You breed dogs and enjoy preserving their heritage, and part of this is importing new bloodlines.  We have coming in June an exciting girl to our home.  A young girl that will bring some old bloodlines back to our breeding. It's very exciting and I will share more to come once she is here.  Just waiting on dates for arrival.   

Because we had puppies we had to give Southern counties a miss this year due to not being away from the babies for long.

But I am so pleased to tell you that our breeding had a fab day with their owners/breeders.

Well done Diane Priestly with her 3 girls.  The Judge Tamas Jackal from Hungary and the president of FCI and you did so fabulous.  Diane bred the two girls from our Maverick and the other girl we bred.  

Then Roughshoot tiffin (Indi) a Maverick Daughter won limit class giving her stud book number.  Again a fabulous win.   Although I did not breed her I am so pleased for her.

Good wins to nice people and it always means more when its that way.

No Braccos were entered from our team today as busy elsewhere.  

​Well done to all the winners. 
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All my owners know I say the same thing.  Which is if I was to run my hands in stinging nettles I would get hives.  Just like your dog will get hives.  It's normal and not a weird reaction.   It's not something to worry about unnecessarily.  But We always say seek veterinary guidance if you're unsure.   Because there is also another condition where hives get infected and spread, and you MUST go to the vets asp. 
But let's say this is a mild reaction.  What can you do?  Make a paste of bicarbonate of soda and put on hives.  Get an icepack and hold over hives.  Use Benadryl antihistamines.  Seek amount from Google search or vets.   Cool water. 

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Most people only realise their dogs been stung well after the event, because their head has swollen up, or the lips are fat. 

If head is swelling seek veterinary advice immediately and follow their instructions. 

If mild check to see if you can see a stinger still in, and you know then it was a bee.  Remove the stinger with tweezers.  Then get some bicarbonate of soda and put in water and dab the area. As long as it's not in the mouth you can use little antihistamine cream on the centre of the skin.   Give also an antihistamine.  Piraton is safe to use in dogs.  But NOT Pirateze.   Google amounts to give or contact your veterinary surgeon for advice. 

Bee sting - bicarbonate of soda. 
Wasp sting - dilute vinegar

Do not go out and leave a dog if it has been stung.  Usually severe reactions would occur immediately but sometimes heads carry on swelling later. So monitor your dog and if you have any concerns ring your vet ASP

I keep being asked if I am at any shows coming up.  Sorry we are not.  We have commitments at home, and at the moment we have no up and coming shows booked.  I hope to book a show again in July onwards. But for now we are pretty busy at home.  Team Silvestre is out and about showing still, which is dogs we have bred. I wish I could make all the shows but sadly we can not.  We have to selectively choose shows around other things we are doing at the moment.  For us it's a great hobby that fits in with other stuff. 

Again this week I have been told that people are keeping away from Pets 4 homes website and opting for Champdogs.  But ive been asked questions about advertising companies. 

Let me just tell you little bit about both advertising companies. 

Pets 4 homes have a big audience, and we use them for Bracco Italiano adverts as most of the breed people do.  If you google search a puppy they come up tops on google. 
But you do not have to do any health tests on parents to advertise with them.  They are trying to improve standards of advertising with pets.  I believe they have improved in recent months.  But it's no guarantee of a good puppy.  We do not use them for Vizsla puppies.  

Champdogs also is just an advertising company but has a good thing going for them as they do verify health tests before advert goes on.  But it does not mean the breeder has had all the health tests. Some may hip score mum and not dad, or vice versa, some may do the 4 recommended tests. Others test everything. But you could be stung because not everyone health tests.  But their info is shown on the advert and they verify health tests.  So much better in that respect. 

The health tests are set out by Kennel club.  But what you have to know about the kennel club is they will still register puppies even if the parents are not health tested.  But they set out the standard for example with Bracco and Vizsla.  Recommended doesnt mean you have to do them.
Bracco recommended - Eyes, Hips and Elbows
Vizsla - Eyes, Glaucoma, hips and elbows. 

 But no company insists on licensing of breeder to advertise puppies.  80% of all dog breeders are not licensed to sell puppies.  20% are licensed.  This is left for you to ask the breeder if they are licensed.  

I was told that someone went through one company as they thought the breeders were all licensed. Sorry thats not true. 

To read about licensing go to the Government website and read the guidance for yourself.  You can have 2-3 litters unlicensed if you do not sell a puppy. But if you sell a puppy then you should have a license and it's up to you to contact your local council then.  If you sell the dogs or are you giving them away for free.  

I hope thats answered some of your questions that I was asked this morning. 

We use all advertising outlets sometimes, and I have had fabulous homes from all.  You will hear you should not buy from this avenue or that avenue and to be honest the best way is still word and mouth.  But you must check health tests, and you must make sure breeders are licensed, other wise you are risking buying a puppy from a back yard breeder.  

We will always advertise on champ dogs as they have a higher standard just by verification of adverts and should be commended for this.    But they do accept adverts from unlicensed breeders so this is when it's your job to check.  

Goodness me you do not get show days very often like we have just had.  What an amazing start for our little Maeve.  But firstly let me get to all the results. 

Thank you to judge Anthony Allen placing Libertia Gingerlicious at Silvestre with 2nd place in minor puppy. This is a crufts qualifying place. (VIZSLA). 

Now to the Bracco shows. 

Thank you to judge Rob Mc Master who gave Maeve 3rd place in minor puppy which is a crufts qualifying place.  A bigger thank you that you awarded her brother 1st in minor puppy, best puppy dog then best puppy in breed. 

Followed by the Bracco italiano society show. 
Thanks to Emma Towns (Braccorion affix) Breed specialist. 

Dalton again first minor puppy dog, best puppy dog, reserve best puppy in show. 
Maeve first in minor puppy bitch, best puppy bitch, best puppy in show.
Nancy 3rd in open bitch and qualifies for Crufts 2027. 

Also big well done to Silvestre Stolen kiss and Silvestre Im batman for qualifying for Crufts 2027. 

Our waiting lists for pet homes operate on who's been waiting the longest, and if you have your then given position 1 on the list.  But this does not give you any rights to choosing which puppy you want.  It just means the guarantee of having a puppy from us.  Rather than being at the end of the list. 

We reserve the right in any litter to keep the pick of the litter for ourselves for showing and future breeding.  Why else would we breed!  It's about bloodlines and selecting dogs for our future hobby. 

Our puppies have always been one price for boy and girl.  Regardless if it's a show dog quality or pet dog quality.  We soon learnt that people are saying they want a show dog just to get ahead of someone else thinking they will get a better puppy.  So now finally we have realised what people are up too if you want to have pick of litter and we are not keeping one then we will charge £300 more for a the pick of litter.  I do not keep a puppy from every litter.  I keep where I think I want to selective continue a line through. 

Do you need to? Not really not unless you absolutely just want to know you've got the best constructed dog in litter. 

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We know who shows in the UK as we all know each other. If someone who shows their dogs in the UK comes to me, we do not charge you more money for a puppy.  We know genuine show homes.
We make sure you get the best puppy in the litter for showing.   If we are keeping one we either allow you second choice, or if we are tied up and cant commit to many shows and you can, then we let you have the best one and we will have second choice.  I try to be as fair as I Can to people who wish to show dogs.  Because we are a family!!  We want you to do well. 
 

I thought I may do a section in our website about breeding and issues breeders come across.  Ive been a breeder for 30 years so have seen most things in my life. Good and bad.  
I think it would be a good idea to set up a breeder section part of the website.  I keep being told I have such a wide knowledge on breeding.  Ive been asked many times to write a book now.  I am considering it.   Even my vet says my knowledge is by far wide compared to many. That was his way of a compliment. 

I was sent a photo this morning from a breeder where pups have bruising on the skin.  This is caused by over zealous mothers, licking too hard and too much.  In the case of bruising you have to supervise the litter to stop her over licking.  It is very rare to see this.  I remember a long time ago seeing something similar on someone else's puppy and it was from the over licking and too hard.  

Another thing you see with over zealous mothers is dandruff area, which turns sore.  A hot spot occurs.  IN this case you would clean the area daily with hibiscrub, and in some cases, cut the hair off the puppy if it's a long coated breed and let the air get to it.  But also if bad go to the vets as they will issue some Synulox drops (Antibiotics) for the skin.  Try to stop mum licking the area. 

Work with your vet and if you have any concerns you should always contact your veterinary surgeon. 

The great thing about a good breeder network is we all talk and try to help each other.  

Be rest assured I keep things confidential and do not tell others names of the breed or people.  This is just a post to help those who may come across this.  Hope this helps xx

Skin is a window to the immune system and we find dogs can have skin issues if they have poor gut health, poor immune health, hormonal, or just poor diet. But what causes dandruff on the skin?

Most dandruff is down to the product your using to bath your dog, and in many cases its because the product has not been washed out well enough. This lifts the skin layer.   So make sure when you're bathing that you have rinsed every single bit out of the coat. 

Some dogs benefit from a conditioner on the fur also.  You can buy some nice Wahl doggy conditioners. But for some dogs you really do not want to put anything extra on the skin.

Some shampoo's really upset the dogs skin. If this is the case try "Peace and kindness", this shampoo is expensive, and has colloidal silver in, but its kind on skin which is delicate. 

Lots of sensitive shampoo contains oat meal. However I find this can really upset the dogs skin.  Again tea tree oil is sold as a sensitive shampoo, but again some tea tree is too strong for dogs skin.  So it's finding what works for you and your dog. 

Some dogs benefit from a naturally made product over artificial products. A bit like us really. 

But also ill health can cause dandruff and Cushings disease is one.  It causes continual flaking of the skin. 

I was a professional groomer trained at college, and we covered a lot of skin issues in dogs and knowing how to deal with it.   So I am fully qualified to give advice.  NVQ 2 & 3 Dog grooming. 

Rachel