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Finding a Dog

Buying a puppy – busting some myths

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Buying a puppy myth No 1: Crossbreeds are healthier

I was asked recently by someone buying a puppy if I knew any ‘Maltipoo’ breeders.  No.  I don’t know any breeders of crossbreeds.  I suggested they bought a Maltese.  Why does it need to have a bit of ‘poo’ in it?  It seems that everyone is obsessed with having a poodle cross, so that there is no dog hair.  That is great, except that you are still going to have mud, wee, poo (actual poo!) and chewing.  You still need to be 100% committed to having a dog and taking care of a LIVING BEING.

I looked up Maltipoo and found the info page on Pets4homes/maltipoo which I thought was really informative.  It lists the health issues for the ‘breed’ along with whether or not these can be tested for.  Crucially, the site says “Today, there are first generation (f1) Maltipoos, second generation, third and fourth generation Maltipoos, but what are considered the healthiest are first generation dogs“.  How will you know which generation you are getting?  For pedigree dogs, the heritage is known, but crossbreed breeders rarely provide that level of information.

Health issues when buying a puppy

It was interesting to read about the health issues for Maltipoos.  The page lists 13 health issues for Maltese, of which only two can be tested to prevent.  Poodles (toy and miniature) have an additional 23 possible health issues, or which only 4 can be tested to prevent.  Wow, I’d be concerned about this, particularly as some of these issues have serious implications for the quality of life of the dog.

By contrast, the page for Pets4homes/Border Collie, lists 8 health issues, ALL of which have health tests available, other than for epilepsy. This means that you are far less likely to have health issues from a PEDIGREE Border Collie.

Myth No 2: I need to see both parents to know if I am getting a good dog

When you are buying a puppy from a responsible breeder, you are unlikely to see both parents.  Most pedigree breeders want to have parents that are unrelated, so they are usually owned by different people.  When you are buying a pedigree dog, you can check the health and parentage of the parents before you go and look at the puppies.  So you will know what they are like.  The Kennel club – mate select lists all the registered pedigree dogs with their health tests for you to check.  In addition, for Border Collies we have the Anadune database which gives us a great deal of information.

If an owner has both parents, they are usually a casual breeder who has just thought it would be ‘fun’ to have some puppies.  Often a crossbreed (see above) and often without bothering about available health tests.

Myth No 3: As long as I take it to the vet when I get it, that will be fine

Yes of course you should definitely get your puppy checked over by a vet when you get it.  But that won’t make it healthy!  The vet can tell you whether your puppy has been well raised and nurtured, from a health point of view.  They can give their expert opinion about whether or not it is from good stock.  It might be possible to identify serious health issues, such as a heart defect.  You might then decide to take the dog back to the breeder, who might then sell it on to some other poor sap.

However, it’s already too late for most health issues.  Again, it’s about having the dog bred from healthy parents – that is the crucial factor in determining long-term health.  Many of the issues that will end up costing you money in the long term cannot be identified by the vet at 8 weeks of age.

Buying a puppy at any cost?

“We will still love it, even if it has health issues”

OK, that’s fair enough for you.  But what about the poor dog?  You are sentencing it to a life of pain and suffering, because you couldn’t be bothered to buy it from someone who tried to ensure that it would be as healthy as possible.  Not to mention the stress, anxiety and suffering that you will go through alongside your dog, every time it is ill.  Oh and don’t forget the thousands of pounds you could pay in vet’s bills, especially if the insurers can determine that it was a ‘pre-existing condition’.

Anyway, why would you do that?  Why would you choose to buy a dog, without being sure that it is as healthy as it can be?  After all, you wouldn’t buy a car without knowing it was safe to drive, would you?

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. This book is a hands-on, interactive book for you. It will help you survive the first year with your puppy, but also act as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely! Find out lots more by looking at the Contents page.

BUY NOW!

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Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think. 

NO PUPPIES AVAILABLE

Ounce's Adventures

Out with the big dogs – can she behave?

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Can the puppy be good?

Bless her, she’s almost fully grown now, so I decided last week that she may as well walk with the others.  I only walk my girls for an hour a day; off lead the whole time, apart from 5 minutes here and there.  They have a variety of walks and so receive plenty of stimulation.  I usually do a bit of training with them while we walk. This might be a ‘wait’ or a ‘down’ or we just work on recall.

Ounce loves being out with the pack and follows Busy (her mum) around the whole time.  It’s great seeing the two of them running about so happily, Busy and her shadow. However, as you can see in this photo, while the girls are usually pretty tightly together, Ounce is perfectly able to go off and explore something on her own.  We’re in Rushmere Country Park by the way.

I am delighted to report that she is also able to come back to me, regardless of what the others are doing.  I was also extremely pleased this morning when she came round a corner to find the others waiting for a runner to go past.  I said ‘wait’ and she stopped immediately, standing stock still.  Fantastic!

This is an interesting picture of the ‘pack order’.  They are waiting for the ball to be thrown.  This is them in order of ‘most interested in the ball’.  Lol.  In fact, this morning they did actually pick it up in that order – Aura, Sunny, Busy and Ounce.  Luna never, ever picks up the ball.  She is in charge of making sure we are all safe. Usually, a family of collies will stay in order of seniority; Sunny, Luna, Aura, Busy and Ounce.  But when there is a ball involved, all bets are off!

I thought I would try and take a picture of them in the frost, under a Christmas tree.  It was the end of the walk, so Ounce was rather tired, bless her.  Do you think this picture would be OK for December’s Dentbros Calendar next year?  Needs a bit more work, I think 🙂

As always, if you want to make sure you don’t miss the latest on Ounce and her adventure, or any of my other posts, FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.  Please CONTACT ME if you would like me to know more about me or my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think?

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Christmas Shopping Ideas

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I have an Amazon Associate account, which means that if you buy things by clicking on the links on this site, I receive a few pennies as a reward.

So here are some things I’ve bought, that I like:

 

 

Of course I can’t tell you about all the shopping I’ve done recently, as they are for my family!  But these are some books I’ve enjoyed reading this year.

Ounce's Adventures, Shop

Puppies and toys – do they need them?

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Why buy toys for your puppy?

I was reflecting on the fact that I have recently bought another pile of toys for the dogs (especially the puppy) and some of these have already been destroyed. Is is a waste of money?  Is it better to spend more on toys, or buy cheap ones?  Should you have toys for chewing, or fetching, tugging, or shaking?  All of those, of course!

I have a whole toy box full of stuff for my girls.  I tidy up before bed every day and by the end of the following day there will be up to 20 toys littering the kitchen and hall.  This demonstrates to me that the toys serve a purpose.  They engage the brain in some way.

Butter wouldn’t melt, eh?  Hmm, that’s what you think. 

This is supposed to be a squirrel.

Busy still loving it though, despite its diminished appearance.

This had a nice rope on it for tugging a week ago.  Ounce even played tuggy with Aura, for about ten minutes.  I found the rope in the garden yesterday, having been passed right through somebody (it was Aura).

Poor thing.  It had legs, and stuffing in its head.  Not long before it too, is consigned to the bin.

This tatty old bottle was inside a toy, which went in the bin.  Bottles and yogurt pots are such popular toys.  Not everything has to be expensive.

This hat was hanging from a pin on the top floor.  The puppy is not allowed upstairs, yet somehow she crept up two flights and picked this off the wall, bringing it downstairs.  Fortunately she decided not to shred it, so it can dress some pirate up on another day.

That is what happens if no toys are provided – the puppy will look for other mischief.  As well as keeping them happy, toys do provide mental stimulation and engagement.  That is why I keep buying and providing them.  Plus, who doesn’t want to buy their dog a sprout for Christmas?

Treats for your dog

Here are some toys you might like:

KONG squeaky dog toys

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

Dog Breeding, Litter 8 - Nov 2017

Health Tests – why bother?

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Can you guarantee a healthy dog?

I feel such a fraud.  I have been writing huge volumes on this website to promote my ‘Beautiful Border Collies, bred for better temperament and health’.  I have generated a good-sized following and lots of positive feedback.

Sadly though, a week ago, Luna lost a litter of puppies; they were stillborn.  In fact they had died some time before.  She ended up at the vet’s, having a caesarean and being speyed.  It was traumatic for us and very sad.  I was devastated not to be able to provide the longed-for pups for the people waiting so eagerly and excitedly for them.  I was upset for my beautiful girl, feeling guilty for putting her through it.  Why had I bothered?

I wrote a few weeks ago about looking after your pregnant bitch explaining that I take the utmost care of my dogs.  I pride myself on doing all the health tests that I can and making sure that my dogs are the best they can be.  So what went wrong?  The answer is: nothing much went wrong.  Making babies is difficult – everyone knows that.  All sorts of things can go wrong, and often does.  That’s life.

I had had a vague feeling of unease about this litter.  Luna had experienced more difficulties than my other girls in having her other two litters.  The first time, the labour was longer and slower and she nearly had a caesarean.  Happily, she delivered five beautiful princesses, including Aura, the squeakiest dog you are likely to meet.  Two years later she had one stillborn pup, then four beauties, who were three years old yesterday – happy birthday Beatrix Potter litter!

One dead pup from 43 is a pretty good record.  I was therefore relatively confident in my experience of whelping that I could deliver these pups safely.  Luna had a generally normal pregnancy, although she did seem to be drinking a lot for a while, some weeks ago.  She had always been quite a thirsty dog, so I thought that she might have just been getting hotter than normal, carrying around her babies.  She definitely was not ill; no loss of appetite, no lethargy, no ‘staring’ coat, no sickness or diarrhea.  Nothing I could take to a vet.

Possible health complications

I found a good description of some of the things that can cause a bitch to reabsorb the puppies, which is also really common, possibly as often as 12% of pregnancies.  It says that this can occur because of some health complications affecting mother dog or the puppies.  Infectious causes may include bacteria such as Brucella canis, salmonella, e-coli, campylobacter and streptococci, parasites such as toxoplasma gondii and neospora caninum and viruses such as herpesvirus, parvovirus, distemper and mycoplasma.  Other potential causes may include abnormal fetal development, abnormal levels of progesterone, defects of mother dog’s uterine lining, inefficient placentas, side effects of drugs given to mother dog, mother dog’s age, not to mention various nutritional and environmental factors such as presence of metals in water, trauma, exposure to smoke etc.  Often, the exact cause is impossible to pinpoint.

Source: https://www.whydodogs.com/why-do-dogs-absorb-puppies/

What can we do about it?

I know that the pups didn’t die from any of the viruses against which Luna has been vaccinated.  I know that she was fit and well going into the pregnancy and that she was well cared for and well fed.  She did not suffer any trauma.  In other words, I did the best I could to produce healthy puppies.  That is all we can do – take whatever steps are available to us.

Where does that leave prospective owners?

When I receive an enquiry for a puppy, I tell people where I am with prospective litters.  If I have a litter on the way, I do tell people they might get a puppy.  Often people then become slightly hysterical with excitement – WE’RE GETTING A PUPPY!  I then have to explain that they might be getting a puppy.  There’s many a slip t’wixt cup and lip, as the saying goes.  From the time of the mating, these are the things that have to go right:

  • Conception occurs
  • Puppies are born healthy
  • Right number of puppies for the homes that are waiting
  • Correct sex of puppy for what the person wants
  • Correct colour, if required
  • Correct temperament for that home
  • No-one else chooses that puppy

A few weeks ago I wrote about selecting homes and how difficult this can be.  This time, there were always going to be people disappointed.  Two friends living locally wanted a puppy and they were always going to have the option first, as I am not a commercial breeder and would much rather pups stayed nearby so I can see them occasionally.

A happy ending

Luna is making good progress with recovering from her operation.  She should be fully fit and back to agility within another six weeks or so.  She is not yet eight, so she will have many happy years ahead of her.

I will have more puppies, just not from Luna.  I understand the risks and the challenges and I know that despite my concerns, I do a better job than many other dog breeders.  The dogs I have produced have brought joy to many people.

One of the homes I had lined up for this litter have already found another puppy.  I talked to them at length about the selection process.  This highlighted to me how challenging it is to find a good breeder and to know what to look for.  I will continue to write about this process, in order to help new owners and to support breeders, if possible.

Remember..

If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.  Please CONTACT ME if you have a problem you would like me to talk about?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.

 

Dog doc - reader's questions

Obsessive behaviour – when is it a problem?

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Question 8: What should you worry about with your obsessive dog?

If you have ever watched your collie chase the reflection of your watch face up the wall, while you laugh hysterically at your idiot dog, this post is about you and your dog.  I don’t know to what extent other breeds of dog do this, but I know most collies obsess about something.  Whether it is barking in a ridiculous way at possible squirrels in the garden or something else, collies love to fixate.  Here are some other examples of obsessive behaviour:

  • demanding you throw the ball/toy a MILLION times
  • barking at the doorbell/someone going past
  • chasing the cat
  • chasing cars
  • barking at/chasing cyclists and runners
  • chasing lights
  • chewing furniture/walls
  • ‘digging’ on the floor, as well as actual digging!

Sounds delightful doesn’t it?  Most collies don’t do ALL those things, but most do some of them.  Does it matter?

Collies are masters of self-stimulation.  That doesn’t mean quite what you think :p It means that they will find ways to amuse themselves.  It’s what we do when we are sitting waiting for something – we get out our phones and play a game or look at Facebook.  Collies do it too, only they aren’t able to manage a phone so they find a toy, or a light, or a squirrel or…  Something, anything to occupy their brain.

How to tackle obsessive behaviour

First of all, is it actually a problem?  If it’s a way of your dog keeping themselves occupied when they are left alone, or distracted when they can’t do something (such as at agility, when waiting for their turn), then it might be better that they shake a toy or chase a ball or follow a light than that they do something more destructive.

However, any obsession can become all consuming and take away mental energy from something more positive.  It can also result in your dog becoming so fixated on shaking a toy that they are not able to listen to your instructions.

The solution is easy in theory, less so in practice.

  1. Catch it.  Spotting what is going on is the first step.  Realising that they always do that, or that they persist in doing something, can help you to see that it doesn’t need to be like that.  It is entertaining watching your dog chase lights, but after a few hours, it really ought to stop.
  2. Distract it.  Simply, ask the dog to do something else.  Engage that huge brain in an alternative activity.  Playing with you can help to make them think.  Ask for simple commands to be followed and reward with some play and/or treats.  Provide toys to play with so that the house is not being chewed, or the cat chased, or whatever.
  3. Reward stillness.  I generally expect my dogs to be calm when I am calm.  Because I am present in their lives and yet generally still (working on my PC), they learn to settle.  If I had a dog that was fidgeting around me, I would encourage it to lie down and then reward.
  4. Contain it.  If all else fails, put the dog in a safe space for some down time.  Usually dogs are happy to go into a crate if they are fed in there and their bed is comfy. It should be completely covered, so that it is a comforting, quiet space.

Remember..

If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.  Please CONTACT ME if you have a problem you would like me to talk about?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.

Activities with your dog, Ounce's Adventures

First Agility Steps

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When should you start agility training?

This is Ounce’s second agility ‘lesson’.  Five minutes playing, then a break, then five minutes more.  Last time she just learned about tunnels, so now she knows that they are super fun!  Please try not to pay too much attention to my delayed reactions.

Today she also had a go at walking over some poles, a bicycle tyre and a plastic bag, in order to get her to think about placing her feet and coping with obstacles.  She looked like a prancing pony lol.  Ounce also did some ‘shaping’ around a wing.  This involved her looking at the wing and receiving a reward.  Not too taxing.

Why do Agility with your dogs?

Because it is fun!  Dogs absolutely love doing agility, on the whole.  If they are collies they do anyway.  Some dogs are not motivated by it, but it suits collies perfectly.  Running about, doing stuff with you and then you throw the ball – fantastic!

Officially, dogs can compete in agility when they are 18 months old.  Which means by that age they need to know how to do it.  They are generally not meant to start jumping around at around 1 year of age, although no-one has told Ounce that.  She loves to fly on and off the sofa and treats the footstool as a trampette.

Before they are a year old, there is still a great deal they can learn and that is what we have been starting.  Maybe in a few years’ time, she will be as good as her cousin Aura…

Ounce's Adventures

Fun up North! Visiting family

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Taking your dog(s) away – how easy is it?

I’m an old hand at dog ownership, but taking my dogs away is still stressful.  I don’t take them ALL away, although I hope to do that next year.  I am fortunate that I can leave some of them here with family or friends and that is one less thing to worry about.  So what do you need to think about when taking dogs away, or leaving them behind?

My girls are all pretty well behaved around other people and can be looked after by just about anyone.  They are easy to walk, as they always come when they are called and they don’t usually complain when left.  They do get on with other dogs, on the whole, so are fine to stay with other dogs.

They love people, so are great to cuddle up to on the sofa.  That’s fine, as long as the sofa is OK for dogs!

They do usually settle down in strange places.  They often stop eating properly when they are away, which is fine for a few days and to be expected.  Dogs usually sort themselves out after a while.

Packing for your dog

Here’s a checklist of what to pack:

  • food, including treats and bedtime snacks
  • bowls, including something for water, especially in a non-dog friendly house
  • bedding – take spare in case of accidents
  • crate for puppy – an absolute must if puppy will be left.  Most people don’t really want strange dogs in their bedrooms, so dogs must be able to be safely left.
  • towels – really important if it’s muddy in the garden
  • leads – I keep spare in the car so I always have one to hand
  • ID tags – vital to have these when you are away
  • toys – if you have a young dog, don’t forget to take some toys with you, as your visitors won’t be impressed if your pup chews up their house!

Of course you also need appropriate clothing for you to go on walks with your dog.  It’s not quite as much stuff as when taking a baby away, but it’s not much less!

What about the dogs left behind?

Here’s a checklist of information to provide:

  • Reminders about providing plenty of fresh water
  • Clear explanations of feeding regime
  • Tel no of your vet
  • Medications – dosage and timing
  • Walk instructions – I’m really fussy about the amount of ball throwing I want other people to do/not do, so that the dogs are not over-exerted.  I don’t want my dogs walked on lead, as that is not a proper walk.  I would rather they were not walked than kept on lead!

Of course your dog sitter should be able to contact you with any queries or concerns, but often they feel that they don’t want to bother you.  So any guidance you can provide is helpful.

A final point about taking your dog away; they must be good in the car.  They need a clear space in which to travel safely, preferably with water to hand.  You should stop regularly to allow them to toilet.  It is handy to teach them to go whilst on lead, so that they can go anywhere.  I will talk about travelling by car soon.

As always, if you want to make sure you don’t miss the latest on Ounce and her adventure, or any of my other posts, FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.  Please CONTACT ME if you would like me to know more about me or my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think?

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Dentbros Clothing!

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Lovely, practical clothing, with the Dentbros Logo!

Here is Helen (Pixie’s mum) modelling a lovely padded, cotton bodywarmer, with a hood.  If you fancy ordering something, you can order directly from Workwear Express.  Or you can CONTACT ME and I can place an order and add the logo to it.  I can accept PayPal payments to cover the cost of adding the logo.

These two items are ones I ordered recently.  I am loving them, as they are really useful to layer up and add pockets as the weather gets cooler.

Or why not add a pretty hoodie – with or without full zip.  The pockets are so useful and it is great to wear around the house.  These come in a wide range of colours – go on, treat yourself!

Order directly from Workwear Express without the logo.  Or you can CONTACT ME and I can place an order and add the logo to it.  I can accept PayPal payments to cover the cost of adding the logo.

Great clothing, great logo – what’s not to like!

To stay up to date with all things Dentbros, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.  Please CONTACT ME if you would like me to know more about me or my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think?