Thoughts

I wrote this a few weeks ago, before Thanksgiving  and after our club's Earthdog tests in early Nov. Just some things that crossed my mind during the three days and on the drive home. Finally got this up and hopefully still timely!

One of the guys who came to help dig-in on Friday (for you novices, thats when we do the digging of the earthdog tunnels -with aid of a backhoe thank goodness!)  was a guy who came to his first ED a couple of years ago with his wife looking to learn more about Border Terriers. Well, they eventually did get a nice girl BT from N Ca and they have been at ED ever since. He has helped dig-in at the past 4 trials and last week he was the first non-committee person there to help. Because I hadnt seen him since the spring ED trial, I asked him how he had been, how was the dog doing and how was his wife who was also on our Specialty trophy committee. He told me she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer awhile back and had just finished her latest chemo. So she likely wouldnt be there for ED but he would see if she wanted to come watch on Sunday. They arent that old, maybe in their late 40s or early 50s. The dog was staying home with her on Friday- taking his place. He worked his butt off all day Friday. He never complained, we shared a few laughs about the tunnels and the tree roots, and then he left for home. When you are a caregiver, you sometimes just need a little time "off duty", even if it is hard manual labor, to maintain your own peace of mind.

On Sunday, there was a couple at ED with their BT who also are relatively new members. That day their dog earned his first Qualifying run. They had guests with them. A dazzlingly beautiful blonde young lady and her mom. Maybe in her late 30s with short cropped blonde hair and a smile that would light up any room. Drop-dead gorgeous didn't do her justice. I dont know if she had muscular distrophy, or had a stroke or was in an accident, but most of her right side was heavily injured from the neck down. She walked with her mom and her BT friends to watch the JE and IQ tests and seemed very much at ease with the hand that life had dealt her. Her friends said she loved seeing the dogs and meeting and holding a few of them. As I watched them leave on Sunday I was glad the club members had brought her, glad she had what seemed like a pleasant time, and thankful that "but for the grace of God, there goes I". I'm sure I wouldnt have been that courageous, that resilient or that forgiving.

Then there was the club member family who came on Sat and ran their dogs but had to leave early because their son was going to call home that evening. He was at Ft. Benning in Georgia, just completing his Infantry Basic Training that very day. They didn't know where he would be stationed afterwards. Mom was abit worried, Dad was proud and said he could notice more maturity in the way his son talked on the phone. But you could tell that as proud as they were, and as happy for their son who was thrilled with his career choice as they were, they were hoping he'd be able to stay out of harm's way. He was training to be a medic in a infantry platoon. Helping his fellow soldiers when they might need him most.

Finally on the drive home through the Central Valley and the ranches there, I just happened to look over as I drove past a farmhouse and saw two teenage boys in the driveway. They were walking down the drive twirling lariats. Big, roping lariats and each was doing the "cowboy twirl" with a loop about 10 feet in diameter spinning around their body as they walked. No Sunday afternoon TV football for them, no video games, no Twitter. Just old fashioned, simple, western, cowboy fun. If I hadnt just happend to look at that instant, I'd have missed it. Probably the only kids like that in existence anymore!

Things to think about this holiday season.

It's a Small World!

I was walking my puppy outside the local Petsmart one day last week when a lady with a Westie came up and asked what kind of dog Shannon was. I replied, "Border Terrier" at which point she remarked that "there was a gentleman she saw most days walking two or three Borders at Harvey Bear Park". I replied that I thought it was me! "Oh, yes!", she exclaimed. "I didn't recognize you without the cap and sunglasses!". That has happened several times now so I guess I am becoming a "fixture" at the park! At least they are still referring to me as a "gentleman"!

We spent a few minutes talking dogs when another younger lady walked up. "Is that a Border Terrier?" she asked. "Sure is", I replied. "How do you know about BTs?" It turned out her mom owned two and was showing them in conformation. I asked who that might be and had to smile when she told me her mom was a lady I know quite well and whose dogs I have groomed occasionally in the past! I had never met the daughter before and we all laughed at how small a world it was!

What Breeders REALLY Do!

Ever wonder if you wanted to breed a dog and what a breeder goes through? I'd bred dogs before but not Border Terriers. And not in the last 25 years or so! So I boned up about breeding and whelping and all the possible problems you might encounter. I read books, attended seminars and watched DVDs. Come the big day I was as prepared as I could be. But the whelping was the easy part, and, in retrospect, maybe not the most important part. Sure, you need to get the pups out and everyone stable and nursing. The first week is nerve racking. Dewclaw removal can be traumatic. If someone gets sick, what should you do now? But I believe that the real work begins with the rearing and socialization that starts around week four.

I have seen Borders that bark at just about everything and everyone; there are many web sites that say BTs are "barky". I have even seen "aggressive" BTs. Thus I was determined to do everything I possibly could to socialize and introduce my pups to the world as best as possible.
I made a list and started checking things off:
Pee and poop on papers. Intro them to crates. Don't jump up when I approach; calmly (somewhat) sit while I come closer.
This is your food- enjoy it, but do not play IN it (too much!).
This is a broom; you do NOT eat it or chase it! Here's what a vacuum cleaner sounds like and the doorbell, the telephone and the microwave.
Come on out and watch TV with us (in your crates) and BTW, please behave; i.e do NOT cry and whine. I am impervious (I hope!) to that and will not let you out until you behave.
This is how to eat treats from my hand; you do NOT go into my pockets yourself even if I am laying down next to you! And you do not jump up and put your teeth anywhere near me, especially on my ears or face!
This is what a hardwood floor feels like, while this other thing is carpet. Yes, its soft! No, you don't get to pee here either! This is what grass feels like underfoot; isn't that neat? This is sunshine and THAT is your shadow!!! Yes, it is following you!
This is how we ride in the car. This is a vet and her office- no, you don't treat her like a sibling! Yes, she has some treats too, but you have to earn them!
This is the grooming and show table. Yes, that "other" dog there IS YOU- that is a mirror!
This is a collar and this is a leash. We go to nifty places when these come out! No, the collar does NOT go in your mouth and you do not get to EAT the leash!
This may taste terrible but it's necessary. Please "Enjoy!" Would you rather have worms? Here, have a treat! See? I'm not SO BAD!
Oops, we just poo'ed off the papers. Too bad! Now let's go outside and see if you have anything else to do. WAIT! Don't STEP in it! Let ME clean it up!
This neat, new toy is a cardboard box! See I have put some holes in it so you can play house and hide 'n'seek! And THIS is a PVC pipe! (Think Earthdog!) No, you do not EAT the box!
These are the "older" dogs. Treat them with SOME respect, please. That is, if you value your lives! Though they have seen ALL this before, (and done it themselves), even their patience is limited.
And these are "little people" - they are the SAME AS ME. Don't ever forget that, even if they forget who you are and how to treat you correctly.

When all that (and more) is done, then you can start to believe that you have prepared your puppies for their new homes. And maybe, just maybe, you have started down the road to becoming a true breeder!

Carbohydrates, Grains and Your Dog's Diet

I wrote this article as part of a series on dog nutrition for our local club newsletter. I will post more from this series later.

Last time, we talked about reading parts of the label on dog food packages and we casually referred to carbohydrates as something whose amounts in food can sneak up on you. Let’s examine how carbs and grains pertain your dog’s diet.

First of all, it’s important to recognize that the importance of carbohydrates in the canine diet is still widely debated. Carbs are almost impossible to avoid even in home-prepared foods and there are situations where carbs have been thought to provide an advantage to the dog(pregnant and lactating bitches for example). Nearly all dog food contains some carbohydrates with dry foods (kibble) possessing the most, on average. As we stated last time, kibble needs binding agents, and grains and plant-based food derivatives fill this requirement nicely. When you use grains, starches and plant-based ingredients, you get carbohydrates galore. Even in “wet” foods (canned) there are typically 15% to 20 % carbohydrates depending on whether the food is grain-free or not, and which types of grain or starch it utilizes.

Second, while dogs do not need carbohydrates in their diet, they do need sources of glucose (which the body converts to glycogen) to fuel their energy requirements. If a dog had a zero-carbohydrate diet, they would have to get the glucose needed from food proteins or fats (from the glycerol in fat). If the glucose in the diet is insufficient to meet the energy needs of the dog, their bodies will “steal” glucose from amino acids in proteins in lieu of building muscle or bone. Minimizing amino acid conversion is why lactating bitches and puppies should have some carbohydrates in their diets.

“Feeding Your Dog for Life” (Diane Morgan, 2002) gives four uses for carbs in a dog’s diet. Ominously the third reason listed is to create a store of glycogen but excess ends up being converted to fat. It is that last phrase that unfortunately is the most common result of high carb diets. Note that proteins and fats can also perform the four things in a dog's diet just as well as carbs. (Also remember that proteins and carbs have the eaxact same caloric content- 4 calories per gram). Another use for carbs in dog food is as an inexpensive protein source. The book “K9 Kitchen” (Monica Segal, 2002) lists several grains along with their carbohydrate, protein and mineral content. Most grains possess 2% to 4 % protein and 20% to 30% carbohydrate. Since grains are cheap relative to meat and fish, and since dry foods need binding agents anyway, plant-based foods are an inexpensive way to augment the protein content of a food while providing teh binding agents necessary for it's production. Lastly, cheap foods use sugars to improve taste; something that all owners should try to minimize. Even good, highly rated foods sometimes use beet pulp and other plant sources as a binder. Others use berries and fruits as a source of anti-oxidants (this is GOOD!- albeit these are sugar rich). And low-end foods utilize a lot of corn which contains significant sugars. If a dog food contains 40% or more carbohydrate (from grains and sugars), the amount of glucose the dog could potentially derive from that much carbohydrate far exceeds their daily need. Thus the excess carbohydrate is turned to fat. Interestingly, if the protein content of a food far exceeds the needs of the dog, the excess can be removed from the body through urination although at some strain on the kidneys.

Grains are problematical because many dogs have allergies to certain grains. Wheat and corn are the most common allergens. Grains must be cooked or processed to be digested by the dog. Well, I say that tongue in cheek because my dogs eat the raw wheat kernels from the horse hay that falls on the driveways here. They enjoy the crunchiness I guess! Mostly the grain kernels pass right through undigested but they must get some carbs from eating the raw grain because their weight is harder to control when they eat a lot of grain kernels!
Another issue with grains is that some grains bind certain minerals and prevent their assimilation. Grains, like carbs, are difficult to avoid in food, although today there are more “grain-free” foods available. However, many of these foods include other starches like potatoes and tapioca. Starches, like grains, must be cooked for a dog to assimilate them and they are less digestible than grains like rice and corn. By the way, rice is the most digestible of the common grains and is one reason why a “bland” diet (chicken broth and rice- with their respective protein and glucose sources) is often used to feed a dog with an upset digestive system.

I have had good success in managing my dogs’ weight (apart from the hay issue above!) with daily exercise and diets that minimize carbs and grain. Their diets consist of about 25% (by weight- possibly 40% by kilocalories of energy provided) high-quality, grain-free, low-carb kibble. Raw and cooked protein sources such as meat, green tripe, fish and chicken make up the remainder of my dogs’ diets.

The Puppies Are Almost "Grown"!

It is one of the most unimaginable things! I cannot believe tomorrow will be 8 weeks since our puppies were born! Where has the time gone? From blind little "moles" to "real dogs" in just eight weeks! Unbelievable!
In a couple more weeks most of them will have new homes and those people will be thrilled. I think the pups will be also as we have tried valiantly to find good homes and I think the pups are ready for "people bonding". But it is going to be pretty hard to see them go. The saving grace is that (hopefully) we will keep in touch and follow them throughout their lives while hearing about and enjoying all their adventures!
I have tried to socialize and acclimate them to a variety of different experiences. They have been such beautiful "blank slates" - ready for learning and such happy, willing students. What precious little gems they are!
When the dust settles I will have more "reflections" about this experience. For now I am amazed every day how they grow and how vital the role of the breeder is in their development. It would be easy to just let them sit around in a pen and when they are old enough, send them out into the world. But it is infinitely more important to them and their new families (and to me!) to do all I can to start their lives on a solid and loving footing. They didn't ask to be born.... I, as a breeder, made a decision to bring these puppies into the world and it is my obligation to make their existence as happy and productive as I can through the limited time I have with them. AND IT IS SO MUCH MORE FUN!!

Where Have I Been?

Sorry if anyone has been wondering what has happened to my posting. We were blessed with 3 beautiful girl Border Terrier puppies in late July. My youngest girl "Ellie" presented these to us in a textbook easy whelping.
They are having a ball! Growing like weeds and now are in a big 6ft x 9ft play area where they can run and romp. They have a small teeter-totter to play on and a short section of PVC tunnel to investigate so they are budding Earthdogs and maybe we have an agility dog or two in there! They're eating mush and nursing some still from mom and have been learning to pee and poop on the papers in the back of their area. Later this week we will go outside! First time stepping on grass should be a treat to watch!

Their puppyhood here goes by so quickly. Pretty soon they will go off to their new homes (all are spoken for!) and we will be wondering what happened! In the meantime, we get to enjoy them and watch them learn and grow daily! I have to admit we have had it pretty easy this litter. Breeding animals is fraught with risks and disappointment sometimes, but litters like this one make up for all that and more!

The Great Triangle

I was chatting the other day with a very nice couple about Border Terriers. They are hoping to adopt one soon having owned a BT previously. They were kind enough to complete a puppy application in much detail. And I realized as we talked that I knew a lot more about them than they did about me. I had wanted to meet them so I could evaluate them as a potential home for a puppy, but hopefully they were likely evaluating me as a breeder just as carefully.
I realized that I knew the breeders of my own dogs only superficially in most cases. We meet the breeder maybe over the telephone or via email, and maybe we are lucky enough to be referred to them. We have a few conversations, exchange a few pictures, answer their questionairres and maybe meet them for a few hours when we pick up the puppy, or before, if we live close by. But in both directions, it's a pretty basic acquaintance.
Do we need to know more? Not really. But we do share a dog's life that hopefully will be long and bring much joy to both sides. Our puppy homes shepard that little pup through all his life and we are the people they will turn to if they have questions or problems. They depend on our expertise in selecting breeding stock, on providing the basic socializing for the puppy, and for ensuring the initial health and disease prevention for the dog.
Some of us breeders believe that these puppy homes are part of an extended family of our dogs and ourselves. We love to hear how the dogs are doing, what they are learning and acheiving, and always enjoy seeing pictures, if not the actual dog itself. Some of us like to keep in touch while other breeders seem too pre-occupied and busy with the rest of their lives.
As a potential puppy home you need to be comfortable with how your dog's breeder treats the breeder-owner relationship. If you are a "sharer" of news and joy, but your breeder doesn't return emails or letters, etc.; perhaps you would have been happier with a more personable breeder. Much of the joy of living with a dog is sharing. Sharing activities with your dog brings much joy, and sharing this joy with others can be very important for some owners.
As breeders we need to realize that every potential puppy owner is as different as each of our puppies; and that some owners appreciate a stronger relationship than others. As a service to our potential puppy homes, we need to take a few minutes and get better acquainted with those who seek us out. We are all part of a great triangle- breeder, owner and dog. Through the dog we have been brought together, our paths have crossed and our lives somewhat intertwined. In some cases, we may discover a better friendship than we could have ever imagined. We might become partners, advisors, mentors, co-breeders, or more. It would be a shame to miss such an adventure.