Surry Labradors' Blog

Snow

2010-03-10T09:54:00.002-05:00

We had some snow last month which is an unusual occurrence for South Carolina. The dogs seemed to enjoy the time that they spent in the snow--none had ever seen it before. The Labradors thought that it was great sport. The greyhounds weren't so sure.

The snow was gone by the next day, and now it appears that the back of winter is broken and spring is going to be here soon. The dogs are still in their winter coats but shedding is definitely happening. Soon we will be getting baskets of hair off each of the Labradors.

I have to say that the cooler weather is definitely what I prefer. I know that the dogs feel the same way. They are truly cold weather animals. Even the greyhounds don't mind going to dog park or the beach when the weather is cold. One would think that with such low body fat that they would be cold. But they enjoy walking in the water just like a Labrador.

All else is going well. We have had a couple of the girls spayed. Clara is enjoying being inside and Emily will be going to a new home this weekend. Life is just more manageable with fewer dogs and each gets more individual attention. They enjoy watching Charlie work in the garden which has preoccupied him now for several days.

I hope to post some photos of the dogs at the beach soon!

Hounds getting teeth cleaned today

2010-02-02T15:42:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the long time between posts. It seems that time goes by so fast. I haven't decided whether to continue the blog or not since I don't seem to be able to devote as much time to it as I would like. Maybe I will just change the topic a bit to include more about all the dogs that are here. Our number of dogs is now 8 Labradors and 2 greyhounds. That seems so much easier than having around 15 that we used to have.

The greyhounds are getting their teeth cleaned today. Greyhounds seem to have particular problems with periodontal disease, often showing signs as early as two years of age. Symptoms of periodontal disease include:

Bad breath
Red or swollen gums
Yellow or brown crust near the gum line
Loose or missing teeth
Discomfort when the mouth or gums are touched
Possible decreased appetite or weight loss due to difficultly in chewing

Our dogs don't have teeth that look like those shown. But we have begun noticing some bad breath from them. So it was time to get their teeth cleaned. This generally becomes an annual thing for greyhounds. Because they are sensitive to anesthesia, it is best to have a vet who is familiar with the breed do the cleaning.

Here are some of the things that owners can do for any breed that will insure good dental care:

brush their teeth daily - even twice daily if you find that makes a difference. Experiment with different doggie toothpastes to see if your dog does better on a particular type.
get some anti-gingivitis mouthwash and wipe it along the gumline daily.
provide safe chew toys that are made especially for helping with dental hygiene.
learn how to scale the teeth. It isn't hard to do.
feed only dry food
check teeth regularly and keep up with appointments to get the teeth cleaned.

To Anonymous

2010-01-04T11:36:00.004-05:00

Note: I received the following comment posted on December 25 regarding the death of Tilly. I did delete the comment on the post but wanted to highlight it here. It was sent by an anonymous poster:

Betty,

I am wondering why you profess to be a dog-loving, ethical breeder when the truth is that your dogs NEVER step foot in your house (oh wait, you consider your attached garage the house) and you consistently sell temperament and congenitally-impaired dogs to unknowing people. Congratulations! You're a true testament to this wonderful breed. Poor Tilly deserved to live out her years in the confort of a loving home, but all she got was the hard, cold floor of a garage. Rest in peace sweet girl. May the gates of heaven show you all the life luxuries you missed living with the Wenners.

Dear Anonymous:
I am wondering whether I know you and how much time you have spent in my home. If you have, I know that you were welcomed hospitably. I wonder what I have done to you to deserve this comment. Maybe you were just having a bad Christmas. I don't suppose you would call me or email to actually let me know what the reasons were, but I would appreciate it if you would.

I'm wondering how often you visited my home over the 14 years of Tilly's life. Since it appears you have been there a lot, then you must know that the "doggy" room is heated and air conditioned, has three large dog beds, lots of toys, and music. You are right that while we were both working during the day, the older dogs spent their day in this room. Once we were home from work, they were turned out and at night come in the house. When my husband retired, Tilly and the two greyhounds were turned out in the paddocks for a couple of hours in the afternoon. Tilly especially enjoyed watching the greyhounds run around.

As far as selling impaired dogs with bad temperaments to unknowing people, I have had few complaints over all these years about the dogs. In fact, I have been most grateful that there have been so few problems. Tilly was a great producer and much of the soundness in the lines, I attribute to her. Again, I would like to talk with you since you seem to have much more information than I do. I think that it's rare indeed for any breeder to never produce a problem. In fact, I don't know of anyone who has not produced some kind of problem when breeding Labradors. These are dogs that we are breeding not machines.

About two years ago, after becoming an AKC judge, I made a decision to not breed anymore. It was a difficult decision. And it largely had to do with the stress of whelping puppies, seeing the bitches in labor, and worrying about the dogs. You probably understand this and know a lot about the trials and tribulations of breeding. It is a difficult and often heartbreaking hobby.

Well, I hope that you give me a call or email me. Maybe we can load up all the dogs and have them come to visit your house.

Best wishes to you in the coming year,
Elizabeth Wenner
Surry Labradors

Chronic renal failure

2009-12-01T15:47:00.005-05:00

I wanted to write about renal disease which is what Tilly had. Because of her advanced age of 14, there was more of a likelihood that she would develop renal failure as many aged dogs do. Over a year ago, we noticed that she was urinating more than usual. Blood workup revealed that she had elevated BUN and Creatnine levels, which are two products excreted by the kidneys. Elevated levels in the blood, also called azotemia indicated her kidneys were not functioning properly. She was also anemic at the time.

The kidneys are important because they filter out and excrete toxins from the body through output of urine. Tilly was drinking a lot of water and urinating more because her kidneys were damaged. The increase in water consumption is the bodies attempt to flush out the build up of toxins. The increased urination is caused by the increased water intake but the kidneys are unable to concentrate the urine so it is a almost clear in color with little to no odor.

Symptoms of kidney failure usually do not show until the disease is in an advanced stage – normally when the kidneys are functioning at only twenty-five percent function. By this time, it is often too late for treatment to do much besides make the dog more comfortable and help alleviate symptoms.

Tilly was given an influx in fluid over the past year. That helped to flush out her system. This flushing process, called diuresis, helps to stimulate the kidney cells to function again. If enough functional kidney cells remain, they may be able to adequately meet the body's needs for waste removal. Fluid therapy includes replacement of various electrolytes, especially potassium.

We also put her on a special renal diet which is low in protein and low in salt and phosphorus. Unfortunately, she didn't particularly like this food, and we resorted to cooking special meals for her and trying all sorts of foods to get her to eat. During the last two weeks she refused to eat or drink. We resorted to feeding her through an oral syringe with a calorie dense food to try to keep some weight on her and to give her subcutaneous injections of fluid to try to stimulate some kidney cell function.

Her heart, lungs and attitude remained strong. I think that was among the most difficult things because she still wanted to go for a walk and still loved being with us. However, she was in complete kidney failure according to blood tests done. So there was nothing left that could be done. It is hard to let go of our beloved dogs but when kidneys are worn out they can't be revived.

A sad day

2009-11-26T08:07:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was a very sad day. After a year long struggle with chronic renal failure, Ch. Castlewood WhyaskWhy at Surry crossed the rainbow bridge. She was 14 years old and remained alert with a strong heart right up to the end.

I knew that this day was going to come but still wasn't prepared. As we took our final walk in the morning, she came right along with me. But renal failure had taken its toll (I'll write about this in a later post).

Tilly was quite the girl. I remember her as the boldest and baddest of the puppies that Gina Cheatham and Robin Moody had from their breeding of Ch. Sumo's Ahoy All Decked Out CD to Can. Ch. Ranbourne This Bud's For You. She bossed everyone from the time she was able to crawl. Tilly became my first BISS winner and produced BISS winners herself. Her son Ch. Surry's Brick in the Wall became a BIS winner which is infrequent in the Labrador world.

Yesterday was filled with a lot of tears, but today I am grateful to have had her in my life. She opened up doors to friendships, taught me that patience is a virtue and that dogs can be stubborn as mules. She was a grand old girl.

Rest in peace Tilly. I'll see you on the other side.

Please.....

2009-10-29T13:56:00.002-04:00

The following is reprinted from Indigo Ravenwood's blog Shattered Prose. It really touched my heart.

"I’m a writer.

But it’s not all I am.

I’m also someone who rescues animals; strays to be specific.

Tonight I just want to be the writer. Because I don’t really know how much more my heart can take - how much more compassion, endurance or fortitude, I have left to watch another life slip out of my hands. Only to realize too little, too late and wonder was it enough?

I didn’t ask for this. Never in my wildest dreams did I foresee this for myself. Yet here I am, sitting with a heavy heart and trying my damndest to make some sense out of it all.

Counting slowly back through my memories, names and personalities remind me of the ones that survived, the strays I did manage to make a difference for.

I’m only one person.

They all had homes before me, a place where they lived and learned to be domesticated. The question remains, what happened to those homes?

They come to me broken and unsure if I’m trustworthy. Will I chase them away, kick them or scream at them? “Don’t come any closer,” their stance says, betraying the fear they have of humans.

Patience slowly wins them over.

I can’t describe the joy as unique personalities emerge and most importantly trust is gained. Eyes lit up in expectation and excitement to see you, until finally the one moment that gives way to all your patience, the rub. The classic don’t hurt me; I’m going to try to let you close enough to pet me move. And I melt.

Why?

Because the evidence of the road they traveled to get to me is there for all the world to see in each scar, the missing hair, the bug bites and the skinny frame from lack of food.

Yet for one moment they dared to trust and I was worthy.

I’ve seen this same scenario play out over and over. I don’t get it. I don’t understand how someone could cruelly pull up in a car and toss them out, or one day suddenly decide they weren’t worth the time and lock them out of the only home they ever knew. I don’t understand how someone can simply stop caring.

As a writer, I take my writing seriously. As a pet owner, I take their lives into account from beginning to end. There is no, I changed my mind they’re too much work. There is no, I don’t have time or patience for this.

Kittens and Puppies don’t stay that way forever, they grow up, they get old and they need to be taken care of every single day of their lives.

So the writer in me is using the biggest tool I have available to me – my words, to ask, please be responsible pet owners. Know what you’re getting into before taking that leap and falling for a pet that will be the recipient of whatever decisions you make.

If you think you have what it takes to go the distance, please consider a shelter or abandoned animal. All they want is to be loved. They never asked to be thrown away.

Maybe someday everyone who owns an animal will take that responsibility seriously and I won’t feel the need to make a heartfelt plea like this. I don’t know if my heart can take losing another stray, wondering if they had enough time to know someone cared. I’m only one person, one writer, one human being. Stop and think before you give a pet for a gift this holiday or any day and make sure you understand what that new puppy or kitten entails. Please…"

Halloween Dog

2009-10-24T09:39:00.004-04:00

Camryn, one of the Surry girls owned by Mardy, will be going to two Halloween parties this year. One of her parties will be at the Franke Home where she will entertain residents. Here is her cute costume:

I think that she will be a big hit at both parties.

The end of summer

2009-10-22T20:53:00.004-04:00

I thought that I'd post some photos from the great time that the dogs had in the water this summer. Some are my dogs and some are ones that I received from other people who own one of our dogs.

Anyway, the great thing about Labradors is that beach weather for them is all year round.

Updating

2009-10-04T16:16:00.001-04:00

I don't know where the time goes but it has flown by. Here is some of the news that has occurred since the last time I posted:

I received a photo of the Weimaraner that I picked for Best of Breed at the Clermont show in Ohio. Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos of the Labradors that won. But I thought that the Weim was quite nice.
Barrett sired a nice litter of puppies out of Ch. Bayou Bay Blond Ambition JH. There were ten puppies born (6 black boys, 1 black girl, and 3 yellow girls) and all are doing well.
I received word that Sally Wright's wonderful old boy Ch. Wright's Bennigan of Millab CD JH passed away. I remember when Benn was just a baby and Sally was showing him to me at a dog show. Rest in peace Benn.
Speaking of getting older, Tilly, our old grande dame is still hanging in there and enjoying life. She will be 14 years old on November 22. She has some trouble now and again with a bladder infection and her kidney creatinine levels are regularly high, but she is a tough old girl. I hate to think about losing her.

I heard from Ann and Paul Key that their Neilley celebrated her sixth birthday in August. She enjoyed a birthday cake decorated with a pupperoni stick. Neilley had a slow start in life as it was touch and go for a few days until I started nursing her with a bottle. She latched on and grew strong. Now she is Ann and Paul's constant companion as they travel with their Heelin' Hound business. Happy birthday Neilley.

The dogs are enjoying the slightly cooler temperatures. I am enjoying them too! If you have something that you would like for me to post about or photos to share, please send them along.
I have some emails to answer and photos from summer activities to post and will get around to that soon.

Dogs are enjoying the weather

2009-09-10T07:55:00.001-04:00

The dogs are enjoying these cooler mornings. Although the summer hasn't been too hot, it is nice to have low humidity and some cooler weather at 6 AM.

The hounds and Tilly are the first to go for their walk. Tilly is slower than the greyhounds! She is 14 and still trots along. Fortunately, the greyhounds are respectful of her.

After their walk, the other Labradors get turned out in the paddocks. They run around, sniff, do their business, and chase each other. They stay out for a couple of hours until my husband feeds them. It's great that he is retired because the dogs get to spend much of the day outside in their paddocks.

When we were both at work, we didn't like to leave them out in case they decided to dig out or a fence got breached. Even though we are a mile down a dirt road, it is still easy for these dogs to get to the main highway.

So the dogs are enjoying the best parts of the day, the early morning and late afternoon. I guess that I am too!

Getting through provisionals

2009-09-07T11:49:00.000-04:00

I went to the Cleremont County show in Ohio to judge last Sunday. The entry was small in Labradors. I had a good entry in Weims but on the day of judging there were quite a few absentees. Because I am still provisional for Weims, I need to be observed three times by the AKC representative at a show.

Unfortunately, due to the absentees, there weren't five bitches to be observed on. This is a disappointment since there is little reimbursement for expenses when one judges. Most small clubs only pay $3.00 a dog when one has a provisional assignment. So after all is said and done, I didn't get observed.

Of course, I enjoyed being there. I enjoyed the dogs and the people. I did get to be mentored in Golden Retrievers which was interesting and informative. Hopefully, I will be able to finish up what is needed to get to regular status with Weims (being observed) and then can apply for goldens.

I'm seeing why those who want to judge start at a young age. This is a time consuming and expensive process.

Posting again

2009-08-29T09:30:00.002-04:00

I have been negligent in posting to the blog. In fact, it's been too long since I've posted. So I decided that I needed to become active on this site and put up some information.

The incident with the surrender of about 50 Labradors made me realize how important it is for breeders to know when they are over their head. The man who surrendered these dogs was a former President of the Hoosier Labrador Retriever Club. He was a respected Labrador breeder. But apparently he fell on hard times and did not reach out for help when it became clear that he could no longer give quality care to his dogs.

I know that breeding and showing dogs is an expensive hobby. And having 50 dogs to feed, vet, and care for can be very expensive. It's well for every breeder to assess whether of not they have the time and money to care for the animals that they own.

Many labs surrended at shelter in Indiana

2009-08-28T15:23:00.002-04:00

The Morgan County Humane Society got an unexpected delivery and they desperately need your help. A breeder who fell on financial hard times had to get rid of more than 40 dogs and puppies.

Even before you step inside in the Morgan County Humane Society, you can hear dogs barking.

"Our capacity is fairly small compared to some shelters and to have this much come in in one day," said Matthew McPherson with the Morgan County Humane Society.

The shelter off West Mitchell Street in Martinsville is normally busy with activity, but they're now overwhelmed after getting such a large animal drop off.

"Our typical capacity is about 45 dogs and puppies total and in just one run we had picked up 48 dogs," McPherson said.

Last week, Morgan County deputies brought 38 adult labs, 10 puppies, a cat and two quail to the shelter. They rescued each one from the same place.

"It's pretty sad, it makes you want to help it makes you want to come and get one," Mary Cramblett of Indianapolis said.

Officials say the owner of the animals fell on financial hard times and did not know where to turn to get help.

"Once they are in good sound health, then we would be able to adopt them out to the public," McPherson explained.

According to officials at the Humane Society, when the puppies arrived last week they were emaciated, flee-infested and malnourished. But now they are full of energy and they've bounced back.

"The conditions when we got them in were just completely horrible," McPherson said.

The adult labs are separated from the puppies, one of them even showed signs of malnutrition.

"Some of them were as low as 30 pounds for an adult lab," said McPherson.

Now officials are working to get the labs back in shape. They're also depending on their volunteers and dog lovers to help find them good homes.

"All the animals that are here; it's not there fault that they are here and it's people that do things that they shouldn't be doing and it's up to who ever can help out to come out and help out," Chris Beasley of Morgantown said.

The Morgan County Humane Society is looking for foster homes for the Labrador Retrievers. They are also in need of monetary and food donations. If you would like to help you can contact the shelter at 765-349-9177.

You can also go to the Morgan County Humane Society web site and make a donation via Pay Pal. These labs are in need of a lot of attention.

Mr. Cooper died today

2009-01-05T16:38:00.002-05:00

Mr. Cooper, a friend's greyhound, was put down this afternoon after a bout with osteosarcoma. It's bone cancer and very painful.

Cooper was a greyhound rescued from the track. He loved to run and especially liked to run on the beach and at dog park. He would show off for the crowds. Last month, he developed a limp that wouldn't go away. An x-ray revealed bone cancer.

Cooper was on pain medication but amputation of the limb wasn't an option. Within the last few days, the pain medication wasn't doing much. He was crying out in pain. So after a final walk in the surf this morning, he went peacefully this afternoon.

The photo above was taken this morning as he enjoyed his last time at the beach where he loved to run.

I'm going to post more on this devastating disease later.

Merry Christmas to all

2008-12-26T16:28:00.002-05:00

I haven't written here for a while and will have to catch up. So here are some things that have gone on:

Thanksgiving--it was a nice day with good food for people and the dogs. It's actually my favorite holiday because it is so low key. And the dogs benefit from the turkey left overs.

Judging--I went to Florida to judge an all breed show and had a fairly low entry with Labradors. It's okay as I got to combine it with a mini-vacation to visit St. Augustine and a few other places.

Christmas--It's been a nice time. I've enjoyed the festivities, the time off to play with the dogs and go to doggy park, and just relaxing. The dogs once again got quite a feast of turkey and ham scraps added to their kibble. I also went to a few parades and enjoyed my time out on the water.

I hope that each of you had a great holiday. I hope to be more on focus with posting to the blog. It's easy to get sidetracked with other things.

Cool weather at last

2008-11-17T13:02:00.001-05:00

Tonight it may actually go below freezing here. I know that many areas of the country have had frost and even snow. We are a bit cold weather resistant here due to proximity to the coast.

So we've put straw in the kennels so that the Labradors can hunker down. They love having new straw, as evidenced by their running around inside their houses, rooting at it with their noses, and then flopping down with only their noses exposed. Labradors really like to snuggle in that straw although I doubt that they would be too cold without it. They have excellent coats right now.

Over a few days, the straw will start to get mashed down and pulled out side their houses. About every 2 weeks it has to be changed out and fresh straw put in. I've never had any problems with the Labradors getting skin or eye problems from the straw. But it is necessary to change it out before it starts to break down.

Of course, the older guys and the greyhounds are in the dog room with a heater. Tilly is still the queen and hanging in there at 14 years of age. The greyhounds don't like to get chilly, although they don't seem to mind going for a walk on the beach or running at dog park.

Hope that your dogs are all ready for the cold weather that is to come.

Biting the hand

2008-11-11T15:14:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine adopted a Lhasa Apso when one of her greyhounds died from cancer. She had decided that she wanted a small dog. The Lhasa had a temperament problem from the beginning. He was an un-neutered male who was crate protective and who growled whenever anyone would try to pet him.

She had him neutered and worked with him extensively. He went with her everywhere. She could groom him and hold him up near her but there were also times when he would suddenly get a demonic look in his eyes and growl.

She asked me to let him out one afternoon as she was going to be away until late in the evening. I was supposed to walk him on a leash of course. However, he wouldn't let me put a leash on him. He looked at me and growled menacingly. So I lassoed him with the leash. The problem came in trying to get the leash back off him. He barked, growled and lunged when I tried to take the leash off. So I left it on him and beat a fast path to the car.

Eventually, my friend revealed that the dog had bitten her toe and then her little finger. She took him to a no kill shelter to see if he could be adopted but no one wanted the growling Lhasa. I urged her to work something out to place him because it seemed that it wouldn't be long before someone would be hurt by this little dog.

The other day, she called to tell me that he had bitten her hand, hung on and had put deep puncture wounds in her flesh on the top and bottom of her hand. She went to the emergency room. And she called to ask if I would take the dog to the Charleston County SPCA.

So I picked up her little dog and took him to the shelter. I'd never dropped off an animal there or even been to the shelter. Thankfully, there was an open house going on so there were lots of staff available. I found someone that I knew and told her about the problem of the aggressive Lhasa. She helped me to get him to the intake staff who gave me paperwork to fill out on his owner's behalf.

The dog is now at the shelter and will be there for 10 days because he bit his owner. He has been deemed unadoptable. I realize what the result will be. But it makes me sad that this little dog had a great home, but due to poor breeding and perhaps lack of socialization early in his life, he now faces death.

I wish that things had turned out better for all concerned.

Moose is adjusting

2008-11-05T14:52:00.002-05:00

Moose Traks, the rescued greyhound, seems to be doing well. He lets us know when he wants to go out. He is now sleeping in the house at night, without a crate. He leaves the cats alone and only seems interested when the Siamese decides to run like crazy away from him.

The only issue that I had was that he likes to pick up anything left on the floor and play with it. I left a pair of undies in the "dirty" clothes pile and he grabbed them, played with them and then proceeded to rip them. So everything has to be picked up which isn't a hardship since I don't like to leave any clothes on the floor anyway.

Fortunately, Moose doesn't like to chew up toys. His room during the day has lots of dog toys and he seems to not be interested in them. I worry about the dogs chewing up and swallowing any clothing or stuffing from toys. It can cause a blockage and in many cases, such a blockage will cause the intestine to deteriorate resulting in death to the animal. So if you have a Lab who is prone to chewing up toys or eating clothing, be very careful. It's best to remove anything that would be a potential danger and let them play with toys only under supervision.

What dog showing should be about

2008-10-28T10:58:00.000-04:00

The following was sent to me by Ann Key. I thought that it was a particularly nice story. It may be true or not, but it gives a good feeling to me as it indicates how the sport of showing dogs is supposed to be.

"Yesterday, I experienced a very unusual thing indeed. It might restore someone's faith in humanity! I know it did mine.

As with all forms of competition, there comes a certain amount of ambition, goal grabbing, disappointment, anger and even revenge in extreme cases. Some of it, is just the nature of competition, the majority of it is just malice. Dog showing is no exemption.

Unfortunately, all too often I have stood at ringside and heard malicious comments, bitching and bickering. Dog show people can be very cruel to each other sometimes. I have on occasion been the brunt of these comments, but that's another story.

Well, yesterday I had a breath of fresh air, as it were. I was stewarding at the Rough Collie Club of Ireland's Championship show. It's a relatively popular breed here in Ireland. Always a big entry. They had a wonderful judge from the U.K. This lady has been in the breed since 1949. So, it goes without saying, I was pretty privileged to steward for her.

Anyway, just before the Novice class, one of the club official's came into the ring and, I overheard her tell the judge about the one entry in the class. I thought it was unusual that there was only one entry in the class, but later found out the reason why!

I called the class, and, in walked an old man and his Rough Collie. I've only ever seen this man at our St. Patrick's Day show. He's an old man, rough around the edges and, well, his dog, is really unkempt by show standards. He marched proudly into the ring with the dog on a great big thick rope lead!

While the judge was going over the dog, I was filled in on his story. I was told that he lives in an old folks home in Galway. (The other side of Ireland.) He has no family left living and no visitors at the old folks home. He's been showing this dog for eight years only ever on St. Patrick's Day or the Club show. He'd traveled 150 miles on a bus yesterday morning. Which takes about 5 hours in Ireland. The nurses in his home, usually phone the club to tell of his departure, and the club usually phone back when they spot this old man at the show. He has only ever shown the dog in Novice, and people over the years never compete against him.

The nurses told the club officials that when he wins a rosette at a show he wears it for weeks at home in the old folks home. The dog lives with him at the home and, is quite a celebrity "Show dog" with all the residents. The pride and joy of this man's life. He spends half the year, telling people about the last dog show and the other half of the year, looking forward to the next one!

Anyway, the judge was so considerate to this man. And, boy was he proud to show his dog off. When the judge asked could she look at the dog's teeth, "Oh yes," the man replied and instructed the dog to "Smile." With that the dog showed off a perfect set of choppers! The judge replied "Aren't you a clever dog?" With that the man said "Oh, he is very clever, he'll shake your hand too if you like!" I couldn't help smiling when I heard this, and full credit to the judge, she shook hands with the dog.

The dog won first in the class and every exhibitor at the show, gave this old man and his dog a standing ovation. He was cheered and clapped as he did his own lap around the ring. People came over to the ringside to congratulate and pat the man on the back as he left the ring. Talk about Elvis leaving the building, this man was certainly the king when he won his class. He was just so proud of his accomplishment. He lapped up every minute of it.

It was the first time I'm sad to say that I've seen people being genuinely nice at a dog show. They really made this old man's day. Possibly his year! Heaven help the residents at the old folks home when he returned home last night. Not only did he win a rosette but also won a great big trophy. I'm sure it will take pride of place on the mantle piece.

Isn't this what dog showing SHOULD be about?? Giving people like this old man a day out to enjoy the only family he has. His best pal, his dog. A memory for an old man to hold on to, to brighten his day, something to share with his friends at the old folk's home? Something to be proud of, however small the achievement?

Anyway, that's the story, just a thought, an observation and possibly an inspiration to us all? I know it's one of the happiest memories I have of a dog show." Author Unknown

Catching Up

2008-10-21T16:00:00.001-04:00

I don't know where the time has gone but it has flown by. A lot has happened since my last post about dear Belle. Since then, I've added another greyhound which is a unique story.

I've had Hoffa since January. She was adopted through Greyhound Crossroads. I really like her personality. She loves other dogs and people and gets along with the cats too. So I wrote to the kennel where she came from to ask if there were any of her siblings available for adoption. I found the information about the kennel on the Greyhound Database. I knew that a couple of her siblings had been adopted. I didn't hear anything for a while but then an email arrived from Joanne at Greyhound Crossroads. She told me that Hoffa's littermate, Moose Traks, was available for adoption.

So I drove up to Clinton Animal Hospital to meet Dr. Dixon and pick up Moose Traks. He had been neutered and had been in recovery from his surgery until I could come get him. He is just like Hoffa--friendly, happy, like cats, and enjoys meeting people and other dogs. So far there is nothing about him that isn't great. He enjoys staying with Tilly during the day while we are away from the house. He loves the other Labradors and ignores his sister! I'll be posting more photos of Mr. Moose here soon.

The great news is that all of Hoffa and Moose's littermates have now been adopted. And their dam, Tycam Lebatts has also been adopted. That's a happy story.

Some things are hard to talk about

2008-10-07T16:15:00.000-04:00

I've avoided writing about this topic because it has been too difficult to do so. I received word about a month ago that Surry's Division Belle, a daughter of Ch. Surry's Interstellar Overdrive, was attacked by other Labradors and died from her injuries.

Belle's story is one that has haunted me for a long time. It started when she was sold to a couple who wanted to show her. I won't go into the specifics here, but the situation proved to be one in which Belle was not what the couple wanted. I co-owned Belle and after much discussion with the couple, it was agreed that she would go to a friend of theirs who trained dogs and promised to give Belle a good home.

And this is where I am at fault. Rather than buy Belle back from the couple, I talked to the lady who wanted Belle, and agreed that it was best that she go to this new home. All seemed to be going well until I heard that she had been attacked by her dogs, was severely injured, and subsequently died.

I am convinced that the lady who had Belle is indeed heartbroken about this. But I am also convinced that such a tragedy could have been prevented--if I had bought Belle back and brought her to Surry to live out her life.

Over my years as a breeder, I have only had a few bad experiences. And the ones that weigh heavy on me are with those individuals to whom I've sold a dog to "show". No bad experiences have been had with those friends of mine who were showing and got a puppy from me. The problems were with individuals who I didn't know personally but who wanted to get started in the breed.

I know now that wise words told to me by an old timer years ago ring true--Never sell a puppy for show, unless you know the individual well and count them as your friend. Even then, be cautious and have everything in writing.

Poor Belle--you deserved a lot better.

Memorial tribute

2008-09-21T20:00:00.000-04:00

The last day of Beach Bound Hounds included a sunrise memorial service for all the greyhounds that were living and those that had passed on. It was really moving to see so many people write the name of their beloved pet in the sand as the sun rose.

There were prayers for those greyhounds that were with us still and hopes that we could all join together again next year with our dogs. At the end, we each received a memorial charm for the loss of a loved companion. I haven't lost a greyhound since Hoffa is my first one. But this memorial service made me think about all the Labradors that have died over the years. I thought about Cain, Doc, Daisy, Haley, Clondike, Annabelle, Porter, Tombee, Gabby and others that have met untimely deaths or passed on with old age. Too many little puppies that never made it past one or two days of life or were still born. All were in my thoughts. I don't think any of us left the beach that morning without tears in our eyes.

First day of Beach Bound Hounds

2008-09-18T21:51:00.000-04:00

Today was the first full day of the Beach Bound Hounds get together. Every year for the past eight, members of Greyhound Crossroads adoption group put together a big meet and greet for greyhounds and their owners. This was my first year attending.

I didn't know any of the people but soon met them through a common love of our adopted friends. There were seminars on first aid for dogs, greyhound cancer research, agility with your greyhound, and a canine good citizens test.

I think that the thing that Hoffa enjoyed most was going for long walks on the beach with the other greyhounds. Hoffa is the black and white girl taking up the rear on the photo above. She really enjoyed the other dogs and wanted to do her bouncing for joy routine to show off for the other dogs. I had to laugh at the comment that she was full of herself. Obviously, these folks haven't lived with Labradors! Now they are totally full of themselves and are so much stronger than greyhounds. Having had bouncing Labradors on the leash for so many years, it feels like next to nothing to have a greyhound on the end of the leash.

Our first day at the BBH get together was fun.

Off to Beach Bound Hounds

2008-09-16T20:37:00.000-04:00

I'm heading up to Myrtle Beach for the annual Beach Bound Hounds event. It is a gathering of rescued greyhounds and their owners. This will be the first year that I am attending since it's the first year that I have owned a greyhound.

Hoffa is going with several different "outfits"--new martingale collars with one being a zebra striped number and the other a tropical fish collar. There will be lots of opportunities for her to meet other greyhounds and for me to listen to seminars on first aid, cancer in greyhounds, and to participate in beach walks and the greyhound memorial gathering.

I think that the Labradors are a bit jealous. I know that Tilly misses Hoffa when she is away. Well, I'm off to pack for Beach Bound Hounds.

Hoffa's collar is lost and then....found!

2008-09-12T14:49:00.001-04:00

(Here's the collar beginning to slip over her ears)

(And here it is coming off her head!)

Hoffa was running at the beach and during her bounding through the waves, her martingale collar managed to come off. The photos tell the story as you see it sliding over her ears and then off her pointed nose. It was lost in the surf with the tide coming in. Attached to the collar was her rabies tag, her Sullivan's Island dog tag, and an ID tag with a phone number.

After combing the beach during low tide, we concluded that the collar was lost for good. However, the next day, I got a call that the collar had been found! It was intact and other than being water logged, all was okay. Thanks to the nice lady who found the collar and for giving a call about it.

It's good to always have an ID tag on the collar for your dog, in case the dog is lost or the collar flies off.

Storm damage

2008-09-08T16:52:00.000-04:00

With the number of storms that have been coming into the Gulf and near the southeastern US, it's hard not to think about the animals that suffer. I remember seeing the video of dead animals after Hurricane Katrina. And I remember the stories of dogs washed up on nearby islands after Hurricane Hugo.

One of the saddest things is that dogs were left inside houses or on chains to drown during recent hurricanes. Rescue workers found many dead dogs at the end of chains and trapped inside pens after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. These dogs had no chance to save themselves.

We have 10 Labradors and a greyhound. We have enough crates for all the dogs and we have enough room in our 15 passenger van and pickup truck to evacuate with the dogs if needed. Most people have 1-2 animals. I am hoping that they consider not only evacuating their family but also any animals that they have during the next hurricane.

Labradors may eat anything

2008-09-04T14:00:00.001-04:00

I heard about this a number of years ago from a breeder friend who had Weimaraners. She said that her Weims would eat just about anything. Rocks were a favorite. Most times, the rocks would pass without a problem but occasionally there would be a blockage and serious surgery would result. Then, she had the crisis from her dog eating a pair of panty hose. That surgery ended in a tragedy in which the dog died from the hose having become entangled in the intestines.

I've always thought that Labradors were a bit more discriminating in their taste for foreign objects. Other than the disgusting habit of eating feces, I haven't had any problems with them eating mushrooms, toads, frogs, or manmade objects. Maybe it's because I heard about the Weims and have always been really careful about leaving things that are chewable or ingestible around the dogs. Even with toys, I've been careful that the stuffing doesn't get swallowed.

Most recently, I heard from Gracie's mom, Karoline, who wrote that Gracie had to have surgery to remove panty hose that she had swallowed. Only one internal incision was required in the stomach even though the hose had moved into the intestines. The surgeon was able to slowly remove the hose in order to keep from making a second incision.

I found some interesting information on the web about the most common items that have been surgically removed from the GI tract of pets:
1. socks
2. underwear
3. panty hose
4. rocks
5. balls
6. chew toys
7. corn cobs????
8. bones
9. hair ties and ribbons
10. sticks

According to a pet insurance company, dogs seem to eat almost everything including nails, needles,pagers, hearing aids, pieces of drywall, snail bait, batteries, rubber bands, toy cars, and sand with bacon grease poured on it.

Dogs that have ingested a foreign object usually show signs of gastrointestinal upset. If your dog refuses to eat, begins vomiting, drooling or has abnormal bowel movements, contact your veterinarian. It's important to contact the vet immediately that you suspect a foreign body has been swallowed.

The vet will take a radiograph to determine what has been swallowed and where the object is. Sometimes a dye must be ingested in order to determine the location of the foreign object.

The key to avoiding expensive surgery and danger to your dog is to prevention. Make sure objects that could be ingested are put away. If necessary restrict the free roaming of your dog in the house. It is also wise to never allow your dog to play with string or clothing.

It's great that Gracie is doing well. She nabbed the panty hose from the laundry basket. Just another curious Labrador but a really lucky one too!

Neilley and Tobias's birthday

2008-08-31T16:44:00.001-04:00

I received the cute photo above from Ann Key. She has Neilley, aka The Pinkster, who is a full sister to Tobias. Neilley was born small and struggled to nurse but kept getting pushed away from Annabelle by the other puppies. So, I nursed her with a bottle. She thrived and grew to be a wonderful girl who goes everywhere with Ann and Paul.

Her birthday meal was her normal kibble with home made gravy and a blue berry muffin topped with yogurt in the middle. Tobias got some chicken gravy and extra biscuits for his birthday. But then all the other dogs did too as there would be too many jealous Labradors if one was favored over the other.

Ann and Paul travel to various events selling their Heelan' Hound dog goods. They will be in Charleston for the Scottish games on Sept. 20. So if you go, stop by their booth and say "hello" to the Keys and Neilley.

Porter and Tombee are gone

2008-08-22T14:26:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately, Porter lost his battle with ALL. His owners called to tell us that he got so weak that nothing more could be done. This was a rapid cancer (see post from August 10).

There isn't much that can be said when a good dog is gone. And especially when one is only four years old. Porter was a good boy. His human mom told me that he was the best dog ever. I only wish that all would live to a ripe old age.

We also learned that Tombee died this summer. He was much loved by his humans and enjoyed the beach, riding in golf carts, and everyone that he met.

It has been a tough summer for the owners of these wonderful dogs and for us who remember them when they were young puppies enjoying playing in the front yard at Surry.

Unhealthy "Freak" show breeds?

2008-08-18T15:34:00.000-04:00

Some friends sent me a link to this article from the Daily Mail On Line. Crufts is a premier show. I have to question that only one viewpoint has been aired here. There are many dedicated breeders who work diligently in this heartbreak hobby to eliminate unwanted traits. They screen breeding stock and breed with the idea of producing healthy dogs. Many breed clubs donate to research and cooperate with the scientific community to determine modes of inheritance that are largely unknown for many diseases. And there are several problems such as epilepsy and hip dysplasia that are polygenic which makes the genetic determination of the disease not possible at the present. All show dogs are not freaks or in bad health. This article seems to weigh heavily with animal rights activists rather than with the truth.

BBC could drop Crufts over unhealthy 'freak show' breeds

By Jonathan Margolis and Fiona Macrae

The BBC could stop showing Crufts after a documentary exposed the diseases and deformities suffered by many of Britain's 5million pedigree dogs.

Decades of inbreeding and the demands of the show circuit have resulted in a legacy of life-threatening ills, from agonising brain conditions to epilepsy, heart murmurs and cancers.

The golden retriever, the cavalier King Charles spaniel, the boxer, the Pekingese, the bulldog and the pug are among the breeds plagued by disease and deformity as a result of breeders 'playing God with dogs', tonight's programme claims.

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With purebreds accounting for three-quarters of Britain's 7million pet dogs, their catalogue of health problems is costing their owners more than £10million in vets' fees every week.

So shocking are some of the scenes in the documentary - including a boxer having an epileptic fit and a King Charles spaniel writhing in agony because its skull is too small for its brain - that the BBC is considering ending its 42-year connection with Crufts.

There is even speculation that the Queen, well known for her love of dogs, could cut her ties with the Kennel Club, which runs Crufts and sets the standards for the 200 or so breeds of pedigree dog.

Mark Evans, the RSPCA's chief vet, said: 'When I watch Crufts, what I see is a parade of mutants. It's some freakish, garish beauty pageant that has nothing, frankly, to do with health and welfare.

BBC ban? Decades of inbreeding have resulted in a legacy of life-threatening ills

'We've become completely and utterly desensitised to the fact that breeding these deformed, disabled, disease-prone animals is either shocking or abnormal.'

The BBC1 documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed, to be shown at 9pm, is the result of a two-year investigation into the breeding and show circuits. It highlights the health problems suffered by many of our favourite pets.

Vets describe how virtually all cavalier King Charles spaniels develop life-threatening heart murmurs.

And a third have syringomyelia, an agonising condition caused by them being bred with skulls too small for their brains.

Veterinary neurologist Clare Rusbridge said: 'The cavalier's brain is like a size ten foot that has been shoved into a size six shoe; it doesn't fit.

'It is described in humans as one of the most painful conditions you can have, a piston-type headache. Even a light touch - a collar, for example - can induce discomfort.

'If you took a stick and beat a dog to create that pain, you'd be prosecuted. But there's nothing to stop you breeding a dog with it.'

The programme says the drive for perfection has left golden retrievers prone to cancer, labradors with joint and eye problems, West Highland terriers beset with allergies and boxers at high risk of heart disease, epilepsy and cancer.

Pugs are so inbred that although there are 10,000 in Britain, their DNA could come from just 50.

The Pekingese's squashed face causes breathing difficulties that lead to some airlines refusing to fly them.

So serious are the breathing problems that Danny, the 2003 Crufts winner, sat on an ice pack while being photographed afterwards to stop him overheating.

To ensure desirable traits are passed on, male dogs are being mated with their own daughters, sisters and granddaughters.

Steve Jones, professor of genetics at University College London, said: 'If dog breeders insist on going further down that road, I can say with confidence that there is a universe of suffering waiting for many of these breeds and many, if not most, will not survive.'

The Kennel Club said it worked hard 'to eliminate from breed standards any exaggerations that might cause problems'.

Club secretary Caroline Kisko said many of the health problems have their roots in Victorian times and inbreeding was an 'essential tool' in the development of breeds.

The organisation runs a range of health testing schemes and is funding the development of genetic tests. 'Ninety per cent of purebred dogs are healthy,' she said.

Eamon Hardy, the documentary's executive producer, said: 'In light of this programme, the BBC will request a meeting with the Kennel Club to discuss the implications and potential impact of the film.'

Buckingham Palace said it could not comment on speculation.

Cruciate ligament injuries in Labradors

2008-08-15T15:20:00.003-04:00

The dog's knee is similar to a human knee, in terms of joint function and orthopedic condition. A dog's joint consists of various parts: Femur (thigh bone), tibia (shin bone) and patella and supporting ligaments and tendons. The cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) is connected to the femur, extends across the stifle joint, and attaches to the tibia. The CCL holds the tibia in place and prevents internal rotation and hyperextension. The cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) (also known as the anterior cruciate ligament or ACL in humans) is the most commonly ruptured ligament in dogs. The rupture results in lameness due to pain and instability of the joint. When the cruciate ligament is torn the femur slides down the sloped top portion of the tibia called the tibial plateau. The misaligned joint as result of CCL causes inflammation, pain, and eventually degenerative joint disease.

The Labrador is one of the predisposed breeds, along with the Rottweiler and Newfoundland. The greyhound is a breed that seems “protected” from CCL disease. It generally occurs from 1-8 years of age in either sex, with obesity being a primary factor.

We know that in dogs, CCLs rupture as part of a degenerative process within the stifle joint but we don’t have a good understanding of the pathophysiology involved. Researchers at the University of Liverpool provided a small glimpse into this disease process by making comparisons between Labrador retrievers, as an example of a breed prone to CCL rupture, and greyhounds, as an example of a breed at the opposite end of the spectrum. They demonstrated that the collagen fibril diameter in the CCLs of Labradors is significantly smaller. The researchers also showed that the tissue concentrations of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), the major degradative enzyme found in the stifle, are higher and the levels of tissue inhibitors of MMP-2 are lower in affected Labradors.

These findings represent an increased degree of “collagen turnover” in these dogs, but whether that is a cause or a result of their “cruciate disease” has yet to be determined. In addition, statistical gait analysis comparisons of normal individuals from these 2 breeds have been initiated, and although consistent differences have been documented, their significance, as it pertains to the development of cruciate disease, has yet to be determined.

The cause of cranial cruciate ligament rupture is not known for certain, but hereditary or genetics likely a factor. Risk factors associated to CCL include age, injury to stifle joint, being overweight, arthritis, poor musculature near the joint and structural abnormalities including cow-hocked and luxated patella. A rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament usually occurs when a dog steps in a hole while running or turns with its paws remaining planted. As the ligament is twisted, it is rotated extensively or hyperextended and partial or complete rupture occurs.

Here is a summation article on Dealing with Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Labradors.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia

2008-08-10T06:42:00.001-04:00

I just heard that Porter, one of the puppies we placed about four years ago has acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). His prognosis is very bleak and short-term in that the disease is so serious. He presented so late with serious symptoms which evidently is fairly typical. He was taking a good hike one day, a bit more tired afterwards, and at the emergency vet late the next day.

From what I've read, ALL is hard to treat. Diagnosis is confirmed by examination of blood smears and bone marrow aspirates. The most common clinical signs are lethargy, anorexia, splenomegaly, and pallor of mucous membranes. Prednisone is a common treatment; however, I also read about a clinical study in which three dogs were not treated, 3 dogs were treated with prednisone, and 3 dogs were treated with cyclophosphamide. Survival times in these 9 dogs ranged from 1 to 60 days. Twenty-one dogs were treated with vincristine and prednisone; of these, complete remission was achieved in 4 dogs and partial remission was achieved in 4 dogs, with survival times ranging from 8 to 241 days.

Drug treatment choices are best discussed with a veterinary oncologist. I am hoping that Porter will receive treatment that puts him in remission. I know that his owners will do whatever is necessary to make him comfortable.

Hoffa at the beach

2008-08-05T06:26:00.003-04:00

Here is a photo of Hoffa surfing in the waves at the beach. She really enjoys going to the beach, running and playing in the water. She isn't exactly buoyant like a Labrador but seems to have a wonderful time. I've heard that greyhounds enjoy the water but Hoffa revels in it.

When she first came to me, she had been to the beach but was afraid of the waves. Now, waves are meant for surfing! What a difference it makes to have her enjoy life.

Disturbing news

2008-07-30T15:35:00.002-04:00

TULSA, Okla. — A dog attacked and killed a 2-month old baby boy who was left unattended in a swing, police said Monday afternoon.

Officer Jason Willingham said the infant was mauled by either a Labrador puppy or a small pug at the boy's home and died at the scene.

Police are not sure what caused the mauling or which dog killed the boy. Both dogs were taken to the Tulsa Animal Shelter, where Manager Jean Letcher said the lab was euthanized at the request of Tulsa police.

Authorities will not release the child's name until Tuesday.

Willingham said the baby's mother and grandmother were home at the time, but nobody was in the room when the attack occurred.

"The child was left unattended in a swing," he said.

Police are unsure what caused the dog to attack.

The child's body was taken to the Medical Examiner's office. Police plan to forward their investigation to the district attorney, who will determine if any criminal charges are warranted in the case, he said.

"It's just a very tragic set of circumstances," he said. "It's a very hard situation to investigate."
__________________________________________________________________

It's hard for me to believe that a 6 week old puppy could maul a child. Puppies do have sharp teeth and can scratch and bite with those sharp teeth. It just seems very sad. The loss of the child left unattended and the loss of the puppy who undoubtedly was play biting and not attacking.

How many is enough?

2008-07-25T15:24:00.000-04:00

I had a visit from a couple who have a great granddaughter of Tilly. They were telling me about their lab's dam and that she had been bred a number of times back to back. This has always been a controversial subject among breeders--how many times to breed and whether to breed back to back.

I would not consider breeding a bitch of mine unless she had her final hip and elbow clearances. And I have always thought that skipping a heat, especially if the bitch had a large litter or a C-section was good practice. However, there are reproductive specialists who indicate that doing back to back breedings is better for the bitch and the "production" of puppies. The contention is that the number of eggs produced declines with age and that the younger and more fit a bitch is, the better the whelping will go.

As far as number of litters, I would think that four is a plenty for a lifetime. All of my girls except Tilly (who had four litters) have had three or less litters. I just don't see the point in breeding them again and again.

Just like in anything that we do, there is my opinion and then there are others who have a different view.

Assistance Dogs

2008-07-21T13:07:00.002-04:00

I received an email from the owner of Ch. Surry's Comfortably Numb. Zachary has sired several get who have been trained through the Assistance Dog Institute where they teach and certify the trainers for service dogs organizations.

The Assistance Dog Institute was founded in 1991 by Dr. Bonnie Bergin, the originator of the service dog concept, and founder of Canine Companions for Independence and the Assistance Dog United Campaign. The Institute is an educational and research institution concentrating on teaching and researching ways to “help dogs help people.” This approach differs significantly from that of Canine Companions for Independence and other assistance dog organizations whose mission is primarily that of producing and placing assistance dogs with individuals with disabilities.

One of the puppies that ADI has trained is Charlie Bear who has been used in a new program for autistic children. Charlie and his young autistic person, Patrick, just went through their final graduation.

Patrick and Charlie Bear will be on TV Sunday July 27 at 8 AM. It will be on the Discovery Health channel, "Pets and People- The Power of the Health Connection". It is interesting to read about the Assistance Dog Institute and to actually see what one of Zach's puppies has accomplished.

Dog Days--Watch Out!

2008-07-10T13:47:00.004-04:00

It's nearing the Dog Days of summer in Charleston. That means that dogs and people alike aren't wanting to stir about much. It's important for the dogs to stay cool in the heat. What that means is to make sure that your Labrador gets plenty of fresh water and stays out of the hot sun.

Leaving a Labrador in a car, even with the windows rolled down can cause a dog to overheat. If I'm traveling with the dogs, I make certain that I can stay in a dog friendly hotel and bring them inside where they can stay in air-conditioning.

Labradors don't like the heat and it can be deadly. Labs are built for cold weather and can overheat if the temperatures get over 80 F. I would never run my dogs in the heat but take them for a walk instead. And if you walk near a pond or on the beach, you'll find that they will want to submerge their bodies in order to cool down.

I've written before about the neat misting system we have. It helps to lower the temperature in the kennels and the dogs enjoy staying under the mist. Hosing down your dog with cool water is another way to make sure they stay cool.

If your Labrador should become overheated, it will be important to put cool/icy water on the abdomen, legs and head. Just remember to keep your dog cool in the heat and avoid heat stroke.

How to deal with dogs that are fearful

2008-07-05T16:37:00.000-04:00

Having rescued a few Labrador and now adopted a racing greyhound, I've found that dealing with dogs that are fearful takes patience. Luckily Hoffa wasn't abused but did come with some habits that required patience. For example, she evidently had to compete for food so for the first few months after her arrival, she would gobble her food and also growl if Tilly or Stella came near her. Now, she has gotten to be a picky eater and takes her sweet time finishing up her breakfast and dinner.

I don't know how common it is for racing greyhounds to be abused. Certainly there can be kennel workers who do not handle the dogs properly. Hopefully, kennel and dog owners immediately fire anyone caught abusing a racing dog.

These dogs are an investment for the owner and most owners probably want to make sure that they are cared for and that they like to run. From what I've read, abused dogs tend to not run. Or at least, they do not run well.

Having a greyhound has been a different experience from having Labradors. The Labradors don't suffer much anxiety about anything. And they always like to eat. Greyhounds, like all sighthounds, are keen to movement. Sudden movement that catches them unware will most certainly trigger one of two responses: fight or flight. Greyhounds by nature will usually choose to flee an uncertain situation.

And from what I've read, an abused dog really shouldn't be treated any differently than a un-abused dog. It's important to not force the dog into a situation that stresses it out. But it's also important to introduce the dog to different situations. I've found that it isn't a good idea to coddle dogs too much or to love on them when they are fearful. It is human nature to want to reassure the dog but to a dog, such reassurance can be viewed as a reward. It's best to remain calm and indicate that the stick or the car or stores aren't as frightening as the dog thinks they may be. If possible, make these activities fun for the dog and give praise when the dog doesn't react in a negative for fearful manner.

Acclimation for a rehomed dog can take as long as a year. I've gradually introduced Hoffa to all kinds of activities such as riding in the car, going to the beach and to doggy park. She now loves to go for rides, is the greeter at the dog park, and enjoys the beach. Patience wins out in the long run.

Socializing isn't just for puppies

2008-07-02T16:27:00.003-04:00

Everyone probably knows how important it is to socialize puppies. But it's really important to continue to socialize your dog into adulthood. Puppies can be well-adjusted but without continued socialization can become fearful as they mature.

I've had puppies who were happy and outgoing. But at around 6-8 months of age, they have become less outgoing and almost shy. This became evident when they were taken to dog shows. They were fine being at home but didn't like the noise and the strange (to them) breeds that they encountered at dog shows.

Often times, dogs will be perfectly accepting of strangers and other dogs in their own environment. But when you take them out of that environment, they become less sure of themselves and can become intimidated.

One of the ways to prevent this type of behavior is to take your dog out to meet other people and dogs. Taking your dog to a dog friendly store or to the dog park is great socialization. There they will encounter different people and breeds in a pleasant setting.

Cayenne

2008-06-28T14:23:00.003-04:00

It was a sad day today because Cayenne, who is a greyhound and wonderful girl, had to be put down by her owner Robin. Cayenne had been diagnosed with bone cancer (osteosarcoma) about a month ago.

I first met Cayenne in 2006 and found that through her, I wanted to adopt a racing greyhound. Cayenne was always a good girl, calmly minding, and enjoying her walks on the beach. She had the softest coat, like velvet. And her eyes were so soulful--she would look right into yours and make you want to hug her.

I'm going to miss Cayenne. I know that her greyhound companion, Mr. Cooper, will miss her as well. But I also know that it's through Cayenne that I came to adopt Hoffa. I'm grateful for developing a love of greyhounds because of Cayenne and now Hoffa. Rest in peace.

Zelda

2008-06-25T10:39:00.006-04:00

I like getting emails about the dogs that we have bred. This one is from Linda Davis about Zelda. Zelda developed quite an affection for Cosmo, one of the Davis's guinea pigs.

"I just wanted to give you an update on our baby girl Zelda. At her latest vet visit, they indicated that she was in perfect health. As soon as we entered the lady at the desk said that you could tell that she was a Surry dog.

I know I’m a proud mommy but Zelda is absolutely breath-taking. She is perfect in every way. She is extremely friendly with everyone and loves to be around other four-legged friends. She has always been so well behaved in the house. She never gets into anything! She still expects her twice daily walks. With this heat she has been going around six in the morning and ten at night. In between time, she really enjoys the couch and spending time laying by the front window. She is still best friends with the piggies especially Cosmo. She is in the middle of taking more training and is doing well in the class.

I think one key to her being so well adjusted besides her exceptional breeding and her being so smart is the fact that in the last 16 months since she came home, she has not spent more than four hours by herself which has not too many times. Someone is usually home with her so she never really has a opportunity to get into trouble or feel lonely. My younger son and I are leaving on July 3 to go to France for July to visit family. My mom is French and all my family lives in France. This will be our first time away from Zelda. I am really not looking forward to leaving her. My husband only works Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. He has already put in for half-day vacation the entire time we will be gone so Zelda is not left too long by herself plus my older son will be around to watch her too. I am excited for my son but I am also looking forward to our return. I know she will be fine. You truly don’t know how much she has blessed our lives. She is really special. We are grateful for her every day. She is definitely not “a dog” but a true member of our family. I think we are all in-love with her! "

Sweet old dogs

2008-06-20T10:28:00.000-04:00

I received this email from Alison Harshbarger:

"We got Chandler from you at Surry Labradors a long long time ago. He's now 12 years old. I included a picture I took of him about a month or two ago. He's been a great dog. We should have know though, when we visited and he was crawling all over the other puppies that we would have our hands full. But he's now old and has arthritis. He still manages to follow my mother from room to room, since my brother and I left for college. I've since then graduated and gone in the working world. I just wanted to drop you a note and let you know how much we love Chandler."

I have a special place in my heart for the old ones. And it is especially poignant to hear from someone who got a puppy from us so many years ago. It's hard to believe that 12 years have passed since Chandler was born at Surry.

I have a couple of oldies at Surry now. Tilly is 14 and doing well. She enjoys lying around in air conditioning. Timmi, who was imported from Sweden, is still a happy boy and shows little sign of aging much. I remember when these and so many others that we had were young. I guess that old age catches up with all of us eventually.

Meeting Sky Rose

2008-06-15T19:44:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine just adopted a greyhound off the track. Her racing name was Scythe but Bee has renamed her Sky Rose. She raced about nine times and won four races. After winning those early races in her career, she always lagged or was last. That ended her career and thankfully she was put up for adoption.

Sky Rose is a fawn brindle. She has tiger stripes on a soft fawn coat. She is a bit anxious yet. Bee said that when she picked up her walking stick, Sky Rose ran to her blanket and cowered. That suggests that she was whipped or mistreated. But I told Bee that after a few months of love, her anxiety will diminish. She will know that she is loved and that no one will ever mistreat her again.

I liked Sky Rose from the moment I met her. She has the kindest eyes and the softest coat. As soon as she gets acclimated, I'll take Hoffa and one of the Labradors over to meet her. It was Hoffa's eyes that clinched the decision by Bee to get a greyhound. She said that she took one look in those soft eyes and decided that she had to adopt one.

Don't worry Sky Rose--you've found a good home and lots of people who care about you.

Deacon is home

2008-06-10T19:39:00.001-04:00

Surry's Deacon Blue is now home for a few months. He has been out with Rusty and Jenn Howard since Feb. But he's now out of coat.

He seemed glad to be back, knew right where his kennel was and has been enjoying playing with his buddies. It's amazing how the dogs don't forget the routine or their old playmates.

Whenever Stella comes back to visit, she runs right to the doggy room door and wags her tail to be let in. She enjoys coming back to visit with her dam, Tilly and her new friend, Hoffa, the greyhound.

I don't know why I would think that they would ever forget. They have a better sense of smell and other sensory receptors that are a lot better than outs. And we don't forget places where we lived before either.

Welcome back Deacon! We missed you.

Retirement

2008-06-06T13:46:00.002-04:00

My husband's last day of work was May 31. It has been hard for me to adjust to his not being at work since we've always worked in close proximity to each other. We are both marine scientists and were lucky enough to get positions at a marine laboratory in Charleston, SC. His office has been 3 doors down from mine and now it's empty of all his books. I can't just walk down the hall and ask him a question on some scientific matter.

Charles has had a great career and done some excellent work. I think that neither of us thought about retiring but the last few years, it has come to seem more appealing. For one thing, we enjoy our hobbies. He enjoys fishing, gardening, wood working and cooking. He wants to spend more time doing those things. After you've worked at something for 30 years, it is also nice to know that every day is a Saturday!

This morning Charles told me that he feels busier now than ever. He has been working on moving books and files from his work office to the new library at Surry. He is planning to spend some time writing papers on his research. It appears that there is more than enough to keep him busy. And also more time to play with the dogs and give them cookies!

Beach time

2008-06-04T15:46:00.001-04:00

It's getting to be that time of year when the dogs are out en masse at the beach. Of course, there are the leash laws but early mornings seem to be the time when people and their dogs are out walking.

Caroline sent me the great photo of Mia walking along the beach near her home in Florida. There are only a handful of places that I know of where dogs can go on the beach at any time. One of those is Morris Island which is only reached by boat. If you go there, be prepared for a free for all atmosphere of dogs and people. Saturday's are the wildest with about 30 boats at anchor and a sea of humans drinking beer and playing frisbee. On Sunday, the crowd is more family oriented. On either day, there are dogs running and playing in the water.

If you go to the beach, observe and obey the leash laws. Pick up after your dog and try not to take your dog near any bird rookeries. Also be on the look out for areas that have turtle nests.
Being on the beach is great but in order to keep being able to go there, pet owners have to be responsible.

Dogs and thunderstorms

2008-05-30T15:27:00.002-04:00

Thunderstorms are prevalent in the south during the summer. I know that some dogs simply don't like thunderstorms because of the noise and the lowering of barometric pressure. I've heard of dogs that run into closets or under beds. We've been fortunate in that our dogs have adjusted to thunderstorms. They seem to take the noise in stride.

However, Stella and Mia seem to be two that don't like storms at all. Both begin to show distress by panting heavily. Stella wants to be with her human and stick right at his side. There are a couple of suggestions for how to possibly alleviate fear of storms.

One of the things is to provide a crate as a haven for a dog during the storm. Cover the crate with a blanket and let the dog relax in the crate. Talk to the dog in a reassuring manner while the dog is in the crate. Behaviorists claim that purchasing a CD of storm noises and playing it during the day, gradually increasing the volume can help to modify behavior. Personally, I think that Labradors would recognize a recording from the real thing. It is suggested that if you get a recording, reward the dog with a special treat for not panting and showing signs of fear. If you increase the volume, watch to see how the dog reacts. If the dog becomes anxious, then lower the volume and after the dog calms down, then try raising it again and leaving it raised for a few minutes. Then lower the volume again. I've read that this works but have never tried it.

As a last resort, there is also medication that can be given. However, given that thunderstorms arise quickly down here, I don't think that would be much help either.

Probably the most important thing is to calm the dog as much as possible. Let him go into a darkened crate if he wants, but if he wants to be near you, then let him. Hopefully, the dog will get used to the fact that thunderstorms roll through fairly quickly.

Osteosarcoma

2008-05-25T14:58:00.002-04:00

I just learned that a friend's dog has osteosarcoma. This is a type of bone cancer that is generally found in the leg bones of large breed dogs. Many years ago I had a Rottweiler that developed osteosarcoma. The cancer generally occurs in middle aged or older dogs. It is an aggressive cancer and can become more painful as it grows outward and destroys the bone from the inside out.

In my Rottweiler, I first noticed that she was limping. The limping became worse and a large lump appeared on the leg. This large lump was the tumor that was growing inside the leg bone. I had to stop all obedience work with her because tumorous bone is not as strong as normal bone and can break easily. Such a fracture won't heal readily.

I took Zoe in to the vet and a radiograph revealed the presence of osteosarcoma. There are several characteristics that can be observed on the radiograph:

The “lytic lesion” – looks like an area of bone has been eaten away.

The “sunburst” pattern – shows as a corona effect as the tumor grows outward and pushes the more normal outer bone up and away.

A pathologic fracture may be seen through the abnormal bone.

Osteosarcoma does not cross the joint space to affect other bones comprising the joint.There are few options with osteosarcoma. Some vets indicate that amputation of the leg may buy some time. Others suggest amputation and chemotherapy. The problem is that the dog is then very uncomfortable and by the time the disease is diagnosed in the leg, it has likely spread to the organs of the chest such as the lungs.

I hope that Cayenne will continue to enjoy life as much as possible. She has been given around 4 months. She doesn't go to the beach anymore but seems happy enough limping around the house. It's sad to see such a once active dog no longer able to do the things that she so enjoyed. Osteosarcoma is a bad disease and one that I had hoped to not see among my doggy friends again.

Brain tumors

2008-05-20T10:20:00.000-04:00

I was sorry to hear about Ted Kennedy and the diagnosis that he has a glioma brain tumor. My cousin was diagnosed a couple of years ago with glioblastoma multiforme, Stage Four. I've seen him go from being a healthy active person to someone who can no longer walk, has difficulty speaking, and who is living marginally.

I say marginally because he can no longer read, has great anxiety, is bedridden, and communicates minimally. His glioma was in the left parietal lobe, the same location for Sen. Kennedy's tumor.

My cousin did have surgery, followed by chemo and radiation. He has been on a number of drugs used to counter the effects of swelling on the brain and to help wipe out the tumor. His last MRI showed no further growth of the tumor. But the effects of the surgery and radiation have taken their toll. Further, it seems likely that the tumor has "branched" out and is still active at a level that is undetectable by MRI.

His wife has remained devoted in her care of him but she has suffered a terrible toll also. She has given up any kind of life for herself to be his sole caregiver. I wonder what will happen to her when he dies.

I heard on the news that Sen. Kennedy is finding out as much as he can about the tumor. If he has read about it, then he knows that it is devastating. I wish him the best. It's a tough diagnosis with a bad disease.

Island tornado

2008-05-12T10:11:00.001-04:00

A tornado tore up part of Wadmalaw Island last evening. There were severe thunderstorm warnings which isn't unusual for this time of year.

But what happened was the evening sea breeze and the thunderstorm convection interacted to form an F2 tornado. It tore up trees and caused damage to houses. The winds were estimated at 120 mph.

What's scary is that there was no warning about this. If such a tornado had touched down at Surry, there would likely have been major damage to the dog kennels and injury to the dogs. Severe thunderstorms occur in the south frequently but now I view these as being much more dangerous than I ever considered before.

I don't think that it's feasible to bring all the dogs inside at every threat of a thunderstorm but I certainly will give more thought to bringing them in when a severe storm is forecast and tornado warnings are a possibility.

Labradors as therapy dogs

2008-05-11T13:44:00.003-04:00

I received this from Dr. Stacy Nelson. Her Tweedle is shown here with her Tester/Observer at her 3rd Pet Therapy Visit in Miami. She is now eligible for Registration as a Pet Therapy Dog.

Labradors make great therapy dogs because of their gentle temperament. Therapy dogs visit nursing home residents and emotionally disturbed children. It has been shown that therapy dogs have a positive benefit in the healing process. They often help people cope with their illness and are stress relievers. They also offer physical contact to someone who is lonely and needing such contact.

Therapy dogs must be obedience trained and have proven to be gentle and outgoing. Labradors love people and to be around them so they are especially good at being therapy dogs. It's often best to wait until a Labrador is out of the young adult stage though because a therapy dog must be calm.

Therapy dogs must be observed and be determined to be:

Social and interactive with people they are visiting. They must enjoy being petted and hugged. The dog should be accustomed to people on crutches, canes and wheelchairs.

A therapy dog must be protected with vaccine against rabies and have all its annual shots up to date. It will be necessary to provide proof of immunization in order to qualify as a therapy dog.

Therapy dogs must be at least one year of age and have a Canine Good Citizen Certificate. A therapy dog must be used to strange noises and it would be helpful if the dog knows a few simple tricks, such as shake hands, in order to entertain the patients.

It's a great feeling to bring your dog into a home and put a smile on someone's face. I hope that you will look into having your dog certified as a therapy dog.

Every girl is in season

2008-05-04T13:09:00.000-04:00

It's the dormitory effect here at Surry in which one girl after another has come in season. The boys are sniffing everywhere and howling at night.

I've decided not to do any breeding for a while. This has been something that I've been thinking about for a while. I simply think that right now is not the time to do a breeding and have a litter. For one thing, I have 3 Labradors that I'd like to finish. The time that it takes to whelp and raise babies is significant. I also am enjoying having some free time (for once). It's nice to be able to come home and just enjoy the dogs that I have rather than worrying about little ones.

I think that after having bred for a number of years, I feel really good about taking a break. The stress of whelping has always been high for me. I've never really gotten used to losing babies and the loss of a bitch during whelping is something that was a nightmare.

So in the meantime, hormones are raging at Surry. The good news is that the heat cycle will only last another week or so. Then things should be quiet for the summer.

Greetings from Finland

2008-04-30T23:10:00.000-04:00

I received these photos from a breeder friend in Finland. The photo with the tennis balls is of her Mellows Ruby Tuesday. She notes that record for her is 5 balls at the same time in her mouth! So what will we learn from this photo? besides a BIG heart the Labrador has also got quite a BIG mouth......
She also attached a photo of her import Marshy Hope's American Dream who is a son of Ch. Surry's Brick in the Wall.

Behavior at dog park

2008-04-26T12:56:00.002-04:00

I took a couple of dogs to the dog park today. It is always an interesting experience. Sometimes I wonder whether it is more interesting to watch the dog or human behavior.

My dogs seem to take things in stride. They are friendly and enjoy watching as "newcomers" come through the gates of the park. I've observed all kinds of canine behavior at the park. There is the rough and tumble style with lots of growling, grabbing, wrestling and tackling. Some dogs are daintier with bowing and chasing but not much physical contact. A few dogs are ball obsessive and only want to fetch or play frisbee. Some dogs like to herd other dogs, and may bark and nip at them. I've seen a few skirmishes but no outright dog fights. In fact, everyone seems to get along fairly well.

One of the things that I watch is how my dogs are interacting and how the other dog is responding. Mine are friendly but often prefer to hang around me. Hoffa, the greyhound, likes to be the greeter and loves to run beside others when a ball is thrown. She doesn't try to take the ball so she isn't perceived as a threat.

The Labradors enjoy retrieving but when they get hot, they would rather go lie in the cool sand near the water fountain. If I go to the dog park with the lake, then they like to wade through the water or lie down in it.

The people at the park generally share information about their dog. Most seem totally devoted to their dog and enjoy watching the antics of everyone. I've never seen anyone be abusive which is a good thing! Today, I overheard a few people talking to a fellow about whether he was going to breed his young male boxer. I generally have to bite my tongue when these conversations come up, especially when an owner says that a dog has a genetic problem but is too "pretty" not to breed.

Here is an especially good article about dog park etiquette. The point of not bringing small children to the park is a good one. I've seen little puppies and little people get bowled over. I don't think it's a good idea to bring either to the park. I would worry about puppies being around large dogs that might step on them and perhaps picking up an illness from another dog. And it's obvious why small children and infants are better off not going to a dog park.

Hopefully, your experience at the dog park will be as much fun as mine has been.

2008-04-22T12:07:00.003-04:00

I was walking a friend's dog the other day. He did his usual sniffing about and then defecated. Being a dog person, I took a look to see if the stool looked "healthy". It looked normal, except for a small white writhing ribbon like object that I recognized as a tapeworm proglottid.

Tapeworms are common this time of year in dogs. The worm is segmented and the segments, called proglottids, are what show up in dog feces. Proglottids are the reproductive segments and are what is commonly seen moving in feces. Each proglottid is actually a reproducing unit and are mobile which is why they often irritate the anal area causing a dog to scoot along the floor. The proglottids contain eggs that are eaten by fleas. Fleas get on the dog and the dog chews or licks its skin as a flea bites; the flea is then swallowed. As the flea is digested, the tapeworm hatches and anchors itself to the intestinal lining. So you can see it's fairly easy for dogs to be infected with tapeworms.

The tapeworm will attach to the wall of the small intestine and begin growing more proglottids. The lifecycle will repeat as the proglottids break free and are passed with the feces. I've included a photo that shows the life cycle.

The tapeworm doesn't have disastrous consequences for your dog. However, most people don't like the idea of having worms in their pets. So it's important to check your dog for fleas and take a look at fresh fecal matter to see if there are any proglottids in it.

Treatment is simple and effective. We use Droncit which is in tablet form. These tablets are reasonable in price and can be gotten from your vet. The drug kills tapeworms causing them to dissolve within the intestines. Since the worm is usually digested before it passes, it is not visible in your dog's stool.

The real issue here is fleas and getting them under control. Flea control involves treatment of your dog, the indoor environment and the outdoor environment if your dog is in a kennel. We use Frontline as a topical treatment. We have also used Interceptor as larval preventor. Frequent vacuuming is necessary for rugs. And aerosol "bomb" insecticides are useful indoors. I don't bathe the Labradors much but when I do, I use a pyrethrin-based flea shampoo. All of these in combination will help keep fleas off your dog and will prevent infestation with tapeworms.

Dog Legislation SC

2008-04-17T13:50:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure whether this bill has passed or not but thought that I'd show it here. It is for the purpose of prohibiting long term tethering or chaining of dogs. It does not mention crates specifically as a previous version did.

A BILL S833

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 47‑1‑45 SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE TETHERING, FASTENING, CHAINING, TYING, OR RESTRAINING A DOG TO A STATIONARY OBJECT FOR MORE THAN THREE HOURS A DAY OR FOR MORE THAN SIX HOURS A DAY ON A TROLLEY SYSTEM; TO PROVIDE CLASS I MISDEMEANOR CRIMINAL PENALTIES; AND TO AUTHORIZE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BY ORDINANCE TO VARY THESE REGULATIONS.

Amend Title To Conform

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Title 47 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

“Section 47‑1‑45. (A) It is unlawful to knowingly or intentionally confine or restrain an animal in a cruel manner or knowingly or intentionally cause such cruel confinement or restraining of an animal.

(B) For purposes of this section:

(1) ‘Confine an animal in a cruel manner’ or ‘cruel confinement of an animal’ means confining an animal by means of a pen or similar confinement under circumstances in which the person intends to endanger the animal’s health or safety, or the person reasonably should have known would endanger the animal’s health or safety. ‘Confine an animal in a cruel manner’ or ‘cruel confinement of an animal’ includes, but is not limited to, a confinement that:

(a) confines an animal for such an unreasonable period of time that the animal’s health or safety is endangered;

(b) does not permit an animal to stand, turn around, sit, and lie down in a normal position;

(d) does not permit an animal access to sustenance;

(e) does not permit proper ventilation for an animal; or

(f) is not kept in a sanitary condition.

(2) ‘Restrain an animal in a cruel manner’ or ‘cruel restraining of an animal’ means tethering, fastening, chaining, tying, attaching, or otherwise restraining an animal to a tree, fence, post, or other stationary object or a running line, pulley, cable trolley system, or similar system by means of a chain, rope, tether, leash, cable, or similar restraint under circumstances in which the person intends to endanger the animal’s health or safety, or the person reasonably should have known would endanger the animal’s health or safety. ‘Restrain an animal in a cruel manner’ or ‘cruel restraining of an animal’ includes, but is not limited to, a restraint that:

(a) restricts an animal’s movement for such an unreasonable period of time that the animal’s health or safety is endangered;

(b) is of a weight that excessively burdens an animal;

(d) is too short for an animal to move around or for an animal to urinate or defecate in a separate area from the area where the animal must eat, drink, or lie down;

(e) is situated such that an animal will likely become entangled;

(f) does not permit an animal access to sustenance and shelter;

(g) does not permit an animal to escape reasonably foreseeable harm;

(h) is attached to an animal by means of a collar, harness, or similar device that is not properly fitted for the age and size of the animal such that the collar, harness, or similar device causes trauma or injury to the animal; or

(i) is attached to an unsupervised animal by means of a choke‑type or pronged collar.

(C) A person who knowingly or intentionally violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished by imprisonment not exceeding sixty days or by a fine not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars, or both, for a first offense; by imprisonment not exceeding ninety days or by a fine not exceeding eight hundred dollars, or both, for a second offense; or by imprisonment not exceeding two years or by a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars, or both, for a third or subsequent offense. A person may be issued a correction warning in lieu of an infraction requiring the person to correct the cruel confinement or restraining of an animal within seventy‑two hours unless the violation endangers the health or safety of the animal, the animal has been wounded as a result of the violation, or a correction warning has previously been issued to the person.

(D) This section does not apply to fowl, accepted animal husbandry practices of farm operations and the training of animals, animal exhibitions or shows, pet shops, the practice of veterinary medicine, agricultural practices, forestry and silvacultural practices, wildlife management practices, and to activities, exhibitions, transportation, and other events related to activities authorized by Title 50.

(E) Nothing in this section prohibits local governments from adopting more stringent local ordinances governing the confinement or restraining of an animal; however, a local government may assess only civil penalties for such ordinances.”

SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2008.

Those silly Labradors

2008-04-12T13:01:00.000-04:00

I received this from Justin Holofchak who owns Bess. Bess evidently thinks that she is a large bird. Justin wrote that Bess usually puts her paws up to play in the bird bath but this time she decided to take a leap of faith. She stayed in the bird bath for about 2 or 3 minutes. It must be one of the funniest Labrador photos of all time. What won't they do?

Neilley's travel home

2008-04-09T13:04:00.004-04:00

I heard from Ann and Paul Key that they have a new travel home. Neilley, aka The Pinkster, seems right at home in the photo above. They recently went on a trip with their new vehicle to Huntington Beach State Park. Neilley, of course, had a great time.

Neilley also found that the bed in the motor home was just as nice as the one at home!

I must be in the minority because I've never had dogs in bed--it's enough to have two cats jumping up and down on my back at night. Having a panting Labrador that snores and sheds is just too much for me. I'll provide the best doggy beds anywhere but the human bed remains to be used for humans.

Fleas are about

2008-04-05T20:32:00.000-04:00

It's flea time again. I haven't seen any scratching here but have heard from an owner that his bitch has been scratching some. He takes her for long walks through trails and to the various dog parks. Either place could provide a haven for fleas.

The important thing about flea control is that there has to be premise control in addition to getting fleas off the dog. For Labradors, frequent bathing isn't good. But a flea dip might help. Also applying topical monthly treatments such as Frontline are advised.

But the real thing here is to control fleas in your house or yard. Using boric acid crystals on carpet is one treatment. But it is probably necessary to also use insecticide "bombs" that will treat an area of your house. These should be released when no one is home. And the house must remain shut up for several hours. Frequent vacuuming is also necessary in flea control.

So it's that time of year. And it's a good time to incorporate flea eradication into your spring cleaning routine.

Pouncing cats and pacing hounds

2008-04-01T11:27:00.002-04:00

Esther, the Siamese kitten, has become the adolescent terror. She will sleep until about 4 AM and then will decide that it's time for play. She will pounce on my back, lick my face and then bite my nose.

Often Rachael and Esther will get into a tussling contest in which lots of "fake" biting, growls, and chases occur. This gets Hoffa, the greyhound, excited and a bit intimidated. Hoffa doesn't have a strong prey drive. She would rather look at squirrels than chase them. And she would rather that the cats not pounce on her or swat at her tail.

So even though the alarm is set for 5:15 AM, the day has been starting much earlier for me. After several minutes of Esther's pouncing and licking, I generally decide to take her upstairs for her kitty kibble and shut her in the upstairs bedroom. Then I try to get back to sleep.

It's been a while since I've had a Siamese kitten. Now I know why. She's adorable and very playful. I'm longing for the mature laid-back stage to start!

The cost of dog showing

2008-03-29T11:26:00.000-04:00

have been wondering how the price of gas has been affecting entries at dog shows. I spoke with a show chair for one of the kennel clubs in Florida who told me that entries have been down. When you consider the expense of showing, I often think that one is better off hiring a handler.

Handlers charge $75-100 per show plus entry fees. There is also a split charge for transportation. But when one considers that to drive to a dog show on a Friday, get a hotel and meals, pay entries, and do the work from sunup to sundown, having a handler doesn't seem like a bad idea.

As AKC says, "Showing is an expensive hobby, not a money-making venture. It’s a fun way to meet people with similar interests, participate in a sport with your dog and gain unbiased opinions about a dog’s breeding potential (although not all people that show breed their dogs).

Mostly, all that an exhibitor will win is a small ribbon. For some wins, a trophy or dog related item is offered. Cash prizes are occasionally offered for big wins, however these cash prizes do not offset the money spent to show a dog. In general, prizes won do not come close to the expense of showing when one figures entry fees, traveling & equipment expenses and all other expenses that go along with showing a dog."

Amen to that.

Easter weekend for the dogs

2008-03-24T16:57:00.002-04:00

The dogs got some special treats for Easter weekend. Mother Hubbard dog treats in different flavors were the item du jour. Hoffa, the greyhound, has to eat natural food with no corn. Otherwise, she gets an upset digestive system. I prefer to spoil her a bit so that there isn't a chance of any problems.

The Labradors seem to love the Iams cookies. They have caste iron stomachs and nothing much seems to bother them. But they got to splurge on some Mother Hubbard peanut butter cookies for Easter.

Hope that your Easter weekend turned out to be a good one. The weather was nice, yet it was chilly enough that the dogs enjoyed romping around. The gnats are out though so I'm always grateful for a little wind.

Rowing in 40 knot gusts

2008-03-20T17:02:00.000-04:00

I haven't blogged about rowing for a while. On Wednesday, the rowing group got together at City Marina and we set forth in a wild wind. We rowed into the Harbor with gusts at 40 knots! It was quite a wild ride.

When I'm rowing with some seas, I have to watch the oar because it's easy to catch a "crab". When that happens, your oar goes too deep and you can't get it back out before the boat moves forward. That can knock you off your seat which has happened to me when I first started rowing.

There were two guests from RI who rowed with us. One of them caught a crab and got knocked back a bit. They laughed about it afterwards. When racing in an eight, I've heard of people being dumped right out of the shell for catching a crab.

Anyway, it was a wild and crazy row. I can see that a Labrador or a Chesapeake would have to be very strong to bust through waves created by a 40 knot gust.

Do dogs get jealous?

2008-03-16T13:02:00.000-04:00

I'm sure that I can answer "Yes" to that question. Take for instance, the interaction of Hoffa and Stella. Hoffa will visit her friend Stella for a couple of days. She gets to go to the beach, go to doggy park, and have all kinds of fun.

But when the two are together, Stella will gather up every toy and every dog bone that is around, hoard them and take them into her crate. There was one dog bone that I got at the grocery store. It was a large marrow bone with lots of meat on it. Stella wasn't interested in it at all. She sniffed it and walked away. So now over a week since the marrow bone was ignored, Hoffa comes to visit and Stella decides that she loves the marrow bone. She hovers over it. She looks at it with love. She guards it. And she won't even get in the van to go to doggy park because she wants to guard her marrow bone.

Is this doggy jealousy? It is to my mind a great example of how possessive dogs can be. And maybe it's just certain dogs and their reaction to guarding food and their crates. But it is also humorous. I have to smile at Stella's sudden interest in the marrow bone when Hoffa arrives on the scene. Aren't dogs just so like people sometimes?

Deacon gets a major!

2008-03-13T17:47:00.002-04:00

I received word just now that Surry's Deacon Blue got his first major (a 3 pointer) today at the Lancaster Kennel Club show. Last weekend, he also got his first point by going WD.

I'm happy that he is doing well. Jenn Howard said that he is sometimes a goofy boy! Yep, he can be that. He's at that age of 15 months when NO seems to be his name. He has zero attention most of the time, wants to sniff everything, is instantly in love, and well...acts just like a juvenile Labrador male.

I'm just glad that Jenn and Rusty have him and will teach him some manners. He thinks that it's a free for all here at Surry. And at the dog shows where I recently showed him in February, he was a real handful. In fact, the English judge said that he was lovely but didn't do himself any favors by cutting up. Yep, that's Deacon. Points and training....hmm...wonder which one I like better?

Is spring here?

2008-03-10T10:03:00.000-04:00

I'm wondering whether the last of winter is over. There isn't much winter to speak of anyway in South Carolina. Sometimes in March there can be ice but it appears that with warm days ahead, we may be getting into spring.

The flowers think that it's spring anyway. Daffodils have bloomed, the flowering shrubs are out, and the Labradors are enjoying lying about in the sun.

Now that the weather is warmer, I've enjoyed going to the beach. I try to take a couple of dogs each time. More and more people are also out at the beach with their dogs.

On this day, I met Rocky, the German Shepherd. Rocky is 10 weeks old and as cute as he can be. He enjoyed playing with the Labradors who seemed to recognize that he was a goofy puppy. There was a lot of butt tucking going on.

The dogs seem to enjoy meeting people and other dogs at the beach. If you get a chance, take your dog for a long walk on the beach. It's good for the human mind and great for the dogs too.

Interdigital cysts

2008-03-07T08:45:00.006-05:00

I had an email from a Labrador that had "boil like" bumps between the toes. The bumps would rupture and there was a small crater in the center. I suspected that these were interdigital cysts.

These cysts are caused by pododermatitis and interdigital pyoderma. These have been extremely frustrating to treat successfully with any one approach. So the following is a list of things that have worked, with some notes about how they may be useful:

Mupirocin ointment (Bactoderm Rx)--can be put on the cysts and sometimes works well.

Metronidazole (Flagyl Rx)--strangely enough it can help with these cysts.

Doxycyline, like metronidazole, has worked well for a couple of dogs.

Fluoroquinolones (Baytril Rx, Dicural Rx, Orbax Rx, others) are the most commonly recommended antibiotics in the dermatology literature. These are broad spectrum antibiotics that generally penetrate tissue well.

Clindamycin (Antirobe Rx) is an antibiotic that has good activity against anerobic bacteria which seem to be involved in some cases of interdigital cysts. It is often used in combination with fluoroquinolones but can also be effective alone in some dogs.

Cephalexin ( Keflex Rx) is our general favorite antibiotic for skin disease. It can be used long-term to control skin infections. It seems to be among the safer of antibiotics, although no antibiotic is totally risk free. If there seems to be any response to cephalexin early in treatment we usually try it for at least three weeks.

So you may want to talk to your vet about starting with cephalexin and then move on to the other medications on the list, except that we often use cephalexin and metronidazole together rather than withdrawing the cephalexin. You can use fluoroquinolones last, mostly based on expense.

These cysts can come back so you may have to start the treatment again. You may want to consider keeping your dog indoors, if you have a kennel, while the antibiotics work. Sometimes there are things such as pollen that can cause allergies. Also, you may want to switch to a different food,especially one that is natural and does not have corn. I suggest one of the Wellness or Nutro foods.

New topical flea treatment

2008-03-04T12:13:00.002-05:00

I've use Frontline Plus for flea and ticks for a while. I have also used Program which is a monthly pill that prevents formation of chitin in flea eggs and larvae, thereby killing fleas before they develop. Although Frontline still seems to be doing well for the dogs, I have read that long-term use of a particular product may reduce its effectiveness as fleas may become resistant. However, I haven't read any published papers to that effect for Frontline.

The other day when I went to the vets' office, I saw an ad for a new flea product called ProMeris. ProMeris is a spot on treatment, just like Frontline. It is only available through your vets' office. Fort Dodge who makes ProMeris established a veterinarian-only sales policy because it believes veterinarians should be pet owners’ primary source of information to help ensure the health and well-being of their companion animals. And it is new so there isn't much information on long-term effects.

The active ingredients are Metaflumizone that has never before been used to control fleas before. It attacks fleas’ nervous systems by blocking voltage dependent sodium channels, which results in paralysis and death of the flea. Amitraz, the second active ingredient in ProMeris for dogs, is a well-established tickicide and provides dogs with up to four weeks of tick control. Amitraz works by disrupting the tick’s normal nerve function, leading to reduced feeding and attachment, paralysis and death of the tick.

ProMeris for dogs effectively controls fleas and protects against re-infestation for up to six weeks, and may be used as part of a treatment strategy for dogs suffering from flea allergy dermatitis.

I'm not sure whether I'll switch to ProMeris or not. There are a lot of squirrels, foxes and opposums at Surry which makes for additional problems when trying to control fleas. So I need something that remains effective for the dogs during the flea season. Hopefully, Frontline will continue to be effective.

Is your Labrador overweight?

2008-03-01T21:07:00.001-05:00

I occasionally hear from people who tell me that their Labrador is over 100 pounds. This is a lot of weight, especially for a Labrador. Being overweight puts a lot of strain on the joints and isn’t good for the vascular system of your dogs. In short, it shortens the life of your Labradors. How can you tell if your dog is overweight? They should have a waist that is visible. The waist occurs after the last rib and before the hip and stifle joints.

There are a couple of things that you can do to take weight off. One is to make sure that the dog gets regular exercise. Long walks of around 2 miles a day are ideal. Another thing to do is to reduce the amount of calories being given. That means you will need to reduce the amount of food being fed or perhaps switch to a food that has fewer calories such as a Light version of the food that you are feeding. Another method that I’ve used on occasion is the Green Bean Diet.

With this diet, you substitute green beans for up to 1/2 of your dog's food on a daily basis. In other words, if your dog normally gets a cup of food in the morning and a cup of food in the evening, you can give them 1/2 cup of dog food and 1/2 cup of green beans for the morning feed and do the same thing in the evening.

The type of green beans is important. Fresh beans are ideal but frozen ones that you buy in bulk will do. Don’t cook the frozen ones but put them in the microwave to thaw. As a last resort, use canned UNSALTED green beans. Use the liquid from the can to pour over the food and then add the beans.

There are a few other vegetables that you could use but be careful of the sugar content. Carrots are about the best if you care to mix some of them with the beans. Both will add a good deal of fiber to the diet and will make your dog feel full. I suggest that you watch his stool to make sure that he isn’t getting too much fiber!

Don’t be discouraged as the diet may take a while to work. Don’t give in and don’t give treats, except for pieces of carrot during the dieting period. Remember that these vegetables are good for your dog and will help with the weight loss program. A trim Labrador is definitely a more healthy one.

Cat adjustments

2008-02-28T10:43:00.003-05:00

The new cats are getting more used to being at Surry. At first, it was hard with Isaac because he hid all the time. It appeared that he wasn't eating or drinking. I was worried. I moved him to a bathroom where there was no place to hide, except crouching in the bathtub. He's coming around and is doing better, eating much better, purring loudly and generally not being as secretive.

The Siamese kitten Esther is having fun. She runs and plays with toys, has an incredible purring motor, and has taken to Rachel.

Even Rebecca is adjusting to life without Abraham. She used to hide all the time but now comes out, purrs, and rubs against my legs. I think that loneliness has made her come out of her shell.

So things are starting to quiet down. I finally opened the card from the vets, Drs. Shong and Rockwell. I just couldn't open it at first because I knew that it was a sympathy card about Abraham. His ashes are back from the crematorium. I don't have my big black cat anymore but there are other cats and dogs who have my attention. Life moves on.

Hoffa and Labradors are good ambassadors

2008-02-25T16:25:00.002-05:00

I've been taking Hoffa and a couple of the Labradors to various dog parks in the area. The James Island Park is really the best, now that there is a fence. I also like the one at Palmetto Islands County Park. It is large and there is a fence.

It seems that everyone who meets Hoffa the greyhound,Stella, Tobias, Clara, and any of the other Labradors falls in love with them. People are amazed at how fast Hoffa can run and how sweet she is. They always ask what breed the Labradors are because they aren't used to seeing the English type.

Dogs at the dog parks seem to have a wonderful time. Occasionally, there will be a growl but mostly everyone just runs about, getting dirty or muddy, and seeming to enjoy socializing.

People at the dog park are interesting too. Most everyone stands around looking at their dog and talking to others about their dog. People want to know about your dog but always speak proudly of their dog, almost like it is their child. In most cases, the dog is like a child to them.

I've come to enjoy the outings. I'm able to let Hoffa go and run to her heart's content. And by taking the Labradors along, they get to have a great time as well.

Deacon on the road

2008-02-22T16:16:00.000-05:00

I made a decision to put Deacon out with Rusty and Jenn Howard for a couple of months. He is a nice boy and is at the age where he still looks good. His coat is nice and his movement isn't sloppy.

He was shown at the LRC of the Piedmont and placed first in his 12 to 18 Black Dog class under an English judge on Sunday. He is a hard dog to handle because he is crazy about the GIRLS! Deacon has discovered that there are lots of smells associated with females that drive him crazy. Consequently, he is focusing on quite a bit of things besides me.

So I thought that Rusty and Jenn would be able to get his head straight through lots of handling and dog shows. We'll see how it goes.

Handlers will definitely get him out there more than I am going to do. I've gotten to the point in life where I don't want to travel a couple of weekends a month to show dogs. Dragging crates in and out of buildings, walking dogs every few hours, and the general lack of sleep from staying in hotels is something that I'm glad to take a break from for a while.

I think that in the long run, considering the price of gas, entry fees, and hotel expenses, it will be less to put him out with a handler. And hopefully, there will be some beneficial results.

Kitties to love

2008-02-18T17:44:00.001-05:00

Since Abraham died, I've been mourning his loss. No black cat to greet me in the morning, no kitty tail across my face when I'm fixing the dogs' breakfast. So I made a decision that I needed to adopt another cat.

Abraham came as a feral stray. I haven't seen any strays on Leadenwah in years. And believe me, if they were out there, they would eventually make their way to this house where they would receive the best food and have the best bed. Word would be passed--"Hey, check out Surry you furballs. It's where the good life is."

Anyway, I checked the paper and saw the Pet Helpers ads. I went there today with my cat carrier box. It was overwhelming. There were over a hundred cats in two rooms. Not in cages but just hanging out. Some were walking around, others were sleeping on high platforms or in beds.

I checked out several black males and decided to get Isaac. He is black and large and friendly. He has lived for 2 years at the shelter and needed a home.

But I also adopted another kitty. A seal point Siamese named Expresso who I'm going to call Esther. Esther is 2 months old and very playful.

So far, Rachael has hissed at Esther but they are dealing with it all. Esther just plays happily and ignores the hissing. Isaac has decided that he likes sleeping in the drawer of a workbench. Rebecca misses Abraham and is hoping that her new friend will decide to come out and play. It just takes cats a while to adjust. It took Abraham about 3 months before I could pick him up without being scratched. I'm patient and these cats have been well socialized. Isaac just needs a bit more time than Esther the Siamese who well...is a Siamese if you please or if you don't please.

So now two kitties have a forever home. Abraham must be purring away.

My beloved Abraham

2008-02-16T05:31:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was a very sad day here. Abraham, my black cat, died from massive heart failure.

Abraham was special for sure. He helped me train all the puppies to accept cats. He would walk nonchalantly out into the yard when I had the puppies out and wait for them to approach him. He would tolerate all the puppy stuff unless they got a bit rough and then he would deliver a swat. Immediate respect was ingrained in the minds of the puppies. He never tired of puppies either. One would think that he would not want to be around a bunch of bouncing Labradors but Abraham always wanted to be there. In fact, he wanted to be everywhere we were. If I was working in flower beds, Abe would come over and flop down to watch. He loved to be with his humans more than anything.

Abraham came to Surry as a feral stray who looked as if he had been in a knife fight at a bad bar. His legs were ripped up and his neck had been bitten. I don't know what the other cat looked like but Abe was a mess. It took a while of feeding him before he became tame enough to touch. Eventually, I was able to lure him into a trap and take him to the vets. He was neutered (sorry Abe but it was best), checked over, given his shots and came home to live. He remained somewhat feral for a while. He would scratch or bite if the mood struck him. All the raging male cat hormones were still in his system.

But eventually, Abe became the most docile and loving cat. I could cut his toenails, have him curl up on my lap, scratch his tummy, and do anything to that cat. He was a special one. He would greet me every morning for his breakfast, would sleep in the chair all day, and generally followed me everywhere.

Abraham, we miss you. I wish that we'd had a chance to say Goodbye but maybe that wasn't necessary since we were always saying Hello to each other. Until later, Abe.

Happy Valentine's Day to the Dogs

2008-02-14T15:36:00.002-05:00

Dogs deserve to know our love every day. But on this special day, how about a Valentine treat? Here's a good recipe for Peanut Butter Doggy Treats. Use a heart shaped cutter and you have the perfect gift for your dog's Valentine's day.

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. peanut butter
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup fine cornmeal

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Beat together peanut butter and eggs. Gradually beat in oil and water until well-mixed.
3. In a separate bowl, thoroughly combine flour, oats, and cornmeal.
4. Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and blend well to form a dough.
5. Roll out the dough to approx. 1/4" thickness and cut into shapes, or just slice them into squares if you don't have cookie cutters.
6. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet, leaving about 1/2 inch between biscuits. Bake for 20 minutes until browned. Turn off oven, but leave the biscuits inside to "crisp". Once the biscuits have hardened, remove them and treat your dogs! Store the remaining biscuits in an airtight container.

Kidney infection in dogs

2008-02-12T11:32:00.000-05:00

I noticed that Tilly didn't seem as active as usual, even though she is 13 years old. She seemed a bit lethargic and was having some urine incontinence. After she was shown in Veterans at the CSCLRC supported entry, I knew that she was not feeling well. She just wasn't perky at all and didn't want to be in the ring which is unusual for Tilly.

So I took her to our vet for a check up. Dr. Shong found that she had a kidney infection. We know that the kidneys are vital organs which maintain the balance of certain chemicals in your dog's blood while filtering out the body's wastes as urine. The kidneys also help regulate blood pressure, help regulate the production of calcium and phosphorus metabolism, and produce a hormone that stimulates red-blood-cell production.

The structural units that work as filters in the kidney are nephrons. The nephrons are susceptible to damage due to many causes such as poisons, aging, infection, trauma, cancer, auto-immune diseases, and genetic predisposition. If any of these occur the entire nephron stops functioning. Fortunately, there are millions of nephrons. If damage to nephrons occurs gradually and the surviving nephrons have enough time to hypertrophy, a kidney can continue to function with as few as 25 percent of its original nephrons.

When the number of functioning nephrons drops below 25 percent or when damage occurs too suddenly for the remaining nephrons to compensate, kidney failure occurs. There are two types of kidney failure. Acute kidney failure is a sudden loss of function that is sometimes but not always reversible. Chronic kidney failure is an irreversible loss of function that occurs gradually over months or years.

Dr. Shong suspected that Tilly had an acute problem. He did a blood workup and found that her levels of creatinine (a chemical byproduct of muscle exertion) were higher than normal. All of her other blood work was good, her joints were good, and her heart was good. He suspected that her infection would respond well to antibiotics.

Tilly was started on Baytril and has gotten much brighter and more like her old self. There is a lot of information about kidney disease in canines on the web. This site has a lot of information that may be useful.

LRC of the Piedmont

2008-02-09T19:09:00.000-05:00

This weekend is the LRC of the Piedmont specialty. I spent the day at the specialty. I really like specialty shows a lot, and this has been one that I've been going to for many years. In fact, I think that I went to the first one held by this club and have only missed a couple of shows since then.

As usual, it means getting up at 6 AM, walking the dogs, giving a few cookies but no breakfast, and then showing in various classes. There is a little time to just sit down and relax but not much time for that. Most of the time, I have to walk dogs, make it to the ring in time for my class, and walk around to watch the other rings. It's also a great time to catch up with old friends and talk to people about their dogs and promising puppies.

Specialties mean that there is only one breed being shown, in this case Labradors. All breed shows have entries of every breed. There are many more all breed shows than specialties. The competition at a specialty is fierce because there are so many nice Labradors present. Today, Mary Wiest's lovely Beechcroft boy won WD and went on to take the Breed. It is really an unforgettable thing to win at a specialty. I won Best of Breed with my Ch. Surry's Interstellar Overdrive several years ago at this very specialty. It was a great moment to savor.

Hoffa's morning at the beach

2008-02-06T12:18:00.000-05:00

Hoffa hasn't quite decided what to think about waves and surf yet. She has gone to Sullivan's Island several times, most recently with her Labrador pal Stella. Stella loves the surf and wades about. Hoffa finds the water a bit scary so today she had to be carried around the rip rap! She walked part of the way and then came to a screeching halt. She dug in her toes and said, "Nope, I'm not going around any more rocks or out into this chilly water". Her greyhound friends Cayenne and Cooper lie about in the water regardless of how cold it is.

I'm sure that in time Hoffa will learn to love the water just as her buddies do. Until then, I'm just glad that she doesn't weigh 85 lbs like the Labradors do!

Floyd has crossed the bridge

2008-02-04T11:13:00.000-05:00

I got the word that Am.Can. Ch. Surry's Dark Side of the Moon crossed over the Rainbow Bridge today. He joins his dam Ch. Fernwood Miss Daisy and his sire Ch. Sugar Hollow's Can't Touch This. I'm going to include the message that I received from Orlando Fernandez who co-owned Floyd with Sheila Wheatley and with whom Floyd lived in Spain. I think that it says what everyone has felt when they have a beloved animal leave this life:

"It is with great joy and sadness that I write this letter to you, joy because of all of the years of joy and happiness that our boy Floyd brought to me, the wonderful memories and in fact all that he taught me with his ways.

Sadness because as we know time does not stop and he has become very fragile and weak, I thought that perhaps it would be a very symbolic thing to send him over to Rigger and the rest of his cronies up above on his birthday, May 31st. Well this is not going to happen, I have been looking for a sign from him telling me when its time and I got it last night, his tail is not wagging any longer....I have made a very painful decision to send him to my Rigger and the rest on Monday morning, I don't want him to suffer and I believe that from this point on he is. Age stopped being kind to him a few months ago and it has been a fast track downhill.

So to the both of you I thank from the depths of my heart for having allowed me to share my life with this wonderful being, and I know that he will always carry a special place in your hearts as well. I speak for Sheila as well.

Today I am very sad, Monday will be a bad day too, but I hope that shortly thereafter I will as I have with the rest of the clan that has let me, be able to rejoice and celebrate the memories that he left me with.

I will give him a hug for the both of you."

Greyhounds in Bed

2008-02-01T11:28:00.001-05:00

I'm glad that I've not let Hoffa up on the bed after seeing the video above. It's a wonder that the bedspread isn't shredded after the whirling!

I've never let the Labradors in bed either. For some reason, I don't want to sleep with a snoring man and an 85 lb. snoring, shedding dog. There just isn't enough room! And those stiff Labrador hairs...well....what more can I say because I have a quirk...I iron my sheets! Can you imagine what would be worse for a sheet ironer than to have dog hairs in bed???

Just something to make you smile on this Friday!!

Rescue and its importance

2008-01-30T15:26:00.000-05:00

Photo credit: Eugene Mah

The folks at Wild Heir Labrador Rescue had a booth near the Coastal South Carolina LRC tent at the recent Charleston Kennel Club show. There were several dogs available for rescue including the boy shown above. There were T-shirts for sale and lots of information on Labrador Rescue.

I think that the Wild Heir site states the reason for Labrador rescue well:
"For the past 16 years, Labrador Retrievers have been the most popular breed of dog in America. Because of this fact, there is an ever increasing (and astonishing) number of homeless and abandoned Labrador Retrievers across the country. For instance, in 2006, the American Kennel Club recorded 123,760 Labrador puppies registered. This figure does not represent the registration stats of other breed registries, such as UKC,CKC and about a dozen other lesser known pet registries, many of which are accompanied with Internet puppy purchases. Not to mention “full-blooded” Lab puppies for sale with “no papers”, such as those found in newspaper ads, flea markets, and pet stores. With a conservative estimate of 250,000 Lab puppies born each year, our job can seem overwhelming….

Labrador Retrievers are loving, loyal dogs who make wonderful family pets. They can also be emotionally and physically "high maintenance" pets, just like many other dog breeds. Many people purchase Labs not realizing their training needs, as well as their daily need for exercise and human interaction. These are the Labs that may eventually be abandoned at local shelters or surrendered to rescue organizations."

So if you get a chance to do so, think about adopting a rescued dog. Or volunteer your time to foster one or give a monetary donation to a rescue group. There's really not enough good things that can be said about those who help out and rescue animals. Thanks for all that you do!

A relative of the Labrador?

2008-01-27T22:17:00.000-05:00

I saw this neat statue of a Newfoundland at the Chesapeake Maritime Museum. It stated that it was a progenitor of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever. The Chessie is a tough dog and it's always been stated that it took an especially hardy dog to brave the waters of the Chesapeake. Back a few decades ago, there were huge guns that were mounted on skiffs that were used to down multiple birds. They were like boat-mounted cannons. The hunters needed dogs that were capable of going out and retrieving all of these ducks, in particular going after cripples first and then back to pick up the dead ones.

The museum stated what has been the most popular thought on the origin of the Chessie. That story involves the 1807 shipwreck of an English ship bound for Poole, England. The crew and two puppies survived the wreck: a brown male named Sailor and a black bitch dubbed
Canton in honor of the rescuing ship. But unlike what was stated at the museum, it was more probably that these puppies were St.John's water dogs, no doubt bound for Lord Malmesbury's estates, which at this time was developing the prototype for the Labrador Retriever
breed. These St. John's dogs were sometimes referred to as the lesser Newfoundland.

I have also read that the two puppies were on an English ship that was enroute to Newfoundland, while carrying a load of codfish. As its sailed into the Chesapeake Bay to pick a partial load of lumber, it wrecked and these two pups were saved as it sank.

I don't think that it's known whether Canton and Sailor contributed as much to the breed as they are credited with, or even whether they were bred to one another at all. But the hunters in the area wanted not only a fanatical retriever for the hard conditions but also a coat that would blend in with the marshes. The coat color of Chessies has interesting names such as dead grass.

Some of the other breeds believed to have played a part in the Chesapeake's development include coonhounds, Curly Coated Retrievers, Irish Water Spaniels, and setters.

I suspect based on what was available at the time that the St. John's Water Dog played a part in the background of the Chesapeake, just as it did for the Labrador. I can also see the Curly Coat gene in the background of the Chessie. I'm just glad that the Labrador temperament is what it is. I'll take the fun loving Labrador over the tougher Chesapeake any day.

Upcoming CSCLRC show

2008-01-24T21:52:00.000-05:00

The Coastal South Carolina LRC is having its annual shows this coming Saturday and Sunday. We have an excellent entry this year with about 170 Labradors entered. That's really outstanding for a supported entry.

I've got four entered at the show, including Tilly and Stella in Veterans. I think that Tilly will enjoy being at the show on Saturday. She always liked dog shows. You don't have to be entered to come to watch the show. I think that there is a small parking fee charged but other than that, you can see many different breeds. Judging for Labradors will start early and go most of both days. And on Saturday night there will be an oyster roast for exhibitors hosted by the Bowrons at their farm on Wadmalaw.

So if you want to see lots of Labradors, come on out to the Fairgrounds at Ladson and ask the parking attendant where the Labradors are being judged. There will be dogs from all over the country at this show. It should also be a fun time!

Cold and rainy

2008-01-20T13:39:00.000-05:00

It's weather like we've had this weekend that makes me want to stay inside and be warm. I actually like winter in SC, much better than summer but the rain that comes down in torrents makes me glad for fireplaces and fleecy blankets.

I actually got to see snow in my recent visit to Virginia. It was a first time in a long time that I have actually seen the white stuff stick to the ground. But then it turned to rain and was all gone by the morning. I remember deep snows when I was a kid and how quiet it was the next morning after it had snowed all night.

Labradors love the snow and ice. I watched a couple of them playing and bouncing around in it. Butt tucking on ice is really neat also. They seem to enjoy the cold, no matter what kind of precipitation there is.

As for Tilly, Hoffa and me--well, we're going to snuggle under a blanket or burrow into a dog bed and take a snooze.

My birthday

2008-01-17T13:33:00.000-05:00

Today is my birthday and I'm celebrating it back in Virginia where I was born. I'm not fessing up to how old I am. No point in saying that I'm at the point where age doesn't really matter as long as I'm still able to get up and get going in the morning. I have a few aches and pains, and my lower back gives me fits some times but for the most part, I feel good.

I think that years of lifting Labradors in and out of dog crates in the van have taken their toll on my back. I find that if the dogs let me lift their rear up into the van, then I'm okay. It's when they decide that they want to fool around and bounce off to the side that I tend to twist wrong and eventually pull a muscle.

Anyway, I'm having a happy day. No schedule in particular and only one Labrador with me who is a good girl. Lucky Capricorn that I am!

Update on Lil Hoffa

2008-01-14T15:23:00.000-05:00

Hoffa, the greyhound, had her stitches from her spay surgery taken out today. She is doing well. She enjoyed her time at doggy park on the Isle of Palms yesterday. She ran and played with several other dogs that were there. I took a lot of photos and especially like the one of her at full tilt run.

She has adjusted well. She does well in the house--no accidents so far. And she seems wary of cats which is great. She is calm on the leash too. She does like to follow us everywhere. She likes to be right by our side. And she likes to sleep next to the bed at night.

I think that it will be interesting to see how her "off the track" personality continues to come out. She is playful and happy which is a great thing. It indicates to me that her spirit hasn't been damaged by her time training to be a racing greyhound.

Eye exams

2008-01-12T16:58:00.000-05:00

The Coastal South Carolina Labrador Retriever Club hosted an eye clinic on Saturday. The new veterinary ophthalmologist diplomate from Mt. Pleasant did the eye exams. We took seven of the Surry Labradors to the clinic. All were clear with no problems.

For those of you who haven't taken your Labrador for an eye exam, the basic procedure is simple. The first thing to be done is to fill out the form that has registration and ownership information on your dog. It also includes date of birth, date of exam, and breed information. Then the eyes of each dog are dilated. After about 10 minutes, the dog can then be examined. The eye specialist will do the following things:

1. Examine accessory structures of the eye using a slit-lamp biomicroscope.
2. Examine the cornea; followed by the anterior chamber and anterior uvea using an ophthalmoscope. The iris is checked during this part of the exam.
3. Measuring the pressure within the eye and evaluating the drainage angle (to out-rule or confirm glaucoma).
4. A fundus exam of the lens, vitreous and retina.

The retina of the eye in Labradors can be affected by retinal dysplasia and progressive retinal atrophy, the latter of which can now be diagnosed by a genetic marker test as well as the annual exam. The lens of the eye can be affected by cataracts. There are also disorders of the eyelids that may occur such as entropion and ectropion.

It's important to have an annual exam of your dog's eyes. Because diseases of the eye may be inherited, knowledge about whether your Labrador has "normal" eyes is important in making breeding decisions. It is inadvisable to breed any Labrador who does not pass an eye exam.

She's here!

2008-01-09T13:57:00.001-05:00

Lil Miss Hoffa, the greyhound, arrived last night. She went for a long walk, sniffed the house, kept away from the kitties, and slept soundly. She whined for about 10 minutes before settling down on her large dog bed and going to sleep.

She has a little bit of separation anxiety but not enough to interfere with her eating. She chowed down last night and this morning. She's being fed Wellness Core because greyhounds tend to have a bit of a sensitive digestive system.

The Labradors don't know what to think. They seem fascinated by this thin, muscled creature who just eyes them and doesn't bark.

Today Hoffa is going into work with me. I'm trying to carry her as many places as possible so that she will get used to lots of strange things that she didn't experience while on the track. So far so good for her.....she is a cutie!

Greyhound adoption news

2008-01-06T22:59:00.000-05:00

Lil Miss Hoffa was spayed on Friday and should be ready to come for a trial stay at Surry tomorrow. The photo above is from her track data base. She ran in 9 races but didn't do so well. Her foster mother indicates that she doesn't like to chase furry animals which is a blessing since there are cats, squirrels, bunnies, and sometimes small Labradors running around.

I'm a bit anxious about having another breed. But she seems very sweet and hopefully will adjust well to the routine at Surry. She will probably come into work with me for a while. And she will definitely have to be on a leash for about 2 years. Greys aren't like Labradors and once they see something they are gone in a flash.

In short, I'm looking forward to seeing her tomorrow. More news then.

Tilly and Stella

2008-01-03T14:20:00.001-05:00

Here's a photo of Ch. Castlewood Whyaskwhy at Surry with her daughter Ch. Surry's Interstellar Overdrive. Tilly is now 12 but gets around remarkably well. Stella is now in Veterans at 7 years but is happy and gets lots of exercise through walks on the beach.

I know that Tilly's dad Can. Ch. Ranbourne This Bud's For You lived to be 15. I'm hoping that Tilly will have such longevity. Other than being a bit deaf, she is in great health and enjoys life. She still thinks that she's queen of the Surry Labs.

Fireworks!!

2007-12-31T23:45:00.000-05:00

Well, the fireworks tonight had a couple of the dogs a bit anxious. Most of the ones at Surry were hunkered down and didn't have to listen to it up close. However, I heard from someone who has one of the girls that the fireworks in the neighborhood sent his girl hurrying back to the house.

Some Labradors don't like loud noises. I can remember that Stella would always put her head down when she was in the group ring because she didn't like all the clapping. She definitely wouldn't make a good gun dog. I'm not sure whether it's just anxiety over the noise or whether she had more sensitive ears than some Labradors.

It's best to not subject your dog to fireworks if the dog is anxious about loud noises. Leaving the dog inside and perhaps even it it's crate is the best idea. Dogs feel safe in their crates. And with a cover over the crate, it's even a better safe haven.

Hope that everyone has a Happy New Year!

Happily rowing

2007-12-29T21:04:00.000-05:00

During my time off from work, I took some time to go rowing and sailing. The weather was fairly warm, although fog rolled in on the weekend after Christmas. It's nice to get out on the water, anchor the sailboat, and then row to shore to explore some of the places around Charleston Harbor. Crab Bank is a favorite anchorage as is Cummings Point.

These are great spots to get photographs, although Crab Bank is a protected rookery that is only available for human visitation after October and through the winter months. In the spring and summer, it is inundated with pelicans, gulls and other water birds. No dogs are allowed on Crab Bank but you can bring dogs to Morris Island.

Morris Island has a great beach for exploring and looking for shells and shark's teeth. You can walk for several miles and not see another soul in the winter. In the summer, weekenders come with their motor boats and like to cook out or party at Cummings Point. It can get a bit noisy but the winter months are sheer bliss.

If you want to camp with your dog in the winter, there is driftwood near the beach. There is no potable water so you have to bring that as well as any food or supplies you might need. I haven't tried camping there yet but hope to soon. Also, the Morris Island Lighthouse is a beautiful sight on the ocean side of the island. It's a hike but worth it to see the old lighthouse. It's now being worked on to stabilize the base.

Greyhound site visit

2007-12-26T22:30:00.000-05:00

Star, the greyhound, and her humans came to visit Surry today. They looked things over and asked questions that they were required to ask. This is all in preparation for adopting a racing greyhound. The local Charleston greyhound group has people who come to your house to inspect and make sure that you'd make a good owner of a greyhound.

Star seemed to want to stay. She came in, walked around and then flopped out on the floor in the kitchen. She seemed genuinely sad that she had to leave. And when her owner called for her to come on down the steps of the front porch, she went down and then trotted right back up and looked at the front door. I think that she liked the good smells and the doggy noises at Surry.

I learned that Star had been raced until she was 5 years old. After that, she injured a hock and was retired. The way that she raced around the front yard indicated that she still had the greyhound speed. It was beautiful to watch.

So if I'm lucky, there'll be a brindle female coming to Surry within the next couple of months. With so many greys being put down every year, it's nice to know that one will have a home with all the happy Labradors here.

Waiting for Santa

2007-12-24T22:22:00.000-05:00

All the gifts have been delivered and the dogs are snoring in their kennels. Tilly is inside sleeping on her dog bed. The cats are tucked in for the night. And I'm heading to bed as soon as I finish up on the computer.

It's Christmas Eve and although all may not be well everywhere, it's my hope that you and yours have a wonderful Christmas.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas from all the Surry Labradors.

Doggy gifts

2007-12-21T22:17:00.000-05:00

What do you get for your Labrador at Christmas? They don't need one of those fancy coats to keep them warm. They have oily double thick Labrador hair. They don't need fru-fru collars with diamonds.

But they do like soft thick dog beds. And peanut butter doggy biscuits. Or a new chew toy or a greasy knucklebone. In fact, I think that our Labradors enjoy getting canned dog food with their kibble and some turkey skin and juice over their kibble as much as they enjoy anything. They put their head down in their bowls and never look up. Lots of lip smacking good eating going on.

Whatever you get, I'm hoping that you and your dog have the best Christmas ever.

Love those Doggy Christmas Cards

2007-12-18T16:25:00.001-05:00

We've gotten many photos from our puppy owners over the years. I have saved all of them. Some of the dogs have crossed the Rainbow Bridge while others are still enjoying life on earth with their owners. It's really special to hear from people how much they love their dog. It seems that some people really enjoy staying in contact and telling us how their dog is doing. Most of the time the news is good. And the dog is pictured right along with the rest of the family. And that's the point--they are part of the family.

The photo above came from Ann and Paul Key. It shows Neilley (aka The Pinkster) on her sleigh. She seems to be enjoying being dressed for the holidays. Neilley was very small at birth and there were worries during the first week whether she would make it or not. But she learned to nurse from a bottle and has grown to be a beautiful girl who is much loved by Ann and Paul.

Happy Holidays to all of you and your canine friends.

Greyhound adoption

2007-12-15T16:09:00.000-05:00

Well, I've put in an application to adopt a retired racing greyhound. I decided that it would be good to go this route because there are so many greys that are euthanized every year. And Cayenne and Cooper who hang out with Stella also had a big influence. They are sweet and seem to enjoy the company of a Labrador.

So the next step will be a home site visit. I'm reading a book on adopting the racing greyhound. There are physiological differences between Labradors and greyhounds for sure. Anyway, after Christmas, a couple who have a retired grey will visit Surry and take a look around. If approved, then there is the next step of finding a female who is a good match for us.

I'm sure that the Labradors will wonder what a stilt legged dog is doing at Surry.

Is your stud a dud?

2007-12-11T17:54:00.000-05:00

Labrador males are very sweet. But they are also noted for being horny. Sometimes I have to laugh as one of the males will decide that it's time to grab one of the girls and begin humping their head! It's a lot of misplaced passion I guess.

Maybe it's fortunate that Labrador males are studly because that makes them easy to collect for semen. But even though you may be able to collect your male there are other things that you need to consider, such as whether the sperm is healthy.

Unfortunately, low sperm count and malformed sperm can occur in dogs. And infertility is also something that occurs. The causes of infertility in male dogs are divided into two main groups, congenital infertility and acquired infertility. Congenital infertility is present at birth and is caused by abnormalities in chromosomes. Those dogs that are affected cannot produce sperm.

Acquired infertility develops during the dog's lifetime. There are several causes, some of which can be rectified. For example,incomplete ejaculation, usually occurs because the male dog is uncomfortable in the breeding situation. Males often won't "perform" if there are unfamiliar surroundings or if the female is aggressive. There can also be obstruction of the reproductive tract that can result from an infection or inflammation. Prostatitis can often cause a dog to not produce sperm. And then there are hormonal abnormalities such as hypothyroidism that can affect fertility in the male. Another culprit is heat. Male dogs that are kept in kennels and sleep on warm surfaces can become infertile because heat damages sperm.

If infertility is suspected, have your dog evaluated by a vet who will examine a sample of semen for sperm count and morphology. Treatment may be necessary, either in the form of antibiotics or heat reduction and perhaps changes to the diet. If the problem isn't congenital, then there is hope that with proper treatment, the testicles will return to normal functioning within about 60 days. So it is possible to turn your dud into a stud with proper care and patience.

Examination of semen should always be done before shipping semen or doing a breeding.

Tobias is home

2007-12-09T17:40:00.000-05:00

I picked up Tobias on Sunday. He seemed very glad to see me and even happier to be home. He had only met Deacon when the Deacon man was a puppy. Now Deacon is almost as big as Tobias. They played and played together.

Tobias has really good manners and enjoys playing with the ricocheting puppy. This morning it seemed as if Tobias hadn't been away since early fall. He went right up into his old kennel and wagged his tail.

I'm just glad that he is home. And he never has to go to a dog show again.

Is there any other breed?

2007-12-07T18:05:00.000-05:00

I've loved Labradors for a long time. They are wonderful dogs. And their silliness is something that is really endearing. Over the years I've thought about other breeds.

I did own a German shepherd as a child. She was a great dog and one that I enjoyed doing obedience work with. Later, I also owned a Rottweiler who I also did obedience work with. Zoe was a tough girl though and had to be muzzled and Ace'd before going to the vet. She didn't like being stuck with needles and would get that black look in her eyes which meant: LOOK OUT. She and I had an understanding though and we enjoyed 9 years together.

Now I'm starting to think about getting a greyhound. I've been fascinated with the two rescue ones that a friend has. They are quiet, gentle, and seem to be good house dogs. I've learned of an exceptional breeding of a top ranked greyhound and am thinking about getting one of the puppies. Let's just say, I'm very interested. I don't see many of them at the dog shows but would want to show any puppy that I get. I am also interested in lure coursing but will have to explore more about that as I have 3 cats and am not interested in having one of them become bait for a greyhound.

I guess that more will be revealed in time!