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DPCA BREEDERS EDUCATION Q & A ARCHIVES - 2004 - 2005 |
Comments: Breaking Bad Habits
Can you folks recommend any methods to help our Dobe break a bad habit? Some months ago, we allowed the beast (male, neutered, 2 yrs., house pet) to sleep in our bed with us. I know, a big mistake! Huge! Now he simply will not sleep on the floor or in his crate. Any suggestions? Thanks!
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Chuck:
Put him in his crate and close him in there at night. If he fusses, wait it out,
he'll stop.
*** *** ***
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Chuck,
Yes, this is a mistake that many of us make.
Your "beast" of a Doberman (LOL) is only trying to best you and win. Take it as
a compliment, but you
do need to nip this in the bud. I cannot sleep with my dogs either, so they have
their own beds (2) in my bedroom. I suggest at first to be firm and put
him in the crate. To help keep him quiet, cover the crate. You may have to
re-train him to show him that you are the boss and would like it if he slept
in the crate. The most effective way to do this is if and if and when he is
yelling and carrying on, you can smack the front of the crate and say
"quiet" at the same time and walk away. The noise that you make, stops him for a
moment and he can hear your command. You may have to do this a couple of times.
Leave the room each time and come back to correct him if you need to do so any
more. If he should have a "fit" or a temper tantrum you are going to have to
walk away.
When he takes a breather, yell quiet to him from wherever that you are. Like I say, you may have to go back in and do it a gain. If he continues and gets more worked up, you may have to do a little drum roll on the crate and say "quiet, and be persistent.
If this doesn't work, ask again and maybe I can guide you through the next step. Let's hope that you do not have to go there. Sometimes by covering the crate, you may not have to do that at all.
Later on down the road. You can have a nice
dog bed in your bedroom and teach him that it is his bed and your bed is your
bed. You will insist that
he does not get onto your bed. In fact, from now on he should never be allowed
on your bed.
If there are other tests of the wills that
your Doberman is putting you through, you may want to consider training him out
of doing those too. You
need to show him that you are the boss (alpha) of the household and that is
including him.
I hope that this helps you.
Q:
from
Rhonda
Date: 27 December 2005
Time: 6:07 PM
Comments: breeding
Why is it that people say not to breed a Doberman or any other dog past five.
A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
The age equivalent to a human is 7-9 yrs. A dog past the age of 5 would be
between 35 and 45 in human years.
To not have a litter earlier than 5 might be a problem as her pelvis may not
stretch as much. Her ovaries may not be in as good condition as when younger
like in humans.
Dobermans are usually not a long lived dog so the added stress and possible
C-section if necessary is just not worth it.
Age 5 would be my limit on breeding a bitch. I wouldn't try later.
Comments: breeding
Sir,
I have a GSD female. She is very nice but her age is 3 years. She has been not come to heat for the last 2 years. Please tell me the treatment for this problem.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello V.P.
Yes this is abnormal and you should go to the vet or a reproductive specialist.
*** *** ***
A: from Judy Doniere, Toleodbes, USA
Dear V.P.
Some bitches have what is called "silent seasons." They do ovulate but
have no outward signs of being in season. Males may or may not be
interested in them.
You should take her to the Vet to see what
they would suggest. If she is truly not in season, she may have some
ovulation problems or possibly cysts on her ovaries or something that is causing
this. It is not normal. Please
see your Vet.
*** *** ***
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
V.P.
We are not veterinarians and can not give medical advice. You should take
your bitch a veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment. Is it possible that
she has been spayed???
Q:
from
Ali Masood
Date: 15-December-2005
Time: 2:18 AM
Comments: Conformation
My Labrador bitch is bleeding at 9th day but receptive to dog. I mated her on
11th day and 12th day. Then I gave her a day's rest. Then on 14th day I mated
her. All her matings were without any human assistance and intervention. What
are the chances of her conception? Should I get her mated again and what day
should I get her mated again?
A:
from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Ali,
I think that your chances of your girl having a litter is very good. I don't
think that she needs to be mated again. In fact, I am willing to bet that she
probably won't except the male now.
You need to go to our articles page and read up on the actual pregnancy and the
whelping and the raising of the litter and get your ducks in a row for your
litter in about 63 days from one of those mating.
Having a litter of puppies is a huge commitment.
*** *** ***
A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
If the dogs bred without any problem and the male did it easily, then I would
not try breeding them again. Skipping a day is fine but you don't want to take a
chance on having 2 separate litters that one may be premature.
Q:
from
Kari
Date: 13-December-2005
Time: 4:47 PM
Comments: Grading the Puppy
I have a litter of all 6 all male Shih Tzu pups. All were doing fine until the
past few days. 2 of them seem to be having a problem latching on and have became
thin and always seem hungry. I have begun supplementing and its going okay but I
really would like them to get back on mom and I’m sure they would too. Her
breasts are very full and tight and she is only feeding them a few times a day.
I think this is where the problem is. Would it be okay to make her feed more? I
know there are risks involved with this too. Or should I maybe supplement the
bigger pups and let the little ones eat more often? I don’t know.....any tricks
of the trade to help them latch on?????
A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
You don't say how old these pups are. If they are over 3 wks. they should be
starting to be weaned. If under, make sure the mother's milk is good. If the
pups nurse and don't get colicky or the runs, they should be fine. The mother
might be too overloaded with milk because the pups haven't nursed enough. I'd
put the smaller pups on first to nurse and follow that with the larger ones.
Pups eat at different times. Rarely do they all eat at once.
If your whelping box is divided so she can get away from them a little that's
good but if she doesn't want to stay with them and they are very young, you'll
have to make her nurse them until they are all sleeping. Make sure you weigh
them each day to see if they are gaining.
You can continue to supplement for a while if they don't seem to be able to
nurse, but have someone who is more experienced come over to see what the
problem is. You can call your Vet as well. If they are less than 2 wks. old, you
may lose them if they're not feed often enough.
Q:
from Ryan Leasure
Date: 13-December-2005
Time: 8:10 PM
Comments: staph & dry skin
I have been dealing with a staff infection since I got our blue female. She has
been on cephalexin twice for over a month, and in a higher dosage the second
time. She has also had staph shots until it cleared up, but two months late,
it's back. I have heard abut a bleach mixture. could you give me some
alternatives. also heard about tea tree oil. she also has very dry skin and a
thin coat on her back. thyroid tests have been run and everything came back
normal. any pointers?
A:
from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Ryan:
This is not an uncommon problem with blue Dobermans. You should probably try to
see a specialist that deals with this type of problem. She may have a disorder
called alopecia. Here's a link to an article you can read on it
http://www.seattle-attorney.com/storm/sup.html.
There are many articles you can read about other health issues with the Doberman
on this Breeders Education site where you posted this question ... check them
out too.
*** *** ***
A:
from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Ryan,
Are you the one that just wrote not long ago with the blue female and the red
male about the color chart? Are you sure that your girl has a staph infection or
does she have the problem that is associated with the blue Doberman? Here are
two articles which you may have or may not have read.
Somehow, I think that you have but just in
case, here they are.
You may have to talk to your veterinarian about this again. It could be that the
cephalexin is not the right drug to clear this up or she is immune to it or
something, whatever the right words. In the old days we used to treat this for a
month (or even longer in extreme cases) with Erythromycin which I have always
felt that it worked better than what is used today. It could be that you will
have to use cephalexin much longer than a month.
Whatever, you need to go back to square one and see the vet again. He may want
have your veterinarian to do a culture and see just which medication or drug
will treat this problem the best.
One word of caution though, do not breed her until you know what this is and it
is cleared up completely.
Comments: Choosing A Puppy - Price of Puppy
How do You know if it is the right puppy for you? How much does a purebred Doberman Pinscher cost?
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
If you work with a reputable breeder they will try to determine what type of home you have and what your needs are and match the right puppy to you. If you have children, if you work, etc. A reputable breeder is able to have some success at matching the right homes to the right puppies. A puppy from such a breeder could cost between $800.00 and $1500.00 with the ears cropped.
*** *** ***
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Sara,
Before buying any puppy, do a lot of research. Not every dog fits every
person. Dobermans are a special breed of dog that requires lots of love
and care. They're big and if not properly trained can become a "problem
child."
Those who have had them for many years would never get another breed or be
without a Dobe. Talk to many breeders first. Visit several and spend
time with their older dogs to see how they are when grown. See them at
different ages so you know how they grow and act. If you're not sure, a
Doberman isn't for you.
Q:
from Tony Franco
Date: 8-December-2005
Time: 2:15 PM
Comments: Choosing A Breeder
I've heard before that Dobes have weak stomachs. My 16 month old male every now
and then throws up yellow bile. Its mostly in the morning that this happens. I
try to get him to eat his food before he goes to bed. This helps, but he doesn't
always eat before bed. Is there anything I can give him so this doesn't happen
and is this normal?
Thank You very much.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
This may be something to run by your Vet. He may have something that needs medical attention. On the other hand, I too have a bitch that MUST be fed by 7:00 a.m. or she will vomit bile. I feed her earlier and have no problem. She just has a sensitive stomach. I would not try to evaluate your own dog. See a Vet first.
*** *** ***
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Tony,
I don't know about Doberman's being known for having weak or sensitive stomachs. I have seen dogs in general do what you describe once in a while but not on a regular basis.
I have a product on hand that I can give to my dogs when their system appears to be "off" like an upset stomach or a loose stool for no apparent reason. It is called Jarro-Dophilus+FOS, made by Jarrow Formulas. I find that this products works well to "right" the system back to normal. You can get this product at the health food store or a Whole Foods store amongst others.
First though, take your Doberman to the veterinarian and rule out parasites including giardia and coccidiosis. Your veterinarian will need a fresh stool sample to check this out.
I hope that this helps.
*** *** ***
A:
from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
I have had this problem with certain foods. When I've changed the food the
problem has gone away. You might try changing brands of food. Also, give him a
couple of dog treats (cookies) before bed and that should help. What is
happening is he has an empty stomach and this is causing an upset. You can also
give him a cookie or two as soon as he gets up in the morning so that he doesn't
get ill before his meal. I assume you are feeding twice a day and not once a
day.
Q:
from
Ryan Leasure
Date: 7-December-2005
Time: 10:20 PM
Comments: red male
My red male's grandfather was a fawn. Might this gene be recessive. Is there any
possible way that he could produce dilutes. I guess that I just don't understand
how the genes get passed down. Is there any way that he could be a #8 due to his
grandfather being a fawn. Thank you again for the quick response. Your answers
have been very helpful. Thanks, Ryan
A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Ryan,
BOTH parents must carry the dilution factor in order for any dilutes to be
produced. Even if your dog is a fawn and you breed it to another color
that doesn't carry dilute, you will not get any dilute colors.
*** *** ***
A:
from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Ryan,
If your male is a red dog #8 (yes, he could be a #8-50% chance), he has a % of a
chance to produce a dilute when bred to your blue bitch. The color percentage
depends on what color of bitch that the fawn grandfather of the sire was bred
to. If you know her color find her color in the column and match it up with the
fawn and in the square where they meet will tell you of
the percentages of color and percentages of possible dilutes. Since you know
that the fawn male produced with the bitch that he was bred to all reds and no
dilutes, they will most likely all be #8. Now what color was that red male bred
to? Yes, if sire of your litter is an #8, and bred to your blue bitch, they can
have more dilution puppies.
Anyway Ryan, I think that you do understand the color chart better than you
think and you have the added knowledge of knowing what color the ancestors of
your mating pair are. You also seem to have the added knowledge of the colors of
the resulting colors of the siblings too. I must not be explaining it very well.
So again learn the symbols of each color and remember that the chart shows to
you the possible chances.
You ask: "Is there any possible way that he could produce dilutes? I guess that
I just don't understand how the genes get passed down." Ryan, he can produce
dilutes if he carries the recessive gene for it and is bred to another Doberman
who is either a dilute or carries the recessive gene for a dilute. So, since he
is being bred to a blue bitch and if he carries the dilution factor, you stand a
chance to get dilute. If he doesn't carry the dilution factor, then you will not
get dilutes.
Trust in yourself, check the
percentages with the fawn grandfather of the sire.
I hope that this better explains this.
*** *** ***
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Ryan:
Yes to answer your question there is a chance your red male could be a #8
because of his grandsire being a fawn.
Q: from
Ryan Leasure
Date: 6-December-2005
Time: 11:06 PM
Comments: pup color
Hello. I own a blue female and a red male. My blue's mother was also blue and
her father was red. Her litter mates were a majority black, w/1 blue ,1 fawn. My
my reds mother and father were also red and the mother had 10 pups her first
litter, all of them being red. I don't quit understand the color chart. on this
site someone said if you breed a blue and a red, that the pups will be all
black/rust. please help me . I just need to know the possibility of colors.
thank you very much.
A: from
Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Ryan,
Both parents have to carry the dilution factor to produce a blue or a fawn. The
red parent doesn't carry this recessive gene for the blue or fawn. I will try to
go over the chart with you.
From what you are telling us, your red male came from two red parents (#7-bbDD)
that produced an all red litter which could be 100% #7 reds (bbDD) In other
words, they do not carry the dilution factor. Your blue girl is most like a #6 (Bbdd)
and can depending on what she is bred to can produce all four colors. It looks
as though that your male doesn't carry the dilution factor and you will not get
blues or fawns. You will get blacks and reds.
To read the chart take you #7 red male and take it to the #6 column and read in
the box what the likelihood of what you can get color wise. Be sure to review
the Key to chart colors.
I am not the best at explaining, so I hope that this helps.
*** *** ***
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
It really depends on the color inheritance of both parents as to what colors you
will get in the litter. By breeding a red to a blue there is more than one
possibility. Please check out the color chart on the DPCA
website . You can get all
four colors if the combination exists. There is more than one blue
color type (one produces only blacks and blues with certain breedings) and the
other can produce all four colors with certain breedings. It all depends on what
color type each of the parents are. If the red is a number 7 you will not get
any color from either blue mate. If the red is a number 8 you will get color
from the breeding and it will depend on what the blue mate is as to how much
color you will get.
Q:
from Jim
Date: 01-December-2005
Time: 2:53 PM
Comments: Health
Our new puppy (Dobie) is due soon. I am planning on feeding a raw diet. They
have a variety of different meats and poultry and tripe. Is there anything
specific that we should stay away from? On the kibble bags they list the
protein, fat, etc. content, how will I know if the pup is getting the proper
nutrients? The only thing I was planning to add was some Vitamin C. Or should I
just forget about the raw diet and stay with a quality kibble like Innova?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Jim,
I also feed a raw diet. I do not feed kibble. I also feed a variety of meats and also chicken necks. As your puppy gets older you can incorporate chicken backs too. I do feed turkey necks, but one has to be careful to see that your dog chews them and breaks them up before swallowing them. I have not had an accident but I have heard of accidents. I do stay away from legs and wings for the most part. The reason that I do is because my Dobermans would tend to chop them in half and swallow them and if part of one should get caught in the intestinal track and rupture the intestine, that could become a serious medical problem. So I feed raw with some caution. I know that the raw bones are important to the diet.
I based my raw diet mostly on the book, Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats, The Ultimate Diet by Kymythy R. Schultze. This book cost around $10.00 and you can get it at www.dogwise.com and www.4mdogbooks.com. She doesn't push grains but I feed some grains. I make the mixes of things that she recommends. I also feed vitamins E and C as well as fish oil (Grizzly Salmon Oil) and sunflower oil in my dogs diet. I make my vegetable mixes once a month and freeze those to use.
I am happy with my dogs on the raw diet and I have been feeding it for 7 years now.
If feeding the raw diet this way becomes a problem for you, you can purchase a ready made raw diet from www.naturesvariety.com. They have a locator so you can go there and find out where you can get it near you.
I get this product for when I need to have someone else take care of my dogs. It is much easier. You can feed this and add more hamburger and chicken necks and Vitamins E and C and the oils.
I hope that this helps you as well as the other answers. After you get the book and you get started, just ask and I can help further.
*** *** ***
A: from Bonnie Dunlop, Botrina Dobermans, Canada
Hello Jim
Ultimately, what you feed your puppy is up to you, but if you are leaning more
toward a raw diet and are concerned about whether or not the puppy will receive
the proper nutrients, I would check out this website and would recommend the
product. Dr. Harvey is a Holistic Vet that used to practice conventional
medicine and is now a Holistic vet and is totally committed to healthy
companions. He also has a toll free number listed on his website where you can
talk to him on a consultation basis for free. I have spoken to him a few times
and he is phenomenal and extremely knowledgeable. His product is designed to
supply all the necessary nutrients to your companion.
All you do is add boiling water, meat for protein if you wish to, and essential
oils. He supplies all instructions with his product as well. He is very
approachable too. His website address URL is :
www.drharveys.com
Dr Harvey states that all kibble is garbage and that if you talk to 99 different
people, you'll get 99 different opinions. My recommendation is that you do your
research and perhaps talk to this vet and make up your own mind. He does
recommend that you use raw green tripe as your protein (fresh or frozen).
Hope this helps. Good luck with your new puppy.
Q: from
Tony Franco
Date 02-December-2005
Time: 12:48 PM
Comments: Health
My Dobe had a cut on his head and now that the scab has fallen off. I am putting
vitamin E on it so it wont scar, and so the hair will grow back. Is there
anything else that will help?
A: from
Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Hi Tony,
I use Vitamin E as well. I'm sure there are other things that work but I don't
know what. If you might know a human surgeon, I'm sure they could tell you
something that might help. If it's a small scar, the vitamin E should work just
fine.
*** *** ***
A: from Bonnie Dunlop, Botrina Dobermans, USA
Hi Tony
I have used Vitamin E as well. It is not only considered an anti-oxidant, but is
great for wound healing of any kind or size. The hair should grow back with no
problem but if you want more, then I would recommend perhaps going to a health
food store and ask if there is any other product that will stimulate re-growth
faster. You could also contact Dr. Harvey, who is a Holistic vet and he has a
toll free number and gives free telephone consultations. His # is : 1-866-362 -
4123. Really, any Holistic Vet should be able to give you an answer or other
suggestions.
Q: from Diane
Humphries
Date: Nov 29
Time: 11:26 AM
Comments: Health
What is the safest anesthetic to use when spaying a four pound Yorkie?
A: from
Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Diane,
You need to ask your vet about this question. In fact you will need your vet to
spay your 4 pound Yorkie and to administer the safest anesthetic.
We cannot help you here.
Q:
From: Monica
Date: 6:04 AM
Time: 28 November 2005
Comments: horrible breeder
My 15 yr old & her cousin bought a 8wk old Chihuahua from a breeder at a flea
market ($250). He came with papers, shot records, etc. The puppy died a week
later (last night) and when I called the breeder to let her know, she didn't
care.
I was hoping for a refund, a new pup to replace this sick one or some sort of
compassion. Instead she admitted knowing it had heath problems!
My question is: do we have rights to fight her on this?
A: from
Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Dear Monica:
This is really a Doberman forum however, I would recommend you consult a legal
advisor. You can probably take her to small claims court but I would be willing
to bet that you have fallen victim to a "buyer" beware situation where you
should have purchased your puppy from a reputable breeder.
Q: from
Karen Cordin
Date: November 28, 2005
Time: 3:26 PM
Comments: just started weeing more often
We have a 13 month old boxer bitch. She is usually very well behaved although
the past week she as started using the toilet in front of us. We wake up in the
mornin and she is at the top of the stairs and before we can get to the back
door she has had a wee. she goes out late at night but seems to need the loo
every 2 hours or so. She has not had her 1st season yet could this have anything
to do with it. Thanks Karen
A: from
Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Karen,
Your question has probably been answered but I would also take your girl
to the vet and rule out a possible medical problem. If she checks out okay, I
would try having her sleep in a crate at night to teach her to wait longer to
go.
Do as you are doing and let her out before you retire to bed and let her out the
first thing in the morning. I would say that if she has been housebroken and
this behavior is new, she may have a medical problem.
*** *** ***
A:
from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Karen:
First you should rule out any medical problems from your veterinarian. If there
are no medical reasons for her slipping, then you must start from scratch in
training. I would recommend that you have her sleep in a crate at night until
you get it under control.
Perhaps you should check with the American Boxer Club to see if they have forum
such as this one to help you with questions about your specific breed. Try http://www.americanboxerclub.org.
Q: from
Nicole
Date: 17 November 2005
Time: 9:26 AM
Comments: Handling
I'm adopting a 3 month old male and want to find a good local trainer. Does anyone have any recommendations?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Congratulations on your new puppy. Probably the best way that I can advise
you to find a good local trainer is to for to look at the list of breeders that
are listed on the DPCA web-site. You then go
to breeder referral directory and click that, then click your state and look for
breeders that are close to where you live for recommendations. Many members
train their dogs and most likely can recommend a good trainer/class in your
area. Many locals have special classes for young puppies and their owners. You
would want to find a trainer that can teach you how to train your dog too.
I hope this helps you get started.
*** *** ***
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Kim,
I can add a little to what Judy Doniere has told you about your question in the way of articles to read. We do have a couple of items on our web-site about blues and fawns and the breeding of them and other information too.
First here is the genetic color chart for Doberman Pinschers to study. You
will see and you may already know that if you breed dilute to dilute you will
get an entire litter of dilutes. Anyway, the chart:
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/colorinheritance.htm
Here is a very informative article that will tell you pretty much everything that you need to know about blue and fawn Doberman Pinschers. http://www.seattle-attorney.com/storm/sup.html You can click onto the various links within the article to learn more. The Color Dilution Alopecia is very common with the Doberman Pinscher and you should be aware of that as part of your decision making. It is of course a personal decision. Another thing that I can share with you from experience, the dilutes are very hard to place and that is something to think about too if you should have a large litter.
I hope that this helps you learn more.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Karen,
Yes retained placentas are dangerous to the new mother dog. She can get an infection that can get out of hand for her and it can cause a high temperature and damage the milk for the puppies. You will need to watch her temperature and also the discharge to make sure that it is normal color and not abnormally smelly. A discharge after the whelping is normal for quite some time.
I keep a chart for the delivery and check off yes or no for the placenta after each puppy. If they all do not come out your vet can help you get them out after the whelping.
*** *** ***
Hello Loany,
We try to keep our Q&A forum to just the Doberman Pinscher. However, you can go to our article page and find many articles that pertain to breeding. You can also go to the Poodle Club of America web-site and learn breed specifics about the Poodle. This question should be posed to your veterinarian and possibly a check up for the possibility for breeding.
As you can see from the articles breeding dogs and bringing new puppies into the world is a huge commitment and responsibility for the entire life of the puppies. The mother must be in optimum health for breeding.
These are just a few quick thoughts about your question.
*** *** ***
Comments: Health
Recently I was told that a bitch should not be given Glucosamine and
Chondroitin if she is going to be bred. I have a bitch that I am planning
to breed, but now am concerned because the food I am giving her and it seems
that most commercial dog food formulas are now including this is their dog
food... So what might be the side effects if any giving a dog a supplement
that contains combo of Glucosamine and Chondroitin with MSM and Vitamin C?
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Sally:
This is a simple question that your veterinarian should be able to answer.
I've never heard anything about not giving chondroiton to a bitch that is going
to be bred. I sure, if you call your veterinarian you can get the answer
you are seeking. In fact, please share his/her answer as I'm curious as
well.
** *** ***
A: from Bonnie Dunlop, Botrina Dobermans, Canada
Hello Sally
I have never heard of such a thing as Glucosamine and Chrondroitin not being
used specifically in bitches being bred, They are used for repair of
damaged joint and muscle and ligament tears, rips, sprains. It is true that a
lot of commercial dog foods are now containing Glucosamine and Chrondroitin in
them so it might not be necessary to give more. MSM is a natural
sulpher normally produced by the body but also usually not in enough quantity.
The only side effect of MSM is that over time, it acts as a blood thinner,
much like blood thinners such as Coumadin, Warfarin are used for people
with a history of Diabetes or Cardiac problems. I personally would stop
giving the MSM, especially if she is a vWD affected dog, which she
shouldn't be getting in the first place if she's affected. The Vitamin C is a
water soluble vitamin which means it readily is carried through the body and not
stored in the body building up to a toxic level. Excess amounts are flushed out
of the body with urine. Vitamin C will not hurt the dog at all.
Vitamin C is also an antioxidant and it is also useful to help boost the immune
system, helps with building good strong bones and joints, teeth,
cartilage, etc. If I were you, I would consult a Holistic
Veterinarian and get an expert opinion based on natural health, which is what
Holistic Vets practice. My best advice to you would be to consult a
Holistic Vet to discuss the best plan of action and diet for a bitch about to be
bred. Good luck and I hope this helps.
Q:
from John Joyner
Date August 28, 2005
Time 7:42 PM
Comments: tail docking
Can you dock a puppy's tail at 4 weeks old?
A: from
Bonnie Dunlop, Botrina Dobermans, Canada
Hello John,
Yes, docking the tail of your puppy can be done at 4 weeks of age. However it would not be my first choice. I would consider waiting until the puppy goes for ear cropping to have it done. At 4 weeks of age, the puppy is, or should still be, with mom and mom will tend to want to lick it and perhaps even take the stitches out thus making a mess of the tail. If you wait until the puppy is 7 to 8 weeks old, mom doesn't have as much to do with the puppies regarding cleaning them. I certainly would check with your vet on this and get your vet's advice. Hope this helps.
*** *** ***
A:
from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello John,
You can dock your puppy's tail at this age, Your puppy will most likely have to
be put under anesthetic to have the procedure done. I suggest that you wait and
do it at ear cropping time so your puppy only has to be put under
the one time. Have the veterinarian cut the tail at the second joint and leave
plenty of skin to cover the end of the tail.
I hope that this helps you.
Q:
from Shea Silva
Date: August 28, 2005
Time: 7:48 PM
Comments: Corrective ear stance
Hi,
Sorry to bother you. We have a Doberman who is 9 months old. He had his ears
cropped at 10 weeks. His ears were standing afterwards, but now are not. We know
this is due to bad taping. We have several pictures that show them falling down
( the taped ears). The person we trusted to tape his ears told us each taping
needs to lat 3 weeks. By the end of one they were filthy but the person would
not change them until 2 weeks had passed. This is our fault, we should have
explored, researched how they need to be done.
We've heard of corrective ear stance surgery. Can you tell us where we can have
this done or what we should do now. There is no reason they should not be
standing -- we can rule out everything, other than the taping job.
Thank you, any hep would be appreciated. Have a great day!
A: from Darlene
Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
You can continue to work with the ears up until the cartilage is set and
that may not be until the puppy is over 12 months. If you check out our website
on ears there are several articles on taping and you probably will find
something that works. Never leave the ears taped up for more than 5 - 7 days at
a time without removing the tape and cleaning them. Here's the link to the
website
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/article_menu.htm
Also go to www.dpca.org and look for a mentor
in your area or a breeder in your area that is willing to help you with the
ears.
Good luck.
*** *** ***
A:
from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
3 weeks of taping is horrible. Ears should be taped no longer than 5 days at a
time and taken down and cleaned and let dry out for a couple days or at least
one day.
If you just put a couple strips of one inch tape around each ear, taping up half
way and a strip across to each ear (a brace) you may still be able to get them
to stand. Granted 9 mo. if they haven't been taped in a long time will be tough
but they might still stand but it may take weeks or more to accomplish this.
Please go to this web site and look at some of the pictures on how to tape, it
may help you.
*** *** ***
A:
from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Shea,
Have you quit taping the ears altogether? I am assuming that the ears are
lying down flat against the side of his head. The bummer is that every day that
the ears are allowed to be this way, you can add a week of taping. If you search
through the archives you will find a lot of questions and answers about ear
taping problems. On our pages we have articles about taping. One of our articles
is about how to tape an older puppies ears.
http://www.dpca-breedered.com/ears12.htm
I would try this method for a couple of months. When you take the tape off, be
prepared to put the rears right back up the moment that they fall or are not
standing straight up at 12 o'clock. They should not have what we call pockets at
the base when the job is complete. With this article, the method is explained
very well and you may be able to tape the ears your self.
If this doesn't work for you or if you do not see any improvement by say 12
months or even later, then and only then do you think of surgery. Some
veterinarians do not like to do constructive surgery until the dog is two years
depending on the procedure.
You can also go to www.DPCA.org and try two
places for someone in your area to help you. You can check the list of breeders
in your state and hopefully find one to help or recommend someone to help you.
(Your breeder may be able to refer someone too). You can also try looking at the
mentors list to hopefully find someone to either help you or to refer you.
You can contact me personally and I can see if I can refer you.
If you should have to resort to surgery, you will need to find a vet that has
experience at this procedure. Corrective ear surgery is an art and a specialty
as is ear cropping and not all vets do these procedures nor want to.
So look at the article for taping older puppies, print it and try taping a while
longer. Find someone new to help you and you may be able to find a person that
has another cropped breed to help, like a Boxer person or...where is the vet who
cropped your ears, maybe he/she can help you?
Search through the archives for more information. I know in one of my answers of
a past ear taping question I spoke of another book that you can get from Bonnie
Wittrock and it has her contact info. Keep taping and keep the ears up more than
down. Nine months is not too young to get the ears up unless the tendons are
stretched too much.
Keep us posted on your progress.
Q:
from Sue Devlin
Date: August 24, 2005
Time: 12:10 PM
Comments - other
Hi, my bitch had her puppies 9 weeks ago, all healthy and doing well, Mum also
is very well, good appetite, shiny coat, lively and alert but she is still
discharging a stringy, blood-like substance from her vulva. she had 7 babies
with no complications, fed them well and seems to be in the peak of health. Can
you give me any advice please.
A: from
Bonnie Dunlop, Botrina Dobermans, Canada
Hello Sue
Sounds to me like your bitch retained some placentas. Did you count all the
placentas that she delivered along with the puppies? I would recommend that you
take your bitch to your Vet to have her checked out just to be sure there is
nothing wrong inside.
*** *** ***
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
Sue:
Every bitch discharges differently but if you are concerned about the length of
time she's been discharging (which does seem excessive to me) you should have
her checked out by a veterinarian. They would be able to do a slide and see if
there is an infection going on or if it's normal discharge.
Q:
from Shani St. John
Date: Thursday, August 18, 2005
Time: 3:40 PM
Comments: showing
I'm new to the sport of conformation showing, and I'm currently making
arrangements to secure my first show Doberman. It seems that most Dobies I've
seen in the ring and in the Digest are shown by pro handlers. I took a look at
the point schedule on the AKC site and I know you need 24 Dobies in the ring for
a 4 point major. I guess it makes sense then that unless you have a rock star
show dog of such exceptional quality it's an obvious winner, you might need a
pro handler to help judges find your dog . . .
For me, half the fun IS the actual ring experience. I know that good dogs lose
probably quite a bit, depending upon the judge, so not winning every time won't
discourage me. I just want to know whether I'm just setting up for total failure
by trying to show a Doberman myself (unless I turn out to be some sort of
handling wunderkind...doubtful)
I know that breeder owner sometimes show Dobermans, but they've obviously had
years of experience to get them to that point. Can a beginner actually finish a
structurally sound Doberman?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Shani,
We all start out as beginners. As a beginner you need to have an open mind and a thirst to learn. I see that your question has been answered pretty completely already. You have been referred to the learning to handle articles by Michelle Santana and a up-coming handling seminar.
There is another article that I can refer you to on our pages and that is one written by Bill Garnett, http://www.dpca-breedered.com/ownerhandler.htm Owner Handler Force or Farce.
I feel that a successful handler (owner or pro) should have a great knowledge of the breed standard http://www.dpca-breedered.com/DPCABreedStandard.htm. There are a lot of articles to help you study and learn the standard so you can apply that knowledge to your handling skills.
Mr. Garnett just recently put his article up on a couple of Doberman lists and Judy Doniere added some words of wisdom to his post that I would like to share with you. Read Mr. Garnett's article first. You can print out all of our articles to refer to easily.
Judy (JuD) Doniere says:
"I'd like to add something to this. (The article Owner-Handler Force or Farce)
You have done all this, your dog is in spectacular condition and ready to win, BUT ARE YOU?
Have you gone to training classes for YOU? A dog can be trained to stack in a few minutes and a good handler knows the correct speed to gait him, but do you?
There is more to exhibiting your dog than just setting it up and waving a piece of bait in front of it's nose.
The best thing you can do is train in front of a full length mirror. Many good training classes have them. Do it. Watch yourself. Do you think your dog looks as terrific as he does in the back yard when he sees a squirrel? That's the look your trying to achieve. Don't just stack, prop the tail, and wave bait in front of his nose up and down until the dog goes nuts watching it.
Have someone take a video of you setting up, baiting and moving your dog.
Many people just take off like a bat out of hell. Loose lead is good but not when it dangles and the dog is weaving back and forth. How do you think it looks to the judge? The head is low, he sniffs the ground, he bumps into you and it's not a pretty sight. If your indoors the mats are for the dog, not necessarily for you. Always keep your dog on the mat and watch the corners. Slow a bit so the dog doesn't drift off on to the slick floor.
When your gaiting in a group, don't stop! Many times I see the exhibitor stop for whatever reason and the rest of the group pile up and almost cause a wreck.
Once you think you look real good with your dog and you are a TEAM, you're ready.
What are you going to wear? Dark dogs? NO dark clothes from waist down. No short short skirts or low cut blouses. We want to see the dog not what God gave you. No full skirts or wide bell bottoms. No dangling jewellery. Shoes that are not only comfortable but practical for the surface. No heals or slides or thongs.
Men, always a suit or sport jacket. It may be taken off in very hot weather but make sure your shirt is fairly dressy. A tie if you want (and always in Groups or Best) but make sure it's tacked so it doesn't drape over the dog or in his face when you are bending over stacking. Absolutely no jeans, sweats, t-shirts or chains hanging out of your pocket for your keys. No keys or change that rattle when you gait your dog. No cell phones or beepers in the rings either.
Make sure you get to ring side at least 1/2 hr. ahead of time. Even if the judge is on another breed. Watch his pattern. He will do the same in your breed. Watch the first few classes. You will be expected to do the same thing.
Have your dog set up and ready for the judge to exam when the dog before you is moving. Set yours up in the exact same place so the judge just has to turn around and there you are, dog stacked and looking spectacular.
Learn to show the mouth. Most judges expect you to. First show the bite with the mouth closed. The entire bite. Then pull back the lips on top and bottom on each side all the way back. Next, stick your index finger behind the upper Canine tooth and the mouth will drop open, take your pointer finger of other hand and place it on the bottom incisors and tipping the head up so the judge can easily see inside, open the mouth about 2 inches. Keep your own head out of the way so the judge can see inside. You already know what's in there so you don't have to look as well, LOL. Don't open so wide the dog fights it or you almost unhinge the jaws. The judge is just going to look for the back small molars, that's all.
Practice this constantly so you and your dog will be very much at ease doing this. The judge will appreciate it.
In gaiting on the down and back, my own personal preference is not to do a courtesy circle before you start off. Unless you are an Andy Linton or Gwen DeMilta or Michelle Santana one of the very top handlers, all you do is get the dog dizzy or confused. Just start off in a straight line. When you come back to the judge, don't do a side swing. Personally, I want to see how the dog stops on it's own and look for the expression of the dog coming towards me. He should acknowledge me. Some dogs don't want to come fairly close to a judge and this is one of the methods we can access temperament. You can hold the bait in front of the dog to get ears up so it's not that hard to do. It also saves us walking miles to go a number of steps to get to your dog and walk around to the front. If we're doing 175 dogs in a day, believe me, the less you have to walk, the better your feet feel.
If you are using chicken or liver for bait, don't let it crumble and fall to the floor. Chicken pieces are impossible to clean up and they get mashed into the mats. Outside bait on the ground brings in bees which are dangerous to some (myself included) who are very allergic to stings. Also your dogs can get stung easily as well. DO NOT THROW BAIT!!! There are now many judges who do not allow bait in their ring because of this. If you do use bait and it drops, pick it up before you gait. All of it.
Listen the directions of the judge. Watch for that last dog gaiting so you can have your dog already set up. Don't set up so close the dog in front of you. Give yourself room to bait or the other dog enough room so you're not disturbing them. Don't use clickers, squeakers or noise makers. It may be good for your dog, but it's a bother to the others. Same thing with talking loudly to your dog or making sounds.
Once the judge has placed you and is handing out ribbons CONGRATULATE the winners if it's not you.
Always smile and thank the judge regardless of what ribbon you receive. No faces, or grabbing the ribbon out of the judge's hand. We have long memories!!!!
Now, do what Bill said, and practice what I said and go out and WIN. You can do it if you have a good dog. If you don't have a good one, you can practice with this one, but go out and buy the best you can and you'll see how easy it will be for an owner handler finishing his/her own dog. Best of luck."
Learning to handle dogs takes practice, practice and practice, time and patience. You can learn everyday.
In one of the answers it was suggested that you find a handler mentor and this is good advice too. I have mentored many fanciers who have gone on to have great success with their dogs and some have moved on to be pro handlers themselves.
Actually when you think about it and once you learn your handling skills, you can have an advantage over the pros in that you have one good dog that you can have trained to a tee, in tip top condition and establish a great team between you and your dog where a pro has to achieve this with a number of dogs.
You can also go to the www.AKC.org web-site and look for handling seminars to attend. There are some very good ones out there.
I may be able to point you to a mentor. Tell me where you live. I know that it takes 30 bitches for 4 points here where I live.
Good luck.
*** *** ***
A:
from Bonnie Dunlop, Botrina Kennels, Canada
Hello Shani
I'm going to start at the bottom of your post. First of all, yes, a beginner can
finish a structurally sound Doberman. The best advice I can give to you is:
There is information on the Article
Menu on this site that is invaluable. Make learning fun for you and
especially the dog. Michelle Santana offers some incredible information on how
to train a show dog. Check out this link in order
to take advantage of her articles.
If you are going to the National in Houston this October, I highly recommend
that you attend the seminars being given on the 10th and 11th. See the
information provided below:
and
Both Seminars will start the two day sessions on Monday, October 10 2005 at 8:00 am to 12:00 pm.
For the STANDARD and STRUCTURE portions of this first day, the presenters will use LIVE DOGS to demonstrate correct and incorrect structure....how to properly measure dimensions and angles according to the Standard....and how anatomy and physiology relate to correct movement and the problems in movement related to incorrect structure.
This year she will cover a summary of the topics covered last year, but this years Seminar.....BECOMING A MASTER BREEDER 202....will go further in depth on the full range of topics that will help "new" breeders, as well as the "experienced" breeders, expand their knowledge. These include:
We will be using LIVE DOGS to illustrate: How to measure angles, lengths of parts, height and length as well as body depth and length of leg according to our STANDARD. Movement and anatomy will be analyzed in the live dog.
Also covered:
What is a master breeder, the goal, the tools, pitfalls of breeders to success.
"Wheel of Success" which includes:
This will be an extensive and "hands on" Seminar where these top, successful owner/breeder/handlers will share their experience and "secrets" to presentation, preparation, training and how to achieve the "winning edge".
PRE-REGISTRATION
Please pre-register to insure that you will have a spot reserved and this will also help us prepare the printed material that will go along with the Seminars.
Contact and send payments for the Seminars to:
These Seminars were very informative and received rave reviews. There will be extensive printed material for all attendees covering the covered material. Last year there were over 100 pages. This year we are hoping to have some of this material related to the history and Mary Rodgers pedigree book and articles on "raising puppies" on a CD.
The presenters represent many years of extensive knowledge and success in the breed. Please take advantage of these Seminars as they are sure to bring new insight and expand your current knowledge base for our collective goal of "Protecting, Preserving and Promoting" our beloved Dobermans.
It is very possible to finish your own dog yourself. I don't know where you live but you could also ask
around who is close to you that would be willing to mentor
you. Read the point system for your area find someone that is willing to
help you learn how to handle, learn, watch, listen and and then practice,
practice, practice. It is practice that makes what you can absorb come together.
Talk to handlers, talk to breeders. The more you practice and fine tune your
handling skills, the better you will become in the ring and the better trained
your dog will become and if the dog enjoys showing, s/he will start to shine in
the ring.
No, you won't always win even if you have a very good dog because different
judges like different types, different things about the different dogs, etc. but
don't let that get you down. If you have a structurally sound dog and can handle
decently, then you will often be found.
Just remember, each day is just one judge's opinion but not necessarily every judge's opinion. Hold your head high and keep at it. Good luck. I wish you well.
*** *** ***
A: from Darlene Young, Darwin Dobermans, USA
A beginner can certainly learn to show and finish a dog of good quality today. The key to success is to have a good dog what is well trained/groomed, etc. You too would need lots of training on how to present the dog. It's definitely tougher for a new person in the Doberman ring.
Q:
from Sam
Date: Thursday, May 19, 2005
Time: 9:52 AM
Comments: White Factored
Per your website and many others I have researched, the breeding of White factored Dobes is discouraged.. But on the website www.whitedoberman.com - they state that all their pups are genetically tested and are sound. How then can they register with the AKC? Upon asking, the pups are quite costly as well, in the range of $1000.00. The breeder simply told me that the Z factored Dobes CAN be registered just not Shown in the show ring?
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
It's correct that they are registered with AKC because they are Dobermans.
One thing I'd like to make clear is these are NOT White dogs. They are ALBINOS. The DPCA ran extensive testings from some of the country's leading geneticists and found this to be so.
Of course they would say they are healthy. They are trying to sell Mutations!
Health problems include: Skin cancer. Photophobia, lesions other than skin
cancer, temperament problems in many. They are so inbred that all these traits
have become fixed. No one that breeds quality, healthy Dobermans would ever
breed to, buy or sell one of these mutated dogs.
Judy Doniere
(former Chair of the DPCA Albino Committee)
I'm trying to find out information on a breeder from the 50's to 70's by the name of Mrs. Bouchey (Phoenix, AZ). I believe her kennel name was Ari Dobi but I'm not sure. My dad had a dog she produced who finished at 9 mo. and my parents later bought a bitch from her. I'd like to find out anything I could about her dogs or their lines. I believe they were out of CH Rancho Dobi's Storm.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Kerri,
I have finally found some information about the dogs that Priscilla Bouchey owned in the 60's. I was on the right track in that she did breed Ch. Kofa's Christmas Cheer. As far as I can find out, this may be the only champion that she bred but I could be wrong about this.
In 1963 the DPCA national specialty was held in Southern California and Priscilla had 3 dogs entered. Here is the info on them:
This is all I have found to date.
I hope that this helps jog your memory.
It was fun looking this all up and I have to stop!
Q:
from SGT Jacob T. Ista USAR
Date: Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Time: 11:46 PM
Comments: Health
My Doberman is a year and a half and absolutely beautiful, However, about a 3 weeks ago I noticed her left side was covered in bumps. Within a day or so her other side was covered as well. Now my wife is a veterinary technician so we have access to a doctor almost all the time. So when she looked at her sides she said that it was probably just hives and nothing to worry about, that we would keep a close eye on her.
A week later the bumps were not as bad on her sides, still there, but were now starting to travel down her legs and onto her chest. It was at this time the started to bother her. (Rahja) I took her in to see the vet and he prescribed Prednisone. She is almost finished with the script and the bumps are almost gone.
Now here is where my question comes in. 2 days ago we noticed bad, and I
mean bad, dandruff. So now we are battling that one. She receives Omega-3 daily.
I took her outside to brush her and get some of the flakiness out and noticed
that I got a lot of it, but but that here hair was starting to thin and when I
was done within 15 min. the bumps were back. That was this afternoon and this
evening there almost gone again but the dander remains. My question is, I use a
rubber hand brush that has little nubs all over it. Has anyone known of a
Doberman or dog for that matter to be allergic to rubber? and what can I remedy
her situation with?
Sorry this is so lengthy.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
I assume your Vet has done several scrapings to make sure it's not a Staph infection?
There are several things that it could be.
Dobes do not need brushing. If you want to "clean" them, take a wash cloth in warm water, rung out and wiped over the coat. A rubber curry is better than a bristle brush but it's really not needed until she is older and shedding. This will also cause coat problems due to slight scratches it may leave and then it's possible they are susceptible to staph.
Prednisone is good but it's a cover up. You should find the cause. Pred in a pup is to be done only as the last resort.
*** *** ***
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello SGT. Ista,
It is fairly common that some Doberman's sometimes between 6 months to around a year and a half get what we call Folliculitis which is a staph infection. This is usually treated with an antibiotic (Keflex). Your vet will have to determine that this is the problem and go from there. If it is this staph infection, from experience, I have found that the treatment with Prednisone is not effective. Try running this idea by your veterinarian if you find that the present treatment is not working. If Keflex is prescribed, it may take a month of the antibiotic to completely cure this. Here is some more information for your veterinarian ... in the old days we used to treat this with Erythromycin and that worked really well too.
Another thing that I can throw out here is a homeopathic thing to do once t