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Nancy B

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Everything posted by Nancy B

  1. [quote name='courtnek']I also have one of those containers with a screw on lid - I got mine at Petco. They cant get in it no matter what, so it keeps the kibble safe from "prying noses....." glad Zaph's ok....[/quote] Vittles Vaults. They're great! No dog can get into them. Go here to see what they look like. [url]http://www.petedge.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=513&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=408&iSubCat=476&iSubSubCat=488&iProductID=513[/url] I have two that I ordered from this company years ago. I have also seen them for sale at PetSmart and PetCo.
  2. [quote name='Crested'] Dogs that have allergies often don't even eat much, because they of some reason know that if they eat "A" the result will be "B". [/quote] Actually that's not the case with dogs. Most folks who have dogs with food allergies go through elimination diets just to try to figure out what the heck their dog is allergic to. They can't tell by observing the dog's eating habits, the dogs will just eat what's offered and suffer the consequences. My Mason has food alergies and he would gladly eat ANYTHING....if I would let him! :) I don't think your male dog "picks" at food because of his allergies. It may be a genetic trait behavioral issue or just plain food preferences but, I would doubt that it has anything at all to do with his allergies.
  3. Nancy B

    BullMastiffs...

    I think the Thunder you may be referring to is Ch Soquel's Distant Thunder and yes, he certainly is quite a prominant Doberman. You can see him and his pedigree here [url]http://www.execulink.com/~dobes/thunder.htm[/url] There are several Dobes with the call name of Drummer so, I'm not sure which one you're referring to. I suspect that it may be the Drummer who is a Thunder son. If you are considering purchasing a Doberman I would recommend that you read the "Buying a Doberman Pinscher Guideline" here [url]http://members.execulink.com/~korevaar/buyingguide.htm[/url] I would also suggest that you vist my kid's website. At the bottom of the home page you will find a lot of Doberman specific links. Be sure to look at the information on the DPCA's (Doberman Pinscher Club of America's) website, you'll find links.
  4. [quote name='poochster'][b] The higher up on the list are the more important factors in comparison to the lower half. - A breed that really likes it indoors. I do not have a yard. I work out in gyms and treadmills and running on concrete with my dog is not an option for my knee caps. It constantly rains here in Florida so mostly we may end up playing indoors. But I am an outdoorsy kind a guy given the chance. - I like it sort of quiet indoors. Shrill barking from small dogs especially hurts my ears. I
  5. OK, added my two Dobes. Doberman Pinscher : 2 Shetland Sheepdog : 1 German Shepherd : 3 Keeshonden :3 Shiloh Shepherd : 1 Boxer : 1 Kelpie : 1 Labrador : 6 Mini Poodle : 3 Papillon : 1 Foxhound : 1 Standard Poodle : 2 Toy Poodle : 1 Lhasa Apso : 2 Mini Schnauzer : 1 Chihuahua : 1 Pit Bull : 1 1/2 Malamute : 2 Border Collie: 4 Maltese : 1 "Heeler"(Blue and Red) : 4 Samoyed : 1 Saint Bernard : 2 Staffordshire Bull Terrier : 2 British Bulldog : 2 American Eskimo : 1 Jack Russell Terrier : 5
  6. [quote name='labratian101']Cropping is not done after 13 weeks. Veterinarians will not allow it after that, USUALLY, if they are good and smart. Like I said, I only agree with medical docking. Fashionable docking makes me sick, since it can cause sacral arthritis. I have seen many Rottweilers with tails, there are even a few breeders who keep the tails on, and the dogs are completely fine. Rottweilers are fashion-docked. Dobermans are usually docked because they have those lanky tails that can easily break, but I have seen Dobes with tails that were fine as well. Australian Shepherds are born with or without tails, so personally I would only have a natural bob-tailed Aussie if I were to have that breed.[/quote] Most responsible Dobe breeders crop at 7 or 8 weeks old. About the latest they will consider cropping is 12 weeks....I know a few who have imported pups that fit into that category. Some other breeds of dogs may be cropped considerably later. I know that many Min Pin breeders wait and "grow their pups out" before they decide which to crop. It's not unusual for them to crop anywhere between 3 to 6 months. In the USA, the type of tail a Dobe has varies widely. Since it's a huge fault to show a Dobe with a tail, Dobes are not shown with tails. While there has been one finished champion with natural ears here, I don't think there's ever been one with a natural tail. Because tails are so routinely docked, there has been no genetic selection for the "type" of undocked tail a Dobe would inherit. It just doesn't get into the picture. Dobes are a single coated breed so, the tails do tend to be lanky or whipy with little to protect them from injury but, I have seen the occasional Dobe with a tail that was somewhat thick and didn't apear to be as prone to injury.
  7. Hey, everyone is entilted to have their own opinions. Your preference for not docking doesn't offend me in the least. Hope my preference for docking and cropping doesn't offend you! :D
  8. [url]http://members.execulink.com/~korevaar/buyingguide.htm[/url] The information on that link was written specifically for buying a Doberman but, you could substitute just about any breed in there and it will give you very good advise. Some of the genetic diseases that different breeds are prone to will vary so, you will need to learn what would be specific to the breed you wind up choosing.
  9. Oh Starfox, I'm so sorry for you and Zebra! :(
  10. [quote name='*marysmama*']I always thought it had to be done with in 3-5 days of birth. I dont think a vet will do it on dog that age.[/quote] The proper time to dock is at 3-5 days but, it can be done later in life. At 6 months old, it wouldn't be a dock it would be an amputation. Yes, vets do tail amputations. We have a lot of undocked Dobes come into rescue. If they're reasonably young, we do have the tails amputated at the same time they're spayed or neutered. You may wonder why we would do so. We have had a huge number of Dobes split open or break their tails. There's just no real fur to help absorb impacts. Dobes can easily split or break tails just by wagging hard and hitting a wall. Boxers have a very similar coat to a Dobe so, I would think the tail issue would be similar. I AM NOT saying that this dog should have it's tail amputated. I am saying that the owner would need to be vigilant regarding to watching out for splits or breaks in the tail if she chooses to leave it natural. My aunt has a Boxer with a natural tail. Lefty has broken her tail once and split it open (to decorate the walls with blood) five times in her two short years of life. My aunt just can't stand the thought of cutting Lefty's tail off so, she's become accostomed to dealing with the injuries.
  11. Nancy B

    BullMastiffs...

    [quote name='DogPaddle']If you can provide for its mental stimulation, excercise needs and have a decent sized secure yard and will be able to be aware of its heat sensitivity and will not be leaving it outside for long periods of time during cold weather . . . I would personally suggest the Boxer out of the three.[/quote] Yep, given the conditions, I do too.
  12. Shara, dealing with Coal's tendancies to bite is a lot more important than teaching any tricks. If you have tried "every trick in the book" I would suggest that you consult a behaviorist and/or trainer to get assistance in dealing with it. This is VERY important! The longer Coal is allowed to bite (and no, I'm not saying that you like it, I'm saying that as long as it goes on) the more difficult it will be to change the behavior.
  13. I love the Orvis dog beds. I have 5 of them in scattered around in our house and one at my folks for when we visit. (Only need one there since Whit sleeps in the bed with us.) The Orvis beds that I buy aren't chew resistant but, they do make a chew resistant one that other folks I know have had good luck with. You can see them here. [url]http://www.orvis.com/store/product_directory.asp?dir_id=1633&Group_ID=1634&cat_id=1010&subcat_id=2[/url]
  14. [quote name='abker17']:-? My dad made some weave ploes for me, just simple PVC piping stuck on tent stakes. The thing is the piping is very thick, about 2 in. width. Do u think having thicker weaves than the regulation, will effect training? :-?[/quote] Hmm....interesting. Weave poles should be 1" to 1 1/4" in diameter so that's quite a difference. I agree that even using the thicker poles you can still teach the weaving motion. One thing that you may run into is that once you do have to go to a standard diameter you might be in for a little retraining. There's an allowable spread between the poles. Our training center used to have all weaves with the same spread. (they have about 6 sets.) If you went to a trial way out of town it was possible to run into a set that was at the other end of the allowable range and dogs would frequently "pop" from them. I do think that there may be a similar issue with the thick poles. When your dog is training weaves, aside from teaching them to do it, you're trying to get it into the dog's muscle memory. Once your dog commits the "thick" poles to muscle memory there will probably be a little retraining needed to fine tune the normal poles to muscle memory.
  15. [quote name='courtnek']Nancy, I disagree!! I feed my girl Purina One Lamb and Rice, because the first and second ingredients are Lamb, and Rice. Rice has been proven to be good for dogs, and I believe meat is also necessary. As a primary ingredient.[/quote] The most common food allergy for dogs is grains. Corn is of course, the primary one but, many dogs are allergic to rice as well. Having a grain within the first few ingredients is NOT an indication of a good food. Dogs require little to no grains, depending on which vets you listen to. Dog food manufacturers just use grains as inexpensive fillers. Check out the way the Whole Dog Journal evaluates dog foods and you'll see why Purina never makes it onto the list.
  16. Oh yeah....had another thought. Although I definately think a food that has human grade ingredients is better for the dog, if it's not possible for you to feed one of those for some reason, the best of what's available at a PetSmart type store is probably Purina Pro Plan. Not Purina One or any other type of Purinia but Pro Plan.
  17. [quote name='Rowie-the-Pooh']Oh, and do any of you know of a GOOD BRAND dog food that ships? Prefferably one with meat included?[/quote] When I was researching BARF I read a lot of books about the dietary requirements of dogs. I would not feed an all veggie diet. All of these foods have been recommended by the Whole Dog Journal. All can be ordered online. There are probably others but, this is just what I happened to have onhand. [url]http://www.canidae.com/index.html[/url] [url]http://www.flintdogfood.com/[/url] [url]http://www.timberwolforganics.com/[/url] [url]http://www.wysong.net/[/url] [url]http://www.eaglepack.com/[/url] [url]http://www.breeders-choice.com/Dog_Products/pinnacled.html[/url] [url]http://phdproducts.net/[/url]
  18. [quote name='mjriggl2']However, the Texas law require the annual rabies vaccination, but I am not sure if the boost thing is required for other vacinnations as well. Just want to ask arounf here: do you bring your pets annually got boost shots?[/quote] No, I do not do anual vaccinations. I vaccinate for rabies as required by law but, I have anual titers done in lieu of vaccinations. If you wish to learn more about the over vaccination issue, you can find links to UC Davis, Colorado State and Texas A&M on the health links page of my kid's website.
  19. [quote name='atghylin']Thank you both so much! :lol: Your suggestions have been very helpful. Nancy, your websit was the most informatitive I've seen yet. Thank you for putting your training techniques on it. I hope Felix and I will be able to use them as successfully has you have.[/quote] You're very welcome! I did that because I've fielded a lot of questions from Dobe owners so, it saved me writting it up every time I got a question. Glad it helped you! I hope you and Felix have a great time with agility! I used to have a CKCS in one of my classes, dog and handler were a great team. I was very sorry when they moved out of town but, I do get to see them at the occasional agility trial.
  20. Well, our agility training facility is indoor and heated so, we do agility year round! :D I also have a Jog-a dog treadmill for really nasty days when I don't feel like going out....dogs can still have a run.
  21. Well, the very first dog I ever had was an Irish Setter. Her name was Brandy and she lived to be 15 years old. Of course, that was over 30 years ago! I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for them.
  22. The Clean Run website is excellent for a lot of different reasons. The sell a multitude of agility related items. I've ordered from them frequently and never run into "out of stock". They also have an "agility events page" where you can search your state to see if there are any agility trials nearby. If you find some, go and watch....you can learn a lot just by watching. Clean Run also publishes the only monthly agility magazine in the US. An excellent magazine that can help with training at any level. If you go to my kid's website and click on the "agility" page, you'll find a bunch of agility links about halfway down the page. (Sorry...just too lazy to copy and paste them all here.) There are links to various agility organizations, equipment vendors, training tips. BTW, if you haven't done so, it wouldn't be a bad idea to contact the dog club you spoke with again. "Stuff" sometimes happens and return calls aren't made. This may be an oversight and, unless you've already followed up with them, I wouldn't give up on them. The club I'm an instructor for has an incredibly long waiting list for new students so, sometimes it takes quite a while to get in.
  23. I'm going to answer/ comment on a bunch of different posts in this post. Dobes are very intelligent and highly trainable but, they do like to put their own "twist" on things...they're creative. For an experienced trainer or someone who is both with the dog and to learn what they need to know to train, they can be an absolute joy. They can learn new behaviors very fast! With Dobes it's very important to either buy from a responsible breeder or adopt a Dobe from Dobe rescue. (Dobe rescue has very experienced folks who carefully evaluate each dog prior to placement.) Dobe temperament can vary a LOT! A responsible breeder will consider the temperament, structure, health testing, longevity and drive levels of the sire/dam they breed. A BYBer wil not do that and can turn out Dobes that have unbalanced drives or lack of stability that, coupled with the Dobes natural protectiveness, can be dangerous. All responsible breeders in the US crop ears prior to placement. That's just the way it is folks. Breeders do their utmost to ensure that the homes their pups are placed in are lifetime homes. They have contracts that stipulate that if the dog must be given up for any reason, it must come back to them. It is darn near impossible to enforce those contracts. To ensure that if the worst should happen to a pup they produce (pup looses it's home and winds up in rescue) they crop ears. Dobe rescue's stats prove that uncropped Dobes in the US are much more difficult to place than cropped ones. The second reason the breeders crop prior to placement is that correct cropping is an art. Not every vet is skilled at doing it. It's a terrible thing to see a lovely Dobe with a crop that would look better on a Pit Bull! Breeders also want the cut edges of the ears to be entirely healed prior to placement. (No, the ears won't be standing...posting will go on for months but, the raw edges need to be cared for by an experienced person.) The breeders are the experinced ones who will know which vets to use and which to stay away from. The third reason that breeders crop prior to placement is that Dobes are typically cropped at from 7 weeks to 9 week...and 9 weeks is pushing it a bit late. The breeders may not have made a final decision on which pup from the litter will be the one they will be keeping or which ones will be placed in show homes. There has only ever been one natural eared Dobe who finished a championship in the US. Natural ears are a fault that is heavily penalized in the conformation ring. Now, you may say "I don't want to show so I don't need to buy from a show breeder". That may be true but, the show breeders are the ones who are doing all the health testing, considering longevity, breeding for correct structure and longevity and taking the temperament into consderation. That, of course, does not guarantee that the pup you get will be heathy, have balanced drives and no structural problems but, it has a heck of a lot better chance than a pup produced with little or not consideration to those things. Every single "show" litter will also produce pet quality pups. While they're not inexpensive (Dobes are a pricey breed) they sell for considerably less than a show potential pup. Health. Generally speaking hips are not a problem in well bred Dobes. That is not to say that it never happens but, the responsible breeders have been very good about screening hips through OFA prior to breeding and not breeding dogs with bad or marginal hips. A responsible breeder will have VWD DVA tests done on the sire/dam prior to breeding. (An extremely simplified explanation of VWD...think human hemophelia.) A full thyroid pannel should be done prior to breeding. Eyes of sire and dam should be CERFed. A cardiac ultrasound or holter montier should be done as well. The two biggest killers of Dobes are cancer and cardio. There is no DNA or other test that will define with any precision prior to death if a Dobe is predisposed to either. Research is carrying on but, right now the best breeders can do is breed to dogs that have a lot of longevity in their pedigrees and hope to avoid the two. REsponsible breeders do the Cardio testing that I mentioned above but, unfortunately, a dog can pass the test and then drop dead of DCM a short time later. All the test does is insure that a breeder does not breed a dog that is already displaying symptoms of DCM. If you have not reviewed the information on the Doberman Pinscher Club of America's website, I would recommend that you do so. At the bottom of the home page of my kid's website (below in my signature), you'll find links to the DPCA's home page, DPCA's breeder's education page. You will also find an explanation of genetic diseases that impact the Dobe on the DPCA's website. Gotta run!
  24. [quote name='Cybermaxx12']In the doberman pinscher I'm worried about its sharpness, even though it's become less "super alert" we do have quite a few dogs around where I live. I'm basicly worried about the same thing with rottweilers, if it'll do fine with other dogs. Xavierandrea how do your rottweilers do with other dogs?[/quote] Both Dobes and Rotties are protective breeds and as such, require quite a bit more work than "an average dog". A protective breed of dog entails a larger responsibility both to the dog and to members of the public. Obedience classes are a must and heavy socialization from puppyhood on is very important. I like both Rotties and Dobes although, naturally, I favor Dobes since that's what I have. :D With both breeds it is imparitive that the owner be firm but loving with them. If you don't run the show, they will and not only will you not like it but, it could be downright dangerous. If you consider either breed you should check with your homeowners insurance company first to be sure that the won't drop your coverage. Yes, it's not fair but it is happening with alarming frequency.
  25. You know what? I go to a copy shop and have calendars made each year. A friend of mine got me started doing this. Of course, my calendars are all of Whitney and Mason! :D
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