Monday, August 27, 2007

CKC Request To Ontario Dog Owners

CKC Request To Ontario Dog Owners
http://www.ckc.ca/en/Default.aspx?tabid=201&NewsID=150&prevID=201

The Canadian Kennel Club has, through our Board, the Breed Specific Legislation Task Force and the tireless personal contributions of the Canadian dog fancy, been attempting for 3 years to enlighten and educate the current Ontario Liberal Government on responsible dog ownership. With much credible evidence having been presented to the contrary, this government maintains its position that Breed Specific Legislation in the form of BILL 132, will somehow improve public safety.

Internationally, experts in the field are agreed that Breed Specific Legislation does not work. Made in Canada alternatives have been offered to the Ontario Government; alternatives that are cost conscious and effective. These same alternatives, supported by the Canadian Kennel Club plus CVMA, OVMA, CFHS and NCAC have been ignored in favour of breed bans.

While the existing government is determined to follow this path, many members of the Ontario Conservative and the Ontario New Democratic parties have been vocal in publicly agreeing with us that BSL is ineffective.

With the upcoming Provincial election, it is time to question your local Candidates! Ask the following questions and tell them their answer will determine your vote.

“Are you personally against the implementation of BILL 132 – Ontario’s Bill to ban specific dog breeds? If so, will you commit to working within your Party to remove BILL 132?”

If the answer is yes, we want to know at bsl@ckc.ca

The democratic process offers you choice...Why not choose to have an impact?

Sunday, August 12, 2007

BILL 132 – BANNING BREEDS IN ONTARIO – THE SLIPPERY SLOPE

BILL 132 – BANNING BREEDS IN ONTARIO – THE SLIPPERY SLOPE

Bill 132 is extremely punitive legislation that turns law abiding Ontario residents into criminals because of the breed of dog they own, regardless of their dogs’ good temperament and good behaviour.

It was brought in by a Liberal government intent on scoring political points, and has been unopposed by opposition parties that seem to have ignored the facts.

Ontario is facing a provincial election this fall. If you want to send the party leaders a message that you oppose the banning of specific breeds, that you support rational dangerous dog legislation that holds owners accountable, and that you will be paying close attention to how they deal with this issue, send your:

NAME + ADDRESS (must be Ontario resident of voting age) + PHONE NUMBER

To this email address:

bsl@shawlein.com


All names will be compiled and forwarded to all three party leaders, with the message that this issue is important to Ontario voters, and that the criminalizing of law abiding citizens is not acceptable.

For more information on Bill 132 and other legislation affecting dog owners in Canada, go to:

http://www.doglegislationcouncilcanada.org/

A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away.
Barry Goldwater

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

BUILDING A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR VETERINARY TEAM

Animal ownership is a big responsibility, which fortunately can be made easier with a few very important people in your life. Besides your Breeder and Obedience Trainer your Veterinarian will play a huge role in the health and well being of your new companion. Finding a skilled Veterinarian that you can communicate with and establishing a good working relationship is essential for maintaining your special friend in optimal health.

Once you have found such a veterinarian treasure and respect them. Do not price shop or complain about the cost of caring for your pet. Your vet has gone to great length to develop his knowledge and to provide an establishment filled with skilled and caring people. Medical care is not the place to save a buck or two or heaven forbid delay payment, your pet may be the one to pay the ultimate price in the end.

Maintain regular visits and keep your pet up-to-date on his vaccinations and medications. Don’t just use them for emergency care. Having the vet know your pet when in good health can help speed the diagnoses and ease treatment when in poor health. Regular check ups also helps establish a good working relationship between all involved. Many Vet clinics will allow you to come in and weigh your pet, this is a perfect oppertunity to make visiting the vet a positive experience.

Be on time for your appointment and make sure your pet is clean and well groomed. Let them know if he has any issues that might place the vet and staff at risk.

Since the dog cannot tell us what is wrong veterinary medicine relies on us, the owners to be able to verbalize the signs and symptoms we have observed in order to pin down diagnostic possibilities.

Be knowledgeable about your pet! Regular grooming allows you to check for lumps and bumps that might be hidden under his coat. Make sure to keep track of your dog’s regular routine so that you recognize anything out of the ordinary. Know when and how much he eats. Know what his regular bowel movement is like and how frequently he has one. Know the colour of his urine. Monitor his behavior and know what is usual and unusual. Be aware of things that might cause future problems both in his actions and in his enviroment.

Be clear and concise in your descriptions. Try to keep emotions at bay and do not rely on memory. State all your concerns and be prepared to answer any questions in detail. If you don't understand something or disagree with treatment discuss it openly, fairly and honestly.

If you know your pet and your vet knows his business, together you'll work as an awesome team!

Last be sure to go that extra mile for your vet clinic! Donate those extra towels, leashes, dog crates etc that you no longer use. Don’t forget the staff! Bringing them in Timmies coffee & timbits. This can go a long way to building good relationships and having them go that extra mile for you on that VERY RARE occasion when you really need them to.

Rabies Regulation in Ontario


The Health Protection and Promotion Act R.R.O. 1990, REGULATION 567
Amended to O. Reg. 360/01 STATES.........

That "a dog 3 months of age or over must be vaccinated against rabies, and then revaccinate (i.e. given a booster) BY THE DATE SPECIFIED in the certificate of immunization that is issued for the dog."

and that........
"Every owner or person having the care and custody of an animal that is
required to be immunized against rabies under section 1 or subsection 2 (1)
shall ensure that the animal is re-immunized against rabies by the date
specified in the certificate of immunization issued with respect to the
animal. O. Reg. 320/94, s. 1.)"

An English and French version of regulation 567 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act can be found at.
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Regs/English/900567_e.htm

An excellent article was printed about Rabies mis-information some Vets were acting on in The Guardian (CGRAS newsletter) Issue #24 , Fall/Winter 2000-2001 and the resulting clarification after a small group of people took action in
Toronto. A copy of this can be found on...
http://siriusdog.com/rabies.htm

An excellent in depth fact sheet on Rabies....
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Rabies/index.html

If your vet is using a vaccine labeled 3 year then you are entitled to have certification saying so. It is your choice to vaccinated annually or triennially as long as the correct vaccine is used. If your request to have an accurate vaccination certificate is refused you can take action by contacting The Ontario Veterinary Medical Association.
OVMA contact information:
245 Commercial Street
Milton, Ontario, L9T 2J3
tel: (905) 875-0756
fax: (905) 875-0958
e-mail: info@ovma.org
IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ALWAYS RETAIN YOU RABIES CERTIFICATE IN A SAFE PLACE !!!! THIS IS YOUR PROOF THAT YOUR DOG IS PROTECTED IF HE SHOULD COME INTO CONTACT WITH A SUSPECT ANIMAL OR GOD FORBID BITE SOMEONE.

Monday, May 14, 2007

MORE DOG GAMES

ATTENTION TRAINING: This game is a great way to encourage eye contact and attention from your dog. You only need lots of very small tasty treats. With the dog sitting or standing in front of you show the dog the treat then move it about a foot away from you and off to the side. The dog will most likely continue to look at the treat you’re holding. Just wait, eventually the dog will look away from the treat and in your direction. At this time immediately say YES! and quickly give the treat. Dogs soon learn to focus up at you not the treat. Once the dog starts looking up in the direction of your face it is time to up the ante! First insist they make solid eye contact (keep your expression soft) then increase the duration until the dog can look at you for a good solid time period.

* Musical Chairs: Proofing the "down, stay" or "sit, stay"command. We've all played this as kids only now we work as a team with our dogs. The chairs are set up either in a circle or two rows back to back with one less chair then the number of players. A minimum boundary 3 to 4 feet is established around the chairs. When the music starts or the instructor issues the heel command each team heels around the outside of the boundary. When the music stops the players issues the "down, stay" command to their dogs and runs for a chair. If their dog gets up they must once again go back and re-down their dog outside of the boundary area thereby giving another player the chance to steal their chair. Once all the chairs are taken and the dogs are still in a down the player left standing is disqualified and another chair is removed. The game continues until the last chair is occupied and the dog is in a dog has remained in the down position.

Variations on the game: The instructor randomly calls out either a "sit, stay", "down, stay" or "stand, stay" when the music stops.The disqualified player continues to heel and down their dog for practise but they must not take a chair when the music stops.

* Jumping: With your dog on leash, jump over a small flat board together saying "OVER" as you go. Gradually increase the height of the board but never higher then his elbows if under 6 months and never higher then his chest if under 1 year old. As he gets comfortable jumping over the board and is associating the word over with jumping, run towards the jump but stay back slightly point towards it so that the dog jumps before you. As he becomes comfortable jumping gradually stay back so that only he is jumping and you are just pointing and saying "Over". Repetitive jumping can be hard on a dogs joints so always keep the height appropriate to the age and size of the dog. Grassy surfaces are safest and never do this more then three times in a session. This will also help to keep the game fresh and fun.

DOG GAMES

With more and more breeds becoming at risk to Breed Banning it is more important now then ever for both Breeders and Pet Owners to be proactive in raising our puppies to become valued family members that are welcome both in the home and in society.

Playing Games with your pet is an excellent way to teach acceptable behaviour while providing an active lifestyle that stimulates both their mental and physical needs.

These rewarding indoor games come from "Talking Dog: Indoor Games" by Lisa Moore, in an article written for Modesto Bee.

* Find the food: Instead of placing meals in a food bowl, divide it up into small portions and hide handfuls of kibble around the room. Initially placing them in easy to find spots, like under a chair. As the dog's search skills improve, add challenge by hiding the food out of sight or expanding the treasure hunt to more than one room. Take it outside and let him find his food spread out in a small area of the grass

* Hide and seek: Begin by having a family member hold on to the dog, or leave him in a sit-stay while you go and hide in another room. Then call his name. Remain quiet as he approaches. When he's off the track, call again. The reward when he finds you should be praise and some animated, excited play. As the dog's finding skills improve, hide in other places to challenge his abilities.

* Hide and seek outside: Have one member of the family restrain the dog while another member hides somewhere in the house. Tell the dog to “Go search!” in an excited voice and then go with him to make sure he finds the hidden person. Big praise and rewards when the person is found. As soon as he understands the principles, use the same command while on a walk. Family members can be hidden behind a tree, bush, etc. This keeps the dogs mind busy and on the family and may be used to distract him from running off.

* Find the toy: Choose a favourite toy, then send your dog out of the room so you can hide it. Initially, remove other toys from the area, and "hide" the chosen toy in plain sight. Next, let the dog back into the room, and tell him to "Find your (name of toy)!" Tip: Give toys specific names. As he gets better at finding his toys, place them in more remote. Rotate several toys over a few weeks, calling each by name.

* Find the toy - advanced: The next challenge is to hide several toys, and direct him to find only the one you name. If you repeat excitedly "Find the elephant!" and he comes back with a tennis ball, do not reward him. Take it away, and redirect him toward the elephant's hidden location. Once he finds the correct toy, he earns lots of praise and a cookie. You can make it easier by using toys that you can load with food. For example, a beehive-shaped Kong; you can insert a swab of peanut butter, pieces of cheese or another treat he can smell to make finding by scent a lot easier.

* Pick the toy: Another variation is to place a pile of toys in plain sight. Each toy should have a specific name, and all toys must have been used individually first. Named toys go into this pile when you are sure your dog recognizes it by name. Send him to the pile with "Find your ----!" If he comes back from the pile with the wrong toy, say "Ah-ah" in a neutral tone. Keep repeating the "Find your ----!" and send him back to the pile. When he brings the right one, reward with praise and play.

* Round-robin recall: Each family member goes into a separate room of the house, with treats in hand. One at a time, each person calls the dog by name with repeated, enthusiastic "Come!" commands. When the dog comes to the right person, he is rewarded with treats and praise. When the person with the dog gives an "All done" signal, the next family member begins calling.

Friday, May 11, 2007

RECOGNIZING BREEDER TYPES

What is a Reputable Breeder?
How do I recognize a Reputable Breeder?


A REPUTABLE BREEDER

A reputable breeder always has honorable motives for breeding. A reputable breeders priority is to better the breed always giving thought to health, temperament, structure, quality and appearance. Their love of the breed guides their desire to develop a line that meets their ideal picture while protecting the true characteristics of the breed.

A reputable breeder strives to widen their knowledge base. They continuously educate themselves on health, temperament, structure and legal issues. Often they mentor others and are in the forefront of breeder education. They not only belong to the Canadian Kennel Club and National Breed club but are also active members in their local all-breed club as well.

A reputable breeder participates in dog-related activities (shows, trials, training, rescues). They are interested in the whole dog not just producing puppies. Reputable breeders want to showcase their dogs to ensure they are maintaining the true breed standard and characteristics.

A reputable breeder performs appropriate health testing on all breeding dogs for genetic diseases affecting the breed to ensure health and longevity remain a priority.

A reputable breeder ensures all registration papers, pedigrees and health certificates, and ownership records are always well maintained and readily available. They will ensure all new puppy registrations will be submitted to the appropriate governing body in a timely fashion and explain this process to you.

A reputable breeder ALWAYS provides registration papers and NEVER agrees to withhold them for a lesser sale price or sell them to you for an additional fee.

A reputable breeder only uses an appropriate purebred governing body recognized by the Canadian Animal Pedigree Act to register the puppies such as the Canadian Kennel Club. Registration papers issued by unregulated registries such as the Continental Kennel Club are not accepted for purebred registration by the Canadian Animal pedigree Act.

A reputable breeder sells pets with spay/neuter contract, tries to stay in touch with new owners and follows through with lifetime support.

A reputable breeder takes a pro-active approach and home raises all puppies to ensure proper socialization. All dogs and puppies are kept in a clean safe, structured environment to ensure optimal mental and physical health.

A reputable breeder never treats their breeding dogs as livestock for the sole purpose of producing multiple litters in an effort to supply public demand as an income source.

Reputable breeders sell all puppies for fair market value, which reflects the diligence that went into the breeding and production of a well-rounded healthy puppy. Puppies are kept till they reach eight weeks of age prior to being discharged to their new homes to promote optimal mental and physical growth.

What is a Puppy Mill?
How Do I recognise a Puppy Mill?


THE PUPPY MILLA Puppy Mills motive for breeding is to make a profit. They are not interested in preserving or improving the breed but use breeding as a main source of income. They often pretend to have some knowledge of the breed and appropriate breeding practices to confusing the public in believing they are a reputable breeder

Puppy Mills may occasionally do some minimal genetic testing but rarely do they do complete appropriate health testing on all breeding dogs. This cuts into their profit margin. They may offer registration papers or undocumented paperwork as false proof of quality or offer the bare minimum due to increased public awareness.

Puppy Mills do their best to masquerade as a reputable breeder. Beware fancy websites designed to portray them in a positive light.

Occasionally Puppy Mills are Canadian Kennel Club members however this is to ensure discounts when registering their multiple litters. Fortunately some known Puppy Mills are banned from the Canadian Kennel Club because of unethical breeding practices. Rarely are they Breed Club Members or Local Dog Club members as this cuts into their profit margin and they have no desire for a commitment to the breed or for continued growth or education. Belonging to such clubs also requires an agreement to follow a “code of ethics” which they are unwilling to comply with.

Puppy Mills often issues papers via generic, unrecognized "registries" due to being suspended from the Canadian Kennel Club for unethical breeding practices or because they have no supporting paperwork to have the puppies registered under the Animal Pedigree Act. Puppy Mills also like to use these generic registries because they give the illusion of registration yet have no expectations other then collecting the price of registration in their own unrecognized database.

Puppy mills rarely participate in dog-related activities. This un-necessarily cuts into their profit margin. The Puppy Miller's main clients of brokers, pet shops and auctions do not care about the quality of the parents or puppies but they will often tell their public puppy buyers that “shows and trials are too political" as an excuse. Unfortunately it is the unsuspecting public who pays for this in the long run.

Puppy Mills generally raise their puppies outside of the home where they receive very little socialization and minimal care. The animals are fed the bare minimum using low-grade, low cost food that utilizes only cheap ingredients. Often the dogs and puppies are kept in substandard conditions and/or makeshift facilities. Cleanliness can vary from kennel to kennel but Puppy Mills are not always easily recognized as to what they really are just by the state of their kennels.

Puppy Mills will sell their puppies for a high price to the unsuspecting
general public yet sell at a low bulk rate to brokers and pet stores. Puppies are discharged as early as possible to avoid additional expenses yet the Miller has full knowledge that this prevents necessary mental and physical growth being obtained from the mother during the weaning process.

Puppy Mills do everything they can to maximize profit and minimize costs while trying to present a positive front to the unsuspecting public. If in doubt trust your instincts and go elsewhere.

What is a Back Yard Breeder?
How do they differ from a Reputable Breeder?

The BACKYARD BREEDER OR BYB.
The “Back Yard Breeder” is NOT someone who raises puppies in their homes instead of a kennel. Many reputable breeders and Puppy Mills home raise their puppies and do not have large kennels. The difference between the three is motive, ethics, intention, knowledge, ability and effort.

A Back Yard Breeders motive for breeding is to produce puppies as a secondary source of income. They are usually unfamiliar with health testing or have only enough basic knowledge to be dangerous by breeding dogs that are unhealthy representatives of the breed and by sharing false and/or incomplete information to the general puppy buying public.

A BYB only breeds to any convenient, local dog without concern for health, structure, temperament or true breed characteristics. Their focus is mostly on current dogs, with no records or knowledge behind the dog’s pedigrees. They may even refuse to acknowledge the possibility of any health problems in their dogs so claim testing is unnecessary. Quite often they don’t even know what the CKC recognized Breed Standard is.

A BYB obtains their breeding stock from Puppy Mills, other BYB’s, the newspapers and often will go so far as to try to obtain dogs from the pound and rescues organizations.

A BYB does their best to masquerade as a reputable breeder. Beware fancy websites designed to portray them in a positive light

A BYB may or may not be a breed club member however is generally not committed to the club and often resist being mentored in responsible breed practice and breed education due to the effort needed to improve.

A BYB rarely attends dog-related activities. This would greatly cuts into their profit margin and privately they do not care about the quality of the parents or the puppies. They often tell their public puppy buyers that “shows and trials are too political” as an excuse yet will be quick to claim their dogs come from Champions. These Champions are usually so few and far back in the pedigree as to make this a completely false statement.

A BYB may commit a criminal offence against the Canadian “Animal Pedigree Act” by illegally charging more for Registration papers as well as an inflated cost for indiscriminate "breeding" rights.

Conditions in which the dogs and puppies are housed may vary greatly depending on available income, usually makeshift accommodations in the basement barn or yard. Food utilized is usually cheap with low-grade ingredients to maximize profit and minimize costs.

A BYB puppy is generally sold below the market value to un-screened buyers to move puppies out quickly. Often puppies are let go at less then 6 weeks of age resulting in abrupt weaning and preventing necessary mental and physical growth being obtained from the mother.

Monday, February 26, 2007

Picking by Breed
Too many people buy the type of dog that was originally created to have a purpose such as the Golden Retriever to hunt, or the Border Collie to herd. These breeds were developed to use their minds and their bodies as well as to be very active. Families buy them because the dogs are athletic, beautiful, intelligent, sensitive, loyal and attentive. They then take them home for their child's pet, stick them in the back yard, rarely interact with them on a regular basis and give them absolutely nothing to do. These dogs in such an unhappy position will create something to do, and it will be loud, destructive and difficult to live with. These dog could make great family pets however they must belong to fair owners who will meet their demand for an active lifestyle that stimulates both their mental and physical needs. They need on-going interaction with the family and regular training. Once these needs are meet then and only then are they the wonderful pet you've earned that is both welcome in the home and in society.

Picking for Sex
Females tend to be smaller than males. Females can damage the grass, males can damage your trees. Males say "I love you, I love you, I love you". Females tend to say " Love me, Love me, Love me". Other then that males and females can be both either submissive or dominate, active or quiet. It is the individual dogs temperament and proper training that will determine whether he or she will make a suitable pet for your home. Sex is just a personal preference usually based on looks. Consider what do you want your dog to look like 2 years down the road, a strong masculine look or soft feminine features? In the past have you always had a certain sex? Do you feel comfortable with that or do you want a change?
If your family companion recently pass away do you want a puppy who when grows to be an adult dog is similar or completely different?
Spaying in females tends to be a bit more expensive as it is a major operation however it nullifies the chances of the dog suffering mammary or uterine cancer or pyometra, an infection of the uterus.
Neutering cost less as it is a simple procedure that eliminates the chances of testicular cancer. Both of these will not change the dogs temperament however if done early enough it will prevent unwanted behaviours associated with mating.

Picking for Temperament
Decide if a quiet submissive puppy, or a more dominant one is more to your family situation ie do you have children, what expectations do you have ie agility dog, tracking dog, what is your activity level, what is your own personal experience ie previous dog owner. Even though temperament, size, activity level is fairly predicable within a breed, there is a range in degrees in their individual differences.
Dominance and aggression are not the same thing. When referring to being dominate or submissive we are referring to the confidence level and ability to take over as pack leader if one is not provided. Dominant puppies can be a handful for inexperienced owners but can be perfect for active homes and for on-the-go owners who want their pet to accompany them through life or for large families who are consistent in their expectations and training. Submissive puppies are shy and likely to need special handling, not the perfect choice for families with young rambunctious children who may overwhelm the puppy but perfect for families who use positive training methods and like to take their pet with them on personal errands and family vacations to ensure proper socialization. An all round, middle of the line, bomb-proof puppy is the preferred temperament for families with very young children or who have members of the family with a disability but this puppy may not have the extra spark needed of that agility or obedience prospect. All types of temperament can have positive and negative associations. Training, socialization and complete family interaction is what will make any dog an animal that is a welcome member both in your home and in today's society.

Picking for Colour
This should be your very last criteria and should be a flexible preference. Picking a puppy by colour is the biggest gamble ever. Although we are given clues to what colour the puppy might eventually grow to be quite often surprises are in store for us. We all have in our minds eye what our perfect dog looks like but our main priority should always be that our perfect dog matches our family needs and lifestyle.