Hug a breeder!

I have a whole new appreciation for breeders, especially the ones who breed English Golden Retrievers.  I've owned dogs for 20+ years, and I never thought about the relationship the breeder has with mama and pups or the job that comes with rearing a litter of nine or ten babies.   It can be a daunting task.  At least it was in the beginning for me, my girl and her nine English Golden Retriever pups.

Here's what I didn't know.  Responsible breeders spend thousands of dollars on health testing their dogs.  They  have to test hips, elbow, eyes and hearts and there are more tests to be done to make sure you are producing healthy babies.   And even with all health clearances, there are still things that can go wrong. 

I have a good friend who had a tragedy befall her a year ago with her English Golden.  Her dog died on the operating table and her puppies were delivered via c-section.   The dog did not have any history of health issues, and it was a complete surprise!   And not only did my friend have to grieve the loss of her dog, but she also had the enormous task of caring for nine puppies.  This is a round the clock job.  She had to feed nine puppies every two hours for the first three weeks of their lives until they could start eating very watered down puppy food.  It doesn't leave much time to sleep.  I'm proud to say out of nine, eight survived and are healthy and thriving today in homes where they are loved and doted on.  It speaks volumes about the breeder and the spirit of the English Golden Retriever to thrive even in the hardest conditions.

Just to give you a peek into the world of the breeder, I want to share some experiences with my first litter with Emma, my European Golden Retriever.   She went into labor on a Saturday night.  It took way too long for her to have her first baby (she had ten in there) and he came out stillborn.  We tried to revive that baby for almost an hour but there was nothing we could do.  After another two hours and no baby, I packed the car with my eleven year old son and a dear friend who wanted to help me and we headed an hour north for an emergency c-section at 1:30am.   Nine babies were born healthy and thriving, and my poor girl was in a bit of shock with it being her first litter, having anethesia, and suddenly finding nine babies attached to her.  She was a real trouper! 

I spent the first week round the clock by their sides.  I slept on the sofa beside them each night just to  make sure Emma didn't accidentally roll onto one.  I had to make sure she was eating enough to feed nine babies.  And I had to weigh the babies twice a day to make sure they were all gaining weight.  And of course we had to do the socialization things needed to make sure they developed into loving pups by playing with their paws and ears, etc.  It was like having a newborn baby.  

They developed diarrhea from the anti-biotics Emma had to take so I had to give them medicine several times a day.   And I had to make sure Mama was healing and not developing any mammary issues or infections in her incision.

By the time they were four weeks old, they were healthy sassy babies.  And they were a mess!!  Try cleaning up poop four times a day times nine puppies who like to walk in it.  That was a real treat!  And there was more of it when they started eating kibble.   It's almost impossible to prevent your house from smelling like a chicken coop with nine babies pooping four times a day.   It can be done, but only by extreme due diligence around the clock.

It's not glamorous.  My friends and I  joke about how we have become poop specialists.  But the entire experience was a labor of love.  To see the joy on the faces of people who don't have a dog suddenly welcoming a loving, well adjusted English Golden into their homes is AWESOME! 

These babies were such joys to me, my family and my puppy families, so I am not complaining in the least!  It was a labor of love.  But these are things I didn't know until I had the experience.   So today, I am sending a huge shout out to all the breeders in the world to say THANK YOU for all you do for your beloved breeds and their babies.  Our breed of choice is the English Golden Retriever and to those breeders whose dogs I personally have, you'll never know how much I truly appreciate you!

Puppies and fundraising auctions

Auctioning a puppy at a fundraiser to raise money regardless of how noble the cause may be is WRONG.  It sounds innocent, right?    Let me paint a picture.  There are thousands of unwanted animals being dumped at shelters on a regular basis.  Lord knows how many are euthanized on a daily basis.  One of the things a responsible breeder is concerned about is whether or not a puppy is going to be loved and cared for during the course of it's life by the people buying him.   A reputable breeder will put prospective puppy families through a screening process to find out their lifestyle, if they have the means to provide for a puppy, if they are willing to love and care for it for it's lifetime and if they are willing to give the puppy back to the breeder should their situation change and they can't have the dog any longer.    No breeder EVER wants to hear about their offspring ending up at the pound.  

When a puppy is auctioned at an event, there is no consideration given to the adopting family.  Do they have the means?  Are they dedicated?  Is this just a whim and two months from now when the puppy has chewed shoes and pooped all over the house they will be ready to give him back?  Where would they go to give him back?    If they don't have a relationship with a breeder, what are their options?   Do they sell the pup?  That's bad for the pup to be bounced around.   Do they drop it off at the pound?  I would be OUTRAGED!   

The bottom line is auctions and puppies should NEVER be used in the same sentence.   I realize they bring in a lot of money.    But a responsible breeder will never give one for that purpose.   And the public needs to know that this is a bad reflection on your organization to try to do something like this.  Want to get animal activists up in arms?  Let them find out you are auctioning an animal of any kind at a fundraiser. 

Humans have to protect our beloved pets.  Please raise your voice in disapproval at this practice!

Best in Show and British Goldens

                                       International Champion Tea Rose of the Morning Valley

I went to my first dog show several years ago.  I had seen Westminster on TV so I had an idea of what a show was like, but I really didn't know what to expect in real life until I attended my first one.   I kept thinking I was seeing the movie "Best in Show."  The experience was surreal.  Some of the people there took dog shows SO seriously!   Many of the dogs there had better hair than me.  Some of the owners were dressed better than I would be on a normal day.   Some were completely consumed with getting hair off their clothes before going into the ring.  Some were obsessed that the dog not get messed up at all.  I mean where was the joy of spending time with your dog?   The tension at that show was so incredibly intense, I can't imagine the dog felt relaxed in the ring.

I felt like I really needed to learn all I could about the structure of a dog, how it should look, how it should move, and what I should be looking for in a nice representation of the breed.    In order to do that, I had to go to dog shows.  And after seeing them do the same things over and over again, I felt like I could do it too.  So I took a handling class and started showing my dogs.   I now have six champions.  And it's been a ride.  But it hasn't been without a few laughs along the way.

For example, my beautiful girl Bella is usually the sweetest most well behaved girl.  She is truly a stunning girl and a wonderful representation of the breed.  USUALLY she's great in the show ring.  But I had her in the show ring a few weeks ago and she was not her normal wonderfully behaved self.  Now, if you know anything about a golden and particularly an English Golden, they are known for super laid back temperaments.  Bella is no different.  She has been in shows before and she's always a good girl in them.  But things changed at our last show.  She got out there and strutted her stuff for about a minute and then she decided she just didn't want to be there.  So, as the judge stood there studying every detail about her, Bella decided it was nap time. She laid down on her back with her paws up and a huge smile on her face.  And she wouldn't get up.  Who says Goldens don't have a sense of humor??  The judge laughed and said something about her being the quintessential Golden with that laid back temperament.  But there was no way she was going to place because she laid down in the show and refused to get up.  Now, had we been living in the Best in Show movie world, I would have been mortified and probably would have gotten counseling on why the dog did that.   And both myself and the dog would be getting the counseling.  But living in the real world, my reaction was quite different.  I did nothing but laugh at my girl.  She's stunning and sweet and a great representation, but she's also got a mind of her own and a great sense of humor.  I love that about her!   I'm sure some of the other owners there looked and me and either felt totally sorry for me or were disgusted at Bella and my lack of social graces in the show ring.  But we had fun and that's all that mattered!

Why do people show at dog shows?  For me, it's about getting confirmation that I have goldens who meet the breed standard.  They have to have the right temperaments and structure to be show champions, and if they are to be bred or to be used as therapy dogs, they need to have these things as well.   So for me, it's all confirmation that my dogs are great representations of the breed.   It's also something fun I can do with my dogs.  They seem to like to show off and they love the attention.    And my son likes to show the dogs too.  He gets a kick out of placing higher than I do.   Dog shows are really a family affair in my house.

Some people have asked me if there really are people like those in the movie "Best in Show."  The truth is that yes, there are people like that at shows.   And people like that can be a lot of fun to watch.   So the next time you hear there's a dog show in your area, you should go.  You'll see some lovely dogs and if you have a sense of humor, you'll see a lot of humor at the shows too.    And perhaps if you have a dog, and you see how easy it is, you'll get the bug and spend the day at a show with your dog.  Worst case scenario, you will have enjoyed the day with your dog.  Best case....you'll have won some ribbons and gotten to see some funny things you can talk about for years to come!

Why are we so divided?

I apologize for my blog this week, but I'm going to step on my soapbox for a moment. 

Look at the coat colors above.    This is the accepted range of coat color for Golden Retrievers EVERYWHERE in the world except for my country, The United States of America.    The country of origin for Golden Retrievers is Scotland.  The Golden Retriever Breed Council and the Kennel Club in the UK say the following about the Golden Retriever breed standard as it pertains to color:

"Any shade of gold or cream, neither red nor mahogany. A few white hairs on chest only permissible."   

The FCI or The Fédération Cynologique Internationale is comprised of 90 member countries that follow their breed standard.  These 90 countries subscribe to this same standard for Golden Retrievers that they follow in the UK. 

But the US, always the one to be different, says the following from the Golden Retriever Club of America about the color of a golden:

Color -- rich, lustrous golden of various shades. Feathering may be lighter than rest of coat. With the exception of graying or whitening of face or body due to age, any white marking, other than a few white hairs on the chest, should be penalized according to its extent. Allowable light shadings are not to be confused with white markings. Predominant body color which is either extremely pale or extremely dark is undesirable. Some latitude should be given to the light puppy whose coloring shows promise of deepening with maturity. Any noticeable area of black or other off-color hair is a serious fault.

Even though today's judges are supposedly being told that a cream coat is not to be faulted, it is faulted all the time.   You can only find a handful of American Kennel Club show champions in my country because this standard caters to the American Golden. No one knows why the standard was amended in the 1980's where they took the word "cream" out of the breed standard.  If a golden is a golden no matter the type, the color standard should be what the rest of the world recognizes, and not anything different in the US!    American Goldens came from the UK.  They share the same DNA.  It's time to start looking at all Goldens the same without prejudice!

Off of my soapbox now!

New Health Issues in English Golden Retrievers

They have come a long way in health testing with dogs and specifically with English Golden Retrievers.  In addition to the normal tests for hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, eye issues and heart issues, there are new tests that have just come out.  They now have tests for PRA-1 (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) and Ichthyosis.  These are conditions that apply to English Goldens. What does this mean to pet owners?   This is just another test that responsible breeders will do to make sure their lines are free from health defects.  PRA is an eye issue that doesn't show up until later in a dogs life.  It causes blindness in the dog, and it usually doesn't show up until after age 5.   If you have two clear dogs, you can't pass it to their offspring.  If you have a clear dog and a carrier, your puppy still can't get it.  But if you put an affected dog to a clear or carrier, your puppy can develop it.  It's for this reason that breeders with dogs that are affected with PRA-1 should not be breeding them.  Be sure you ask your breeder if they have tested for this.

Ichthyosis is a much  more common problem.  Ichthyosis is a skin condition similar to dandruff, although in some puppies, they can develop very painful sores and lose their hair.  It's not an ideal situation to have with your dog, but breeders can have an affected dog for ichthyosis and put it with a clear dog and your puppies will never get the disease.  But this is only possible putting an affected dog with a clear dog.   Again, this is something that responsible breeders should be testing for. 

Be sure to ask your breeder if they have done all health testing and don't be afraid to ask for copies of it.   We can't protect the breed we  love without knowledgable pet owners asking questions.  

Furry Family Members

                                        Boy with his best friend

It's funny how the four legged family members in our life are more than just family pets.  I know when my middle son is upset about something, the first thing he does is go straight to the dogs for their hugs and kisses and unconditional love.  My youngest says the dogs are his best friends.  He would spend all of his time talking to them and playing with them if he could.

And my husband is hysterical when it comes to our furry companions.  As much as he complains about the state of our backyard because they dig and dig and chew and dig some more, he is so happy when he is greeted by our dogs each night as he arrives home.  He'll spend five minutes giving and receiving love from them before he ever walks in the door to us.

And a dear friend said that our dogs have helped me find my 'heart place.'    When you work full time at your own business, have children and a husband and schedules to juggle, practices, homework and work deadlines, there is very little time for yourself to just be.  It's amazing how the dogs find your 'heart' place and remind you how to just 'be.'  For me, nothing is more peaceful than the time each evening I spend with the dogs.  After they've eaten and before the sun goes down, I spend time with them, just me and them, and we'll play fetch, I'll give them pets while they give me kisses, we'll dance (yes, my dogs love to dance!) and I'll sing crazy made up songs to them and we are content to just 'be.' 

"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion."
- Unknown

My favorite dogs part two

Tea Rose of the Morning Valley

Last week I wrote about my favorite English/European Golden Retrievers from the past and present.  The point was to help people who look at a pedigree for their dog have some sense of the "greats" in the breed.  These are just my opinions and many breeders have differing ones. 

This week I'd like to talk about my favorite bitches.  And let me tell you, this one was hard to write.  There have been some amazing English Golden Retriever bitches throughout the years. It's just too difficult to pick only five favorites so what I did was make a list of SOME of my very favorites.  Some of these dogs are still living and others have helped to shape the breed to what it is today.  But they are all  lovely in different ways. 

First, there is  Ch Styal Stephanie of Camrose.  She was a fabulous bitch from the 1970's and 80's.  I'm not sure if these facts are still true, but at one time she held more CC's than any other bitch with 27.   She had a lovely head and her structure was lovely. 


Another was Erinderry Gaelic Minstrel.  She is just a lovely bitch with nice bone, coat and a lovely head.  She produced the World Show winner this past year Dewmist Silk Screen (who won this same show again a few years ago).

Another of my favorite bitches is Gunhills Darby.  Again, she has nice bone, coat and a lovely head and she has produced some beautiful goldens who have produced some spectacular goldens. 

Rossbourne in Love is one of my favorites because the bone on this dog is lovely.  I don't know that she was bred often or if she produced  many champions, but I find her to be a lovely representation of what a golden should look like.  Feminine yet lovely bone.  She lived in the 1980's.


Remington Requisite of Ramchaine is a bitch that is still living today.  I have had the opportunity to meet Jazmin several times and she's stunning.  She's feminine and structurally lovely with nice bone.  And I loved her temperament as well...very friendly and sweet.  And she's had some beautiful offspring. 

Xanthos Orange Blossom is just a lovely bitch.  There's no two ways about it.  And she is the dam to one of my favorite dogs, Xanthos Apple Jack.   Some of my dogs have Xanthos Orange Blossom in their pedigrees.  I think she is another wonderful representation of an English/European golden.

Gatchells Royal Orchid is a bitch you look at and think "WOW!"  She was just stunning and another wonderful representation of the breed.  She went on to produce some amazing dogs including Gatchells Man of Honour and Gatchells Prince of Thieves and she also produced Gatchells Ruby Tuesday who I think looks a lot like her mother.

This is just a few of the wonderful bitches that have helped shape the dogs we have today.  There are many more.