Sportsmanship Part 1

When it comes to dog show,s what is sportsmanship? In my opinion, it is a great deal more than saying “Thank you” to the judge or giving the winner of the class a big smile and a “Congratulations.” Sportsmanship at a dog show isn’t any different than “sportsmanship” in life. Dog shows and life…

By TSK Editor, ago

The Backyard Puppy

When the neighbor takes in all that has happened, she doesn’t automatically hit herself over the head for being so irresponsible and inconsiderate. She instead blames the puppy for being a handful and unmanageable. He is rushed to the vet and given care and medication for the injuries incurred but has to remain in …

By TSK Editor, ago

Breed Specific Legislation

In my opinion, Karen Delise compiled the definitive study of dog attacks in her book “Fatal Dog Attacks”. She did painstaking research, and took a close look every fatal dog attack in the US over the course of about forty years. She broke it down from every conceivable angle. We read in terrible newspaper accounts…

By TSK Editor, ago

Hip Dysplasia

No one can predict when or even if a dysplastic dog will start showing clinical signs of lameness due to pain. There are multiple environmental factors such as caloric intake, level of exercise, and weather that can affect the severity of clinical signs and phenotypic expression (radiographic changes). There is no rhyme or reason to the severity of radiographic changes correlated…

By TSK Editor, ago

Preferred Breed Type

I make this statement at the expense of being tarred and feathered but increasingly, the best dog you’ll 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…

By TSK Editor, ago

Ask TSK – Q&A The Skull

… meantime we can use the drawings from Alan Mitchell’s book (with hispermission) to explain what we are looking for in photography. Dish-faced – A slight concaveness of foreface, the tip of the nose is higher that the stop, when viewed in profile. Down-faced – where the muzzle inclines downward from the skull to nose….

By TSK Editor, ago

The Problem With Parks

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 that’s what I am told when I go to people’s houses. So if these are things that…

By TSK Editor, ago

What Veterinarians Are Saying About The Raw Diet

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…

By TSK Editor, ago