Year Published:
Breeding Better Dogs Newsletter
"Building a Better World of Breeders"
Dear Reader
Do you travel with your dog? 37% of Americans do.
Harvey-Irma Updates
In both recent storms, many pet owners were forced to evacuate and did not have time to gather the necessary items needed to care for their pets. AKC Reunite responded. In Fort Worth, they deployed an AKC Pet Disaster Relief trailer to the Fort Worth Wilkerson Facility emergency shelter which allows people to safely evacuate with their pets. This is a pet-friendly place that houses supplies. It creates a safe temporary home base for at least 65 pets. A second trailer was deployed to the Tri Cities/Cedar Hill "Mega" Shelter which was set up in Dallas at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center. AKC also worked with the SPCA of Texas, the Dallas Animal Services Unit and the Dallas County Animal Response Team and then donated thousands of dollars to Austin Pets Alive Shelter, Etosha Rescue and the SPCA of Brazoria County. More than $3,000 have already spent on kennel runs for the Tri-Cities Animal Shelter and the Dallas County Response Mega Shelter. To donate to AKC Reunite, please click here.
Why Do Dogs Lick?
Liz Donovan of the AKC reported that many dogs lick their owners and other dogs for a variety of reasons ranging from love and submission to possible medical conditions. Here are some other reasons.
You taste good – Seems gross, but our sweaty, salty skin can be intriguing to dogs who explore by scent. It’s one of the reasons they steal our socks and underwear.
For the "reward" - Think back to the last time your dog licked you and how you responded? Did you reach down and pet him? Offer him food? Say something like, "Stop licking me"? All of these actions are forms of positive reinforcement and signal that licking will get attention, which encourages future behavior.
A show of submission
According to Dr. Nicholas Dodman, DVM, dogs lick to show submission, especially if it’s another dog. Puppies lick their mother’s mouth as a signal subordination.
Possible medical (or behavior) issues - Repeated licking may need attention. Anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorders cause dogs to lick their feet or to resolve a persistent itch caused by allergies. Obsessive licking warrants a look by your veterinarian.
Unwanted Virus, Parvo, Kennel Cough etc.
Owners can do more according to Pathogend of Georgia. They are the experts in cleaning and disinfecting of kennels and the places where puppies are whelped. How big is the problem? In June, the absentee rate for all dog shows was 38% and for all of 2016 it was only 17%. According to Dr. Merry Fitzgerald DVM, there is a high risk for the spread of the influenza virus (H3N2 CIV), kennel cough and Parvo, which means that owners must be especially careful. Dog shows, dog parks, training classes, boarding kennels and grooming parlors are all considered high risk because a coughing dog can generate virus-containing airborne sprays that travel 20 feet. Judges are being asked to clean their hands when judging and to have exhibitors show the teeth. Some owners have tried vaccines; others have tried a hospital-grade product available through Pathogend of Georgia. It can be used in the routine cleaning of kennels and places where dogs and pups are kept. I use it and I know of several handlers who use it with good results. To learn more visit: Pathogend of Georgia.
Steps Pathogend recommends for cleaning:
- Remove dogs, toys, bedding etc.
- Wash kennels and affected areas with good detergent
- Scrub right to left and top to bottom, rinse – let dry
- Apply Pathogend product with home pump, use cone spray nozzle, dwell time - three minutes
- Let dry
- Return dogs to area
- Repeat weekly for best results
Choosing the Best Puppy? - 5th Breeder Skill
Learning how to pick the best puppies is a problem every breeder must face. This was confirmed in a study that showed that breeders were wrong more than 60% of the time. Reasons given were: lack of skills, unable to recognize the best ones, sold too early and pressure from pet buyers. Experts agree that choosing puppies is an underdeveloped skill. A DVD called "Choosing the Best Puppy" carefully explains how to not make these mistakes. It also includes a demonstration of how to use the five Early Neurological Stimulating exercises between 3-16 days of age.
Stick Dog Pedigree Software
Every breeder needs a pedigree software that can automatically generate three pedigrees:
- Traditional pedigree with names, titles and certifications
- Stick Dog Pedigree which color codes the seven structural traits of conformation
- Symbols Pedigree which codes health, dreaded diseases and special traits of interest.
Software Features:
- Easy to use - Just fill in dog’s name, titles and certifications
- Stores data on your computer
- Remembers the details of dogs previously entered
- Populates new pedigrees from the data base
- Easy to change fonts, colors
- Import/Export - easy to transfer data in and out of the program
- Data Fields include - AKC reg. #, name of breeder, owners, etc.
- Allows breeders to exchange pedigrees via the internet
- Includes a User Manual with step by step instructions.
War Dog Documentary – A Free VHS Tape, you pay only shipping. This is the amazing saga of American dogs in the Vietnam War. Narrated by Martin Sheen. Click Here.
New Seminar - New information and scientific findings have made these two seminars popular. They also provide hands - on useful information. "Structure, Movement and Pedigree Analysis" focuses on learning how to recognize good structure and movement and how to code what you learn into your pedigrees. "Making of a Super Dog". Step by step explanation of how to produce correct breed type, healthy, smarter and more trainable dogs that have stronger heart beats, more tolerance to stress and greater resistance to disease. Both seminars teach the students how to use pedigree analysis, socialization, nutrition and the maternal influence. Record keeping and management techniques are included. To see synopsis of each seminar. Go to: Our Seminars Page
Keys to Success
There are volumes of information available on most subjects, which is why we believe that “Those who don't read have no advantage over those who can't.”