Happy Halloween

At last, a chance to sit at the computer while Ron answers the door. I told Coral that she would be wearing a bark collar if she announced all the ghosts and goblins, and she must have believed me as the dogs have been great. Being a city person, I discourage all unnecessary barking, especially when the dogs are outside. Nothing annoys me more than dog owners who let their pets annoy the neighbors.

It's been busy here, but I'm catching my breath today. I took off after work yesterday to meet up with Lily's co-owner in the wilds of Wisconsin and return her. Tomorrow Joy flies in from Tennessee to honeymoon with Argus, so I will be back to my four EXTRA daily walks.

On Saturday we are delivering Indy to her new home in New Ulm. Her new family prefers not to drive into the city, and who can blame them! Because we have not met them yet, this will give us a chance to get to know them. They've owned a number of Dals in the past, but because we've grown fond of Indy, we want to be sure this is the right situation for her. And Ron wants to tour the Schell Brewery! When I asked if he wanted to ride along, he already knew what hours they had tours of the brewery.

The registration applications are back from AKC - amazing how much faster they are nowadays. I used to keep the registrations on the pets until after they were spayed and neutered. Because there is a free insurance policy with the registrations now, I sell the pets on limited registration, have the owners sign the spay/neuter agreement, and sign over the registration, urging the new owner to send it in promptly.

I'm working on the puppy packet too, printing off the informational articles, my own puppy booklet, and revising the contract slightly. The puppy collars are already here, as are the Pro Plan Puppy Packs. Still need to order the copies of "How To Raise a Puppy You Can Live With".

Pups that are raised at my house are raw fed, and I give each new owner a copy of a book on raw feeding. Because Tom and Dawn are new to raw feeding, I suggested they wean this litter on Pro Plan Select Turkey & Barley Puppy Food. If I were going to feed kibble to my dogs, that's what I would feed. However, my dogs have not eaten kibble for 6 1/2 years, and most of my puppy buyers have also continued feeding a diet far more appropriate for a canine than processed grain. If I keep a pup from Boji's litter, it will also eat a raw diet.

I really miss having puppies here, but with as busy as it's been I'm really glad that Tom & Dawn are doing the litter. They're done a great job with the pups, who will be healthy, well socialized and ready to face the world. SOON! How can that be?

A Puppy Party!

I went to visit the pups, and to interview Joe who is on my list for a puppy. The pups were very playful and put on quite a show for us today. With Tom & Dawn & JOe's family too, they had quite an audience. The pups continue to look really nice, and Tom is finding many photo ops! Several of the girls are looking especially nice now, although I keep coming back to Sam Spade. What I SHOULD keep would be a female, but because I actually prefer males it's always hard to resist the temptation to find space for yet another boy!

Argus went along with me, so Joe could see the puppies' father. He always enjoys being admired, and was delighted to see his good friend Tom again. We stopped on the way home for an off leash run in a county park. Argus decided to test the water in one of the ponds, and found it to his liking, but required a bath when he got home to remove the aroma. What could be better than a lovely empty park, a bright fall day with lots of sunshine, and a good dog buddy for companionship.

This is such a terrific breed - I can't even imagine not having Dals to share my life.

Things Never Go Quite As They Should

Such a week . . .

Puppy Indy went in for a health check up prior to going to a new home, and everything looked great. Until the next morning when she came out of her crate looking like a porcupine. ARGH! Vaccine reaction, the first I have seen. A posting to ShowDals and a quick response from list members who had experienced the same thing. A chat with the Vet to tell me that the two Benedryl capsules I gave her was correct - Benedryl is such handy stuff - and to bring her in if she showed any signs of respiratory distress so she could have a shot of steroids. Also the advice that before subsequent rabies vaccinations she should get a dose of injectible Benedryl, just in case it might happen again. I do not use a combination vaccine that includes Lepto, because the Lepto component is the most common cause of vaccine reactions. BUT as we have just seen, a rabies vaccination can do the same thing. However, a rabies vaccination is absolutely essential for all companion dogs. In my state we give one vaccination to a puppy (I normally wait until 6 months), another a year later, and then every three years for the rest of the dog's life.

And Lily who should have been ready to breed to Argus last Wednesday, is totally unreceptive. Both Argus and Watson are paying no attention to the fact that there is a lady in the "honeymoon suite". So, a trip to the OTHER Vet (reproductive specialist) for a progesterone test - to find out that she is either having an abnormal heat with no ovulation, OR a split heat and is cycling back in again and MIGHT be ready to breed late next week. Oh wonderful. Just what I needed was another week of 4 extra walks a day, and serenading (Lily, not the boys) at night. Actually the latter problem has been resolved, thank goodness.

Breeding dogs is a lot more than shutting two dogs of the opposite sex in a fenced yard, and because I really want a puppy from Argus & Lily (who is an excellent daughter of my Watson), we will bite the bullet and wait this out!

Off to see the pups this afternoon, and meet up with Joe who is on the list for a puppy. Joe lost his first Dal to old age, and has been patiently waiting for a long time. This will be his first visit with the pups. It will take Argus along with me so he can see both parents.

When visiting a litter of well-bred puppies, it often is not possible to see the sire, as he may live hundreds or even thousands of miles away. Serious hobby breeders try to use the most appropriate males when they decide to breed their bitches. We try to capitalize on the good qualities of each dog, and offset the faults. No dog is perfect, so we try to put the puzzle pieces together to create the best possible puppies. My Coral was a seasoned traveler and her first litter was sired by a dog in Southern California, which resulted in my Watson, and Josie's sire Peter. Her second litter was sired by a dog in Washington State, which resulted in my friend Cheryl's handsome little Simon who recently sired two nice litters.

Dal bitches have traditionally been driven or shipped by air to to their intended mates, or very occasionally the males have been shipped - we once sent our Torch off to New Mexico to sire a litter out of a very special bitch. Now that chilled and frozen semen breeding has been improved/perfected, the dogs sometimes get to stay home. Argus's next litter will be in Florida, out of Reggie who he has never met. Seems a little impersonal, like an "arranged marriage", but as the cost and difficulty of shipping dogs increases, it will become more common.

Can't wait to see the babies! Watch for pictures tomorrow on the litter page!

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors . . .

As I recall, Robert Frost made that observation in "The Mending Wall", and it certainly applies to dog owners as well. Good Fences (help to) Make Good Neighbors, and responsible dog owners. Although a fenced yard is not always a requirement, it certainly makes dog ownership easier! It's no longer safe ANYWHERE for dogs to run free, no dog can be 100% "yard trained" and in most areas it's illegal for dogs to run free. I lived in a carriage house for a year, with my second and third Dals (and my ex-husband too) and it worked fine for us because I took the time to walk Gremlin and Pooka. I have sold dogs to both single folks and couples that lived in apartments, and they have done a great job. BUT, the average dog owning home needs a fenced yard, and if there are children in the family, a fenced yard is a must. (For the safety of both dogs and kids . . .)

Invisible Fencing works "OK" up to a point, but a highly motivated Dalmatian can break through - usually when in hot pursuit of a rabbit, squirrel or free-roaming cat. And of course it does not keep other animals - or children - out of your yard. Dogs should never ever be left unsupervised inside an invisible fence. Because many dogs feel it is their job to "guard" the yard, such a fence leaves the owner open to biting incidents - and law suits. A delivery person can see a standard fence and take precautions, but is not aware that a dog may be loose inside an invisible fence. A dog in that situation can also be easily stolen.

The worse type of confinement however is tieing or chaining a dog. My contract states that the buyer agrees that the dog they are purchasing WILL NOT BE CHAINED. If you pay attention to the biting incidents in the news, the culprit is often a dog who is chained out - to be teased and tormented and totally unsupervised. Chaining a dog often encourages aggressive behavior even in the mildest mannered dogs, and a wandering child can easily be bitten my a seemingly friendly dog. Children are not likely to pick up on aggressive body language from the dog, and a chained, excited and frustrated dog can do great harm. Just not a good or safe idea.

I recently decided not to place a puppy in an otherwise suitable home with kids, just because there was no fence. Kids are not strong enough to restaint an enthusiastic young dog who sees a squirrel, and too many dogs are killed or injured by cars - and sometimes an innocent motorist is injured trying to avoid a free roaming dog - again, resulting in a possible lawsuit.

Owning a dog is a big responsibility that requires careful thought, a lot of planning and much work on the part of the owners.

Yep, I know Tom's Blog is missing. Hope he did not inadvertently kill it off. I miss it too.

Busy Week

I went over to see the pups last night and drop off some worm medicine for them. Also took some quick snaps of each cute little face, so I can learn to match their new names with the right puppy. It's hard when they don't live here!

Oh, so cute! They were up and playing when I arrived, although that doesn't last long at this age. Tom put down a heavy tarp in the family room (to protect the carpet) and it was covered with a comforter - and puppies and lots of toys. They are in the pen when no one is with them, but they have a wonderful place to play and be socialized. They are amazingly beautiful! Am I prejudiced? Their spotting is so crisp and sharp already that it looks like shiny black holes in their silvery coats. They look amazingly similar, except for Sherman who looks like himself. The puppy boy who was originally the smallest, the one that Tom worried about, really caught my eye last night - I think his name is Sam Spade. What a handsome puppy!

It's going to be a busy couple of weeks, as in addition to commuting to see the pups, we have a honeymooner here who is visiting Argus. "Lily" arrived from Indiana and is a lovely daughter of my Watson, bred by my friends Meg & Ginger, and owned by them and JodyLynn. When I purchased Argus, I hoped that he would be suitable for a Watson daughter to be bred to, so now we will see how that works. Lily is in the honeymoon suite in the basement - and is none too happy about it. She expresses her distaste for her accomodations by howling - at night. Not good. Four long walks a day should be enough for any Dal, but of course she is lonely. Hopefully she will adjust quickly, as I could use a full night's sleep!

"Joy" will arrive from Tennessee next week, flying in - hopefully AFTER Lily has left. I can't see myself squeezing in 8 bitch walks a day! There are times when it would be a lot easier if I had a kennel! Things always happen in bunches though, and these breedings have been planned for quite awhile - but you have to wait until the girls cooperate and come in season. Argus's second wife "Reggie" is pregnant in Florida and I've even seen an ultra sound of her babies-to-be! Joy is a daughter of a wonderful liver agility dog named Sassafrass, who is a grand daughter of my old Morris who died last January. We are hoping that Argus will produce good performance dogs, and that they inherit his terrific attitude (in addition to his good looks).

Like Boji, Reggie, Lily and Joy are champions, are owned by responsible hobbyists and have have their BAER (hearing), CERF (eye) and OFA (hip joint) testing. I know the owners will raise their puppies with care, see that they are properly socialized, and carefully placed, will sell the pets on spay/neuter contracts, and will be there for the pet owners. I've done appropriate health testing and placed pets on spay/neuter contracts for many years, and only accept bitches for breeding from people who share my philosphy on these important issues.

I've sold my puppy Indy, who will be going to a family that recently lost their older Dalmatian. I've talked to several families about Indy, but this one seemed just right. I love placing puppies in homes that have had a Dal in the past, and lost it to old age. Ron is quite attached to Indy, and after they've lived with you for a couple of months it's even more important that they get matched to just the right home. Gotta squeeze in a vet visit for Indy, before she goes off to make her way in the world. She's a terrific dog, and we'll miss her.

Time to walk Lily . . .

Puppy Reservations

This is a difficult time, as everyone is wondering if they will get a puppy, and which one it might be . . . I keep explaining to them that I don't KNOW yet. Over the next month we will be deciding which pups might go to show or performance homes, and which ones will go as companions.

Evaluating puppies is not an exact science, and is based on observation, personal opinion, and experience. There is a standard for each dog breed of course, describing the ideals for the breed, but evaluating dogs is very subjective and all standards are open to personal interpretation. Evaluating puppies is even trickier, as there is really no way to know things like adult size, tail carriage and bite (tooth alignment). However spotting, proportions, temperament and soundness will be used to make the evaluations and are there to be observed in 6-8 week old pups. We just make intelligent guesses, based on what we see, what we have observed in the past, and what we anticipate the pedigree lines and individual dogs will produce.

Responsible hobby breeders do not do a litter just for kicks, because they need a down payment on a car, or to send the kids to college, and in fact doing a litter the right way is often a money-losing experience. There is also the potential heartbreak of losing the mother (my first Dalmatian died during a botched caesarian), having dead pups or losing them later (10 of her 13 puppies died), and the possibilty of having deaf pups (which most responsible breeders have euthanized). Not a decision to be made on a whim.

We generally do a litter because we are looking for a special puppy to keep for showing, and hopefully as a useful addition to our bloodline (if we are longterm breeders). Tom and I are both hoping for a show puppy from this litter, and it would be great if there was a puppy for each of us, and maybe even a few others that deserved to be shown. Only time will tell on that.

The puppies that go as companions will have similar good looks, the same good dispositions and health potential, and will have been raised with the same care and attention as their show potential littermates. Which brings to mind another topic to be addressed later - Show QUALITY as opposed to "showable", as the latter only means the dog is registered, resembles its breed and has no disqualifying faults. It could be shown, but is not really a show quality animal. It might also be absolutely gorgeous - that's what we hope our companion pups will look like - but it is most important that pets be healthy and have excellent dispositions.

So be patient with breeders, please. They have a lot of time, money and emotion invested in a litter, and are hoping that it pays off in a fabulous pup who will be a superstar in the showring. But it takes time to make those decisions, and puppy evaluation is an ongoing process.

Wow!

Both Jess and I got a chance to see the pups yesterday, and we were absolutely delighted with them! The litter looks very promising. They all have Argus's velvety coat, and jet black markings. Very nice spotting patterns and absolutely gorgeous faces on most of them. Eye and nose trim looks really good, and all eyes are dark.

Both Boji and babies are in very good condition, and she obviously has plenty of milk, but it was time to get a start on weaning. I picked up goats milk, and goats milk yogurt for their first meals. I do not wean pups on kibble, but rather on milk and meat and eggs and yogurt, at least to start. My pups have all been raw fed for the past 7 years, but this litter will be raised on kibble. However, we will start them on a more natural diet (for a canine) than processed grain.

I'm absolutely delighted with the litter so far. With any luck we should have a couple of stunners for showing. Fingers still tightly crossed!

The best news though is that they all hear . . .

Gone To The Fishes

There was no time to visit the puppies on Saturday, as it was our local aquarium society auction - I guess "aquarium society" sounds better than "fish club" (which makes me think of someone hitting someone else over the head with a frozen carp!). Fish are my other expensive and time-consuming hobby. No, obsession is probably a better word! And like showing & breeding dogs, fish sales help keep my hobby afloat. And again like dogs, there is no way you ever even begin to break even, but it is part of the fun. My fancy hi fin swords and platies are bred to a standard, just as we breed dogs. It's not just a case of putting two fish together - just as we do not let our dogs pick their own mates! Most of the other fish get to pick and choose, although we only breed from healthy, well-formed fish.

Most aquarium societies have regular auctions, where the general public and fellow fishkeepers can add to their collections by purchasing locally raised healthy young fish. Unlike with dogs, fish auctions are socially acceptable. There are puppy auctions in other parts of the country, but those are an abomination, with commercial breeders buying and selling substandard, unsocialized, poorly cared for "breeding stock". UGH! Dogs are NOT livestock!

So I set off to the auction with a variety of young fish to sell. Peacock Gudgeons, Desert Gobies, Koi Swordtails, Sawfin Goodeids, Sailfin Mollies, Crescent Goodeids, Paradise fish. Nope, not your average petshop fish. We don't actually call them by their common names, but more often by their scientific names. I've learned a lot of latin since I got seriously involved in fish! I also had two large tanks to sell off, as I was not using them.

Auctions are social events, with friends from all over the area showing up to buy and sell. Some of the sellers have fabulous fish rooms with automatic water changing systems - a big timesaver. Others of us just have a lot of tanks! I've long since outgrown my fishroom - it wasn't large enough for 46 tanks! The fish sold well, especially the first bag of Peacock Gudgeons, beautiful peaceful small pink & blue striped fish with gold edged fins. I've been very successful with them, and they have helped financially quite a lot. They sell for $19.95 apiece around here, if you can find them, so people were pleased to bid on a bag of 5 young fish.

We also do a lot of bartering, so I swapped a breeding group of Sawfin Goodeids (they spent the summer in my pond and produced MANY offspring) for a group of gorgeous Characodon lateralis "Los Berros" - one of the many fish with no common name, and the location where they are found is an important part of their identity. And I purchased 4 bags of fish and 2 of plants - gotta keep those tanks filled up. Part of the fun is in breeding new and usual kinds of fish. Because many fish are extinct (like the tequilas) or endangered in the wild, it's hobbyists who must maintain the populations. Also purchased two small tanks and picked up a large one I had previously purchased. I'll need them someday!

Got home late and spent the evening acclimating fish, with time out to go to dinner with Ron and go for a walk with Argus - they were both feeling neglected.

Today I get to see the puppies, and take some new pictures. See you tomorrow!

Time For Interviews

Now things get busy. It's time to meet the people who have been patiently waiting. Because most are previous Dal owners, we really just need to be sure their expectations are reasonable, and that they have the time and patience to take on a new puppy. When people lose a beloved older dog, they tend to remember only the good times and how "easy" the dog was to own. They forget how much work that dog was as an untrained puppy and a silly boisterous adolescent. I need to be sure they will not be disappointed when they realize that this dog will have its own distinct personality, and will be much different (at least at first) than the dog they are grieving for.

Two new groups to interview too. One that is not actually on the list yet, but just considering a Dalmatian. They need to meet my silly dogs, see the noseprints on the patio door, and the hair on the sofa, be mugged by Argus, leaned on by Watson, have Josie drop a toy in their laps, be smiled at by Coral (who shows all her teeth when she smiles!), and probably be mumbled at by old Sid who would rather not have any disruptions to his life. Because Indy-The-Puppy is still here and is jet-propelled, they will also see how lively these silly beasties can be at 4 months.

The other couple knows they want a Dal and have been waiting patiently to add a puppy to their new household. I've placed many puppies with young couples, and most have worked out exceptionally well. What we need to concentrate on is whether or not they have the time for a puppy. The first 18 months will determine whether or not their pup will grow into a wonderful companion or a problem child. Puppies are a lot of work, and like children, they need to be molded into responsible adults.

I try to impress on all my buyers that THEIR dogs are the ones the public sees, family pets who walk in the parks, wait in the car at the supermarket, share a cone at the Dairy Queen, and attend obedience classes with people who own other breeds of dogs. Dals got a bad rap during the 90s, following the popularity crash, and are just rebounding from that. It is important that all Dal owners consider how their dogs are viewed by the public. It's important that dogs who go out in public have appropriate leash manners, are well socialized with other dogs, and are friendly to both adults and children. Displays of aggression, even if only for show, are absolutely not acceptable, and mean that the owners have not done their job.

By the same token, we are all at risk of anti-dog legislation. There are a lot of people out there who resent the time and money we spend on our pets. Well behaved dogs with responsible owners are our best weapon to fight restrictions on our rights to own dogs and have them in public places.

Now The Real Fun Begins

Dogs were sure glad to see me when I got home last night, as I am rarely gone for three or four days at a time, and if I am at least one of the dogs has gone with me. Argus especially is not used to being left behind. I missed them too, as I always have a dog in the car, and like so many other dog owners I talk to my canine companions. Many times I spoke to my non-existant companion while driving!

What a great weekend! The Pet Expo was astonishing! Thousand of pet supply vendors from around the world, with supplies for all kinds of pets. These were the manufacturers reps who market the products to pet supply dealers. Lots of neat new things, soooo many kinds of dog food, a huge number of aquarium suppliers and even the fish farms that supply the fish to pet shops. It is hard to believe though, that dog buyers will purchase ballerina dresses and wigs for their dogs! UGH!

I had a great time at the show, and some very nice dogs to judge. I shed a few tears while judging the Veterans, as I always do. The old guys do love to go to the shows, but it's hard not to think about the late Rob and Morris when I see the other old guys . . .

Two nice meals with groups of friends were the best though. One thing about dog shows - when the judging is done, we are (generally) all back to being friends, rather than judges and competitors. Argus's breeder Carrie Jordan from California was the Sweeps Judge, so it was great fun to swap stories about Argus, and his brother Andy who stayed with Carrie.

I came home by way of Milwaukee, stopping at my two favorite aquarium stores, but did NOT buy any fish. I did pick up a few supplies, but 40+ tanks of fish is more than enough work! Fortunately, our fish club auction is next Saturday, so I'll have a chance to move on some of the extra youngsters.

My van was loaded down with 300 pounds of ground frozen veggies, courtesy of Ginger who does this on a big scale. Some for me, and some for Vonda, Jess & Dawn. Because we feed a raw diet to our dogs (more on that later) we use veggies too, and it's so nice to be able to purchase Ginger's great mixes. A real timesaver.

And NOW I get to think about the puppies again. They need to be (home) hearing tested, be checked for eye color, and are at a wonderful age. They will become Little Dogs this week, and are such fun to watch. When I have a litter at my house, I go down to check on them for a few minutes, and spend a couple of hours. Am sure Tom and Dawn are finding that out! The pups had three groups of visitors yesterday, which is perfect. The more people they meet as babies, the better.

Puppy update tomorrow!

Trip Preparations

It seems odd to be packing for a trip in my mini-van without getting things ready to take a dog along. For 40+ years, dog show trips have been a part of my schedule, though far fewer now than in the past. Because I haven't had a class dog to show this year, I've only shown Argus as a special very occasionally. Hopefully next year I'll be showing one or more of the Josie kids, plus a puppy from Boji's litter.

And then there is Indy, my stud fee puppy from Watson and Janet. I keep thinking I should sell her, or at least find a good local co-owner for her, as she really needs more time and attention than she is getting right now. But she's got such a great personality, and there are so many things I like about her. Oddly, even grumpy old Sid likes her, although he has warned her that she may NOT swing from his ears and throat skin the way she does with Argus & Watson and Josie. Indy is super smart and very busy, although she has great crate manners and was amazingly easy to housetrain. Raising a puppy take a big time commitment, and my days all seem too short! Hopefully Ron will take her to PetCo this weekend, or for a few small walks in the neighborhood so she can greet friends - everyone is her friend, and she especially likes small children, having been raised with a toddler for the first 10 weeks of her life.

Argus will not be please about being left behind, and will miss our evening walks for the next few nights. He's such a hoot, my little Trash Collector. As we walk along he keeps a lookout for plastic bottles, soft drink cups, small carbboard boxes and empty fast food bags. He carries them along until he finds an appropriate spot to bury them! His favorite spot is in the gutter under fallen leaves, so fall is a great season for pursuing his hobby. Argus buried lots of trash in the snow last winter too. Wonder what the neighbors thought when the snow melted? I wonder if this is also an inherited trait? I've never had a dog quite so determined to bury things as Argus.

It will be interesting to watch personalities develope on the the Boji babies and see which traits they inherit from each parent. Boji has super high prey drive, and like my Josie, she lives to chase squirrels and rabbits. One thing the pups should inherit from both parents is extremely outgoing personalities.

Can't wait to get over to see them again next week. Glad I won't be missing my favorite puppy time - 3 weeks. That's when the little spotted blobs suddenly start to act like little dogs. They walk quite well, notice their littermates, start to play and to recognise the existance of people, wag their tails, and try to get away from their beds to pee. It's just a wonderful week of puppy watching. Wonder if Dawn & Tom have an extra bedroom for me? When Josie had her pups last spring, I thought I was going to have to set up a guest room for my friend Vonda. Pups are SUCH fun to watch. (And Tom gets to change the papers this time!)

Puppy Reservations

Taking puppy reservations is a lot more work than just "keeping a list". There are show potential puppies, performance puppies and companion puppies, experienced owners who can manage a livelier or more headstrong puppy, and less experienced owners who would be better off with a mild mannered puppy. Everyone wants to "pick their puppy", but in general I match up the pups to the homes. If we have any show potential pups, they will go to show homes - it's way too hard to produce top quality (according to the breed standard) pups with the right kind of personality, to put them in homes where they will never be seen again. Performance pups must have "drive" and be particularly sound and confident. They are often the pups that would be more challenging in permissive pet homes, because they need a job to do.

My reservation list has homes looking for all of the above, and over the next 5-6 weeks it is my job to assess and evaluate each puppy, and to get to know the people who are looking for companion pups so that I can do the best possible job of placing the right pup with them. Once I have decided which pups will go as companions, those at the top of the list may have some options, but even then I try to influence them to pick the pup that I think will fit their situation and meet their expectations. It's harder when the pups don't live with me this time, but Dawn and Tom will get real tired of me camping out in their basement! I will also depend on Tom & Dawn, and my daughter Jess for their observations.

Adding a puppy to the family is a serious consideration. Dals generally live 12 or more years, and I want the puppies I place to go to forever homes. The wrong dog or an unprepared home can be a disaster, and I would much prefer not to have to rescue a screwed up dog from a bad home. I've had very VERY good luck in my puppy placements over the years, due to a number of reasons. We try to breed the healthiest, best tempered pups we possibly can, we provide maximum socialization, all potential homes are carefully evaluated, and we are always here to answer questions and help with problems.

Time For Company

The pups had company this weekend. Their first visitors other than Tom, Dawn & Nicole. I went over on Saturday and my daughter Jess visited on Sunday. We carefully checked each pup over, holding it in a variety of positions and watching it's responses. Jess has been helping me with pups since she was a small child, and has helped with dozens of litters over the years. We both agreed that the pups looked terrific, even though Tom can always find something to worry about! Boji is an excellent mama, and her pups are plump and immaculate.

Because she is a very friendly dog, we do not anticipate that Boji will be protective of her pups, but as a precaution all nursing mothers meet visitors outside the puppy room. Its important that Boji not feel that she or her puppies are threatened. When strangers handle her puppies, Boji will be in her crate. Part of responsible dog ownership is remembering that dogs are not people, and they respond with age old canine instincts. Our Josie is like Boji, extremely friendly and not at all protective or aggressive, but when Josie has pups she meets strangers in our family room, and stays upstairs when we take them down to visit the pups.
It's time for the puppies to be handled by strangers now. Even though they do not yet hear, and are only starting to see, their little noses work very well and they can recognise the scent and feel of new people. This week they need gentle handling by a few groups of strangers.

NEXT WEEK we get busy. The pups will have gotten their hearing (we hope all of them are hearing next week!) so I will do the preliminary testing for that. Normally I would start doing that when the pups are 13-14 days old, but because I will be in Chicago this weekend, visiting the Pet Expo (a huge trade show), and later judging the Chicagoland Dal Specialty, and coming home by way of a couple of aquarium stores in Milwaukee, hearing testing will be postponed for a couple of days. Jess will visit the pups again though, so she may do it in my absence. (It's something we like to know as soon as possible.) Their eyes are already starting to open.

THEN it's time for visitors, lots of visitors. And time for interviews! I have not met several of the people on my puppy list. Most of previous Dal owners, but one young couple is considering their first Dalmatian. The previous Dal owners know what to expect, and are prepared for happy enthusiastic silly dogs that shed. We'll either do interviews at my house, where they can be mugged by all my dogs who LOVE company, or at Tom's house where they can be mugged by Boji. If we do that, I'll take Argus along so they can meet him too.
Dogs are not a disposable commodity, or at least they shouldn't be, although a visit to any Humane Society will make you wonder otherwise. Reading the reasons for surrender will reveal that the dogs "got too large", "shed too much", "pulled too hard", or that the buyer "didn't have enough time". DUH! Obviously the original purchase of a dog was not very well thought out. Dogs need grooming, training, and LOTS OF TIME.

Raising a puppy CORRECTLY is a lot of work!

The Pups Are One Week Old

Actually, the pups were a week old yesterday. Tom sent along a few new pictures where you can see that the spots are just now starting to show through. I'll be visiting Boji and babies this weekend, and it will be fun to check them over to get an idea of their eventual markings.
As all kids who watched the Disney movie know, Dals are born white - or at least their coats are white. They actually have skin spotting at birth, so the spots are visible before the puppy is dried off. Once they are dry the spots are still somewhat visible on the ears & sometimes on the muzzle and stomach where the coat is thinner.
One of the people on my puppy list asked how we know what color the pups would be when they don't have black or liver spots yet. Dals of course have "color coordinated" noses, and hopefully there is some nose color at birth or shortly thereafter. The tough ones are the pups born with pink noses! Nose trim comes in quickly, but sometimes it take a bit of educated guesswork.
Boji is a very richly colored black, and Argus is what we call "red liver". Deep black spotting comes through the earliest, red liver is the last to show up clearly (the dark chocolate shade of liver is visible sooner). The pups should be showing most of their basic spotting pattern by the end of next week. Watching the spots come in is always so interesting!

Puppy Socialization

Good dispositions are both born and made. Both Nature and Nuture are part of the equation. Although responsible breeders will only breed from dogs with appropriate dispositions, pups must also be socialized correctly! Commercial breeders as well as individuals without the time or motivation to properly socialize their pups are doing both the dogs and their eventual buyers a huge disservice. It's impossible to go back at a later date and make up for lack of appropriate socialization.
Pups should be handled everyday from the very beginning, and there is a set of exercises that are extremely helpful. Check out the link to the puppy socialization article as it explains in depth the importance of correct socialization.

Webpage For Puppies

I sat up late two nights in a row getting the puppy's webpage up and running, and playing catch up on my website. Still have a lloonngg way to go. I used to be able to work on this stuff when things were slow at the office. Now things are never slow at the office and being a state employee, NO use of computers for personal work is considered acceptable. So if I want to get my website updated, I'll be sitting up late.
We got the pictures of Boji's caesarian, and I'm going to post a few of those. We did not have a camera - we were not expecting surgery! - but Dr. Ann kindly lent me her camera so I could take a few snaps. A couple turned out real well.
Tom is back at work, but Dawn has taken this week off to be home with Boji and the pups. That insures that the smaller pups will have plenty of time to catch up a bit, with Dawn checking to be sure they don't get shoved off a nipple. Tom says the smallest boy has really picked up now.
Boji will not to happy next week, when she is left for the day. She's used to having someone around all day, and both Tom and Dawn have quite a commute to work. It's been handy for me to have only a 12 minute commute, so I can always come home at noon, and now that Ron is retired, the dogs have it way too easy!
Time to order the books - I give out "How To Raise A Puppy You Can Live With", an excellent puppy raising book that has gone through many additions. I still think it's the best of the puppy books available. Although most of our buyers have previously owned Dals, there's a lot of good information even for experienced Dal owners.

Pups All Doing Well

Tom reports that the pups are doing well now, and the smallest boy has started to gain weight and plump up like the others. Hope I can get over to see them tomorrow night! It's hard to be an "absentee parent" - not for Argus, but for me! Argus loved Josie's pups last spring though, so I'm sure he will enjoy playing with kids later on when they are old enough to visit.

Argus's OFA hip results came yesterday - OFA Excellent! Only a small percentage of dogs are scored as excellents, and I was delighted that BOTH Argus and Boji came back with that rating. Hip dysplasia is not nearly as common in Dalmatians as it is in breeds like Labradors, but it is important for breeders to stay on top of it, and have all breeding stock x-rayed. Argus's had a preliminary x-ray last summer, and his hips looked good, but the dogs have to be two years old to get the official rating. We've agonized with friends whose promising young Goldens and Labs were dysplastic. Some dogs become severely crippled, while others are only arthritic, but it can be very devastating, and is something we want to keep from becoming a big problem in this breed.