OK while some may think this is off topic (and I guess it really could be!), it's really not! My sister & I drove a group of Special Olympians this past week end to Springfield, MO to compete. This is the second time we've carried this group from an organization called Crossroads. Well to make a long story short, while we were headed back to our hotel my sister saw a sign for "Lab Puppies 4 sale". Well I have been wanting a puppy for sometime now to replace our last dog Kumho who was known to roam before that disappeared a while back.
So we called the # and got directions and went and saw the puppies. Well I was hooked and had to have one! I have always really wanted a Chocolate Lab (I had black ones b4) & I really wanted a boy, but all the males were blonde (or yellow) and the females were all chocolate!
OK well I couldn't make up my mind, and my sister said you could get one of each then they'd have a playmate! OK big softy I am I bought one of each!
OK now as I said we were on a BUS trip, and had a bus load of Special Olympics competitors to transport home after the games. Well 2 things; #1 How do ya hide to curious pups from 42 curious "super special people"? And #2 What do ya name them?
Well my sister said "why not let the group help name them (I wanted Sampson & Dalila), but hey why not let the group feel important and let them suggest names and vote on it?
OK so we did just that and the names voted on the most were Kross & Rhodes (hence crossroads was the name of the group!LOL!).
So I introduce KROSS & RHODES! And their "New Dad!" As well as the group who named them!
Here is Kross by himself!
Here is my little sweetheart Rhodes! (don't let that sweet little innocent face fool you, she is the mischievious one! )
Great story & Pics Knuckle. ;D Great way to start the day!
Kind Regards, Phil
BK -
Hopefully, when they get a little older, they'll visit the vet, otherwise you're gonna have a bunch of intersections!!
;)
Good looking shirt lol.
Quote from: RJ
BK -
Hopefully, when they get a little older, they'll visit the vet, otherwise you're gonna have a bunch of intersections!!
;)
Yes RJ they will be going to the VET and be society friendly pets!
;D BK ;D
Quote from: cody on June 02, 2009, 08:54:29 AM
Good looking shirt lol.
I thought you'd like that shirt! LOL! ;D BK ;D
Man, I thought we were gonna see the Setras!
Quote from: DaveG on June 02, 2009, 04:36:49 PM
Man, I thought we were gonna see the Setras!
Dave you didn't pay enough attention! # 742 is the back drop for the group photo! (I show all my children off!) ;D BK ;D
BK,
Those are GREAT looking dogs. I love labs. I think that they are some of the smartest, sweetest, best dogs out there.
God bless,
John
Bryce!
Congrats! They are good looking pups! I understand about wanting to be a good "Daddy". I love my itty bitty dachshund. She's not much of a traveler though. :(
Just a thought...Since some very special people helped you name them, have you thought of some very special schooling for the pups so they could be "coach" dogs on some of these trips?
I'm a former Easter Seals Counselor, and I have two friends in the Educational field. I remember some discussion about Labs being trained for that sort of help, but that was twenty years ago. I could ask if they know of anything, but, I thought I'd mention it here first. I know that dogs are "employed" in nursing homes up here for visits to shut-ins.
I guess I should stop watching "Animal Planet". My apology, I'm just thinking you have a "golden" opportunity, no pun intended. See what happens when I stay up too late, I get these "WAGs". ::)
Anyway, has anyone else heard of this kind of training? The dogs are supposed to be housedogs until they are "on duty" to provide comfort, support, and protection which comes naturally anyway. In any case, you have a pair of winners! Congrats again!
PADoug -
In answer to your question, yes, there are various groups around the country that train dogs to be "personal assistants" for developmentally disabled folk.
Since the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) back in 1990, there has been a marked increase in their use.
We're all familiar with Guide Dogs for the blind, they've been around for years. Now dogs are used for hearing impaired and mobility impaired, just to name a couple others.
Those that are not used as blind guide dog are known as "service animals", and, for that matter, do not have to be dogs.
Here are some references:
http://www.equipforequality.org/resourcecenter/ada_serviceanimals.pdf
http://www.ada.gov/qasrvc.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_2086158_train-service-animal.html
http://www.affluent.net/sara/
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
BK,
I had a Cocker for 16 years.....Bizy Bitch. She was my constant companion and slept under my arm every night. No fleas, ever. I have always been opposed to the neutering and spaying of MY pets. That is not to say I wanted any puppies, I don't. In Europe, I am told, and in Canada they do this differently. The spay is replaced with a "Uterine Hysterectomy" and the ovaries are retained(by the bitch). The point of this is that she will keep all of her natural hormones and NOT be plunged into post menopausal old age. Without the ovaries she gets bone loss and weight gain and loss of energy. Nobody notices these changes as they have never experienced the animal when it is intact. Trust me....there is a difference worth going for and an animal worth preserving. I had a hell of a time finding a vet that would do my surgery. I even called the vet that did Bizy and he was located in San Diego and I live in Orugun. He had retired and the new vet would not perform the surgery.
Found out that the operation WAS popular in the USA but it fell to being rarely done and most/none will do it today. The head professor at the Or. State Sch of Vet Med told me the op was not complicated and that it had been taught 20 years ago. Seems it takes 5 min longer to tie off the stuff and use sutures rather that an elect heat needle. I paid an extra $80 to have my current little girl operated on and the vet is 68, as the professor said he would be if I ever found one. My next move would have been to start looking in Canada.
Bizy left three spots in the bed that were smaller than a dime and she was not odorous in any way in her entire life. Without the uterus there is no "flow" either.
My males are fixed with a vasectomy.
Yes they do couple and I have to ignore that but that is a small price to pay for their energy and spirit.
YMMV but this sure works for me. I wish you the absolute best of luck with your new companions and many many years of joy.
Your fellow dog lover,
John
BK,
To answer your question in the thread that has dissapeared or seems to have: The operation is called a "uterine historectomy" or "uterine spay". Maybe both are correct. In a Bitch, the ovaries aren't separate orbs as in women. For them the ovaries are attached and integrated to the uteris. To preserve them they need to retain their blood supply and be cauterized. The surgery is delicate but then all surgery is that but further it is slightly more complicated. Often additional and more varied anesthetics are called for and that adds considerable cost to the surgery if they ar needed. My vet refunded me $250 because it took less time and he used fewer drugs than his worst case estimate and he quoted his worst case unbeknownst to me. His surgery is completely self contained in a sealed glass room and it "rents" by the minute and he has three staff assistants. When was the last time a Dr. gave you a substantial rebate? Along those line I have only heard of a single attorney that rebaited retainer fees and I drank with around fifty of them for years and I speak with authority.
I think you will have to search for a Vet....I sure did. Not wishing you bad luck now. ;D If you meet with no success in your area try Canada. They are closer to European ethic and morals and are known for quality work. At least according to Pre owners I have met, not to mention MCI guys. The surgery takes less than an hour and the girl will be returned to you under the influence of a light tranq. Your care is to keep her quiet for 5 days.....no ball retrieving. ;D My girl went NUTS.
Good luck BK and keep me updated,
John
John, my family Thank you for your post. We lost our family friend last year, she was almost 10. (spleen cancer).. We have waited a year for a litter and have a new female Shepherd. Our local vet want her in before 5 months.. You have made some very good points. Will your vet still do the operation? Do you have his info. A trip to Oregon from Washington in the near future can be arranged.
Hi All
As a dog breeder for over 35 years, this is a topic I have some familiarity with.
The latest research shows that both male & female dogs sterilized early have more health problems and shorter lives than entire dogs or ones sterilized later. Unfortunately I am at work, so I do not have the appropriate links available.
Vets prefer to sterilize early for several reasons. 1) Get you in straight away, the longer you wait, the more likely the client will forget or move to another vets district. 2) Bitches come into their first season anywhere from 6 months to 18 months depending on the breed & the individual. If they sterilize early it avoids the chance of an early pregnancy. 3) Younger dogs heal quicker.
We do not have the procedure recommended by John available in NZ. If we did I would strongly recommend it. As it is, we recommend bitches be spayed 2 months after their 1st heat or later if practical.
Sterilising male dogs is a different issue. I don't think it has any effect on the number of unwanted pups born. In some breeds it can reduce aggression, but in most the effect on temperament is not clear. Most of our owners keep their dogs entire.
Cheers
Peter
Peter,
Thanks so much for your post. Your take on the motivation of vets for being in a hurry is spot on according to my suspicions.
An aspect of the early spay that has always disappointed me is the info I was given about the growth of the Bitch. I have been told that the bitch's source of testosterone is the ovaries. Further that the testosterone is needed for proper growth and they grow till they are 2 years old. That was the other reason for not doing the spay till they matured, if at all.
I am confused that the operation I suggested is not "available" in NZ. Is it illegal? My vet and a professor say that the surgery is listed in the professional text covering canine surgeries.
Not to give you a big head but my personal experience has been that "breeders" are one savvy group when it comes to canine health info. Fully half of the vets had never heard of the surgery and none of the office staff had even a clue. And it used to be the method of choice in the USA according to the Professor.
Thanks again,
John
Hi John
The only reason the procedure is not available here is attitude of the vets here. We have few vets & they all have more work than they need. Therefore, they generally only do the standard operations.
Most of our litters now, we get by using imported frozen semen, it is the only way we can get sufficient genetic diversity & still maintain quality dogs. The vet we use for this is a 6 hour drive away. He would be easily capable of the procedure you describe. However, we don't spay our bitches until they are older & our puppy buyers generally only go to their local vet.
Interestingly, Old English Sheepdogs generally live to about 10 years old. On average our lines live to about 12 to 13 years. Recently several of our bitches have lived to over 18 years. They were both bitches who we had initially shown, then had a litter or two and then spayed at about 10 years old.
I think all genuine breeders are very concerned about the health & welfare of the pups they sell. I certainly find that breeders particularly from the US & Canada are extremely well informed about the health aspects of their breed. Generally we have far more opportunity than vets to see animals over their entire lives. Vets frequently only see animals when they are sick and often only for one or two visits.
PS BK, I think labs are an excellent choice. If you don't have the time to groom a proper dog (OES) then a Lab is a good substitute.
Cheers
Peter