I'm Getting Pictures!

/\     MONTANA (Di/Brogue Fall '09) on vacation!




/\     Beckett
(Emy/Sparky Spring '10)
\/     Tucker

Updates

Fleas, Tapes and other worms, Loose stool - oh MY!

Right about now is when this stuff is going to start showing up. The pups are due for the next (and last) parvo combo shot in the next few days and the flea prevention... Advantage... is starting to wear off. Tape worms... the ones that look like rice... are caused by the dog swallowing a flea. The little buggers do not have to be on the animal; they can be in the grass or hitching a ride on someone's clothing. Generally, tapes are not particularly harmful to the dog BUT they do have a high ugh! gross! factor. One pill from the vet... or if you prefer, there is a monthly heartworm preventative which also prevents tapes. Ask your vet if Iverheart Max is available. It also prevents round worms (look like spaghetti) and probably most of the others (yes, there are others!) as well. Loose stool, at this stage, is usually caused by coccidia and/or giardia, both of which live in the digestive tract and are shed during periods of stress. Both are easily and inexpensively treated with Albon or metronidazole. (The latter is marketted as Flagyl for human consumption for the same problem.)

At home with Beckett Hoagland



Young Mr. Beckett and his Portie roommate.


One of my favorite pictures



Someone sent me this several years back and it always brings a smile to my face!

Dog Foods

Once again, Caren has done all the work for me...


After finding out that what I was transitioning Jack Elliott to was too high in fat, I did some internet research and I came up with a list of brands that fit your criteria. In case anyone else is interested here is the list:

Brand Protein %/Fat%

California Natural Lamb 21/11
Excel Lamb Meal :& Rice 22/12
Eagle Pack Maintenance 20/12
Nutro's Natural Choice 21/12
Nature's Recipe Maintenance Lamb 20/10
Cycle Adult 22/8
Science Diet Savory Recipe Chicken 20/12
Purina Dealer's Pride Economy 18/6
Purina Mainstay 16/6
Natural Life Lamaderm 22/10
Fromm Family Maintenance 20/11
Avoderm Brown Rice, Oatmeal & Chicken Meal Formula Lite 18/8
Avoderm Natural Lamb Meal and Brown Rice 20/10
Castor & Pollux Natural Ultramix Lamb & Rice 22/12

We're going to go with Avoderm Natural Lamb Meal and Brown Rice. I've looked at the ingredients and I like it...lots of Omega 3s, glucosamine and probiotics, and it's available at Petsmart.

Thanks, Caren!

For MANY years I have fed Pedigree which is 21/10 and is available in grocery stores everywhere.

Picture of Remy



Remy is adjusting to life in Salt Lake City, aidded by her uncle, Stewart, who is the son of Brogue.

Growing TOO Fast, Teething

Rob in CA and Caren in TN (Charlie and Elliott) both report that their pups have GREATLY increased their weights in the short time they've lived with them. That is NOT good news. Too rapid early growth leads to a number of structural problems, not the least of which is hip dysplasia. ALL the pups should be on a good adult food with a protein level of no more than 22% and a fat level of no more than 12%. Right now is the time to take care of this problem.

Teething
Caren says this is what she is doing for Jack Elliott:

Teething is in full force. He ate a pair of my sandals (stupid me for leaving them under my desk while he was under there!), so I went to wally world and bought him a dozen of those rope bones, made some chicken stock (don't worry...skimmed the fat twice so it wouldn't be too fatty for him) soaked them along with his nyla bone and kong toy, then put them in a freezer bag. Voila! When he starts gnawing on my foot, he gets a bone and it seems to really help numb his mouth and help with the pain.

And... Spider
This little girl is on hold for payment and is moving to CT to live with Connie.
Guess it's time for Di and Cotton to get busy!

Haskell Invitational & Waiting List

Yesterday... Sunday... the Haskell Invitational was run at Monmouth Park in NJ. A number of this year's top 3 year olds competed and it had all the excitement of watching the sun bake my yard into cement. Sorry, but there simply isn't a 3 year old this year that arouses my continuing interest. No great ones in this crop! One of the commentators mentioned that the 23 stakes races for 3 year olds have been won this year by... wait for it... 23 DIFFERENT horses. Now that is the definition of mediocrity. The Haskell was won by last year's 2 year old champ, Looking at Lucky. Which means he's one race better than anybody else. Until the next race. Ho hum.

Waiting List
For the first time in years, I am opening a waiting list for upcoming litters. I get email daily with questions about the Fall possibilities and they usually end with "please let me know when SO-and-So is bred." I am willing to do that on a limited basis, hence, a waiting list. Families will go through the usual screening and pay a fee to be on the list and will have first option to upgrade to the reservation list once one of the girls is definitely "with pup." Since I have a limited number of litters a year, this seems to be the best solution for people who want one of my puppies.

All Gone But One

Remy and Beckett flew out this morning, together in the same crate. They're going to be living within a short distance of each other in Salt Lake with families that are friends. Which means they'll get to see lots of one another.

Remy weighed 10 pounds 12 ounces at the vet on Tuesday
and Beckett was 13 pounds 8 ounces.

It is interesting to me that the pups are in the same formation, size-wise, at 3 months as they were at birth:
Elliott and Beckett the largest with Spider and Brother the smallest and in between, from larger to smaller, are Marco, Charlie, Remy and Lola. That seldom happens. And there WAS some shifting around getting to this age.

Which leaves Spider
Gonna have to get serious about finding her a home now that everyone else is gone. Of course, Wombat will miss her terribly, but maybe she'll develope some manners if she has to deal with adult dogs rather than a pup that is half her size!

Happy Birthday

The pups are 3 months old today. I know! Seems like they've been around forever! Even in dog years, they are still infants.