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*27 April 2012 -- Interaction With Other Family Animals. Where do I begin? For EVER, it seems, I have said that the Irish Wolfhound, being a "pack" hound, would interact favorably with the other animal members in a family no matter the breed or species. My experience now tells me I was wrong. If one incident wasn't enough, three certainly are. I won't go into detail--too long and involved and the people would know themselves [G]--suffice-it-to-say the breeds/species with which the Irish Wolfhound puppy had to interact are the "frenetic" type--like, Giant Schnauzers, Jack Russell Terriers, Maine Coon Cats. For example: The Giant Schnauzer taught the IW puppy to fight in their manner; the Jack Russells taught the puppy to be hyper active; the Maine Coon Cat was just plan brutal to the puppy. In two of the cases, I had to appropriate the hounds and rehome them in more appropriate environments. This has taught me that now I must be mindful of the role of the animals already in a household before I place an IW puppy there. Another issue is the number of other animals in a family. Recently, a family wanted an IW to add to their menagerie of (not the actual breeds) 8 Shelties, 2 Great Danes, 4 Cats, and 1 Irish Wolfhound male--they were looking for an IW female as a companion. I am always suspicious of anyone asking for the opposite gender then listen to them tell me "but we don't want to breed", so when I tell them I would release the papers to them upon proof of spay/neuter --well, the story changes again [G]. Next, they tell me of the other animals in the family and I am appalled that the level of attention and love to each pet is so diminished that I could not, in good conscience, allow one of my hounds to join that family. Many years ago, a family who did Rescue of another breed assured me they were closing their Rescue Station on that breed and retiring to love and exhibit just the Irish Wolfhound, so I sold them a fantastic show potential male. Eighteen months later I got a frantic call--"he's killing our cats". Huh? Where did the cats (plural!) come from? And, "my rescue dogs don't like the IW". WHAT? They had NOT closed their cat and dog rescue station and the IW took the lead from their rescued dog (frenetic dog breed) members and started following on the cat chase. The Irish Wolfhound proved faster than both the breed of dog AND the cats, thereby maiming or killing a few. So, if you have other animals in your family--PLEASE be truthful about it in breed, species and number; it could save you, the hound and me a lot of heartache. 23 March 212--RESCUE VS RE-HOME: DEFINED. It is mostly a matter of semantics. When is a Re-homed hound a Rescue ? The answer:should be NEVER. But, when a family can no longer keep the hound for a number of reasons (relocation, job loss, divorce) and has opted to turn the hound into the Wolfhound Rescue people rather than back to the breeder, that, by definition, is a "rescue". This is marginally acceptable *IF* the breeder is across the country, in another country, or dead! We hope your breeder has been the right kind of person and you have a great rapport with him/her so you do not feel any embarrassment in returning the hound to them--no matter the reason!! Hopefully, you have a contract with them that states clearly that you will return the hound to them--at the very least ask for advice or a referral for re-homing the hound. On the other hand, we have breeders who are not as concerned with the hound--"here's your hound, give me the money, and set going!" They don't worry about what happens to the hound if something happens to YOU... In a case like this, please contact another breeder who you can trust and ask for advice BEFORE you take the hound to the pound or foist it off on some fly-by-night organization (like HSUS, for example). Chances are they won't find a home for the dog because "it is so big"... HUH? ..and will euthanize the hound. While I do not make it a habit (and it does not come up often THANKFULLY), I have had families bring their hound to me rather than to their original breeder. I have helped to RE-HOME a number of hounds for them. I have also referred families to Rescue, especially if there are health issues the family can no longer afford or deal with. Yes, Get Real!! This does happen so don't condemn or shake your head unless you know the whole story... what if, for example, a child now needs all the financial aid the family can give due to an illness or injury. The hound must then take a back seat or die...why not deliver the hound into caring hands of another Irish Wolfhound person or IW rescue? I mean DUH!!! Sorry! I do tend to get heated on some subjects<G> So what do we have for a definition of Re-Home? I would say, to return the hound to a breeder or to a breeder-referred family for the betterment of the hound's situation. Defining Rescue might be not dealing with the original breeder and turning the hound in to the local Animal Shelter or to the Irish Wolfhound Rescue. Please call SOME BREEDER/ANY BREEDER first, before you take that step. Now, for another side to this "coin". Let us say, there are no puppies available in your area or you're really not interested in dealing with puppy teeth and housebreaking; what is a good direction to take? Call a breeder and tell them so. Some of us re-home our older hounds--YES I DO, and any other breeder out there with any concern for their hounds does the same with their "career" hounds! Anyway, you could just call at the right time and the breeder might have a retired show dog ready for a family, lots of love and a huge couch<L> Let's hit some high spots on this, too. We often tell you that the hound life expectancy is 6 to 8 years, okay, so how old is the retired hound and how many years will you get to be loved by him/her? That "expectancy" is pretty solid these days and every year beyond is like frosting the cake! There are many hounds now living to 11, 12, 13 and 14 years! And they LOVE YOU more than any other animal or dog breed I have cherished! You will feel it too. I'm sure I have confused you completely by now, so call, ask question, just tell me your wolfhound stories and I'll laugh with you...or cry with you. 3
March 2012--PUPPY SOCIALIZATION LEVELS.
With the new litter, I've had a number of questions on "Why
can't I have my puppy at 8 weeks?" so in doing some research, I
found an article that pretty much says it all: 8
February 2012 -- STRUCTURE (Part 1?).
I recently read an
amazing document about the physical structure of the Irish Wolfhound.. I
have to admit that Sue McClure has put into text the very arguments I
have used for years when confronted with the MYTH of the 45° shoulder
layback. If for no other reason than to be better informed about your
Hound's body, please read this article. http://www.thedogplace.org/BREEDS/Irish-Wolfhound/Canine-Shoulder_McClure-1202.asp
8 April 2011 -- BREEDER RELATED TOPICS. I realize I have included many entries that seem more related to being a breeder than to just being owned by an Irish Wolfhound. But, think about it a little. If you know some of our "How" and "Why" perspectives you might appreciate all the studying and experience to produce YOUR puppy. So, you can read them as you want; take them with a cellar of salt; or believe them as absolute fact... I found them intriguing in themselves. Perhaps you will, too.
21 March 2011 -- FREE PUPPY!
Yes,
your puppy is FREE! Recently one of my new families said, "When I
look to a professional breeder to buy a puppy, I realize that what I'm
really paying for is that breeder's experience and expertise--the puppy
is FREE!" I certainly like that interpretation on my part, but how
about other families looking into their first...or fifth...puppy? Is it
possible we look at the expense of buying a puppy in terms of just the
dog itself, or take into consideration not only the breeder's
professionalism, but the weeks, months of the families' own research.
Surely that is "worth" something in this process. When the
purchase price is considered on the whole, all the time and energy and
research should become part of the "segments" of the price.
Shall we make a formula? How about assigning a dollar value to these
segments? Breeder Professionalism and Years=$1500.00; Family Research
with Phone Calls, etc=$500.00; Cost of Puppy $2000.00=FREE! <G>
Get my drift? Enjoy the adventure! Enjoy your FREE PUPPY!
18 January 2011--PUPPY RULES OF
SEVEN.
The Rule of Sevens says that by the time your puppy is 7 weeks
old it should be exposed to the following situations: 10 August 2010-- When To Use Your Pet Insurance. I really have to start with: NEVER...then explain that, yes, you will use your Pet insurance for catastrophic problems, BUT YOU DO NOT tell your veterinarian that you have Pet Insurance. It has come to my attention that many veterinarians will "use up" your policy then ask for more, so if you don't tell them you have the insurance, and you present the bills to the Insurance Company yourself, you'll come out better in the long run! Just try to convince the Veterinarian that any bills are coming out of your pocket--which is basically true till you submit them to the Insurance Company--and maybe the Veterinarian will reduce the fees to match what you tell him is your max-out point. Sorry if I sound pessimistic, but it has happened to a number of my Irish Wolfhound friends. Example 1: Puppy needs surgery because he broke his leg. Family says they have insurance which caps out at $5,000. Their bill is $5,500. Insurance covers the $5,000; Family pays the balance. Example 2: Puppy needs surgery, but the Family tells the Veterinarian that they do not have pet insurance and will have to pay out of pocket and can he possibly take payments or bring the costs down to their $3200 pocketbook? Their bill is $3,200, with follow-up care at no charge. This family pays the bill, then presents the documents to their Pet Insurance Company and are reimbursed completely. This is the same quality of care, but humans want to get the most they can and will pad the billing to insurance companies, but are willing to work with the family to the Max of their pocketbook. Let us hope you never have to use the Insurance, but it is quite valuable in the long run. Another interesting thing that happens when a Veterinarian sends the family to a Specialist...the Specialist usually "kicks back" a finder's fee which can be anywhere from $100 to $1000, depending upon the end billing to the family. This kick-back can be a flat fee or a percentage of the total billing. If you want more on this subject...you can call me.
22 March 2010-- A Training
Trick.
GAWD! After all these years to learn
that I can STILL learn a trick or two is enlivening!! The story: We have
a sweet puppy, Sunstag Kissin' Kizzie, who was our "pre-mie" in the
Keeno x Koko litter in September '09. I'm always busy with on-line work so
had not been working with her on-leash, just letting her run and play
and learning her doggie manners. BUT she is coming up on her first show
in April and I was still not working with her on show manners. Finally,
I called my handler friend, Michelle, and asked if Doggie Boot Camp was
"open" for Spring Training and made the appointment for Kizzie
to attend for a few days. We made arrangements for me to bring Kizzie to
the show where Michelle would give us Koko and take Kizzie home with
her...this meant we'd be breaking
a rule--"no unentered dogs on the show venue", but it was the
most convenient for all concerned...and it also meant, Kizzie needed to
walk on-leash from the car to Michelle's RV. Before we left for the Sunday show, we tried to walk The
Kizz on a leash and found--as expected--a bucking 80 pound puppy,
resistant and a bit anxious. Having no other choice, we piled her into
the car and headed to the show site. Here's the tricky part: The
excitement and activity, the strange sounds, smells and dogs, and Kizz
was walking on leash like it was NATURAL. My theory is, she wanted that
security of being close to us, but liked being able to meet-and-greet at
the length of it--not too far away of course, but secure knowing we were
right there. So, I am suggesting to you who find leash training
difficult, to go to a busy dog park and walk your puppy around on-leash
while puppy gets acquainted. Then, release puppy as a reward!! Before
leaving the park, put the leash back on, walk around inside a few
minutes, and leave for your car or walk home as if it was the most
routine thing in puppy's world!! Try it, please. Let me know how it
works for you! All I can say about my learning process: DUH DIXIE! 29 July 2009 -- Puppy Development Timeline. This is quite a long bit of data and might only be interesting to families about to get an Irish Wolfhound puppy, therefore I have made a separate data page for the document. Just click here [ http://sunstag.org/hound/pages/PUPPY_DEVELOPMENT.htm ] to read MY interpretation of how an Irish Wolfhound grows and develops. [These links may not work...sigh...I'm working on it! If you have to, copy./paste, please.] GOTO 3 Mar 2012--I have added another article on Puppy Socialization Levels.
6 June 2009 -- What About Coat
Colors? There have been some
folks who insist on a specific color for their Irish Wolfhound. I try to
accommodate but we cannot always predict what two dogs might produce.
Just for fun I looked up a couple of websites about coat colors; one has
very descriptive definitions for various colors--many of them do not
apply to Irish Wolfhounds, but the site is interesting all the same. 27 May 2009 -- Pet Puppies Have Faults--NOT! A recent call got me thinking about a misconception most new puppy buyers may have--that pet puppies (I call them Companion Puppies) have such a major fault they could not be shown and are on a level with "throw-away" dogs. This is so totally UNTRUE. I almost fainted when I heard this description. What is the REAL difference between the loving hound who is never shown, lives the life of Riley, and enjoys the comforts of a stress free life and the Show Puppy? Just that... a stress free life as opposed to one on the Show Circuit with chaos around him/her nearly every weekend. Succinctly, the difference is "attitude"! ONLY attitude. Sometimes the best conformationally correct puppy in a litter does not want to be a show dog and would slink around the ring rather than being sprightly and eye-catching. Remember this breeds should have Commanding Appearance--and that very attitude can camouflage a minor fault by being a showman! Buying a Companion Puppy does NOT preclude the show-ability of that hound; its attitude and desire make the difference.
10 January 2008 -- So You've
Decided to Show, BUT... Have you ever
even been to a dog show? If you have, it may all seem so
daunting. You're proud of your dog and would love to show off a bit. You
might even decide to keep going right on to an AKC Championship. BUT...
you are not as much of a show-man as you are a show-off and that would
really not show-case your "baby" properly. That means you're now looking
for a handler. Not any handler will do either. They need to practically
love your dog as much as you do; they need gentleness tempered with
firmness; they need to know what YOUR breed is all about. You could hire
someone from the PHA (The Professional
Handlers Association)
8 June 2008 -- Height-to-Weight Ratio. Okay! Okay! So I mentioned this earlier then didn't give you my "theories" on the functional, athletic Irish Wolfhound. Here's my take on it. In our Standard it reads: "The minimum height and weight of dogs should be 32 inches and 120 pounds; of bitches, 30 inches and 105 pounds; these to apply only to hounds over 18 months of age." If we consider those figures as the baseline for both males and females--i.e., 2 inches difference and 15 pounds--then I can estimate the ratios to be 7.5 pounds per additional inch. That would give ME (perhaps not you or anyone else, hee hee) the following: A hound who is 36 inches tall should maximum out at 165 pounds (7.5 #/inch times 6"; using 30" at 105# for the baseline). Have I confused you? Good!! I'm hoping this will help you do more research on your own Irish Wolfhound for the future. Oh, and, I guess I should include my "theory" that the older hound, who is not getting as much exercise as in his youth, could carry an additional 10 pounds without sacrificing health. Again, I must stress that EXERCISE is one of the most important factors in keeping an Irish Wolfhound healthy, even moderate for the geriatric hound. |
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*8
June 2008 -- How Tall is Tall?
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18 March 2008 -- New Breed? Outside Dog? Recently I received an interesting reprint from a friend in Canada. When buyers call me, one of my questions deals with where the dog will be housed, where it will sleep and what the arrangements are if the family is away a good part of the day. Most of us agree (rightly so!) that our dogs are house dogs first and foremost as our companions and 4-legged children. Dr. Fetko put it much better than I can, so read his article. OUTSIDE DOG. 27 February 2008 -- Correcting Structural Faults through Scientific Breeding. Actually, it might be more correct to say "trial and error" breeding as opposed to "scientific". So much is guess work, experience and luck. Years ago, I was told a rule of thumb: "It takes 3 generations to correct bad ears, but it can take 5 generations to correct a bad rear." Today, I am dealing with a high tail set--and my family people really don't care. It may seem logical and easy to look at the dog and bitch and figure on her very feminine head being passed on to her puppies unless you can moderate them with a very heavy or coarse or just large headed male. Like all things in Mother Nature, sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't. I'm certainly uneducated about genetics, and I don't know any dog breeders personally, who can sit down and diagram a genetic profile that will correct a structural fault (high tail set) in one or two generations...perhaps no one can. We continue our guess work methodology, applying our observations down through the generations and hoping for the best. I like to keep Mother Nature on my side whenever possible, therefore I do not attempt huge changes at one time; just tiny baby steps, till I get what my mind's eye has envisioned. We must be careful--extremely so!--because one correction in an area can throw something else off. I have always heard it said that doing line breedings (see Helpful Terms and Phrases) over several generations will cost your bloodline in height. With such a limited genepool in our breed, it is essential for every breeder to find an unrelated sire or dam at least every 3rd generation. Okay! Now that I have you totally confused... feel free to ask questions (if you really have an interest) and I'll try to clarify. Remember, I'm just rambling here. 11 December 2007 -- Allergies!
An interesting post came across my desk today regarding allergies and
treatments. This modern age is wonderful!! As a kid, I went through the
skin tests--YIKES--and found I was allergic to about 200 things. The
usual stuff and some really way out things; ironically I am still
allergic to dogs, yet I raise some of the biggest, hairy ones of all the
breeds--The Irish Wolfhound. Well, I live with it, but sure wish the
testing in my day (60 years ago) could have been what it is today. http://www.varlallergy.com/index.html
Check out these folks and if you have an allergic dog that your vet
wants you to take to a dermatologist or other specialist, suggest this
blood test first. It seems right as a first step and relatively
reasonable. The post today said it was around $300 and the best bucks
he'd ever spent! Next step, after finding the food allergy, was the
right food (in this case). I have learned that other allergies are
helped by a food change even if the allergy itself is not food related,
afterall nutrients in different combinations create different
absorptions etc. This product is not very expensive, they offer free
shipping and a free box of samples with all the flavors. So check out
this link (which is also ironic--a "wolf" helping an Irish WOLF
hound<L>):
http://timberwolforganics.com/ Do listen to your vet, but remember
to listen to your own intuition. You know your dog better than anyone
else. You do what YOU feel is right. It helps to have input from
breeder, vet and outsiders...but the health of your dog is YOUR
responsibility--bottom line. 1 March 2007 --WOW! It has been a long time. I've been involved in a number of projects, the primary one a total hip replacement last October...which I had put off far too long, of course. I'm back now and have two or 3 little issues to bring up to you all. Diets and Feeding: I have been in a long-standing discussion with proponents of the B.A.R.F. (Bones And Raw Foods) diet plan. They contend that after 3 generations on a balanced raw food diet, there is no longer a need for vaccinations and the basic health of the dog will be better. I argue that if that were true, the ancient dogs of the past would have lived longer than six years--which is the reported average from around 1860. Current life spans are more in the 8 to 12 year range. I find that to be most logically due to better care and veterinary education, high quality and better balanced commercial dietary products, and an understanding by each owner/breeder that a full range of exercise is essential in promoting longevity. You really need to do the research for yourself and make up your own mind regarding the care and maintenance of your own dog. Some BARF breeders require that you feed your new puppy by their outline and give you little to no option about changing that diet. Speaking of requirements by breeders, there have been recent reports that some breeders will not sell a puppy to a Horse-owning home. Horses? My goodness, why not? It seems those breeders fear their puppy will be injured by a horse. Possibly, that's true, but for centuries dogs and horses have coexisted and aided each other in the hunt or for recreation. That should be accurate to say even today. Instead of long walks, what's the problem with trail rides? The hound will pace itself and if the rider will stay aware of possible distress by the hound, they then stop and rest. The hound will not bond with the horse rather than the person (another rumored reason to exclude horses). That's ridiculous. The Irish Wolfhound is the most human-bonded animal I have ever lived with!! Oh, shoot. The stupidity of "man". Which brings me to Climbing Stairs for your Wolfhound--another example of the stupidity of "man".. For years I have heard or been told, "You must not let your puppy ascend or descend stairs. It will hurt his shoulders and hips." Hey! This is another of those "ya gotta' be kidding" statements, in my opinion. Our puppies start at 4 weeks doing a half-step from house to porch. It is a full step down but we add a 2x4 plank to shorten the height for their first encounters. Before long, they are up and down without a stutter. They don't even notice when we remove the 2x4 a few days later. Many years ago, I had a hound who would go DOWN stairs but not up, until I realized that these were open backed stairs and he was cautious of what was behind the stairs. Since then, I have added open backed steps (just a couple) for the puppies to play and practice on. Many of our families live in multi-storied homes, this has become a great benefit for them...and the hounds have more freedom in the household. Three subjects covered today and I'm sure I'll not take nearly so long in the future to jot down my thoughts. Part 2/1 March 2007-- I was ready to close out and get on to other projects when another thought struck me. For the Breeder or Totally Curious of you, I can offer a couple of insights into aiding one's Breeding Program (BP101). A kind of Breeding Program (BP201) Advanced Course. Breeding Program 101 is the cut and dried, do your pedigree and phenotype research, select your best mate and go for it! The Advanced Course includes all of BP101 and adds things like Leasing or breeding to some other Breeder's Female to enhance your genepool--again the pedigree is researched for all the outcrosses possible. (See Helpful Terms); or finding the Stud Dog from another Breeder with outcrosses; or by buying an import either from a world-wide marketplace or locally; and Advertising. Yes, I said "advertising". How else will people know you have the superior dog or bitch? How else will families know you have puppies for sale? In my mentorship plan, I help new breeder families take each step along the way. I give them the tools to prevent them making any mistakes I may have made. This is NOT to say that I am the last word; heaven forbid! I've made my mistakes and will share them anecdotally, but the new breeder makes all the final decisions on who, what, where based on all the data they have. Even with Breeding Program 201 and Advertising, they must make all the final decisions since BOTH can be expensive in time, money and shame or glory. We work together. Today's advertising is much easier and less expensive than 30 years ago. Then, we paid up to $400 for a full page color ad in a Dog Related magazine, sometimes more in a Breed Specific magazine, every time we wanted to brag or announce a litter. Now, we may pay $200 a year for a website and put all the words and pictures--even music and movies!--onto the pages for all to view. We can be as busy and prolific as Mother Nature allows...or as one's own conscience delineates. We are breeding to IMPROVE, not to provide pets to the public, therefore one's website needs to become a forum to educate and inform, rather than an exclusive sales tool. I will be building a new page soon--just for the kids. A Coloring Book of sorts (Ed.Note: Done--go see!), so parents can print out the pictures and the kids can color them. Hey, if you want to send me your best offerings--no, not YOURS, your kid's--I'll try to post them in that special Coloring Book section with first name and age of the colorist. What fun! I'd better get to it!! 23 June 2006 -- Let’s go back to Naming Puppies for a further look at my philosophy. I guess we could call this The Vibrations in Names since I used to instruct in Numerology & First Encounter Vibrations—oh, so many years ago!! [Now, you probably really think I’m a kook! That’s okay; I am!!] I still strongly believe that all of us respond, or “vibrate”, so to speak, to the names given to us. Some of us will respond more positively to a nickname, some more to a legal appellative like MS or MRS so-and-so, and each of us will react according to that vibration. Don’t you act more adult when someone addresses you as Mr or Mrs? I know I do…so there’s part of my philosophy about naming puppies. Yes, I still use a theme but within that theme will be names that reflect a “personality”, an “attitude”, or an “image” to the people around the puppy. As an example, you hear: “Rocky”, and in general, the image you get is a Rottweiler or Pit Bull; you hear “Fi-Fi”, and immediately that fluffy poodle pops in your head. This is 2006 and our new litter was born on Father’s Day. My theme is Famous Fathers and Famous Daughters (of Famous Fathers when possible). A tough selection process to be sure! Some of the selections include: Girls=Sunstag Oona; Sunstag Heming (Nickname: Sally); Sunstag Ali (Nickname: Laila); Sunstag Dionne; Sunstag Serena (Williams); Sunstag Ashley (Judd); Sunstag ZsaZsa; Sunstag Indira. Boys=Sunstag Sideshow Bob [taken!]; Sunstag Fonda (Nickname: Henry); Sunstag Nixon (Nickname: Dickie); Sunstag Ghandi (Nickname: Mo); Sunstag Bridges (Nickname: Jeff); Sunstag Presley (Elvis); Sunstag O’Neil (Eugene); Sunstag Bergan (Charlie): Sunstag Chaplin (Nickname: Charlie); Sunstag Richie …with more coming in every day. Okay, take Sunstag Serena—in your mind perhaps you see the strong athletic, tennis player, which is my intention; however, some will not make the connection and will think of serenity, solitude and a placid temperament. My choice for a family will be the one who mentally connects with the athlete. With Sunstag Ghandi, you may imagine him as the brave, silent, non-confrontational personality, or if you use “Mo”, the nickname, you could think of More (bigger than life!), or Maurice (a bit French?), or the WW2 battleship “Mighty Mo”, or you knew someone called that and you will “image” the puppy in that mold. It is my job to interview to find the family who will react in the way I envision when giving the puppy that name. Truth be told, puppy will tell me what best suits it. Sure, the family has a lot of input on the selection process; I prefer that selection be from a list I have formulated so when they call and tell me the puppy’s name, I can recollect the litter, any pertinent anecdotal references and then can respond to that “vibration” properly. If you are getting a puppy from this litter, be sure to ask for the updated list of “suitable” names. Remember, no matter what name is on puppy’s AKC registration form, you can call him whatever suits you—and puppy. 2 June 2006--Shall we discuss Rude, Arrogant, Exclusionary Breeders? My friends, I do apologize for those times you called or met a breeder who was rude and discourteous to you. It is unfortunate that some can be quite snobbish...usually without much of a reason. I hope you never experience the silent snub or get rude responses when you ask the price of a puppy even before the Breeder knows anything about you. Well, I can tell you that it would put someone off a bit if that was your true criteria for buying an Irish Wolfhound, but if the Breeder doesn't give you a chance to explain, well...there you are. Their loss, I'm sure. You are a nice person. You just don't know how to approach buying from a Breeder. Perhaps your only experiences have been at the Pound, ASPCA or a pet store. That can be daunting, but addressing a professional Breeder can be life changing<L>. I should add to my 14 July 2005 comments below: that a Good Breeder also is willing to listen to you when you are a Prospect; willing to share some resources and experiences and to help you decide if this is the right dog for you and your family. A Good Breeder will be there for you even if you don't buy from him/her; afterall, you are part of the family--you own an Irish Wolfhound! How simple is that?? If you are ever treated to such discourtesy, let me know...I'll broadcast it so no one else is treated that way! 2 June 2006--What is a National Specialty? My goodness, I'm truly Chatty Cathy today! Anyway. A National Specialty is a very super ANNUAL dog show for Irish Wolfhounds only where the breeders and owners have an opportunity to come from all across the country to a central location to exhibit their best and finest hounds to a knowledgeable Judge (usually an Irish Wolfhound breeder as well). It is hosted by a Regional Club under the National Breed Club's aegis. The Host Club provides the venue, the itinerary and the personnel needed to put on an event which could bring in 300 Irish Wolfhounds or more!! Amazing! And, for the opportunity to see that many hounds in one place at one time is incredibly fortunate! I believe that every family who owns and loves their Irish Wolfhound would benefit from the experience and education provided by a National Specialty. You do not have to be a Breeder or an Exhibitor--simply that you love the breed. You can find the schedule for our Specialties on the web: www.IWClubofAmerica.org . Do try to go at least once. The venues rotate around the U.S. so it could be in your area soon. Y'all come, ya hear! 8 March 2006--What is an International Championship? Well, since many of our hounds have been awarded this title, I suppose it is a good idea to explain that there are TWO such titles, which makes things confusing. One title is awarded by Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) of Belgium and has a membership of 84 countries Worldwide, the other one is awarded by the International All Breed Kennel Club, sanctioned by a German organization. With the former, you are truly an International Champion; with the latter you can only say you are Internationally titled—they cannot award an International Certificate (CACIB) because it is trademarked by the FCI. You might want to know that our hounds have also actually BEEN to places like Peru and Brazil and Canada and Mexico and Japan…we have been fortunate to have awards presented to our hounds in all the countries visited, so they are National Champions, making them Internationally Titled as well as being International Champions by virtue of being awarded the Certificats d'Aptitude au Championnat International de Beauté (CACIB) by an FCI Affiliate country. The only prime countries which do not recognize or participate in this FCI certification, are Canada (CKC) and the United States (AKC). To top it off, the FCI sponsors a World Show every year. At World Shows, a separate and very special title can be bestowed on each breed; that of World Champion. The World Show travels from country-to-country based on the host country of the current President of FCI. Truth be told, these shows make for some of the greatest vacations ever!!! [For more information on the FCI, GOTO http://www.fci.be/aboutus.asp?lang=en&sel=4 ] Or, see my latest (12/2007) article on this issue. GOTO INTERNATIONAL CHAMPION? 14 July 2005--I
once thought I knew how to Identify a Good Breeder, then I read something that
put a few more ideas into my head. I'm sorry to do this to you, but you'll have
to CLICK here and go read the full document for yourself. It is very well
written...I doubt I could do better.
This segment may grow over the next
years... Keep Watching! Neuter = A generic term for surgically
rendering a dog or bitch sterile, but is generally
considered reserved for the Male (see Spay) 3 March 2002--As I sit here pondering
the logistics of shipping
about five puppies from Willow (Bellwood Witch O'Wonder), it has
occurred to me that just because I am comfortable dealing with
putting a puppy on a wild, scary, plane ride, my families may
have much larger trepidations. I don't know if I can be brief on
this as there are many little actions that are required to get
Puppy from Sunstag to the new home. This begins with the
interview process --possibly beginning 2 years earlier-- the
receipt of the non-refundable reservation option fee, and the day-to-day
memoranda on each puppy once it is born. I evaluate the puppies
constantly on the Puppy Memo Sheet with an eye to the
environments and lifestyles I have come to know of my reserved
families. Yes, occasionally a family may come out and select
their own puppy and I adore meeting everyone--so do the hounds!
It is interesting that when families do come to make the
selection, they inevitably select the very puppy--rather, the
puppy I want them to have, selects them. Puppy and I have had
long talks about this Family <L>! Nearly 3 weeks before
Puppy is shipped, I have sent the Family their contract for
perusal and questions; they have been instructed where to
purchase the crate (#300, Intermediate, with Air Travel Kit, www.jefferspet.com , about $60 in 2002 for
drop shipment to me for use on their puppy; they are feeling the
excitement by now! But how do I go about shipping a puppy in the
Continental U.S? (I'll deal with Foreign shipments sometime in
the future--they are even more complicated.) The Airline
schedules are on the internet. Once I have established with the
family the general time frame for puppy to go home, we select a
date that is convenient for them that gives them the most quality
time with the new arrival. Perhaps the family takes a week of
vacation, or staggers his and her schedules, or there is a
stay-at-home family member, but in any case I want puppy to BOND
with the caregivers...this means not leaving puppy alone for the
first 72 hours at least. Next, I browse the airline sites for the
best and most direct (means: may stop but no plane change) or a
non-stop schedule, Time of year, time of departure/arrival and
weather are taken into consideration. Our puppies have
indoor/outdoor access and are therefore acclimated to many
weather conditions --wind, cold, rain, heat, and so on-- which
are itemized on their Memo sheet, along with the high and low
temperatures. Within ten (10) days of shipping, Puppy sees the
Vet for a Health Certificate and that's where the Puppy Memo
becomes a source of data for the Health Certificate. I give my
own DHLPP shots (which run about $20 per puppy for 3-5 shots,
beginning at age 5 weeks and every 3 weeks to Week 17); those
dates are listed on the Memo. I worm with two types of medicine
(at 3 weeks and 7 weeks, which runs around $10 per puppy); those
types and dates are on the Memo. If puppy had his dewclaws
removed ($15 per puppy); that's there as well. I think you get
the idea of how important this document is! [And, the Dam's Memo
Ledger is more intensive!] Now comes the part that would be
difficult for many because of the more stringent Airline rulings about
"Known Shipper" Status. I suggest that the
"new" breeder, shipping only occasionally, should hire
an Agent to handle the documents and transportation issues. These
can be found in the Yellow Pages under Shipping or Shipping
Agents, usually; or call your closest Department of
Agriculture for a referral. You must pass that expense along to
the Buyer/Family (about $75-$100). A "Known Shipper"
can be an individual, but this person must have established a
Credit Account with that airline--can you imagine having credit
accounts with 20 airlines?! I'm very fortunate that we are part
of an industry that requires this status, and I can
ride-on-the-back of that company. Shipping must be prepaid--no
C.O.D. of live cargo. We trust our Families enough to not try and
estimate the shipping figure then have to either ask for more or
(heaven forbid!) refund some. The Way Bill Invoice is attached to
the crate and the Family sends us the additional funds after
puppy is home and settled. So, if you add up these
"extras"--dewclaws ($15), shots ($20), wormings ($10),
crate ($60), airport transport ($20) and Health Certificate
($37.50)--the Families are about $170 plus shipping costs over
and above the actual purchase price of the their Puppy. These are
NOT hidden fees. I do include dewclaws, shots and wormings as
part of the initial Purchase, but crate, transport, health
certificate and air fare are extra. So if you are a Prospective
Family, be aware of these fees and please be prepared to accept
them as part of your Puppy purchase. If you have questions, just
ask. 16 October 2001--We have been hit by a
terrorist attack... The aftermath seems grim for our animal
friends as well as human ones. Have we all provided information
to someone who knows that we have animals
needing attention? Like a will, this kind of information
sometimes is put off until it is too late. If unable to return
home to care for the animals yourself, how long would it take for
someone to acknowledge that something needs to be done. There are
door and window stickers to let visitors, firemen, policemen know
that certain critters are inside--in case of fire (for example)
the firemen need to know to look for the family dog as well as
the humans. There is no central registry for this kind of data so
it is up to us individually to select a friend or family member
with the number(s) and specie(s) at your home. This list must be
updated and readily available. If you have suggestions, I will
post them here. I do advise that you provide for your
critters--somehow. 22 December 2000--Y2001 faces us with
"power and glory"! We sincerely expect this wonderful
trend of good health for all the hounds (and us hu-mans!) to
continue, more exciting events, more travel and new puppies
(possibly from abroad), and that 2001 will be a blast! We have a
few geriatric
hounds among our kids and now might be a good time to discuss
some of the changes that should be made in diet, exercise,
grooming and so on for the Seniors. First, it is always best to
have annual check ups for all your hounds, but especially for the
older ones. You just might catch some little thing before it
becomes hu-mon-gous and life threatening. Diet changes include a
lower protein content--they are not as active as they had been so
the protein just sorta' "sits there" and isn't burned
off as readily. Exercise should be paced to the condition of your
hound. Some have been coursing all their lives and need to
continue with a more energetic program; others have been couch
potatoes for their life so adjust the exercise level
accordingly...ASK YOUR VET when you are there for the check-up;
get his input for your particular hound. He probably knows the
hound's needs almost as well as you do (by now<G>). See
also my ramblings about Winterizing. 16 August 2000--I've tried for weeks to
get this subject (Names) into my Ramblings. Let me see if I can finish before another
project gets priority. How do we name our Sunstag puppies? Long
ago I insisted that all our hounds would have Gaelic names.
Little did I know that not only would I not be able to correctly
pronounce them, I would have to be careful to pick IRISH Gaelic,
not WELSH Gaelic, names. This proved to be a major hurdle. I had
sworn I'd never do the "alphabet" naming...Litter 1 all
starts with the letter "A". I do admit that one time, I
chose to name a litter using "A'A" (A'Ausom, A'Albaa),
just so my detractors would think that this was my 27th litter.
And, it worked for awhile--I was found out! So, I guess you could
say I use "themes"; that probably best describes my
methodology. Let me try to give you examples. A recent litter was
born on the Night of the Academy Awards--first puppy was a bitch
and we named her Sunstag American Beauty (what else?<G>).
Among those are: Sunstag Topsy Turvy (Maisie); Sunstag Boys Don't
Cry; Sunstag Mr. Ripley; Sunstag Cider House Rules and so on...go
look at Puppies 2000 for the others. Then the Mayflower Litter
followed, I simply had to have Sunstag Mayflower Madame for
myself...naturally she's called "Sidney"...get it? Got
it! You've already read how our first 4 hounds that we bought
were named: Howell, Tien-sin, Gloch, and Moira (if not, read
About Dixie)... so I won't go into that Tiens-n (the actual
spelling), is Tibetan we believe, for Heavenly Blue Sky; we bred
her to Shan, in Tibetan we believe that is Mountain or Blue
Mountain... and so it goes. Read our Pedigree listings and ask me
how each hound got his/her name. I love to tell ..."the rest
of the story"... PS-XXXX is Kisses; OOOO is Hugs, get it?
Got it! 29 March 2000-- Whew! This has been a
busy year already. We do want to mention something about Insurance for your pet. for
your Pet. When we had only 4, 5 or 6 we had full coverage through
a firm called Veterinary Pet Insurance. We knew one of the
original developers of the plan, and with my husband Dick's
background in the insurance field, we felt comfortable with this
new company. It is now almost nationwide--good for them! But with
(almost always) 15 to 20 hounds in residence, it became
prohibitive. You, on the other hand, with 1 or 2, should find Pet
Insurance quite beneficial. It covers mostly the expensive
stuff--emergency medical, surgeries, and truly catastrophic
incidents--up to a given figure. Years ago they covered about
$4000 on one of our girls... total came to over $5000, so you can
see it was well worth the couple of hundred a year we were
spending on the limited number of hounds we had then. You can
find these guys in the white pages and possibly on-line, I
haven't checked recently. And, I've heard that PetCo is offering
a limited insurance policy. One or two more may be advertised in
the dog magazines on the grocery newsstands... or the Library is
a good resource. Do give some consideration to protecting your
wallet along with your pet. Sometimes the difference in expensive
care for an ailing hound can be this Insurance. 21 December 1999-- With the Millennium
upon us, it is rather nice to reflect on the past 1000 years--
I'm laughing here since I only feel like I'm 1000 years old
occasionally! We can see many improvements and other areas where
we want to make a few adjustments--nothing major just touches
here and there. Since I am traveling more to judging assignments
and New York for AKC stuff, I find I prefer to leave the breeding
to others (for the most part). Yes, Sunstag will have puppies in
Y2000, but most are already reserved. I have one breeding that
I'm waiting for (Dezi x A'Albaa)-- a repeat, and a rarity for us.
The first one is so wonderful (to me) that I'd like a bit more of
that gene pool for the future. So, Happy Christmas and Merry New
Year-- may the road rise up to meet ye! [2002 Update--We were
unable to repeat this breeding. Our A'Albaa developed cancer and
we lost her a few months later.] 21 September 1999-- Summer
is ending and
now is a good time to rid yourself of the last of the fleas. A
good bathing with Lemon Joy and a Frontline topical should see
your hound through the winter in style! With the kids back in
school, don't forget that your hound will need a tiny bit of
extra consideration--an extended playtime after you get home from
work, for instance. Our hounds can put on the "bulk"
during winter's lower activity level and less exercise. Be sure
you monitor the hound's weight and adjust his/her food intake to
prevent stress and strain on the internal organs (like the
heart!)--like with humans, being overweight is simply NOT GOOD
for them. 20 June 1999-- An Irish Wolfhound as
Wolf Hunter? Not on your life!!! On my life, maybe, but...
How shall I impart my feelings on this? Yes, I believe the
modern-day Irish Wolfhound could function in the great
northwestern wilds as a wolf- killer, but I'd rather one of mine
didn't have to prove itself. As a personal protector, I'd bank my
life on my hound; as a deterrent to a night stalker, burglar or
petty thief--probably, if I was in close proximity. I have found
the hounds to use passive resistance to alter situations which,
to the hound, appear threatening or not to their liking. For
instance, if rising from the ground is sufficient to alter that
situation, then, that's all ya gets, baby! If that doesn't do the
trick, lowering the head and woofing lightly is the next step.
After that...well, I know I'd be safe no matter what. BUT--I
would not count on the hound to protect my "herd" (of
whatever) if I was not also threatened. This is NOT a
"personal protection" dog like the Rottweiler, who is
reactive and protects just for the sake of protecting...the Irish
Wolfhound THINKS, then acts--again, as passively as the situation
warrants. Get a Llama for sheep or cattle, but please don't ask
me for an Irish Wolfhound to guard your stock--that implies that
the hound will be kept outside, away from the family. That is
untenable to me! ALL our hounds (17 today <G>) are house
hounds...and all should be. Don't you think so, too? 21 May 1999-- Nope! Nothing special.
I've just been playing around with some of the refinements on my
software--you know the ones that let you take an image and do
little things with it. Just for my own pleasure, I've put
together a clutter of kidlettes who don't appear on the Family
Tree (the big one), let's just say this is Falling Leafs (Link) . Yes, I spelled it wrong, but you'll see why when...er,
IF, you go take a peek. The document could take several seconds
to load--if you get bored, I did offer a way OUT! Have fun... Oh,
and for those who really want all this in-depth stuff, I link
from that page to the Pedigrees Cross Reference Index...By the
way, my thanks to "granddaughter", Angela, for helping
me to find a midi file for the Glenn Miller rendition of
"Autumn Leaves". I definitely appreciate it. Thanks.
AND, Harry's "Hot Stuff" midi! It's wonderful! So
appropriate! Still looking for "Macho Man"...anyone got
it? 13 May 1999-- In just a couple of months I've learned
another new and important lesson...know who to call in an emergency--no matter
where in the States you are! Guess what? It's "9-1-1"! Here's the story. Recently,
my handler was on a circuit with one of our girls when the hound
showed signs and sounds of bloat. They are in a strange city; it
was 1:30 in the morning; 9-1-1 was there and ready to help. They
contacted an Animal Control Officer who appeared (as if by magic)
at the fairgrounds, en route he had alerted a local veterinarian,
he then led my handler (Barbara) to the clinic--where the vet was
WAITING! An hour later the torsion surgery was done, the hound
resting quietly, Barbara and vets exhausted, but all went
well...Thank you, Canine Gods! Before I go into the
"lesson", let me just assure you that the hound is
alive, well and keeping everyone in line! The "lesson"
is to always be prepared for emergencies especially when
on the road and in a strange city. Additionally, when there is an
accident and the tow truck won't take the dog(s), what do you do?
Be sure to have the name and telephone number for Rescue (any
breed!) for that area. In some states, if your dog is impounded
due to an accident, they are required by law to neuter
before releasing it! With just a few precautions, Traveling With
Bowser can be rewarding. Be a good Scout: Be Prepared! 17 March 1999-- Well, sure has been
awhile! I've found myself all over the world since last June! You
know the feeling: Moving so fast you meet yourself coming and
going... I think I can now address one or two things for you. I
recently read an article on "What is a Breeder" (Also see Links--sorry,
no longer functional-6/20/99, I'll write one soon.) and it left
me rather undecided about it's in-depth value. Sure, it is a good
starting point, just remember that you and your Breeder will be
involved (should be, anyway) in the lifetime of your
puppy. You'll want to feel comfortable with that person; you'll
want to feel that your puppy is still under the protection of the
Breeder, that you can go back anytime for advice, for resource
material and just plain chit-chat. I don't say you have to become
bosom buddies, just that you can trust the value of the
information given you, that you can have faith that this person
will be fair and caring, that this person has the same level of
ethics as you do... Ah! Hah! Now we get to an interesting point.
That description should also fit the buyer (you) and it sometimes
doesn't. We all make mistakes in judgment, but if you do your
research with lots of referrals, your decision to use this
Breeder will be as good as you can get. Be sure you ask LOTS of
questions! 11 June 1998-- Q: ...What does
your Training
Program consist of? 11 February 1998--Well! Just a month
apart...
Q: ...What is a Mentor? Q: ...Shall I get another Irish
Wolfhound? 11 January 1998--Happy New Year!
[Look out!
I'm really loaded with "ramblings" today!] Q: ...What is the Potato Chip Syndrome?
This question has been asked of me:
Q:
...Where is your price list on your website?
24 December 1997--Merry Christmas! Q:... To breed
or not to breed? --that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler to do
it for oneself or let the "professional" take the
issue. Hummm.
18 December 1997. Q:... How do you count a dog's age in human years? 28 October 1997. An interesting
situation has crossed my computer recently regarding breeder after-sale advice
to the new buyer--Q: ...is it fact, fiction,
or guesswork? Q:...How can a breeder
select a Show Puppy? Q:...How can I be sure I have chosen a reputable breeder? Q:...It is said that 85% of a
puppy comes from the mother. Who contributes what
to the puppies? |
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