End of the year report!

Well, yesterday I sent in entries for an AHBA Duck trial to be held in St. Paul at the University of Minnesota. This is a fundraising event for the Great River Stockdog Club and it's a 'bring your own ducks' trial at that! We have both Indian runner and Call ducks to offer and it will be fun for Trouble.

I wanted to let everyone know that Solo went High in Trial at an obedience trial on December 26 - with a 197.5 out of 200 - he did a great job and you can be proud of your pup's dad!

I appreciate all the notes and pictures you have all sent this year and hope they continue into 2012 as this litter matures!

Spaying or Neutering

Because I know many of you will be contemplating this issue, here is some information regarding spaying and neutering. I do have a lengthy article if you'd like me to send it to you.

On the positive side, neutering male dogs
• eliminates the small risk (probably <1%) of dying from testicular cancer
• reduces the risk of non-cancerous prostate disorders
• reduces the risk of perianal fistulas
• may possibly reduce the risk of diabetes (data inconclusive)

On the negative side, neutering male dogs
• if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a common cancer in medium/large and larger breeds with a poor prognosis.
• increases the risk of cardiac hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 1.6
• triples the risk of hypothyroidism
• increases the risk of progressive geriatric cognitive impairment
• triples the risk of obesity, a common health problem in dogs with many associated health problems
• quadruples the small risk (<0.6%) of prostate cancer
• doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract cancers
• increases the risk of orthopedic disorders
• increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations

For female dogs, the situation is more complex. The number of health benefits associated with spaying may exceed the associated health problems in some (not all) cases. On balance, whether spaying improves the odds of overall good health or degrades them probably depends on the age of the female dog and the relative risk of various diseases in the different breeds.

On the positive side, spaying female dogs
• if done before 2.5 years of age, greatly reduces the risk of mammary tumors, the most common
malignant tumors in female dogs
• nearly eliminates the risk of pyometra, which otherwise would affect about 23% of intact female dogs; pyometra kills about 1% of intact female dogs
• reduces the risk of perianal fistulas
• removes the very small risk ( 0.5%) from uterine, cervical, and ovarian tumors

On the negative side, spaying female dogs
• if done before 1 year of age, significantly increases the risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer); this is a common cancer in larger breeds with a poor prognosis
• increases the risk of splenic hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 2.2 and cardiac hemangiosarcoma by a factor of 5; this is a common cancer and major cause of death in some breeds
• triples the risk of hypothyroidism
• increases the risk of obesity by a factor of 1.6-2, a common health problem in dogs with many
associated health problems
• causes urinary “spay incontinence” in 4-20% of female dogs
• increases the risk of persistent or recurring urinary tract infections by a factor of 3-4
• increases the risk of recessed vulva, vaginal dermatitis, and vaginitis, especially for female dogs
spayed before puberty
• doubles the small risk (<1%) of urinary tract tumors
• increases the risk of orthopedic disorders
• increases the risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations

One thing is clear – much of the spay/neuter information that is available to the public is unbalanced and contains claims that are exaggerated or unsupported by evidence.

Gus is wonderful and we are enjoying his companionship very much. He was off to 5 weeks of board and train which he did very well. Since then we have been going to group classes and he is doing a good job of training me. ha but really he is doing good. He is very smart. we have been working mostly on leash and he is learning more and more off leash now. He does have a stubborn streak but we have found ways around that. We had our first snow a few weeks back and that was quite funny. went to bed and it was dry and woke up to about 8 inches on the ground. Watching his reaction and investigations was hilarious. He loves playing in the stuff. I have kenneled him in the bedroom every night since he got here but in the last month or so i have let him sleep loose next to the bed at night... he does very well with that. He has his 'place' in the living room that he is learning to go to when told. and kinda doing ok with that but getting better every day. we take our daily walk and go to the park for some ball fetching and he is learning 'drop' pretty well. His favorite toy though is a tree limb of all things.

I weighed him the other day and he is at 79lbs and right at 26 inches at the shoulder. So he is getting to be a big boy. it is amazing how fast he is growing.

Thanks so much for the note! I'm amazed at how BIG he and some of his littermates are already! Be sure to keep him on the lean side --- you'll want to be able to very easily feel his ribs. With young dogs growing so fast you need to be aware that they can develop joint problems ~ keeping them on the thin side will help reduce that possibility.

Solo's very favorite thing is his big horse jollyball...but his second favorite is also a tree limb. He will fetch and run with them, sometimes TOWARD me...yikes!!! Where did you send him for board and train? Somewhere local? I used to offer that service but it was difficult to have the owners understand how to maintain the training ~ do you have an ongoing training program with them? I'm curious how it works in your area.

Our little guy goes with us everywhere and we make a point to have him around people and different situations. We were a little nervous about him at first but he seams to be adapting. He is very protective and occasionally takes a defensive posture with strangers when in a one on one environment. He hasn't tried to bite anyone but shows the defensive pose and gets between the stranger and us, not a bad thing for us city dwellers.. He does back off when he's told. We need to work with him a little more to get him more comfortable.

He's actually good in crowds and enjoys letting people pet him. It is true that he's more assertive than our last Bouvier, but he's more observant (and demanding) than our last one. He learns commands very quickly and likes new challenges. You were right in your description, this one isn't satisfied by just sitting on the porch.
You have a good breeding program. When we were looking for a dog, we got some leads from the Bouvier Rescue group in Texas and they gave us some leads in Houston (as well as your Kennel).

I'm glad to hear you're keeping him out and about ~ I don't enjoy defensive behavior ~ I'm sure I could encourage it since it's part of the heritage of these lines, but don't choose to. The best thing you can do is ignore it and be normal/friendly toward the person the pup is suspicious toward. It sounds like you're doing just that..and you're right, it'll generally be in a one on one situation. With a pup what I would likely do is first of all tell the pup "no." - not in an anxious or loud voice, just a matter of fact "no." Then, as soon as he responds appropriately, give him a little caress and say 'good.' in the same general (but pleasant) tone. I wouldn't force him to accept the person he's anxious about ~ in fact, I'd 'ignore' the situation as much as possible and go about your normal business.

With my pup Gail at puppy class, she did not like the other people coming up to her in a forward manner and petting her on the head...she would back away from them. If they left her alone, she would approach them on her own and solicit petting and treats. She's fairly over that period now and solicits treats from a lot of strangers but if the person acts tentative in any way, it brings forward the suspicion in her nature. Keep in mind that all these puppies will be going through various fear stages from now through probably 18-24 months. If you think your dog is going through a fear period, you will want to be sure to manage his life during that time for his/your sake. You do have some good resources in Texas (Dave Kroyer in Hutto, TX comes to mind) that I'd encourage you to take advantage of.

Thanks again and please stay in touch~

Thanks, we are doing as you suggested here with him currently. I think we can get him past this without too much of an issue. We don't force him to do things that he's uncomfortable with and do a lot of positive reinforcement. In crowds, he's always introducing himself and I'm sure we can get him over this bump.

He did very well in his puppy classes and his social skills are really pretty good. She is looking at some obedience training and is interviewing a few of them. My wife was invited by a non-profit group in Fort Worth to teach him how to do search work (Guess he got scouted at puppy class.) I can't see her allowing him to do this but you never know. We appreciate your help and guidance. He's a great dog.

and From Texas!

Our little guy is doing very well and is exactly the way you described that he would be. When you look at him, you kind of forget that he's still just a puppy. Our last Bouvier was 4 months old so we missed some of the "activities" that puppyhood presents. He's actually a very good little boy but we aren't not saying he's a perfect little angel.......

We enjoy your website and reference it for pointers. If you would like some short adventures we would be glad to send some to you. When you look at him compared to other Bouviers, you see the quality that he is. He fit's in well with our life style and we appreciate you allowing him to come live with us.

BART

He is really doing well and always wants to be working. Starting to calm down some and loves to be under command.

Still wants to mouth everything, loves the cattle and I have been keeping him out of trouble.

Wants to lay on the porch and just watch the world go by. His favorite activity is to get infront of someone walking jump at there feet and if they move make a tight loop and come back to the feet.

Hope your well and stop by

Otis

Otis and his shining eyes!

OTIS:

I thought of you w/the weather forecast this past week. We had a few flakes but nothing stuck. Bet you are glad to have things wind down. Sounds like Otis’ Mom is a celebrity! Congratulations! Otis had been doing really good but this past week has been testing us again w/jumping and, I guess, playful biting, although a bit rough. We make him settle but if it continues he gets a time out which usually works. Working on a long line so he can get some running in, he loves it! He went to a grooming school recently and came back SO beautiful, looked like velvet. They all loved him. I had him to the vet for a lump on the top of his head (doesn’t seem to be serious but we are watching) and she says he is just a teenager, pushing limits. He starts another set of classes this week so we are looking forward to that. I think we need some geese for him to herd!

All is well in Colorado Bhima is weighing in at around 70+lbs and active. He loves to play in the snow! My son took a pic and video of him hope you enjoy.

Zoey

Zoey has been such an amazing puppy. She has responded quickly to training and listens fairly well to commands. We are now working on getting her to listen to the commands on the first time with distractions instead of investigating the distraction and then listening. Zoey also loves swimming, playing fetch, and just being around people and other dogs. She is a very social dog which I am very happy with. We often take her to the park and let her off her leash and she does an amazing job. Even with distractions, squirrels, people, and other dogs, she will always stay close to us while still running around and playing.


Zoey has been doing pretty well at night too. We shut the bedroom door and she will sleep next to the bed or in her kennel with the door open all night. There are two issues that we are currently working on with Zoey. She tends to jump a lot when she gets excited (like most puppies do) but as a 50-55lb dog she brings a lot of power behind her jumping. Over the last few weeks she has definitely improved with the jumping however. The second issue is that she tends to pee or piddle every time I get home from work or she gets overly excited. It often happens after I take her out to pee to ensure she doesn't have a full bladder. It's very confusing and frustrating for me since she hasn't had an actual accident over two months. I've been told it will go away over time as she gets older and her bladder grows, but I feel like at 55lbs her bladder should be large enough to control the piddling. These two issues aren't huge problems, but I would definitely like to see them go away in the near future.


Next week we are taking her to the vet to get spade. Unfortunately her hernia never closed up but luckily it didn't continue to grow. The vet said they would be able close it up while she is under for the surgery. We were hoping to wait a little longer to get her spade but didn't want to push our luck with the hernia.


Overall, Zoey has been such an amazing puppy. She has a great personality and loves everyone and every dog she meets. The two pictures I attached were taken within the last 2-3 weeks. She just got done swimming in the second picture as you can see with her extremely curly hair :).


Thanks again for everything!

Yes, she sure seems to have a touseled coat - it'll change as she matures and her adult coat comes in. Have you been taking her to training classes? You should not have her jumping on you at this age...have her 'sit' as a greeting behavior and that should help both the submissive urinating and the jumping.

I don't recommend spaying at this age; we generally wait until Bouviers are around 14 months old and their growth plates have closed before spaying them. The hernia shouldn't be an issue regardless but of course you need to do what you are comfortable with and your vet recommends.

I"m delighted to hear that she is a social dog, that is one of the things we have been breeding toward with our performance lines.

Take care and thanks for the note - let me know if you need more help with the jumping.

Growing Otis

Its been so long since I had a puppy, I can't really remember how active my Rotts were when young. My first one, though, played baseball and football and whatever he could w/my son and the neighborhood kids so he was pretty active. Otis is doing better every day (w/momentary backsliding). Jumping much less, drops even new toys on command, etc. We are trying to make sure he gets plenty of activity. This last week was terrible for him w/all the rain, only short walks, I think he was depressed. At puppy class, all the pups were crazy! I think the weather got to all of them. Plan on enrolling in the next classes. And this place has an agility course and I plan on starting him when he is a little older. I think he is becoming more affectionate (if dogs are capable of that, I think they are). My son has been going to classes which has helped so that we are both on the same page. The 2 oldest grandkids take turns going (not sure if this has much value but does give them 1:1 time w/Otis). Poor Caleb, the 2 year old, is a little overwhelmed by Otis and Otis is usually overexcited when he sees him. Plan to work some short periods w/them. Otis has been sleeping out of his crate at night, with my son and doing very well, stays out of trouble all night. Spends very little time in crate. I am committed to making this work! And you still didn't tell me why his mother is called "Trouble"?? How did she come by that name? Well...when the pups were ready to leave home, three of the new owners flew up to visit and take their pups. I knew I was keeping one but hadn't decided which one. This one puppy kept jumping up on the agility tunnel and trying to climb over it ~ my friends looked at her and said "she'll be too much trouble for an average owner." Well, don't tempt fate! She was the puppy I decided was the one for me then and there! And is she Trouble? Absolutely not - she's smart and affectionate and sometimes full of beans but never what I could truly call trouble.

Trouble at the Nationals

I know it's not polite to brag (my parents have told me) but I can't help myself! Trouble outdid herself this past weekend at the ABdFC National Specialty by going High in Trial on Saturday with a score of 95 (out of 100.) This trial was open to all breeds so she won over some very good border collies and other breeds as well. I am thankful to have as my friend and neighbor Phyllis Clark who loves to trial dogs -- she took Trouble to this prestigious win, saving my blood pressure meds for another day :) Trouble was entered in 6 trial runs - 3 on sheep, 3 on ducks - she not only qualified but went first place in all but 1 of the sheep runs where she 'pulled some wool' as they say. It was a good ride home!

Oh Otis!!

Thanks for the offer-will see how it goes. I hate to send him away for any length of time (but I did take a little road trip this week to escape!). The trainer has some suggestions for his "bossiness", like totally ignore him when he escalates. He had a new toy and would not drop it, I walked away and he came from behind and nipped my ankle, I yelped so loud, I think it scared him half to death. Anyway, I think it is getting better. He can be very affectionate, too, and enjoys attention. He can still be mouthy at times but is not biting (too much) My son took him to visit a friend and family, Otis spent some time running around the woods while they were working out there. Long story short, he came home covered in burrs! Took a couple grooming sessions to get most of them out but he was pretty patient.
He did much better at his last session w/the groomer too. He also has discovered a world outside his yard so now has lost some freedom until he understands his borders. Gets walks 2-3 times/day, enjoys meeting people and dogs. My son thinks his behavior is worse towards women, more jumping and mouthing. He may be right but it needs to stop. Operation next month, maybe that will help. He gets a little wild w/the kids but does settle down after a bit.

Sounds like all I do is complain! We do love him, just need to work through some of these issues.

Raine

Here is Raine, the female pup I am co-owning with Cory in Seattle. She's a ball of fun and energy! And very good looking -you can see her nice structure here with her coat cut down.

Alta ... your pup's grandma

Hi Sunny --
Just a brief note from us in Texas, I wanted to let you know how happy we are, and how wonderful Alta remains. Last Dec I got pneumonia, which led to a heart attack and respiratory arrest -- in and out of the hospital 5 times between Dec and May. Alta stayed with friends who used to live with Bouviers, and now have Greyhounds. We now refer to the Greyhounds as her 'cousins'. In May I received a pacemaker and have been slowly gaining strength. She is the sweetest and most wonderful companion. She is healthy, chases squirrels in the back garden for exercise, and often decides to follow me about the house (actually I think she 'heels' as she is right beside me). She can tell when I am having a less than great day, then she never leaves my side. She is healthy, and seems very happy. I cannot tell you what a special difference it has made in my life to live with Alta. Thank you.
caryl

Bhima

We are watching Bhima grow fast! Took him to get weighed at the local Pets Mart came in at 55lbs. When I gave him his full name Bhima "Biggie" Allez I had know idea he would live up to his middle name.
His training is also coming along well and almost all his adult teeth are in so plenty of tug a war soon. We couldn't be happier with him. I will attach some pictures I took of him with my phone and send you some better ones my wife took with her camera. Hope all is well with you on the farm and wish you luck on your up coming competition.

Mikka!

Here's Mikka up in central Minnesota! Look familiar, everybody? :)

Otis update!

Otis is growing so fast! 36 Lbs last week. Started school last week where he was perfect -why doesn't that carry over at home?! But they were very impressed at the vet with his behavior. I wish he would move beyond the biting but I think I have figured out some of the problem. When he is tired but stimulated, like after a long walk, he really needs a time out. He's too worked up to "settle". Persistence ! Very tiring but he can be good too. Groomer again tonight, hope that goes well.

When do you head south? We are really enjoying the change in weather. Take care!

It sounds like he is growing! We also are in puppy class and Gail's done biting. If you want to send Otis here for a while I'll be happy to work with him; I would not be playing ANY biting games with him, no hands on the face/mouth games and I would be providing him with very strict guidelines regarding feeding, crating, etc.

I'll be home after October 5 until around New Years if you want him to come to puppy camp.

Trouble again

Hi all -
Well, we're off to the ABdFC Nationals in October, hoping to do well for all of you! Trouble got her first leg in cattle a couple weeks ago and is entered almost every weekend through the end of October somewhere on sheep, ducks and cattle. The sheep in St. Louis at Purina Farms are notoriously bad so we'll do our best!

I'd love to hear how everyone is doing - good stories and bad -

Sunny

Trouble again

Hi everyone! I hope this is still on feed for you all! Trouble qualified in a stockdog trial last weekend with a 94 from the Advanced class on Ducks...now you're likely wondering "Ducks???"... well, yes, ducks require a lot of finesse and while she would rather work cows or sheep, all this duck work will help her in both those venues. She's entered on cattle in August and then again in September on both ducks and sheep. Our trial season wraps up in October up here and there's a possiblity that she might go to Missouri to the Working Kelpie Nationals to trial at Purina Farms - there is one day they offer an "all breed" trial as a fund raiser. We'll see.

I did hear from Cory in Seattle with Raine - the grey female puppy - she sounds delightful, very sociable, quick and eager to learn and nice looking. I'd love to hear how the rest of the puppies are coming along - and Pictures!!

Bhima

Checking in from Colorado! Harry says: "We clipped him down for the summer we had to wait to wash his head because of the stitches. 25.5lbs as of yesterday's vet visit."

Otis update!

Well, we are all adjusting much better now. Had a "puppy" session w/a trainer I will probably use when Otis is a little older. He gave recommendations and things to work on for several weeks, very non-punitive and praise based. I now see Otis coming to sit at my feet expecting praise! He can be a sassy boy, too. My back yard is looking like a day care w/toys and now a kiddy pool. Has a playmate next door (an elderly Schnauzer) and a young lab down the street that can't wait for him to get a little bigger. He has been going on short field trips in the car and is travelling better but really prefers to sit between the grandkids if in the car. met the groomer, too. Which brings me to a question-Do you recommend clipping puppies at this age due to the heat? I try to get exercise in early AM or in the evening so he doesn't overdo it during the hot part of the day. My son thinks he's too hot, but I don't know that he is, esp since he can come into air conditioning and crash. Here, I clipped Birdie's puppies because of the ticks more than anything ~ if you like the look of a clipped pup, go ahead and do it; if you don't like the look, then just keep him clean around his butt, the hair away from his eyes and trim his feet and he'll look neat.

Marla wanted to just give you an update on "Bear". He's very social, interactive and curious just as you said he would be. He had his first lake adventure this weekend and took his first boat ride. Sunday morning early he spotted an armadillo in the yard and off the chase went. Fortunately the armadillo went thru the fence ending his short adventure.
Thanks for placing him with us.

Trouble again

Just an update - Trouble qualified again to finish her title, taking second place today!

Trouble

Just a quick note this morning to let you all know that Trouble qualified in an AKC Herding Trial yesterday with a third place win (Border collies took first and second) on Started Ducks. She needs one more qualifying win to get her title ~ hopefully today!

"T"

Just wanted to let you know how well the blue collar pup (named T) is doing. I will say he is an assertive little fart. Not afraid of anything and now is starting to see all the birds and jack rabbits.

Wanted to say how much I am enjoying him, thanks!

Zoe

Zoey is doing really well. She gets along great with my roommates black lab but my girlfriends bouvier, Ruby, still needs some time to adjust to not being the only dog in the house. She just ignores the puppy instead of playing with her like my roommates dog. I think, with time, they'll become good friends though.

Yes, it is interesting here at home; the Bouviers don't even notice the little Papillon...it's like she's a gnat or something. As you say, they will get used to one another although there may be some wrestling for position in your household.

I just have a couple questions for you. I noticed in one of your posts that an owner had given their puppy shots. I know it's partly the owners decision on how many shots to give and when; however, I wanted your personal opinion on what to do. In an earlier email you said you vaccinated your own puppies at 12 weeks. I was wondering when I do vaccinate my puppy again at 12 weeks, what types of shots should i give her since there is the slight possibility of over-vaccinating.

Yes, with the puppy I keep from Birdie's litter we will have one vaccination as a little puppy and then another at 12 weeks. We vaccinate for distemper and parvo primarily since I have seen both diseases in pups. However, my new/local vet says leptospirosis is on the uprise here in Wisconsin so I will likely add that with my pup. She says that it tends to be a rural disease but had seen it also in Chicago where she worked last. I have had a few puppies who developed auto-immune issues from overvaccination where the pups are given multi-vaccines every two weeks until they are 4 months old. You can look here: http://www.briarleabouvier.com/vaccinations.htm - we use what they are describing as program "B" because most of my pups go to homes where they want them vaccinated before they leave my care.

I noticed that Zoey scarfs down her food the second I feed her and afterward, she still seems hungry. I'm feeding her 1/3 cup three times a day as well as training treats. Should I increase the amount of food I give her or is this normal?

Yes, she likely needs quite a bit more food than that -- I would put down at least a cup per time and let her eat her fill within about 10 minutes. When she stops eating, pick the bowl up and put it away until her next feeding. Don't leave her constant access to food or you'll never get her housetrained. Gradually increase the amount as she grows.

I don't want Zoey to go in heat, so at what age would be a good time to get her fixed? I know this is probably opinion based and varies everywhere you ask, but I feel like I trust your opinion the most.

Yes it does - - we have currently been advising spaying and/or neutering at around 14-15 months when the growth plates are done growing. However, if you don't want to go through a season you will want to do it sometime around 8 months.

Zoey has definitely been an amazing puppy so far. I feel as though Gus and Zoey have very similar personalities. She sleeps from 10-5;30 every night in her crate without an accident or whining. Zoey is almost potty trained and catching on quickly to the basic commands (sit, down, stay, and come). Sleeping has definitely been her favorite activity so far, but as soon as she gets a little more comfortable with her leash, I'm sure going on walks will be.

She sounds delightful! I"m so pleased to hear that these puppies are adapting so well. They are still puppies and can be full of spit and vinegar but I"m glad to hear they're adjusting!

Thanks for everything,

Otis!

OK, we all survived the first week, barely. Name is Otis, by the way. My son is finally accepting that he cannot just let this pup wander around (sleep by his bedside) because puppy is not going to "get it" about potty training. He really does not like to mess up his pen or crate and I think will catch on quite quickly if we are all on the same page. You could have him sleep in a crate by your son's bed ~ that way HE could get up at 5 a.m. to take him out! I think he may be bi-polar, too-he's either biting ankles or sleeping! Actually, plays hard and sleeps hard. And he is growing already! He is really a very handsome boy and everyone loves him. Will send a picture if I ever get a good one. I would love a picture! I am (believe it or not!) lonesome for Trouble's puppies.

Questions and Comments: Gus

With the weather getting warmer would it be ok to groom his hair shorter? I don't know if at this young age if doing so would harm the way his adult coat would come in and finish out? I have noticed Gus is fine mornings and evenings when it is cooler but during the heat of the day he seems to get pretty warm and balks about being out in the sun.

Yes, we clip the coats down on our dogs each spring to keep them cleaner as well as to be able to monitor the ticks that invariably show up.

Update..... Gus is adjusting very well to his new home. From the first night he has crated well with very minimal whimpering or undue stress. I must say i feel very fortunate as once the lights go out in the bedroom he settles down and he is quiet untill around 5am.... He is very comfortable in his playpen either indoors or out and with the door open he is in and out on his own. Also his crate with the door open he is in and out on his own and will nap in there with the door open. I have had to leave him a couple of times for doctors appointments and he has done very well in the playpen for and hour or so that we were gone. No separation anxiety to speak of..

He follows me around everywhere i go and loves retrieving things .

I've worked hard to select for breeding Bouviers who retrieve so it's great to hear that Gus does it for you. Retrieving and the willingness to work with the owner seem to go hand in hand.

He is doing well with all the new sights and sounds around him and is inquisitive. We had a graduation party in the back yard on Saturday. Initially i kept Gus in the front yard with me and folks came by to visit him. Eventually, we wandered into the back yard and at first he was a bit timid but gradually he was romping around with me with little notice to the goings on around him. Great adjustment on his part. I was impressed. And the socialization was good too. His housebreaking is exceptional.... only had one pee accident and that was MY fault for not reading his signs right. but other than that from the time i got him home he has graded out at an A+ ..

The one thing we are working on with him is the biting control... I have to say i have had a bit of fustration with that.... however, after re-reading the article on your website and using the advice there things are working out much better now..... He is learning what is acceptable and what is not..... and the system does work.... lol

Most of the puppy biting goes away on its own, it goes away more quickly if you are careful not to encourage it.

He has made friends with the dog next door and am anxious to get him out and about.... the vet suggested that we wait until his shots are farther along before doing so.... he will be due for his next round July 5th..... so in the meantime my next thing is to work with him to get him used to a leash... and also, we will start taking him on short rides in the car to get him used to travel.... yesterday going to the vet he yipped and yapped the whole way there....and his return ride started out the same but he had mellowed out by the time we got back....

The pups were in the van a long time from Wisconsin to Colorado ~ I"m not surprised he's not excited to go for rides but as you say, he should mellow out.

So.... all in all Gus is adjusting well ..... I am adjusting well.... and I couldn't be happier with Gus.... he is absolutely wonderful... and i have no doubt things will keep getting better and better....

Once again, Sunny, I want to thank you so very much for Gus.... and for the most pleasant experience this has been...

You're quite welcome, I always say that the folks who have our dogs are the best dog people in the U.S.

Zoe

Thought we would give you a little update on Green Boy. Marla finally named him and his name is Mishka Medved, which is Russian for Little Bear. Some friends of ours here in Dallas are from Russia (they live both here and Moscow-he works there) and gave us the translation.

He likes to play fetch, walks well on a leash, and is most of the way potty trained. He bonded immediately with my wife following her around and sleeps on the floor by her (he took my spot). He had no issues missing his former litter mates and hasn't had any adaption problems. We took him on a short (1 hour) trip and he settled in, enjoyed his ride and met several people. The only issue we have had so far is that my wife doesn't want to leave him.

Briarlea Alta Raina D'Hart

Raina is a variant on Regina - so could mean Queen. Also a variant on the feminine (German) "Rey" which means "wise Guardian.

Bhima

We named him Bhima it means light with in it is also the name of a great Hindu Warrior.

Jody's yellow boy

Gus

GENETIC DISEASES

"GENETIC DISEASES OF THE BOUVIER DES FLANDRES" - compiled by the American Bouvier Des Flandres Club. Don't be in the dark about your Bouvier.

New puppy advice from Dr. Ian Dunbar

High on the educational agenda is to teach your pup that there are times for play and times for quiet. Specifically, you want to teach the youngster to settle down and shush for short periods. Your life will be more peaceful, and your pup's life will be less stressful once he learns that frequent little quiet moments are the name of the game in his new home.

Beware the trap of smothering your new puppy with non-stop attention and affection during his first days at home, for then he will whine, bark, and fret when left alone at night, or during the daytime when you are at work and the children are at school. Of course the pup is lonely! This is his first time alone without his mother, littermates, or human companionship.

You can really help to ease your pup's anxiety by getting him used to settling down alone during his first few days at home. Remember, first impressions are very important and long lasting. Also keep in mind that the average suburban puppy will likely spend many hours and days left to his own devices. So it is well worthwhile to teach the pup how to spend time by himself. Otherwise, the puppy may become anxious when left alone and develop hard-to-break chewing, barking, digging, and escaping habits.

When you are at home, confine your puppy to his doggy den with lots of chewtoys for housetraining, chewtoy-training, and teaching the pup to settle down peacefully and happily. It is important to confine your puppy for short periods when you are home in order to teach him how to enjoy his own company when left at home alone.

I am certainly not advocating leaving puppies alone for long periods of time. But it is a fact of modern day life that many puppy owners leave home each day to work for a living, so it is only fair to prepare the pup for this.

When you are at home, the key is short-term confinement. The idea is not to lock up the puppy for hours on end, but rather to teach him to settle down quickly in a variety of settings and be confined for variable but mostly fairly short, periods. Make sure the only objects within reach are stuffed chewtoys. Thus the dog develops a strong chewtoy habit right from the outset, if only because there is precious little else at hand to chew. And let me repeat: A puppy happily preoccupied with a stuffed chewtoy is not destroying household articles and furniture, and is not barking.
When you are at home, it is also a good idea to occasionally confine your puppy to his puppy playroom (long-term confinement area) as a practice run for your absence. Occasional long-term confinement when you are at home allows you to monitor your pup's behavior so you have some idea how he will act when you are gone.

If your puppy barks or whines when confined to his short- or long-term confinement area, reward-train him to rest quietly. Sit next to your puppy’s crate or just outside his puppy playroom and busy yourself by reading a book, working on the computer, or watching television. Completely ignore your puppy while he vocalizes, but each time he stops barking, immediately praise him calmly.

More good information from Dr. Dunbar about housetraining can be found here

Vet Visit

Hi folks,
We have just returned from the vet in Baldwin, Wisconsin which is about 45 minutes from our farm. It's very hot here, and humid today - around 95F right now - but we have air in the car and the pups made the trip fine. Once there, they all came into the exam room with the vet and 2 assistants. They checked out the room which has a lot of cables and stuff in it (rural vets!) and met the assistants which they thought were just great. I had the vet check everybody's heart and all were pronounced just fine - as you may know, Bouviers can have various heart maladies so we are always careful to have them checked. The vet also checked their eyes and ears, their skin and mouths and pronounced them a great litter (we thought so!) One of the FEMALES does have a very small hernia that the vet says will close on its own.

We were glad to get back home; the pups are in the kennel with the air conditioner and humidifier on and are sacked out now!

The Boys

A Natural Retriever :)

Green Boy: 12#






Red Boy: 12.5#












Yellow Boy 10#













Purple Boy 12.75#











Blue Boy 10.6#

The Girls

The Yellow Girl: 9.75#









The Green Girl: 10.6#










The Red Girl: 11.2#

A windy afternoon.

Things You Should Do Daily

1. Try to take your puppy on a daily “field trip” to local parks, to neighbors’ houses, shopping centers, to visit your neighbors’ kids, etc. Controlled new experiences are essential for good mental development. Look on my website for the puppy scavenger hunt.
2. You should have a buckle collar for your puppy to wear when “traveling” on his field trips. You can walk your puppy on a flexi-lead being very careful to NOT give him a correction. It is most important to NEVER allow any bad experiences to take place.
3. Establish proper pack order early on in the relationship with your puppy.
4. If you are going to visit other folks, suggest that they stoop down to the pup's level, not hover over him. Puppies can find big people intimidating and it's your job to help him gain confidence.
Take a look at Mike Ellis's comments about puppies here
5. Remember your puppy is still a baby with no experience or fears. Be careful to imprint positive experiences only! If a bad experience occurs or your puppy becomes frightened, try to redirect your puppy to something different and possibly exciting. DO NOT pick your puppy up. You will be reinforcing his fears. Redirect his attention in order to get his mind off the bad situation. Never make a big deal out of a mistake. Brush it off and go on to the next thing.
6. If possible, and you have a friend that is dog saavy, allow your puppy to spend overnight or up to a few days with them. This experience must be a positive one and it will allow your puppy to realize that life can also be good away from home. If you fail to do this, your puppy may develop separation anxiety and feel that “without you, I’m nothing!” An ideal situation would be to trade puppies with someone 3-4 times within the first six months of your puppies’ life. This experience will insure a well-founded, socialized puppy.
7. If your puppy is not confident at first, be patient. He has left a secure environment with his mom, brothers and sisters and me and our quiet rural lifestyle and needs time to adjust.

In the afternoon, up at the kennel.

Between showers, the pups are taking a little air up near the kennel. My friend Nancy gave me the little dog walk a few years ago and I"m happy to see that, once again, the pups are not intimidated by new objects but rather embrace and investigate them. They are just beginning to eat dry kibble this morning.

Some Bouvier History

The Bouvier des Flandres is a herding dog originating in Flanders. They were originally used for general farm work including cattle droving, sheep herding, and cart pulling, Today Bouviers are used as guard dogs and police dogs, as well as being kept as pets. The French name of the breed means, literally, "Herder of Flanders", referring to the Flemish origin of the breed. Other names for the breed are Toucheur de Boeuf (cattle driver) and Vuilbaard (dirty beard).


The monks at the Ter Duinen monastery, in Flanders, were the Bouvier's first official breeders. The Bouvier was created by breeding imports such as Irish wolfhounds with local farm dogs, until a breed considered to be the predecessor of the modern Bouvier was obtained. This became a working dog able to perform tirelessly, herding and guarding cattle and even pulling cargo carts, thanks to its strength and temperament, and to withstand the local weather conditions due to its double coat .World War I nearly disappeared altogether, due to the devastation in its region of origin. Nic de Sottegen, considered to be of ideal type was one of the main dogs used to revive the breed after WW I and is considered to be the founder of the current Bouvier des Flandres breed in Belgium. A unified Bouvier des Flandres standard was created in 1936 by a joint French-Belgian committee. However, once again the breed's existence was endangered by World War II. Due to these setbacks, progress was slowed, and it was not until 1965 that the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) adopted the current breed standard.

Hi Folks,
A few pictures taken this morning. The puppies climb up and jump down from the little white 'bed' you see here. I just hauled the puppy playhouse down from the kennel and immediately they are exploring it! All of them climb on me looking for attention (and yes, they get it!)

The first few minutes after putting the playhouse in with the pups.

It works great for shade too!

Now is that a pretty pup or what?

The set-up!

Sunny's Bright Idea!

This morning I took the few flats of tomatoes out of the little greenhouse, dragged it to the front yard and set it up for the puppies. It's a gorgeous, sunny day here but they are, after all, still babies. The inside of the greenhouse is dry and very warm - they can venture outside (and over the sill...good for coordination..) and of course it is much more stimulating an environment than on the porch. I doubt we'll use it for more than a few weeks or they'll take to ripping it apart but for now it seems like a great thing!

Finally, some sunshine even though the wind is kicking up. The puppies toddled outside today but almost immediately wanted to go back in...which of course is just what we did after about 10 minutes of being outdoors! I am now feeding them soaked kibble as well as egg custard (all those eggs!!) and am pleased at how they are coming along. That is my husband Jim in his favorite old LL Bean barn coat ... probably time to get a new one!

Nothing like a boy and some pups! Here is my grandson Anthony who thinks Trouble's pups are fine, Birdie's are, of course, even better since they are 'his.' The pups are now actively eating and have figured out that they can gum on toys and one another. Their teeth have erupted and Trouble now has decided to stand while they nurse...interesting idea...!


This litter is on the front porch which means a lot of traffic in and out this weekend!

More information!

3 weeks!

Figuring out the whole food thing...

First Food!

Okay, it was a mess ~ most of the milk and egg custard ended up being eaten by Trouble but the pups were game to bathe in it!
Green Boy on the right
I think this is the Blue Boy
Pink means "Girl"
Red Boy
Red Boy again

Video

As promised, video of the week!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGiR-expq70

As it was a cold, windy, damp day it seemed the perfect opportunity to weigh the pups who range between 2.5 and 3 pounds today...nice weights!

Also, check out the photo gallery we've set up on Smugmug - you can see a link to the left on the sidebar. I'll keep the photos up there as I take them. Video tomorrow!

Your new puppy should have 28 milk , temporary, deciduous, fall out teeth.
Those teeth erupt around 3 weeks of age, and by 8 weeks your puppy should have the full set of deciduous teeth-28.
There are 6 incisors (small front teeth)
2 canines (fang teeth)
6 premolars (3 on each side)
All that on top and bottom jaw.

Full set of puppy teeth
These baby teeth , although sharp, are brittle and fragile, and can easily break.
A broken puppy, or adult tooth, can easily lead to an infection; many times not even visible, since the infection forms around the tip of the root.

No no toys for puppies:

* Do not use any toy where he could break his baby teeth.
* No toys, where his little teeth can get stuck in, no hard bones, or cooked bones.
* Do not let your puppy play with a tennis ball over an extended period of time.

Saliva of your puppies mouth sticks to the ball very easily. Ball then drops in the dirt and dirt loves to stick on the hairy ball. the tennis ball becomes a sand paper, and it will slowly wear the teeth away.

April 28

The pups are growing well; their eyes are just barely beginning to open although they can hear noises now. I spend time each day with them, doing the little exercises as well as just holding/petting them for fun. They are relatively calm pups at this point and sleek & healthy. The brownish hairs in their coats will, I believe, turn grey - Solo's coat was similar to the one on the second pup in this group and he's all grey now.....some lovely heads on these pups!

Solo and his mom Una out playing in the creek!

Happy Easter! Here is a little video clip of the pups at a week old. They are active and hearty eaters! Trouble's being a great mama, taking great care with them and keeping them warm, fed and clean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNsV8eY-_vQ&NR=1

I'm feeling a bit more human this morning having finally gotten some sleep; I will see if I can go through all the reservations and see what we have for requests ie: males/females, etc. If you would prefer a pup from Birdie's litter, please let me know now.

First pup born at 5 a.m. It's noon now and there are 9 ~ all dark and vigorous. In the meanwhile, a pdf for you.

Trouble is hanging out in the house now, waiting until she whelps...a boring life, she thinks! I've speckled this image in honor of the inch of snow we awoke to this morning!