Speak Spaniel

Training

2009-12-08T09:02:00.000-08:00

Training related questions are the most common questions that I get asked by my puppy buyers.

One mistake that I find many pet owners make is to ignore good behavior and correct for bad behavior. While this may seem to be the obvious route to take, doing this will inhibit your dog's ability to learn quickly and happily.

Dogs do not learn without being reinforced for their good behaviors. How else are they to know what we want from them? We can teach what we do not want with a negative voice and response, but it takes a huge amount of time to shape a correct behavior using negative responses to incorrect behavior. Dogs work for praise/games or food. Most people do not use praise correctly as it requires much more than a monotone "good girl" to be a high level positive reinforcement. This is why cookies are generally more effective, but both work if used correctly. If you want your English Cocker to work for praise, "have a party" with her when she has done something great and have a short play session with a toy. Alternate food and praise as rewards. A dog who already knows something well can receive very low level rewards (such as verbal praise) and be happy. A much higher level of reward is required with a young dog. When I am doing obedience training with a novice dog, I use tons and tons of treat. With a higher level dog, like my six year old Sophie, a stick of cheese can go a very, very long way.

Another thing to remember is that if a puppy or novice dog does something wrong twice, go back to an easier step where she can be successful. It is important for your dog to be successful more often than she is wrong. This will build her desire to please. It may not seem like it, but she is learning more when she does something correctly and is praised than she learns if she is corrected for the wrong behavior. So, if I am working downs, I put the puppy in a down wait, wait one second, say good down wait, and feed (happy voice). I try again, waiting five seconds. If the puppy waits, it is good down wait and feed, if not, I lure the puppy in to a down or gently push her down (depending on the puppy as some resist being pushed) and say, no, gotta down, gotta wait (still a happy voice.) You can pull gently down on the collar while saying this. Give the command again, if she is wrong again, go back to one second so that you can praise and feed for the correct behavior.

The other mistake that pet owners often make is to faze out food too quickly. Question: When do I stop using treats?? Answer: Never!

Once your dog understands a behavior and reliably offers it to you when asked, you can switch to intermittently offered treats. However, if you completely stop rewarding the behavior, your dog will eventually stop giving you that behavior (-: When I visit the dog park with my dogs, I always have my pockets full of cookies. I call my dogs and feed cookies for their recalls. I often get asked how my dogs have such nice recalls even around so much distraction. My answer is that my dogs are continually rewarded for coming to me. They are just waiting until the moment I say their names to start running to me as fast as they can.

My dog doesn't know how to (?)

I suggest that you take a class with your dog. The majority of dog owners (myself included) learn much better when receiving feedback from an experienced trainer who is watching you work with your dog. You may not have the correct timing for your rewards or commands and may need help before your dog will completely understand the behaviors you are asking for. I know quite a bit about training my own dogs and I still take classes. Every time I take a class I learn something new or remember something that I have forgotten. Also, classes provide an environment full of distractions to train around and a structured training schedule.

When you are taking classes DO YOUR HOMEWORK. It is not enough to take a class and not work your dog in between classes. In order to get the most from your class, train your dog at least 2-3 times in between classes. Your training sessions can be short and sweet. Set a kitchen timer for the length of time you want to train for (I recommend under a half hour) and work until the timer goes off. Keep it positive and make sure you end on a successful note. If you get stuck on something, make a mental note to ask your instructor to work with you on that in class, and move on to something else. Never work the same command unsuccessfully. If you are unsuccessful, you need outside help before you and your dog become frustrated.

One other comment I commonly get is: My dog is too wild when I train with food!

This means that your dog is highly motivated by food. Please do not stop using food, which may be your initial response. If your dog or puppy becomes a little crazed when you bring out the cookies, you need to take the time to work through this. Continue using food and continue training. Eventually, your puppy will concentrate more on learning and working to get the cookie. It may take a bit of time for your puppy to understand that the point of training is not to leap for food, but to work for it. If your puppy is highly motivated by food, it is a blessing and not a curse. Continue working through it and continue building the association between food and training. A highly food motivated dog who understands that certain behaviors will be rewarded with food will eventually be very reliable about offering those behaviors (-: I love to work with an energetic, food motivated puppy myself (-:

I can't seem to get motivated to train (or) I don't have time to train my dog.

Neither of these are a very good excuse for not training your dog. Training time provides mental and physical exercise for your dog as well as time for the two of you to bond. An obedience class is just 1 hour a week. If you are lacking motivation, sign up for a class as the structure will be good for you. If you are lacking time, try to train for just ten minutes every night. Short training sessions are great for your dog, and ten minutes a night becomes 70 minutes of training a week.

Bed Dogs

2009-12-06T01:19:00.001-08:00

I'm snuggling in bed with Lexi Lou and Sophie while downloading new apps to my iPhone. A nice way to end the day! While not all dogs have the appropriate manners to be allowed to sleep on the bed, I have no personal problem with dogs sleeping on the bed with their owners. Sleeping on the bed and other furniture is, however, the first priveledge I will recommend dog owners take away from a dog who is acting dominant or possesive in *any* way or at *any* time, so sometimes people think I do not believe that dogs should ever be allowed on the bed. As a side note, if your dog is continually getting on and off the bed during the night, I recommend a crate or dog bed on the floor. Interestingly enough, in my experience, many dogs are actually happier sleeping in a dog bed on the floor. Also, I do not recommend allowing puppies to sleep on the bed until after a year of age. Puppies are safest crated at night and need to become accustomed to sleeping in a crate in case they need to travel or be boarded with a friend. Puppies also should not be given such a high value priveledge, in my humble opinion.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Puppy Play Dates

2009-10-26T13:05:00.000-07:00

I am sure most of my puppy buyers have heard me lecture about the importance of socializing a puppy in order to end up with a friendly, well adjusted adult dog who is good with everyone, both human and canine. If you expect your new puppy to be friendly with other dogs, he or she needs to be socialized with a variety of dogs. If you expect your new puppy to be good with kids, he or she must be socialized with children from an early age.

Puppy play dates are an excellent way to socialize your puppy and also to provide the exercise and mental stimulation that your puppy needs. I recently received these photos from the owners of Bella and Maggie from the M Litter. These two girls had a play date together and obviously had a fabulous time. I am so happy their owners took the time to get them together!! Socializing and training puppies can be very time consuming, but the effort will be rewarded with a well behaved and social adult dog.

English Cockers - The worst thing about this breed!

2009-09-29T11:22:00.000-07:00

Why did I have to fall in love with a breed that requires so much grooming???

Those of you who know me know that I am completely and totally in love with this breed. They are almost a perfect match for me. Energetic, smart, funny, athletic, friendly, cheerful, and biddable. They are a great breed for someone interested in performance events. They love to work and their love for cookies makes this a fabulous breed to train for someone (me) who prefers to have a lighter hand when training. In fact, heavy handed training methods do not usually work with this breed. There is no need for a battle of wills with my dogs... they work for food and a few extra snuggles.

I also love the size of this breed. A 200 vari-kennel is just about perfect for traveling with to shows, yet they are large enough and hardy enough to play at the dog park with goldens and labs. I cringe sometimes when I see smaller breeds of dogs at the dog park running with much larger breeds of dogs. No need to worry about my cockers. They run, jump and play with the big dogs and yet make nice playmates for smaller dogs as well.

I love the snuggling capabilities of this breed. They are never happier than when they are in your lap, shoving a toy in to the crook of your neck and then dropping it in favor of wet kisses all over your face. They are so charming and happy. All people are their friends, all dogs are their playmates. All tennis balls are for fetch and birds are for chasing.

Overall, this breed is a wonderful match for an active home that does not mind a dog who can't keep four on the floor (-:

However, this breed needs regular grooming!!! They need to be combed out every other day and need to be groomed about every 6 weeks. When an ECS is spayed or neutered, or clippered, they tend to grow even more coat and will need even more grooming. They need their nails trimmed, ears cleaned out, clippering, stripping, feet scissored, the list goes on. If you like grooming yourself, that is great, but if not, you should expect to have a *very* good relationship with your groomer. You should shop around for a groomer just as you would look for a veterinarian. Try to find someone that you like and trust as you will have an ongoing, long term relationship. It is in the best interest of your dog if you can find a groomer who will listen to you and who you can completely trust. All groomers are NOT created equal. Find one that you and your dog like and feel you can work with.

Get your English Cocker on scheduled grooming visits and stick with the schedule. Puppies should be taken to the groomer for face and feet trims and baths in order to get accustomed to the environment. It is not fair for you to expect your puppy to have a full haircut for the first time at 6 months of age. Your puppy need to be trained to accept and behave for grooming just as you will train a sit and a down. If you will use a professional groomer, your puppy needs to learn to be groomed and handled by strangers at a young age. I recommend the first grooming appointment be made for age 16 weeks, as soon as your puppy has had all of his or her puppy vaccinations.

Off Lead Play For Puppies

2009-09-22T16:04:00.000-07:00

Risa, our liver puppy, formally known as Calypso's Barista, is now 12 weeks old. She is such a good puppy, but a bundle of energy and enthusiasm. Meg, from our M Litter, who is now 13 weeks old, came over today for a play date with Risa. They had a TON of fun playing together. They sounded quite wild and crazy as they raced around barking, growling, wrestling, and leaping at each other. Meg's mom works as a veterinary technician, so she had the patience to stay here for several hours and watch puppies play with me, knowing, as I know, that off lead play time with other dogs is an essential part of socializing a baby puppy. Dogs learn so much from each other. They learn appropriate play styles, greetings, when to be submissive, etc. They learn how to interact appropriately with dogs only by playing with other dogs. Puppies also learn proper bite inhibition by playing with other puppies their age.

Many pet owners neglect this part of socializing their new puppies. This can lead to an adult dog who is fearful of other dogs or who gives the wrong cues while playing with other dogs which can lead to inappropriate behavior, either from your own dog or from the other dogs interacting with your dog. Dogs are not miniature humans and one of the best ways to allow them to develop proper canine language is to allow puppies plenty of off lead play time with other dogs and puppies while they are growing up.

If you have a puppy growing up at home, schedule a play date with another puppy your puppy's age. If you do not know another puppy, consider taking a puppy class where off lead play time is part of the curriculum. Once your puppy has had all of his or her vaccinations, you can look for a doggy daycare that will allow your puppy to visit for a few hours or a dog park with a "small dog" section where your puppy can make friends with dogs his or her size.

Properly socializing your puppy will take work on your part!! Remember, though, that in order to end up with a well socialized, well behaved adult dog, you must first put the appropriate amount of effort in to raising your puppy correctly.

One added benefit to puppy play sessions... a very tired and happy puppy! Risa is currently quietly sleeping in her crate. Too tired to even chew on the bone I gave her!

Dunkin x Sophie Puppies Age 3 Weeks

2009-07-24T12:59:00.001-07:00

Peter x Jasmine Puppies age 4 weeks

2009-07-24T12:11:00.000-07:00

They are growing up too fast!! I think these pictures are self explanatory. Just a glimpse of the puppies in their little puppy world. They think life is way too much fun!

Costco

2009-07-22T21:49:00.000-07:00

I was at Costco yesterday and saw that they had two great doggie items:

1. 32 ounce bottles of excellent quality Wild Alaskan Salmon oil for around $14.00. I bought one and my dogs think it is very yummy and it is great for their coats.

2. Frontline Plus 3 pack for about $38.00 - a very reasonable price.

Happy Dog's Bedtime Prayer

2009-06-07T16:39:00.000-07:00

Now I lay me down to sleep,

The queen-size bed is soft and deep.

I sleep right in the centre groove

My Human being can hardly move!

I've trapped her legs,

she's tucked in tight,

And here is where

I pass the night.

No one disturbs me or dares intrude

Till morning comes and I want food!

I sneak up slowly, it begins

My nibbles on my human's chin.

She wakes up slowly, smiles and shouts,

"You darling beast! Just cut it out!"

But morning's here,

it's time to play

I always seem to get my way.

So thank you, Lord, for giving me

This human person that I see.

The one who hugs and holds me tight

And shares her bed with me at night.

Author Unknown

Why Old Dogs Are The Best Dogs

2009-06-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

Read this article: Why Old Dogs Are The Best Dogs

Do Not Donate To Peta or HSUS

2009-05-15T22:29:00.001-07:00

Please donate to your local animal shelter directly. Do not donate to Peta or the HSUS!

Click on the link below to watch the video.

http://www.vidoosh.tv/play.php?vid=4360

ECS Embroidery

2009-05-14T18:26:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share a link to a website I have been working on for Bonnie Kost (Jack's owner.) The site is www.mydogmyshirt.com. It is a work in progress, but is fully functional and you can place an order if you would like. She has some lovely embroidery designs for English Cockers.

Dusty's Tail

2009-05-12T13:39:00.000-07:00

At our recent ECSCA national specialty show, I was asked quite a few times why I chose not to dock Dusty's tail. Here is my reasoning:

Pro-

1. He would win more at dog shows.
2. No questions about why we chose not to dock (-:

Con-

1. At six months of age, tail docking requires surgery including anesthesia and stitches.
2. He would no longer have his happy, wagging tail, which he was accustomed to.

I made the decision that I felt was in the best interest of Dusty, not the decision that was in myown best interest. I also have every confidence that he is of nice enough quality to succeed at shows, regardless of the tail. Some judges may not appreciate the tail, but others will see past the politics of docking to appreciate Dusty's excellent breed type and flawless movement.

It's Where the Obama's Didn't Purchase Their Pup That Matters

2009-05-09T21:26:00.000-07:00

Read Article Here

2009 ECSCA National

2009-05-06T15:38:00.000-07:00

I just returned from the ECSCA National Specialty in Huron, OH. What a fabulous National Specialty!! Congratulations to all of the winners. It is an accomplishment just to place in your class at a National Specialty, where not only are there more than 400 entries, but the entries brought to the show are of the highest quality. I had an absolutely wonderful time. Nationals are such a wonderful opportunity to visit with friends who you may not see again for months or even years. It is also a great opportunity to see dogs in person who you have read or heard about. I saw many lovely cockers and had the opportunity to go over a few stunningly beautiful dogs. Overall, it was a worthwhile trip and I can't wait until next May for the 2010 ECSCA National in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.

The photos below are all of Dusty, Northworth Vail Of Honour, in his 6-9 month class. He was handled by Hillary Wambaugh who co-owns Confetti, Calypso's Just A Parti Girl. I had fun visiting with Hillary at this National and getting to know her. She is very much a "student of the breed" and we had some fun conversations about dogs. Her sister has Beagles and Hillary also has Springers, so it was fun to talk about the differences between those breed and the ECS. Of course, the ECS sounds like the best of the three (-: I might be a little bias, though (-:

Jack x Sienna Puppies

2009-04-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

These puppies are bred and owned by Deb St Myers, Agate English Cocker Spaniels. The sire of the litter is CH Calypso's Fortunate Series Of Events, Jack, and the dam is Quinlan's Burnt Sienna RN OA OAJ OF, Sienna. The black boy, Jasper, is available to a home that will show him in conformation. He is located in Northern California. You can visit the Puppies page on my website for more information.

Dog Legislation

2009-04-13T21:22:00.000-07:00

I don't know how many of you realize this, but there has been an important piece of legislation in WA recently, SB5651. There have been similar pieces of legislation introduced all over the US, including a Bill in New York which will ban tail docking and legislation in certain states which will REQUIRE spaying and neutering.

Our personal rights in the US are under attack. Normal, ordinary people read about these bills and feel that the laws make sense and prevent puppy mills. In reality, current animal cruelty laws prevent the puppy mill cases such as those that were recently featured on the Oprah show and the recent puppy mill case that was uncovered in WA State. New legislation is introduced under the guise of preventing puppy mills, but the legislation is actually a move to license ALL dog breeders.

Many dog owners do not realize that these bills are pushed forward and sometimes introduced by special interest groups such as PETA and the Humane Society Of The United States. (DO NOT give these special interest groups donations. If you would like to donate to a rescue, please choose a local rescue in your area. You can find many of these by searching the web.) These two groups are special interest groups that do very little to help animals. Their donations go towards paying salaries and funding lobbyists. These special interest groups intend to make dog ownership in the US very expensive and, at some point, nonexistent. For those of you who have owned a dog, you realize that dogs truly are an integral part of everyday life. Dogs were not bred to be our companions, they chose to be our companions. They adore us and we adore them. It is entirely natural and mutually beneficial. Dogs are a part of our families, they help raise our children, they are a shoulder to cry on, and they love us wholeheartedly. Dog ownership should not be something that is meant only for the wealthy.

Much of the legislation that is introduced is touted as being put into place only to prevent puppy mills. This is not true, but is the language used to keep ordinary dog owners from realizing that they are being affected negatively by these laws.

One bill that has been introduced in many cities and states requires mandatory spay/neuter of all dogs and cats and requires a large fee to keep an intact dog. These have a HUGE impact on hobby breeders as many of us not only have our own intact dogs, but some older puppies we grow up and others that may not live with us but we co-own on the hope that they may turn out to be shown or be a part of our breeding program. Large fees to license all of these dogs with the "intact" license can be thousands of dollars. If these bills pass in multiple states, purebred dogs will soon be outrageously expensive to purchase due to the price to keep a dog intact. Also, many people purchase a well bred dog with the intention of possibly showing. These puppies are sometimes kept intact until they are a year of age or older while their owner visits a few shows to see if it is a hobby they would like to participate in. These people, who start with just a little bit of interest in trying out a dog show or two, often go on to become the future of their breed and of the sport of showing purebred dogs. Laws requiring spaying and neutering take away people's rights and the ability for people to make their own decisions and choices about what they want to do in life.

Also, spaying and neutering can have a negative effect on the health of dogs, especially large breed dogs. For those of you, like me, who have never owned a large breed dog, you may not be aware that altering a dog too early in life can change the way growth plates close and can seriously affect the bone growth and development in large breed dogs. Many breeders of large breed dogs are now recommending that dogs not be neutered until after two years of age. Here is an article which discusses the health effects of spaying and neutering: http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf

Some of these bills put a limit on the number of dogs that a breeder can own. One popular limit is ten dogs. This does not take in to consideration the variables such as the number of people caring for the dogs, the number of hours spent caring for the dogs, the home that the dogs live in, etc. I always tell people that it is entirely possible for someone to have two dogs and one litter of puppies and be more neglectful of that one litter and those two dogs than a breeder who owns 10 dogs and has multiple litters of puppies each year. The NUMBER is not what is important, what is important is the conditions that the dogs are kept in and the way they are taken care of. Animal neglect and cruelty laws are what is needed to take care of situations of neglect, not laws regulating breeders.

There is also a bill recently introduced in New York State which will make it illegal to dock tails on puppies. This is so absolutely ridiculous it is not even funny. For those of you who have not seen a puppy have it's tail docked, you should know that it is done at between 2 and 4 days of age and is very quick and while not painless, is not something that bothers the puppy for more than a few minutes. The puppy's tail is not fully developed at that age. I have docked a tail on an adult dog once and it is something I have sworn to never do again. My dog came home from the veterinarian with about 30 stitches in his tail and I considered it a major surgery. Tail docking on a baby puppy is much, much simpler and is not surgery. Tail docking in many breeds, such as sporting spaniels, is done to prevent injury while working in the field.

Personally, I do not like docking tails and would prefer not to. Currently the English Cocker Spaniel breed standard requires tail docking, so I do dock tails on my puppies. I hope that some day the ECSCA changes the breed standard for the English Cocker so that I can be allowed to leave tails on my puppies and still show them in conformation. I do think, however, that tail docking should remain legal and those who prefer to dock, should be allowed to do so. For the many that still hunt with their ECS, docking tails is a necessity.

I am writing this with the hopes that those of you who may not understand or realize that breeders are fighting an ongoing battle against special interest groups will learn something from this post. I hope you will write to your senators and state representatives to tell them your position against anti-breeder legislation when this legislation pops up in your state. This is a battle that breeders cannot fight alone. We need the support of those who own and love their purebred dogs.

Yes, rescuing dogs is a wonderful thing. I send people to rescue groups all the time. However, a rescue dog is not for everyone. A family with young children, a person who knows exactly what they want in a dog, a person who needs a certain size of dog or a dog bred for a certain activity or energy level, a person who wants to hunt with their dog, someone with allergies... these are all people who may need a well bred, well socialized, purebred dog who will develop the look, type, and personality that is written down in that breed's standard.

Please do not make the mistake of believing that these anti breeder bills will not affect you, whether you are a hobby breeder, a pet owner, someone who participates in obedience or agility or just a dog lover. These bills will eventually affect you. Please do not believe that these bills are *only* anti puppy mill. This is simply not true. These bills are genuinely meant to regulate and license ALL dog breeders and to make it incredibly difficult and expensive to own an intact dog.

These bills usually allow for entering a person's home who meets (or is suspected of meeting) a minimum number of dogs (this can be quite a low number) WITHOUT A WARRANT. I find this incredibly scary. Those of you who have visited my home realize that my dogs are very, very well cared for, my house is extremely clean, my dogs are in excellent condition, always groomed and my dogs have tons of toys, exercise, bones to chew on, are fed excellent food, get regular veterinary care, etc. However, if you came to my house on a day when perhaps I am getting home from a 4 day dog show, with dirty dog bedding carted in from my van in bags waiting by the washing machine, dirty dogs because we stopped at the park on the way home for them to play, all my dog show stuff carted inside but not yet put away, and puppies who need their bedding changed, my home is not going to look immaculate. It is rare for all of this to happen at once, but I *have* had those days. Would this be a reason that my dogs should be taken away from me? If I lived in an area with mandatory spaying and neutering, my dogs could then be spayed or neutered immediately without my permission? These are real life situations that are in danger of happening in several states and cities in this country.

If you are willing to help, breeders all over the US will be grateful. For those hobby breeders who feel that this legislation will not affect them, please wake up and smell the coffee. These extremist groups are well organized, well funded, and have lobbyists working for them. We need to become our own advocates.

http://www.naiaonline.org/

http://www.petpac.net/opposition/ar_threat/

http://nonais.org/

http://gaelenscafe.blogspot.com/2009/04/ny-state-assembly-puts-anti-tail.html

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WA_pet_law

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/OR_Petlaw

http://eaglerock814.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=33

http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org/

Life is Short

2009-04-08T17:28:00.000-07:00

It seems like so many people I know have problems with their health right now. It is a big reminder that life is short and it is important to make each day count. It is so easy to just go through the motions. Snuggle up with your cocker, call your relatives, have lunch with your friends. Life is too short to be too busy to enjoy it. On the same note, don't forget to have compassion for those around you.

This is one of my favorite songs:

Life With Multiple Dogs

2009-03-23T09:25:00.000-07:00

Common Myths about owning multiple dogs:

1.) Getting a second dog to keep the first one company- If you do not have time for one dog, trust me, you will have even LESS time for him or her with a second dog in the picture. Dogs prefer their human's attention to the attention of other dogs.

2.) When you have more than one already, adding another dog is "no big deal." This is sooo not true. Each dog is a full dog's worth of work, no matter how many you have.

Benefits to owning multiple dogs:

1.) The dogs DO help each other to get more exercise. My crew, at least, all play and wrestle with each other and they do wear each other out. When dogs visit here to play, they always go home tired (-:

2.) The dogs learn social skills from each other. My dogs all "speak dog" very well. This can also be learned by providing regular off-lead play time with other dogs when your single dog is a puppy.

3.) Multiple dogs means there are many more moments of cuteness and laughter. It is a lot of fun watching them play together and seeing their different personalities.

The downside to multiple dogs:

Multiply the cost and energy requirements by the number of dogs you own.

1. ) Work x (insert number of dogs here.)

2.) Training x (insert number of dogs here.)

3.) Cost x (insert number of dogs here.)

4.) Toys Required x (insert number of dogs here.)

5.) Attention Required x (insert dogs here.)

Dog Park Trip

2009-03-15T22:21:00.001-07:00

We went to the dog park last Thursday. Lots of fun (-: I took my crew and met Jennifer with Halo and Chloe and Cathy with Ginger and Ryder there. We had a great time and a nice visit while watching the dogs play.

The Dog Place

2009-02-07T19:03:00.000-08:00

Here is an absolutely fabulous website that someone shared with me recently. Lots of great articles on different pet training issues, how to choose a dog breed and find a breeder, and articles on dog shows and information for those interested in training for and competing in the different canine sports. The Dog Place

Simon and Huey Treats - Now Paws Gourmet

2009-02-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

Well, this might not seem blog worthy to some of you, but it sure is to my dogs!!!

Simon and Huey dog treats recently went out of business. This is certainly a cause for sadness, however, their treat recipes were purchased by Paws Gourmet, who is now manufacturing them. I was concerned that the treats would change for the worse, but I just visited the Paws Gourmet website at http://www.pawsgourmet.com and I was very impressed. In fact, now I want to try some of their other gourmet dogs treats. Maybe one of my dogs needs a special birthday treat from me, lol. I also purchased a 1 lb tub of the Paws Gourmet training treats at the Portland Dog show in January and thought they seemed exactly the same as the Simon and Huey treats that we have used for so long.

If you have not tried these treats, you should give them a try. They come in 6 ounce and 1 lb resealable tubs and each treat is about the size of a pea. They are excellent for training puppies, but I use them for training dogs of all ages.

Injustice

2009-02-02T14:00:00.000-08:00

I got this poem as a forward, but thought some of you might enjoy reading it...

Injustice To Our Ladies
Author Unknown

You've bred a bitch, a winning thing,
And make her a Champion of the ring.
She's sound, she's lovely, a joy to see.
You want to breed her carefully.

Taking lots of time, you look around.
The stud must be both typey and sound.
You study pedigrees till you're blind,
Faithfully building the litter in your mind.

Several possibilities appear,
You write to all, and wait to hear.
Some write back, "My dog's the best".
You never hear from all the rest.

You choose the one you hope is right,
Although the stud fee's out of sight.
You breed your bitch...the die is cast,
The next nine weeks don't go by fast.

Of course, the lady whelps in the middle of the night
With luck and care, all comes out alright.
The next eight weeks you fret and strain,
Feed and scoop and try to train.

You take such care with home they get,
This one a show dog...that one a pet.
The new owners call with problems dear,
You're on the phone for half a year.

At last, the grand moment you've longed to know,
Your lady's pups have come to their first show.
They all look fine, not one a dud,
Then from behind you comes, WOW...nice pups...who's the STUD!"

Pregnant Sienna On The Beach

2009-01-29T13:52:00.000-08:00

Here is Sienna (owned by Deb St Myers) snoozing on the beach when she was 7 weeks pregnant. She is due any day. She was bred to Jack, Ch Calypso's Fortunate Series Of Events.

Puppy Socialization / I Miss Baby Puppies

2009-01-28T23:58:00.001-08:00

While browsing the Puppy Prodigies site, I found this great page about puppy socialization: http://www.puppyprodigies.org/Socialization.htm

I absolutely, wholeheartedly, agree with everything written on this page about socializing puppies. The point of socialization is for puppies to be introduced to new things in a POSITIVE way. It is not socialization if your puppy is not willingly participating. Use a lot of praise and treats while socializing your puppy.
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On another note... you may have noticed my recent preoccupation with puppies (or may have heard about it if you talked to me recently!!) I miss puppies!!! Deb, if you are reading this, I might have to drive all the way to CA for a dose of puppy breath once Sienna's puppies arrive (-:

I miss having tiny baby puppies in my house. I miss playing in the yard with little four week old puppies who are walking all over their ears and bunny hopping across the yard. I don't miss the puppy clean-up, LOL, but I really miss the puppy breath and all of the "puppy's first" experiences that are so fun with each litter.

Puppy Prodigies Video Clips

2009-01-28T20:11:00.000-08:00

http://www.puppyprodigies.org/VideoClips.htm

Take a look at these video clips. I found them fascinating. I will have to see what types of tricks I can teach my next litter of puppies. Sit, down, and roll could be taught to an eight week old puppy pretty easily, but I am interested to try targeting, speak, give five, and turn/twist with a puppy that young.

Pet Puppy Grooming

2009-01-25T21:22:00.000-08:00

Jennifer and I had two pet puppies visit us for grooming when we were at the Portland Kennel Club shows last weekend. Willa (No Collar girl, Clover, from the K Litter) came with her family, the Kerns, and Scout (Red Collar girl, Lucky, from the K Litter) came with her family, the Englerts. Thank you to both families for bringing them to the show for a visit. It was so lovely to see both girls. It is important to see what we are producing in our breeding program and it was a great weekend to visit as Jennifer was the co-breeder of the K Litter (she is Chloe's co-owner and primary caregiver lol) and it was nice for her to see the puppies at an older age.

The K Litter and J Litter turned six months old that weekend, so Happy Birthday to all of you.

Here are a few photos of me with Willa right after she was groomed.

Both Willa and Scout looked fabulous after they were groomed. They are obviously loved by their families and very well cared for.

I always do a free first groom on my puppies, both pet and show, so if you have a puppy from us or adopt one in the future and live close enough to visit or meet up at a show, be sure to contact me to plan a time to groom your puppy.

Sienna's Ultrasound Photo

2009-01-12T20:15:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share this photo that Deb St Myers sent me of Sienna's ultrasound. Sienna is Quinlan's Burnt Sienna RN OA OAJ OF. She was bred to Jack, Ch Calypso's Fortunate Series Of Events.

Disappointed

2009-01-12T13:12:00.000-08:00

Well, I am very sorry to say that Taffy is not pregnant. I have guessed that was the case for a while, but as today is Day 57 and there is no tummy growth, I am sure we are not expecting puppies. This is so sad as I was very much anticipating this litter. We did a surgical insemination with fresh chilled semen which was shipped here from Indianapolis. The prospective sire, BISS CH Jerabee Hoosier Sunset "Sunny", is an older dog who has made some lovely puppies in the past. I am sure the litter would have been lovely, healthy and sweet tempered. Anyway, breeding has it's ups and downs and this has certainly been a down.

If you have inquired about a puppy recently and did not receive a reply, I am sorry that I have not responded. I was not sure whether we were having puppies or not, so I have put off responding to inquiries until I could be sure one way or the other. You might try visiting www.englishcockerspanielbreeders.net to see if you can find a breeder near you who is expecting puppies. We will not have a litter arrive until perhaps late summer.

Over the Counter Flea Treatment

2008-12-18T12:21:00.000-08:00

I received this link on one of my e-mail lists and thought it was worth sharing. Please DO NOT use over the counter flea treatments such as those sold at grocery stores and pet supply stores. Please use quality products such as Frontline Plus and Advantage, which can be purchased from your veterinarian or an online retailer. These products are more expensive, but are MUCH safer for use on your dog. Read the article that I posted a link to below for more information.

http://www.publicintegrity.org/investigations/pesticides/articles/entry/1080/

We did get snow!

2008-12-17T22:27:00.000-08:00

Well, we did get a bit of snow, but not as much as I would have liked.

Here are a couple of photos of the dogs playing.

Marcus, CH Calypso's Element Of Surprise

Lexi, Taffy, Mocha and Jasmine

Praying For Snow

2008-12-13T23:22:00.000-08:00

We are praying for snow!!! My poor cocker crew loves to play in the snow and we have yet to have any this year. We have snow forecasted for tonight. Hopefully, we will actually get some!!

Trimming Nails

2008-11-26T23:30:00.000-08:00

Trimming nails seems to be an activity that is universally disliked by dogs. Some English Cockers are more foot sensitive than others and those that are more foot sensitive are generally the most difficult to get to cooperate with nail trimming. It really seems a lot like people being ticklish... some are more so than others.

That said, the technique that you use for trimming nails is very important. I have several pet owners who will not trim their EC's nails as the EC will struggle too much, yet that same dog will lay quietly for me when his/her owner brings him/her to my house for a nail trim.

Some tips:

1. If you haven't tried using a dremel, give it a try. You may *love* it. My black girl, Sophie, will literally fall asleep while getting her nails dremeled. One other benefit to using the dremel is that the nail will be soft and rounded, so will not scratch hard wood floors as much and will not hurt when your dog jumps up on you or one of your guests.

2. Try to trim nails with your dog laying on his/her back in between your legs. I don't know why, but most dogs lay still for nail trimming in this position.

3. Use cookies to make the experience more positive.

4. Don't be afraid to do only one paw each day. It is not mandatory to do all four paws at once if your dog starts struggling after one paw.

5. Keep a bottle of quick stop handy to use if you accidentally cut your dog's quick. Nails bleed quite a lot, so if you do cut a quick, it may look worse than it actually is. You can get quick stop from petsmart or petco.

Here is a great website which describes how to trim your dog's nails correctly:

http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/grooming/nailclip.htm

Here is a great You Tube video showing how to teach your dog to lay quietly for nail trimming:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHgBvnQ71ss

Best Bully Sticks

2008-11-07T01:26:00.000-08:00

Bully Sticks are a very popular treat at my house, however, when passing them out to eight mouths at a time, they get very expensive.

I order Bully Sticks from www.bestbullysticks.com. Very, very good quality at a very good price.

You can use the coupon code NEWF to receive 5% off your order.

I just put in an order yesterday. My dogs will be very happy when they arrive. I order a mixture of the 12" and 6" sticks... usually the thickest ones available as they last the longest.

Bully sticks are a safe and long lasting dog chew. They will give your dog some stimulation and give you some peace for an hour or two.

Dog Park Trip

2008-09-24T10:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Jennifer and I took our dogs to Marymoor Dog Park. They had sooo much fun!!

I took a gazillion photos and will get them posted to my website in the next day or two, but I wanted to share this photo of our crew "sitting for a cookie" at the dog park. We practice calling the dogs in for a sit and then feeding them cookies in order to make sure we have good recalls at the dog park. Our dogs have lovely recalls as they love their dog park snacks (-:

Our trip was a huge success and I have a houseful of tired, happy dogs today. My dogs are very athletic and love the running, playing and swimming they get to do at the dog park. One of my favorite things about English Cockers is the fact that the "big dog" owners at the dog park are amazed at how athletic my little cockers are. The first reaction people usually have to my dogs is "aww, what cute little cockers." I love that about this breed. There are not many breeds that are the perfect size for snuggling on the couch, but also have the energy and athleticism of a lab or golden when playing fetch, swimming, etc.

Hanging Out Under The Apple Tree

2008-09-04T17:23:00.001-07:00

1st Time Outside

2008-08-31T06:56:00.000-07:00

The puppies went outside for the first time on Saturday. They had sooo much fun. They are a very fearless group and showed no hesitation in the yard; running everywhere and checking everything out. Tails were wagging the entire time. Portia spent the afternoon in the yard with them, which she thought was great. She was working on teaching them to play wrestling games with her and also showed them how to run very fast. It was super cute.

They did, however, wear off their birthday bath playing in the dirt (-:

Puppy Bath Time

2008-08-30T13:21:00.000-07:00

The puppies turned 6 weeks old on Thursday. They had a bath, which most of them really enjoyed. These puppies seem to like water quite a bit. They were washed in Bobbi Panter's Baby Bebe shampoo and smell like baby powder now. Great for snuggling (-:

Here are some photos of the squeaky clean pups taken just after their bath.

Cute Pet Photos

2008-08-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

Jeep Dreaming

Frasier and Friends

Jeep Swimming

Jack and Ivy

Jeep Keeping Cool

The Puppies are Growing Up!

2008-08-25T10:16:00.001-07:00

I can't believe these puppies are already five and a half weeks old. This summer has really flown by for me. I am looking forward to the slower pace of fall and winter. I am enjoying this little group of puppies so much. They have done so well with the potty pen. They have excellent potty manners and are very clean little puppies. They do want to spend as much time as possible being held my me or by any other person they can get to pick them up (-: They love to wrestle, play with toys and, of course, eat (-:

Litter Box Training

2008-08-03T21:00:00.000-07:00

I am attempting to litter box train my current puppies. I have tried this in the past and have never been successful as I panic when the puppies start eating the litter and go back to my old, less edible methods for puppy potty areas. I have been convinced to try again, this time introducing the litter before introducing food. So far, so good. The puppies are not using the litter, but they are not eating it either (-: I am hoping as they get older they will be more inclined to use the box and as they will be accustomed to the litter, they will hopefully not think it is food. If this works, I think it will make clean-up easier and allow me to give the puppies more space inside to play. It should also make the transition to housebreaking easier. Wish us luck!

Here is a photo of our current set-up. My plan is to replace the whelping box with the litter box when the puppies are more able to climb in and out. This is the way that other breeders I know have achieved this successfully.

Busy Day

2008-07-30T23:40:00.001-07:00

Today I took advantage of having a puppy sitter at home and took some dogs to the dog park. They had a blast and were all super happy to get out and about after spending most of the time at home during the last few weeks. Jennifer went with her crew as well, so I had someone to talk to while the dogs played. We had a good conversation about how much we prefer English Cockers over labs (e-mail me if you want the details!) Needless to say, I love this breed!! My dogs are all so athletic, funny, friendly and they LISTEN to what I say. I know that a lot of that has more to do with the owner than with the dog, but my dogs seem so cute and sweet to me! Okay, I am probably a little bias (-:

We also dropped off our entries for the Cascade Specialty show (I can never remember to fill those out in advance) and we went to our competition obedience class in Redmond, WA. Here is a link to where we take class: http://www.caninecollege.biz/ I highly recommend their classes. I started a beginner competition class there four weeks ago with my black girl, Jasmine. Jennifer is also taking the class with Halo (we are car pooling) and Crissy Graf is taking the class with her red Bella daughter, Ginger. We make up half of the class and are having a lot of fun getting our youngsters started. If anyone in that area is interested in getting started in a competition class, there may still be room for you! These are ongoing classes, so week four is just the beginning. They also have pet obedience classes there and some agility and CGC classes as well.

Anyway, I left the house at noon today and didn't get back until after 10:00 PM. The dogs are all very tired, though, and a tired cocker is a good cocker!

Screening A Breeder - A guide for prospective puppy buyers.

2008-07-13T19:23:00.000-07:00

We have puppies due here next week, so I once again have been screening potential homes and communicating with new prospective puppy parents. I find that many prospective puppy buyers do not understand the significance of the way that a puppy is raised. Knowing how much early socialization matters when considering the future temperament of the puppy, I personally find the lifestyle that a puppy is raised in extremely important.

To prospective puppy buyers!!!

Please realize that all breeders are not created equal. Some breeders care for each of their dogs as individuals, as pets, and others keep their adult dogs in kennel runs and do not bring them in to the house. Some breeders have a clean and sanitary living environment for their dogs and other do not. Some breeders have more dogs than they can care for properly. Puppies can also be raised in a wide variety of places; from a kennel in the back yard to a living room or bedroom in the house. Some breeders live in a reclusive manner and do not often take their puppies places or have visitors. Some breeders are part of the dog community and will have a lot of visitors and puppies will be handled regularly.

As a prospective puppy buyer, please attempt to do these things:

1. Read the book, Before You Get Your Puppy by Ian Dunbar. Here is a link to a site where you can download it for FREE! http://www.jamesandkenneth.com/new_puppy.html

2. Don't be afraid to ask breeders questions!!

3. Ask where the puppies are raised, how many dogs the breeder has, etc. Expect the breeder to also have questions for you!!

4. Expect to be allowed to visit with the puppies once they are at an appropriate age, to see where the puppies are raised and to meet the breeder's other dogs before taking your new puppy home.

5. Take the purchase of your new puppy very seriously. This is a 12-17 year commitment with an English Cocker Spaniel. Do your homework and find a puppy you will be happy with. This is not the time to save money. I promise you, if you go with a "discount" breeder and save a bit of money on the purchase price, you will later pay that and more. Yes, you can get a puppy from a breeder that does not do health testing and have him/her be super healthy with a great temperament, but you are playing a game of "beat the odds" when you buy from a breeder that does not do health testing or properly socialize their puppies. Please do not gamble with a 12-17 year "contract."

6. Think about whether the breed you have chosen is honestly a perfect match for you. This is a big commitment. Most "good" breeders will be very honest with you if they do not feel you are a good match for the breed. I, myself, have told a few prospective puppy buyers to get a stuffed animal or a goldfish instead of a puppy (-:

7. Plan to spend the eight weeks after you get your puppy socializing, socializing and more socializing. I believe birth-16 weeks in a critical age for raising a puppy you want to live with. Do NOT take a puppy home before eight weeks of age, as the birth-eight weeks stage is best spent with litter mates and with mom. Also, puppies are so fragile at this age. I cannot tell you how many friends I know who have taken home a young 6 week old puppy (not from me!!!) and had him/her end up in the veterinary hospital for an illness within a few days. Most breeders, myself included, have a hard time parting with puppies at eight weeks. Trust me, that is very young and the youngest I would take a new baby home. I will personally keep puppies until nine or ten weeks if I do not feel they are emotionally or physically mature enough to leave at eight weeks. I have the best interests of the puppy and his/her prospective family in mind when I make that decision.

8. Trust your instincts. Buy a puppy from a breeder you honestly *like.* I personally consider all of my puppy owners part of what we call our "doggie family" and I think other good breeders feel the same way. I expect puppy owners to stay in contact at least yearly and to e-mail or call with questions and to share pictures (-: I send out a Newsletter twice a year with news about my dogs and what we have been up to and I, of course, keep my website up to date. On a day when I am feeling that this hobby may not be worth it (it is expensive and time consuming!!) I will get a cute photo through e-mail from one of my pet owners that will completely cheer me up. I love puppy owners who keep in touch and share those special and cute traits about their new puppy with me. I am also here to answer questions and help with any problems or concerns you run in to while raising and training your new puppy.

Rally Obedience

2008-07-02T00:01:00.001-07:00

Okay, I have now discovered youtube and it is so fun.

Here are some links to rally obedience videos meant to help you get ready for AKC Rally Obedience:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=N42YkVewIhs

http://uk.youtube.com/user/RallyJudge

Breed Type

2008-06-26T23:00:00.000-07:00

I have been re-reading the book Solving The Mysteries of Breed Type by Richard Beauchamp this last couple of weeks. This is a wonderful book which I really recommend to any serious breeder or person interested in breeding or judging in any breed. This book has really made me think in detail about breed type, especially what and why it is in English Cockers in particular. One main point in the book is that you must know the origins of a breed in order to really understand what and why the standard, which is the blueprint for breed type, was written the way it was. This has, of course, made me dig out my English Cocker jubilee books, which are a history of the English Cocker Spaniel in the US. I bought these books before I bred my first English Cocker litter and read them then, but I have been re-reading them now in a more thoughtful manner after reading Richard Beauchamp's book. I think, based on my reading, that many of the original English Cocker fanciers in the US would be pleased with many things about the breed in the US today and less pleased with other things such as the tremendous amount of coat that we grow on our show bred ECS now. I think that the essence of an English Cocker is found in these things: 1. Headpiece. 2. Short loin with good spring of rib. 3. As much bone as possible without being coarse. 4. Muscular body with sound movement and excellent reach and drive. 5. Cheerful, merry, tail-wagging temperament. There is much more written in our standard, of course, but it seems to me that this is what early breeders focused on and what must be focused on even now in order to get a truly good English Cocker. If you do not like to read you might enjoy attending one of our breed seminars. I have attended a couple of them and enjoyed them thoroughly. The ECSCA holds one at our National Specialty each year and generally at other shows as well. If you would like to attend one of these educational seminars, you might try contacting someone at www.ecsca.org to find out if one will be held near you. You can also order the Jubilee books and other good books through the ECSCA.

The Tennis Ball Is Stuck In The Tree???

2008-06-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

I thought this was so funny, I had to share with you. I threw the tennis ball in the yard yesterday and my dogs went running after it. When they got there, they could not find the ball.

They searched everywhere and Taffy and Jasmine decided the ball must have landed in the tree. I had plenty of time to run in to get the camera and they were still searching trying to find that ball when I came out.

The ball had not landed in the tree. It landed a foot away from my little Lexi-Lou who grabbed it and ran away as fast as she could (-:
Here is an article some of you may enjoy reading:

http://www.flyingdogpress.com/sayhi.html

Choosing A Breed, Breeder and a Puppy

2008-06-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a puppy, whether for pet, show, or for performance, it can be a daunting process. There are so many things to think of. What breed should I choose? Which breeder? What color/sex? I find that many people look at one aspect of finding the right puppy, but do not consider everything they need to think about.

By far the most important step is choosing the right breed of dog for your lifestyle or family. English Cockers, and spaniels in general, are unique in their joy for life. They have certain things in common such as their need for grooming and their need to be with their owners as much of the time as possible. They are not a good choice for a family not willing to do some grooming. You can keep spaniel feathering quite short or keep it long, but either way will require regular grooming. English Cockers are not a good choice for a family looking for a low maintenance "backyard" dog that does not need a lot of attention. English Cockers love their families and want to be as close to you as possible, preferably in your lap! Most people look first for a breed that they find physically appealing, and that is a necessity as well, but after choosing some breeds you would consider, narrow your choices down by finding the breed or breeds that will be a good match in grooming requirements, personality, energy level, friendliness, etc. The dog that is a perfect match for you will not be the perfect match for everyone. English Cockers are the perfect match for Neil and I, but Neil's mom has Flat-Coated Retrievers, which we do not find especially appealing. Each person likes a different breed and that is okay!!

Once you have chosen the right breed of dog for your family, you will want to look for a breeder that is a good match for your family. You should, obviously, first look for a responsible breeder who is involved in the dog community. A responsible breeder will do health testing on their dogs, have a good understanding of the pedigrees of his/her dogs and will be involved in some type of dog activity. Breeders learn from each other, so if a breeder is not actively involved in the dog community, that breeder is not actively learning. Responsible breeders are working to preserve and improve their breed of dog, so they are always trying to learn more. Dog shows and dog activities are not only a place to exhibit your dogs, but they are also a place to meet with breeders, socialize, talk about pedigrees, see other dogs, and learn from each other!

Once you have found a few breeders within your breed that you feel are responsible, look for a particular breeder that is a good match for you and whose dogs are a good match for you. Some breeders will produce more laid back dogs, other more active dogs, some more intelligent, some easier to train, etc. Some breeders will worry more about how often you are in contact with them and others will not. I, personally, do not have the most laid back dogs within this breed as I want a sporty little spaniel that wants to do sporting dog things such as play fetch, swim, etc. I have the occasional couch potato, but most of my dogs are quite active while young. I also expect owners to stay in contact with me on at least a yearly basis. Obedience training is also important to me, as my cockers are quite intelligent and love to use their little brains. I love to see my pet owners teach their dogs tricks and take them to classes as it is a bonding experience between owner and dog. If you are a person looking for an intelligent puppy that you are willing to spend a lot of individual time with, then one of my puppies may be a good match for you. If not, you might be better off looking for a breeder who likes homes where their puppy gets to be a couch potato.

Once you have chosen a breeder, you are usually going to have a preference for a certain color or sex within your chosen breed. In English Cockers, there is an extremely wide variety of colors, so there are a lot of choices. Unfortunately, not every litter contains every color and the puppies available for pets may or may not be of the color or sex you would like. Even more than that, the puppy that is the color or sex you prefer, may not be a good match for what you would like in a puppy! In most litters, there are puppies that are more outgoing and less outgoing, more intelligent and less intelligent, more playful and less playful, higher and lower energy levels, etc. It is very important to realize that finding the right breeder and finding the right puppy for you should be more important than sex and color, unless you are willing to wait until the puppy with the right sex/color/personality becomes available. If you are very particular about finding a certain color/sex, it may take you longer to find a puppy that is a good match for your family. There is nothing wrong with being set on a particular sex/color if you are willing to take the time to find that puppy without settling for a less than responsible breeder.

If the breeder you are looking for a puppy from does not discuss your puppy as an individual with you before you take him/her home, I would be surprised. In my own puppies, I start to see distinct personality at around 6 weeks of age. I spend between the ages of 7-8 weeks choosing which puppies are show prospects and which puppies will go to pet homes. I also spend that week matching personality and activity levels of pet puppies with the right pet homes for them. Most responsible breeders do not tell a family which particular puppy they are getting from a litter until close to eight weeks of age, as most breeders are still not sure exactly which puppy they are keeping for themselves until then. If there are several blue roan boys or several red girls, etc, they may be able to tell you the color and sex, but not which exact puppy. If a breeder is letting you pick out a puppy from a photo at a few days of age, double check to make sure this breeder is a responsible breeder!!

When thinking about sex, make sure to consider personality of the particular puppy first. In English Cockers, males are generally sweeter and more loving than females, but I do think girls are smarter and easier to train in general. However, this DOES NOT hold true all the time. I have had some super smart male puppies that were extremely easy to train and I could see this at 8 weeks of age. I have also had some very sweet and loving girls that I felt were a perfect match for a family that I would previously have chosen to send a male puppy. I find that most families have a specific sex of puppy that they are looking for, but I personally would look for personality first and sex second.

Once you have chosen a breeder, be sure to take the time to visit the breeder and meet his/her dogs. Most breeders have a "family" of dogs and will have not only the dam, but some of her relatives so that you can get an idea of what the personalities of the puppies will be like. You should also see where the puppies will be raised and discuss how they will be socialized. Puppies should be raised in the hub of activity, not in a separate building. They need to be around household noises and be handled from an early age. I believe Birth-Sixteen weeks is a critical age for puppy development. The breeder will have your puppy for at least 8 of those weeks. If the breeder is willing to place a puppy with you at an age younger than eight weeks, be very careful as most responsible breeders do not send puppies home at younger than eight weeks of age.

I hope this helps you on your search for a canine member for your family! This is all just my opinion, of course, but that is what a blog is for!

Warmly,

Kelly

Someone bring the tennis ball...

2008-06-09T13:30:00.001-07:00

Petco

2008-03-20T06:56:00.000-07:00

I generally buy my pet supplies online or at dog shows, where I can find better prices and also a better selection. I took one of my younger dogs to Petco this week for some socialization and was surprised to find some very nice brands of dog shampoo there. They have a SPA made for Petco brand that is really the same (just re-packaged) as the Spa Lavish shampoo/conditioner that professional groomers use. It smells heavenly! The SPA for Petco (and the Spa Lavish) line also includes a face wash that I use and really like. They also had Espree, another shampoo I have tried and liked.

An apple a day...

2008-02-22T22:43:00.000-08:00

keeps the veterinarian away (-:

Links to English Cocker and Dog Show Websites

2008-02-21T00:05:00.001-08:00

Here are some great sites that I have been sent links to recently and I wanted to share them with you!!

http://hattrick-dals.home.att.net/Showing.html
This is a GREAT site for those of you new to showing dogs. Lots of great information, although some of the links on the page are outdated and do not work. Be warned... it is a dalmation website.

http://www.cockerworld.net/
Lots of great English Cocker photos and links to English Cocker sites world wide.

http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/
Watch the 2008 English Cocker video!

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NWDogActivities
A Yahoo group for Northwest Dog Activities. Find a class or a fun match.

http://www.goodcitizencanine.com/
Dog Classes in Tacoma, WA.

http://www.showseasonproducts.com/prodShampoo.php
My new favorite shampoo (after using #1 All Systems for years) is the show seasons Amino Flex shampoo. Great stuff.

http://pansy-lagromi.se/Wincent's Breeder's website. See some of Wincent's relatives, including his handsome dad, Northworth Again and Again.

The photo above is of Frasier, Marcus and Taffy's litter brother. Thanks, Cori, for the photo! That is a lot of snow!

TV: American Idol & Westminster

2008-02-14T02:32:00.000-08:00

Those of you who know me well, know that I am really not much of a TV watcher. Most of my life I have easily gone days or weeks without turning on the television. Recently, however, we signed up for cable (yes, we did not have cable!) so that I could get Fox News channel. I love following the news during an election year. I have now discovered something else that I love on TV... American Idol!!! I have seen every episode this season and I am completely addicted to this show. Admittedly, I am not musically talented myself in any way, but it is so fun to see the different voices and styles that all of the contestants have. I already have my favorites (-: So, if anyone else is addicted to American Idol (or Fox News!) we will have to get together at the dog park or a dog show and chat about something other than dogs (-:

I also managed to watch part of the Westminster dog show and the AKC National Agility competition. Jasmine was really proud to see her sire, Ch Chestnuts Selling The Drama RN NA NAJ "Copper" go BOB and take a Group 4 in the sporting group.

I really think Wincent was sticking his tongue out at Sophie (-:

Submissive Urination

2008-02-04T12:48:00.000-08:00

I know this is a strange topic, but I actually get many questions about this from pet owners of a lot of different breeds.

Here is what I have experienced with Submissive Urinating in English Cockers...

1.) It is usually done by puppies and they generally outgrow this by 8-9 months of age, if not earlier.

2.) Socializing your puppy a lot and having strangers feed your puppy treats will help your puppy to overcome this reaction.

3.) It is a natural reaction for a submissive dog and puppies have less bladder control, so are more likely to do this.

4.) The best way to avoid it is to ignore your puppy until she has emptied her bladder (hopefully outside!)

5.) Do NOT punish your puppy for this as it will only make the problem worse. Instead, try to ignore it and get your puppy outside.

Training Your English Cocker

2008-02-02T23:06:00.000-08:00

Is your dog acting naughty???

Give him/her a job! English Cockers are brilliant little dogs... at least mine are (-: I very, very much recommend to my puppy buyers that they take at least three different obedience classes with their dogs. I recommend 2 six week sessions of classes when an English Cocker is between 4 and 8 months old. This helps to lay the foundation for an easy to live with dog and it also helps to socialize your puppy. I also recommend a "refresher" course when your puppy is between 18-20 months of age. This is a tough age as your puppy is almost an adult and you are starting to raise your expectations of what your puppy is capable of.

If you are interested in taking classes that will provide some entertainment for you and your dog, I really recommend trying an agility class or a rally obedience class. There are also classes for learning therapy work, fun tricks, and freestyle dancing.

Here is a link to help find a class in the Northwest:

http://members.aol.com/daynakin/page1.html

Also, here is a link to a Northwest Dog Activities Yahoo group. If you are in the Northwest, I recommend joining and then posting to ask for a referral to a good class in your area: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/NWDogActivities/?yguid=287671044

Also, if you have an interest in training for obedience, agility or any other canine sport, join the Versatile English Cockers yahoo group: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Versatile_ECS/?yguid=287671044

Chloe and Halo owned by Jennifer Vandecar (and co-owned by us!)

Grooming Your English Cocker

2008-02-02T22:28:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I have posted! Too much going on, as I am sure you all understand.

I have recently been discussing grooming with many of my pet English Cocker owners. I wanted to write a little about what I have been sharing with everyone.

My very favorite tools for grooming a pet English Cocker:

1. Clippers

2. Fine or Extra Fine Coat King

3. Straight Scissors

4. Thinning Shears

5. Nail Trimmers

6. Stripping Knife

You can get all of these at http://www.petedge.com/

Here are some great links for information about grooming an English Cocker:

http://ecspuppies.tripod.com/grooming.html

http://www.tarrendayle.com/CockerGrooming.html

I very much like the #1 All Systems Super Cleaning Shampoo and their Protein Lotion Conditioner. A good detangling spray will help with combing out tangles and matts if you keep your English Cocker in a show length coat. I have heard of people using the Infusium leave in conditioner for people mixed half infusium, half water in a spray bottle for a detangling spray. I have heard it works quite well, but I haven't tried it yet.

Marcus' First Major

2007-07-27T17:47:00.000-07:00

Marcus went WD for 3 pts last Sunday and his litter brother, Teagan, owned by Miss Cheyenne Schlect, went RWD. We are proud of our puppies! Taffy and Marcus both went reserve on Saturday. Not too bad for puppies in the 6-9 mth class.

First bath

2007-07-20T19:19:00.000-07:00

My Bella puppies had their first real bath Tuesday. They get their first haircuts this weekend. Hard to believe they will be five weeks old on Sunday. Neil is headed to a show in Portland with Wincent, Marcus, and Taffy this weekend, so think good thoughts for them. I will be home puppy sitting (-:

Puppy Toys, The Good, The Great, The Dangerous

2007-07-16T22:24:00.000-07:00

The photo is of Finn (Marcus and Taffy's litter brother) with his weim friend.

Well, my thoughts are still on puppies (it is all I think about right now!!)

I have a collection of toys that I rotate in and out of the whelping box/puppy pen. I have ordered most of them online, been given some, and others were things I saw at pet stores and thought would be great for my puppies. I think puppy toys are a great way to help socialize puppies. I work very hard to give my puppies as many experiences as possible that will bring out a slight startle reflex followed by a quick recovery. I think this helps to create fearless, outgoing, happy, friendly English Cockers. With very young puppies, I give these experiences mostly by taking them to new areas of my house and by giving them new toys to explore and play with.

My favorites:

The Babble Ball- This is a ball that makes noise each time the puppy touches it. It is soooo hilarious. It says many things including: Come along little doggy, here doggy doggy doggy, ouch don't do that, oh you got me, hot diggity dog, grrrrr. http://www.petqwerks.com/babbleballs.php

Fat Cat Mini Big Mean Kitty and also their Crackler series of toys for cats. These are tiny little toys that my four week old puppies can carry around and they make a crackling noise when mouthed.

Toys with a noise box that make an animal or other type of noise or toys with a loud and sensitive squeaker.

Nylabones- The smallest size.

Petstages: They make so many neat little toys that make puppies think, I can't mention them all. http://www.petstages.com/

Ruff Doggie Puppy Teether- These really do help teething puppies feel better!http://www.ruffdoggie.com/index2.html

The Dangerous: Any toy that a puppy can get trapped in or under requires supervision and can be very dangerous!! I bought the neatest little cat bed for my puppies recently. It is one of those tunnel style beds and it makes a crackling noise when walked on or layed in (I *love* noisy toys for puppies as I am sure you have noticed.) Well, I heard some crying from the puppy pen and found two puppies trapped in the bed by other puppies who were sleeping across the opening, locking the first two puppies inside. I no longer give beds like these unsupervised.

Please note: These toys are recommended for puppies only and most are not appropriate for older puppies and adults. Pet owners, I will make a list for you soon of my favorite toys for adult English Cockers!

Toys and Puppies

2007-07-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

Raising puppies can sometimes be very humorous. Each canine mom has their own opinions about what is allowed in with their puppies and what is not. I have a digital thermometer that has two units, one that goes into the whelping box to read the temperature and the other unit I carry with me so that I can see what the temperature is wherever I am in the house. My red girl, Mandy, who is now retired was so funny about that thermometer. My alarm would go off on the unit I was carrying and I would rush to the whelping box, only to find that Mandy had removed the thermometer from the box and placed it as far away from her puppies as she could. She considered that thermometer a huge threat and I was never able to use it as she wouldn't allow it to remain in the box for more than a few minutes. I tried to talk to her and explain that it really was not a threat, but she was stubborn and not at all sure I was telling the truth. Mandy also would remove all squeaking toys from the proximity of her puppies. I am not sure if she considered a squeaker the sign that the toy was still alive?? She was quite happy to remove the squeaker (and the stuffing) while away from her puppies and then happily trot back to the whelping box to give the newly killed toy back to her babies.

The reason I bring this up is that I have two litters right now and each mom is completely different in what they feel is appropriate to have near their puppies. Bella is quite the minimalist (maybe she doesn't want her puppies to be spoiled?) and removes all toys of all kinds from her puppies' pen. She just picks them up and drops them over the side of the x-pen until she has emptied the puppies' area of any and every toy. On the other hand, she will carry to them anything and everything she thinks is edible and leave it for them to enjoy. Anything I feed her is fair game and she always tries to save a bit to carry in to the puppies.

Sophie spends her free time finding the very best toys in the house and carrying them to her puppies. Her whelping box was always filled with more stuffed animals than there were puppies! If this spoils a puppy, I am sure hers are doomed. Each new toy that enters our house finds it's way in to her box sooner or later. Sophie has not yet tried to share anything edible with her puppies... those things quickly find their way in to Sophie's stomach.

Health Testing, the TRUE test of a Good Breeder

2007-07-13T02:14:00.000-07:00

I was reading a post on a dog blog this evening talking about websites like PuppyFind.com and similar sites that are for the sale of dogs over the Internet. Several pet owners were talking about whether or not breeders who sell on Internet sites like those are reputable. As these pet owners discussed what made a breeder reputable, they mentioned things like meeting the breeder and the sire/dam of the puppy in person, how many breeds the breeder was breeding, and whether the puppies were vaccinated. The did NOT mention health testing.

To me, health testing is one of the key things that separates a reputable breeder from everyone else. Yes, you should try to meet at least the dam of the puppies, yes you should look for a breeder who is not breeding many breeds as that is often a sign that they are breeding purely for profit, and yes you should look for a breeder who provides puppies with good health care.

You should ALSO look for a breeder who does health testing on the sire and dam of the puppies and who ALSO has an extensive knowledge of the health history of the sire/dam. The test results on the sire/dam are important, but it is also important that the breeder know the "lines" they are working with, meaning they know health results on several or more generations in the pedigree of the sire/dam. In many cases, the cumulative information that is gained from studying the health history in a 5 generation pedigree can give a breeder a much clearer idea of which sire to choose to use with their prospective dam. If someone purchases a dog from a breeder, does not get information about what health issues are in that line and then goes on to breed that dog, they are really breeding almost blindfolded, even if they do health testing on that dog. For example, if a dog is OFA Excellent, but has a dysplastic sire/dam he is more of a risk for breeding than a dog who is OFA Good, but has two OFA Good parents. This is the reason that finding a breeder who is very involved in their breeding program, very informed about the breed in general and involved in the dog community is important. Dog shows/events are not just a place to walk in the ring and show a dog, they are also the place where breeders are able to meet and talk about the breed and about their dogs. I am personally quite grateful to several English Cocker breeders who have helped me to learn much of what I know about the breed. I do read dog related material constantly, and learn through experience, but advice and knowledge shared by other breeders is invaluable.

Here is the health testing that I personally recommend for an English Cocker before breeding:

OFA Hips
CERF Eyes
Optigen Test for PRA

Optional but preferred:

OFA Elbows

OFA Patellas

For parti-colored English Cockers also add these to the necessary list:

Baer Test for Hearing
FN test for Familial Nephropathy.