DON'T FENCE ME IN!

There’s an old saying that goes, “Good fences make good neighbors.” No where is this more true than when you own dogs. Keeping them contained in your yard is a must especially when you own German Shepherds. Dogs by nature are curious creatures and given the opportunity to take a walk down the street would prove too tempting for most of them to resist. I owned a dog many years ago who would always find a way to get out of the yard. Mind you it was fenced in, but she would find a section that was wearing away from age, push her body through it and lead the rest of the dogs who may have been in the yard with her, right down the road. Thank God I lived in a rural area because she was the leader of the pack as she and they took a stroll right down the middle of the road. If we mended one area of the fence, she’d be sure to show us where another area needed fixing. She was no longer allowed to stay in the yard without supervision.

So besides keeping our dogs in kennel runs, being responsible dog owners, we also need to fence our yard especially if you live in a residential area. If you have to take the dogs out of the run to bring them in or while you’re cleaning the kennel, they must still be contained. There are some different choices of fencing one can use depending upon what you can afford to spend and also one that meets the zoning code of your community. This last sentence reminds me of someone who I know who is quite wealthy and lives in a very “posh” neighborhood. She rescued a dog and was now faced with the dilemma of keeping him contained on her property. She asked my advice and although I told her I was completely against electric shock underground fencing, she went and got it anyway. Her number one reason………the neighborhood! She said that she couldn’t put up fencing where she lived. The neighbors wouldn’t like it. And you know what, I’ve ridden up and down her neighborhood where there are multi-million dollar homes and she’s right. Not one property had a fence! How snotty!

Different types of fencing:

Picket fence - I always assumed that this were shorter type fencing, but from what I’ve read they can be made to the height that you need. They’re made of wood and supposed to be strong. Also it prevents anyone from poking through at the dog.

Split rail – This provides more of an open view. If using this type of fence for your property it is extremely important that you use a fabric inside the fence like chicken wire or mesh fencing. Obviously if you don’t then the dog can slip through the rails. When you use the mesh fencing with the split rail, it becomes invisible so it still looks attractive around your property.

Chain link – is one of the most popular fences. This is the type of fencing that most people already use for their dog runs. It comes in a selection of different heights. Zoning seems to allow the use of this fencing more than most other fences that are available. It doesn’t obstruct the view and it lasts longer than many other types of fences. On the minus side, children can poke their fingers through it.

Stockade fencing - is privacy type fencing. It is a wooden type fence that has close slabs so no one can look through. They are tall so this is an added bonus. This type of wood will eventually start to rot, so check into a safe wood preservative to make it last a longer time.

Vinyl fencing – this is an expensive alternative to wood fencing, but it can be most attractive and last a longer time. This is a great privacy fence as well that has its slabs close together to insure that it is.

Wrought iron – this can be a very beautiful type of fence around someone’s front yard. It is more for looks than containment as the fencing leaves many wide open spaces between each wrought iron bar.

Brick, stone walls – Magnificently beautiful and very expensive. One might find this type of fencing preventing spying eyes from the most lavish estates. With the proper height, the dog wouldn’t be able to escape this type of enclosure.

Snow fence – I admit, I never heard of this type of fencing before. It is low gauge wire fabric type of fencing which is stretched and installed on brace posts. You can get this fencing 6 feet high. It’s a cheaper fencing and one must be aware that this type of fence is prone to rusting.

Farm fence (or chicken wire) - is the cheapest fencing. It is stretched and installed on brace posts. Like the snow fence, stretching this fence is what gives it its strength. The holes are larger on this type of face so a puppy will be able to put his head through it. This is not a fencing that will enhance the look of your property. However, if you have large acres of land, this is something you might want to consider for the sides and rear of the property. This fencing is prone to corroding over time and must be checked for repairs or replacement.

Hybrid fencing – this is the modular fencing. I use this type for my dog runs. They are chain linked. This type of fence clamps together and if you want to add width or length to the run, you can. Also these are not permanent structures and can be taken with you if you move. Because they are not anchored or permanent one can avoid many zoning codes and regulations.

Invisible fencing – this is when an electric wire is put underground around the perimeter of the property. The dog wears a collar with a receiver. When he gets too close to the edge of the property, the collar begins to beep and then he gets zapped with a mild electric shock. This can run the property owner thousands of dollars. Plus the collar that the dog must wear can run over $300! All this does is MOST of the time prevents the dog from leaving the property. It does not prevent other animals, children or intruders from coming onto the property. And then there are those dogs that will leave the property anyway even though they’ll get zapped for doing so!

So as we can see, there are many types of fencing to choose from depending upon your towns zoning regulations and your budget. Fencing is very expensive and can run into the thousands of dollars, but when you own dogs we have to be aware that if they get out of our property, it may cost us many more thousands of dollars if we get sued. So if we have dogs, we must be sure that they are contained.

My rating: Most of the better fences will do a good job of containment (chain link, stockade, vinyl, etc.): (4), chicken wire, snow fence: (3), brick, stone: (4), invisible fencing: (1)

BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO

Breaking up is hard to do especially if it’s a dog fight. I confess this would scare the heck out of me if any of my dogs got into a fight. Living by myself presents even a bigger dilemma and can be potentially more dangerous. Never mind that something awful can happen to your dogs, but the worse case scenario would be that something awful would happen to you. Living with a number of dogs with different personality traits and some being more dominate than the others, this is something that can happen when you least expect it to.

When dogs fight, they go into a survival mode. So in their minds, they are fighting to survive and some will fight till one is dead. With this frame of mind that they are in, the worse thing you can do is try to come between the two dogs to break them up. In his mind, he is fighting for his life. So you coming between them, you are preventing him from saving himself. Many of the pictures that I saw of dog bites on the internet were not a very pretty sight to look at. It’s painful, and can leave lasting damage and scars.

If two people are home when something like this happens, working quickly together can help put an end to the fight by pulling them apart by grabbing their hind legs. But what if you are like me and “You’re all you’ve got?” You’re home alone. So what do you do? Every article I read about this subject says to remain calm and don’t shout and scream. "Come on now….you’ve got to be kidding me. My dogs are pulling one another's faces and ears apart and I’m to remain cool, calm and collected?” I would probably be hysterical. But I’m reminded that I’ve got a job to do, so it’s time to put aside the theatrics and get down to business.

So OK, after I get over the hysterics, this is what I would need to do to break up these “fighting to survive” canines. This is dangerous business. Common sense will tell you that you can not physically get yourself in the middle of a dog fight, especially when you’re dealing with the size and power of two German Shepherds! Remember that these dogs are in the fight drive and no matter how much he loves you, if you get in the way; you’re going to get bit! Your goal is to break up the fight without getting yourself hurt.

The first thing to do is to go get a leash. Don’t expect that the dogs will stop what they’re doing to follow you. The fight will continue, but you need to go get that leash. Because the dogs are concentrating on one another and probably have their jaws locked on one another, this is the time for you to try and get the leash around the back loin of the dog. Thread the leash through the handle loop. Now back away slowly and pull the dog with you. Your goal is to try to tie him to a fence, kennel or an object. You need to anchor him to something. Then you need to do the same thing to the other dog and drag him into a kennel or the house. Then put the dog that is tied to the fence in his kennel. There now, wasn’t that simple?

Some people use cattle prods to try to break up a fight. Some research into this method believes that this can excite the dog even more and make him even more aggressive towards the other dog. I don’t know how true this is, but when confronted with this terrible situation, we all do what we think we need to do at the time. Many people will spray the dog with a hose. Most of the time this method doesn’t work. Using a fire extinguisher is better. Getting a broom or shovel between them, may give you time to break them up, but don’t count on it. The only way a shovel will work is if you knock them out with it (which I don’t recommend) and that would end up defeating the whole thing of breaking them up in the first place. You might cause just as much damage as if you allow them to continue to fight.

The best line of defense is training, training and more training. Your dogs MUST think of you as the “leader of the pack.” You MUST be the alpha to them. When you see that one of your dogs is the aggressor in the pack, the one who is dominate and likes to bully the rest, this is the dog that you need to get after. Any time that you see him acting “bad” to the other dogs, this is when you need to step in and correct the bad behavior. Instantly get after that dog to remind him that you are the alpha and if he challenges your position that’s when he needs to be reminded where he falls into the pack order. If you are not on top of this dog, this is the one that will give you the headaches and it’s not the type that “Excedrin” is even going to make a dent in. The dog MUST respect you and know that if they cross the line, there will be hell to pay by dealing with you. I own two sisters with one of them being the most dominate dog that I’ve ever owned. In her mind, the rules were made for everyone but her. She’s vocal and answers me back (barking at me) if I correct her. She doesn’t mind me correcting anyone else, but she thinks she’s too special for chastising. I’ve done alpha rolls on her and made her lay still after she protested by kicking her legs every which way she could. She’d finally submit but when I release her, she looks at me as if to say, “Okay, that didn’t hurt” and off she goes on her merry old way. She’s the reason that they’ve made Xanax for people!!! But all kidding aside, this is the type of animal that has to know that you are the boss at all times. Each and every day, she is my challenge!

Important to note about dogs that show aggression or dominance towards other dogs. Don’t wait until the dog reaches the aggressive stage. As soon as he looks at another dog with any bad intentions, that’s when you correct him. Don’t let it escalate to aggressive behavior. He must be made to know that you are very well aware of his body language. This dog is a work in progress, but even more work if he initiates a fight. Better deal with him now than later. Also never think that two dogs that grew up together and always played and loved one another can’t or won’t fight. This is when you could be in for the surprise of your life. No rhyme, no reason, but it can happen! Don’t leave two dogs alone together without supervision. I know what you might be saying…”They’ve always got along so well.” All it takes is one time to change that situation around. Also once two dogs have fought, they will fight again if "the right opportunity" presents itself.

My rating: the importance of training: (4), the importance of remaining calm during a fight (ha, ha): (4), the importance of never getting in the middle of a fight: (

HOW MUCH IS THAT DOGGIE IN THE WINDOW?

Walk pass any pet store that sells animals and most of the time, you’ll see that the owner of the store has put the cutest puppies or kittens in the window. It’s good marketing strategy and it works. But what about the rest of us who want to advertise puppies for sale, stud dog services, or dog related items? Where do we go to advertise something? Where is there a market for what we advertise? Competition can be tough especially with today’s economy. People undersell other people just to make the sale. Believe it or not, there are more places to advertise than ever before. You just got to do a little research.

For those who can afford it, advertising is a dream come true for these select few. When money is no object, then selling what you have to offer comes easy. Most people don’t have this option. So let’s say you do have the extra bucks to put out for advertising. Probably your best audience for selling your litters or offering a dog at stud is your breed magazines. The German Shepherd Dog Review is a monthly magazine put out by the German Shepherd Dog Club of America. This is a “who’s who” of the German Shepherd community. It is definitely the place to be seen when you are advertising your dogs. Years ago, many people (myself included) would advertise our litters in this magazine by taking out a full page ad. Sometimes if they were older puppies, breeders would put in an ad with the pups pictures as well as their pedigree. I don’t see very many breeders advertising this way anymore. Mostly what I see in this magazine is stud dog ads as well as brags of show and obedience title winners. Ads in this magazine and others like it are very expensive, but no where else will you get the same type of attention to what you are advertising as you will here. This is for the serious student of the breed who is looking to reach like type of people.

Next to the breed magazines, advertising on the internet has become very popular. No where else will you attract as many people as you will here. There are all sorts of dog related websites where you can advertise your puppies and studs usually for a small fee.
Also if you own your own website, you might get people to contact you through this method.

One of the best (in this writer’s opinion) and cheapest ways to advertise your dogs is belonging to dog related e-mail lists. There are a gazillion lists that you can sign up for. Do be aware of the individual list rules as far as advertising is concerned. Some allow it and others do not. So check up on this before you sign up. Obviously those who can accept photographs of your dogs are an added bonus. Some that come to mind are, thegermanshepherddogshowcase@yahoogroups.com, and germanshepherds4show@yahoogroups.com There are many others that will allow this as well. Just ask around and you’ll get some recommendations. The reason that I like these lists for advertising purposes is that you have a ready made audience from the people who belong and read these lists. Plus the best part of all is that it is FREE ADVERTISING! What’s not to like about that?

Other places to advertise on the internet are social gathering places where literally hundreds of thousands of people will be able to see what you have to advertise. Places like “Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter” come to mind. These places are a great way to network what it is you are looking to sell and to get yourself known through other German Shepherd owners and newcomers as well. Once again, this is free advertising.


Obviously we all know that you can advertise in your local newspapers. Sometimes if you live by a big city, it might be wise to utilize that newspaper for your ad as well. I used to live about an hour and a half away from New York City, and occasionally I would advertise in the New York Times which is much more expensive than your local newspaper, but most of the time, it paid off.

Other places and ways to advertise are: your vet’s office (his bulletin board) or just let him and his staff know you have puppies for sale, pet store and grocery store bulletin boards, car bumper stickers (have one made and advertise your kennel), custom make a t-shirt advertising your kennel, wear a hat or cap with your kennel’s logo on it, business cards with you kennel name, advertise in your clubs show catalogs, futurity catalogs and of course the National Specialty show catalogs. Join a dog breed club and talk up your “stuff.” Advertise in their newsletters. Join the parent club and advertise on their website. When you go to a dog show, it’s very smart advertising to make yourself an album with pictures of your dogs or new litter or your stud dog. Make sure you have plenty of pedigrees available. Also tell your dog’s handler that you have a litter or stud that you want him to talk about. If your handler loves your dog, this can be a great way to get the word out. And naturally, the good old fashioned way to advertise is “word of mouth.”

So there you have it. These are just some of the ways you can get out to the public that you have something that they may be interested in buying. Make no mistake about it…..no matter how much of a well known breeder you may be, advertising is still important. Because there are so many people who are doing the same thing that you are, you must keep your name foremost in people’s minds. Pick up the Review and you will still see these people advertising their dogs. Joan Ford told me one time, that even though most people in the breed knew who she was, she still had to advertise her dogs or they begin to forget about you.

Advertising rates: Zero, zilch, nadda, nothing right on up to thousands of dollars.

My rating: magazines: (4), internet: (3), personal web-sites (3), e-mail lists: (4), newspapers: (4), clubs: (3), catalogs, newsletters (3), all others (3)

$155,000 IS ALL IT TAKES TO BE REUNITED WITH YOUR "HEART DOG!"

We have all had or have now what we call our “heart dog.” You know the one that I’m talking about. He’s the one that means the most to you. He’s the one who goes everywhere with you. He sleeps in your bed. He’s the one for some reason that you spoil the most. There’s just something so special about this dog. It’s called chemistry between the owner and the dog. Unfortunately our canine companions don’t live very long and if it’s a German Shepherd that could mean anywhere between 9 – 14 years. To many people, these “heart dogs” are like their children and are a huge part of their family unit. So what happens when this “heart dog” leaves us to go to the rainbow bridge?

We all mourn the loss of our beloved dogs, but when it’s a heart dog; the loss can go deeper and last a very long time. Some people actually grow sick over it. Buying or breeding a replacement for this dog is out of the question because no matter how you try, the new dog will be just that…..a replacement, but will never be the exact dog that you just lost. In order to get a “duplicate” of the heart dog, some people have turned to the idea of cloning their dog. Recently a couple cloned their Golden Labrador and paid a hefty price of $155,000 to do it! They said it was well worth it to be reunited with a clone of their beloved dog. It didn’t hurt that they were very wealthy people and the exuberant price tag didn’t put them in the poor house!

Canines are a very hard species of mammals to clone because of their reproduction cycle that includes difficult to predict ovulation. Previous cloning methods didn’t have as much success rate. Many times the embryos will be implanted into as much as five surrogates. In one case this only produced two puppies from one of the mothers.

Common sense would dictate to us that no matter how much the DNA were the same with your new cloned puppy, his personality will be different from the “heart dog.” I’m afraid when you are dealing with peoples emotions, common sense sometimes will take a back seat. So in reality you will have a dog that may look just like Spike but this is not Spike. What made Spike so different from the rest was his personality. This is what made him shine. It was this dog’s uniqueness that was the essence of this dog’s character. This isn’t something that can be cloned. A dog’s personality is formed by his environment along with his genetics. So we know the cloned dog already will have a certain percentage for a genetic predisposition for Spikes temperament, but what happens to him in his life and in his environment will account for the other percent. Another thing people should consider is that Spike carries all his ancestor’s temperament traits in his DNA. Perhaps, this time his great grandfather’s disposition might come through instead. A risky way to spend your life savings!

Many a pet owner who has a heart dog has already had the dog neutered so breeding him to keep one of his pups is out of the question. They can go back to the breeder, but the exact carbon copy of Spike will not be attainable. Even when a dog is cloned, you might not get the exact copy. Oh he’ll look almost identical, but his pigment shade could be a little off or he might not have the few white strands of hair on his chest that Spike had.

Besides one’s moral beliefs, there are those who also consider the welfare of the lab animals that are used for this experiment. Not much is known about these dogs and the care and treatment that they receive. Many of these procedures are done in Korea. One wonders about the inhumane confinement, invasive artificial insemination techniques, C-sections, birth defects and high mortality rates. Many times the labs use up to 8 dogs for one clone. Four will supply the ova, and four will act as surrogates. For every four embryo transfers that they do, they get a clone.

The future looks bright. In about three years or so, if you can’t afford the now “over the top” price of $155,000 to clone your dog, don’t fret. The price should be somewhere in the neighborhood of $50,000! Not bad. If you wait, you could save yourself over $100,000! Maybe if you’ve waited that long, you would have mourned the loss of Spike and moved on and bought yourself another $800 puppy!

What about you.......if you could afford it, would you clone a much missed and beloved dog? I know a few of my own that I would love to have with me again.

My ratings: my feelings about cloning: (1), success rate: (3), expense: (1), satisfaction for those who have a clone: (4)

THE WILL TO WIN

I remember we had the late great LaMar Kuhns (German Shepherd Dog handler extraordinaire) over for supper at our house one time. He was going to be giving a speech at our club, The GSDC of Greater New Haven. Anyone who knew LaMar could expect anything and everything out of this colorful man’s mouth. He was quick with a comeback and had an answer for everything concerning the breed. He knew what it took to win which was evident in his show record.

So we’re sitting at the dinner table with LaMar and we’re talking about which dogs were winning at the time. All of a sudden, he comes out with “Give me the spook any day, because you know they’re going to be moving around the ring.” Was he promoting the spooky dog? No, but just stating a fact that some dogs can be too sound and find the show ring a boring place to be. Years ago, temperament wasn’t pushed as much as it in the show rings today. It would be harder to get the “spook” past the discerning eye of today's judges. Oh, some of the very well trained ones still get through, but today’s judges are more on the look out for disagreeable temperaments.

I have a friend who owns a champion group winning dog and she and I were talking about this very subject the other day. After a couple of days of showing, her dog becomes bored with it and is not enthusiastic about running around in circles anymore. Her dog has a marvelous temperament, but showing has never been high on his list of fun things to do.

I believe we can train dogs to be show dogs, but I don’t believe we can train all of them to be ‘exciting’ show dogs. There are show dogs and then there are “special” show dogs. What makes them special is their will to win. They have that “look at me, aren’t I special” kind of attitude. They ask for the win, and unless they ask for the win, they won’t be garnering any Select or Best in Show accomplishments. This is what makes them stand out from the rest. The other dog might even be the better dog, but unless he makes the judge take another look, he’ll get run over by the one who is asking for it.

Is this “will to win” type of personality born or made? I believe that they are born. In every litter, there are a few who stand out above all the rest in personality. These are the rascals in the litter. They’re lively and spunky and are usually the ones who are getting into trouble. They’re mischievous and full of life wanting to know about the world around them. They’re inquisitive and usually very smart. They have a will to please their master. Many times they are the alpha of the litter and are jealous and possessive for the owner’s affection. They are the ones that if they could talk would be saying, “Look at me, look at me.” They have that, “Well (ain’t) I somethin’ written all over them!”

Once you know that this is the one, the wise breeder starts teaching the puppy how to “double handle” by playing hide and seek with him. He teaches the puppy to seek him out; to look for him. He rewards him with treats and lots of love and affection and affirmations about how wonderful he is. This is the type of puppy that eats this stuff up. His main purpose in life is to please you.

To be a winner, the dog should be sound in temperament, but also have a lively happy kind of personality. I’ve pulled dogs from continuing their show career because they weren’t fond of the show ring. Two come to my mind. One was a drop dead gorgeous looking dog that would always attract the judges and crowds eye as soon as he stepped into the ring. Jimmy was showing him and told me he’d have no problem finishing him. Only thing is my dog had other ideas. A couple of times around the ring, and then he would no longer put out and instead of pulling out on the lead, decided running next to his handler was all he was going to do. Gorgeous dog…..awful show dog! Then I had a bitch that would rather run up to the judge, tail never stopped wagging as she greeted everyone, but a couple of times around the ring and she too stayed along side the handler rather than pull out in front of her. Both lovely animals but it wasn’t worth the aggravation for me to show them. Both good temperaments, but they would rather be home lying in front of the fireplace.

My rating: the dogs with the attitude: (4), sound dog, but no attitude: (2)

THE BEST DISINFECTANTS - IS IT KILLING MORE THAN JUST GERMS?

I think like most of you my least favorite thing when taking care of my dogs is the “yucky” chore of cleaning and disinfecting the dog runs. I love it when it’s done and everything is nice and clean once again, but it doesn’t stay that way too long. So what’s some of the best disinfectants on the market for this unavoidable task?

I started out writing this article about some of the best products on the market to use when cleaning and disinfecting your kennels and equipment. I was writing about some of the products that I’ve used and liked. For years I’ve used and still use bleach for disinfecting my dog’s run. It’s cheap and it works. It claims to be 99.9% effective against bacteria. The only thing is it doesn’t leave a nice smell like some of the other products do. Then I went on to say one of my favorite scented disinfectants is Nolvasan S which is a bactericide and virucide. I loved it because it’s highly concentrated so you don’t need to use a lot of it. Plus I loved the smell of it. Like all of my articles, what I don’t already know, the rest I will do research on before reporting about it. So it is with this article as well. Imagine my surprise then to read an article about the dangers of disinfecting the kennels too much. So that is what I am choosing to write about today – the dangers of using these products rather than recommending any of them.

Most of us routinely clean and disinfect our kennels, and dog equipment. It’s what we do if we want a clean environment for our animals. According to this article that I read written by a holistic veterinarian, it is unnecessary and potentially harmful to our dogs. The author is not advocating that we keep the premises dirty, but that we shouldn’t be disinfecting them too much.

He further states that non-porous surfaces cannot be disinfected like for instance, your animals toys. He says that scientific studies prove that cleaning with soap and water will remove 95% of bacteria, viruses and fungi. When adding a disinfectant, it only removes an additional 2 – 3 %. He continues by saying that it is impossible to sterilize your dog’s environment unless you were to clean it several times a day. Second, (and I quote) “the bacteria in your dog’s environment have mostly been seen by your dog already. They came from your dog's feet and mouth, the food he is eating, and from your hands. Your dog is already resistant to infection from these bacteria and viruses. The few new germs that he is exposed to will, in almost all cases, be a healthy stimulant to his immune system, providing immunity for future germs.” (End quote).

If you read the label of a product that is a disinfectant, you will see that it has a precaution on it saying that these products are poisons if taken internally. If you are cleaning the runs, the bowls, his crates, etc. with these products, the dog is walking on the surface with his feet, licking the bowl, and lying in his crate, he is ingesting small amounts of the disinfectant or breathing it all the time. Over time this can lead to serious health risks and diseases. At the same time, it is not good for us to breathe in the toxins or have contact with our skin.

According to this report, recent studies are showing that if we continue to use these disinfectants that we will be creating a “super bacteria” that will be more deadly just like the overuse of antibiotics which has created bacteria that is resistant to all other antibiotics. Disinfectants are known carcinogens and are toxic to various organs in the body.

Again according to this author, the American Medical Association recently came out with a recommendation against the routine use of disinfectant soaps. I know that I’ve read several articles over the last year saying that antibacterial soaps are not as effective as they once thought.

So what is one to do? Is plain old soap and water good enough? Do we introduce more problems when we try to do the right thing by using disinfectants? What do you think is the right thing to do? What are you using to clean your dog’s kennels and equipment?

Disinfectants can run you $5 right up to $125 depending upon the size of the product.

My rating: (before reading this article): bleach & Nolvasan S got a (4). Now I’m not too sure anymore!

BLOAT AND THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG

After reading many different e-mails yesterday on some of the German Shepherd lists that I belong to, much of the discussion was about the dreaded killer of some dogs known as bloat (gastric dilation). I sat back and read the letters and input from many different breeders who have been in the breed for a long time. Early on in my association with this breed, one of my beloved dogs was struck down by this “show no mercy” life robber. So I thought I would write something for those who might be reading this blog and who don’t belong to any e-mail lists but love the breed and want to know as much as they can. I don’t claim to be an expert on the subject. Everything you read here are only my opinions…..what I’ve experienced and what others who told me what they experienced plus some research I’ve done on the subject.

Every breed of dog will have a predisposition for certain health conditions. In the German Shepherd Dog, his gastro intestinal health can become compromised. One would think that the German Shepherd Dog who is bred to be a herding dog, a tracking dog, a therapy dog, a leader of the blind, a war hero, a bomb detecting dog, and a dog who works side by side with the police force must have a strong and healthy body. You would think! Although he is a strong, muscular physical representative of the dog world, he houses a sometimes fragile intestinal tract. So although we do everything to ensure that the dog is healthy….he has a beautiful shiny coat, his weight is proper, his eyes are clear…..yup he’s looking good. But what about what’s going on inside of the dog? Are his insides looking good? In my opinion, one of the most important things that we can do is to take care of his gut. A healthy gut equals a healthy dog.

So just what is a healthy gut? I believe it is one that is fed a healthy diet. Now let me say this right from the start. Dogs that have bloated have done so on commercial dog foods as well as raw diet fed foods. I believe the “environment” of the gut is of the utmost importance when he receives the food of your choice. Once again (my opinion) the dog should be on a supplement or a food that has a significant amount of enzymes and probitiotics. This will help the bad bacteria to be replaced with the good bacteria. I think the build up of bad bacteria in the gut can be a contributing factor in this dreaded disease as well as the horrific toxic gut problem. Now some people might say, “Yeah, my dog was fed these ingredients and he still bloated. I along with some other breeders believe that there are also other contributing factors along with a compromised gut that can spell disaster.

Because no one has come up with a DEFINITE reason why some of our dogs bloat, we are all left to guess. Barbara Williams a long time breeder and researcher in the health and genetics of our dogs have worked feverishly in the study of bloat. Linda Arndt who is a long time breeder of Great Danes has excellent articles about bloat and what she considers may be contributing factors. She too believes in proper nutrition or lack of that might be a contributing factor in bloat. Yet, no one has come up with the WHY or the HOW to prevent it. So we are left to draw our own conclusions and try to do the best that we can.

What are some of the things that a dog who is starting to bloat may experience? The dog may act very agitated, showing high anxiety, pacing back and forth, heavy panting, dry heaves, gagging, whining, restlessness, stomach swelling, and excessive heartbeat. If your dog is experiencing any of these symptoms, quickly responding to them can save your dogs life. Call your vet immediately, and if you have any gas-x in the house, give it to him and get him to the doctors office right away. There are companies that sell bloat kits. Look them up on the internet and invest in one to have in case of this emergency. It could buy you a little time.

There are many theories as to what causes this disease and many who believe it is a combination of factors. I too believe it is a combination of factors that when brought together can spell disaster! Some of those contributing factors MIGHT be, but not proven to be:

Genetics, stress (dog shows, breeding, change of environment, psychological stress), physical structure of the dog, etc. Let’s take a look at some of these a little bit closer. Much discussion surrounds the genetics of the breed. Some think if you look at a dog’s pedigree you might see a predisposition for this disease if the dog has some who have died from bloat in his back ground. The dog that I lost to bloat was sired by a dog that died of bloat. Many of his half siblings also died from bloat. Genetics or the luck of the draw? Stress – dog shows, boarding, psychological stress, etc. I believe (and I don’t care how sound in temperament a dog may be), that being away from his owner at a dog show, or if he’s boarded or the handler takes him home with him, the dog is under stress. Sure he might like the handler, or the people who board or watch him, but they are not his owner. He may even appear calm and relaxed. How about what’s going on inside of him? Do we know that he really is calm and relaxed? It’s a different environment. There’s different dogs he’s surrounded by. He might enjoy and get excited running and playing back and forth in the run. But it’s still not home. I can think of three instances where a dog bloated at a dog show, at a boarding kennel and another when being left for someone else to take care of while the owner went away. We live with a VERY SENSITIVE breed; a breed that needs and wants to be with their owner all the time. As I wrote in an earlier article, I would classify the German Shepherd as a co-dependent dog! Then there’s the physical structure of the dog. It was thought for many years that the deep bodied narrow chest type of dog was the one that we had to be concerned about. Now that theory has changed somewhat as other types of body structures have bloated as well.
This all leads me back to the environment of the gut.

Then there are also some pre-existing health problems a dog may already have. Some of those may be things like SIBO (small intestinal bacteria overgrowth) and EPI (exocrine pancreatic insufficiency). Both of these diseases can cause an excessive amount of gas in the dog. As I’ve reported in another article, I have a bitch that has SIBO and it is a constant concern for me about the welfare and proper care I give to this dog. I’ve been lucky that I’ve been able to keep this condition under control by the supplement that I feed her twice a day which is enriched with probiotics and enzymes (Vibrant Pets).

Other factors that are not proven but thought to be a contributor to this disease are: excessive water drinking, especially those dogs who gulp their water and therefore get a lot of air in their systems, rapid eating of their food, eating gas producing food, eating one large meal, elevated feeding rather than divided it into two feedings a day, exercising right before or after eating, large dogs, nervous or excitable dogs, etc.

Some breeders have chosen to have their dogs stomach tacked down. However, this hasn’t been proven to help this condition, because there are those dogs that have still bloated after having this expensive surgery done.

If we humans can suffer gastro-intestinal problems from eating gas inducing foods, then so can our dogs. The pharmaceutical companies make millions of dollars off of products made to treat GERD, indigestion and stomach upsets.

The jury is out on what causes this disease and until a verdict is handed down, we are left to try to do everything we can to insure the health of this breeds intestinal tract. I’m sure there are those who can refute some of these theories, who feed the cheapest food, don’t add supplements, keep water available at all times, let the dogs run all they want, etc., etc., etc. Lucky…..or is it just a matter of time? No one can guarantee that if you avoid pedigrees that carry bloat, if you feed foods or add supplements that contain probiotics and enzymes, keep your dog quiet before and after he eats, etc., that he won’t bloat. If the researchers and the medical community don’t have the answers as to the cause and prevention of this disease, then all we as breeders can do is the best we can when taking care of our dogs. What we do know is that bloat is right next to cancer as being one of the biggest reasons ours and other breeds loose their lives. I experienced loosing a much beloved dog to this disease and I never want any other of my dogs to have to suffer like he did.

Expenses associated with a dog bloating: Hundreds of dollars to over a thousand or more if you tack the dog’s stomach and his follow up care.

My rating: stomach tacking: (2) – because of the risks involved with surgery, research devoted to this disease: (3), bloat kits: (3), probiotics and enzyme enhanced food or supplements: (3)

THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG TEMPERAMENT

Every pure bred dog that is recognized by the American Kennel Club has a breed standard for what constitutes an ideal temperament. The German Shepherd temperament as described by the German Shepherd Dog club of America is no exception. It describes the ideal temperament as (and I quote): “The breed has a distinct personality marked by direct and fearless, but not hostile, expression, self-confidence and a certain aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. The dog must be approachable, quietly standing its ground and showing confidence and willingness to meet overtures without itself making them.” Of the thousands upon thousands of puppies born every year, not all will have the “ideal” German Shepherd temperament.

There are many different types of temperament a puppy can have. Most of a dog’s personality and temperament traits will be hereditary. Others will be environmental. Still others can be a combination of both. As anyone who has been breeding dogs for a number of years can tell you, we all have dealt with most of these different types of temperament throughout the years. We already know what the ideal temperament for our breed is. Let’s take a look at some of those with less than “ideal” temperaments.

The “I love everybody” type of temperament. (Some people call this the Golden Retriever personality). This is the type of dog that is friendly to everyone he meets. Life is fun. Life is good and they want to let everyone they meet know about it. They greet everyone and look for them to give them affection and attention. It’s what they live for. These types of dogs are true “people” dogs. They are wonderful to have around when you are selling their offspring. Your puppy market people will eat this type of dog right up.

The “fear biter.” This type of temperament is totally opposite from the “I love everybody” temperament. This is a dog that is fearful of everything, but especially of people. He is the type of dog that a stranger could never pet or even get close to. He’s not necessarily aggressive. He wants nothing to do with outsiders because they fracture his already fractured dysfunctional little world. Get too close to this type of dog where he can’t get away from you and out of fear, he will bite. This type of dog should never be bred or sold into a pet home. Many breeders will choose to put this type of dog to sleep. He is disaster waiting to happen.

The “sharp” dog. This type of temperament would be considered an aggressive temperament. Unlike the fear biter that would be happy to get away from you, the sharp dog is one who will try to attack you. This too is a dog that you could never trust. A person wouldn’t have to even be considered a threat to this dog. This dog is just plain old nasty. Again, this is not the type of dog who should be bred or sold into a pet home.

The soft “timid” dog. This type of dog is also afraid of people AND just about anything else that might “rock his world.” He is timid and will back away from people, cowering; tail tucked, head down, body shaking, but is not a fear biter. He is not the type that bites, rather he is the type that submits and will roll over like you are about to kill him. Noise bothers this type of dog. Things falling off shelves, doors slamming, thunder, and fire crackers; all of these types of things disturb these dogs’ overly sensitive nervous systems. Again, this is not the type of dog that should be bred.

Although all of these above temperaments are far from the ideal, some of them can be worked with and lead fulfilling lives with their people. Some of them will be put to sleep by dedicated breeders that know that no good can come from having less than ideal temperaments. The choice is a personal one.

It is the responsibility of the breeders to incorporate the best temperaments in their breeding program. The majority of a litter will be going into pet homes with children. We owe the public the best of our breeding skills to produce dogs that are worthy of carrying the name “German Shepherd!”

The conscientious dedicated breeder will have bred two dogs of excellent temperaments to produce the best possible puppies. His next goal is to find the “ideal” home for his puppies. That in itself can prove challenging. A German Shepherds temperament can be compromised in a home where the owner totally ignores the puppy while she’s watching the latest episode of General Hospital and gobbling down bon bon’s all afternoon. These animals MUST be socialized. They MUST get used to other people. They MUST be introduced to new sights and sounds. There are many different ways to socialize a puppy. Go join a breed club. Look for a place that offers puppy classes for training and socializing. Take your puppy to a pet store that allows you to bring him in and shop with you. Take him to a park. Take him for a walk. Invite people over your house for coffee. There are a dozen different ways to introduce your puppy to the world. If you don’t, the world can be a very scary place for the youngster.

Make no mistake; the German Shepherd is one of the most intelligent of all breeds of dogs. It is because of their keen intelligence that they must be trained from an early age. The dog can never be given permission to be the leader in a household. It is not one that he relinquishes easily once he establishes himself on that throne. The owner MUST ALWAYS be and remain the alpha with this breed of dog. The dog will respect you for it.

If you can’t train the dog yourself, it is the wise owner who will have a professional dog trainer to do it for you. Watch this person’s training technique to make sure you like the way he trains. If he uses intimidation methods, this is not the type of trainer you want training your dog. You want the dog to like doing what he does by rewarding him for good behavior. A well trained dog is a happy dog and one that you will enjoy living with for years to come. Remember that the German Shepherd is the happiest when he is given a task to do. He can be a “rascal” to live with if he becomes bored. You owe it to him and yourself to bring out the best of this dog’s marvelous temperament and utilize his great intelligence and his will to please. You’ll be glad you did.

My rating: Love everybody type of temperament: (3), fear biter: (1), sharp: (1), timid: (1)

TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

Probably the hardest part of being a pet owner is when our beloved animal’s life nears its end. When faced with the unavoidable many of us chose to take our dog to the veterinarian and have our pet’s life end as humanly as possible by having him put to sleep. Then there are others who chose to let their pet die naturally.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never had a dog die naturally unless it didn’t recover from a medical treatment or surgery. Ideally (if there is such a thing), I would prefer he died peacefully in his sleep. It’s when he doesn’t that many of us find ourselves in the unenviable position of deciding to have our veterinarian end his life as gently as possible.

Many years ago, I read an article about having this procedure done by your veterinarian. It scared the hell out of me. In this article it said, make no mistake about it, your animal doesn’t die a peaceful death. It said that he feels the pain in his heart until it puts him out of his misery. I don’t know how true this was, but hopefully we’ve come a long ways since then. It is my understanding that the veterinarian gives the animal a stronger dose of anesthesia and sometimes a second one until the animal succumbs and passes.

I know of three people who did not own German Shepherds and all three of them would not have their animals put to sleep. They believed in letting nature take its course and letting the animals die on their own. Two people owned a dog and the other a cat. All the animals lived very long lives. Two of them said to me, “God brought them here and he’ll take them when it’s their time.” I hesitantly voiced my unpopular opinion but ultimately I knew they would do what they thought best for the animals that they raised. One of these people grew up on a farm so was very familiar with animals and the ebb and flow of life. She saw animals born and die all the time, so she came from this mind set of letting nature have its own way. I on the other hand objected because her old cat refused to eat and literally starved himself to death. He lived like this for 2 – 3 weeks. Her cat now rests in her backyard with a headstone marking his grave. The one dog just went into seizures and then was taken to the vet where he died with his owner by his side. The other dog on the last day of his life let out a “death” howl and fell over and died.

Like many other pet owners when faced with this “life or death” decision, I would find myself day after day saying, “Not today. I’ll deal with this tomorrow. Just not today.” Then the day would come when “today” was the day. These are some of animal owner’s worst days. We are of the belief that we love our dogs so much that we don’t want them to have to suffer and we do the kindest thing that we can for them. It’s time to say goodbye! We have our veterinarians help take them to the other side. Then someone will say to me, “You’re not God. You shouldn’t be making that decision.” For a moment or two, I may feel a tinge of guilt and may even find myself beating myself up for it. But in the end, I feel that I’ve done the last best thing that I could for an animal that gave me so much and deserved to have his life end with dignity and as pain free as possible.

Owning an animal leaves you in a position of responsibility for the life and care of your pet. He has no voice. We are the guardians of his life and in many cases of his death. Deciding whether or not to end the animal’s life is a matter of personal choice. The choice is never easy, but many times we have no alternative. It is not our place to judge someones decision about whether or not he should end his pet’s life. I may not like what someone decides to do with their pet by letting it suffer and die on it’s own, but when I decide to have my beloved dog sent back to his maker, I do so knowing that I’ve weighed all of my decisions and that this is the one I do to show him one last time how much I love him. Does it mean that I love my dogs anymore than those who let their animals die on their own? No, it’s just my choice and it’s one that I have to live with.

Many pet owners will chose to have their dogs remains cremated and put in an urn. I did this with my first show dog. We took the urn and buried it in front of the dog runs so he would always be with us and the rest of the dogs that followed. Some people chose to bury the dog’s body in the backyard. Others buy a headstone and have it engraved. And then there are still others that bury their animals in a pet cemetery.

I’m not right and the other guy is wrong when it comes to deciding what to do when our animals last days draws to an end. Once again, it’s a personal decision. We both loved our pets and they lived as long as they did because of the loving care that we gave them. We both loved them……we just loved them differently.

Expenses covering the death of an animal: depending upon the vet (office visit, needle, urns, disposing of animal, etc.) over $100. Grave stones and a pet cemetery will run you hundreds of dollars.

My rating concerning taking an animal to the vet to humanly be put to sleep: (4), choices for remembering a pet – grave stones, urns, etc.: (4)

THE LONG COATED SHEPHERD DISQUALIFIED OR A WINNER?

I appreciate all of those who read my blogs and e-mail me with suggestions for topics to write about. This article was suggested to me by a top winning kennel whose dogs you might see in the show ring most week ends. She wanted to know what people think about a long coated German Shepherd winning in the ring. As she said, it’s only a minor fault. I just looked at the German Shepherd Dog Club of America’s new and improved website under the breed standard. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought I once read that the long coated shepherd is considered a minor fault. Now I read that it classifies it as a fault in coat. Perhaps it’s just a difference in wording.

The above picture is of a dog that I bred MANY YEARS AGO with Marge Dolan of Dolmar German Shepherds. He was a coated puppy. However, his coat wasn’t very long at all on his body. Mainly the long hair was on his head around his ears. I showed him twice and both times he took Best Puppy under specialty judges. He was exceptionally well bred with a magnificent side gait, having both front and rear angulation. His bone was oval, his head masculine, tight feet and a temperament to die for. I mean he had no other faults beside the coat. Because I was relatively new in the breed, I decided instead of trimming his ears, I would sell him into a pet home. If I had to do it over again, I don’t think I would have made that same decision. He was a product of the best of the Doppelt Tay lines (#2 Select Gilda’s son Steel Curtain bred to the famous Reno/Rhyme bloodlines).

Many a time in a breeders litter, the long coated puppy is the best in conformation and temperament. I wonder why that is. The long coated puppy is generally very easy to sell into a pet home. Some coats are indeed, very long. Others like mine, might just have the tell tale sign of being a coat around the ears….sometimes between the toes as well.

For those readers not familiar with the coat of the German Shepherd Dog, the breed has a double coat which is medium in length. His undercoat insulates for warmth and protection from the elements. The long coat doesn’t offer him this same protection. It is a softer coat in texture and gets wet quicker than the double layered coat.

So what does a breeder do when faced with a long coated puppy of superior conformation and movement? Many breeders will keep this type of puppy for breeding purposes and breed her to a stud that doesn’t carry the long coat gene. Then there are some who will trim the dog and show them anyway. The long coat is not considered a disqualification.

In my opinion, there a many more things to worry about in the breed than a long coated German Shepherd. Temperament should be the first thing we look for in a good quality dog followed by a sound functional body. I know some people will think, let the long coated dogs win and next we’ll see the livers and blues winning. We over look one thing and then where does it end? This is why we have a standard to base our breeding program on.

Faults of gait are considered very serious faults, and yet I’ll see dogs that kick up in the rear, those who lift from the elbow, dogs who are sloppy going away and they’re winners; many of them are champions. Surely if the faulty gaits are judged and overlooked then a minor fault like a coat shouldn’t be eliminated. Ideally, we would like to see all winning dogs be faultless. It’s not going to happen. The perfect dog hasn’t been bred. Genetics being what it is hasn’t produced the perfect specimen yet. We as breeders can only hope to show the best of our litters and come as close to the standard as possible.

So what do you think? Would you keep and show a long coated dog who had everything else going for him or sell him into a pet home?

My rating on a long coated dog being shown and finished: Only is it’s superior to all the others in the ring: (4), use for breeding: (4)

SPORTSMANSHIP AND GOODWILL IN THE SPORT OF SHOWING DOGS

Let’s face it, everybody loves to win, and it’s not always true as the old song would have you believe, “Everybody loves a winner!” No one goes to a dog show to loose. But what about that winner; how many people who entered and showed their dog is truly happy for the person’s dog who won? Now come on, let’s be honest here. You wanted that win just as much as the winner did.

You bred or bought the best dog you could. You’ve worked and trained him. Maybe you road worked him. You feed him the best food and supplements that you can afford. You bought and use the top shampoos and conditioners. You groom him to perfection insuring that the judge will look at him a second time. The judge points to his winner and it’s not your dog. John Doe just won another major on his dog. Are you feeling excited? Are you jumping for joy? I mean, are you really happy for John? Do you suck it up, bite your lip and extend your hand for congratulations? Or maybe you walk away in a “huff” cursing like an old sea captain not caring who sees or hears you.

What does it take to have good sportsmanship? What does it take to show goodwill towards your fellow exhibitor? I believe it comes from the person who intelligently knows that when he enters a show, there’s a big possibility that he may not win. Now some people who enter expect to win every time. As I said before, no one goes to a show expecting to loose. But common sense will tell you, that it can and will happen, more times than you’ll want to admit.

Showing good sportsmanship to another person by showing goodwill and extending congratulations means that you think the other person has won a fair, good hard contest knowing he was as worthy of the win as you. But what about when you don’t think his dog was as good as yours? That’s when your true character will come through. I quote: “A sportsman has been defined as a person who can take loss or defeat without complaint, or victory without gloating, and who treats his opponents with fairness, generosity, and courtesy.”

A good sport should be able to maintain control of his emotions whether or not he agrees with the outcome of an event. He recognizes that his opponents have devoted just as much time and money in the sport of showing dogs as he has. He realizes that some days he wins and other days he loses. He’s going to want people to recognize and congratulate him when he is triumphant in the show ring as well. He realizes his behavior on the show grounds are viewed by……spectators, judges, breeders, exhibitors, etc. He realizes that he loses nothing by showing goodwill and gains so much more by having and maintaining a good reputation.

One of the worst emotions we humans (and even the dogs that we love) have is that old “green eyed” monster known as jealousy. It can ruin and destroy many relationships in our lives. No where is it more pronounced than when you’re competing. Dog show people are highly competitive people. They love their dogs and think that they are just about the best thing walking on four feet. Challenge that thought and you might just see some of the most “bad to the bone” type of behavior.

I’ve had two friends who live on opposite coasts of the US tell me recently about their experiences in the show ring. Both had exhibited in their clubs shows so naturally many of the clubs members were there. Both of their dogs won. Both friends told me not one person from their club congratulated them. Both of these people are very nice sweet kinds of people so no one could say that they didn’t like them as individuals. Both have had success in the show ring, one having Select champions and the other one having group winning dogs. So what gives with that?

Nothing is more important for the newcomer to the sport of showing dogs is to feel welcomed and have goodwill extended to them. This tells them that we “dog people” are a friendly lot and we want them here. This is what makes a breed club grow and prosper. Tomorrows ambassadors of our breed are today’s newcomers. It’s up to us to nurture them and see to it that they protect and maintain the principals that our forefathers had a vision for this the most noble of dogs, the German Shepherd. If we drive them away with our indifference and lack of goodwill the thrill of showing dogs just may become a pastime of the past.

My rating on good sportsmanship and goodwill in our breed: good sportsmanship: (3), goodwill (3), welcoming the newcomer: (2)

CLICKER DOG TRAINING & THE FINE ART OF DOUBLE HANDLING

Alright I’ve got a confession to make. Right here, right now I shamefully admit that after all these years I am still the worlds worst double handler you would ever want to see. I am every professional handler’s worst nightmare. So there; I’ve said it. It’s out in the open now. So about three years ago, I tell a long time friend of mine my dilemma. She is probably one of the best double handlers in the German Shepherd Dog show world having had a couple of selects and champions to prove what she does works. Under normal circumstances, she has this little meek, mousy kind of a voice that when she raises it to call her dog becomes this shrill that you can hear all over the show ring. I experienced this first hand at a National many years ago when one of her dogs went Select #3. So imagine my surprise when at a National a few years ago, her dog goes Select #2 and not once did I hear her high pitched shrill! I wanted to know how she did that. That’s when she shared her secret with me…………the clicker!

“Just what the heck is a clicker,” I asked her. Turns out it’s this little mechanical device that fits in the palm of your hand that when you press on it, it makes this short click sound. It’s not loud and can easily be carried in your pocket. So she was kind enough and sent me a couple in the mail for my inspection. I walked around the house clicking this little contraption and immediately my dogs responded and searched for the object that interrupted whatever it was that they were doing. It did not take long at all for them to respond each time I clicked on the clicker. I took them for rides in the car and when I came out of the store, I had the clicker in my pocket and as soon as I pressed on it, the dog would sit upright looking for me. I played hide and seek with them and clicked on the clicker and the game was on. I used this to double handle my girl in the futurity, although she has enough energy without the clicker, but it just helped for her to know where I was.

For those of you who follow my blog who are not familiar with double handling, we “semi-sane” German Shepherd Dog show people do this to make our dogs look alert. We want them to stand pretty in the show ring to help give them a little edge on the competition. It also helps to encourage them to move around the ring with enthusiasm.

Now the clicker was not invented with the German Shepherd Dog show person in mind. It was invented for training dogs to do commands more easily. It helps teach the dog that if he does a command that he will be rewarded for it. Some may question why not just teach the dog with a verbal command. The answer seems to be that with the clicker training the dog only associates it with one thing. That one thing is that he is going to be rewarded when he does the command. We all know that dogs love to get rewards and will do most anything to receive them. Unlike the verbal command which can vary in pitch, the clicker always sounds the same so the dog always associates it with something good. The reward can be anything from a piece of food, to playing with the dog or lavishing him with lots of affection. The end result is always something good.

Does the clicker training replace the verbal command? No, it doesn’t. The animal learns the verbal command as well. For instance, you teach him the word sit. When he does the command, you click the clicker and reward the dog. Once the dog knows the command very well, the clicker no longer needs to be used for that particular instruction. Then you can move onto a new command.

The clicker training method has become so popular that it can and is used on other animals as well as dogs. Dolphins respond very well to clicker training as do cats, birds, rabbits, etc.

Do any of you readers use the Clicker training method? I’d like to hear what you have to say about it if you do.

Clickers are very inexpensive and you can buy them at Clicker.com or Amazon. They can range in price from $1.50 to a few dollars.

My rating: durability: (3), ease of training: (4), value: (4)

THE SAFEST DOG TOYS

A bored dog is a destructive dog. German Shepherds are too intelligent to lie around all day and be happy and content. They need something to do to not only to exercise their bodies, but to exercise their brains as well. They are a playful, energetic breed and look forward to chasing, pulling, shaking or chewing on something. The more challenges you give them, the happier they are. With today’s market of endless choices of dog toys, you’ll easily satisfy that need. But which ones are safe and which ones should you avoid?

Common sense will tell you that some toys are just not good for a dog the size and strength of a German Shepherd. These would include anything that has small pieces that can easily be chewed off, like stuffed animals with eyes or noses made of buttons or other small objects. Plus many of them have a squeak in them, so watch that they don’t get this out and swallow it. While most dogs love stuffed toys, keep an eye on them as they will pull these apart and the stuffing will end up on the floor or in your dog’s stomach. These are some of my dog’s favorite types of toys because they love to shake them and throw them about. Also throw these stuffed toys in the washing machine occasionally as they become dirty and bacteria ridden very easily.

Another favorite and inexpensive toy that many dogs love is the tennis ball. It bounces easily and it fits into their mouth comfortably. They love chasing this ball and if you don’t watch them, they will tear this ball apart. However, as much as they love this ball, it can quickly become a death trap. Just think for a moment, this ball can be thrown long distances and easily bounces. Your dog waits in anticipation when you throw it to him. He jumps up in the air and catches it easily because it’s small enough to fit in his jaws. Because of the force behind the throw, the ball becomes lodged in the dog’s throat. Think it doesn’t happen? Read on.

A breeder/trainer friend of German Shepherds had a dog who was ball obsessed, especially the tennis ball. He played with these balls for years with no problems. Then one day, the unthinkable happened. My friend threw the ball to her dog. He jumped up in the air to catch it and it became lodged in his throat. She couldn’t remove it because the force jammed it down his throat blocking his air way. Panicked, she somehow got her dog into the back of the car to rush him to the vets. She told me that the dog was dying in the back seat while she ran every red light to get him the help he needed. The dog succumbed to the lack of oxygen and fell limp on the seat. She told me the next thing she knew was that because of him “dying” all of his muscles relaxed and the ball became loosened and the ball fell out of his throat. The good news is that the dog survived. However, his beloved tennis ball was shown the garbage pail. So as much as your dog might love the tennis ball, this is an accident waiting to happen.

Other dangerous toys are of the homemade type. In the summer because of the warmer weather, I sometimes freeze water in an empty plastic milk container. The dogs love these. But because they are chewers, they will start chewing the containers and before I know it, shreds of plastic are lying all over the back deck. How many pieces of this plastic are they swallowing? I had one girl choking and coughing after one of these incidences. They no longer are given these containers.

So what are some safe toys that we can give to our dogs for their entertainment? The Kong toys are great for the jaws of a German Shepherd. They say that they’re indestructible, but you should always keep an eye on them anyway. The company has what they call the Extreme Kong for the more aggressive chewer. I used to have a huge male who absolutely loved the Kong. This was his toy of choice. He lived to be 14 ½ years old. All these years later, that darn toy is still around. My three dogs now don’t show any interest in it at all. The Kong Company makes many other toys that come in different shapes and sizes. With the original Kong toy, there’s a hole at the bottom where you can put food or treats to give your dog another type of challenge as he tries to retrieve the delectable goodie.

Some of my dogs used to like the Frisbee toy. The dog who likes to chase and retrieve will usually enjoy this activity. There again, be very careful with this as well. Usually the old stand by type of Frisbee is made of plastic. You get the “chewer” type of dog, and he’ll be biting off little pieces of this as well. Now you can get the Frisbee made of different materials. The Nylabone Company makes a Frisbee with a Nylabone shape on top of the toy so the dog can easily grab it. The company advises that this is not a chew toy, so supervision is advised. Then I’ve seen Frisbee’s made out of heavy duty rope fashioned in a circle for an easier grip. And even the Kong Company now makes a Frisbee.

Other fun toys that are constructed well that you might consider are, the Goofy ball that squeaks, and bounces in all different directions. Some dogs like the knotted ball or ropes to play tug of war with. There’s the Booda bone that is cornstarch based that doesn’t splinter and is safe to chew on. The Buster cube is a toy you fill with treats and when rolled a certain way, the treats roll out. Cuz Bad is a hard rubber squeaky toy that some dogs love. The choice of toys is endless. Not every dog likes every type of toy. Find out what type of toy entertains your dog and match it to his personality. Some dogs are ball driven, some like to chase, and some like to shake the heck out of their toys. Not all toys fit all dogs. Whatever your dog likes, just make sure he’s safe with that toy. Supervising your dogs’ playtime is always a good idea, because you can get dogs like two of mine who find chasing bumble bees is a challenge that they are always up to meeting! I always have to be on my toes with these two!

The dog toy market offers a huge variety of entertaining distractions. The prices will vary as well. You can find just about anything you’re looking for on the web and the many pet stores both large and small. To save yourself money when buying stuffed toys, go to the Goodwill or second hand stores. Many times you can find almost new stuffed toys there. Again, watch for the eyes and nose and squeakers that they're not something they can chew off. If you find the ones you want, buy them (very cheaply), bring them home and wash them in your washing machine.

I’m sure your dog has his favorites that you don’t see listed here. What kinds of toys do they like?

My rating for the “indestructible toys” on the market: durability: (4), craftsmanship: (4), variety: (4), value: (4)

PROFESSIONAL SHOW DOG HANDLERS - ARE THEY REALLY NECESSARY?

Showing dogs is a competitive sport. Sometimes having a good dog isn’t enough. Sometimes you need that something extra.

With today’s economy, showing dogs has become a luxury that many people can no longer afford. But if you breed and show dogs, the call of the competition ring is calling to you so you may have to ask yourself can I win showing my own dog? The answer is of course you can! Then the next question you should ask yourself is, are you up for the challenge? Are you in good enough shape to run around the ring several times? Will your dog perform for you or will he just run by your side? Will he set up for you and look noble and alert in the ring or will he be trying to turn around to lick your face? Can you take losing to a professional handler many more times than you would like? Can you be a good sport and come back and hope to win the next day and the next until you finish his championship?

Naturally you can train your dog to bait for you when you set him up by waving a piece of liver in his face while telling him to stay. But how do you get him to pull out for you? Showing a dog yourself in an all-breed show is easier because of the size of the smaller ring. Baiting a dog is a very accepted practice in the all breed shows and many times you’ll see it in the larger specialty rings as well.

Showing and winning with your dog can be a very rewarding experience. However, statistics will prove that more dogs finish their championships with a professional handler showing them. Should you give up then? Not if you truly enjoy showing your own dogs and find it a fun thing to do. There’s nothing more marvelous than finishing you own dog, I would assume. I don’t know. I never did it myself. Just know that when you step inside that ring, you will be rubbing elbows with some of the top professionals in the breed. Watch and learn from them. Some of them are even friendly enough to give you a few tips, but remember they are being paid to win and they might help you some, but their there to beat you.

I have always used professional handlers to show my dogs. I’ve probably hired most of the top handlers on the east coast at one time or another. For those who are new to the show world, you might ask, just what is it that a professional handler does? For many years, most of the time the owner of the dog would bring the animal to the show and the handler would take him into the ring and show him. Some of the better handlers would even help you groom the dogs. Now days, some of the handlers have facilities to train and board your dog to prepare him for the show ring. You pay him normally a monthly fee to board and train the dog. Many owners will send their dogs out with a handler when they can’t go to a show themselves but want to show under certain judges. Then they wait for the handler to call them with the show results.

You hire a professional handler to do what you can’t or don’t want to do. The handler will show your dog according to that dogs best qualities. Normally the handler has an eye for a good dog. He knows the best of your dog and also his minor faults. It is up to the handler to bring out the best and hide the rest. Example: your dog is a beautiful standing dog when he's in a stacked show stance, but his croup is a little flat. The handler will know how to groom the croup to make it look less flat.

A good professional handler will be honest with his client. If a dog is not of the best quality to be competitive in the ring, then he should tell you so. A good handler knows what type of dog wins in the show ring. You are paying him to be honest with you and to let you know if you have that kind of dog. You’re not only paying him for his expertise in the ring, but also his knowledge of the breed and knowledge of what the judge likes. Remember he wants to win almost as much as you do. Also you should know, just because you think “Rover” is the best thing on the planet, doesn’t mean he has what it takes to be a winning show dog. Take him home and love him anyway.

Many times you will see today’s handlers grooming your dogs for you before he goes into the ring. This is an added bonus of hiring a good handler. Also he might take the dog out into the field to work with him ahead of time especially if it’s a new dog that he hasn’t shown before. This gives the handler and dog some time to get familiar with one another. This gives your handler a “feel” for your dog. Sometimes the handler will advise you what type of collar they like to use and what length leash would be best to show your dog with.

How do you find and decide who to hire to show your dog? The best advice I would say is to go to the shows and watch the handler’s performance in the ring. Watch how they handle the dog. Talk to the people who sit at ringside and ask their opinions about different handlers. Word of mouth is probably the best advertisement when choosing a handler. If they have a website, go on it to look and read about their accomplishments. If you ever decide you want to send your dogs for training visit their kennels and look for cleanliness of the place and most of all look at the condition of the dogs they have there already. Also, how does your dog react to this person? Does he like them? Does the handler show a genuine interest in your dog? Ask other people if they have sent their dogs to this person’s kennel.

Professional handlers can be expensive. You will not only pay for their handling of your dog, but you’ll also help pay for their traveling expenses to get to and from the show. You’ll help pay for their meals and hotel if they are staying over night to show your dog. Besides the handlers fee of showing your dog in a class, if he wins and has to go back in to the Winners class, you might get charged again for that class. If he wins that class and goes back in for Best of Breed, you might get charged for that class as well. Check with your handler BEFORE you show to know what his expenses and fees will be. If the handler is showing more than just your dog, he usually divides his traveling and expenses among his clients. Again check with him BEFORE you commit to him.

Realize that there are good handlers and not so good handlers. A good handler is one who is knowledgeable about the breed and the judges (their likes and dislikes), who has a love for the breed, who has a good way of interacting with the dogs, who shows the dog to the best of his ability, and one who has a connection with your dog and who will do his best to bring out your dogs best! Most of all a good handler loves what he’s doing and that love extends right on down through the leash to the dog that he’s handling. Your dog should not be intimidated by the handler – respect him (yes), but not intimidated by him. If it’s not fun for your dog, then he’s not going to show well and won’t be a winning dog.

No matter which way you choose to show your dog – either by a professional or yourself, it should always be fun for you and your dog. If it isn’t then you need to address why that is. There is nothing more rewarding then showing and winning with your dog and when he finishes his championship, the pride you’ll feel – well there’s nothing quite equal it in the dog world.

I am all for the professional dog handler. I have NEVER had a problem with any of them and as I’ve said, I’ve hired the best of them. I would recommend them over and over again.

Professional handler rates: this will vary greatly by each individual many times according to his years of experience and expertise in winning - $45 a class and up. Special fees for winners and Best of Breed you should be aware of ahead of time. Traveling and expenses will vary. Also remember many clients will give a bonus to a professional handler if they win the points or take Best of Breed at the show that day. A bonus is just that – a bonus. It should be something that the client gives as an extra special way of saying “thank you.” It should not be a given nor should a handler tack it on to your bill and expect you to pay it.

My rating: expertise: (4), professionalism: (4), knowledge: (4), value: (4)