Just added to hidden pages, more links on the page, helpful links to websites on where to buy items. This page requires a password and only available to Silvestre owners.

This piece inspired today from our small dogs who all had a grooming session.

Today’s session was to get on top of coating dogs. Pugs and Frenchies are now moulting and they can loose a lot of hair. So first of all I used a zoom groom brush on the coat, its a rubber brush which takes out dead hair, but it doesn't break new hair, unless you over groom. Then I trimmed the nails, and never forget the dew claw. Lots of people leave this claw, but this claw is a claw that can catch and bust off if you dont keep it trimmed neatly. Just by trimming it short could save you a vet bill. I then have bacterial wipes, which I’m cleaning the folds on the Pugs faces, and around the frenchies fold under eye. I then checked that no whiskers were growing backwards into skin, if their were any close whiskers to the eyes, they were trimmed off. A hair can do a lot of damaged if rubbed into the eye ball. Their ears were cleaned with an ear cleaning products.
With frenchies you need to make sure their is no muck around the tail, as it can build up, so I first of all covered the dog in warm water, and mixed up a solution of ridesect as I wanted to give them a natural flea treatment as April is coming and fleas start to move. I used 1 part shampoo to 10 parts water, warm water. Mixed the solution in a mixing bottle, then squirted it all over the coat but left head. Massaged into coat. Left on the coat for a few minutes then rinsed thoroughly off. I then got some douxos3 anti bacterial wash, worked into a lather around the frenchie tail, and made sure I got it well into the underneath of the tail. This is a common place for infection to build up if you do not keep it cleaned. They call it frenchie pocket.
Then thoroughly rinsed. Checking the head using warm water with out getting into ears, then on a cloth some more douxos3 and then rinsed. Avoiding eyes, avoiding ears. If you find you cant do it as I suppose their is a knack to it, then dont use anything but water.
Now to dry the dog thoroughly. This is the time you can check skin, eyes, nose. Does the nose need nose balm if dried out and scaly. A pinch of thornit power in the ears and we are good to go. Also check teeth, do they need cleaning or not? Check to see if all teeth look okay. A frenchie or Pug has bizarre teeth even if I do say so myself. They have irregular teeth, and their bite is undershot. Some more than others. Just make sure nothing is sore or loose or rotten. If you find a tooth needing attention then you can get your vet to check. Teeth do need removing on small breeds as they get older. Not so much the Vizsla.

Now my dogs being active will probably need a bath again in 2-3 weeks time. My dogs are house dogs and when they smell they get bathed. You would bath a kennel dog probably twice a year, as it needs natural oils in the coat to repel water, and keep warm. But none of my dogs are hardy kennelled dogs, so there fore I can treat my dogs how I wish, and being an x groomer I like to have clean dogs. Our dogs love cuddles, and they love to get on our bed with us for a time. They live in close contact with us. I read all the time peoples opinions on. How often they should bath the dog and people get all arsy online about it. The truth is you can do it when you like. If your dog rolled in poo one day, then the next you can bath the dog twice. Its not going to kill the dog or harm the dog. So my advice is bath your dog when you think it stinks. If thats three times a year then great. But if its every 2-3 weeks thats still okay, you wont harm the dog. When I was trained in college the tutors owned collie dogs, and they bathed them every single week. Ive never seen such perfection in coats, those dogs coats were fantastic.

If your dog has skin issues, you can treat the skin issues during your bathing time.

Good news the kennel club are processing Joshua's litter.  But they have said it can take a further 28 days. But he's been sent confirmation and so have I as Im the stud owner, that they are processing it.  Lets hope they are quicker than 28 days from now!

Everything is crossed.

​Rachel

I have added a page to our hidden pages tonight.

Introducing your puppy to an older dog. Hope it helps someone. Its pretty basic but it works. 

​

Knowing so many dog owners, breeders and friends with dogs, I can tell you that their is 2 bugs doing the rounds.  One is Kennel cough, and the other is a gastric flu. Ive been notified by 2 of our own adult dog owners now of the gastric flu, and 1 case of kennel cough in the London area.  

Kennel cough.
Although their is a kennel cough vaccine, it does not stop your dog catching kennel cough.  Why is this you may ask. Well for one its like human colds and flu their are hundreds of strains.   Some dog virus are simply airborne, and others are contact caught. 
Kennel cough is contagious, and if you own several dogs, it can go through them all, or you can be lucky and only one has it and it goes.
Kennel cough can be described as a hoarse cough, or a phlegm cough.  If your dog seems very well thats a good thing.  As some dogs just shake it off with in 24 hours.  If your dog seems out of sorts or lethargic you must consult a vet quickly for treatment.  Some breeds however need more care than others.  For example any brachycephalic breed, in other words short muzzle can really be poorly with it.  A vet may prescribe anti inflammatory to speed up the relief.  Some vets will prescribe anti-biotics immediately and others say wait.  You really have to listen to your vet, and if the dog doesn't improve, ring them up again.  Dogs can change by the hour.  A French bulldog or pug can be so poorly, and some get snot which stops them breathing.  Sometimes vets will keep the dogs in hospital to monitor them. 

Place in a steamy bathroom and run a hot bath or shower and let the dog smell the steam for a few minutes. It can help shift the phlegm for the dog. 

If coughing Benylins cough syrup (non drowsy) has been given to dogs for years. Check with your vet.  Often children's syrup is given. 

A dog under 12 months should not have honey as their immune system isn't ready for honey yet. But dogs older can have a teaspoon of honey to help with warmed water.

If your dog has snot then get cotton wool and dip into boiled but cooled water, warm is good and gently wipe away the snot.  Some dogs even have runny eyes.  Use a separate piece of cotton wool for each eye, as not to spread any infections. 

As Kennel cough is contagious do not let your dog mix with any other dogs.  The guideline is 3 weeks, but usually the dog is no longer contagious once it stops coughing.  But think of other dogs because if its passed by contact then your dog can infect others, and it could infect an elderly dog who can not cope with it. Or an ill dog.

Any concerns, ring your vet, do not go on facebook for help, do not ring your breeder for advice, as they are not qualified medical professionals.  

Gastric flu
This is going around and effecting dogs differently.  Some have sickness and high temperature, they will need a vet for anti biotics, anti inflammatory.  You will be told to take dog home but ring the next day to update.  As some dogs can go down hill very quickly.  Usually the injection perks them up immediately.  If your dog doesn't improve then the vet will ask to see the dog the following day.  

The other one is diarrhoea, and it starts off loose stools going to water.  If the dog is well, do not feed the dog. Give the dog a meal off or even 24 hours with no food.  Have fresh water available.  Ring your vet for advice.
If the vet thinks the dog doesn't need any treatment yet they will tell you. They will take the dogs temperature, and look at vital signs. 
If your dog wont drink water, get a teaspoon of water and tip into the mouth to keep dog hydrated.  Don't give milk, as some people think milk is a good way of getting a dog to drink.  When the dogs got already diarrhoea we don't want to give the dog milk and upset the stomach further.  A little honey water, or glucose water can really help.  Your vet may prescribe something similar to Dioralyte, to put back salts and sugars lost. 
You will be told to start off feeding bland foods.  Something like chicken and rice or fish and rice.  I would say forget the rice as dogs have a job to digest rice grains. Unless you muller rice the dog wont absorb it.  But boiled chicken or boiled white fish is ideal.  Then with in 2 days you can go back to the dogs normal diet if the vet says its okay. 

Keep your dog warm and out of drafts, if you have another dog separate them.  Offer fresh water, do not leave fresh water down.  A dog with gastric flu can drink because the water is there and end up with belly ache, and sickness.  So offer the water periodically. Take to the toilet often, but do not leave outside in the cold.  Do not over heat the dog also, some people wrap animals in so many blankets they get over heated.   Leave the dog in an area which you can clean up easily, so if the dog has sickness or diarrhoea its not all over your sofa.  Think sensibly. If you have to go to work, find someone who can come and look after the dog for the day.  A dog can deteriorate in a few hours and need the vet.

The reality of a dog with diarrhoea and its gone outside. How to clean it? Get a hose or bucket of water and wash the area.  Get a bucket of disinfectant something like Anigene, or Virkon S and drown the area to clean as best as you can do.  If it is a lot and on concrete or your patio you maybe able to scoop some into a bin bag as disgusting as it is, and then wash thoroughly the area with anigene or virkon s.  You need a disinfectant that really kills virus, bacteria etc.   

Again gastric flu or gastroenteritis can be air Bourne, but it can be passed by contact, so do not let your dog come into contact with other dogs for a few days, until its very well again. 

Follow your vets advice, do not go on face ache and ask for peoples advice who are not medics, and can not see the dog in front of them.  

With both kennel cough and gastric flu do not walk your dogs on the day they are ill.   A meander around the garden will be enough today!

Rachel 

In August 2020 the Kennel club changed their whole format of their website.  In doing so it caused huge delays, firstly because of the information lost.  Everyone's accounts vanished. The back log is gradually getting through, but still their are teething issues with the site.  Many breeders got so furious they decided they wont any longer register puppies, but it wasn't the Kennel club at fault.  The IT team basically messed up, but gradually its all coming together. 

However registrations are not sent out quickly now.  Where as before you could register and the next week they would be back on your doorstep.  They do appear to be pushing assured breeder scheme registrations through sooner than others.

Joshua registered his puppies when they were a week old, and still no registration papers.  He has the reciept of registration which if we get to 8 weeks and still no papers have arrived he can show each one of you the reciept.  They have taken the money out, so we are just waiting for them to send on registration papers. 

I understand in the last two weeks their website was down for maintenance yet again.  Phone calls are taking 6 hours to get through, and if you leave a message to call you back, they do not.

We also have covid and under lockdown they are not working in the offices, just doing certain things from home.

Even for me whose waiting for my bracco papers to arrive, same thing covid and noones in, there fore it will be a few weeks before all the documentation arrives.   We have to be patient.

It is pointless keep asking Joshua if the papers have arrived yet as the answer is NO.  Its just as frustrating for us as everyone else.   As we do not know what pedigree names the Kennel club accepted, or the KC reg numbers so we can not even print the pedigrees. 
​The only sure thing we have is micro chip numbers, which will be inserted at 6 weeks of age. 

A lot of us do not give much thought to the dogs purpose in life.  They absolutely need a purpose.  Usually dogs have been created to have a job.  This is how pedigree dogs came about by enthusiasts which developed certain traits with in the breed for the job they wanted.  It would be no good for example sending in a Pug to be a hunting breed.  Even though mine think they are Vizsla and can hunt along side, they do not have the staying power or agile leaping, movement required.  In hot weather they would flag and they couldn't cope with a working lifestyle. 

So lets quickly look at each breed I own and look at their purpose for why they were bred in the first place. 

Hungarian Vizsla - HPR breed - Sporting group or Gun dog group.
Bred to hunt, point and retrieve. 

Bracco Italiano - HPR breed - Sporting group or Gun dog group.
Bred to hunt, point and retrieve.

Weimaraner - HPR breed - Sporting group or Gun dog group
Bred to hunt, point and retrieve. 

Pug - Toy group 
Bred to be a companion dog, and originally  guard, listening dog. 

French bull dog - Utility group
Bred to hunt rats. But now companion dog. 


When we take on a breed of dog we really should look at the history of the breed and how it was developed.  Their is no point taking on a highly active breed of dog when you want low activity lifestyle.  Because you will be rehoming the dog with in weeks of getting it. 

Dogs need a purpose, and look at what they were bred for, to know their purpose. 

For example, my Ronnie who is a French bulldog. His whole purpose in life is to follow me, be with me, guard me.  He is only happy when he is with me, and he doesn't have to touch me, he's always close somewhere.  His purpose in life is fulfilled when he can do in his mind his job.  He is a very satisfied dog, and he doesn't suffer with separation issues.  Because his life is fulfilled with a job which is being around me.   All the dogs have various needs to fulfil.  By giving them part of the life they require they are happy.  He is also an avid cat hunter, he only has to see my cat and off he goes.  The chase of a cat is his cup of tea, even though he gets told off.  He thinks its his job to see off strange cats from the garden.  

My Bracco yennefer is never happier than when she is hunting, so we give her many walks, time to sniff and hunt, and when she is back home, she is given treats to chew and think about as her brain is happiest when hunting. You can fulfil a gun dogs mind if you give it part of the life they require.  So off lead exercise and things to do mentally.   If someone took her on that kept her in a crate all day long I can guarantee she would be a miserable dog.  Being a big dog they need room to move also. So you can not keep them crated all day long.  They are a breed which needs space to stretch out.  So if she is not outside, or in the house running around, I put her in a large kennel run, so she can get on the raised bed, chew bones, and have things to do.  In fact I can see she is happier in a kennel than coming back to the house later.  Where as my Vizsla are happier inside the house.    You have to get inside the mind of your dog to own a happy dog.

So what is the point of this subject.  If you buy a dog with a highly intelligent mind yet your working all day long, then don't buy one.  A highly intelligent dog will destroy your home once you leave the door, they can develop separation anxiety if you do not teach to be separate at the beginning.  They can be unsettled and cry, howl, scream when you leave the house as they are bored.   The amount of cockerpoo posts recently about having one and its not just sitting looking pretty, its destroyed the skirting boards, its chewed up the carpets, etc.  It is actually two working gundog breeds put together to create the poo.  Well to be honest its a gundog!  It has the same mind as other gun dogs.  Therefore its not meant to sit and just look pretty. It needs a job to do.

Now not all dogs require hunting homes, far from it, we just have to find owners who will exercise their dogs, train their dogs and give the dogs a life worth living.  Then these dogs are content family pets. 

 Dogs need some independence from the owner, just as much as they need the owner too.

Dont buy a dog if you cant exercise it, because the HPR breeds need off lead running twice daily, and also a walk on lead too. They need to sniff and absorb smells of their surroundings, they have to get brain exercise as well as bodily.  They can not be crated all day and all night.  They need to stretch their muscles to be fit and healthy.   Taking on these types of dogs is so different to taking on a French bulldog or a Pug.

One lady said to me once, my dog never hunts.  But every time your dog sniffs the ground and smells plants its actually smelling what dog went their first, has their been birds here, fur here and so on. It is actually hunting by putting nose to the ground and sniffing.  So yes it is hunting. 

Take your dog swimming if its an active breed of dog, this helps tire the dog out, and yet kind on the joints.  Their are rivers, sea, streams, but we can even do hydro therapy with dogs.  Their are dog pools all over the UK and they are often booked up as lots of people take their dogs swimming. 

How about fun agility and training classes, to keep the active mind healthy. 

Research your breed well before you take one home with you.  Don't purchase one if you think  you wont be able to give the care it requires.

Recently we had someone who had been on our waiting list. We were told basically what we wanted to hear, to make sure the dog would be well cared for.   Then it turns out they worked far more many hours than they had let on.  So we had to decline selling a puppy.   We do not do this because we can.  We do this because we think about you, the new owner who can not cope with a dog if your working all the time.  Its a great expense these days to purchase dogs, and then the equipment, and insurance. With just the basic costs of veterinary the worming, vaccinations etc it is very expensive to keep a dog these days.   If we had of sold the dog then the dog would of driven the owner insane.  We would of got the dog back weeks later, and the dog would of started on the track of bad behaviours as no-one was at home to teach the dog basic skills and training.  

Dogs take time and lots of it these days to have a fit, healthy dog.  Lets get it right and do our research first.  

Give the dog a job!  Even if thats in the garden with you all day, down the allotments, going for walks.  

Rachel xx

A couple of phone calls this week which I want to raise an answer for.  

A good breeder if they can not help you will give you numbers of other breeders with puppies on the way.   I do not always know of a litter on the way, but I have often given other breeders details to people, and they can contact them. They may not have a litter but they know someone that has.  Recommendation is everything. 

Today I had 2 such calls who cant wait for puppies any longer with the breeder they had chosen and met. One they had lost puppies so couldn't help, the other hasn't bred yet and the person had waited for over a year.   If a breeder has 2 litters a year then you have a wait.  Its common sense, but if you get to a point you cant wait any longer then Im always happy to give names. 

Try the Kennel club assured breeder scheme for breeders,  or you can even ask your breed club secretary if they know of any puppies available.  Or ring breeders who seem reputable as they will always pass on other peoples details.  

Its been a very difficult year for breeding dogs.  Their was a reduction in breeders for various reasons. One being after April 2020 when the law got stricter on licensing, it put a lot of breeders off wanting to do it again.  I always say don't be scared about having a breeders license, as the licensing team will help you by sending you spread sheets to fill in, and how they like it done.  You can ask them for advice as thats what they are there for. To make sure you tick all their boxes.   Asking other breeders how they got theirs is also helpful. Their is an online group on facebook for breeders needing advice over licenses. Im not on that group.  Licensed breeders were the only ones allowed to travel under Covid guidelines, so yes those people who didn't get a license couldn't travel.  I think its the whole thing of hobby moved to business which a lot of breeders don't like. I admit we didn't like it either.  But its just something we all had to get our heads around and do it. 

Some people chose not to breed which caused a huge shortage in puppies, but the public suddenly wanted puppies of all breeds. The highest demand I would say is the doodle breeds.  Being at home thinking it was the perfect time for a dog.  Sadly the worst time for a dog because as we are seeing now, the dogs are now at an age they have separation anxiety and cant be left.  The owners want to get back to work and they have destructive dogs, and dogs which can not even be left in crates.  

Rescues have long lists of people waiting for dogs, and not many dogs are going in, why is this? Because they are being re-sold online for higher prices than they paid for the dog.  So it has stopped rescue dogs.  

Price of dogs has gone up.  Their is a huge range and in-between on dog prices.  Their is no right or wrong price how I look at it.  It is what are you prepared to pay for the quality of the dog.  If the dog has a poor pedigree, no health tests then your bonkers paying 4k for it.  Surely you want the parents health tested as a minimum of priority. Buying a french bulldog from un health tested parents is like a loaded gun waiting to go off.  At least with health tested parents you stand a great chance of having a healthier puppy.

  Why are people paying 3k for doodles? Cross breeds with no health tests.!  Okay we have a lot now who are doing health tests, and if you want a doodle go through the cockerpoo club websites.  They have a code of ethics.   Why am I saying this? Im not against all the doodles, I just wouldn't do it.  A groomer would go out of business if they didnt accept doodles.   Just buy wisely!  I have had people who have brought a weimaraner off me that went and brought a labradoodle.  Well guess what,!! its their choice and who am I to say what someone can and cant do.  For me personally I love the pedigree dog, and the whole history of the pedigree dog and how it came about. How it was nurtured and protected during the world wars. It fascinates me that their were guardians of the breeds.  It seems 202o however sure put paid to that with everything being crossed in pet homes to earn extra money.  Each to their own.   I value the pedigree dog and the dedication behind of all those breeders, and I wouldn't have the heart to ruin the years of creation in the past.   If you think for 20 years breeders had dedicated themselves to creation of a breed, its a shame to do away with it in one fowl swoop by crossing the dog with another.   What is one of the biggest issues with cross breeds?  From what I can see its temperament. 

Rescue dog prices has gone up also. The highest one I've seen recently advertised was £750. Where as others start at £450. 
Some dog owners were spouting nothings gone up there fore dog prices shouldn't go up.  I don't know what planet they live on as our prices have escalated.  From the vet bedding to treats have gone up. Every single thing I buy online is higher priced and thats because we now have import taxes on products.  I had a hobby of making collars and leads, which has become depressing with the import tax ive got to place now on the products.  Im not seeing it, it will just pay the tax. But everything has gone up. 

Did you know dog crates are in short supply?
Did you know that chicken in butchers is becoming short in supply?  They cant grow enough at our local butcher and they are in short supply. Maybe the supply from Europe is slower, but that effects dog food too. 

This now is the reality of Brexit why we are paying the high prices.  Did we all know this was going to happen? I don't think anyone did.  

It is not often something we think about, the movement of a dog, especially for the pet owner.  But sometimes we notice something different in the way our dog moves.

Firstly you must understand all dogs move differently and various breeds have different types of movement.  So we can not put a say Vizsla or Weimaraner in the same box as a Bracco Italiano, or a bracco italiano to a French bulldog. 

The Hungarian Vizsla movement is described as: 
Graceful, elegant with a lively trot and ground-covering gallop.

The French bulldog movement is described as:
Free and flowing. Soundness of movement of the utmost importance.

The Bracco Italiano movement is described as:
True moving with powerful drive from hindquarters. Capable of untiring, extended fast trot. Head carried raised above topline.

The above is from the breed standard.

But understanding movement is quite complicated.  Much more to movement than the comments above. 

We have a saying in the show world. "If it moves right, it is constructed right"!  That is very true. 

Faults we see in dogs movements are crabbing, which is where the back legs swing left or right and dont follow the front feet.  Toeing in, which is where a dog coming towards you flips its feet and criss crosses over.  Over reaching in breeds such as Vizsla is a fault, but not in Braccos.  I could go on and on.......

Lazy movement is called Pacing, they can almost waddle.  But pacers is just lazy movement.  Cant be bothered to put the effort in. 

The Vizsla front foot should meet in the middle where the back foot places, but the Bracco over reaches past in this very fast gait. 
Other movement things we are looking at is top line, has the dog got a level top line when moving. Where as some breeds do not have a level top line.  So each and every single dog is actually very different.  A whippet for example has an arched back as does the Beddlington terrier. 

​So the lesson today is it doesn't matter when breeds are so very different in movement as most likely what your seeing is exactly what your supposed to see for that particular breed.  If you went to a vet, he wouldn't know. They aren't breed specialists, so if you have concerns with the breed you own, ring your breeder for advice. 

​If their is injury however then a vet is able to deal with it for you. If joints are weak you can go to a physiotherapist Galen therapists are great.  Or hydro therapy for dogs with weaker joints.  Also canine massage is another excellent way of keeping the dog working properly.  One Silvestre Vizsla works very hard all night long and she has regular spa treatments as I call it, she has massages and all sorts.  She doesn't have any health problems, but to keep her in peak fitness for the job she has to do, her owner recognises that the dog needs to be in the utmost fitness. 

​

Yennefer our Bracco italiano had her hips scored last November. We sent the results to the Australian BVA scheme which gave us the results with in 3 days which was 5:5 which we were very pleased with. An Even score is very important in our opinion. But today we had the results back from the UK BVA and her score was 6:5 so comparing the two they are so similar. I do think we will now be sending all future scores to Australia as they are so quick with results.

The UK BVA has now recognised the fact that thousands of clients have gone abroad for results, and they are now prepared to compare the results from other countries with their own, other wise the data base for health will not be correct in the future. Lots of data lost, but what are we to do when we want to health test our dogs but nothing was happening. So from a breeders point of view we are going to go elsewhere as we are trying to do the right thing and have our dogs health tested before breeding them.

I’m currently awaiting swabs from Laboklin to do some more dna tests on our dogs. Health testing must continue regardless so we know we are doing everything that we can do before breeding our dogs.