Dog Legislation SC

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;

(c) causes bodily injury to an animal;

(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;

(c) causes an animal to choke or causes bodily injury to 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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!

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?

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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?

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!

Bess at the beach

Justin sent along these photos of Bess on her first trip to the beach. Labradors are natural water dogs but going to the beach is a special treat. Not only do they get to wade, wallow and enjoy the water but there are generally other dogs to greet and lots of people around to give scratchings. Every inch of the beach has to be sniffed, peed on, or otherwise checked out.

Just check the beach rules when you take your dog there. Some beaches have leash laws, dog tags, and restricted hours. Also, be sure to pick up after your dog so that all dogs can continue to enjoy the privilege of going to the beach.

Holiday warnings

It's getting to be that time of year when the house is decorated, all kinds of good food is being cooked, and guests are visiting. It's also the time of year when you have to think about how your dog is reacting to everything.

Labradors don't stress over much but sometimes with a disruption in routine and a lot of guests, they can act out. Chewing on household items (generally the most expensive couch, rug, or heaven forbid a light cord) is generally a sign of stress or boredom. Make sure that electric candles and the Christmas tree don't become food or a fire hydrant for your dog.

Counter surfing is another thing that can occur during the holidays. The turkey has been cooked, the stuffing and other yummy items are on the counter and then you're distracted by a phone call or a guest arriving. This can present a golden opportunity for the Labrador sport of counter surfing in which the Labrador puts paws on the counter and proceeds to either pull dishes off or gets the whole turkey on the floor. Not a pretty sight.

It's also tempting to give your Labrador left overs from the table. A few pieces of turkey or some green beans will be okay, but too much rich food can cause the DD's or dreaded diarrhea. The DD's can sometimes be accompanied by the Urka Gurkas (you know that great sound that dogs make when they are heaving), all of which generally occur in the middle of the night and on the most expensive rug that you have in the house. Best to be conservative on the table scraps and save yourself an expensive rug cleaning bill.

The Holidays can be a fun time. Make sure that your dog is not forgotten in the hubbub.

What could be cuter?

What could be cuter than these dozen babies that were born at Lighthouse Labradors. The sire is Ch. Surry's Brick in the Wall and the dam is Lighthouse Albemarle Witch. The puppies pictured are 8 days old. That's the time when I can finally breathe a sigh of relief and actually get to sleep in my own bed.

I think that it's great that Marle was able to have 12 puppies and they are all doing well. I know that when one of my girls have had a large litter, I worry that one will get laid on simply because of sheer numbers. Puppies tend to crawl under an armpit and if the bitch decides to lie back, often the puppy is smothered. It's a heartbreak when that happens.

But when they get to be around a week old, the babies are finally big enough, and generally quite round, so that the mother can more easily feel a puppy. Most of my girls are so careful when they walk into the box or get up for a break. They place their feet very gingerly.

So congrats to Mason and Marle for their babies. I know that Lynn will have her hands full when these babies get to be four weeks and are bouncing around. Ahh...but then you get to have that puppy breath and it's wonderful.

Ch. Ashlyn Surry Sea Eddy

I heard from Dee Avard that Eddy is enjoying life. She writes:
"This was taken at a friend's dock this afternoon. The ole boy is pretty gray, mostly underneath, moving a little slower but still as happy and smiley as ever. He continues to make us laugh and knows it. "

I'm glad that Eddy is still enjoying life. I love the old dogs. They are just so sweet and they provide me with so many good memories. Thankfully, I have Eddy's son Tobias who is doing great and will be home soon.

Happy Thanksgiving

Well, today is my favorite Holiday. It is a no stress holiday with just good food and happy times. The Labradors seem to always enjoy their special treat of left over turkey, dressing, gravy, ham and vegetables that gets mixed in with their regular kibble.

We started this doggy holiday years ago. I don't believe in table scraps fed to dog except for the holidays. Then all the table scraps and the turkey and ham carcasses get boiled and strained, leaving just left over meat and good juices. Every dog gets some on their kibble. The heads go down and the dogs never look up until every bowl is licked clean. The sounds of munching are great to hear.

Hope that you and yours had a great Turkey Day.

Those goofy Labradors

I received this cute photo of Maggie who is owned by Lisa McCain. Maggie is the younger of two Surry girls that the McCain's have. Lisa wrote that she was working in her office at home and that Maggie was making noises because she had been displaced from her normal sleeping area near Lisa. But being a Labrador seeking comfort, she was able to squeeze her 65 lb. plus body into a laundry basket and appear perfectly content. So Lisa said that Maggie moaned and groaned.....
"And finally got quiet.. usually this means she is into something.. but she surprised me. She used to do this all the time when she was a puppy.. but I guess the pics are proof that Labradors are always puppies..."

Lisa is certainly right. They stay puppies until they are around 3-4 years old. Some don't become mature mentally until they are much older. It's like having a human in the Terrible Twos for several years.

Lisa wrote further:

"Raison is getting so grey. But she still is the sweetest and most loving dog I have ever met. She still climbs up beside me and puts her head on my shoulder and looks at me with those gotta love me eyes, the same way she did when she was a pup.

"Maggie is still the baddest dog in town. Not a week goes by that she does not get into something , steal something, or in general get to running around the house tagging the other two dogs then dodging. She makes us laugh. She is a clown."

Yes, that's what they are: clowns. And they make us laugh even in the worst moments.

Tobias is a Champion for real

I just heard from Jenn Howard that Tobias finished his AKC championship today in Ohio. Thankfully, this time the right number was on the right dog and he truly is finished. I am really looking forward to getting him home within the next couple of weeks.

Tobias should actually have finished in the spring but there was a mistake in which the handler went into the ring with Tobias but the wrong armband. Thus, the points were awarded to the dog whose number was on the armband. The handler immediately notified the AKC field rep and did everything possible to get the situation righted. I sent photos of Tobias from his first major but AKC refused to award the points. It was disheartening but at least now it's official. Mistakes happen sometimes. I just tried not to think about the fact that he had to go back out again and get yet another major.

Finally, though it's happened.

Yikes, proglottids!

I was picking up the kennels the other day and noticed that one of the fecal piles had something that looked like grains of rice in it (yep, we dog owners look at poop and inspect it carefully). These grains of rice are actually the segments, called proglottids, of the tapeworm which is one of the more common parasites of domestic dogs. This parasite grows to around 10-15cm in length, with individual segments shed in the fecal matter. The tapeworm attaches to the wall of the intestine and sheds segments as it grows.

The intermediate host for dog tapeworms are fleas. The eggs passed out in a dog's feces are eaten by the larval stage of the flea, and the immature tapeworm stays with the flea through its metamorphosis to the blood-sucking adult. When the flea bites, the dog may bite at the flea and swallow the flea that contains the larval tapeworm.

The segments of the tapeworm are capable of limited movement, and if this happens in the dog's rectum or anus, it causes intense itching. Afflicted dogs may be observed to "scoot" or drag their butts to relive the itching. This, of course helps to crush the segments and release the eggs into the environment.

Tapeworms aren't dangerous to dogs or humans. And humans can become infected, it they are licked by the dog in the mouth. Mostly, tapeworms are indicators that there are fleas about and that premise control needs to be done as well as worming of the dogs. In order to treat tapeworms, one must use a broad spectrum anthelmic such as Droncit.

This hasn't been a horrible flea season at Surry; however, all of the dogs have been treated with Droncit. And it is also time to plow up the paddocks and put down lime in order to treat the entire kennel area.

Fun time at the specialty

I enjoyed the specialty. The weather was wonderful--cool in the mornings and warm in the afternoon. It was fun as usual to see friends.

The dogs had a good time. It was Deacon's first time in the ring and he won his class both days. Amelia placed fourth in her Bred By class and Emily placed fourth in American Bred. Stella was placed second on Thursday in Sweepstakes Veteran Bitches 7-9 years and got a first on Friday. In her non-regular veterans class she placed third on Thursday and first on Friday. She really enjoyed showing again! I'm hoping to show Stella in greater than 12 year Veterans at the January supported entry here in Charleston and Stella in the 7-9 year class.

It was nice to talk with Valerie Walters who judged at the specialty. Her dog, Ranbourne This Bud's For You, is Tilly's dad. Valerie said that Bud lived to the ancient age of 16. It was nice to have his great-great grands being shown at this show.

Heading to the Raleigh-Durham specialty

I'm leaving this afternoon to head to the Raleigh-Durham specialty. I've always enjoyed this specialty show and have been going to this show for many years. Probably one of my greatest thrill in dogs occurred here when Ch. Castlewood Whyaskwhy at Surry took Best of Breed here in 1996.

This year I'm taking Tilly's daughter Stella who will be showing in Veteran Bitches for the first time, a Tilly granddaughter Amelia and a Tilly great grandson Deacon and a great granddaughter Emily. Stella was Winner's Bitch at this specialty several years ago. It's hard to believe that she is now in the Veteran class.

I'm looking forward to seeing friends and some really nice Labradors. More news when I get back from the specialty.

CSCLRC Fun Day

The Coastal South Carolina's Labrador Fun Day was held today. It was a beautifully warm day and everyone seemed to have a great time. There were demonstrations of retrieving, obedience, and grooming, as well as fun games and a CGC test.

The games are always hysterical. I think that the funniest is the dress your dog contest. This year the girls had to wear a necklace and the boy dogs had to wear a tie.

A few of the Surry Labradors were there. Dusty actually got his CGC at this event. You can see lots of pictures from this fun event at http://picasaweb.google.com/CSCLRC/2007FallLabFunDay

If you are interested in getting involved with your Labrador and being in the club, please contact any of the officers or board members. I'll be glad to forward an application for membership to you.

Getting a CGC

If you've done some basic obedience with your dog or have taken a beginning obedience course, then your dog should be able to pass the Canine Good Citizen test. This test was established by AKC for either purebred or mixed breed dogs to demonstrate responsible dog ownership, as well as to introduce people to AKC and it's programs. The "tests" can be sponsored by: "Any AKC Club of record or any qualified dog training organization as well as 4-H Clubs, private trainers, and others." AKC has an excellent kit available that explains the test, and how to run one. They also have a booklet that walks a person through the test, as well as giving them training tips.
It's a great way to get a certificate for your dog and is fun.

Here are the basics for the test and are from the AKC web site:

Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger
This test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to approach it and speak to the handler in a natural, everyday situation. The evaluator walks up to the dog and handler and greets the handler in a friendly manner, ignoring the dog. The evaluator and handler shake hands and exchange pleasantries. The dog must show no sign of resentment or shyness, and must not break position or try to go to the evaluator.

Test 2: Sitting politely for petting
This test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to touch it while it is out with its handler. With the dog sitting at the handler's side, to begin the exercise, the evaluator pets the dog on the head and body. The handler may talk to his or her dog throughout the exercise. The dog may stand in place as it is petted. The dog must not show shyness or resentment.

Test 3: Appearance and grooming
This practical test demonstrates that the dog will welcome being groomed and examined and will permit someone, such as a veterinarian, groomer or friend of the owner, to do so. It also demonstrates the owner's care, concern and sense of responsibility. The evaluator inspects the dog to determine if it is clean and groomed. The dog must appear to be in healthy condition (i.e., proper weight, clean, healthy and alert). The handler should supply the comb or brush commonly used on the dog. The evaluator then softly combs or brushes the dog, and in a natural manner, lightly examines the ears and gently picks up each front foot. It is not necessary for the dog to hold a specific position during the examination, and the handler may talk to the dog, praise it and give encouragement throughout.

Test 4: Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead)
This test demonstrates that the handler is in control of the dog. The dog may be on either side of the handler. The dog's position should leave no doubt that the dog is attentive to the handler and is responding to the handler's movements and changes of direction. The dog need not be perfectly aligned with the handler and need not sit when the handler stops. The evaluator may use a pre-plotted course or may direct the handler/dog team by issuing instructions or commands. In either case, there should be a right turn, left turn, and an about turn with at least one stop in between and another at the end. The handler may talk to the dog along the way, praise the dog, or give commands in a normal tone of voice. The handler may sit the dog at the halts if desired.

Test 5: Walking through a crowd
This test demonstrates that the dog can move about politely in pedestrian traffic and is under control in public places. The dog and handler walk around and pass close to several people (at least three). The dog may show some interest in the strangers but should continue to walk with the handler, without evidence of over-exuberance, shyness or resentment. The handler may talk to the dog and encourage or praise the dog throughout the test. The dog should not jump on people in the crowd or strain on the leash.

Test 6: Sit and down on command and Staying in place
This test demonstrates that the dog has training, will respond to the handler's commands to sit and down and will remain in the place commanded by the handler (sit or down position, whichever the handler prefers). The dog must do sit AND down on command, then the owner chooses the position for leaving the dog in the stay. Prior to this test, the dog's leash is replaced with a line 20 feet long. The handler may take a reasonable amount of time and use more than one command to get the dog to sit and then down. The evaluator must determine if the dog has responded to the handler's commands. The handler may not force the dog into position but may touch the dog to offer gentle guidance. When instructed by the evaluator, the handler tells the dog to stay and walks forward the length of the line, turns and returns to the dog at a natural pace. The dog must remain in the place in which it was left (it may change position) until the evaluator instructs the handler to release the dog. The dog may be released from the front or the side.

Test 7: Coming when called
This test demonstrates that the dog will come when called by the handler. The handler will walk 10 feet from the dog, turn to face the dog, and call the dog. The handler may use encouragement to get the dog to come. Handlers may choose to tell dogs to "stay" or "wait" or they may simply walk away, giving no instructions to the dog.

Test 8: Reaction to another dog
This test demonstrates that the dog can behave politely around other dogs. Two handlers and their dogs approach each other from a distance of about 20 feet, stop, shake hands and exchange pleasantries, and continue on for about 10 feet. The dogs should show no more than casual interest in each other. Neither dog should go to the other dog or its handler.

Test 9: Reaction to distraction
This test demonstrates that the dog is confident at all times when faced with common distracting situations. The evaluator will select and present two distractions. Examples of distractions include dropping a chair, rolling a crate dolly past the dog, having a jogger run in front of the dog, or dropping a crutch or cane. The dog may express natural interest and curiosity and/or may appear slightly startled but should not panic, try to run away, show aggressiveness, or bark. The handler may talk to the dog and encourage or praise it throughout the exercise.

Test 10: Supervised separation
This test demonstrates that a dog can be left with a trusted person, if necessary, and will maintain training and good manners. Evaluators are encouraged to say something like, "Would you like me to watch your dog?" and then take hold of the dog's leash. The owner will go out of sight for three minutes. The dog does not have to stay in position but should not continually bark, whine, or pace unnecessarily, or show anything stronger than mild agitation or nervousness. Evaluators may talk to the dog but should not engage in excessive talking, petting, or management attempts (e.g, "there, there, it's alright").