Pure Dog Talk

Food Fight? Science Based Facts on Feeding Your Dog Rob Downey, President and CEO of Annamaet, foundational researcher in pet feeding, joins host Laura Reeves to discuss the pros and cons of raw vs kibble and how to make sure your pet is fed a healthy diet. “The real thing is, with any product, is how well it’s balanced and the raw materials going in to it,” Downey said. “You can’t say all raw is better or all kibble is better. It really comes down to the formulation. Whether or not its AFCO approved, who’s done the testing and the raw materials that are included. “I’ve studied nutrition for close to 40 years. When we put together our products, not only was I there, we had a board certified veterinary nutritionist and a guy who got his PhD in vitamins. The three of us hammered this out for weeks. It just amazes me that somebody thinks I’ll just put this together in my back yard and I’ll add some green beans and everything will be good. “It’s especially a concern right now when studies have shown how important vitamins and minerals are. “The problem is (vitamin deficiencies) are happening sub-clinically. Studies have shown that 60 percent of home prepared diet are deficient of at least one nutrient. “Most veterinarians aren’t really trained in nutrition. Only about 50 percent of veterinary teaching universities even have a core nutrition course. Veterinarians have to learn so much, they just don’t have time. “One of the things when you’re talking raw or home-prepared diets, you want to be careful you don’t go over about 10-15 percent organ meat. Organ meat tends to be really high in Vitamin A and copper. Copper storage disease is a rising threat in many breeds not predisposed to it….. Copper is stored in the body in the liver. “I don’t care if it’s raw or kibble, if you start with the wrong raw materials, you can have trouble. To say one is better than the other is difficult. “People are loyal to raw because so many people want to feed their dogs like wolves… Wolves only ate every three to five days and had to chase down their prey… Dogs have evolved. Dogs were domesticated before any other animal or crop. The ability to break down carbohydrates is through the amylase genes. Dogs have evolved to the point that they have seven times more amylase genes than wolves.” From the Study: “A recent comparison of genome-wide patterns of genetic variation in a large panel of dogs and wolves identified genomic regions that were affected by directional selection during early dog domestication “(Axelsson et al. 2013). Through functional characterization of genes residing in these domestication regions, new light was shed on characteristics of adaptive advantage to early dogs. These analyses identified several genes involved in digestion and energy metabolism, suggesting that the transition from wolf to dog was accompanied by a change in diet. Augmented by evidence from expression analyses and enzyme assays, it was concluded that changes in three consecutive steps in the pathway responsible for starch digestion and subsequent glucose absorption allowed dogs to rely on a diet rich in starch relative to the carnivorous wolf diet (Axelsson et al. 2013).” Find the entire study HERE.  

Holiday Gift Guide, SuperZoo, and Small Business Saturday Dr. Marty Greer, DVM, and host Laura Reeves throw out some GREAT ideas for holiday gift-giving for the animal-loving family. Greer's recent trip to SuperZoo and strong support for Small Business Saturday provide heavy influence on the list! Find links below to many of the products mentioned on the podcast and more. Small Business Saturday Gift certificate for your vet Gift certificate for your groomer Tips for the groomers Goodies for your veterinary clinic – remember them when it ISN’T a holiday! NAIA Giving Tuesday Gift certificate for freezing and storing semen Gift a Pure Dog Talk Patrons Membership for a friend or puppy buyer APPLE AIRTAGS – WITH CASES FOR DOGS – chose a waterproof case that is durable. These are not meant to be dog-tracking devices – they are for luggage and backpacks

From Chasing to Pacing: Troubleshooting In Ring Movement Issues Laura’s monthly LIVE@5 podcasts offer an interactive opportunity for listeners to ask questions and get personal insight. This particular topic revolved around questions regarding movement. Laura provides techniques to deal with dogs that pull, lunge, lack focus or pace in the ring. Q: (My dog) has this new thing where, on the go round, he pulls very hard toward the center of the ring and starts to gallop. A: Our dogs don't communicate with us, and we don't communicate with them, with our words. What they hear is our tone of voice. Our body language and our energy. So, like our nervous energy, or our negative energy, or our very positive energy, or most importantly our Zen. If the situation happens when going around with a group of dogs, instead of standing there facing the back end of those dogs as they start to run away, I turn the dog. I put him fully perpendicular to that line of dogs running away. I keep him completely focused on me and on a watch me until it is our time to go. We give the dog in front of us three full strides before I start. And then we go and then the dog is going to be more collected, more together. Q: When gaiting, (my dog) always wants to be looking at me instead of straight ahead where we're going, which I feel throws off his gait. A: Don’t look at the dog. It seems kind of silly and sort of simple, but we get so worried about what the dog is doing that we're constantly looking at them. And the dog’s reaction of course because again, they don't respond to words, they respond to body language. If we're giving them eye contact, they're going to give it back. Laura covers everything from chasing to pacing in this great interactive conversation. Don’t forget to check out the next LIVE@5 on the first Tuesday of every month.

Dr. Gayle Watkins LIVE: Socializing Puppies Properly Four-time AKC Breeder of the Year in four different sports, Dr. Gayle Watkins, founder of Avidog, speaks about how we create working and competition dogs through proper socializing. Watkins observes that socialization is building social relationships with humans and dogs. And the current method of socialization causes more harm than good. Puppy development should be manners, mental resilience, civility and trust, she posits. “The vast majority of people think socialization ends at 16 weeks, the sensitive period. Those first four months so important to puppies. But most dogs need socialization or “development work” through 15 months,” Watkins said. Another misconception Watkins notes is that 8 to 10 weeks is a fear *imprint* period, not a time in which dogs are necessarily more fearful. “They're not more afraid at that age,” Watkins said. “They're going through continual progression towards fear that starts at 5 weeks. It’s what a canine is. They are fearful creatures. This is inherent in this species, so fear is inherent in dogs.” “If you go online and you Google socialization and puppies, you’ll get a million hits, over a million hits, and you will get checklist after, checklist after checklist. This is not a checklist. We're talking about teaching skills. What is stability? It’s the appropriateness of the dog’s response to stress. “I also want to build resilience. Putting them under stress very, very early. So that they can be resilient. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from stress and frustration. If you think about it, we can't make every puppy bombproof. More than anything else. It is built through inoculation to stress. When we are aiming for stability, we want to introduce stress to teach them the right behaviors. Here we must introduce stress to teach them to be resilient.” Watkins’ insights on raising sensible, calm competition ready dogs is invaluable. Listen HERE to one of her first conversations on Pure Dog Talk, on bomb proofing your puppies.

Building Trust with Your Puppy During Socialization Dr. Gayle Watkins is back with part two of her presentation on proper socialization steps for raising competitive dogs. Watkins emphasizes the need for the owner and puppy to build trust during early socialization. This means being a “control freak” about safe-guarding your puppy’s interactions with people, places and other pets. “We are responsible for creating trust,” Watkins said. "We do it by being trustworthy and reliable. We are often not trustworthy with our dogs. Teach your puppy they can rely on you. “Civility is the appropriateness of behavior around people and dogs,” Watkins added. “It is keeping your mouth shut, not biting anyone, not climbing on anyone. Not assaulting other dog or people as you are meeting. Civility is not the same as friendly. It does not require physical interaction. More important to teach our dogs indirect interaction, when they see a person or dog and do not interact.” Getting puppies “out” to see urban centers, hear different noises and so forth does not also necessarily mean *meeting* other people and pets right away, Watkins noted. She also advocates for supervised puppy classes long before training classes begin. Puppies handle stress best if we give them cues they can fall back on, Watkins said. If a situation is causing stress for the puppy, have them offer a sit and watch behavior, for example. She adds that forcing a puppy in to a situation that is clearly uncomfortable or scary for them can cause you to break the trust you are hoping to build with the puppy. Watkins also discusses acquired fear or aggression in dogs that can actually be passed on in the whelping box – epigenetics is the name of this phenomena. Her emphasis on raising stable and trusting dogs springs from studies that indicate 80 percent of aggression is genetically based. The bottom line, Watkins said, is that raising confident, stable puppies takes time, effort and commitment.    

Dr. Marty Greer’s Passion Project & Anniversary Episode Dr. Marty Greer, DVM and host Laura Reeves celebrate their fifth anniversary of sharing important veterinary topics on Pure Dog Talk. Greer’s passion project is Breast Cancer Awareness in dogs. “People sometimes forget that dogs get breast cancer too,” Greer said. “It's not an uncommon kind of cancer to find in dogs, unfortunately. It is definitely linked to spaying at an older age. But, in spite of that, there are still some significant benefits in waiting to spay. So that's a whole ‘nother topic. “But essentially we see it in middle age to older, normally female dogs that were left intact after the age of two. So, anybody that's breeding their dog is typically not going to spay before two because of health clearances, because she needs to mature before you breed her. So this means that almost every dog in a breeding program is gonna fall into a possibility of breast cancer. Mammary tumors, same thing, different term, all the same stuff. “And I think it's really important that people know that there isn't a good treatment other than surgery. So early detection and surgery is going to be almost the only thing that we can offer. “So, really, early detection, finding a nodule, taking it off when it's small and then being very attentive for additional ones to develop is very important. “Dogs have five sets of memory glands. The littlest ones are at the front between the front legs, and then they go down a nice string all the way down, usually in a fairly straight line. Every now and then they'll be an extra nipple or something else thrown in, and that's OK. It's just a normal variation. “But what you want to do is go along that chain that goes down, so feel from one nipple to the next and in between the nipples and just gently manipulate the skin so that you can see if you find anything that seems abnormal. A breast cancer nodule will feel firm, like a pea or a little cluster of peas. They'll be firm. They won't be those soft kind of masses. They won't be on the belly button. They'll typically be off to the side. The most common place to find a tumor, and the most serious tumors, are in the glands closest to the back legs. “I strongly encourage people not to spend the money on a fine needle aspirate. A lot of veterinarians want to stick a needle in it and aspirate it, and because most mammary tumors are mixed of different cell types, that is not going to be an accurate assessment of what you have.” Listen to the full episode here and then flash back to the first episode, introducing Dr. Greer.

"In Their Honor We Must Continue Their Paths" Tomorrow is All Saints’ day… It’s also Dia De Los Muertos … So I believe it is fitting to hold up our friends and loved ones today on All Hallows Eve….. Our tribe has lost legends, and legends in the making, just in the last few weeks, never mind during the course of the last couple years. The days are shorter, colder and grayer today. The mottled leaves are falling. The dry grass is wilting. The winds of change heralding the season have arrived to scurry and swirl the fallen leaves in our path. The fog is settling in, the sun tilting on its axis. It feels as if the world is dying around us as the fall equinox wanes and the winter solstice creeps ever closer. When we lose friends and family this time of year, the anguish seems to seep deeper into our bones than at any other time. Nonetheless, within our dog community, we are all, at the core, performers. The show must go on. No matter how devastated. How shattered. How destroyed our souls. So, we push through and push away and push down the heartache and angst and horror and sadness. Even as we collapse, crushed, with a dog on our chests to get through the night. “Thinking of you and all the amazing people brought into your life through the dogs. Does not make their passing any less sad, but oh how it has enriched your life.” This small note brought me such comfort. And I wanted to share this bright spot with all of you who are hurting right now. Our lives are all immeasurably enriched by our community of fellow dog lovers. Whether you started yesterday or have spent 50 years in this sport, the camaraderie and shared love of dogs is literally a lifeline for many. The litany of those gone in the last few years is nearly unbearable. Respected judges. Gifted breeders. Talented handlers. Beloved family. Bastions of passion and commitment to purebred dogs who are so nearly irreplaceable. Joe Gregory Barbara Alderman Pat Laurans Pat Hastings Linda Souza Jerry Moon Jamie Donelson So very many more near and far, bright stars each within their own universes. The smiles and voices that will forever stay with us. I will never forget literally sitting at Jerry Moon’s knee while he taught me how to trim Cockers properly so I could show an ASCOB dog for a new client. Or the time Jerry went down at the old Brush Prairie show site during the Cocker specialty. He had won the variety with his beloved Fosse and would not leave in the ambulance until he was assured I would take Fosse back in for the breed. We won that day under Dale Simmons and against Don Rodgers with the ASCOB dog. That they are all gone now is hard to navigate in my mind. Working with Pat Laurans on the GWPCA board. Even before then, picking her brain about old dogs and pedigrees. There was literally nothing Pat couldn’t accomplish if she put her mind to it. She left her mark on Take the Lead, the AKC Reunite Pet Disaster Relief Trailers, the Parent Club Committee for the Delegates and so much more. She was a fierce advocate for our breed and a good friend to me over the years. Just this spring I spent months working with Pat Hastings, Chris Levy & Nancy Martin on a presentation to vet students at OSU when they were invited to a local dog show. She was such an inspiration to me, not just in her knowledge, but her skill at wielding it to such dramatic effect. Linda Souza’s support and kindness to me as an Irish Wolfhound handler back in the day… in a breed where professional handlers are not the norm … was such a gift to my young self. Barbara Alderman’s kilowatt smile and the mind-bending opportunity to join her for dinner as a fellow judge. Joe Gregory’s dance moves. Talking Spinone with Gloria Geringer and Wirehairs with Roger Hartinger. Watching from afar as Jamie Donelson beautifully showed a dog we raised here. These are memories stored carefully away in the heart. I’ve talked often about our tribe. The people who find their place here in our big tent. We really are all branches of the family tree, with DOG as our common denominator. But a lot of these folks, they were roots and trunks and giant limbs on that tree. And their loss is deeply felt. One Pure Dog Talk Patron sent me this note and it has re-kindled the fire in my soul… “This is very sad news. Irreplaceable loss for the dog community. In their honor we must continue their path and make the sport stronger and welcoming to all. It does not honor those we lose if we sit around in sadness. We must take their teachings to the next level.” So, with that my friends, I challenge you. If any of the people we have lost meant something to you, even tangentially, take their mantle. Lift their spirit. Wear their colors and then take it further. Wear their hearts as yours. What stands out about the losses we’ve suffered recently is that many of these folks didn’t just “do their thing.” They gave. And gave and gave and gave and gave. Of themselves, their passion, their commitment, their devotion. Their time,

Spinone Italiano: Storied Bird Dogs of Gentle Character Long time breeder Allison Schultz, of del Caos Spinoni, joins host Laura Reeves for a Love the Breeds month discussion of the fascinating history and empathetic nature of the Spinone Italiano. [caption id="attachment_10948" align="alignleft" width="264"] Allison Shultz' "Limbo," shown by Nancy Martin, the breed's first Best in Show record holder, with five lifetime BIS awards.[/caption] Schultz acquired her first Spinone in the early 1990s, long before they were officially recognized by the American Kennel Club. The breed dates back thousands of years in Italy, to when birds were hunted with nets. “(It) probably started 2,500 years ago. Long before there was a gun, there was a hunting dog in Italy. They were known as the pointing griffon, rough coat griffon, because they have a wire coat. “Interestingly enough, when you go to Italy and you go to some of the palaces as a tourist, you'll see the Bracco in the mosaics and in the paintings, because they were the dogs of the Lords. The Spinone was really the dog of the peasant. [caption id="attachment_10949" align="alignright" width="270"] Spinoni move quietly through even the toughest cover.[/caption] “When they first started hunting, it was either maybe slingshots, but mostly nets. So, they had to be really quiet in the field. (The dogs) had to be intuitive because you couldn't yell at them because the birds would fly away. So, they really became very close working, silent hunters. “They work at a trot so that the human can keep up. They're not one to bolt a half a mile away looking for a bird because it's so ingrained into them and so intrinsic that they had to hunt close (so) the hunters could throw nets over the flocks of birds. [caption id="attachment_10945" align="alignleft" width="312"] Ch. Elettra del Subasio showing correct coat and skin.[/caption] “They developed a really thick skin, which is really, really important to the breed. And the thick skin is as thick as a cow. It's called the skin of the bull in Italy. And the name Spinoni means thorn. They can go through any kind of cover without even noticing it. “They have this ability to move quite silently through even the hardest cover, and even though they could break through easily. They just don't do that. They're very, I hate to say, careful because that implies slow, but they're very, very careful about how they move. “And the other thing they did is that they naturally flush. So, they point and let the human being know where the birds are. Then if the net gets thrown or they throw the net up in the air, Spinoni will then flush the bird into the nets. That's how they provided food long before there were guns and bows and arrows or anything, actually. [caption id="attachment_10950" align="alignright" width="283"] The gentle, empathetic character of the Spinone is paramount.[/caption] “The first thing in the original standard, which the Italians still hold today, is they must be of the sweet temperament. So that means in 1,500 years of record keeping there was never a bite in Italy from a Spinone. One of the reasons their temperament must be so sweet is that they have to live with other dogs. Because the Italians usually had Segugios to hunt and take care of the rats and the vineyards and the gardens, and that's what they depended on for living. "So, the Spinoni had to be a dog that got along well with other dogs, always. But the first thing in that standard is character. And the most important thing about Spinoni is the character has to be sweet. Dolce, they call it, gentle character. That's very, very, very important. “And a little interesting point about World War Two, in the Italian resistance, which one of my mentors was in... They used the Spinoni when they went on things because the Spinoni could tell the difference between Italians coming to meet them and Germans. That was by the diet, we believe, because the Germans ate mostly German food and smelled differently than the Italians did. They could identify the Germans quite readily. “And remember, the resistance in Italy, after Mussolini fell, were a lot of teenagers 15, 16, 17, 18 year olds, it wasn't necessarily the old guard. But many of those men were in families that were fifth, six, 7th, 8th generation Spinoni breeders. A lot of the old breeders… would have seven generations of their parents’ records, as Spinoni breeders.”

Sealyham Terriers: Favorites of Royalty and Hollywood [caption id="attachment_10929" align="alignleft" width="264"] Leslie Jaseph with two of her Seabrook Sealyham Terriers.[/caption] Leslie Jaseph joins host Laura Reeves for the next in our Love the Breeds Month, by listener request, Sealyham Terriers. Sealyham Terriers were once the favored breed of Queen Elizabeth’s sister, Princess Margaret, and Hollywood legends from Alfred Hitchcock to Betty Davis, Rock Hudson and Cary Grant. Today they are ranked 139th out of the 197 AKC breeds by registration numbers. Developed in Wales and named for the founder’s estate, Sealyhams were used to go to ground after badgers and run with the Otterhounds hunting otters. Jaseph, a Sealyham breeder, owner and exhibitor for 50 years, showed her first Sealy in Junior Showmanship. “They're tough in the field,” Jaseph said. “And they're really engaging. They love to chase and run and track, but they're not aggressive with other dogs. They are a pack animal, so their pack is their home. Beyond their pack they can be a little more assertive in personality, but within their pack it's a very distinct order. “They're happy to be the boss of the house. If you don't want to do that, they'll take over. They'll be in control. But you might not like how that works. So, you do have to be to stay strong, although you don't want to be heavy-handed with them at all. “They're very bright, they're very inquisitive. They have a terrific sense of humor. They do things for effect and watch if you're paying attention, and then they'll repeat it. Or maybe sometimes if they see you watching, they'll just stop and walk away. “They were bred to be a dwarf breed, and so they have nice bone. I think our standard mentions strength and power something like 10 times within the opening paragraph and getting into the standard. Good bone, not overdone. Not coarse, still able to be agile. “I know Sealys that live very, very happily with cats, that's not a problem. But as far as rodents and other things like that, I think you would need to be very judicious on how you handled that situation. I actually take ours and we've done urban rat hunting in Washington DC and so they do have an instinct to do that. “So the reason why they're white is because Captain Edwards wanted them to be able to be spotted when they were out hunting. Now, granted, when you're in the mud, you're going to get muddy, but you're still going to have that white. But a good coated Sealyham really is a dog that the dirt doesn't cling to them. “If they have that harsh, crisp coat, they really don't stain at all. And they do have a double coat. So you have this 50% harsh coat, 50% undercoat, which was weather resistant and kept them warm and somewhat dry.” “They do love their people and they want to be with their people. They’re wonderful companions. They love to go for walks. They don't need to go running, but they do enjoy being with you as companion dogs.”

Finnish Lapphunds: Trainable, Lovable, Cuddly Dogs of the North [caption id="attachment_10909" align="alignleft" width="273"] Linda Marden and Tori.[/caption] Host Laura Reeves kicks off Love the Breeds month talking with Linda Marden, who imported the first Finnish Lapphunds to the US and worked to have them recognized by the American Kennel Club. “I very pointedly and purposely set out to import Finnish Lapphunds and get them recognized by AKC,” Marden said. “It took pretty close to 25 years to get it done. I couldn't find anybody that would export one to the United States. Back then, we didn't have Internet or anything like that. To them, sending a dog to the United States was basically the same as taking it out and shooting it… it was never going to come back to them. It wouldn't be part of their gene pool because once they're gone and registered in the United States … at that point, because we weren't AKC recognized, we couldn't send dogs back to them. So that line, as far as they were concerned, was lost. Getting a dog was really difficult. [caption id="attachment_10910" align="alignright" width="358"] Finnish Lapphunds are a medium-sized double coated Spitz-type breed.[/caption] “When I first started, I had a breed which had a very definite well-recorded history and we had multiple generations pedigrees. This was not in any way shape or form a created breed. Every dog I imported had at least a three-generation pedigree, which was an AKC requirement. We never had anything that wasn't three generations, and they still made us wait until we had 400 dogs in the United States before we could even take another step forward. When I first started working on importing Lappies. It was before AKC had the foundation stock service. So, it instantly became much easier once that got started. “Finnish Lapphunds obviously are from Finland. That type of breed is all over the northern part of Europe. So, what actual breed you get depends on where in northern Europe you are. So, the “Lapphund” part comes from Lappland, which was an area of Europe that was never a country but "pre-countries" it was recognized area. It covers the northern parts of Norway, Sweden and Finland. And Sammies came from also basically the same area, but it was Russia. So, it's just the area you were in because these were nomadic people that are relatively isolated. So, the breeds that formed, formed because of the human isolation. [caption id="attachment_10908" align="alignleft" width="233"] The breed comes in a wide array of colors, love to learn tricks and are very docile with people.[/caption] “All of those breeds were kept by the nomadic people and their primary job was to help herd the reindeer. Now, the dogs were multi-purpose. They were not exclusively bred as herding dogs. So, we see differences in their temperaments because of that. They were also used to occasionally pull sleds. They were alarm dogs. They hung out with the people. We all joke that we know exactly what a “three dog night” is. It's really cold. The dogs lived very closely with their people, and you can see that in their temperaments. All of those breeds actually are exceedingly people oriented because they lived in the tents with the people.” For more information on the breed: https://www.facebook.com/groups/finnishlappundclubofamerica

Canine Herpes Virus from the Veterinary Perspective [caption id="attachment_10897" align="alignleft" width="253"] BRUCE W. CHRISTENSEN, DVM, MS, DACT[/caption] Dr. Bruce Christensen, DVM from Kokopelli Assisted Reproductive Services, joins host Laura Reeves to talk about treating pregnant dogs and their puppies for Canine Herpes Virus. Last week we heard from Alaskan Malamute breeder Wendy Korr on her experience with this potentially devastating disease in her litter. Today we are joined by the veterinarian who led the treatment of dam and puppies with a refresher course on CHV. “Herpes virus is not something that we typically screen for on a routine basis with our breeding bitches,” Christensen said. “It could be argued that maybe we should, but I guess in our conversation today we can probably talk about why that is or isn't so. “The bottom line is that it's a pretty common virus. And so most bitches, and stud dogs, have been exposed to it and have it essentially, although it's not actively causing disease in most of them. However, the dangerous thing is if a bitch hasn't been exposed to herpes virus and then she's initially exposed to it while she's pregnant, especially in that last half of gestation. “That would be the most dangerous time because the first time that an animal is exposed to herpes virus, they have the strongest immune response and the least prepared immune response, so the virus has more of a head start. Since the body hasn't seen it before, there aren't any lingering antibodies to recognize the virus and mount a quicker subsequent response. So the initial response is a little slower at coming and gives the virus more time to do damage. And that damage during the second-half of pregnancy will involve the fetuses and potentially much more likely infect them. “If a bitch has been exposed before, then she'll have antibodies and she's already got the virus in her, just in the latent state. And if it reproduces or comes back out, her immune system should be adequate enough to protect the puppies that are in utero. So if you find that she's naive, in other words that she has not been exposed to herpes virus, then you need to be hyper vigilant about keeping her away from other dogs throughout the rest of her pregnancy because you don't want her to be exposed for the first time during her pregnancy. “So that dog needs to be on real lockdown and isolation from any outside dogs. If you have dogs in your household that will have contact with her 'cause it just be too difficult to keep them apart, they need to be tested. And if they're negative, then they could continue to have contact with her and no other dogs. If they're positive, then you probably wanna temporarily rehome them to keep them away from her during that pregnancy so that they don't potentially spread it to her while she's pregnant. “Most species have their own herpes viruses and they're not communicable between species. We all know coronavirus jumps between species because of what the world's gone through in the last couple years, right? Herpes virus doesn't do that. It pretty much stays true to the species it's evolved with. “But once you get a herpes infection, the viruses pretty much behave the same. They go into your cells and they stay in your cells for your lifetime. Now they're usually quiet and just sit there, not replicating, just quiet inside the cells. Usually, it's in times of stress that they are triggered. Everybody listening to this podcast is going to be familiar with herpes virus in people, ‘Damn it, I got a cold sore.’ So that's because the virus. Once you've got it, it's in your body forever and during times of stress it'll come out and cause those annoying problems. In the dog, it's the same. “Once a dog becomes exposed to herpes virus, it's in the dog for life, but most of the time it's just quiet inside the cells. During times of stress, it can come back out. And interestingly, in dogs, the clinical signs usually are not necessarily like cold sores, but not too far off. They give blister-like lesions on mucosal surfaces, so it's similar to a cold sore, but you'll see these little blisters on their gums or if they're male dog on their prepuce, if they're female on their vaginal mucosa, and you'll see that and that's it. They don't cause anything except maybe some minor discomfort. But they are at that point shedding, and they can pass it quite easily from one dog to another. “The virus is really weak outside the body, so it's not like it's gonna live very long in a kennel or in a backyard. Any kind of cleaning product will kill it. Sunlight is gonna kill it. It doesn't live long like other viruses can in the environment. But passing from dog to dog, you know, they meet each other, they lick each other, they smell each other. They can pass it quite easily that way. And once you've got it, you got it. “One of the major things that keeps herpes virus at bay and just causing these little blister-like lesions and not

Canine Herpes Virus: Early Detection Saves Puppies Alaskan Malamute breeder Wendy Corr joins host Laura Reeves to share her story of early detection of Canine Herpes Virus in her pregnant bitch and how she managed the situation to produce healthy puppies. This is the first of a two-part series which also includes an interview with Corr’s lead veterinarian. [caption id="attachment_10885" align="alignleft" width="286"] November 2021 4-6 Beginner Puppy. Later, breeder, owner, handler Wendy Corr related his story, told here.[/caption] Corr said she had never really thought about CHV much, as a long-time breeder, but had recently heard a presentation on the dangers of the disease to pregnant females. On a whim, she asked her veterinarian, Dr. Bruce Christensen, to pull blood a CHV titer test on her confirmed pregnant 3-year-old Malamute. She was shocked to hear back a couple weeks later that the bitch had titer levels off the charts. At the direction of Dr. Christensen and his team at Kokopelli Assisted Reproductive Canine Services in Sacramento, CA, Corr started her bitch on a course of acyclovir, a human anti-viral. Corr, who is a clinical nurse in human medicine, said she was concerned about potential side effects from the drug, which could include cleft palate, but committed to the treatment with that understanding. She also opted for a C-section, rather than a vaginal whelp, in order to limit the puppies’ exposure to the virus in the dam’s body. Primary among the handling of the four healthy puppies at birth (none with clefts) was incorporating an incubator to keep their body temperature above 99 degrees, the point at which the virus cannot replicate, for the first 2 ½ weeks. Putting the puppies on to nurse every two hours, monitoring temps and keeping mom and puppies content during that time was a daunting challenge, Corr said. “We had friends who brought us dinner,” Corr said. “We had people who offered to come in and just sit with the dog so I could sleep or take a shower or we could go grocery shopping.” The entire process took place during the height of COVID lockdowns, enhancing Corr’s challenges. Stay tuned next week for insight from Dr. Christensen directly on his experience and recommendations on the topic.  

Consistency is the Key to Successful Dog Training Trainer and author Shannon Riley-Coyner joins host Laura Reeves to talk about the key to successful dog training – consistency. “Really, consistency is something that even as humans, we thrive on,” Riley-Coyner said. “Like if we have a relationship, whether it's with our children, our spouse, our friends. Inconsistency really creates fear. It creates anxiety. It creates a lack of trust.” Five Ways to be Consistent Be clear about what you are expecting. Does down mean get off or lie down? Make a doggy dictionary. What is the word for each behavior? Be clear about reinforcement. Clicker? Food? Verbal? Be consistent with the reinforcer! Nail your timing. “A punishment that happens 3 seconds after a behavior can be very stressful for a dog. A reinforcement like treat that's given three seconds after the behavior, it will be confusing. But it won't be necessarily be stressful.” Consistent technique. “Inconsistency is very stressful for a lot of dogs. That's why it's so important to have that timing and your techniques be consistent.” Clarity is kindness “We need a way of communicating with (our dogs),” Riley-Coyner said. “If I don't have some consistent words that mean something, we’re going to have a hard time communicating because dogs don't talk in language like this. They talk with body language and we need to know about these things.” Consistency for the dogs within the family is critical, Riley-Coyner said. Which is why using consistent words, rules and a similar tone should be part of the family meeting for any new dog. “Tone will amp up a dog or bring a dog down,” Riley-Coyner said. “It’s a lot of training ourselves.” Consistency from the beginning and building a foundation, she added, enables us as trainers to show our dogs that "clarity is kindness.”  

Intussusception and Other GI Accidents Dr. Marty Greer, DVM is back with host Laura Reeves to discuss Intussusception and other GI related accidents that may affect our dogs. “Intussusception is when the intestinal tract invaginates, or folds up on itself, so accordions on itself,” Greer said. “So, a piece of the intestine slips into another piece of the intestine, all aligned. And unfortunately, what happens when that occurs, is the blood flow is compromised to that part of the intestines and very quickly the dog gets into trouble. “(They have) vomiting, diarrhea, they look really sick, really fast. So, it doesn't look like your garden variety, ‘I ate grass and vomited’ or, you know, those kinds of things. It ranks up there in severity with parvovirus (and bloat). There’s a lot of different GI things, intestinal and stomach things that happen as intestinal accidents. “So, it's one of those intestinal accidents that happen. If intussusception happens, they're almost always young puppies. They're almost always associated with a heavy parasite load. “Any parasite, usually roundworms, but any parasite, anything that can make the gut hyper motile. So, increase the motility of the activity of the gut to the point that it gets really angry and it just sucks in. It's sort of like if you take off your sock and you kind of pull it wrong side out for part of it. That's kind of how it looks. It has this double loop of intestines, so it's usually because of hypermotility, although it can happen also with linear foreign bodies. “A linear foreign body is something long and skinny that gets swallowed that shouldn't be swallowed. It's a non-food item, so it's pantyhose, it's string, it's yarn, it's balloon strings. Those long strands that come off of the rug. Those throw rugs, rope toys when they pull bits off the rope toy. So those are the things that tend to cause foreign body intestinal intussusception. “Most of the time those dogs and cats end up in surgery because of the risk of intussusception or sawing effect of the long string foreign body kind of thing that just cuts through the intestinal wall. It can be pretty ugly. “But intussusception is unique unto itself because it may or may not be related to a foreign body. It may look like parvo, 'cause, it's a young dog, comes in acute abdomen, vomiting, anemic, sick. The real interesting thing is either you can feel it or there's sort of a characteristic. look of how intussusception looks on ultrasound. “So, if you have the suspicion of this, a good diagnostic tool is ultrasound. It's much more effective than X-ray in making the diagnosis, but feeling it is oftentimes what we can do. I've seen this in puppies as young as six or seven weeks old, and those puppies are relatively easy to feel because they're not very big and there's not a lot of body fat.”

Rights and Responsibilities of the Stud Dog Owner Dale Martenson of Touche Japanese Chin joins host Laura Reeves for a deep dive on the rights and responsibilities of the stud dog owner. The two long-time breeders break down the top five considerations for owners to consider as they decide whether and with which females to breed their male dogs. Compensation Stud dog owners typically will choose to either receive a stud fee or the choice of a puppy from the resulting litter in lieu of a stud fee. The amount of the stud fee, timing of when it’s paid and choice of puppy are all items up for discussion amongst the parties, Martenson noted, but whatever is decided should *always* be put in writing in a contract. Pick and Choose Owners of popular stud dogs will be in a position to select the ideal mates for their dog. But that requires having specific criteria, knowing the broad background of the breed, the pedigree of both dogs, the health, temperament and potential disqualifying faults and, finally, the ethics of the breeder with whom they are doing business. Popular Sire Syndrome Knowing what the “bottlenecks” are in a breed are part of the stud dog owner’s responsibilities. Population genetics come in to play as stud dog owners balance a desire to see beneficial aspects of their dogs used to strengthen the breed with a question of when does that become “too much” and impact the long-term health of the breed as a whole. Preservation Breeding Within small gene pools and truly rare breeds, owners of stud dogs will often make different decisions about allowing their dog to be used than owners of more popular breeds. For breeds with these “gene puddles,” the implications of using or not using a particular stud dog carry significantly more weight simply due to the sheer numbers or lack therof. Relationship Building “Establish a relationship (with the stud dog owner),” Martenson said. “Because I think right now, breeding requires more of a relationship than it did before. I think that you have to have that. You're just not going to take a phone call and someone comes by with a brucellosis test and breed their bitch and take their check. That's just not today's environment.”

IKC “Phoenix Rising” Blends History into the Future Scott Pfeil and Erika Wyatt join host Laura Reeves to share their excitement about the International Kennel Club of Chicago's new shows. IKC was a privately owned kennel club founded in the early 1900s. When the club’s owner, Lou Auslander, passed away in 2018, more than 100 years of tradition came to an end. Scott Pfeil and Erika Wyatt have taken on the challenge of resurrecting the “Phoenix from the ashes” and creating a new breed of dog show – embracing history while building the future. “I started when I was a kid showing dogs,” Pfeil said. “It was just the most iconic show to me. You know, there are very few really iconic shows. You always go to the Garden. It was some of those experiences, like Tuxedo Park. It was that emotion that got me. How do we bring something like that back? This was something that meant something to somebody. “Chicago is an amazing city and we've lost our Inner City shows, they just don't exist anymore. And when (IKC) went away, to me, it was heartbreaking. (The show) was exciting because the people were excited. The energy in the room was like, you couldn't believe it. And simply, that's why. It's that excitement. That is why we're putting our asses on the line here, just to make sure that we can bring something like this back to one of the greatest cities in the world, as far as I'm concerned.” “It will not be benched,” Wyatt said. “The dates of the show will be Aug. 25-27, 2023 at McCormick Place. We looked really hard at (benching). Historically this has been a huge spectator show. Throngs of families from Chicago come through this show. We wanted an opportunity for the public to become educated, be able to actually see breeds of dogs, put their hands on breeds, learn about breeds and we didn't think that in today's climate that benching was the best avenue for that. Meet the Breeds “So instead, we are partnering with AKC and we're holding a full-blown Meet the Breeds within the show. I think this will keep the show dogs that have just been groomed and their handlers not being interfered with. And it will give the public the opportunity to come and see dogs, get information and learn about purpose-bred dogs. It will be a better experience for both exhibitors and spectators. “We wanted to do something with an open show because we want to give people with foundation stock service and miscellaneous class breeds the same opulent stage that the recognized breeds get. “We wanted to do something to recognize owner handlers because there are so many owner handlers out there, and owner handlers deserve to be recognized for the fabulous contribution that they make this sport. And we wanted to have a special award to recognize a special dog in Chicago at the Chicago show.” Chicago Challenge Cup Winner of the Chicago Challenge Cup will receive $20,000, with an additional $5,000 donated to a charity of their choice. “How do I know I've put on a great show?” Scott asked, “When all the great dogs are there. “How do we do that and how do we bring them together? I think this competition really allows that to happen. In a nutshell, it's all of the winners of the FSS group, of the Miscellaneous group, of the owner handled groups and of the regular groups over the three days in Schaumburg (IKC’s January show in Schaumburg, IL). So, if you win any of those groups, on any of those three days, you're going to get a certificate that's going to invite you to participate in the semifinals of the Chicago Challenge Cup. “Canine Chronicle is partnering with us to also invite the top 10 dogs in each regular group for the first half of the year.”

How to Develop a "Political IQ" with Patti Strand Patti Strand, founder of National Animal Interest Alliance, has spent 30 years working within the political system to advocate for dog breeders and owners. She joins host Laura Reeves to discuss how to develop YOUR political IQ. Get Involved “At the very beginning you said that you think we need to be involved,” Strand said. “And I just could not agree more. There's a bunch of old sayings, one is that we all wind up with the government we deserve. “I do not have a negative idea about politics overall or I couldn't participate in this. I have to stay open-minded and I consider the possibility that some of the people who are there, and it's true, some of the people I've met are very sincere. They care very deeply. But they have not heard from us, is the big problem. “In the 30 years that I've been involved, I would say that there is greater involvement now and by quite a bit than there was before. But that means like going from zero to something like 20 percent. I'm serious. Our community, they pretty much get engaged when there's a crisis, when the wolf is at the door… “It is kind of an art form for people to get involved. The first step to getting involved is deciding that you're going to. Right now, because it's an election season, is the time to make that commitment. Get Access “The biggest thing, though, is to figure out how to get access. Because usually when we're facing legislation, most of the people in our group don't know anybody, and they don't know anybody because they haven't taken advantage of moments like now, which is an election season. There are all kinds of opportunities right now to become involved, get to know a few people. It's about voting. It's about actually being involved with process. “But right now, while you have an election season, there are a number of different ways that people can get involved. If you see somebody’s campaign that's interesting to you, you can go to their website, you can, you know, study them a little more. Study a lot of different politicians and not just at the state level or federal level. But also the local level, your city council, your county commissions. Look at all of those candidates and do some sleuthing. Educate yourself, develop a political IQ. “I think volunteering is really important. Once you get involved, voting is the obvious biggie as far as being involved is concerned. But volunteering and donating also gets you access, and that's what we're after in politics, the ability to talk to people. When an issue comes up and have your name be recognized so that you're not just a total stranger to them. They have some idea of who you are and what you stand for, and volunteering is a really good way to do that. “After you've done your due diligence and figured out who you think might be a good person to represent you, go to their website. They'll tell you what they need and everybody has a few minutes that they can spend a week on helping. Now you can do something as simple as promising to deliver 10 yard signs or to deliver bumper stickers to a group that you're involved with, some kind of way that you can get the word out that you support them and they can get the materials into a lot of people's hands. Get Representation "You really need to know who's representing you. If you don't know who's representing you, they're probably representing somebody else. And that's, of course the big issue that we had when I first got involved. "The Big National Fundraising groups that promote so-called humane ideas, usually that have no subject matter expertise, they're just philosophers with a bank account, that was who had educated everybody I talked to. They were there, they were involved, they were in the ring, they were donating money, volunteering for campaigns and they were telling the politicians what they should think about animal issues. "So, if you're not there not at the table, somebody else will take your place and it's just absolutely where we are today."

Dr. Donald Sturz on Building Community and Continuing Education Don Sturz, psychologist by day, dog show judge on the weekend, provides insight on safe space at the dog show and the importance of continual learning. [caption id="attachment_10422" align="alignleft" width="349"] Dr. Donal Sturz' first time at Westminster Kennel Club when he was 10 years old.[/caption] Sturz has discussed being bullied as a child at school and finding dogs and dog shows a “safe space.” He shared his insights on how to make dog shows more welcoming for all exhibitors. “That’s something that depends on individuals being able to choose situations that are safe,” Sturz said. “People go into situations without full knowledge and wind up in situations that are toxic. It’s up to each individual to know what is their safe space. “I also think clubs should view the dog show as more of a community event, more than just a dog show. Not just the dog show community, but also the community around it. How do we help people have a good time here. “(At) Westminster (Sturz is the AKC delegate for Westminster Kennel Club) the club members think a lot about the exhibitors, what makes it pleasant for them. Clubs should be thinking in terms of the human aspect of this. When the atmosphere is devoid of connection and positivity, the activity itself can get really intense. People’s emotions can run high. If you proactively set a tone or atmosphere that is more celebratory, it helps balance that out a little bit. [caption id="attachment_10423" align="alignright" width="334"] Donald Sturz judging Westminster Kennel Club Hound Group in 2006.[/caption] “People get jaded, lost in the fog of yesteryear. If you have the relationship, you can help provide a reality check. These can be meaningful conversations, if you have them with the right tone. It’s more inquiry, not confrontation. “I do think one area that is different now, I think people hung around more (in years past). People’s lives are busy now. It diminishes the dog show experience (because they don’t have time to) watch and sit. People could do more of that. Watching other breeds, having conversations with people from other breeds. “Also, listening. A lot of people like to talk, not a lot of people like to listen. Listening is much more valuable than feeling the need to weigh in.” Sturz described a recent experience attending the Pekingese national, “not even about judging, just a breed that fascinates me. I was like a kid going off to the first day of school." The experience “impacted how I judged. My brain was worked up and tuned in.” Sturz offered his three best tips for how to learn at dog shows. Know who to learn from. This is key. Seek out individuals you don’t have a natural connection to. Be clear on the purpose. What are you seeking, what do you want to get? Know yourself as a learner and how you learn.

Umbilical Hernias – What are they and what does this mean? Dr. Marty Greer, DVM shares a deep dive into the question of hernias, different types, and whether dogs with hernias should be included in breeding programs. By Dr. Marty Greer, DVM An umbilical hernia is a weakness or opening in the muscle wall of the abdomen where the umbilical blood vessels pass prior to birth. Frequently abdominal fat is in the hernia but the skin is intact across the hernia, so there are no exposed abdominal organs. The fat may be omentum or part of the falciform ligament. There are several disorders seen in mammals that are similar to an umbilical hernia and may add confusion to the discussion. Other types of hernias Gastroschisis is when a puppy’s intestines protrude outside abdomen through an opening off to the right side of the belly button/umbilicus with a bridge of skin between the umbilicus and defect. The intestines and abdominal contents are not covered by a protective membrane. Because the intestines are not covered by a sac, they can be damaged by exposure to amniotic fluid in utero, which causes inflammation and irritation of the intestine. This can result in complications such as problems with movements of the intestines, scar tissue, and intestinal obstruction. It is also difficult to keep the intestines and other organs sterile, moist, contained, and undamaged during birth and handling shortly after birth. Omphalocele occurs when the newborn pup’s intestines, liver or other organs protrude outside the abdomen though the umbilicus. Embryologically, as the puppy develops during the first trimmest of pregnancy, the intestines get longer and push out from the belly into the umbilical cord. The intestines normally go back into the belly. If this does not happen, an omphalocele occurs. The omphalocele can be small, with only some of the intestines outside of the belly, or it can be large, with many organs outside of the belly. In this situation, the organs are covered with a thin, transparent sac of peritoneal tissue. There are often other associated birth defects including heart and kidney defects. Additionally, the abdominal cavity may not be large enough to accommodate the organs when replacing them surgically. In humans, it is associated with heart and neural tube defects as well as other genetic syndromes. An omphalocele is worse than gastroschisis – it has more associated anomalies and a higher rate of mortality than gastroschisis. When a puppy is born with intestines exposed, whether an omphalocele or gastroschisis, immediate surgery is necessary. If the pup is born at the veterinary hospital, there is a better chance of successful interventional surgery. However, despite the best efforts of the veterinary team, some pups cannot or should not be saved. Surgery includes protecting the organs while transporting and preparing for surgery, keeping more intestines from pushing out of the abdominal cavity while handling, keeping the intestines sterile, and protected from damage, anesthesia of the newborn pup, enlarging the abdominal wall defect to reposition organs into the abdominal cavity, appropriate suture techniques, post op antibiotics, and post op pain medications. For most pups born at home, this cannot be accomplished. For some pups born by c-section, this can be accomplished with quick thinking veterinary team members, a skilled surgeon, owners willing to put forth the money and effort, no additional genetic disorders, and a lot of luck. Other hernias seen in humans and animals include inguinal hernias (in the groin region), diaphragmatic hernias, peritoneal-pericardia diaphragmatic hernias (PPHD) and traumatic hernias anywhere on the body cavity. Inguinal hernias are second to umbilical hernias in frequency. An open thoracic wall rarely occurs. In this case, the pup can rarely be saved as there is usually inadequate chest wall (ribs and skin) to close. Additionally, surgical intervention is too slow to keep the pup breathing during intervention. Other midline defects also include cleft palate, cleft lip, open thoracic wall, open fontanelle and spina bifida. Back to umbilical hernias It is generally considered that umbilical hernias have a genetic basis. Despite the wish that umbilical hernias are caused by trauma to the umbilical stump at birth, this is rarely the case. Veterinary staff is very careful to tie and handle umbilical cords carefully. Even when a bitch is aggressive while chewing the cords, they do not result in hernias. There are some veterinary experts who recommend avoiding breeding all dogs umbilical hernias, stating that these dogs when bred will have progressive severity, resulting in gastroschisis and omphalocele. Other veterinary experts do not believe this is the case. Should you allow a dog with an umbilical hernia to be used in a breeding program? That depends on several factors. There is no perfect dog. In my opinion, we need to rate genetic and congenital disorders based on severity

Dr. Donald Sturz, Dog Show Philosopher & WKC BIS Judge Dr. Donald Sturz, 2022 BIS judge at Westminster Kennel Club, joins host Laura Reeves to talk purebred dogs as history and art. And goosebumps at seven contenders in a unique and powerful lineup. “From a historical perspective,” Sturz said, “I think it's so important that we keep our focus on the history of particular breeds, not just from the point of view of the climate or where they came from, the terrain that they worked on or jobs that would to do, but also how the breed has evolved over time and understanding the difference between the evolution of a breed versus the changing of a breed. “I think those are two very different things and so I think having a historical perspective, I was gonna say as a judge, but also as a breeder, I think that that informs your decisions, it informs your perception of the dogs that you're looking at when you put them in that historical context of both where they originated, but what they were meant to do and how they've evolved over time. Purebred dogs are history and they are art “When you talk about dogs as art, that really resonates with me, because that's what it's like to me when I go to a dog show. I look at dogs as I would look at art in a museum. I love when something moves me. You know how when you look at a beautiful piece of art, whether it's a painting or sculpture or whatever, and you just have a visceral emotional reaction. I love when that happens for me with a dog. As a judge it doesn't happen all the time, it doesn't happen as frequently as one might like, but when it does happen, it's kind of like the reinforcer. Patience is a virtue “People have gotten so caught up in immediate gratification and looking for the outcome rather than the process. I think it's important for us, especially in dogs, to kind of catch ourselves. If we find ourselves in that kind of moment, I'll say wait a minute, slowdown skippy, you know there's a bigger picture and a much longer story and you need to keep reminding yourself of that. “I'm big on there being gray areas. I can allow for some stylistic differences on the continuum. But there's a point, there's a line where you get, that's too much, that's too far. It's either too moderate or too extreme. I have a little wiggle room on both sides of that, so that's how I would process kind of that global perspective piece. “Being able to kind of see the forest for the trees and be able to, as a breeder, see how that dog can add to your journey as you pursue your vision of the breed. I think also being able to think in a more long-term way. “I think the mistake, unfortunately, is people are like ‘oh, I'm gonna breed to this dog from wherever and I'm gonna bring in these qualities’ and then they have a litter and it's like ‘oh I didn't get what I wanted.’ You’re probably not gonna get what you want. You have to keep working and building and choosing and selecting. It's a longer term process when one tries to do something like that. Does it sometimes click? Yeah, it sometimes happens. But I think that's unusual. You have to kind of make a commitment to a few generations out, at least, to see what you were trying to get to. Deciding in the moment “What was so beautiful was that his breeder owner handler just very calmly stepped out there and guided him very deftly into a natural stance. He just planted his four feet perfectly without any the crossover thing … it was just boom boom boom. And then he just stood there and he literally stared at me. I'm like ‘Oh my God this is a really proud dog. This is a dog who's giving me a dog standing over a lot of ground, a dog of power and strength. And then I sent him around and his gait was just flawless… Powerful and covering ground and elasticity. Head and tail carriage… and it was perfection to me. In that moment, it was like ‘there it is.’”  

Ringside Calculator Brings Technology to the Dog Show Exhibitor and amateur ap developer Ben Reynolds joins host Laura Reeves to introduce his dog show application, called Ringside Calculator. Reynolds went to his first dog show when he started dating his wife. He was hooked and eventually acquired his Golden Retriever to show. “If I wanted to win, I wouldn’t have started with a Golden Retriever,” Reynolds noted. “But I got to meet a lot of cool people. It’s pretty intimidating, but the cool thing is every ring there’s always a winner and there’s always a loser. When I lost, I didn’t feel bad. I had fun. “As I was researching into dog shows, the information is sparse and someone who wasn't raised in it, you don't really know what's going on and then the whole point system was really confusing.” Reynolds, an engineer by training, used the COVID lockdown to build an algorithm for counting points on a mobile ap with an up-to-date point schedule. Over the last couple years, he’s integrated new features including grand champion points, dog profile, points progression, judge search, show searches and more. “I didn’t change the world here with this information,” Reynolds noted, “The information is available. It’s just not that accessible. But the ap is much more user and mobile friendly. “I’ve also collected every single conformation show result for the last five years. You can click “view results” and all the results for your dog will pop up.” Available on both iPhone and Android platforms, upcoming features will include a section for notes on dogs, judges, show sites; searching multiple breeds; competitor reports; personal judging schedules and more. Reynolds is actively seeking user input for new features. “Try to abuse it! Break the ap,” Reynolds said. “Tell me how you broke it. I’ll fix it. I haven’t had too many issues, but I want to hear your feedback. There will be a free trial available. There’s a lot of people out there who know more than I do about dog shows. That’s why I want the feedback.” Reach Reynolds at [email protected] with input or questions.  

Win Photo Do’s, Don’ts and Disasters with Vicki Holloway Host Laura Reeves is joined by Vicki Holloway, dog show photographer and poodle breeder, talking about how to get the best win photo with your dog and the importance of win photos for the show giving clubs. Vicki’s Tips for Exhibitors Make sure your dog is cooled off. If it needs some water, give it a drink. Just take a minute to chill and kind of relax. You've won a prize with that dog and that dog knows it. There's a lot of energy going on in the air. If it feels like it's going to be really crunched to have that judge available right then, wait. Come back when they have their break and then bring a fresh dog. Relax! Just being in a really positive place … goes down the lead. Dogs are kind of like a four-year-old child. They're not gonna stand there forever. They will do as best they can for the most part what you're trying to get them to do, but just relax. If you're ready and prepared, it's gonna really make for a better photograph for everybody. Don't train them to start with food immediately. First it throws them off balance. The dog is leaning forward, you're not gonna get the front set up properly. As soon as you take that food away, they move. It's just a given. Make it pleasant and acknowledge your dog. Make a fuss (over your dog). I think is really important make him love it. When you have your new puppy, even if you don't win, even if you're not entered, stop by the photographer stand. Put him up on the stand, give him a cookie. Have the photographer flash around, now they're getting cookies and then they get off the stand. Even if they didn't do everything perfectly, they still should get an “attaboy.” Make sure you straighten your jacket, fix your face, gather your leash. “I can't believe how much time I've spent getting slobber stains off of a black skirt. People think ‘oh they're photoshopping the dog’ … no, we're taking spit off your jacket.” Vicki’s Tips for Clubs Make sure the show photography area is large enough to work in, close enough to the rings for judges to reach easily but enough out of the way that flying toys don’t land on exhibitors. Check in with your show photographer no less than six months in advance and preferably much more. Especially with the shuffling of show dates and locations due to covid. “The show photographer is advertising (the club’s) dog show with every photograph we take. Our sign is in every photo and it says (the name of the club), where it was, this was the date… The win photos will be there forever (as the) historical record (of the show).”  

Canine Chiropractic and Measurable Results Dr. Clara Medalen joins host Laura Reeves to talk about gait analysis and chiropractic treatment of our dogs. She addresses what we can and can’t objectively measure in our animals after chiropractic treatment. “In human chiropractic, we have a lot of objective measures we can use,” Medalen nited. “We can use X rays, we can use temperature scans, stuff like that. None of those work very well in dog chiropractic. “What I wanted to find was an objective measure that people could take something home with them. (That) we could really watch (the pet’s) progress through care. (That) we had exact numbers for people, rather than just going on my word alone. I want people to feel empowered in their own dogs care. “Gait analysis is a big part of animal chiropractic. It's normally a visual thing. Some people take videos, which is great. But I wanted real, hard data. So I found a gait analysis system that worked really well. I use Tekscan because they have more pressure sensors per square centimeter than a lot of the other options out there. They also provide a nice print out for people, so it gives the average of every foot step and the pressure on each paw; it gives exactly how much time they're spending standing on each foot; how long they're swinging through; how far they're swinging through; the acceleration; tons of information.” If people are interested in having Dr. Medalen or another Chiropractor treat their dog, they may need a referral from their veterinarian. Each state is a little bit different. “In Oregon, we have the vet referral. Which is fabulous because I've had some great conversations with vets. It’s a really good way to learn about each others’ professions. I am not treating any disease process. I am just simply fixing misalignments and helping to regulate the nervous system.”   For more information about animal chiropractic: American Veterinary Chiropractic Association www.animalchiropractic.org International Veterinary Chiropractic Association https://ivca.de      

Feeding Performance Dogs is All About Balance Host Laura Reeves is joined by Rob Downey, CEO of Annamaet, a companion animal nutritionist who conducted seminal research at the University of Pennsylvania on feeding performance dogs. “Back in those days,” Downey said, “the idea was that you carbohydrate load (dogs) just like you do humans. We realized that that wasn't the way to go with dogs. So, we did a study where we could actually increase stamina by 30% in running dogs by altering (the balance of) proteins, fats and carbohydrates. That has become the seminal study. It's still cited in the NRC nutrient requirements of dogs and cats. “We found the positive correlation between how much fat was in the diet and how far the dog could run. We found a negative correlation, a slight, very slight, negative correlation between the amount of carbohydrates and how far they could run. "The bottom line is that any kind of long-term exercise, you’re initially burning stored carbohydrates called glycogen. That really helps you burst out of the gate or run up the hill. But once you start to use that, then these dogs, over time, become fat metabolizers. Eighty percent of the energy these dogs are using when they're running field trials or sled dog races or more long term, they are burning fat. “It's an oxidative process. So, it needs oxygen. So, you need red blood cells to carry the oxygen (to the tissues) to burn the fat. That's where the protein comes in. So, you need increased fat, you need increased protein, but you do need a minimal amount of carbohydrates to help with stool quality and “feedability.” “You (also) need that glycogen replenishment. So that if you're starting on day two in a trial, if you don't have muscle glycogen stored in the body, what happens is that the dogs really don't have any zip. They're pretty sour or they just they don't bounce back. Dogs Don't Require Ingredients, They Require Nutrients “There's a whole other group of studies we did on a supplement we make that actually replenishes muscle glycogen. Mother Nature is gonna replenish muscle glycogen over time but if you're doing back to back events, you need something to replenish some muscle glycogen. So if I'm gonna work my dog today, if I use this glycogen replacement immediately post exercise, tomorrow he's gonna have 99% of the muscle glycogen restored in the body. If I don't use anything he's probably only going to have 50%. “You need the balance and you can balance out whether you're doing kibble, raw, freeze dried or whatever. We're talking about calories and protein, fats, carbohydrates … we haven't even started talking about vitamins and minerals. “There was an interesting study where they followed 2,000 beagles for about 15 years. The only thing they varied in the formulas was the vitamin levels. They had low, medium, high, and extra high. The dogs on extra-high vitamins live 23% longer than the dogs on average vitamin levels. “They had 29% fewer veterinary visits on extra high vitamins than they did average vitamins and they were 32% less likely to have tumors. The sad part is when they went back and they examined the diets on the market, they found less than 5% of the diets had extra high vitamins.” Tune in to hear the rest of this fascinating interview and learn from an expert on what and how to feed your dog.

Changing the Conversation on Cancer Diagnosis in Dogs Dr. Angelo Marco, DVM and Dr. Andi Flory, DVM join host Laura Reeves for an exciting conversation about advances in early cancer detection. PetDx’s OncoK9 test is able to “identify a biomarker of cancer that comes from cancer cells” from a simple blood draw, according to Dr. Flory. [caption id="attachment_10009" align="alignleft" width="308"] Dr. Andi Flory, DVM, Chief Medical Officer at PetDX.[/caption] Flory, Chief Medical Officer at PetDx, said the OncoK9 test has the potential to revolutionize our ability to detect cancer in patients, potentially even before they start to show signs and symptoms. While the blood test identifies a variety of cancers, it is most successful at finding the “big three:” Lymphoma, hemangiosarcoma and osteosarcoma. “Those big three,” Flory said, “that detection rate is really high. It's 85% and those are the most aggressive cancers that we see in dogs. So the fact that we have the potential to identify those really aggressive cancers sooner, it's just amazing. “The way that would kind of work, is if you think about dogs that are at high risk of cancer because of they're getting older, for example, we know that the risk of cancer increases with age. Or because of their breed. You're certainly aware there are some breeds that just get a lot of cancer, unfortunately. If we think about testing those individuals as a screening test, like as an annual test before they're showing any clinical signs you know while they're still healthy. If we can identify cancer while they're still feeling good, then we may have a better chance of controlling it longer term. “I think about the cases that we get almost universally when we discover hemangiosarcoma. It's because the tumor is bleeding or it's already spread and the metastatic lesions are bleeding and that often results in a middle of the night visit to the emergency room. It's a snap decision. Maybe your dog looked normal that morning and then all of a sudden you're in the ER being told your dog has a tumor on the spleen and it's bleeding and we need to do emergency surgery and we need to do a blood transfusion and there's really only one decision that you can make right now. It's shocking. It’s traumatic. It's painful for the dog. It's all of those things and it happens so unexpectedly and it's so emotional.” [caption id="attachment_10010" align="alignright" width="293"] Dr. Angelo Marco, DVM and his Border Terrier at Palm Springs Kennel Club.[/caption] “The important thing to know,” Marco said, “is that when we see a cancer signal on this test, it's an indication of malignant tumor cells in the body right now. It's not something that they were cured of five years ago and it's not a predisposition test, so it's not something that is predicting, it is something that is there in the body right now. So that really highlights the importance of going forward on that “cancer hunt” to find where is this cancer signal is coming from.” Be sure to listen to today’s episode in full and visit PetDx for additional information.

Meet Dr. Darin Collins, Saluki breeder, new CHF CEO Dr. Darin Collins, DVM, joins host Laura Reeves to discuss his new role as Chief Executive Officer at the Canine Health Foundation. Collins, a longtime Saluki breeder, came to CHF in October, leaving his role as the Director of Animal Health Programs at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. Collins’ trajectory in the world of purebred dogs started as a boy in Central Illinois with hunting dogs, specifically a Brittany. “It wasn't really until after vet school that I got a Saluki,” Collins said. “I got a Saluki that nobody else wanted, that had recovered from a broken leg. That was my experimental Saluki. I made him live with me in an apartment in Chicago. And then I moved him to Seattle in 1991, when I took the position at the Zoo.” In Seattle, Collins contacted George and Sally Bell, of the famed Bel S'mbran Salukis. That encounter began a lifetime friendship with a direct through line to his new role at CHF. “When Dave Frei and George strategized how to film the breeds during the day at the Garden, I was one of the camera people selected. I had that for about 15 years, until which time the contract ended and I was no longer a camera person. But at that point the habit of going to New York in February had already been established. "I met people (during that time) and one of those individuals was influential in helping (my name) actually surface when the search came out for a CEO for the Canine Health Foundation. “I went from working with 300 taxonomic groups and over 1000 individuals of 600 species, to working with one species. Looking at all the divergence within the dog world, I find that very, very compelling. I love canine health and I'm very well suited to be in the position that I'm at right now. "I've only been here six months so I'm still learning the in's and outs of the organization and the job, but it's a phenomenal organization. I work with phenomenal people. We're all devoted to dogs and dog health and understanding disease and treatments and cures and diagnostics. It's phenomenal vortex of opportunity.”

Breeder, Buyer, Vet: Let’s TALK! Dr. Marty Greer, DVM, best-selling author, dog breeder and practicing veterinarian, is back with host Laura Reeves to talk about the delicate and critical communication protocols, best practices and successful strategies for Breeders, Puppy Buyers and the Buyers’ Veterinarian. “This is a challenge,” Greer said. “How do you have that three-legged stool and make it all work?” Reeves questions, “How do we set our puppy buyers up for success? Is their language that we can send home with that puppy buyer, that they can then take to their veterinarian to help bridge this three legged stool?” “I think the first thing that really has to happen,” Greer said, “is before the puppy buyer gets their puppy, they need to research the veterinarian that they're interested in using. "Now they may already have a good relationship with the veterinarian that they trust, that they know is open to a certain protocol for vaccinations, delaying spaying and neutering, certain other medical management situations, but I think the first thing they really have to do is know who they're seeing. If they have a great relationship and they're already doing that, that's great. “If you find yourself in a situation where you have a veterinarian that you're butting heads with, you've chosen the wrong clinic. You need to start doing some research and finding other alternatives. It may mean that you go as far as somebody that does integrative medicine, holistic medicine. You may have to kind of go to that level to get the kind of care that you need. “But if that's what it takes, in almost every community there are going to be veterinarians that are open minded, that are willing to work with you, that are willing to talk to breeders, that are willing to accept the fact that you wanna do some of these things somewhat differently. But you gotta know who they are. You have to do it before you get the puppy or before you have a crisis. 'Cause in the middle of a crisis is not the time to figure this out. “You may kiss a couple frogs before you get there, but it's OK. Go in for something simple. Go in for something that isn't complicated. Go for a heartworm test. If the vet clinic does nail trims, go for a nail trim. Just kind of get a feel for who they are, what they are, how they do things. “You just really need to make good decisions. People come to us frequently, and this makes me and my doctors and my staff crazy, they come in and they say, ‘well, we come to you for the really important stuff, but we just go to the local place because it's just shots.’ I'm like ‘no, no, no, no, no. They're not just shots!' First of all we don't shoot dogs, we vaccinate them. But as Dr. Ron Schultz and Dr. Lori Larson will say, vaccines are one of the strongest medications you give your dog. “Frankly, not every veterinarian has everybody's best interest at heart. Sometimes it's all about money. I hate to say that about any profession. But the reality is, you need to be very careful how you select your veterinarian, and how you work with them, because that will make or break your pets long term health. It is a hugely important situation that you work well with them. That you understand them. “It goes back to relationship. It may mean that you buy a bottle of wine for your veterinarian or take a plate of cookies to the receptionist or you take pizza for the whole staff. It really does all come down to relationships. The better relationship you have, the better communication you have, the better chances are that your dog gets the kind of care that you're looking for.”

Elaine Lessig: “Fashionista” Passionate About Dog Judging Judge and self-proclaimed “fashionista” Elaine Lessig joins host Laura Reeves to share her passion for dogs and dog judging. Lessig started her purebred dog journey in the 1980s with Cavalier King Charles Spaniels before they were recognized by the AKC. Today she judges the toy, sporting and non-sporting groups. “I love (judging),” Lessig said. “But I'm smart enough to know that I don't want to judge everything. Every breed has its detail and I think coming from toy dogs was a distinct advantage. Every toy dog breed is a boutique item. I don't look at sporting dogs as retrievers and pointers and spaniels, they're each a unique breed and I think I bring that detail into it. “I have no other reason to be here than I love what I do and it gives me so much pleasure. I am not a professional judge in terms of this is not my income. I don't have to go out and judge. I'm very happy doing just my three groups. This is a passion. It isn't a product. “I love to see the connection between whoever it is that’s handling the dog and the dog. I think the dog is better with somebody that they have that wonderful relationship with. I think they perform better. I'm looking for a show dog on those days and then I want to see a dog in good condition. Conditioning is everything here. I'm most offended if you bring me a dirty dog. “You have to take your losses and you have to put your losses in the loss pile. When you have a chance, you can get them washed and cleaned up again, but you can't dwell on those things because tomorrow is another day, said Scarlett O'Hara. I won't get negative about this. I refuse to do it.” Known for her fabulous wardrobe and keen sense of style, Lessig shares memories of Sandra Goose Allen, meeting David Fitzpatrick’s Pekingese Malachy the night he arrived in the US and celebrating after the team won the Garden in 2012. Hear more from Lessig on health in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels here.