Here is the thing. Why would you want to purposely encourage behaviours that are not acceptable outside the dog park. Barking, chasing, biting, prey drive, stalking, marking, jumping are all things we want to stop or at least thats what I am told when I go to peoples houses. So if these are things that…
At the recent American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association Conference, I discovered that I am not the only one questioning the use of grains in commercial and home-prepared pet foods. Grains, such as oats, wheat, rice, barley, etc, are composed mostly of complex carbohydrates. They also contain some protein, fiber, B-vitamins and trace minerals. However, they…
I make this statement at the expense of being tarred and feathered but increasingly, the best dog youll ever breed may be the hardest dog you will ever finish. It will be the odd man out and look different from the majority of dogs represented in the ring. Why? Some judges, insecure in a breed…
When people refer to the top line they mean the vertebrae of the spinal column from the base of the neck to the beginning of the tail. When judges critiques mention that a particular dog has a level top line, they dont, or at least shouldnt mean a perfectly level one as this would be…
Breed Type. You should know it when you see it. Richard Beauchamp put it this way Breed type is such an elusive thing It is something that cant be taught but it can be learned. Even when type is present to the fullest, one person may see it and the person next to him may…
Expecting a sofa dog to run 600 yards at full speed is foolish and can also be dangerous. Your dog will be inspected by members of the field committee before it is permitted to run to ensure it is in good health and you will be asked to gait your dog to inspect for lameness….
Your article on bite was very good; however, in spite of the AKC’s breed description as to bite and the acceptability of a “level” bite, you indicate that the “level” bite is undesirable. It may be undesirable in England but in the US, it is acceptable. This leaves judges and others who are not familiar…
Hereditary Cataract in Staffordshire Bull Terriers has been recognised as an inherited condition since the late 1970s. Affected dogs develop cataracts in both eyes at an early age. The condition is not congenital, so the lenses are normal at birth but cataracts appear at a few weeks to months in age, progressing to total cataract…
I would bide my time and not rush out and buy the first dog that came along. I would learn from the people who are winning consistently, and go to them for the best bitch you can get from the best stock. Does not have to be the pick of the litter because the breeding…
Kidneys are made up of tiny structures (glomerulus and tubule) called nephrones. These nephrones filter and cleanse the blood and remove waste products from the body. The kidneys help control sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, PH, Phosphate and magnesium. Eventually over time these nephrones break down and literally wear out, which is a natural part of…