I have just updated password again, so contact me if you want the new one.

I have uploaded a new file called FASTING.

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We continue to try and educate everyone on how to buy a puppy responsibly. Especially when they're on a daily basis someone in the world which will of fell for a scam.  As we have seen recently our own puppy photos were stolen and put on adverts to sell dogs which don't exist.  You have to pay online for the puppy and it does not turn up. 

Some people research and start talking to breeders long before they are ready for one.  Others decide they want a puppy and go with the first or second advert they see, regardless of the breeder.  You should never just buy a puppy because its connienitant for you now.  Waiting means you will get to have a relationship with your breeder.   They can advise you.  You can meet the family or follow them online.  
 Its these people who just buy because it fits the right week or month of the year, who actually keep the puppy farming trade going.  You may unknowingly of supported the illegal trade of dogs in the UK.  Some people can easily forget what they have done, but Im here to say its you that have continued the poor welfare of animals.  You are no dog lover if you help to continue this trade. 

A good breeder won't have puppies available just to suit your needs on a certain day or month or year.  You may have to wait 2 months, 4 months, 6 months a year. 

In this day and age its time to stop all illegal puppy sales.   Their is no place for poor welfare of animals. I would like to think caring people would not support this trade knowingly. 

Puppy farms or mills are nothing but factories producing puppies of every kind.  Mostly these days its the doodle breeds.  But our beloved Vizsla is unfortunately on some farms also. Health care and welfare is non existent.  They live in cages or crates and don't see the light of day, often raised high so the excrement falls below to be scooped up. In some cases they live in dirt and mothers birth on dirt and your puppy is raised on filth with excrement.  Their eyes maybe weeping from infections, they may have parasites and worst of all Parvo virus. They may have to sleep with their own dead puppies around them or adult dogs.  This is the life of a puppy farmed dog.  When the mums have finished breeding they aren't found lovely pet homes, they are dumped in the countryside, killed or dumped outside rescue centres.  Usually they are killed. 

Let's get down to how you should buy a puppy.   Firstly ring a few breeders and talk to them about their dogs.  See if there is any passion what so ever behind the puppies that they may have.  Is their a website you can see endless photos, or instagram. On the website there should be a license number as by law we have to display it on the websites. 
Does the breeder do more with the dogs than just breed them.  Are they worked, shown, do agility, fun shows, fly ball, scent work.  What is the reasoning behind breeding the dogs.  Are they looking to breed the next dog for their hobby or are they just churning out endless litters with no real passion to keep any. 

If you feel unsure ask for a video call for a tour around the areas the dogs are living. 
Some homes are allowed a maximum of six dogs including their retired dogs.  Some day boarders are breeding and they are not allowed too as dogs must not mix.  Their are rules and regulations when its comes to dogs.  We have someone a mile away from us that is a home boarder and breeds dogs. 
Do not buy off Facebook or instagram.  Buy from a Kennel club advert or champ dogs.  If a rarer breed for example like our Bracco then pets for homes is okay, but its not the ideal website as its where all the farmers sell from.  Do not buy from free ads, sites which sell other items of house hold things, or from signs off the side of the road.  This is the sign of a bad breeder. 
A bitch should only have 1 litter in a 12 month period.  In most cases its longer than 12 months. But if the breeder tells you its the second litter the dogs had this year walk away as that's bad breeding practise.   Some of you will say okay so why is that not a good thing?. Simply health, her Body doesnt get the chance to go back to normal, the calcium is stripped from the bitch which in turn causes poor calcium levels in puppies, you may find skeleton issues, growing problems etc. I can go on and on. But lets just say its not a good thing to breed constantly off the same dog.  We know of someone for example that breed their dog as a puppy, then every single season It had until the uterus gave up the will to live and dog nearly died.  That is over breeder, cruelty of animals. 
Look at photo graphs in adverts and do not just look at the cute pups. Look behind the puppies. 
At what age are the pups leaving the mummy dog.  If they say 6 weeks if fine you know you've stumbled on a bad breeder.  Puppies should stay with the breeder up to 8 weeks. 
Are the puppies kennel club registered.  Even better still is the breeder a Kennel club assured breeder.  The assured breeder scheme promotes good welfare of animals and home checks, those breeders have to complete health tests to belong to the scheme.   Breeders on the assured scheme are not all big breeders they may have one litter.  It is about welfare. 
Do an online search and find info about the breeder.  Are they experienced established or are they just having a litter off their pet to make income.  Quite often the pet litters are poorly bred fuelled by a stud trade who do not care who uses their dogs for income.
Stud dog owners need to be aware that the councils are now pushing for stud dogs to do contracts with receipts to make a trail of where breeding is taking place. 
The majority of dog breeders do not submit a tax return on their puppies.  The HMRC requires all breeders to be self employed and do a tax return when being a dog breeder.   If the breeder is of a large concern staff are then employed and on the books. 
Be cautious of just imported parents and imported puppies.  Their is an illegal trade of dogs that come into the uk on a weekly basis.
Does the breeder have just one home, or are the puppies being sold from a second home, the clean one, and not the actual home.  
Will the breeder send you regular photos so you can see the puppies how they grow up.?
Videos.  Look at the state of the other dogs.  Are the ones that aren't being bred from in good condition ?
Make sure the breeder has a breeding license.  If they tell you that they do not need one this means they are giving the puppies away for free.  All breeders must contact their council.  If they tell you that their council do not require them to have one, ask for proof.   Remember its your money that fuels illegal trades of puppies.  If part with your money you have agreed to poor welfare on animals.  If everyone stopped buying from poor breeding you would eliminate puppy farming. 
Does the breeder have an enrichment plan in place for their puppies?  Are they will the puppies all the time?  Some breeders work full time, 9-6pm and see their puppies for a couple of hours a day.  Those puppies are neglected because for HPR breeds they are such active dogs they need constant attention.   Bad habits are developed if living on their own.  Dogs make up their own rules which can be very difficult when bringing into the home. 
If a breeder has a star rating ask what it is.  The maximum is 5 stars.  If someone has 4 stars it may mean they have not had a license before, or they may not fully agree with the higher rating.  For example your only allowed 1 C section for a 5 star license.  With a 4 star you can have 2 plus. 
With a 5 star you can only have 4 litters with any bitch.  With 4 star you can have six litter with any bitch.   
Can the breeder show you photographs of the dogs off the property.  As in going for daily walks.  their are some breeders who only let their dogs out once a day, in the dark so others can not see the condition of them.  Some breeders are benefit fraudsters breeding lots of litters also.  Not that you would know.  
When you go to see the puppy is the home of any concern to you, smelly, dirty, too many dogs. 
Will the breeder give you information about the breed and support you over the next few weeks ? Or is it hand me the money and clear off.
Puppies must always be present with the mum, so ask to see the mum. She may well bark at you protectively of her youngsters and that's normal.  Or she may not mind you visiting.  She should not be skinny.  She must not look lethargic. 
Can you see Daddy dog? If not can you get his name so you can watch him at a show ?

​Lets just get it out there that we need people to think before they buy, promote animal welfare and do not just choose a puppy because it suits your timing.  Waiting for the right puppy is worth its weight in gold. 
  

We travelled to France for the Douai show. Our wins blew us away as we never expected the weekend was going to go so well.  We can not thank our judges enough who appreciated our dogs. 

Saturday - Silvestre Fortune N Glory 1st Champions class, CACIB and BOB.
                    Roughshoot Quantum Theory at Silvestre CAC, RCACIB

We had also entered Ripley but I had forgotten a veterinary letter where she had a trauma to a tooth.  So I managed to get hold of letter which was messaged to me, and I could present it Sunday.  

Sunday - Roughshoot Quantum Theory 1 CAC 1 CACIB, BOS
                 Silvestre Fortune N Glory 1 st Champions class.
                 Silvestre Whoo whoo 1st open class, CAC, CACIB, BOB, GROUP 3. 

Indie is now an international champion subject to fci conformation.   Indie will be retired now.  He may require an operation to dock his tail, it has healed but if it opens again we will have him docked.  I hope he will not damage it again.   

Im now having rabies done on a couple of other dogs we own and they will also accompany us to Europe at some point this year.  
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Every Bracco will at some point in their lives need ear cleaning products. We was recommended Zymox products from a friend and we have to say what a ball changed this is.
Zymox blue is particularly good for yeasty ears caused by allergies.  Put a few drops in the ear for 7 days then stop.  Then clean with Zymox ear cleaner when dirty. 

Their is a Facebook group online which sells thee products.  Contact me for the name. 
Or you can google and find the products on websites for sale. 

A subject I can hardly touch in a blog post.  Raw dog food which means raw meat, bone, offal, veg, fruits over dried kibble which is tiny biscuits.
What have we learnt over the decades of owning dogs and researching diets. ?

Most dogs would never touch dried dog food if you placed it in front of them if it was not for one thing.  When you cook meat and it goes from raw to cooked a chemical process happens which is called the Maillard reaction.  This chemical makes the dog want to eat the product, its super tasty, it smells nice.
So an inedible bowl of rubbish can go from inedible to edible. But what does this tell us ? If a food mush is revolting, not appetising, no value to eat it why are we giving it to our dogs?  Clever marketing, clever making. Cute dogs in adverts.  If you saw Kibble in its soft state it would look utterly disgusting grey goo,  but formed into small bites with food colouring, makes it look nice for you the pet owner. 
When meat is processed for the kibble market you could be buying all the revolting parts of the animal, ground down. Beaks, feathers even, any growths, and disgusting parts of dead animals.  In fact if you saw it you wouldn't feed your dog again dried food. 

If you feed raw food, it is a healthier option.  Dogs are not designed inside to eat highly processed foods.  Just because it states a bunch of vitamins and minerals you think its healthy.  If I got a bowl of chicken heads and eye balls and sat it in front of you,  then got some ash and threw into it and said okay eat that, you would probably say :m not feeding that!
Raw diets can not disguise the food as easily as dried food companies. 

If your dog was in a field and hungry would it run up to a field of wheat and strip off the heads and eat them? No.  If your dog was in a field and hungry and caught a mouse would it eat it ? Yes. Small mammals, birds, herbs, fruits.  Dogs eat fur or feather, bone and muscle, little offal. 

Benefits of Kibble feeding?

• Storage easy
• Lasts a long time
• Looks appealing
• Doesn't smell
• Looks fat
• Do not need freezer space. 
• zero taurine added. 

Benefits of raw feeding?

• Healthier immune system
• Because of healthier immune system less appetising to parasites to live on host. 
• No diabetes
• Puppies grow slowly which is better for their joints. 
• Food digests easily in the stomach and passes into the bowel.
• Less chances of bloat. 
• Healthier skin which is hydrated, and shines. 
• Cleaner teeth
• Less problems with anal glands
• Doesn't create gas, so less farting. 
• Smaller stools and less stools. Easy to pick up leaving no residue behind for people to stand in. 
• Dog enjoys its food more as you can introduce new food groups, from chicken to salmon to venison if you wish. 
• Lots of natural vitamins and minerals over artificial. 
• No ash contained.
• Fresh veg, fruit added.
• taurine is an amino acid which dogs need to live.  This is only found in meats that have been just slaughtered then it weans off, except the heart.  The heart retains the taurine.  Lack of taurine may cause problems with hearts in all dogs.  Their are links to Dilated Cardio Myopathy and lack of taurine. 
• Less ill health in your dog, and hardly any vets visits. 

Check out www.nutriment.co.uk website for raw food, treats etc. Locally you may find a raw supplier and you could order every single week so you do not need a large freezer to store it. 
Their are cheaper brands of food available in the UK, but get your dog onto a balanced complete raw diet before you start with cheaper brands.  Because you will have to add into the cheaper diet more so the dog gets an adequate diet. 

As I said this is a small touch on raw diet.  If you have gone away from raw, its probably time to swap back again. 

Sadly I couldn't make East of England show myself, so I sent husband with two dogs which we had entered.  1 Bracco and 1 Vizsla, and their classes clashed.  A huge Thankyou to Sophie bell who handled our Willow in Minor puppy bitch class to second place.
Darryl handled Letty who belongs to our son Joshua and Im pleased to say she won her classy nd qualified for Crufts 2024. I hope now that Josh and Darcy will show her at Crufts 2024. 

Out of Three bracco from Yennefer's litter than have been shown all 3 have qualified for Crufts 2024 

Wow what a great day Windor champ show turned out to be for us.  
 First off was Buzz who is Silvestre Here's the thing won 1st place in minor puppy dog and this qualifies him for Crufts 2024
Second was Willow who is Silvestre im not perky and she won 1st place in minor puppy bitch and this qualifies her for Crufts 2024.
Then Vespa went into her first post graduate class and was 2nd place.  Her pedigree name is Silvestre Destiny is a Beast.  Darryl showed her for me, but then put his back out and it went into a spasm so there I was rubbing his back when we were told she was needed in the class again.  I literally grabbed her and ran down to the ring, but this really unsettled her and she wouldn't stand.  So we kinda lost out on a possible RCC. But this is life.   But still pleased with them all.  Darryls back got better.

All three dogs are qualified for Crufts 2024.  We are delighted with this result. 

Also Silvestre's Hot stuff was shown by her owner Louise and was placed 3rd and qualified for Crufts 2024.  

Also heard from some pet owners who had been to fun shows in villages and they also did well and had a happy time.  Lots of happy silvestre owners this weekend. 

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