Congratulations to Kathy Marshburn and CT ShoGun's Blaze of Glory Quigley

on Quigley’s new Champion Tracker Title

Quigley Earns His Champion Tracker TitleOn Sunday, October 7, 2012 at the Denver Foothills TrackingAssociation test, Quigley, handled by his owner Cathy Marshburn,earned his VST title. Having previously earned his TD and TDXtitles Quigley is now CT ShoGun’s Blaze of Glory Quigley.

Quigley is the 4th Clumber to achieve this title and he is the son ofthe first Champion Tracker Clumber CT CH Wicfair's Sir Cedric(who was also owned and handled by Kathy Marshburn). BIGCongratulations to Quigley's owners Kathy and Richard Marshburnand his breeder, Helen Marshall.

Birthday Greetings

ShoGun's Little Dividend Spencer 12/12/2005ShoGun's Road Work Ahead Detour 12/12/2005ShoGun's The Good Doctor Watson 12/12/2005ShoGun's Duchess of Ipswich Camilla 12/12/2005ShoGun's Twice Spice Cottontail Cotton 12/12/2005ShoGun's Lydia Ladybug Lydia 12/12/2008ShoGun's Winchester   Model 12 Wink 12/12/2008ShoGun's Absolutely Jasmine Jasmine 12/12/2008ShoGun's Too Hot To Trot Trotter 12/12/2008ShoGun's Im It N Thats That Emmet 12/12/2008

ShoGun's the Bee's Knees at One Ash Bee 12/12/2008

ShoGun's Double Your Fun Buddy 12/22/2008

ShoGun's Playing Double Solitaire With Nexus Twoey 12/22/2008

ShoGun's Ooh La La Lana 1/4/2006ShoGun's Danny Boy Danny 1/4/2006ShoGun's Going My Way Crosby 1/4/2008ShoGun's Blue Dahlia Dahlia 1/4/2008ShoGun's High Society Gracie 1/4/2008ShoGun's Outlaw Josie Wales Josie 1/4/2008ShoGun's Ninjas Love Noodles Noodle 1/4/2008ShoGun's Charlie Wilson's War Wilson 1/4/2008ShoGun's White Poplar Iris 1/18/2012ShoGun's Gunflint Trail Flynn 1/18/2012ShoGun's Pretty Woman Vivian 1/18/2012ShoGun's Gitchi-Gami Trail Gigi 1/18/2012ShoGun's   Honey Crisp Izzy 1/18/2012ShoGun's Northern Lights Richard 1/18/2012ShoGun's Stella D'oro Stella 1/31/2011

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Charlotte, ShoGun's Count Your Blessings10/14/12 We went in obedience this morning and Charlotte got her4th leg with a 186! Her best performance yet. There was a maleBassett who fell in love with Charlotte and tried to leave the ringtwice to get to her. Fortunately he got his head stuck in the fencingand we were saved. He was supposed to do his stays next to us , buthis owner had the graciousness and wisdom to pull him before it gotugly.

10/21/12 Charlotte loves to play with my golden puppy, Buffy. Sheeven lets Buffy win occasionally.

Charlotte again went with me to the local fall festival to demonstratehow to use the rehab equipment. She not only enjoyed the physioballbut also enjoyed all the people who rubbed her belly. She made lotsof friends, including a corgi who was on wheels. Charlotte sendshugs and licks. and her best wiggles to you and Otto.

10/28/12 It is exciting that Charlotte now has both her majors andonly needs 5 more points. We are prepared for Sandy all except fora one puppy litter that has not been born. The bitch belongs to myhouse mate and she cannot drive in the rain so I am driving both ofthem to the vet's in the morning and then home at noon. and Then Iget to go back to the vet's for the rest of my shift. I am not excitedabout driving in this muck but I have 4 wheel drive and stick shiftwhich other than those minor glitches we are ready for anything.Take care. Charlotte , who was white until 2:30 this afternoon, sendsher muddy kisses and wags.

Bernie, ShoGun's Ruff N Tumble UpdateWe hope all is well with you. I wanted to give you a quick updateon Bernie.

He just had his annual check up and is doing great. He weighs 67pounds and is in really good shape. Other than his spider biteproblem and eating some toy he had been a model citizen in the Hesshouse.

I have been working with him regularly on hunting and retrievingwith scented dummies, bird wings and dead birds. He also has beenhunting at Wild Wings game farm twice this year. I just took him tothe Crandon area last weekend for three days of grouse hunting. Heabsolutely loves hunting and did a great job. He flushed a lot ofgrouse and made a great retrieve on a bird I shot at that I had no ideaactually went down. Danny and I are taking Bernie up again thisweekend for another hunt. I hope to get up at least one more timein November too.

The kids absolutely love him and he is the best family dog we couldhave hoped for. We definitely want to bring him for a visit, so Lisaand I will get back to you to see what your schedule looks like. Wealso saw the 2013 national specialty Clumber show is in your areanext year. We are planning to go to the show to see all the dogs(hopefully you will have some dogs in the show) and I am going totry to swing by the hunt tests.

I'll send you some updated pictures if I can ever figure out how toget them from my camera to the e-mail, but he is still as cute as ever.Dan Hess.

Here are two photos of Bernie hunting a few weeks ago. He did areally great job at flushing the birds and found this bird in the woods!

Bernie had a great time yesterday playing in a giant leaf pile withKatie (he loves the game where one of our kids hides and he issupposed to find them)

Editor’s note: Bernie has a new neighbor, Mabel, Valhalla's MeantTo Be Me. Dam is CH ShoGun's Sierra Nevada Harvest. Sire isEmmet, GCH ShoGun's I'm it N Thats That JH RN. Her Breedersare Joanna Lee of Palmer, Alaska and Helen Marshall.

Bing, CH ShoGun's Blue of the Night JHis Four for Four

Bing, handled by his owner Cathy Vinzant, in his first timeappearing in a hunt test earned his first two Junior Hunter legs at theFox River Field Spaniel Club hunt tests on 10/20/12 and 10/21/12.On 11/10/12 and 11/11/12 at the Welsh Springer Spaniel Club ofAmerica test in Heflin, Alabama Bing completed 2 more legs to earnhis Junior Hunter title. He is in good company as two of his kennelmates, Zelda and Humphrey, hold Master Hunter titles with multiplelegs towards their Grand Master titles. Congratulations to Cathyand Bing.

11/17/12 Bing’s OFA report just came in: Hips GOOD, elbowsNormal

Bing is out of CH Shogun's Going My Way (Crosby) and CHShogun's Ooh-La-La (Lana).

We Have a New Canadian ChampionBee spent several weekends in Canada and on September 30, 2012at the Pine River Kennel Club show earned her Canadianchampionship and is now Am/Can Ch Shogun's the Bees Knees atOne Ash. Congratulations Bee and Kara.

Introducing Jewel, ShoGun's Platinum CowgirlSay hello to Jewel our latest ShoGun addition. Jewel was born onSeptember 14, 2012. Her Dam is Ch ShoGun's Alice Nimbletoes (Alice ) and her Sire is Ch ShoGun's Kid Curry , Curry. Breeders:Britt Dalbec and Helen Marshall. You can see photos of Jewel in hergallery at http://www.pbase.com/owahl

Dori, CH Shogun’s Nileea Swingin' On A Star BNRE Update

Dori got her Rally Excellent title at Sioux Empire Kennel Club, inSioux Falls, South Dakota, on Friday 10/26/2012.

Dori got her conformation Championship at Sioux Empire KennelClub, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Saturday 10/27/2012.

Congratulations to Dori and to Susan Strinden Hall who hasworked so diligently to achieve these titles.

A word of advice from Chris Saint

Never use therapeutic laser if there is a chance there might be canceras it stimulates cells it can set off cancer. Otherwise it is a great optionespecially for arthritis, and wound healing and other forms of painand inflammation.. At our practice we do 10 -15 dogs a day with afew cats thrown in for good luck. There is a daily fight to use thelaser next. ( Ed note: thanks for your warning)

Iris, ShoGuns White Poplar, UpdateAll is well with Iris she was 10 months old on Saturday 11/18/12.She is very happy,tail always wagging, and full of mischief. Sheloves to be outside and even likes to ride in the car to go to thegrocery store. Tomorrow she will have her holiday bath andmanicure. Iris watches TV with us every night in our family room.The challenge is, she falls asleep around 7:00, but then she's up by4:30 in the morning. She cries until we get up,which is now before5:00 a.m. We hope this changes eventually. She is very talentedwalking on her hind paws!!! Iris greets us on her tip toes. She is inthe kitchen with us, and likes to patrol the counter tops on her tiptoes. She steals dish towels, and hopes someone will chase her! Sheis our only child, since everyone is grown, so she gets away with alot. She entertains us every day.

Can’t Forget EmmetOn October 14, 2012 Emmet earned his UKC Started HunterRetriever title to add to his UKC CH title. That boy just keeps going.Congratulations to Emmet and Gabe. Emmet’s AKC name isGCH ShoGun's Im It N Thats That JH RN

November 6, 2012

Dear CERF Breeder,

As you probably already know, OFA’s new registry went live on November 1st. CERF is NOT affiliated withtheir new system, nor have we partnered with them or been acquired by OFA. There is no “transition plan” inplace. CERF and OFA are two different systems, and we are now competing for your valued business. CERFwill continue to operate independently as we have done in the past. We’re not planning on closing the doorsanytime soon. We have the longest history and greatest experience with operating an established canine eyeregistration database.

That being said, I would once again like to make sure that you are aware of the deceptive practices that somepeople have been reporting to me. You still have the right to use a CERF form and submit your data to CERF, ifyou so choose. I sincerely hope that you continue to do so. If you sign an OFA “release form”, they will attemptto add your information into the new, unproven OFA registry. It will NOT be added to CERF if you sign thisform. There is no “combined registry”. There is no “transition” from one registry to the other. CERF and OFAare two independent systems. I urge you to request an original CERF form, make your check payable to CERF,and avoid signing any type of “release form” from OFA.

Thank you for your continued support of CERF. Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have any concernsor suggestions.

Robert Malinowski, DVM, MA

President, VMDB/CERF

October 25, 2012

Dear CERF Breeder,

I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some updates on CERF. There seems to be a lot ofmisinformation floating around out there, so I’m hoping this letter will clarify a few things. Despite what youmay be hearing, CERF is NOT going away, nor have we partnered with or been acquired by OFA. We are stillan independent group, having the longest history and greatest experience with operating a canine eye registrationdatabase.

OFA is moving in their own direction, creating their own new registry that will be operational starting November1st. CERF is not affiliated with this new system. You still have a choice! You can continue to request CERFexaminations when making appointments with your ACVO Ophthalmologist. Utilizing CERF will guarantee thatyour data will be added to the largest, most established registry currently available. We need your help to ensurethat this valuable resource doesn’t disappear.

Beware of deceptive practices! Signing a “release form” and making your check payable to someone other thanCERF will add your data to the OFA registry. It will not be added to the CERF registry if you sign their releaseform. There is no “combined registry”. CERF and OFA are two independent systems.

I would certainly like to continue working with everyone that has supported CERF in the past as we navigate thiscomplicated situation. I greatly appreciate everyone that continues to support CERF. Only through your continuedefforts is CERF able to collect data and provide these valuable services. Please feel free to contact me at any timeif you have any concerns or suggestions.

Thank you for your continued support,

Robert Malinowski, DVM, MA

The Dangers of Genetically Modified Ingredients in Pet Food

http://tinyurl.com/b9vjp4a

Story at-a-glance

If you’re feeding your dog or cat a commercial pet food containing corn-based ingredients, chances are thoseingredients are genetically modified. Over 60 percent of corn grown in the U.S. is genetically modified.

Studies of rats fed GM corn show evidence of severe kidney and liver disease, negative effects on the heart,spleen, and other organs, massive tumors, and premature death.

While the impact of GM foods on dogs and cats has not been scientifically studied, many scientists suspectthese products have some common toxic effects and may cause disorders of the liver, pancreas and kidneys inhumans and animals.

Dr. Michael W. Fox believes the high number of skin and food allergies, and other allergies associated withGI disorders in dogs and cats are caused or aggravated by novel proteins and other contaminants found ingenetically modified crops.

Even conventionally grown corn is not a biologically appropriate food for dogs or cats. Both corn and soyproducts are linked to a wide variety of health problems in companion animals.

Why Do You Give Your Dog Toys?

Why do we give dogs toys? Well, because toys make them happy, of course! But they're also necessary for yourdog's mental health, and that's why I want to talk about them today. What kind of toys does your dog like to playwith? When I ask owners this question I usually get answers that are similar. That's because dogs have similarinstincts and similar needs. Most dogs LOVE squeaker toys. But here's the question on most dog owners' minds:If my dog loves playing with squeaker toys so much, why does he destroy them in a matter of minutes?

That's a good question with an interesting answer.

This is a very frequent complaint. It's quite common for a dog to go after a squeaker toy like crazy until he finally"kills" it by ripping the squeaker out. The dog loves the toy - why would he destroy it and not be able to playwith it anymore?

The truth is that this kind of play behavior is instinctual. "Killing" a squeaker toy is the dog's whole objective -that's the real fun of it for them (although we might have a hard time seeing it this way.) And completing themission is a very satisfying feat for your dog.

The squeaking noises remind your dog of the natural squeals and chirps made by live prey as they are caught,injured and killed. So the more the toy squeaks, the more excited your dog gets - and the more his instincts drivehim to "finish the toy off", so to speak. Toys that squeak a lot can make your dog feel like an expert hunter, theking or queen of the pack. The process of ripping out a squeaker can be VERY satisfying to a dog, which is whysqueaker toys are quite often a dog's favorite.

Keeping the Pounds Off Your Pooch

Obesity is, pardon the pun, a big problem in America. And I don't just mean obesity in humans - I'm talking aboutdog obesity! It's estimated that a whopping 1 out of every 2 dogs in the United States is carrying around extraweight. I know I don't have to tell you that canine obesity can lead to health problems and discomfort for yourdog. In order to accurately determine how your dog is affected, first you need to figure out how much (if any)weight your dog should lose. But sometimes it's not very easy to tell if a dog is obese. "He's just fluffy!" youmight think. (I've also heard owners tell me their dogs are “big-boned” or “retaining water.”)

The surefire way to determine if your dog is obese is to ask a vet, but there is a quick check you can do to get ageneral idea. A pass of your hands over your dog's ribs and stomach can give you a lot of information about theircurrent risk of obesity. A healthy dog's ribs are easy to feel individually, but they shouldn't be sticking out visibly.His stomach should be slightly tucked in when viewed from the side. If you can't easily feel your dog's ribs, andif his stomach droops where his waist should be, your dog might be overweight.

If you find that your dog is overweight, there are a few things you can do to help him burn off the excess fat.Increasing the amount of exercise in your dog's routine is one of the best ways to help drop those extra pounds.This means taking him for a longer walk, out for runs, or even just playing for a longer period of time. I encouragefinding a doggie park where he can run freely and unhindered by a leash.

A big part of keeping off weight is understanding how it got there in the first place. Sometimes weight gain canbe caused by a drop in metabolism due to a surgery, medical procedure, or a separate health problem. If this is thecase, your best course of action is to ask your vet for advice.

Increasing calories burned can help an obese dog but so can decreasing calories taken in. A major source of excesscalories for many dogs is too many doggie treats or snacks of people food. Not only does human table food containlarge amounts of calories, fat, and sugar, but regular consumption can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Speakingof deficiencies, it's imperative to ensure that your dog's food fulfills all of his or her nutritional needs. I can't stressthis enough: check to make sure that the food you're giving your dog is high quality and contains no fillers. Fillerscan cause a dog to eat more to get the right amount of nutrients from a meal, which in turn leads to weight problems.

However, the very best way to deal with dog obesity is to avoid it in the first place! A puppy's diet is critical inestablishing and maintaining a healthy weight through their entire life. Feed your puppy a good, high quality puppyfood to give him a healthy start for a happy life with you.

Don't let your dog become obese. Keep an eye on his diet to help him stay healthy and happy. And if your doghas put on a few too many pounds, don't worry - there are ways you can help.

Dr. Jon

Is Your Home Puppy-Ready?

Good pet owners do their research before adding a new furry family member. It's not uncommon for prospectivepuppy owners to ask me how they can be prepare for their new dog's arrival. After all, you baby-proof ahouse…why not puppy-proof it?. I usually direct the new owners to online resources (such as PetPlace). But justknowing is not enough! To do it right you'll need to do some physical work by making sure your home is readyfor your new puppy before you bring him home.

Here are just three things you should do - or get - to make sure your home is ready for your new companion:

1. Puppy-proof the house. The first and most important thing that you will need to do is make your home safefor your puppy. This includes putting anything potentially harmful out of your dog's reach. Don't forget that evensmall dogs can jump or climb, and all it takes is one good kick to knock over items on pedestals or end tables. Ifyou have plants at home, make sure they are safe for consumption. Any wires should be lifted off the ground, orhidden using “cord keepers.” Any household cleaners and other chemicals should be put away and even lockedin a cabinet if possible.

Make your house safe from your puppy as well by putting away any items that you treasure. Things that are easilybroken should be hidden, as well as any beloved toys or other items. If you would be sad to see something chewed,keep it somewhere safe. Puppies love to explore, so make sure you think of everything! I've known people wholiterally get down on all fours to see if they missed anything, from the puppy's perspective.

2. Make plans for a pet ID. Even if you plan on keeping your dog inside when not on walks, there is always thechance that your dog will get out or get lost. Just in case, you will need to make sure that your dog is properlyidentified. Many areas will bring untagged dogs to the local shelter if they are found outside so don't take thchance. Once you know the size of your puppy, get him a collar with your name, address, and phone number.Some dog owners put their vet's phone number on the tag as well. Don't know your new dog's name yet? Noproblem—a tag without it will suffice for the time being, and replacements are inexpensive.

It's also recommended that you look into having your dog microchipped. The low-cost, nearly painless procedureensures that your dog can be identified even if he or she loses his tags.

3. Buy pet supplies. You will want to already have everything ready for your new dog before he or she arriveshome, so you can focus on playing rather than shopping. Buy a water and food bowl, a travel crate, and groomingsupplies. You might also consider buying special cleaning supplies for the inevitable accidents, and an expandablebaby gate to keep your puppy contained to a safe area when you can't watch him.

Give a lot of thought to what you will feed your puppy.

The three things I listed are only the start of the responsibilities related to life with a dog, but it's worth it. Yourdog is sure to return your love for years to come.

Dr. Jon

How to Make Your Dog Happy in 3 Easy Steps

Do you know what a bored dog looks like? They're likely pacing or panting, or maybe even be drooling andwhining. But more often than not, you don't know that your dog is bored until you've left them alone for awhile.That's when you come home to all kinds of things like shredded rolls of toilet paper and gnawed shoes. Most ofmy staff has stories about destruction caused by bored dogs. In fact, one of my staff has a dog who chewed clearthrough a door!

WOW...now that's a sign you can't ignore!

Bored dogs are unhappy. But more than that, bored dogs often use their energy in less than desirable ways. Thinkof it this way: if YOU were left all alone with nothing to do, how happy would you be? Providing your dog withtoys is a valuable way to keep them happy and stimulated. When dogs are presented with a challenge or a puzzle,they are often less likely to bark or chew inappropriately. Dogs who have something to keep them busy are typicallymore enjoyable to be around, happier, and healthier in general. And no matter how sweet your dog is, we can alluse a little help with behavioral issues sometimes.

Here are some ways you can challenge your dog and give their day a boost:

1. Play more often. When you tire your dog out they'll have less energy to burn in less desirable ways. It soundssimple, but if your schedule doesn't include daily playtime for your dog, try adding it in.

2. Find a game your dog loves. Dogs are like humans: they have their own favorites, likes, and dislikes. Not alldogs like the same games and toys. Try experimenting to see what gets them excited and playing.

3. Challenge them with a toy. If regular balls and bones aren't enough to keep your dog out of trouble, considergiving them a puzzle toy. While many toys are great for keeping dogs busy, sometimes your pup needs a littlemore stimulation or challenge. These can include toys that work like puzzles, float, or randomly dispense treats.

Dr. Jon

P.S. - Stay safe with new toys. Never leave your dog alone with a toy where they can chew off parts and swallowthem.

The Cha-Ching of the Ring

I've just gotten a new puppy. Can someone tell me how to find a backer for him once he's finished? Thanks!" Soread the post on a popular show dog list. The surprising part was that several people replied with advice, and notone said, "It doesn't work that way."

So how does it work? The majority of dogs being shown have no rich patron paying the bills, but the majorityof dogs at the top of the charts either come from "old money" or they're beneficiaries of one or more newly namedowners who provide the financial backing needed to compete at high levels.

"We once figured out that between entries, handling fees and travel expenses, the cost of campaigning a top dogfor a year is higher than the average person's annual salary," says Desiree Livingston. Her husband, Brian,campaigned the Pharaoh Hound 'Qing' to the No. 2 Hound position in 2011, with expenses far exceeding severalpersons' annual salary. "If you want to place at the top of the group standings, these days you have to competein 200 or more shows a year." That's out of reach for most owners. Desiree says dog shows have grown socompetitive they're becoming a sponsored sport, comparing the situation to that of US Olympics teams thatcouldn't survive without sponsors.

Scott Sommer, whose Westminster BIS winners "Stump' the Sussex Spaniel and 'JR' the Bichon were sponsoredby Cecilia Ruggles (along with Beth Dowd for Stump), agrees, saying, "Dogs that compete at a top level needevery dollar they can get." He points out that advertising is a major expense, and if the dog is taken to shows byitself rather than with the rest of the string, travel expenses can soar.

That's where sponsors come in. Anyone who watches Westminster or takes the time to read the owners of thetop-ranked dogs has doubtless heard or seen their names, which include Patrick Allison, Ellen Charles, KikiCourtelis, Beth Dowd, Dan and Carol Greenwald, Michael Jameson, Landon Jordon, Iris Love, Victor Malzoni,Sandra Middlebrooks, Jennifer Mosing, Dina Manship Planche, Cecilia Ruggles, Joe and Carla Sanchez, RonScott, John Shaw, Nancy Shaw, Mercedes Vila and even a collaboration known as Texas Top Dog LLC (actuallyLori Darman, Kim Griffin and Barbara Weidner), among others. In the 1990s Sam and Marion Lawrence backeda top contender in almost every group. Even earlier, sponsors, such as Mrs. Cheever Porter, helped the careersof several top dogs, but never have sponsors seemed so prevalent — or so necessary.

Show Me the Money

Let's address the question everyone whispers: How much does a backer typically spend? It depends. Dina ManshipPlanche, who sponsors several dogs shown by Lois DeMers, tries to keep it modest with "less than $5,000 amonth." This figure doesn't sound so high until she adds, "per dog." She's aiming for a dog in each group. "It'snot for the faint of checkbook!" she says.

The cost of sponsoring a top dog varies, but with fees, expenses and advertising, most handlers agree it can takefrom $200,000 to $500,000 a year to reach the top of the group. There are exceptions; sometimes it can be donefor a lot less — and sometimes, a lot more.

Scott Sommer says there's no way to predict a budget ahead of time. A large part depends, for example, on whetherthe dog is flown or driven to shows, and that can be dictated by judging panels or what the competition is doing."I've had very few top-winning dogs where someone would say, 'We're almost No. 1, but we're not going to spendany more!'" he quips. "I've never shown a top-winning dog where I couldn't do whatever I wanted." Sommer sayshe usually decides where to go, but he doesn't abuse the privilege. If he's flying to a remote locale, for example,he always informs the sponsor of the ticket cost first.

Having a sponsor with resources can make travel significantly less stressful. Sommer recalls the time he misseda flight when showing JR. "I was stranded in this awful place for the next day, but then I see this guy holding asign for me, and they'd arranged for me to take this tiny plane to the next town. It barely cleared the trees, butwas better than being stuck! Of course, it got me to an even worse place!"

As for the rumors of private jets? They're true some of the time for some of the dogs. "Qing did have a jet availableto him," says Desiree Livingston, explaining that in order to keep up with the competition for top hound, Qingcouldn't just show locally. "Sometimes he flew in cargo commercially, but like most hounds, he didn't approve.We didn't want to stress him out, and didn't want to go the fake service dog route. So out came the private jet!"Desiree adds that eventually Qing didn't like to fly even in the private jet, so Brian often drove 13 to 15 hoursinstead.

Why?

Why does anyone show dogs? To help a breed, to taste the thrill of victory, to show off a beautiful example ofdogdom. As with dog show enthusiasts of more modest means, those who sponsor dogs have a variety ofmotivations.

Jennifer Mosing, for example, has sponsored many of the Livingstons' top dogs, including Qing, for the past 15years. She started as a breeder, primarily of German Wirehaired Pointers. Brian showed her dogs for severalyears, but as she became more involved with other projects (including her heavy commitment to her horses, twoof which were contenders for the US Olympic team), she bred less but still wanted to contribute to the sport.Brian suggested she sponsor a dog and return it to its owner afterward, allowing her to remain active in the dogworld without amassing a geriatric ward. She started with Sporting breeds (GWPs and Goldens), but that changedwhen Brian asked what her objectives were. "She wanted to make a difference and not stick to just the populardogs," recalls Desiree, which led to an interest in rarer breeds.

For Sandra Middlebrooks, it started with a Border Terrier seven years ago. Its breeder/co-owner wanted itshown, and Erin Roberts showed it to a group placement, then to first AOM at AKC/Eukanuba, at which pointErin asked how serious Sandra wanted to get. Apparently, very serious: Sandra hired a plane and flew her dogto every show to meet Erin. Her first show dog won three BIS. Middlebrooks sponsored her first dog,'Charmin' the Sealyham, five years ago, and has added several other noteworthy charges since, including thePekingese 'Malachy.' "In five years, Sandra has won everything: BIS at Westminster, Eukanuba, Crufts, theWorld Show and Montgomery County," Roberts reports. But she is quick to point out that winning is notMiddlebrooks' ultimate goal. "For Sandra, the No. 1 priority is keeping the dog healthy; No. 2 is having fun."

Roberts says another of her sponsors, Michael Jameson, M.D., backs dogs because it offers him a distractionfrom the harsh realities of his work as a nephrologist.

Dina Planche bought a Havanese for her daughter 10 years ago, and ended up training him in obedience andagility. She followed with another, but decided to finish him in the conformation ring as well even though herinterest still lay mostly in performance. She was quickly hooked, and when that dog retired she decided to backanother dog shown by her handler, Lois DeMers. DeMers now shows several dogs sponsored by Planche. "Iget the enjoyment of having beautiful dogs," Planche explains, "and I get to see them and brush them. Youhave to be special for Lois to let you brush her dogs." Planche is a hands-on sponsor, often driving hermotorhome to shows so she can root her dogs on, and maybe even get to brush one. She jokes: "If I was skinnyand cute and smart, I'd be out there doing it myself. Well, I'm smart! And kind of cute."

Desiree Livingston points out that if you enter into an agreement with a sponsor, it's important to know theirmotivation and goals. "If the motivation is just to win, you're looking at a lot of pressure on the handler anddog." She recalls the last days of the 2011 race to top hound. With a few shows left, Qing still had a chance toovertake the Whippet. However, Qing and Brian were tired, and when it came time to make the flight to thenext show, Mosing shocked everyone by telling him to come home instead. "Win or lose she is always goingto place the well-being of handler and dog over the win," Desiree says. "Jennifer feels strongly that wins aregreat, but the experience is priceless. She said to Brian: 'You and Qing made history. You won 52 Bests inShow. Come home. Let's go to Disney World!' When Brian questioned all the money she'd lost, Jenniferreplied, 'Quite frankly, I'm more ticked off at losing $5 in the drink machine outside!'"

The Fine Print

With hundreds of thousands of dollars — not to mention a dog's well-being — on the line, you might expectthere to be contracts with pages of clauses and contingencies. Generally, you'd be wrong. Although it variesfrom one sponsor or handler to the next, contracts overall are either verbal or short.

Erin Roberts says, "It's not about contracts; it's about honoring your word." She recalls her first backed dog,Johnny the Basenji, sponsored by Michael Jameson and Patrick Allison. They'd written a standard contract,and then Michael and Patrick took her shopping for a more suitable show wardrobe. "They bought me severalthousand dollars worth of clothes," Roberts says. "When I got home and my husband saw what they'd done, hemarked out all the Best in Show bonuses from the contract." Johnny went on to win 59 Best in Shows and fourNational Specialties, making Roberts' clothes possibly the most expensive dog-showing wardrobe ever. Sincethen Roberts prefers not to use contracts, relying instead on loyalty and a handshake. She says her sponsors aremore like part of an extended family.

The agreement with the owner varies with the people involved. With Jennifer Mosing, she typically pays allexpenses, including veterinary expenses and asks in return for the possibility of a puppy if one of her childrenwanted one. In one case, a Vizsla she was sponsoring developed pyometra. Despite spending several thousanddollars trying to save both her life and reproductive future, the bitch had to be spayed. "Jennifer called abouther every day and felt so bad when she had to be spayed," Livingston recalls. "She tried to think of a way tomake it up to her owner, and ended up offering the owner semen from a top Vizsla, but her owner had no needor room for a spayed bitch, and said she was going to place her. Jennifer got concerned for her welfare, andoffered to keep her herself. She still has her living on her farm."

Planche also pays for everything when the dog is in her name. "At first I got the stud fees, but that turned out tobe a hassle," she says. "I do ask to get a puppy back or stud service if I want one." She explains that it's therelationship that's more important for her.

Agreements depend heavily on what the original owner's concerns are. "Often the owners are worried about howthe dog might be used at stud while in the backer's name," Sommer says. Such concerns are best addressed aheadof time. Stud fees may also prompt discussion. "Everything has to be upfront and honest," he says. "If everyoneis going to be nickel and diming you to death it won't work. You either trust us or forget it."

Most agreements cover a one- to three-year period. Most often, they're a one- or two-year commitment with anoption for an additional year. "We don't keep a dog out for more than two years because of the pace and schedule,as well as the need to be bred as in the case of a bitch," Livingston says.

At the end of the campaign, dogs typically return to their original owner, but not always. By mutual consent,Sommer still has Westminster BIS winners Stump and JR, aged 13 and 14 years respectively, as his personaldogs. ( Note: Stump has since died)

Backers-R-Us

Many owners dream of their dog being "discovered" and sponsored, and for a very few, that dream comes true.Chances are, contacting sponsors or even their handlers won't help owners attain that dream.

"We're sometimes approached by owners looking for a backer, and it can be a little uncomfortable because noteveryone is prepared to hear assets and problems their dog has," Livingston says. "The best way to get noticedis to have your dog in pristine condition and show it. Show off its temperament and showmanship, its potentialto keep showing after 200 shows. Show me a dog who loves it — one I can't keep my eyes off, and we willhopefully find it!"

"If you have a dog that is really good, word will get out, and somebody will find you," Sommer agrees. Hecautions that finding a sponsor is only the first step. "Many people think that just because a dog has a backer it'sgoing to win, but the dog plays a large role. You can have the greatest dog in the world, but it still has to clickwith the person to win. Not every dog can do this." He says that when he has a potential top dog, he takes it homefor a month to see if it's happy and if it will work before committing to a campaign.

Owners who dream of securing a sponsor and showing the dog themselves are probably truly fantasizing. It'snot impossible, but it's a long shot. Many sponsors prefer to work with one trusted handler; they either rely onthat handler to find future stars or to contact owners who have dogs the sponsor has spotted. The handler haslittle motivation to find a dog for somebody else to show, and the sponsor runs the risk of entering into anagreement with all sorts of unknown variables. Although the owner-handler has the advantage of concentratingon one dog, knowing the breed and possibly being known in that breed, the professional handler has the advantageof face recognition and contacts at an all-breed level. If the goal is to be No. 1 in the breed, a sponsor could attainthat goal by backing an owner-handler. If the goal is to be at the top of the group, the sheer number of showsrequired make that difficult for an amateur who may have other work commitments.

The Big Picture

Sponsors can be controversial. If your dog has one, you probably think they're great. If your competition hasone, you probably don't.

On the plus side, sponsors allow deserving dogs that might otherwise go unnoticed to make an impact on theirbreeds. They can bring rarer breeds to the forefront, increasing breed interest, and they help support many peopleassociated with dog shows, including handlers, photographers and ad designers. Many also support causes, suchas Take the Lead and the Canine Health Foundation.

On the minus side, they can discourage breed competition in their area, possibly enable a poor specimen to dobetter than it should and further the inflation of expenses needed to succeed in the sport.

Some individuals and even clubs aren't shy about voicing their displeasure with sponsors. "Jennifer's gotten hatemail from parent clubs and local clubs, claiming the dog she was sponsoring wasn't the best specimen of thebreed," Livingston says.

Maybe that explains why most sponsors seem content to stay in the background. Try to get one to respond to aninterview request (as, for example, for this article), and be prepared for the sound of crickets chirping in response.Try to spot one at a show, and chances are they won't be in the win picture, and they won't be decked out in fursand jewels. They'll be the quiet ones in jeans and sneakers eating nachos, watching the groups and maybewhispering to their handler about your dog. They may command fortunes from real estate holdings, media empiresor even a donut dynasty, but those who know them will tell you their real fortune is their friendship.

Could Your Pet Be Harboring This Miserable Little Parasite?

Story at-a-glance

Giardia infection is fairly common in pets – especially dogs. It is a zoonotic infection, meaning it can be passedbetween animals and humans. Animals that have been housed with lots of other animals are common carriers ofthe parasite.

The usual way a dog gets infected is by ingesting a giardia cyst contained in the feces of another animal.Contaminated outdoor water is very often the source of infection, since the giardia parasite thrives in cool, dampenvironments.

Once inside your pet’s body, the cysts open and active forms of giardia attach to the walls of the intestine andbegin to reproduce. Eventually some of these active forms build new cysts around themselves and pass from thepet’s body in feces and the cycle begins again.

Many pets with giardia have no symptoms. The most common symptom is diarrhea, which can be acute orchronic. Left untreated, a giardia infection can cause serious GI inflammation, chronic diarrhea, malabsorptionand other digestive issues, and weight loss.

Diagnosis of a giardia infection requires a special test that not every vet uses. Effective treatment of an infectionrequires thorough follow-up to insure the parasite has been completely cleared from your pet’s body.

http://tinyurl.com/7k2cl9b

The Critical Details of a Physical Exam

March 26, 2012 Posted by Shawn Finch, DVM in Health

Do you ever wonder what goes into a wellness exam when you bring your dog to the veterinarian? I imagine itappears as though we pet your dog, listen to his heart for a moment and perform whatever vaccinations or othercare he needs and move on. In actuality, much observation and interpretation goes into that examination that youand your pet may never realize. Until now that is…

I start by spending time talking with you, because…I like you, and I am honored you have brought your pet tome! I also need a thorough history on your dog – lifestyle, diet, exercise, housemates…anything that could helpus both as a a team provide the best possible care. While we discuss your dog, I try to not make eye contact withhim, cute as he is, and I get down on his level and allow him to greet me. Even if we know each other, butespecially if we do not, these few moments are crucial in setting a positive and non-threatening tone for your dog.

Before the examination officially even starts, I am gauging his neurological and orthopedic status – how he sits,stands and walks and interacts with his environment.

I am gauging his mood and stress level. Will an exam be less scary on the floor or the table? Will it take moretime to earn his trust? Do I need to be playful or gentle? Does he want to be talked to and doted on or does hewant the visit over as quickly as possible?

Next, I will either sit with him on the floor or gently lift him onto the exam table.

I pet him from head to tail, feeling for healthy skin and coat, any bumps or painful areas or other abnormalities.I check his body condition – whether he is an appropriate weight and how developed or atrophied his musclesare.

I feel over the neck, back, shoulders and hips – some of the more common areas for arthritis and injury. I amchecking for pain and the ability to move well.

I pet his forehead back to check the whites of his eyes and pet his lips back to check his mouth.

I inspect all the teeth, feeling for tender areas, gauging the amount of tartar present, and looking for fracturedteeth, discoloration or tooth root exposure. I examine the color of the gums and gently press them to see howquickly turn white and then turn back pink again and whether they are moist or dry. On a puppy, I check theprogression of baby tooth development and replacement by adult teeth and check for a cleft palate.

I examine the rest of the face – Are the eyes clear? Is there ocular or nasal discharge? Can he breathe well throughhis nose? Is everything symmetrical?

I pet under the opening of both ears. If an ear infection is brewing or present, the vertical canal will almost alwaysbe tender. I turn the ear flaps inside out one at a time. I smell the ears and look for redness, discharge and excesshair. I look at the skin on the underside of the ear flap and feel if the flap itself is thicker than it should be.

I feel five paired sets of external lymph nodes, mainly to see if they are bigger than they should be. The ones Iroutinely check are under the jaw, in front of the shoulders, in the arm pits, in the inguinal area (on the inner sideof the back legs near the abdomen) and behind the knees.

I feel the abdomen for abnormal lumps or pain. I gently lift and drop the skin over the scruff to check for adequatehydration.

On a puppy, I will check the belly button and inguinal area for hernias. On a boy puppy, I will check for thepresence of one or both testicles in the scrotum.

I check the nails to make sure they are healthy and an appropriate length and check between the toes for moistureor redness.

I look at the tummy and armpits and groin area for redness or itchiness. I pet the fur “backwards” over the headand back and sides to look for parasites (fleas, ticks or lice) and any skin abnormalities.

I listen to the cranial and caudal lung fields on both sides. I count the breaths per minute and make sure thebreathing is even and clear.

I listen to the heart on the right side and then the left side. I count the beats per minute and determine if the rhythmis normal or abnormal and if there is a murmur and if so, what kind of murmur and how pronounced on a scaleof one to six.

Then I say “Your dog is perfect” or “Your dog is perfect, and I found these abnormalities that we should address…”and we go from there. If need be, I continue the examination, focusing on areas, ears, eyes, joints or whateverelse, that need more attention. Only then will we take the next steps of any needed testing and treatment.

More and more, I have been trying to do examinations “out loud.” As your dog’s person, I think it is good to letyou know what all goes into examining your friend. And I believe that in wellness, but even in disease, everydetail of wellness – every positive exam finding – is a detail to be celebrated.

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Medical tests: when to accept, when to decline

Medical tests are commonly recommended by vets, and it seems that pet owners may be confused by their purpose.Are all those fancy tests just a big scam to pad the bill? Are all tests worth it? Should you say yes to everything?Should you politely decline?

Let me begin by saying that vets are not exactly in the business of performing unnecessary tests. They're in thebusiness of keeping your pet healthy, or of fixing your pet. There really are few useless tests. There are tests thathelp us find the diagnosis, and some that won't. As we say, which test to choose is a matter of indications. Letme take a silly example: if you want to know if a skin lump is cancerous, you wouldn't run a fecal parasite test.This doesn't mean the fecal exam is a bad test, it just means the fecal is the wrong test for our specific purpose(the skin mass), so it would be the wrong indication.

* Speaking of... Most vets recommend to run a fecal test once a year. The purpose is to look for parasite eggs todetermine if your pet has worms, mostly GI, such as hookworms and tapeworms. Some vets have a nurse lookat your pet's poop sample in-house, under the microscope. Other vets will send the sample to the lab, where iswill be examined by a professional lab technician. Which option is better is subjective: you need to take intoaccount the experience of the technician and the cost difference. If it doesn't cost much more to have the lab doit, it may make sense to choose that option.

* Blood work is probably one of the most commonly performed tests. There are 3 main reasons to recommendblood work:

1. Screening your pet once or twice a year to make sure everything is OK inside. There are 2 main parts to thistype of blood work.

A CBC, or Complete Blood Count, is meant to check white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. We can findconditions like anemia (low red blood cells), infection (high white blood cells) or clotting disorders

(abnormal or low platelets). A chemistry panel helps us check kidney and liver health, as well as electrolytes(sodium, potassium, calcium etc).

Vets will sometimes add other tests to the basic CBC-chemistry. For example, thyroid hormone levels are oftenrecommended in older pets: this helps us screen for a lazy thyroid (hypothyroidism) in dogs or a hyperactivethyroid (hyperthyroidism) in cats.

I would highly recommend running blood work once or twice a year. As long as you understand that we can'tdiagnose "everything" based on blood work (for example, most cancers don't show up on blood work), it's theright thing to do.

2. The next major reason vets recommend blood work is to test for a specific condition. Examples include thyroiddisease (see above), kidney disease, liver disease, Cushing's disease, Addison's disease etc.

The reasons for the test are a little bit different than above. Here, your vet suspects a condition based on yourown observations, such as increased thirst, or the physical exam, or an X-ray, and needs more information toconfirm a suspicion. So of course I'd suggest following your vet's recommendation. But don't hesitate to askWHY these tests are suggested, until you truly understand the reason.

3. The third major reason we recommend blood work is what I do most: to make sedation or anesthesia as safeas possible, most often before surgery. If blood work is normal, it doesn't eliminate all risks of anesthesia, but itcertainly makes things safer. If we find a problem, such as kidney or liver disease, then we may change the planquite a bit: perform additional blood work or a belly ultrasound; we may change the anesthesia or pain medicationswe use; we may change the IV fluid protocol .

A classic example is NSAIDs, or Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, which we may not give around surgerytime or at home in pets with liver or kidney disease, since these drugs can have liver or kidney side-effects.

Another example: if we find that your pet is anemic (low red blood cell count), we may recommend a bloodtransfusion.

Overall, we tend to recommend fewer tests for young, seemingly healthy pets, and more tests for older or sickpets.

* X-rays are used to screen for various situations or diagnose a specific condition.

"Screening" X-rays are used to see if your pet has a tumor in the chest or the belly. For example, before amputatinga leg because of bone cancer, we need to make sure it hasn't spread to the lungs (metastasis). It's not a guarantee,since we may miss tiny, early masses. The best test for this is a CAT scan. We also would use this screening testbefore we give stem cells to a patient, since cancer is pretty much the only known contra-indication.

"Diagnostic" X-rays are used, for example:

. to see whether a foreign body may have caused an intestinal blockage, or is still inside your pet.

. to confirm and assess a fractured (broken) bone

. to assess bone healing (after a fracture repair or a TPLO)

. to study a joint (elbow or hip dysplasia, arthritis...)

. to confirm a suspicion of bone cancer

. to evaluate the lungs and heart and belly etc.

* Ultrasound is used to explore countless condition, mostly in the chest (heart and lungs) and belly (everythingfrom liver and spleen to kidneys and intestines).

* MRI & CT scan, called advanced imaging, are used to diagnose a number of conditions in the head, spine, chest,belly and legs.

* A fine needle aspirate is a test performed with a needle (the same tiny needle as one to inject a vaccine) to takea few cells from a mass and look at it under the microscope, either in house or at the lab.

* A biopsy is different. Here, the needle is bigger, so we get a small chunk of tissue, which is sent to the lab.Because we get much more tissue that way, we can often get more and better information, ie a better diagnosis.

Surgeons say about a mass that "If it's worth taking out, it's worth sending in." What it means is that we stronglyfeel that all masses should be sent to the lab for a biopsy. If the results are bad (ie cancer), then we can deal withthe situation. At least we know for sure. If the results are good (ie benign), then we can all celebrate and sleep inpeace.

* A culture is a sterile swab that tells us which bacteria might be growing somewhere (eg the bladder). The"sensitivity" tells us which antibiotic might kill the bacteria, which is really what we need to know.

I could go on and on with these tests!

Here is the bottom line you should consider, every time you wonder if a test should be ran by your vet:

. Why is the test recommended?

. Who is the best person to run the test (your family vet, a nurse or a specialist)?

. What will running the test change to what you're doing?

My general philosophy is to only run a test if the results might change what we do. Let me conclude with a classicexample.

As explained above, when we want to give an anti-inflammatory drug to a pet, it is important to run blood workto make sure the kidneys and liver are healthy enough, since the drug itself could potentially damage them. If thereis a problem with these organs, we may decide not to give the drug. Since the test may change what we do, I wouldrecommend running the test.

So there you go. When to run a test is not always a black and white decision. My suggestion is to have an opendialogue with your family vet to really understand the purpose and the benefits of a test. Only then can you makean educated decision.

Until next time.

Phil Zeltzman, DVM, DACVS, CVJ

Ever My PetIn the face of such loss, what do we doHow can we truly memorialize youHow do we find something that shows what you meantHow do we show what we felt when you went

When faced with deep grief, we humans despairDid we do all we could, do you know how we careYou’ve gone on before us, and you truly knowHow deeply you’re loved, wherever you go

I’ve learned throughout life, to reflect on the goodWe’ll forget any strife, and know we did all we couldWe’ll remember our days that were happy and funWe’ll remember the times that we played in the sun

You gave us great love, and we gave it tooUnconditional love, from us and from youWe feel you around us, you’re here and you’re thereYou’re still in our hearts, you’re still everywhere

You chase after your toy or you fly through the airYou hop through the door or you trot without careFeathers or fur, cold and wet noseGetting a bath or warming our toes

We’ll remember the good times more and more every dayWe’ll honor your life in that special wayWe’ll see you again where your spirit is freeYou’re thriving, you’re soaring, and happy to be Ever our cuddles and snuggles and heart

Ever our baby, right from the startEver my pet, my companion, my friendEver our family, love never ends

© Susie K Parkhurst