imported_Cassie

Hey, owning multiple dogs should prepare you for these situations :lol: :wink: With my dogs, Cassie is my oldest dog...she is 9 years old...so, I have gone through other dogs within her life time. My last group before my current 6 dog group consisted of a an older Standard Poodle, and 2 older Newfoundland's, and an older Dobie. My Cassie grew up in a kennel and when I took her in was a velcro with the other 2 Newf's I owned...my Dobie and poodle where momma's girls :wink: when I lost my Dobie and Poodle within a year of each other I still had my other 2 Newf's, no big adjustment Cassie didn't even seem to notice ...but, when I lost my 2 Newf's within a month of each other :( my Cassie could not handle it...she self mutilated herself and chewed her leg apart...wouldn't eat etc. I rescued my Rottie which didn't help at all Cassie loved her, but, she wasn't a Newf ...then my friend gave me 2 more Newf's...then later another Newf...as soon as I got those 2 Newf's my little Cassie was back to her old self...I do want to add that while this was going on I was taking her to work with me and every where I went she went...but, the moment she had a few moments of alone time she would self mutilate herself...during this time period I knew it was stress which was causing the self mutilation, but, I did switch her food (in case of allergies), bathed her in special shampoo's, the Vet prescribed antibiotics etc. we went the whole route of making sure it wasn't a medical issue. Cassie did not feel secure with just my Rottie, although they get along famously...she did not feel secure until I got the other Newf's...they are not related to each other at all. My feelings on this tend to be that where Cassie grew up in a kennel with other Newf's and was housed with at least 3 at a time she felt secure with them...and she needed them to give her the security she needed (I have dealt with alot of fear related problems with her) no other breed of dog gave her the needed security she required. So in answer to your question, I would just go about things as you are currently doing...keep the 2 dogs together. Even when one has to go to the vets office :lol: we have had quite a few customer's who will bring in both of their dogs when one is going through surgery just so it will be there for the dog when it wakes up :o If some thing should happen to one of your Poodles...god forbid...I would probably go out and get another Standard Poodle (same color as well :lol: ) I don't think its so much that they remember each other as litter mates...but, perhaps its the association of the same type of dog which they grew up with as pups...who knows :roll: I swear though that all of my friends who breed dogs will tell me that ALL of the pups they have ever whelped remember them...I don't know if they are joking or truthful...I can't figure them out at times :roll:

[quote]Ok, I noticed that it seems, the people here are very against mix dogs, It also seems that the people here think that if you breed mix dogs your A. back yoard breeder B. a puppy mill or C. only in it for the money, and I am sorry but I cant agree with that, can you please enlighten me on why your so against it? I dont want to start a fight, I am just wondering.[/quote] No I don't agree either that people who breed mixed or crossbreeds are bad breeders. Actually people who breed true working dogs will crossbreed often to keep the dogs healthy. If you attended a professional dog sled race with a siberian husky team or a team of alaskan malamutes you wouldn't stand a chance. There are alot of dog sledders who crossbreed with border collies etc. to create better and faster dogs. They crossbreed often...alot of true working dogs are crossbreeds...they are referred to as Alaskan Husky's. Here is a little write up on the Alaskan Husky. [quote]The dog most often used for dog sled racing is called an Alaskan Husky. This is not not a registered breed or a show dog, and it is not a dog regularely seen as a pet. It is a working and racing dog, and the dog most commonly seen at sled dog races. It is impossible to write a breed standard for the Alaskan Husky, because there is huge variety from kennel to kennel, and even within one kennel. Every musher has his or her own preferences. The Alaskan Husky is the best racing sled dog in the world today. Characteristics The Alaskan Husky is essentially a cross between northern village huskies, Siberian Huskies, a dash of Border Collie or German Shepherd, maybe a bit of Inuit sled dog, or bit of hound (German Shorthaired Pointers, for example) for speed. They usually have prick ears, although their ears can droop at the tips, or even not stand up at all. Their eyes can be blue, brown, one of each, or even both colours in one eye. Their coats tend to be dense, but not long, although some sprint dogs have very short and slick coats. Coat colours rage from pure black to pure white, and everything in between, even the unusual brindle and pinto. Some have curly tails, while others have tails that aren't even bushy. Some look almost exactly like purebred Siberians, while others barely look like huskies at all. Appearance is unimportant--they are bred to be working dogs, not show dogs. [/quote] This is just a little write up on the alaskan husky...now, this dog is a true working dog...it is still crossbred even today...some people will breed them with border collies still etc. to keep the genes in good health...Now if this dog was chosen by a kennel club and represented in dog shows as a purebreed...it would be ruined due to the kennel club needing to have a standard conformation for the breed...these dogs vary in their looks and that would be frowned apon by a kennel club I think alot of people are brain washed into thinking purebreed dogs are better due to breeders doing extensive genetic testing and competeing in dog shows...this is not true. Dog shows are not a good way to judge which dog represents its breed best...having a judge look at your dog and your running around the ring a few times does not tell me that this particular dog is the "best" I have seen people hiding flaws in purebreed dogs before shows etc. the only way to test a dog for conformation is by testing its behavior conformation which means the dog has the proper behavior to suit its physical conformation. Genetic testing is a hoax as well...the genetic diseases in purebreed dogs are man made due to small gene pools of the purebreed dogs...this is why sled dogs (alaskan huskys) are crossbreed still to keep genetic diseases out of their dogs...can you imagine having sled dogs with hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia or patella problems?? this is now common with breeds such as siberian huskys and alaskan malamutes due to being in a purebreed for too long and having the stud books closed on a small population...you may think there are millions of these Siberian huskys and malamutes out there...but, how many of these dogs did the breed start out with is the question....and how many of our current purebreeds are inbreed or have really close lines. :-?

Yes, I wish Hobbit was here as well. Hobbit agreed with every thing I mentioned. We had many discussions about this topic. Just off the record, I just wanted to make sure people understood that ALL of our dogs started out as mongrels which adapted to their natural surroundings...they were considered to be "races" of dogs not purebreds. Natural selection still takes place today with many dogs in many countries, Africa, South America etc. local people can take these pups and make them into wonderful herding dogs, hounds etc. they are multie purposed dogs. Kiwi, the article you posted regarding "The Myth of Hybrid Vigor in Dogs"...most of this has been explained in the article by Dr. Bragg...of course you are not going to "fix" genetic problems just by crossbreeding...we as humans have gone to far with our purebreed breeding programs to fix it this way....I would probably be better off going to a third world country and adopting a mongrel pup (mongrels are not a degenerate form of a purebred dog) and raise this pup, during the critical period since it still maintains all its ancestral motor patterns I could teach it to do just about any thing...and since it has no man created hypertrophied motor patterns it wouldn't just be "good" at one motor pattern. Studies have shown that dogs evolved by natural selection...smaller type dogs nearest the equator and bigger type dogs further north. [quote]The breeders you have mentioned do not sound reputable at all You've brought up people breeding dodgy temperamented dogs (are these dogs even allowed in the ring in the US?), your newf with elbow dyplasia still being showed, horribly deformed GSDs. [/quote]Kiwi, I think you are living with wool pulled over your eyes :lol: :wink: you come to a show here in Canada or the USA and I can assure you...you will find alot of genetic problems with champion dogs; this can be seen at the national specialties, westminster, krufts etc...even the pekingese which won crufts one year had gone through major facial surgery for a bite problem ( I do realize this was taken back from the winner). I will explain to you as well, Newf's are not known to have elbow dysplasia...and actually these breeders are very well known breeders who spend alot of time and money on their dogs....THEY think they are doing the right thing. As for the GSD's here in Canada and States the dogs have to be angulated in the rear...that is what the judges are looking for...the more angulated the better...I don't know how long you have been showing kiwi...but, unless you become kennel blind you will notice the wrong the dog shows and kennel clubs are doing for our dogs. [quote]Anyone breeding or showing those dogs is what I classify as an unethical breeder or BYB [/quote] Actually kiwi, these are very well known highly respected breeders in their feild. They have mentors who look up to them and at the dog shows all the people in their breed club idolize them...they spend the money on the dogs...and all BREED SPECIFIC genetic problems are tested for. These breeders spend BIG bucks and do not spare a dime. But, they are still doing it all wrong...you cannot just do a genetic screen and just because it is free of disease does not mean the dog is not going to produce a genetic problem. This is the point I am trying to make...WE AS MAN ARE CREATING GENETIC DISEASES BY CLOSING THE STUD BOOKS ON A SMALL POPULATION OF DOGS (known as purebreds) Courtnek, hit the nail on the head as well...when you keep breeding for a "working look" but, no longer have a dog which can do its job...you are looking at problems...

[quote]Cassie can I ask.... Why do you even have pedigree dogs? You constantly criticise show breeders and dogs, infact I've never seen you type anything positive at all about them. Does your breeder even know you feel this way? I'm not trying to be nasty, it's something that has had me genuinely stumped for a while[/quote]. Kiwi, I have been involved with purebred dogs for ALONG time over 30 years...this is why I am so bitter towards them, I have seen too much over the years. My work revolves around purebred dogs and all of my friends are so called reputable breeders. I do talk to them about the mess they are making with these dogs. I have mentioned to them that crossbreeding should be done to create better genetic health for these dogs. I didn't ask for the dogs that I have (the 4 Newfoundland dogs) my friend who breeds them placed them with me. I do not pay for food, vet bills, etc. they live with me for free. I was very upset when I found my starved dobie mix and all my breeder friends came down hard on me and stated I should have just left it where I found "it" :evil: if its not their breed then the dog should just be left to starve to death. I do not look up to any of my breeder friends for what they are doing. Yes, they do genetic testing on all dogs up for breeding...does this stop unwanted genetic diseases...no. I have freinds who breed GSD's...it is a crime to see the dogs disabled and barely able to run and genetically fearful...and pups which are down on their pasturns and hopping around like bunny rabbits. Friends who are breeding fearful Golden Retrievers...actually in my line of work...I have been working directly with dogs for over 20 years, I have watched our Golden's go from nice stable dogs to horrible fearful dogs which act as though they have been beaten since puppyhood. I shudder when I see dogs with punched in faces barely able to breath properly. My breeder friends know how I feel about what they are doing. They also know how I feel about dog shows and how stupid they are...they are judging for conformation...but, without having the behavior conformation included which is helping purebreds fall apart. In my circle of friends which include dog people they all know how I feel, my friends who deal with pets and breeds on a medical basis completely agree with me and how wrong purebred breeding programs are. My friends who breed are blinded to every thing I may say...they only care about winning in the next show...they are breeding for whats "hot" this year, they are not necessarily breeding for a well put together dog which could do its orginal job properly...I could only shudder to think of one of my friends Shepherds actually herding...it wouldn't be able to do it. I used to feel just as every one else did and thought purebred breeders were doing the right thing...but, over the years I have seen TOO much and my eyes are wide open now. I have also done lots of research which confirmed my fears about purebreds. I own 4 Newfoundland dogs, one has a genetic degenerate spinal disease-she is a champion in 2 countries and finished very quickly...of course you never know about this disease until later in life. I also own a male which has elbow displasia which is not a known genetic disease with Newf's...he is a champion in Canada, USA and Bermuda...and he is being campained this year :roll: my other male has problems with his rear... So don't worry Kiwi, :wink: all my friends who are breeders know how I feel...I have even stated at the Newf speciality that they should throw a Lab into the Newf breeding program to help the breed. Genetic diseases are basically man made in purebred breeding programs...you cannot keep a dog in a certain shape for too lone (especially a strange shape) without a genetic disorder popping up...and trying to get rid of that genetic problem will lead to other genetic problems. Just because you don't agree with what your friends do...this does not mean they still cannot be your friends. Actually a few of my breeder friends are starting to actually listen to me and are agreeing with me. When you are kennel blind it takes a little longer to open your eyes.

[quote]I can't speak for the person that posted but I don't agree with breeding crossbreeds either. Not because I think that crossbreeds are in anyway inferior, but it's the people's motives for breeding them that I don't agree with.[/quote] Of course crossbreeds are not inferior...actually it is healthy genetics to crossbreed...as for peoples motives for breeding...I often think the same thing every time I am at a dog show (which I have to attend them ALOT) when I see disabled GSD's hobbling around the rings with such angulated rear ends which actually deforms the dogs...I ask myself this, these dogs are being bred on purpose???? :o and they are being sold for a profit??? I couldn't imagine purchasing a deformed dog. I look around the show's at the different dogs and I am not impressed...kennel clubs are ruining dogs...they are breeding for freakish looks and deformed bodies, too much coat etc. Our purebred dogs WERE good dogs at one time as they were constantly crossbred for working purposes. Alot of people who still work with their dogs (real work, not just field trials) will crossbred to keep a good working dog. I could go on, but, it would just bore every one. IMO, no dog or pup should be sold for a profit. If people want to show their dogs etc. then so be it...show your dogs...but, just because your dog won a beauty pagent does not mean you should be allowed to sell the pups for a profit.

[quote]To be perfectly honest, I do not agree with mixing breeds[/quote] I find this hilarious...where do you think our "purebreds' come from??? they were orginally crossbreeds or mixed breeds them selves...the only difference is our Purebreds are man made and have been sexully isolated from the greater population of dogs which causes a reduction in gene diversity which leads to genetic diseases.

I certainly wouldn't give you flack at all...where do you think our "purebreds" come from. They were orginally the product of crossbreeding in the first place. I own 6 crossbred dogs...at least they are orginally the product of a crossbreeding program...after a few generations the kennel clubs close the stud books on a small population of dogs and sexually isolate them from the rest of the dogs and we call them a "purebred". my Doberman Pinscher is a cross between a German Pinscher, Rottweiler, Manchester Terrier and grey hound these are the breeds used to create the Dobe. my Newfoundland dogs are said to be descendants of the Tibetan Mastiff and Viking bear dogs. My Rottweiler is a cross between mastiff type dogs and herding dogs...just types of dogs which would be considered mongrels made up the Rottie. So, in reality we all have crossbred dogs...the only difference is there is no new blood coming into the purebred lines.

[quote]That's a great comment! It makes a lot of sense! Unless that man and his wife are "purebred" (insert ethnic background here) then they are mutts too! Most of us are mixed breeds! I'm an Irish/German/English/Swedish/Amercian![/quote] Hey, great comment!! :lol: :wink: Purebred people are racist!!! Our mongrels would be the races of the population of dogs...purebreds are man made...so to have a purebred human you would have to sexually isolate a small population of people who had great looks...and keep breeding for this. So to create a purebred human we would take a Irish/German/English/Swedish/Amercian person and breed to perhaps another nationality and get a "look" or motor pattern we want, then you would breed for this until you have the same "look" for this purebred human and then after a few generations you can call them a "purebred" human :lol: :wink:

[quote]Once in a while someone says something snotty about Buck after I tell them he's a mutt. (They usually assume he's a purebred lab) They'll say something like, "Too bad." or "Why didn't you just get the real thing?" It's annoying. Especially since anyone who thinks Buck is a lab knows nothing about dogs. He only weighs about 50 pounds [/quote] This is what makes me so angry. I am not anti purebred (I have a few purebreds, & belong to the Newf club etc.) but, I always make sure when some one gets snotty about purebreds and insinuates that the purebreds are the "best" and all other dogs - mutts etc. are a degenerate form of a purebred...this is where I correct them. I usually ask people...where do you think your purebred dog came from??? they all came from mongrels and mutts...and alot of purebreds are so inbred once the stud books are closed its no wonder they suffer from so many genetic diseases...we as man are ruining are dogs by being so anal about purebred breeding programs. I have even said to a couple of people at the national specialty Newf show that they should throw a lab into the Newf breeding program once in a while to bring new blood into the breed and to get rid of that big coat...we as man created our purebreds, by planned crossbreeding programs in the first place..but, instead of continuing to crossbred for good genetic health they close the stud books and slowly start to create genetic diseases...you just can't keep a dog in a purebred without creating genetic diseases...especially when they become a popular breed. I think the one thing that really upset me about some purebred breeders being so anal. When I found my Dobie mix Beau (most people know I found him half starving and dumped on the side of a road way). I picked him up, brought him back to health and have kept him. Some of the people in my Newf club rolled their eyes at me and said..."you should have just left it there" they were serious! :o .

[quote]The dog groomers I spoke to said most of the bites they see are from Schnauzers, Cocker Spaniels, Westies, Scotties, and Dachshunds.[/quote] :lol: I had to laugh at this statement...of course these are the breeds we as groomers are going to see the most bites from! these breeds are the groomers bread and butter...these dogs which need to be groomed. I know alot of groomers throughout North America; met through seminars...not many of us have alot of Rotties, APBT's, etc. come in for grooming. At the shop I work at we bath about 4 Rotties a year and no APBT's. The breeds we are wary of are Chow Chows & Akita's....one groomer had her face torn off by a chow, the groomer I work for was attacked by a chow (she will not let any one in the shop groom chows but herself), a few other groomers in our area have been attacked by chows...and the worst thing is; they are harder to read the body language off than other dogs...and Akitas have done alot of damage to some groomers we know as well. The biggest difference between big breeds biting and small breeds is the mark they leave behind...and in some cases depending on the breeds -"breed typical motor patterns" and "hypertrophied motor patterns" this will make a big difference in the outcome of an attack...some breeds have the full series of motor patterns which would lead from eyestalk to chase to grab-bite to kill bite..some breeds for working purposes were breed not to go past the chase motor pattern...the rest of the series of motor patterns were deleted to perform the job it was designed to do. Different Breeds were bred for different working abilities...Rotties for droving cattle, for this job the hard wired motor pattern was orient/eye-stalk/CHASE/GRAB-BITE/kill bite. I think people should do a little research on the breed they are purchasing...instead of what breed of dog will suit my lifestyle...it seems people are more into asking...what breed of dog will make me look good. [quote]next I polled a number of veterinarians. One veterinarian said to me, "Give me a so-called vicious Pit Bull over a Cocker Spaniel, Dachshund, or even a Lab any day!! These are the breeds I have the most problem with." Another vet concurred saying that in years of working at a veterinarian clinic she never once encountered a single vicious Pit bull yet had problems all the time with Cocker Spaniels and Yorkshire Terriers. [/quote] I don't know where this vet clinic is...at the clinic I work at we really enjoy dealing with the Lab's and Goldens...they are the easiest breeds we have to deal with. We only have about 4 APBT's which come into our clinic...of these 4... 2 have attacked, one attacked its owner and tore her arm apart, the other attacked one of our vet tech's. We have 10 Rottie's which the vets dread seeing, these ones are unpredictable...one attacked its owner during a routine exam and vaccines...the man had ALOT of stitches to put his face back together. As for Cocker Spaniels, we probably see about 5 a day...we have no problems with Cockers...the only ones which give us problems are the spoiled ones, the genetically screwed up ones, the ones with chronic ear infections which Cockers are prone to. I think any dog breed can be bad, little or big. Alot of people make the mistake of getting the wrong breed for their lifestyle...some people spoil their dogs, some owners are frightened of their dogs and they end up with a cocky bully which runs the house hold...some dogs are genetically screwed up. Some dogs can be bad due to their hard wired motor patterns...we forget at times that the bad qualities we may find in a pet would be sought after in the working feild. I own a Rottie, and I love her to peices...but, my Rottie displays all her hard wired motor patterns which would have made her a wonderful working dog. Her predatory drive which is natural for her breed can be dangerous in some situations. Understanding is the key...I think our public and potential owners should be better educated about motor patterns and breed specific hard wired patterns and hypertrophied motor patterns. Not every dog within a breed will display these motor patterns...alot of our kennel clubs want the physical conformation without the behavior conformation (one reason why alot of our purebreds have genetic diseases...you can't bred one without the other without the breed falling apart). But, if more people understood the potential perhaps we would be a safer world.

IMO, and I have owned dogs for over 40 years. I certainly let my dogs have fun on their walks...I find a nice area they can run and play and tire them selves out. If you plan on jogging with your dog and you have only been letting your dog have short 10-15 minute walks, I would build him up for it first. This is just an example of how our dogs benefit from exercise. I own 4 Newfoundland dogs and 1 Dobie and 1 Rottie...my Rottie has HD, she still rips around with my other dogs and has a great time. My friend who breeds Newfoundland dogs keeps her dogs only for show...she let a couple of her Newf's out to play in her 1 acre compound,prior to this the dogs were stuck in a kennel for months, muscle tone was horrible...one the Newf's ended up tearing his cruciate ligament...he was out of shape. I took one of her males and he also tore his cruciate ligament the first time out...he also was out of shape. With him, I built him up gradually..now he plays right along side my other dogs and has a blast. My idea of a healthy dog, let them play, run, do what dogs love to do. The only time you are going to run into problems is if you have inconsistant exercise plans...I would not recommend you taking your dog for only 10-15 minute leash walks during the week then expect he can jog with you on the weekends...be consistant. One last thing, with my Rottie with HD and one of my Newf's with ED...they get exercised constantly throughout the week. They run, they play...they rip around, they swim...they enjoy life. The last visit I had with my vet they were amazed at the flexability in my dogs joints, the exercise is doing them good. Exercise will help build and tone...build your dog up for it and enjoy his company...just be sure not to jog with your dog during the day in the summer...they can suffer from heat stroke...I would jog in the evening. An active dog is a tired dog...a tired dog is content. I have even found for adolescent dogs consistant exercise is good for them...it helps build them up. This is what I did when I adopted my 10 month old Newf bitch about 1 1/2 ago...she ran, played etc. the breeders are amazed at her general health and muscle tone...her hips scored perfect and so did her elbows...yet, other pups from her litter have scored low on their hip and elbows...the ones which scored low were not exercised very often.

Grass is good for dogs...the only problem is pesticides. I grow my own grass for my dogs...oat tops , wheat grass or barley grass can be left by the water dish at all times for occasional nibbling. Grass is good for digestive cleaning...the only down side to this is some times your dog may eat grass ravenously for this purpose and regurgitate it...this is normal behavior that has been passed down through hundreds of canine generations, from the mighty wolf of the wild north, to the homes of modern urbania. If the occasional nibble turns into full fledged grazing, its time for for a walk :wink:

Where do you think our purebred dogs came from???? the orginal dogs where mutts/mongrels. There is also a big difference between a crossbreed/mixed breed and mongrels and mutts. I can create a purebred from a mutt, or by having 2 different races of dogs and artifically create a purebred. Purebreds are artifically created by man, Mongrels are the orginal dogs created by mother nature...crossbreds are created by breeding together 2 artifically created purebreds etc. :wink: I have had many mixed breeds in my life and when I was young it was rare to see any purebreds. We seemed not to have half the problems we have today...aggression, genetic diseases...etc. Enjoy your mixed breed...and never ever think of your dog as a degenerated form of a purebred. We should be thinking of our purebreds as a degenerated form of the mongrel. :wink:

I currently have 4 Newfoundland dogs and 1 Dobie mix (which I rescued) and 1 Rottie (which I rescued). My friend who breeds Newf's is already talking about placing another bitch with me... :roll: she gets on well with my 6 dogs so she won't be much of a problem. My savior is the breeder, for my Newf's I do not have to pay for any medical expenses, food, obedience lessons...etc. she pays for every thing. :wink: If I could have more dogs, which I am planning on doing :wink: I have been speaking with my friend who over sees the local SPCA in my area. I am planning on building a kennel to keep dogs which have nothing left to look forward to, or have too many behavior problems to make it in a normal home. This way I can socialize them and spend some time with them and give them a little happiness in their life. I have 10 acres of land and am planning on buying a 7 acre lot beside my home...I don't have any close neighbors...so a few more dogs will not be a problem. The SPCA has advised me if I plan on doing this to help them out they will provide food and vet expences...sweet :wink: It makes me feel good every time I look at my rescue dogs and see how happy they are...it gives me shivers to think about what may have become of them if I hadn't taken them in...both my Dobie and Rottie would never have made it in a normal home...they both had way too many issues for some people to take on.

That is wonderful, she must be feeling more secure. Have fun with the little pups :wink: If you have any question don't hesitate to ask. I have cared for many litters through my work and have been through just about every thing :wink:

I would agree that Momma is very protective of her new litter. My bitch just had a litter...they are now going on 5 weeks this wednesday. For the first few weeks I made sure she had peace and quiet and that she felt secure and safe. If a bitch has any reason to feel stressed by children, noise, strangers visiting....etc. they can be very protective. My bitch is a very laid back friendly Newfoundland dog...she became very protective of her litter, make sure she feels her pups are safe & only have a select few (whom she feels comfortable with) going in with her and the pups for the first few weeks, my little girl would get freaked out if any one but myself, the breeder or my sister went in the room with her and her pups....the breeders husband couldn't get near them with out Tori growling, and he was there from the beginning. I would start allowing people to come in with the pups when you start weaning them...we started weaning Tori's pups at 3 weeks of age (we added a milk supplement to the weaning diet)...it all depends on how you feel and how the pups are developing...some people like to wait until almost 4 weeks to wean. Its great once the pups are weaned to get them used to as many people as possible...just make sure the people you invite have not been in contact with any dogs which may be sick. You children can play with them as well at this point....just make sure they play nice with the pups and not let them man handle them too much...make sure all play time is supervised (depending on the age of the children) For my Bitch as well...while she was nursing I fed her as much food as she wanted...at this point they need all the extra calories they can get to nurse. If your bitch is any thing like mine she will probably just dump most of her food any way. :lol: :wink: she was taken out for quick pee & poop breaks throughout the day at first she was going about 5 times a day. I found with all the bitches I have cared for with a litter had to pee ALOT. Once she starts feeling secure she will be more inclined to go out for her pee breaks...and once they get a little older and start getting their baby teeth she will really look forward to getting away from the pups :lol: Good luck to you & Congrat's...

I agree 100% with TDG, if your dog is eating a healthy diet there is no need to mask unhealthy smells. With my dogs they keep their teeth clean by chewing bones and eating more "real" foods...its mainly kibble which gets packed along the gums...and people who feed their dogs too many sweets and junk foods...by junk foods I include alot of commercial pet treats which some are loaded with sugar...I give my dogs natural dog treats or home prepared...boiled liver, boiled stew meat, carrots, apples, broccoli etc. As for shampoo, I make my own home made shampoo which costs little to make and I can make a gallon (concentrated about 1-15) for under $15.00...and its very versatile as I can add baking soda for a super skunk remover. Working at a grooming facility I can attest that even the best skunk shampoo's don't work 100%...the next time the dog gets wet it stinks of skunk again. If my dogs had a chronic ear infection I would want to know why??? is it diet, allergies, some thing lodged in there???

[quote]Did you know that if you put up a big fence with barbed wire and such on it and anyone try's to climb it and gets hurt, they can STILL sue you, even if you have a no tresspass sign (that's mostly for the police report). [/quote] That is wonderful, I am going to go to the local airport and climb over their fencing with the barbed wire on the top and sue the airport! :wink: I'll be in the money. Why is it that dept of defense and other areas can have barbed wire on top of their fencing??? in my area they even have the high fencing with the barbed wire on top around our water towers etc. to keep children (and adults) out....these areas are not supervised and have to be kept safe. So if a child climbs over the fencing at the local water tower (the water tower is in a sub division with lots of children) then the parents can sue the city??? I would look into this a little more and perhaps ask a lawyer etc. if it is alright to put up fencing like this. You are protecting children from being harmed in YOUR yard. As for local police dept's....HF, if your local dept is any thing like ours they hate getting involved in any domestic situations. Its like pulling hens teeth. The most they will do is come out and have a talk with the children and parents, alot of good that does. I don't have any faith in child protection services either, I see alot of kids in our city who are wild and make the world very unpleasant. We have some really nice walking paths which the city made along the harbour in the city...the local kids have started using this as a skate boarding path. My parents who are in their 70's have been almost run over a few times and when my father yelled at some of the punks they came back and threatened him with a pocket knife...these kids where elementary school age. Kids do not have respect for adults any more as we have let them get away with every thing. They are spoiled (even no supervision is spoiling a child) we should enforce the NIFIL policy for our dogs and children...the world would be a better place. Another part of the problem is (in my area) girls are getting pregnant so they can go on welfare and have a great time...there have been cases of some young girls putting their 3-6 month old babies to bed and then going out for the evening without getting a baby sitter :o they just want the money from welfare without the fuss of having to look after the child. Then you have the other parents who spoil their kids to death and would not punish them as they feel that is wrong. It's a tough situation you are in HF....I hope you can get that peice of land you want...and the quicker the better.

Dogs certainly do get warts, also called 'cutaneous papillomas,' thesae occur most commonly in young dogs. Many are thought to result from an infection with a certain virus called 'pavavirus' (not parvovirus). They usually occur on the dog's face including the lips, tongue, inside of the mouth, and eyelids. The warts are generally light colored and have a cauliflower-like appearance. Warts caused by viruses are usually benign and will generally go away by themselves in several weeks or months. Therefore, treatment is generally withheld. If, however, the warts are interfering with eating or become very large, they can be removed. Generally, cryosurgery (freezing the tissue) is the method of choice. I would wait until you have your dog looked over by your vet...don't try to treat them at home yourself.

HF, I feel really really bad for you :( There is not a whole lot you can do, children with no structure become bored...the target of teasing animals or bugging a neighbor who doesnt want them any where near their yard can bocome entertainment to some kids. I would either a. Think of selling and buying a new home (course this depends on the market and the location of your home) b. buying really good high fencing with barbed wire on the top and a padlock on the gate so children cannot get in....you could even run some electric wire around the fencing and have a good warning sign to indicate its their...(our horses have electric wire run all the way around their pasture..even when its on low it give quite a little shock :o I have leaned up against it a few times by mistake :oops: When I was a child we had great structure and wonderful families...but, we were also country kids and had alot of freedom during the day and evening...and yes I can remember being out past 11:00 when I was in elementary school. We used to drive our neighbors insane, especially the ones with horses and cows and dogs...we would steal peoples dogs to play with for the day (yes even the ones which were tied) and we would try to ride neighbors horses bareback in the fields. We had a few neighbors run out with guns, or shovels etc. after us...this made it much more exciting...seeing what you can get away with is half the fun. The little boys we hung around with including my brothers were much worse than us as they were actually mean to the local animals and would tease them. Just a little child pshcology here :lol: :wink: kids will be kids, and as much as I don't really like kids myself I have found my best defense against them is to pretend I like them. For instance in my neighborhood we have a few bored kids who had snuck around my back woods a few times...I had though I was going to start having problems with them so I put on the "nice" person act :roll: I invited them in to meet my dogs etc. and they started to stop by now and then to say hi and to see my dogs with my supervision....I explained to them why it's not a good idea to come see my dogs when I am not home etc. now, these kids are even discussing their problems with me. :o I know your situation has gone past the point of getting on good terms....there fore I would make my yard and home child proof...electric fencing would be a good idea. :wink:

Lokipups you took the words right out of my mouth :lol: :wink: [quote]Another train of thought, small dogs can actually have more dominant traits than a large dog, simply because it gets away with behavior that we would never allow in a large dog. I tell my clients the same thing, "Don't allow your lapdog to do anything you wouldn't allow your big dog to do.". Dominance problems in small dogs can be curbed and controlled by using NILIF and obed training just like their larger bretheren [/quote]. Working with dogs 7 days a week in a boarding and grooming athmosphere I can confirm that what Lokipups said to be the main problem with our small breed dogs. We groom alot of Bichon's, some have very happy personalities and some have been allowed to get away with every thing and have become spoiled by the owner...with these dogs its hard to work with them and they become a menace at home...one Bichon had corned its owner. We have advised the owners about the NILIF program and this has worked wonders for them and their small companions. We have seen wonderful results with our clients...and the best thing is, all dogs can benefit with the NILIF...the most important training rule with the NILIF is that ALL members of the family have to participate. Alot of times with our dogs it depends greatly in the athmosphere they grow up in. A breeder can only do so much...the rest of the developmental period depends on the new home, training etc.

No Newfiemom, you wouldn't see alot of brown or grays at the dog shows. Every one who is competing is breeding for the winning look...blacks are the most popular, and Newfie breeders are very prejudice when it comes to the colour of their Newf's :wink: When competing you try to keep with the blacks etc. as they are going to have a better chance at placing than a brown or gray. This is why you don't see them too often...breeders are not breeding for them...not to say that they don't happen...but, with well researched lines you can prevent any browns/grays to show up in your litters. I guess what I was trying to say in my earlier post is that here in Canada where grays & browns are unacceptable in the show ring...breeders around here go the extra length to research their lines and ensure there will be no browns or grays...they are easy to breed against. In the States a kennel may not care weather there are browns or grays in their lines and may produce these colours in their future litters....they would probably keep the blacks and sell the browns/ grays as pet quality as these colours just don't make a big impact in the show ring..they may be accepted colours in the States....but, I still don't imagine any one would want to put one up against a black or landseer...it would fade into the back ground :lol: :wink:

[quote]Can all of the colors result from a breeding of two black newfs? Or must at least one of the pair be landseer/brown/grey etc? I know w/shibas that every once in a while you can get a black and tan pup out of a breeding of two reds, but it's pretty uncommon.[/quote] When breeding for black Newf's you can have recessive genes in their lines with gray, brown or landseer...breeders in Canada who only breed for black Newf's keep the lines free from dogs which may carry a recessive gene for colours other than black...if there is a recessive gene for a landseer/gray or brown in the black Newf's line they will bury it by breeding to Newf's with only blacks in their line (or if they do have brown highlights in the black newf's coat...they just dye the coat, that happens alot). One of my Newf's has landseer in his line which would be a recessive gene...he is only bred to bitches with all black lines...he was bred at one time to a bitch with landseer in her line and they produced a couple of black and white pups...some white on a black Newf is acceptable, but these pups turned out with more white than acceptable...they were sold as pet quality. In the States they will get more brown and gray Newf's than we do in Canada as they can show these colors down there. In canada we are very strict about the colors and will not breed a line with 2 recessive genes which may produce a brown or gray. I have an American Newf calendar which has more brown and gray Newf's in it than blacks or landseers :lol: where the colors are becoming more accepted in the States they are not as strict with the lines etc. They are not rare colors, its just the breeders are not breeding for these colors.

[quote]but landseers look different to me than "normal" colored Newfs. in the book i have, the landseer's head doesn't look like your average Newfie head.[/quote] The head on the Newf and body type all depend on the breeder...or what is "the look" of the year. I had 4 black Newf's 4 years ago, my 2 oldest Newf's where older "types" with shorter more compact bodies and a shorter stop and slimmer & longer muzzle. My current Newf's have big pumpkin heads with a very defined stop and short muzzle with huge flews...my older Newf's did not have the large flews or abundant coat my current Newf's have. So basically the head type & body type of the Newf depends on the breeder and what is winning at the shows. Alot of Newf's are looking more leggy etc. The head types on Newf's can vary...I could look at 15 different Newf's and see 15 different head types. [quote]All the colors can be shown. Below is the AKC standard as far as coat color[/quote] Not in Canada, browns & gray Newf's cannot be shown in Canada...

I have seen a few purebred dogs go through major fear periods during their growing period. My Newfoundland dogs although shown and socialized often have aquired fears for the unexpected...for example a garbage bag from a neighbors house suddenly blows past us on a walk...my Newf's will some times cower or try to run with their tails between their legs. If the fear is just a growing stage behavior problems then I would set up positive situations....set up situations which you can manage so that your dogs encounters with people go exactly the way you want them to . Encounters that happen spontaneously often just allow your dog to practice her fearful behavior. Recruit friends or neighbors to position them selves along your walking path. Most dogs are much less threatened if they can approach people who are standing still. People moving toward your dog are invading her personal space, making it more likely she will become upset. Your volunteers should position themselves so that they are not facing your dog as you approach. They can have their backs to you, or be facing perpendicular (at a right angle) from you. When your dog first notices the person, begin talking to her in a happy tone of voice and offer he an irresistible tidbit. The goal is to get her in a "happy mood" and convince her that a person's presence triggers the beginning of good things for her. Before you begin the exercise, instruct your volunteer to drop a tidbit on the ground when you and your dog are close enough. Your volunteers should not look at your dog, reach toward her or lean over her. Their job is to stand up straight, and ignore your dog while dropping the tidbits. Stop near your volunteer so that the person can drop 5-6 treats for your dog, with each treat she sould become less tense and fearful, and more relaxed and interested in her tidbits. To ensure that your dog cannot nip a person, at first, stop at a distance greater than the length of your dogs leash. Keep your dogs leash short, but loose....walk past the person for 10 - 15 feet, then turn around and repeat the exercise. This exercise should help your dog over come some of her fear of unfamiliar visions. Always praise and treat for good behavior and never coddle a fearful dog...this is one of the biggest problems I see working with dogs...the owners feel that by talking gently to their dogs while they are showing fear will help calm them down...it just encourages the dogs fearful response. If this is a genetic behavior then I would seek a behaviorist to help you. I have 2 friends who breed Shepherds and every year I see the dogs becoming more unstable and fearful. These dogs are shown and are champions...in the show ring they are wonderful as they are conditioned to that environment...but, put them in any other environment and they are very fearful...dangerously fearful. Some times our purebred breeders are too much into the "looks" of their dogs rather than the "stability" of their dogs. Good luck