They lost something!

No, not weight!  They are gaining THAT like champs!
Yesterday they lost their dew claws.  How does one do that?!!!  Carefully and without anything but a little squeak for each one.  They all came through with flying colors!
Just a note on the future.  Francy will be coming into heat in the next month or so and will be bred to Spencer for my first US/British litter.  I am hoping for a very nice set of show puppies for me and for the people who want the prettiest companion dog they can imagine.  This is an exciting venture.
Francy has all of her health tests done and passed.  Spencer starts his on Saturday.  He'll get them all quite soon.
This weekend Mai, Spencer, and Pip will be in the dog shows in Sequim.  Mai received her first major win a few weekends ago in Coeur d'Alene, ID.  Pip has both her majors.  Spencer got a point or more in Massachusetts after the National Specialty in which he wasn't entered.  He received a Group 4 from the classes in that show in Bellingham, MA.  He beat an already champion beautiful bitch that floored me on how lovely she is and went on to get the Group 4 even though he was hot and not used to the heat and humidity of Massachusetts.  The judge told Carole that she would have given him a "much higher placement" in the Group if he had been more up, that she loved him!
The puppies will soon look like little beached whales the way they are eating and the way Zinger is taking care of them.  She is a natural born mama!  I'll try to get pictures this weekend, meanwhile visit Betty's blog!

Sorry, but I was busy de-dew clawing babies yesterday and didn't get pictures.  Here is a picture of ball hound Spencer with his new craze, the Jolly Ball.  He moans he is so excited by it.  I thought he was going to try to stay outside all night last night playing with it.  He was making so much noise the coyotes would most certainly have come to check out what was so exciting.  I'm very glad that he came in!

He rarely lets me get it to throw for him.  He is very happy with his new toy!  What a ball hound boy!

Wish us luck this weekend!!!!  If you live nearby, come see the shows!

OK and out,

The Curmudgeon

PUPPIES, July 21, 2013

Well, Zinger hatched her first litter yesterday.  She was bred to Bravo, GCH Kandu's On The Move.  They are the proud parents of three boys and one girl.  All grizzle babies, all healthy and eating and pooping and thriving!  Of course I am very happy that all are well and that we had NO tense times through the whelping process.  Betty and Skip had a panic when the first one came out sooner than they thought it would and I wasn't yet there, but they were champs and did their job perfectly.  Then I got there and started working on the jigsaw puzzle next to where Zinger was.  What else should I be doing while waiting, I'd like to know!!!  I can resist everything except temptation and there it was, all laid out!  That's what a champ at whelping Ms. Zinger was!  What a girl!
Janie is pretty excited as she wants a boy and she gets to choose from THREE!  Meanwhile, I, who wanted a girl, get to choose from one!  Her name is Chai, because Zinger is tea and Betty wanted a tea name.  So there!  The boys are Bryce, Tiberius Rex, and Bravo Jr. or Junior for short. 

Oh, you thought you were going to get to see PUPPIES!!!!!!!  Silly Wabbit!  This is Spencer, the daddy of Zinger's next litter!

This is SILLY, sweet, amusing Harper taking a nap.  Wonder what she did to tire out so much!  I couldn't resist.  This is just toooooo cute! 

You wanted PUPPY pictures, you say?!!!  Well, this is mom, what more could you ask?!!!  She's very cute, don't you think??

Here's Spencer again.  Won't they make beautiful puppies?!!!

Spencer in his FIRST US dog show June 28th in Massachucetts.  He'll be in his second and third this weekend in Sequim, WA.  I hope that he does as well, but I will be showing him, so who knows?!!!

This was Spencer at Crufts, I think.

No, NOT Spencer.  This is daddy, Bravo!

Spencer.

Dansa, dressed as a lion for her freestyly routine.  She became an auntie yesterday!  She is Zinger's sister/littermate.

Zinger again.  See how beautiful she is?

Zinger waiting for the girl to be born.  Sweet little boys in a pile there.  I'm not good at rotating the pictures, but if you will go to Betty's blog, Skip rotates her pictures!

Zinger was a very calm whelper.  As I said, she's a champ!
You can get a bunch more puppy pictures off Betty's blog 'cause SHE has the puppies at her house!  http://betty-bh.blogspot.com/
OK for now,
The Curmudgeon

So, I blew it!

The picture I put on the last entry entitled ?McFly? was really Solo.  Here are more pictures of Solo I just received.
Solo has FINISHED his first Puppy Class.  I'm sure that he must have been tops in his class as his family is very dog astute.

Picture mistakenly labeled as McFly.  This is really Solo!

Solo and his buddy.

Precious picture, in my book.

Exploring the rain forest.

Wet baby

Dansa and her Whippet friend.

Did you really think you'd get away without a Hawaii house picture?!!!!!!!

OK.  The Curmudgeon signs off!

Pictures of the gang!

I have some pictures sent in by some of you who took puppies home.  Seems everyone is quite happy with the little rascals!

Jax, lounging on the couch where he has good access to the view of the five acre yard.

McFly?  Tired from playing with Bennie?!!!!

Mai at Jeanette's

Dansa getting ready to be the lion in a Freestyle command performance of the Wizard of Oz with Heather

Opps!  Can't find where the computer put IQ and Angus on their first day at puppy class.(Front room in Hawaii house.)

Can't find Xachitl on the couch after she wore herself out playing in the garden!!! ( Front of the house in Hawaii.)

Computers!!!!  Can't live with them, can't live without them!

Cara Mia became Shay Shay and went to her new home

Shay now lives in southern California.  Her new mom and brother came clear out to the end of the world to get her.  They wanted to see the Elwha River to make sure that they knew where she came from.  I think that Deborah fell for the Pacific NW just a tad.  She seemed enchanted to me.  Who wouldn't be?!!!!  The spring flowers are beginning to be everywhere!

They meet and it was love at first sight!

Does she ever get to be on the ground again?

Happy family.

Will I sleep under this next week?  Not if the coconuts will fall!

Exciting to be going back to visit my house and my grandboys in Hawaii!  Frank and Michelle too!

So, I'll be back after the 12th. 
Ciao,
C Curmudgeon

March 26, 2013

So, the last of Touille's litter goes to HER home today.  Ms. Cara Mia, soon to be Shay, will leave when her new mom and brother get here.  Deborah and her son have been regaled in Seattle by wonderful weather since the weekend as they explored the glass factories, Pike Place Market, nifty restaurants, etc.  Today they rent a car to come out to the end of beyond and pick up this little blue minx.  I will miss this spirited, sweet girl.  I am struck by her elegance when she stacks herself and hope to goodness that Deborah has fun with her in the ring and elsewhere!  Can't see why she won't.

Spencer, now Snoop, after Deacon and a few other names were discarded, is securely in his new home with Chris and Dan and Snoop's grandma.  They are all in love and Snoop now knows what a Pug is!!!  Sadie is tolerating him.  He is reportedly helping Chris with the spring trimming and yard work!  Lucky Chris!

We have had some magnificent weather the last bit after a few very wet days.  Janie came for six days and lucked out on the weather end of it.  We had some mildly rainy days while she was here, but even when we went to the RAIN FOREST, it didn't rain.  We had fun kibitzing with the rangers there who thought that the dogs were fun and interesting.  No, we didn't take them on the US Forest Service trails!

Bremerton dog shows were this past weekend.  We bombed on Sat. and did VERY well on Sunday.  Dog shows!

Pip and I or Mai and I may go to Colorado for a Nosework camp.  Doesn't that sound amazingly cool?!!!!!  I'm excited.

Mai will soon be in her first dog show getting ready for showing.  She has to get used to the ring, etc.  The first dog shows these guys attend are to get used to the people, noise, dogs, chaos, etc. and let none of it bother them.  They first need to learn to have FUN at dog shows.  She will be a challenge as I haven't found anything yet that tempts her to eat it when she is a bit nervous!

Mai starts Nosework very shortly.  I am excited to have yet another sniffer dog!  Try it, you'll like it!  Snoop starts very shortly as do some of the others.  Lucky dogs.

Shay, before Deborah gets here!

Shay.  She is quite cute, don't you think?

Shay and her best bud, Mai.

Chilling at work.  "Don't bother us, Mom!"

Shay with brother Snoop.  Boys like to chill like this.

Burlap, Mai's daddy.

Side view of Burlap.  Gorgeous dog.

Flowers from Janie.

Spring flowers are here!!!!

Janie in the rain forest WITHOUT rain!!!!!!

Janie's biggest disappointment was that I didn't show her a bunch of exotic wildlife.  I showed her plenty of elk, which is what other company had wanted to see, but I didn't find a bobcat, bear, cougar, etc. for her to see!  Can't have it all, I guess!  We definitely had fun together.  Next fall she wants a puppy, but wants me to take him to Colorado!  Will SHE show ME exotic animals?!!!!

This is the exotic stuff I showed Janie.  Do they get this in Colorado?!!!!  I think not!

More trees with exotic fur!!!

This is what I get to see starting April 2 for ten days!

Another of the wonderful foliage seen on the Big Island.  Here I come!!!!

Until the next time!
Curmudgeonville

More on neutering

Basis for Position on Mandatory Spay-Neuter in the Canine and Feline Members of the Spay Neuter Task Force  The American College of Theriogenologists (ACT) is the certifying college for veterinarians board certified in reproduction (specialists) and the Society for Theriogenology (SFT) is an organization of veterinarians with a special interest in reproduction in veterinary medicine. The ACT and SFT believe that companion animals not intended for breeding should be spayed or neutered; however, both organizations believe that the decision to spay or neuter a pet must be made on a case by case basis, taking into consideration the pet’s age, breed, sex, intended use, household environment and temperament.  The use of generalized rules concerning gonadectomy (removal of the ovaries or testes) is not in the best interest of the health or well-being of the pets or their owners. Each of the following considerations must be assessed for each individual animal and household. 1)       Health concerns a.       Research has shown that there can be positive effects of the sex steroid hormones.  The sex steroids are hormones produced by the ovaries and testes, and are only present in intact males and females. Gonadectomy at any age deprives the body of the positive health effects of these hormones.  Although in most cases, the benefits of spay-neuter outweigh the benefits of exposure to the sex steroids, this is not true in all cases. Since gonadectomy prior to puberty or sexual maturity may make the risks of some diseases higher in certain breeds or individuals, the option to leave an animal intact must be available to the pet owner.                                                                i.      Advantages of remaining intact: 1.       There is a decreased incidence of hemangiosarcoma in intact bitches and dogs. 2.       There is a decreased incidence of osteosarcoma in intact male and female dogs. 3.       There is a decreased risk of transitional cell carcinoma in intact dogs and bitches. 4.       There is a decreased risk of prostatic adenocarcinoma in intact male dogs compared to gonadectomized male dogs. 5.       There is a decreased incidence of obesity in intact male and female dogs and cats, which may be due at least partly to increased metabolic rate. 6.       There is a decreased incidence of urinary incontinence in intact bitches (equivocal if bitches are spayed after 5 months but before their first heat). 7.       There may be a reduced incidence of urinary tract infection in intact bitches. 8.       There may be a reduced incidence of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) in intact male and female cats which may be partly due to decreased obesity in these animals. 9.       There may be a reduced incidence of autoimmune thyroiditis and hypothyroidism in intact male and female dogs. 10.   There is a decreased incidence of diabetes mellitus in intact female cats and a possibly reduced incidence in diabetes mellitus in intact male dogs.  11.   There is a reduced incidence of cranial cruciate rupture in intact male and female dogs. 12.   There may be a reduced incidence of hip dysplasia in male and female dogs that are not gonadectomized before 5 months of age. 13.   There may be an increased incidence of capital physeal fractures in castrated male cats that may be partially due to increased weight gain in gonadectomized males. b.       Research has shown that there are a number of detrimental effects of the sex steroid hormones.  Spaying and neutering will remove these hormones and thus lower the risk of these conditions.                                                                 i.      Advantages of being spayed or castrated: 1.       There is an increased risk of mammary, testicular, and ovarian neoplasia in intact male and female dogs and cats.  a.       There is an increased risk of mammary cancer with each subsequent cycle and the benefit of spaying does not disappear until the animal reaches old age.                                                                                                                                        i.      Mammary cancer is one of the most common types of neoplasia in small animals. 1.       Mammary neoplasia is malignant 60% of the time in dogs and 90% of the time in cats. b.       The incidence and mortality risk for ovarian cancer are very low c.       The incidence for testicular cancer is more common but malignancy and mortality are very low. 2.       There is an increased risk of pyometra in both intact female dogs and cats and this risk increases with increasing age. 3.       There is an increased risk of prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatic cysts and squamous metaplasia of the prostate in intact male dogs. 4.       There is a decreased incidence of perineal and inguinal hernia and perineal adenoma in neutered male dogs. c.       Based on the research available, it is clear there are a number of health benefits of the sex steroid hormones and that this benefit varies with age, sex, and breed. Therefore, although spay-neuter is the responsible choice for most pets, it is in the best interest of each individual patient for its veterinarian to assess the risks and benefits of gonadectomy and to advise his/her clients on what is appropriate for each individual pet at each stage of its life.  2)        Behavioral concerns a.       Research has shown that there are positive effects of the sex steroid hormones on behavior.                                                                 i.      Advantages of remaining intact: 1.       There is a decrease in shyness and hiding behavior in intact male and female cats. 2.       There may be less aggression towards people and animals in intact bitches. 3.       There may be a decreased incidence of cognitive dysfunction in intact male and female dogs. b.       Research has shown that there are negative effects of the sex steroid hormones on behavior.                                                                 i.      Advantages of being spayed or castrated: 1.       Inter-dog aggression may be due to competition for available territory or availability of cycling animals. 2.       Urine spraying and inter-animal aggression is increased in intact male cats. 3.       There is a decreased risk of wandering and being hit by a car in neutered animals. 3)       Provision of quality medical care a.       It is not in the animals’ best interest to have the legislature dictate the time or need for surgical treatment.                                                                 i.      This does not allow for medical decisions based on the individual animal’s needs, its owners’ needs or the needs of the household. 1.       Animals with medical conditions that may result in complications during anesthesia or surgery (i.e. heart murmurs, bleeding disorders). 2.       Providing appropriate aftercare for surgical patients may not be feasible in some home situations. b.       Restricting and reducing the pool of purebred animals will greatly hinder medical research of conditions that are particular to specific breeds, slowing down advances in medical and surgical knowledge.  This may in turn impact the research available concerning health conditions common to both animals and people.   4)       Public Health concerns a.       Making spay/neuter mandatory for licensure may make the public more hesitant to seek veterinary assistance because they are afraid of fines and legal repercussions as a result of failing to spay or neuter their pets by the prescribed time.  By avoiding veterinary care for their pets, animals will be at increased risk of inadequate routine vaccination (including rabies) and inadequate deworming programs which may in turn result in increased transmission of disease to the public. The ACT and SFT make the following recommendations to continue moving toward effective methods of reducing the number of abandoned, unwanted and euthanized dogs and cats in the US and other countries where similar problems exist. a.       Provide increased jurisdictional control to the AVMA Governmental Relations division, Animal Welfare Committee, and the APHIS-Animal Care division. b.       Ensure suppliers to pet stores are providing adequate care for breeding stock and offspring. c.      Support programs to expand the public awareness of pet overpopulation, acceptable breeding standards, and responsibilities of pet ownership.  Provide the public a means to access assistance with concerns of pet health, ownership, behavior and management issues. d.      Work with state and local rescue and humane societies to assemble accurate data on causes for relinquishment of dogs and cats to enable these organizations, federal and local governments, and veterinary organizations to address the fundamental causes of abandonment. e.       Provide low cost spay/neuter facilities for economically disadvantaged persons and communities. f.         Continue to work on reduction of feral cat populations. g.       Establish programs to ensure access of breeders to proper reproductive care and counseling. h.       Provide local or federal governmental assistance to registered rescue organizations to facilitate placement of unwanted pets. The ACT and SFT do not believe that mandatory spay/neuter programs will significantly reduce the pet overpopulation problems, since most animals that are abandoned are relinquished because of behavior, health, economic and life changing conditions and not due to their reproductive status.  In fact, in some European Union countries where gonadectomy is illegal unless deemed medically necessary (such as Norway) there are no significant problems with pet overpopulation, indicating that the pet overpopulation problem that exists in the United States is due to cultural differences on the importance of pets, the responsibility of pet owners, and the ability of the government and national agencies to properly educate the public.  Although both organizations believe that most companion animals should be spayed or neutered, the ACT and SFT also strongly believe that it is not in the best interest of the animals to produce legislation regarding medical treatments, Therefore, both organizations oppose mandatory spay/neuter programs.  There are hundreds of references which provide scientific information on the effects of spay and neuter in both dogs and cats.  We chose to provide the reader with a selected list of them.  This reference list was compiled by Dr. Peggy Root-Kustritz, DACT. References

American College of Theriogenologists P.O. Box 3065 Montgomery, AL 36109 334-395-4666 334-270-3399 (FAX)