 7 March 2010
- So, here I am at Tractors Supply. Their selection of dog food brands inspired me to write this post. I am very well versed in what ingredients are considered best in a dog food formula. Here is my analysis.
1. 4Health. Probably best ingredients for a relatively low price. Large Breed Formula: $30. 2 first ingredients - chicken. Awesome! Then some grains but no corn which is great too. 23pc protein. Chicken and rice. 30$. Same thing. 26 percent protein. Will definitely try it on my dogs as it is very similar to Authority that you can only get at Petsmart.
2. Taste of the Wild. With BISON and VENISON. A bit expensive $43. But the ingredients are worth it. No corn. No cheap meat, no by-products. High meat content. But very high protein - 32percent. Not for couch potatoes.
3. Blue. $47. 2 first ingredients - chicken. No corn. Good food.
4. Science Diet. $40. Large breed puppy. First and third ingredient - corn. 2nd - chicken by-product meal. I don't know about you but I don't see my dog growing up on corn. Not for this money.
5. Proplan. $41. 26percent protein. 2 corn ingredients. By-products.
6. Nutro. $40. Lots of rice, one corn ingredient. All of this outweighs chicken meal as the 1st ingredient.
7. Eukanuba. $40. A whole bunch of grains and by-products. Uhm, no!
8. Nature's recipe. $45. Very good content. A bit pricey. 25 percent protein
9. Diamond. Revised formula. $28. Great ingredients for the money. 26 percent protein.
10. IAMS. Caused massive diarrhea in my dog. Will pass that one.
27 February 2010
- Learn to enjoy simple things. Your dog will help you. Go hiking. Mountain climbing. Bicycling. Picnicking. Go visit dog-loving friends. Attend a dog class. Go sightseeing. Traveling. All with your dog!
26 February 2010
- Would like to share a very interesting post - a great insight into Doberman's health and breeding. Posted by: Lori Ringelberg.
"Here, Here! It is exasperating. I have been looking for a stud for my bitch for half a year and of course I start at dobequest looking for cause of death history. I lost my male to cardio last year, my first dobe. You come into the breed being told of the devastation that cardio ravages on the breed, but they are just words, until you actually live it, now I am stonewalled. I read a post on cyberdobes a long time back. They were throwing around cardio. I read that a breeder shouldn't breed a bitch or a male if cardio has shown up anywhere three generations back. Try working with that, especially if you are starting with an older male (eight years or older) just because you figure it is still breathing, good sign, and the health records will cover a greater period of time. It's like writing your own epitaph even before you start. Danny, the omissions of cause of death on the records, is nothing short of fraud. The DPCA Code of Ethics ask the members to support them and their concerns over the health issues in the breed. It also asks its members to breed only with the intent to better the breed with health, structure and temperament in mind. It is hard to live up to this code when so many don't disclose. As Mommy always preached when growing up, "to not admit the truth is the same as telling a lie". I think Dr. Phil says something like that too.
I have spent 6 months looking at pedigrees. There is more omissions to cause of death than carter has liver pills. Many of these dogs on dobequest were breeder's show stock or breeding stock and to believe that they had no idea what they died from is ludicrous. Some lines never acknowledge cause of death (unless it is an occasional cause of bloat, torsion or cancer). In my exasperation when I see a line of animals that have left this earth and travelled to the great beyond in the unmarked coach car, I either think the breeder was so callous and irresponsible to the breed that they didn't give a rat's ass what demons they had in their lines or they knew, and then of course, were just deceitful. Just for fun, I pull off the pedigrees and write cardio beside every dog that has passed on without any comment from the breeder. Doesn't leave much to work with. It would be nice to even get (it was a complete surprise but didn't bother to do an autopsy for cause of death, or didn't even bother to take it to a vet when it was failing to see what was off so I could hazard a guess).
It is the big "hush" "hush" game. You don't rattle my world and I won't shake a rattle at yours. There is an insider crowd that secretly knows the ghosts in each other closets, but they are part of that society and the code word is "shush". So we stumble along, repeating each others mistakes, again and again at the expense of our animals, even profiting from realized mistakes, but doesn't that litter look good!!! We are racing into the tunnel that Peta and AR groups have painted for us. Purebred dog breeders breeding sick, inbred mutants. Damn the purebred! Hail the Mutt! Buy a rescue! The media is painting purebreds in a very negative light. The Canadian Veterinarian Medical Association has identified certain breeds for "recommenced discontinuation" due to genetic health problems. The doberman and cardio is one such identified breed. That rather puts the onus on us to clean house, pull up our socks and do better. It must be us. I don't know who else it would be.
Taking the search to the next level and fine tuning your information with the owner of the stud, sometimes doesn't get much better. If they fail to answer any of the questions I send them, that wasn't an accident, it becomes an instant character assassination and I move on. Many stud owners are wonderful, truthful, answer all questions, even if the answers aren't perfect. To me that is essential. It is their obligation if they offer their dog out as stud to fully inform and disclose all information requested by the buyer. No one dog is perfect, it is merely a game of weighing the facts against what you have and finding a balance, but you cannot due this without information."
22 February 2010
- Just got back from Germany. Story coming...
18 February 2010
- Pinkie sleeping in a box with baby clothes! This dog manages to sleep in the weirdest places!
10 February 2010
- When you are searching for a sport dog. The dog needs many drives to be successful in the sport. The dog should be balanced in conformation and health so he is physically able to reach the heights and demands for the sport. The scaling wall is vertical. A dog with too straight a front, front assembly to far forward, will have difficulty climbing this wall, with the added weight of a Schutzhund dumbbell. Same for any extremes. Longevity for the sport is compromised. Tracking requires another drive, that should be maintained throughout the pedigree. Hunt drive is often neglected in breeding decisions. It's difficult to train a drive that is not genetically sought after. Bite work requires a strong , confident dog. These dogs must still engage with the helper as the stick hits continue. There is a lot of pressure from the helper. Even in watching AKC obedience. You can see some of the dogs with a weaker nerve , unsettled by the judge moving into his space. Physical soundness affects mental soundness as well . You are fortunate if you have the mental and physical soundness, with the balances of drives, health, and conformation needed for the sport. That also will determine the dogs working longevity. Being true to the Dobermans heritage as a working breed, these balances should be sought for in breeding decisions.
By pamtotaldobe@aol.com
9 February 2010
- A few years back, Darlene Young wrote a very informative article on dentition with photos:
http://www.dobequest.org/dentition.php
20 January 2010
- The day you pick your puppy has arrived. Please come prepared. With a leash and a collar and paper towels and a doggy blanket.
Also, you need to be able to examine your pup right there:
- Clear eyes, clean ears. Some wax is normal. But look for the redness and odor.
- Bite
- Touch your puppy all over, look for hard spots or sensitive areas.
- Testicles if buying a show/breeding potential.
17 January 2010
- Finding the right breeder:
1. Check the breeder's expertise in breeding and raising puppies.
2. Don't be afraid to contact a show breeder. Not every puppy is born a champion.
3. Field trials, obedience, shows - the more the better!
4. Health is important!
5. Plan, visit, talk.
6. The breeder has to be experienced enough to be able to select the right puppy for you depending on your criteria.
7. An ethical breeder will not trash another breeder but will ethically try to educate you which breeders are not considered reputable AND why.
8. Intuition.
9. Quality of dogs used in breeding.
10. Quality of past dogs, puppies and breedings.
16 January 2010
- Kaysar - if this is not a picture of perfection, then what is?!
10 January 2010
- Happy New Year everybody! All the best to you and your canines! We've been busy with our little ones, but now we are back!
15 October
- If your dog has kennel cough. First of all, it's a combination of various viruses and Bordetella
bacteria - all of them cause similar symptoms but they are actually different in nature. Bacteria
is easily treated with antibiotics. While viruses cannot be treated the same way. Only the immune
system can fight off a virus. A virus can also cause a secondary infection which needs to be treated
with antibiotics. Antibiotics, in their turn, kill the immune system. As you see, it's like a cirlce.
So, the best thing is to provide a lot of immune support. Herbal remedies should not be overlooked.
They take longer but they are very effective in the long run.
10 October
- On my front page I talk about what an ideal doberman should be like. A friend. A protector. Just wanted to share one story which describes what our dogs are like IN REALITY.
So, my parents quite often spend time in their country house. One night dad was walking one of our dogs, Kadir z Padoku that was. All of a sudden Kadir froze and started growling at the trees. Then my dad heard threatening voices telling him to keep his dog away or else. Shortly after, one huge guy showed up yelling at my dad. Kadir was where he was to begin with - right between dad and the drunk guy. Growling, hair up, standing on the tips of his toes, not moving. Right behind the drunk guy, was standing another big guy, both threatening dad. Kadir was still there, frozen, growling. His whole look was so fierce that the only thing the guys were capable of was yelling threats. They were too afraid to confront a growling doberman!
I would be too. LOL. That's the kind of dogs we have!
3 October
- Happy Birthday to our G litter!
Happy belated Birthday to our D litter!
Many happy and healthy years!!!
21 September
- Dobermans and kids. Can they co-exist? Pics...
19 September
- I am in Russia
10 September
- Our Canis Maximus Dea Dorres flew to Austria to be bred with multi-CH, IPO-3 Titus Tarantula v. Jahrestal.
9 September
- It finally happened. Our new litter arrived today! So thrilled...
So sleep deprived
22 August
- IDC - a magic word to any Doberman fancier in Europe. It's a Doberman mecca! IDC stands for the
Internation Doberman Club. The Nationals of all nationals. The most important and prestigious Doberman show in Europe. Being in the top 5 in any class is an honor. This year there are over 600!!!! registries!!! Can you imagine the size of this show? Over 600 dobermans in just 3 days!!! The best of the best and not so best are all united during these magical 3 days in the beginning of September. Unfortunately my Birthday constantly falls on the IDC weekend. But one day I'll give myself the best gift ever - a trip to IDC!
21 August
- Is there a difference between a German doberman and a European doberman. - Not really. Unless you are talking about a pure working German breeding. Dogs of such breeding usually lack
in conformation but prove to be some of the best working dobermans.
20 August
- Not all vets are as competent as we wish them to be. It's a fact. Accept it. I have enough experience to be able to say so. Two different vet on two different occasions, after reading the hip xrays, concluded that the dogs' hips were bad. Well, the OFFA said otherwise. Just recently we received an upset call from our buyer whose vet was yelling at her for wasting money on a dog that couldn't be bred and wasn't show quality because... "something was wrong with his eye"... ???? .... and he said it was genetic... well, if it were genetic and something was really wrong, then that something had to have an official medical name, right? When I asked the buyer if the vet named that 'something' anyhow, if it were a 'cherry' eye, she replied that he didn't and it wasn't a 'cherry' eye... but the vet sure took liberty to yell at the poor woman. As per my advice, she took the dog to a new vet and the new vet didn't see anything bad in his eye. It looked more like irritation after a long flight, and a couple weeks later,
whatever that 'something' was, it went away by itself.
17 August
- One breeding pair of dogs and their offspring can produce 67,000 dogs in six years. Every year nearly
30 MILLION cats and dogs are born in the US. Only 10% will find safe and loving homes. Every year
6-10 MILLION are killed. Most are adoptable but can't find homes. Euthanasia is the single largest
cause of death for cats and dogs in the US. Nearly 65% of animals in shelters are killed.
The single biggest cause of animal overpopulation is people who do not sterilize their pets. Nationwide
the costs of trying to manage animal overpopulation may be 2 BILLION dollars. SPAY AND NEUTER! Not everyone
is born a breeder and not every dog should be bred!
16 August
- Tethering is disgusting and degrading to human nature. Persistent chaining of dogs causes mental,
emotional and physical problems. If you see a chained dog, here is what you can do: find out if there
are anti-tethering laws in you area, report, or ask your local humane society for help. Donate to
organizations that work on such legislations.
15 August
- While browsing through the shelves at Petsmart, I stumbled upon a catch tag saying "New" pointing at the new looking Authority dog food. It was a few dollars cheaper than what my dogs are eating right now - ProPlan. Usually cheap doesn't mean the best. But something made me turn over the bag and look at the protein % and the ingredients. Turns out it's the same - 26%. Just what I consider the right amount. And then the first two ingredients out of 3 (first 3 comprise the greatest part of the food) were chicken and chicken meal. What could be better?! I keep looking and I find myself thinking that I like what I am seeing. And so 5 bags land in the cart. Even such well established brands as Science Diet, IAMS, ProPlan cannot boast 2 first ingredients being of high grate meat or poultry!
So, we started yesterday. There is no transition in my pack. It's normally: "Okay, guys, we are switching to Nutro today!"
Today I discovered more solid waste than after months of feeding Proplan. Will keep you all posted!
12 August
- We plan on moving end of August.
10 August
- Gortenzia is pregnant. We are eagerly awaiting our first '09 litter.
1 August
- A lot of buyers ask me what the best time to start training their dog is. The best time is NOW.
You start small. Potty training. Talking. Basic gesture commands. Basic commands: sit, down and come. Your dog has to listen to you and respect you. You are the pack leader. Before you start serious training, you need to accomplish two things: the dog has to be controllable (without fear), and your need to get to the point when your dog becomes either food motivated or toy motivated (fixated will be a better word here). Add praise, and you are off to a great start!
25 July
- I love dogs that are not afraid of water. Swimming provides a lot of exercise and fun time. Here is what you need to know:
1 Use a dog life jacket
2 Be in the water with your pup
3 Start small
4 Keep it short
5 Make it fun!
Instructions:
1) put a well fitting harness on the dog,
2) attach a long floating rope or leash to the harness,
3) play fetch with the floating toy on the shore at first,
4) When the dog is happily playing fetch then start throwing the toy closer to the water,
5) Then throw it into the water at least five or six feet,
6) Gradually increase the distance of the throw,
7) If your dog is still reluctant to go after the toy get out the other dog who does love to swim,
8) Continue to play with the fetch toy near the water and in the water until the dog is venturing into
the water and swimming out to retrieve the toy,
9) practice this until the dog is swimming easily without lots of splashing and thrashing.
20 July
- The critical time frame for socialization is from around 8 to 16 weeks of age.
How to socialize your puppy:
1) Invite a range of people and friendly, healthy pets to visit your home and visit their homes with
your puppy.
2) Enroll your puppy in a puppy training class or kindergarten.
3) Introduce your puppy to noises that she'll encounter throughout life. Be very careful with
fireworks.
4) Take your puppy to the vet's office. 5) Expose your puppy to unusual things.
6) Go places!
18 July
- The general principles recommended by OFA for breeding away from
HD (hip dysplasia) are:
1) Breed only normal dogs (meaning, not dysplastic) to normal dogs.
2) The normal dogs should come from normal parents and grandparents.
3) The normal dogs should have over seventy-five percent normal siblings.
4) A dog with excellent hips from a litter having more than twenty-five percent dysplastic pups is a worse breeding choice than a dog with fair hips from a litter experiencing less than twenty-five percent dysplasia.
5) Choose replacement dams that have better hips than their parents and the breed average.
15 July
- Got an email: "Have a 1 year old black/tan male. Not fixed. Registered. Will you be interested in using him?" NO! First of all, I want to keep my breeding choice solely mine. I pick studs keeping in mind their conformation, show and working titles as well as health test results. And this male, sight unseen, without anything behind his name... why should I use him? Just because he is a doberman and has two testicles?! Please, DO NOT email me with your stud offers.
11 July
- We DO NOT give other breeder referrals. Do your homework and search online for a breeder or a dog you like. There are hundreds of breeders in the US - do we have to keep up with what they are breeding and selling thus taking away time from our own dogs and pups?
8 July
- I received an email from one of the people interested in one of our dogs. Just wanted to quote it here to describe what can be considered a total ridicule. Not that the person was completely wrong but rather overbearing in demands. NONE of the tests listed will tell you if the dog is going to be your soulmate for many years to come, if the dog is going to fit in and be of sound mind. The email showed no trust and concern for the breeder. And this is not a way to build a trusting relationship for the dog's lifetime. A normal vet check-up would reveal more than an xray or blood work on a little puppy! Enjoy: "What my vet recommended and I concurred with is that we did not want the vet that knows the dog to perform the pre-purchase examination. We wanted to know the area you lived in and pick a vet of our choosing that had no previous contact with the dog. I always do that or have my vet handle the pre-purchase exams on any horse I am thinking of buying (though we are talking a lot more money for the animal). My vet wanted to tell the vet exactly what tests he wanted performed, x-rays to be taken, blood tests to be done, ultra-sounds, etc. This way we have a pre-purchase exam that we feel comfortable with."
1 July
- You can't have a BMW for the price of a Toyota. A $2000 pup will not and should not cost less. " hi im tiye i would like to buy ur puppy but im affaid that i dont have enough money the MOST i could spend is $450-500 plzz i realy want him."
26 June
- The stench of garbage, urine and feces is unbearable. Ammonia hangs heavy in the air, and flies are
everywhere. Dim lighting and the constant barking of dogs in distress create a sense of chaos. Row upon row
of stacked cages hold dogs matted with feces—some too sick to move. This is the world in which a
puppy mill dog lives. MORE -
http://www.aspca.org/news/national/06-26-09.html#1
24 June
- Breeding ethics of European breeders is so different! Traveling thousands of miles to go to a stud deserves
admiration. Traveling on buses, trains, plains for hours, borrowing money to just get to the annual IDC show,
not to win but to just participate - this is the true spirit of a European breeder. No wonder that with such
dedication you won't find puppymilling an issue in Europe. A few years ago we traveled to the World Dog Show
which was held in Argentina that year - we had our Daphne, thin wallet, I was pregnant, Argentina was a day
of flying away... and yet we went. This will remain one of the fondest memories of our family life until we
die.
15 June
- Sometimes I hear people ask for a discount or a price reduction due to the slow economy. Well, the economy
doesn't give us discounts, why should we? We spend just as much and sometimes even more on airfare, travel,
stud fees, show fees, training fees, vet bills. The demand is high, the supply is low. We don't have enough
litters and pups for everybody interested. So, as you see, the economy is not that slow after all.
3 June
- I haven't had puppies since November 2008 and I am SO EAGER to have a new litter that I can't wait for
one of the girls to come into heat. We plan exciting litters! That just adds to my impatience. A gorgeous
male in Austria, a huge, powerful male in Russia, and our Delux - these are the candidates.
2 June
- Hip displasya is an inheritable disease BUT there is another factor which can cause
it as well. Overfeeding and underexercising.
1 June
- To breed or not to breed. If you can come up with 5 good reasons why you should breed your dog (reasons
like making money, "my dog is so..." and seeing the miracle of life do not count), then maybe you should...
29 May
- When to fix the dog? I'd say that males have to wait until they are a year old to reach full size. With females it'll be best if she is spayed before her first heat. Spaying/neutering is beneficial health-wise, no doubt. But if you have a dog, let's say a male, who's got behavioral
issues, like being male aggressive, fixing him won't solve the problem.
28 May
- AKC registration of a foreign-born dog is not hard, folks!
21 May
- Male or Female? I hear this question all the time. I think I am a male person but I still enjoy the company
of female dogs. Males are more independent, quite often more stubborn. If in tact, they'll take their time
marking all visible bushes before they are done. And can run away. Some males can be male dog-aggressive.
Males are bigger and stronger. And look more intimidating. Females seem to be better with kids and other
dogs. Male-female combination usually works best for those who want more than 1 dog. In tact females have
heats 2 times a year. This can get slightly messy. They can also have false pregnancies. Alpha females need
to be the only females in the house. Training-wise it does't matter what gender you decided
to go with - it will all depend on the temperament of each particular dog.
19 May
- Are dobermans good with kids? Depends. We've had dogs that were awesome with them and we've had those that barely stood them. We've got three little kids of our own but you never know what kind of personality the dogs are going to develop. In any case, kids have to be taught how
to handle dobermans, and vice versa. And kids have to be supervised at all times.
18 May
- The pups are doing fine. Eventhough we had a bunch of inquiries about the two remaining, they
are still waiting for their special one. We never hurry this process. The yellow-collar is gorgeous
conformation-wise. He's got everything I'd like to see in my dobermans. Love his angulation! Love
his chest! The no-collar male is a total sweetheart. After a vet visit, he decided that was a bonding
experience for him so now he follows me everywhere. Sneaks up on me and puts his paws on me. LOVES
eating. He's got a very compact body and totally outstanding head, strong, long, powerful with strong jaws.
12 May
- Three pups arrived from Europe. They come from Zhemchuzhina Chernozemya kennel. A great kennel
dedicated to quality breeding. Many champions came out this kennel!
10 May
- I decided to start the blog because I quite often have great ideas regarding breeding, dogs, Dobermans,
showing, dog problems, and writing a whole article is too time-consuming, thus having a blog will suffice
greatly.
CopyRight2008 2007
Design & Support Alexandrova Inna http://laitiona.narod.ru/
|
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)