know better than to bring him into MY house. Then where is he going to? I press my cold nosy nose against the window pane watching where they�re taking him. What�s this? They�re putting him in the van in MY dog crate. Just where does he think that he�s going to? Just wait until I get out there and get into that van and give him a piece of my mind. Hey, why are they closing the door? I haven�t been put in there yet. They probably forgot that I�m waiting for them inside the house.
I see they give a piece of paper, some keys and a handshake to the kennel helper. They get into the van and I watch them drive down the driveway. Surely they�ll turn back for me once they realize that they forgot to put me in the van. I wait and I whine and I sit staring out that window but the familiar van that I love to go for rides in doesn�t come back to get me.
The kennel help comes into the house now and sees me looking out the kitchen window. I don�t go over to greet him right away because I know once my owners realize the mistake they made; they�ll be back for me. I let out some cries and the kennel guy comes over and pats me on the head and says, �That�s alright fella�, come away from the window now and I�ll get a treat for you.� He tries to coax me with one of those dog biscuits made to look like a real bone. I never liked them very much anyway and like it even less now as he tries to make �nice, nice� to me because he knows like I know, I�ve been replaced.
Sure I�m old and gray and walk with a more cautioned step now because of that darn arthritis in my rear legs. Am I supposed to make apologies for what the passing of time has done to my less than youthful body? Have they forgotten all the trophies that my younger body brought home to grace the shelves in their family room? Have they forgotten all the lovely ladies that I �entertained� and helped fill their bank accounts so they could put that swimming pool in the back yard? Come to think of it, I haven�t entertained any lovely ladies in awhile now because that young Bronco that they just put in the van has seen to it that I haven�t. Have I been replaced?
I�ve decided I don�t feel like eating the food that my kennel help offers me. It�s not made with love like my master makes it for me. The long week end goes by and there�s something in the air. I can just tell these things. I run over to the big kitchen window and I wait patiently for the van to appear. Here it comes up the driveway now. I start to cry and turn in circles in happy anticipation for my owners to come in and apologize for their obvious mistake a few days ago. I hear the key in the door turn and in they walk. But for some reason my enthusiasm for them has changed from one of excitement to one of temperamental disdain. They�re not going to get away with this so easy. No sir!
Oh here she comes over to me saying, �Where�s my baby? Where�s my big boy?� The nerve of her to act like nothing even happened. I turn my head away from her for a moment as I watch my other owner take �HIM� out of the van and put him back in the kennel where he belongs. Good thing too, because I was ready to rock and roll with him��arthritis and all!
She continues to muss on me scratching my ears and trying to rub my tummy acting like nothing ever happened. The kennel boy tells her I barely ate a morsel since they left. �Oh Buck is that true?� she asks me, like I have a human vocabulary to answer her back with. She gives me some more loving even though I�m still slow to warm up to her. Then the kennel help says the words that I want to but can�t. He tells her, �I think old Buck feels like he�s been replaced.� With that she turns and hugs me tight and says, �Never, no one could ever replace you Buck. No matter how many dogs I have, no one could ever replace you.� With that, I give her a big kiss, roll over on the floor and allow her to scratch my belly and plan my revenge on that young �wanna be� the next time I see him.
Moral of the story: Our old guys know when the playing field has changed and they can no longer do what they once did. But even though their body ages, their hearts remain forever young as long as they feel that they haven�t been replaced.
From the book: "CARING FOR YOUR AGING DOG"..........Today, veterinarians know more about small-animal geriatrics than ever before�making it possible for dogs to live longer, better lives. But science and technology alone aren�t enough: we have to do our part, too. And this thorough guide to the older dog teaches us how. It introduces the basics of caring for a senior pet; examines issues of genetics, environment, and nutrition; presents a �prevention primer� for forestalling disease and old-age conditions; and explains how to recognize vital signs of change, from cloudy eyes to achy joints. Most important, it offers comforting advice on what to do when your beloved pet does get sick, and how to deal with both the financial and emotional costs. Throughout, dog owners tell their inspiring personal stories.
My rating: Letting the older dog know he's still very much loved and valued: (4)
Go lay down, what are they crazy? I can�t lay down with all this excitement around me. I know where we�re going. We�re going to a dog show and we�re even going to stay in one of those fancy hotels that allow me to stay in the room with my owners. I can�t wait to share one of those big old king size beds with my masters. And if I�m really good, my owners will bring me some left over steak from one of those fancy restaurants that they always seem to find no matter what city we go to. Yup life is good being a show dog.
But wait what is this that I see? Why is my owner going over to the kennel and getting that young male dog out of his run? What�s that about and where does he think he�s going? I see him jumping up and down now as they put a collar around his neck that I would like to bite right about now. They know better than to bring him into MY house. Then where is he going to? I press my cold nosy nose against the window pane watching where they�re taking him. What�s this? They�re putting him in the van in MY dog crate. Just where does he think that he�s going to? Just wait until I get out there and get into that van and give him a piece of my mind. Hey, why are they closing the door? I haven�t been put in there yet. They probably forgot that I�m waiting for them inside the house.
I see they give a piece of paper, some keys and a handshake to the kennel helper. They get into the van and I watch them drive down the driveway. Surely they�ll turn back for me once they realize that they forgot to put me in the van. I wait and I whine and I sit staring out that window but the familiar van that I love to go for rides in doesn�t come back to get me.
The kennel help comes into the house now and sees me looking out the kitchen window. I don�t go over to greet him right away because I know once my owners realize the mistake they made; they�ll be back for me. I let out some cries and the kennel guy comes over and pats me on the head and says, �That�s alright fella�, come away from the window now and I�ll get a treat for you.� He tries to coax me with one of those dog biscuits made to look like a real bone. I never liked them very much anyway and like it even less now as he tries to make �nice, nice� to me because he knows like I know, I�ve been replaced.
Sure I�m old and gray and walk with a more cautioned step now because of that darn arthritis in my rear legs. Am I supposed to make apologies for what the passing of time has done to my less than youthful body? Have they forgotten all the trophies that my younger body brought home to grace the shelves in their family room? Have they forgotten all the lovely ladies that I �entertained� and helped fill their bank accounts so they could put that swimming pool in the back yard? Come to think of it, I haven�t entertained any lovely ladies in awhile now because that young Bronco that they just put in the van has seen to it that I haven�t. Have I been replaced?
I�ve decided I don�t feel like eating the food that my kennel help offers me. It�s not made with love like my master makes it for me. The long week end goes by and there�s something in the air. I can just tell these things. I run over to the big kitchen window and I wait patiently for the van to appear. Here it comes up the driveway now. I start to cry and turn in circles in happy anticipation for my owners to come in and apologize for their obvious mistake a few days ago. I hear the key in the door turn and in they walk. But for some reason my enthusiasm for them has changed from one of excitement to one of temperamental disdain. They�re not going to get away with this so easy. No sir!
Oh here she comes over to me saying, �Where�s my baby? Where�s my big boy?� The nerve of her to act like nothing even happened. I turn my head away from her for a moment as I watch my other owner take �HIM� out of the van and put him back in the kennel where he belongs. Good thing too, because I was ready to rock and roll with him��arthritis and all!
She continues to muss on me scratching my ears and trying to rub my tummy acting like nothing ever happened. The kennel boy tells her I barely ate a morsel since they left. �Oh Buck is that true?� she asks me, like I have a human vocabulary to answer her back with. She gives me some more loving even though I�m still slow to warm up to her. Then the kennel help says the words that I want to but can�t. He tells her, �I think old Buck feels like he�s been replaced.� With that she turns and hugs me tight and says, �Never, no one could ever replace you Buck. No matter how many dogs I have, no one could ever replace you.� With that, I give her a big kiss, roll over on the floor and allow her to scratch my belly and plan my revenge on that young �wanna be� the next time I see him.
Moral of the story: Our old guys know when the playing field has changed and they can no longer do what they once did. But even though their body ages, their hearts remain forever young as long as they feel that they haven�t been replaced.
From the book: "CARING FOR YOUR AGING DOG"..........Today, veterinarians know more about small-animal geriatrics than ever before�making it possible for dogs to live longer, better lives. But science and technology alone aren�t enough: we have to do our part, too. And this thorough guide to the older dog teaches us how. It introduces the basics of caring for a senior pet; examines issues of genetics, environment, and nutrition; presents a �prevention primer� for forestalling disease and old-age conditions; and explains how to recognize vital signs of change, from cloudy eyes to achy joints. Most important, it offers comforting advice on what to do when your beloved pet does get sick, and how to deal with both the financial and emotional costs. Throughout, dog owners tell their inspiring personal stories.
My rating: Letting the older dog know he's still very much loved and valued: (4)
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
WHAT STATE SHOULD BE DECLARED THE OFFICIAL STATE OF THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG?
Last week I read an article about how some states now have an official dog that represents their state. You know like each state has a flower that�s connected to it or if you are one of those people that like to read other peoples license plates, the license plate will tell you what that state is known for. For instance, Florida is the �sunshine state.� You know that kind of thing. I noticed that no state has made claim to the wonderful German Shepherd Dog yet. So it got me to thinking, which state should the German Shepherd represent and why. Oh I know there are those of you that are saying that the German Shepherd is a dog for all reasons and therefore, should be the official dog of the United States of America! Hey I just made that up and it sounds good to me!
So what state do you think the German Shepherd Dog should represent and why? So far these are the dogs that now represent other states.
Maryland: Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Pennsylvania: Great Dane
Virginia: American Foxhound
Louisiana: Catahoula Leopard Dog
Massachusetts: Boston Terrier
Wisconsin: American Water Spaniel
South Carolina: Boykin Spaniel
North Carolina: Plott Hound
Texas: Blue Lacy
Alaska: Alaskan Malamute
Well because I come from and live in New York, my vote for the German Shepherd Dog is right here in the �empire state.� Why? Well because there�s already a great number of this breed protecting New York by working on the police force, patrolling the subways and sniffing out bombs and narcotics in the airports. They were there on that terrible day that New York City was attacked and the Great Towers tumbled to the ground. Because this breed is used for rescue work and to tackle and bring down predators, I can�t think of a better place for them to do it than right here in New York City. They protect our homeland and security. In my opinion, no better place to do it than in New York! So yup, my vote is that the German Shepherd should be this states official dog!
So tell me, do you think that your state should be the official state of the German Shepherd Dog and why is that? Or maybe you think another state would be better represented by the German Shepherd. Let me know and I will report the results here.
My rating: German Shepherd as the official dog of the United States: (4)
So what state do you think the German Shepherd Dog should represent and why? So far these are the dogs that now represent other states.
Maryland: Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Pennsylvania: Great Dane
Virginia: American Foxhound
Louisiana: Catahoula Leopard Dog
Massachusetts: Boston Terrier
Wisconsin: American Water Spaniel
South Carolina: Boykin Spaniel
North Carolina: Plott Hound
Texas: Blue Lacy
Alaska: Alaskan Malamute
Well because I come from and live in New York, my vote for the German Shepherd Dog is right here in the �empire state.� Why? Well because there�s already a great number of this breed protecting New York by working on the police force, patrolling the subways and sniffing out bombs and narcotics in the airports. They were there on that terrible day that New York City was attacked and the Great Towers tumbled to the ground. Because this breed is used for rescue work and to tackle and bring down predators, I can�t think of a better place for them to do it than right here in New York City. They protect our homeland and security. In my opinion, no better place to do it than in New York! So yup, my vote is that the German Shepherd should be this states official dog!
So tell me, do you think that your state should be the official state of the German Shepherd Dog and why is that? Or maybe you think another state would be better represented by the German Shepherd. Let me know and I will report the results here.
My rating: German Shepherd as the official dog of the United States: (4)
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
SO YOU WANT TO BREED A LITTER OF PUPPIES - (Conclusion)
Mother and her puppies are doing well. She�s eating her food right on schedule and you�ve increased it because of all the hungry little mouths she has to feed. You�ve kept a close eye on the puppies to make sure that they are all doing well and are nursing on their mother. You should note that when you observe the puppies while they are sleeping you will notice that their little bodies jerk quite often while they�re sleeping. This is normal and your puppies are healthy so no need to worry. They should feel warm to the touch. It�s the puppy that isn�t moving very much and feels cooler to the touch that you should have a concern with. Call your vet if you notice anything that doesn�t seem right. It�s better to be safe than sorry.
The first couple of weeks, you won�t need to do too much of anything besides change the newspapers in the whelping box and wash the towels or blanket. The mother is very capable of taking care of her babies at this stage. She licks and cleans them to help stimulate their need to defecate and urinate before they can do this on their own.
Normally you will see the puppies eyes begin to open around 10 � 14 days old. At this tender age, the best they can see is shadows. They will have a bluish looking tint to their eyes. By 3 weeks, most puppies are beginning to try to stand and walk although they are shaky at best. It�s comical to watch them as they fall like drunken sailors back onto the floor of the whelping box. They will try to play with their litter mates and you will see a pattern developing as the alpha puppy is determined among the litter.
It is also at this young age that the puppy will have been introduced to a mushy type food. Many breeders will first introduce the puppy to meat by putting a small amount of chop meat on her finger and put it in the puppy�s mouth. The funny faces that they make can give you a chuckle but no more so than when you place the puppies around their dinner bowel and watch them slide head and body first into their food. It�s not unusual that most of them will be wearing more of their food than eating it. But give it time, and they�ll get the hang of it. Then you can gradually add dry food to your puppy�s gruel like mixture which can consist of baby rice cereal, ground meat, puppy milk like replacement supplement that�s loaded with vitamins, etc. Most puppies will be fed four times a day with solid food while still being nursed by their mother.
Many times a breeder will take the puppies to different parts of the house at 4 � 5 weeks of age to get them familiar with different sounds and objects. Up to this time, I like to have a radio playing in the room where the puppies whelping box is so they are already familiar with different sounds. I love to put them on a rug and watch them taking their first steps in unfamiliar territory. By five weeks I�ve already picked my best puppies because at this age, I�ve get my first glimpse of their movement as they do their little puppy gaits across the rug. It amazes me how much a puppy at this age has already developed considering that five weeks ago they were still in their mother�s tummies!
Most mothers will still allow their pups to nurse for a little while, but the puppies at this age show their mother no respect and can be very rough on her by biting and scratching her already tender body. You may see the mother discipline them as well by gently but firmly biting them to let them know that she has had enough of their rough housing. As time goes by she�ll nurse them less and less but will still want to play with and discipline them. This bonding is necessary for their mental and emotional health. They learn from their mother who normally enjoys teaching her offspring.
In a couple of weeks, the puppies will receive their first inoculations. Most of the time you will have to bring a litter of puppies into your vets. If you�re lucky, you may have a vet that makes a house call. However, many breeders give their puppies their own shots that they�ve ordered from a veterinarian supply catalog. They will also have received their first worming mediation.
These initial weeks of a puppies life is crucial for their health and their mental and emotional growth. You don�t just breed a litter of puppies and leave them in a dog run. It is very important that they are played with and socialized. They should come into the kitchen where pots and pans are rattling or dropped on the floor intentionally to watch their reaction and recovery time from their initial �shock� of the intruding object. This is when you observe do your puppies come to investigate what it was that made all that noise? Do they sniff at the invading intruder lying on the middle of the floor or do they run and hide behind a chair? Do your puppies like people? Are they friendly towards strangers, or are they suspicious and cower in a corner somewhere unwilling to come and make friends? This is all an indication of the pups character and future personality.
This is also a good time to introduce them to being handled and groomed. Gently brushing them and combing their fur gets them used to being handled. Put them on a grooming table and most of the time they will stiffen up because they may be frightened. But once they get used to it, most puppies are cooperative. This is also the time that you can introduce them to their first bath. Oh they�re going to kick and splash and try to get out of the sink or tub but they�re German Shepherds and they learn very quickly.
Alright so your puppies are now eating solid food, they�ve had their initial puppy shots, they�ve been wormed, they�ve been handled and groomed and played with and socialized. You�ve enjoyed them, (but the parties over) and it�s time to find them their loving �forever� homes. Let�s hope that you have already received some deposits on these puppies when they were first born or you had a waiting list when you bred this litter. No litter (in my opinion) should be bred unless you have homes for them to go to. You�ve also probably advertised your litter and are hopefully receiving inquiries about them.
Your first concern as a breeder should be to find the very best homes that you can for your puppies. You�ve screened your potential buyers by asking them the right questions like what are their plans for your puppy? Do you have a fenced in yard? Do you have references? Who is the vet that you plan to take care of your dog? Do you work a full time job? Where will the people stay if you do? How will he be taken care of when you�re not home? Do you have other animals and how will they take onto the puppy? Do you have children and do they know how to treat a puppy? Do you know how to train a dog? Will you take him to obedience classes?
You will give the new owner a health guarantee on the puppy. You will tell them that they are to have the puppy neutered if they are not sold as a show or breeding animal. You will take the puppy back at whatever age it is if they can no longer keep him. You will give them a list of shots and worming and dates that they received them. You will tell them what food you recommend that they feed him. You might even give them some food for his first few days in his new home. You will ask them to get in touch with you with any concerns and ask that they give you an update on the puppy periodically. You will tell them that you might drop in on them occasionally just to see how things are going.
Now most of your puppies are sold into loving homes, but there still remains a few that were not so lucky. These are the puppies that no one seems to favor. Did you think of this BEFORE you bred the litter? Are you prepared to hold onto puppies after 8 � 10 weeks old knowing that the older they get, the less desirable they are to the pet market? Most pet people like to buy young puppies. Many a time a breeder will find themselves with puppies that are now over six months old? Do you have the space to hold onto them and the finances to feed them? This is all part of being a breeder��preparing yourself for the unexpected. Or how about the person that buys the 8 � 10 week old puppy and was never prepared for all the chewing, scratching, biting and destructive behavior of the little darling? Are you prepared when that person calls you first thing in the morning whining and complaining that they need to return the puppy to you and want their money back?
This folks is all part of being a breeder! So the next time you get an �urge� to breed Daisy to Duke, stop and think before you do it. Leave it to the breeder that knows what they�re doing because even the best of them can find themselves in situations that they didn�t plan for. It is not all about the cute, fluffy little butterballs that you see in the pictures that you just want to reach out and grab. It�s about the daily taking care of and meeting the needs of a very needy animal. Treat him right, raise him with love and care and he should give you 10 � 13 years of devoted and unconditional love that will leave paw prints on your heart forever!
KONG Extreme Kong Dog Toy, Extra Large, Black.........
* Stuff with KONG Treats and Ziggies
* Recommended for power chewers
* Keeps dogs busy and help deter misbehavior
* Made in the USA of nontoxic, extremely durable natural rubber
* Measures 5-inches long, for dogs 60 to 90 pounds
My rating: Dog breeding: (1 - 4)
The first couple of weeks, you won�t need to do too much of anything besides change the newspapers in the whelping box and wash the towels or blanket. The mother is very capable of taking care of her babies at this stage. She licks and cleans them to help stimulate their need to defecate and urinate before they can do this on their own.
Normally you will see the puppies eyes begin to open around 10 � 14 days old. At this tender age, the best they can see is shadows. They will have a bluish looking tint to their eyes. By 3 weeks, most puppies are beginning to try to stand and walk although they are shaky at best. It�s comical to watch them as they fall like drunken sailors back onto the floor of the whelping box. They will try to play with their litter mates and you will see a pattern developing as the alpha puppy is determined among the litter.
It is also at this young age that the puppy will have been introduced to a mushy type food. Many breeders will first introduce the puppy to meat by putting a small amount of chop meat on her finger and put it in the puppy�s mouth. The funny faces that they make can give you a chuckle but no more so than when you place the puppies around their dinner bowel and watch them slide head and body first into their food. It�s not unusual that most of them will be wearing more of their food than eating it. But give it time, and they�ll get the hang of it. Then you can gradually add dry food to your puppy�s gruel like mixture which can consist of baby rice cereal, ground meat, puppy milk like replacement supplement that�s loaded with vitamins, etc. Most puppies will be fed four times a day with solid food while still being nursed by their mother.
Many times a breeder will take the puppies to different parts of the house at 4 � 5 weeks of age to get them familiar with different sounds and objects. Up to this time, I like to have a radio playing in the room where the puppies whelping box is so they are already familiar with different sounds. I love to put them on a rug and watch them taking their first steps in unfamiliar territory. By five weeks I�ve already picked my best puppies because at this age, I�ve get my first glimpse of their movement as they do their little puppy gaits across the rug. It amazes me how much a puppy at this age has already developed considering that five weeks ago they were still in their mother�s tummies!
Most mothers will still allow their pups to nurse for a little while, but the puppies at this age show their mother no respect and can be very rough on her by biting and scratching her already tender body. You may see the mother discipline them as well by gently but firmly biting them to let them know that she has had enough of their rough housing. As time goes by she�ll nurse them less and less but will still want to play with and discipline them. This bonding is necessary for their mental and emotional health. They learn from their mother who normally enjoys teaching her offspring.
In a couple of weeks, the puppies will receive their first inoculations. Most of the time you will have to bring a litter of puppies into your vets. If you�re lucky, you may have a vet that makes a house call. However, many breeders give their puppies their own shots that they�ve ordered from a veterinarian supply catalog. They will also have received their first worming mediation.
These initial weeks of a puppies life is crucial for their health and their mental and emotional growth. You don�t just breed a litter of puppies and leave them in a dog run. It is very important that they are played with and socialized. They should come into the kitchen where pots and pans are rattling or dropped on the floor intentionally to watch their reaction and recovery time from their initial �shock� of the intruding object. This is when you observe do your puppies come to investigate what it was that made all that noise? Do they sniff at the invading intruder lying on the middle of the floor or do they run and hide behind a chair? Do your puppies like people? Are they friendly towards strangers, or are they suspicious and cower in a corner somewhere unwilling to come and make friends? This is all an indication of the pups character and future personality.
This is also a good time to introduce them to being handled and groomed. Gently brushing them and combing their fur gets them used to being handled. Put them on a grooming table and most of the time they will stiffen up because they may be frightened. But once they get used to it, most puppies are cooperative. This is also the time that you can introduce them to their first bath. Oh they�re going to kick and splash and try to get out of the sink or tub but they�re German Shepherds and they learn very quickly.
Alright so your puppies are now eating solid food, they�ve had their initial puppy shots, they�ve been wormed, they�ve been handled and groomed and played with and socialized. You�ve enjoyed them, (but the parties over) and it�s time to find them their loving �forever� homes. Let�s hope that you have already received some deposits on these puppies when they were first born or you had a waiting list when you bred this litter. No litter (in my opinion) should be bred unless you have homes for them to go to. You�ve also probably advertised your litter and are hopefully receiving inquiries about them.
Your first concern as a breeder should be to find the very best homes that you can for your puppies. You�ve screened your potential buyers by asking them the right questions like what are their plans for your puppy? Do you have a fenced in yard? Do you have references? Who is the vet that you plan to take care of your dog? Do you work a full time job? Where will the people stay if you do? How will he be taken care of when you�re not home? Do you have other animals and how will they take onto the puppy? Do you have children and do they know how to treat a puppy? Do you know how to train a dog? Will you take him to obedience classes?
You will give the new owner a health guarantee on the puppy. You will tell them that they are to have the puppy neutered if they are not sold as a show or breeding animal. You will take the puppy back at whatever age it is if they can no longer keep him. You will give them a list of shots and worming and dates that they received them. You will tell them what food you recommend that they feed him. You might even give them some food for his first few days in his new home. You will ask them to get in touch with you with any concerns and ask that they give you an update on the puppy periodically. You will tell them that you might drop in on them occasionally just to see how things are going.
Now most of your puppies are sold into loving homes, but there still remains a few that were not so lucky. These are the puppies that no one seems to favor. Did you think of this BEFORE you bred the litter? Are you prepared to hold onto puppies after 8 � 10 weeks old knowing that the older they get, the less desirable they are to the pet market? Most pet people like to buy young puppies. Many a time a breeder will find themselves with puppies that are now over six months old? Do you have the space to hold onto them and the finances to feed them? This is all part of being a breeder��preparing yourself for the unexpected. Or how about the person that buys the 8 � 10 week old puppy and was never prepared for all the chewing, scratching, biting and destructive behavior of the little darling? Are you prepared when that person calls you first thing in the morning whining and complaining that they need to return the puppy to you and want their money back?
This folks is all part of being a breeder! So the next time you get an �urge� to breed Daisy to Duke, stop and think before you do it. Leave it to the breeder that knows what they�re doing because even the best of them can find themselves in situations that they didn�t plan for. It is not all about the cute, fluffy little butterballs that you see in the pictures that you just want to reach out and grab. It�s about the daily taking care of and meeting the needs of a very needy animal. Treat him right, raise him with love and care and he should give you 10 � 13 years of devoted and unconditional love that will leave paw prints on your heart forever!
KONG Extreme Kong Dog Toy, Extra Large, Black.........
* Stuff with KONG Treats and Ziggies
* Recommended for power chewers
* Keeps dogs busy and help deter misbehavior
* Made in the USA of nontoxic, extremely durable natural rubber
* Measures 5-inches long, for dogs 60 to 90 pounds
My rating: Dog breeding: (1 - 4)
Friday, 3 September 2010
SO YOU WANT TO BREED A LITTER OF PUPPIES - (Part 4)
So your girl is digging up her papers in her whelping box. She�s shredding them with her teeth. She�s whining and is naturally restless. She might run out of the box and then jump back in. She circles some more. You see her first contraction. Most German Shepherd bitches don�t have too many problems when they deliver their puppies. But there are those few times that things don�t always go as you had hoped. That�s why I said you should have your vet on call.
Some breeders let their bitches do all the work and don�t interfere with the birthing process. I�m not one of those breeders. I am very hands on. Each and every puppy is valuable to me and I want to make sure that I give it every chance for survival. Losing a puppy or even puppies is something we all want to avoid. For the new mother, I believe it�s even more important to be right there when she is giving birth for the first time. I want to be on top of any problems while they are happening. I don�t want to walk in the room after a problem and it�s too late to save a puppy or the mother is in distress.
When the puppy is delivered, the most important thing to do is to remove the sac from the head that the puppy is in. Then I take the puppy and rub him with a soft towel and open his little mouth to make sure it�s not filled with mucous. Normally when I rub the puppy, he will let out a little (or sometimes a big) cry. This is good as it opens his air passages so he can breathe. I also cut the umbilical cord although most of the time the mother will do this. My main focus is that the puppy is breathing normally. I put the puppy down so the mother can lick and clean him. Most of the time the puppy with look to nurse right away. Sometimes you have to encourage them by placing them on a nipple. If he�s still reluctant, I make sure I squeeze the nipple to expel some milk to entice the puppy. Then there are those that take a little longer to nurse. Sometimes the trauma of birth is exhausting to the puppy and he just lies there resting. If all is well, he�ll come around and nurse on his own.
Remember to keep the puppies warm at all times. You don�t want them to get a chill. In between the mother delivering her puppies, I will normally put the puppies that she already delivered in a box with a plush towel in it so they don�t get stepped on while she�s delivering her next puppy. I keep the box in the whelping box so as not to stress the mother and to ensure that they remain warm.
Sometimes your bitch will run into delivery problems. Some of those reasons can be because the puppy is huge and the mother is having a hard time delivering him. This is when it�s wise to have two people there when she�s delivering. Sometimes when she is contracting you can help gently guide the puppy out, but many times because of his size this is a painful birth. So if one person can gently hold the mother�s head while the other person removes the puppy, it can make it easier on everyone. I hate breech births��you see the puppies little feet and tail sticking out of the mother and the sac is already broken. Then she sometime sucks him back up and you�re ready to pull your hair out.
Other problems that can arise is that the puppy is laying across the birth canal and you may have to gently turn him around because he will not be able to be delivered in that position. Then you can have a bitch that has uterine inertia which I�ve already written an article about on this blog. This is when the bitch has delivered a puppy or even several pups and she stops contracting. There are still puppies inside her, but she�s no longer contracting. Call your vet immediately for advice. I told you one of my bitches did this every time she delivered puppies���.that was the biscuit eater that I mentioned earlier in this article. I lost a few puppies with this bitch in her first litter because of this condition. I was better prepared in her next litters. My vet was on call all the time with this girl.
The mother will be exhausted while she is delivering her babies. I like to offer her a little refreshment in between delivering her puppies. Sometimes they will drink a little water. Other times they won�t. The last litter I had, I offered the mother some vanilla ice cream. She loved it and it also helped with her contractions.
When the mother is finally finished delivering her puppies, take her out to go potty while you stay with her to make sure she doesn�t deposit another puppy on the lawn. Sometimes a bitch will eat a little food when she is finished with her delivery. Give her whatever she wants to help restore some of her energy.
Check the puppies to make sure they are all breathing correctly and nursing on the mother. Watch for any puppies that lay off on their own away from the mother. Sometimes the mother will even push a puppy aside. This may indicate that the puppy is sickly. So watch for this. Many breeders will have weighed each puppy and made note of it in a journal that they keep on their litters. I always kept one for each of my litters and I would write in it everyday reporting on their progress.
Normally your vet will want to see the mother the next day and he will give her a pit shot (it helps clean her out). Many breeders have this shot on hand and will do it themselves. It will help expel any afterbirth that did not come out with the puppies.
Okay, so now you have your first litter. The mother and babies are content and resting peacefully. Now the fun begins. The raising of those puppies is when your work really starts.
To be continued��.
DESIGNERS EDGE E-240 INCANDESCENT BROODER LIGHT - The Incandescent Brooder Light comes with a 9' Cord and 10.5" aluminum shade with a wire guard. The heavy duty clamp and hanging hook make it easy to hang. It has a 250 watt bulb socket. It has a 1 year limited warranty, no bulbs are included.
My rating: Breeding puppies: (1 - 4)
Some breeders let their bitches do all the work and don�t interfere with the birthing process. I�m not one of those breeders. I am very hands on. Each and every puppy is valuable to me and I want to make sure that I give it every chance for survival. Losing a puppy or even puppies is something we all want to avoid. For the new mother, I believe it�s even more important to be right there when she is giving birth for the first time. I want to be on top of any problems while they are happening. I don�t want to walk in the room after a problem and it�s too late to save a puppy or the mother is in distress.
When the puppy is delivered, the most important thing to do is to remove the sac from the head that the puppy is in. Then I take the puppy and rub him with a soft towel and open his little mouth to make sure it�s not filled with mucous. Normally when I rub the puppy, he will let out a little (or sometimes a big) cry. This is good as it opens his air passages so he can breathe. I also cut the umbilical cord although most of the time the mother will do this. My main focus is that the puppy is breathing normally. I put the puppy down so the mother can lick and clean him. Most of the time the puppy with look to nurse right away. Sometimes you have to encourage them by placing them on a nipple. If he�s still reluctant, I make sure I squeeze the nipple to expel some milk to entice the puppy. Then there are those that take a little longer to nurse. Sometimes the trauma of birth is exhausting to the puppy and he just lies there resting. If all is well, he�ll come around and nurse on his own.
Remember to keep the puppies warm at all times. You don�t want them to get a chill. In between the mother delivering her puppies, I will normally put the puppies that she already delivered in a box with a plush towel in it so they don�t get stepped on while she�s delivering her next puppy. I keep the box in the whelping box so as not to stress the mother and to ensure that they remain warm.
Sometimes your bitch will run into delivery problems. Some of those reasons can be because the puppy is huge and the mother is having a hard time delivering him. This is when it�s wise to have two people there when she�s delivering. Sometimes when she is contracting you can help gently guide the puppy out, but many times because of his size this is a painful birth. So if one person can gently hold the mother�s head while the other person removes the puppy, it can make it easier on everyone. I hate breech births��you see the puppies little feet and tail sticking out of the mother and the sac is already broken. Then she sometime sucks him back up and you�re ready to pull your hair out.
Other problems that can arise is that the puppy is laying across the birth canal and you may have to gently turn him around because he will not be able to be delivered in that position. Then you can have a bitch that has uterine inertia which I�ve already written an article about on this blog. This is when the bitch has delivered a puppy or even several pups and she stops contracting. There are still puppies inside her, but she�s no longer contracting. Call your vet immediately for advice. I told you one of my bitches did this every time she delivered puppies���.that was the biscuit eater that I mentioned earlier in this article. I lost a few puppies with this bitch in her first litter because of this condition. I was better prepared in her next litters. My vet was on call all the time with this girl.
The mother will be exhausted while she is delivering her babies. I like to offer her a little refreshment in between delivering her puppies. Sometimes they will drink a little water. Other times they won�t. The last litter I had, I offered the mother some vanilla ice cream. She loved it and it also helped with her contractions.
When the mother is finally finished delivering her puppies, take her out to go potty while you stay with her to make sure she doesn�t deposit another puppy on the lawn. Sometimes a bitch will eat a little food when she is finished with her delivery. Give her whatever she wants to help restore some of her energy.
Check the puppies to make sure they are all breathing correctly and nursing on the mother. Watch for any puppies that lay off on their own away from the mother. Sometimes the mother will even push a puppy aside. This may indicate that the puppy is sickly. So watch for this. Many breeders will have weighed each puppy and made note of it in a journal that they keep on their litters. I always kept one for each of my litters and I would write in it everyday reporting on their progress.
Normally your vet will want to see the mother the next day and he will give her a pit shot (it helps clean her out). Many breeders have this shot on hand and will do it themselves. It will help expel any afterbirth that did not come out with the puppies.
Okay, so now you have your first litter. The mother and babies are content and resting peacefully. Now the fun begins. The raising of those puppies is when your work really starts.
To be continued��.
DESIGNERS EDGE E-240 INCANDESCENT BROODER LIGHT - The Incandescent Brooder Light comes with a 9' Cord and 10.5" aluminum shade with a wire guard. The heavy duty clamp and hanging hook make it easy to hang. It has a 250 watt bulb socket. It has a 1 year limited warranty, no bulbs are included.
My rating: Breeding puppies: (1 - 4)
Thursday, 2 September 2010
SO YOU WANT TO BREED A LITTER OF PUPPIES - (Part 3)
Most German Shepherd �mothers to be� are good eaters while they�re carrying their litter of puppies. However, not all of them are. This is why it is important to make sure you are feeding her a top quality food to ensure that she is getting the proper amount of nutrition. Supplementing her food with vitamins is important also. Some bitches will go off their food at certain times when they are pregnant and the owner is about ready to pull her hair out worrying that her puppies are not going to be healthy. I had a bitch do this every single time that she was bred. Because she did this, I knew she was in whelp. Like some women who get morning sickness when they are pregnant, there�s no reason to think that some dogs don�t go through the same thing. Any and all food that I would offer her, she would refuse, EXCEPT��.dog biscuits. She loved dog biscuits when she was pregnant. So dog biscuits are what she got along with her vitamins. Just as long as she was eating something, I didn�t care! If anyone came to my house and looked at her, they must have thought that I abused her because she looked so skinny.
Anyway, let�s assume that your girl continues to eat; you should increase her food the last couple of weeks during her pregnancy because she�s eating for a whole litter now! Sometimes a bitch may go off her food or cut back during the last few days of her pregnancy.
By now you will have set up a whelping box for your bitch in a quiet area of your house where she is free from unneeded stress or other distractions. You will have bought a heating lamp for the whelping box as it is important to keep the new pups warm and toasty. Make sure that the whelping box that you invest in is large enough for the mother to stretch out and big enough for her growing puppies. Another thing the whelping box should have is a rail that goes around the inside of the box. This is where the puppies can lay under so they don�t accidentally get squished by their mother. I know some breeders use a kiddy pool for the mother and her puppies. They swear by it, but I don�t understand how those puppies don�t get squished.
Hopefully you have been in contact with your veterinarian about your breeding of your bitch. You have let him know when she is due to whelp. As the actual time of her whelping draws near, you should be in contact with him to let him know how she is doing. Also you should know what his procedure is if your girl should run into an emergency situation. Will he come to her aid and meet you at his office during the evening hours after his office is closed? Or do you have to rely on an emergency vet to take care of her needs? Find this all out BEFORE you actually need help! A Vet that works with a breeder is a God send!
During the bitches last few days of pregnancy it is a good idea to monitor her body temperature. Normally you can do this using a rectal thermometer. The normal body temperature for animals is generally higher than for humans. The normal rectal temperature of a dog is 99.5� to 102.5�F. What you�re looking for is her temperature to drop to 98 degrees from her normal 99 � 101 degrees. You may even see her temperature fluctuate going up and down. It�s when it stays down, you normally have 12 � 24 hours from the time that she first started to drop her temperature. When it goes down to 98 or 97.9, then you may expect the first born in 2 � 12 hours. This is just a guideline as all bitches are different.
When your bitch is getting closer to whelping, you may find she goes from periods of sleeping for hours to becoming restless pacing back and forth. She may look stressed and excited. She will have to urinate more because of the pressure that she is feeling. Make sure you go outside with her when she goes potty as you don�t want her running off somewhere in the woods to deliver her first puppy. When her water breaks, you might not even see it, but if you check her, right before she�s ready to give birth, you will normally see a white mucous like substance. Stay with her. Your litter of puppies is getting ready to enter this world!
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: Dog breeding: (1 - 4)
Anyway, let�s assume that your girl continues to eat; you should increase her food the last couple of weeks during her pregnancy because she�s eating for a whole litter now! Sometimes a bitch may go off her food or cut back during the last few days of her pregnancy.
By now you will have set up a whelping box for your bitch in a quiet area of your house where she is free from unneeded stress or other distractions. You will have bought a heating lamp for the whelping box as it is important to keep the new pups warm and toasty. Make sure that the whelping box that you invest in is large enough for the mother to stretch out and big enough for her growing puppies. Another thing the whelping box should have is a rail that goes around the inside of the box. This is where the puppies can lay under so they don�t accidentally get squished by their mother. I know some breeders use a kiddy pool for the mother and her puppies. They swear by it, but I don�t understand how those puppies don�t get squished.
Hopefully you have been in contact with your veterinarian about your breeding of your bitch. You have let him know when she is due to whelp. As the actual time of her whelping draws near, you should be in contact with him to let him know how she is doing. Also you should know what his procedure is if your girl should run into an emergency situation. Will he come to her aid and meet you at his office during the evening hours after his office is closed? Or do you have to rely on an emergency vet to take care of her needs? Find this all out BEFORE you actually need help! A Vet that works with a breeder is a God send!
During the bitches last few days of pregnancy it is a good idea to monitor her body temperature. Normally you can do this using a rectal thermometer. The normal body temperature for animals is generally higher than for humans. The normal rectal temperature of a dog is 99.5� to 102.5�F. What you�re looking for is her temperature to drop to 98 degrees from her normal 99 � 101 degrees. You may even see her temperature fluctuate going up and down. It�s when it stays down, you normally have 12 � 24 hours from the time that she first started to drop her temperature. When it goes down to 98 or 97.9, then you may expect the first born in 2 � 12 hours. This is just a guideline as all bitches are different.
When your bitch is getting closer to whelping, you may find she goes from periods of sleeping for hours to becoming restless pacing back and forth. She may look stressed and excited. She will have to urinate more because of the pressure that she is feeling. Make sure you go outside with her when she goes potty as you don�t want her running off somewhere in the woods to deliver her first puppy. When her water breaks, you might not even see it, but if you check her, right before she�s ready to give birth, you will normally see a white mucous like substance. Stay with her. Your litter of puppies is getting ready to enter this world!
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: Dog breeding: (1 - 4)
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
SO YOU WANT TO BREED A LITTER OF PUPPIES - (Part 2)
Okay so you just invested in buying the best bitch that you can afford for your breeding program. You raise her until she�s at least two years of age. You have her x-rayed and submit them to the OFA for evaluation. You receive her OFA numbers for her hips and elbows. Then you once again take a look at the studs that you have been considering breeding her to for awhile. Hopefully you have done your homework and have investigated a little further into the bloodlines of the potential stud dogs and have talked to other breeders that have utilized these dogs into their own bloodlines. You would have discussed the faults of the lines and any health problems other breeders may have had. Perhaps you can even take a look at some of their puppies that they have produced from the stud dog that you are interested in using.
Once you�ve decided on a dog that you would like to use, your next step is to make sure that your bitch is up to date on any of her inoculations that she may need. Taking in a stool sample to your vet would be a good idea as well. This is a good time to have her thoroughly examined to make sure she�s healthy and ready to have a litter. Alright then, Mother Nature pays a visit to your girl and she�s in season.
You should get in touch with the stud dog owner on your bitches first day of season. This way the owner of the male can reserve the days that your bitch needs to be bred. Most stud dog owners will allow you to breed your bitch two times during her season to help ensure that she�ll get pregnant. Also the stud dog owner should let you know what tests he expects you to have on your bitch before the breeding takes place. These tests are to protect his stud as well as your bitch from contacting any infectious diseases. Some bitch owners will have tests done to determine when their bitch should be bred. I have never done this test and I have never had a bitch miss. But for those bitches that do have a harder time conceiving, these tests can prove to be very valuable to the bitch owner.
This is what the person that wrote to me about writing about this subject had to say about the actual breeding of the two animals. �You can of course leave out the copulation itself as I think most know how that is done.� Well you would think that that would be the case, but it�s not always that way. Most people think that you just put the two dogs� together and let nature do what nature normally does. You would think. But it doesn�t always work out that way. Many a time the breeder has to be �hands on� when a breeding is taking place. If she�s not, injury may result or a breeding doesn�t take place at all. So let�s take a look at this eventful day.
So the time has come for you to breed your girl to the famous stud dog. Hopefully the stud dog will be a good breeder and there will be no problems. A good stud dog is an eager breeder and gets the job done without too much fanfare. The problem can arise when you have a young stud dog that is still �wet behind the ears� because he�s never been bred before or to very few bitches. I�ve written about my own experience with this. If it weren�t for me and the stud dog owner being there, serious damage could have resulted to the stud dog and maybe my bitch. Not to go into all the detail all over again here, I�ll just tell you that the stud dog tied with my bitch and then he wanted to play games and tried throwing himself on the floor like an overgrown puppy would do. That�s when the fun began! NOT! The poor dog was screaming in pain and he didn�t know what to do. The stud dog owner became so scared and yelled to me to hold my bitch very still. Thank God my bitch was an experienced brood bitch. She just looked at him like he was nuts and as if to say to him, �Are you done yet?�
Then you might run into the other side of the spectrum and have a dog that is a lazy breeder and is not really too interested in your bitch. I also had that happen before. Eventually we got the breeding done and had a large litter, but you would think that the stud would want to breed a willing bitch. Nope, he had to be coaxed.
And then how about the stud dog that is overly exuberant with anything that has four legs. He�s an aggressive stud dog and the owner has all he can do to hold the wild bronco back. This can result in outside ties and small litters or no litters at all. Then you can�t breed to him until another 24 hours at least and hope that the next time you can calm his libido down a little bit. And hopefully you�ll have a litter.
And the stud dogs are not the only ones that can give you a headache. How about your darling sweet little girl? If she is a maiden bitch, she may not want anything to do with the stud dog at all. She may be frightened or she may want to rip his head off! Most stud dog owners will muzzle all bitches that come in to be bred to their dogs. The smart owner doesn�t take any chances. Many times after they are tied, the muzzle will be taken off the bitch.
So no, it�s not just about putting the two dogs together. The breeders are very much a part of what goes when the two dogs are bred. Believe me many stud dogs owners earn their stud dogs fees and the bitch owner ears her puppy prices!
So if everything goes well, you will have had two breedings on your girl and you can take her home and wait until you see the signs that your bitch is pregnant. Your girl will carry her babies for nine weeks. While she is pregnant you will make sure that she has the proper nutrition and some breeders will give their bitches supplements at this time to ensure that she is getting the extra vitamins they she will need to nourish her babies and herself.
If you haven�t already, now is the time to invest in a good whelping box for the mother and her newborns.
(To be continued)�.
DRYMATE WHELPING BOX LINER -
* Provide your pet with a clean sanitary whelping area.
* The soft, non-woven fabric absorbs and contains liquids.
* The bonded backing prevents leak through and protects the flooring.
* Machine washable and dryable.
My rating: breeding puppies: (1 - 4)
Once you�ve decided on a dog that you would like to use, your next step is to make sure that your bitch is up to date on any of her inoculations that she may need. Taking in a stool sample to your vet would be a good idea as well. This is a good time to have her thoroughly examined to make sure she�s healthy and ready to have a litter. Alright then, Mother Nature pays a visit to your girl and she�s in season.
You should get in touch with the stud dog owner on your bitches first day of season. This way the owner of the male can reserve the days that your bitch needs to be bred. Most stud dog owners will allow you to breed your bitch two times during her season to help ensure that she�ll get pregnant. Also the stud dog owner should let you know what tests he expects you to have on your bitch before the breeding takes place. These tests are to protect his stud as well as your bitch from contacting any infectious diseases. Some bitch owners will have tests done to determine when their bitch should be bred. I have never done this test and I have never had a bitch miss. But for those bitches that do have a harder time conceiving, these tests can prove to be very valuable to the bitch owner.
This is what the person that wrote to me about writing about this subject had to say about the actual breeding of the two animals. �You can of course leave out the copulation itself as I think most know how that is done.� Well you would think that that would be the case, but it�s not always that way. Most people think that you just put the two dogs� together and let nature do what nature normally does. You would think. But it doesn�t always work out that way. Many a time the breeder has to be �hands on� when a breeding is taking place. If she�s not, injury may result or a breeding doesn�t take place at all. So let�s take a look at this eventful day.
So the time has come for you to breed your girl to the famous stud dog. Hopefully the stud dog will be a good breeder and there will be no problems. A good stud dog is an eager breeder and gets the job done without too much fanfare. The problem can arise when you have a young stud dog that is still �wet behind the ears� because he�s never been bred before or to very few bitches. I�ve written about my own experience with this. If it weren�t for me and the stud dog owner being there, serious damage could have resulted to the stud dog and maybe my bitch. Not to go into all the detail all over again here, I�ll just tell you that the stud dog tied with my bitch and then he wanted to play games and tried throwing himself on the floor like an overgrown puppy would do. That�s when the fun began! NOT! The poor dog was screaming in pain and he didn�t know what to do. The stud dog owner became so scared and yelled to me to hold my bitch very still. Thank God my bitch was an experienced brood bitch. She just looked at him like he was nuts and as if to say to him, �Are you done yet?�
Then you might run into the other side of the spectrum and have a dog that is a lazy breeder and is not really too interested in your bitch. I also had that happen before. Eventually we got the breeding done and had a large litter, but you would think that the stud would want to breed a willing bitch. Nope, he had to be coaxed.
And then how about the stud dog that is overly exuberant with anything that has four legs. He�s an aggressive stud dog and the owner has all he can do to hold the wild bronco back. This can result in outside ties and small litters or no litters at all. Then you can�t breed to him until another 24 hours at least and hope that the next time you can calm his libido down a little bit. And hopefully you�ll have a litter.
And the stud dogs are not the only ones that can give you a headache. How about your darling sweet little girl? If she is a maiden bitch, she may not want anything to do with the stud dog at all. She may be frightened or she may want to rip his head off! Most stud dog owners will muzzle all bitches that come in to be bred to their dogs. The smart owner doesn�t take any chances. Many times after they are tied, the muzzle will be taken off the bitch.
So no, it�s not just about putting the two dogs together. The breeders are very much a part of what goes when the two dogs are bred. Believe me many stud dogs owners earn their stud dogs fees and the bitch owner ears her puppy prices!
So if everything goes well, you will have had two breedings on your girl and you can take her home and wait until you see the signs that your bitch is pregnant. Your girl will carry her babies for nine weeks. While she is pregnant you will make sure that she has the proper nutrition and some breeders will give their bitches supplements at this time to ensure that she is getting the extra vitamins they she will need to nourish her babies and herself.
If you haven�t already, now is the time to invest in a good whelping box for the mother and her newborns.
(To be continued)�.
DRYMATE WHELPING BOX LINER -
* Provide your pet with a clean sanitary whelping area.
* The soft, non-woven fabric absorbs and contains liquids.
* The bonded backing prevents leak through and protects the flooring.
* Machine washable and dryable.
My rating: breeding puppies: (1 - 4)
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