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Fancy Talk
Interview with breeder Ann Wildman Wildax French Bulldogs
44 Fancy Health
Food Sensitivity vs. Food Allergy by W Jean Dodds DVM
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4 Hacks to Improve Timing by Gale Golden
next issue: nov 2017
Fancy Details
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The Frenchie Fancy 2017 - The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, images, photographs or other materials. By accepting and publishing advertising the publisher in no way recommends, guarantees or endorses the quality of the services of products within those advertisments. The information contained in this online and print magazine is for general information purpose only. The information is provided by us and our collaborators, and while every efford is made to provide information which is both current and correct, we make no representations on warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliavility, suitability or availability with respect to the online magazine or the information, products, services or related graphics contained within the online magazine for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. In no event will Frenchie Fancy be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loos or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising for loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this online and print magazine.
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fbdca PRE NATIONAL EDITION!
f ancy beginnings
Hello Frenchie Fanciers! Welcome to the 5th year of our publication. This has been a crazy ride! This magazine was born out of the wish of 3 friends that had a common love for the French Bulldog breed, and the wish for bringing breeders and enthusiasts from all over the world together. Thank you for your support placing ads and also subscribing to our print magazine! As it’s been said, it is a challenge to have a project like this running for so long, but we truly do it out of love for our amazing breed so we hope you are always here too!
Remember that you can order your Frenchie Fancy magazine hard copy online, or purchase a full year subscription with a special price! For more details, please access our website: www.FrenchieFancy.com Our next issue will be everyone’s favorite, the FBDCA Pre National Specialty, so start planning your ads and reserving your spots now! With love from your Frenchie Fancy team...
Our breeder interview is with Ann Wildman from Wildax fame. Ann is from the United Kingdom and was “born in a whelping box”, as her folks would say! Her family has an extensive history with show dogs and so does she, having dedicated a huge part of her life to breeding, exhibiting and judging phenomenal French Bulldogs. We had the pleasure to chat with Dr. Jean Dodds DVM, a national reference to many dog well being issues, most notably vaccines, and we are pleased to start a series of articles written by her! Gale Golden gives four essential tips to time your girls when it’s time to breed her and get your ducks in a row.
Fernanda Barlow, Matthew Dover, Vivianne Mello
And as always... The most fabulous French Bulldogs in the world are seen in this edition!
Send us a message! info@frenchiefancy.com www.frenchiefancy.com | facebook.com/frenchiefancy
The Frenchie Fancy Team
FRENCHIE FANCY Creative Director Vivianne Mello info@frenchiefancy.com
Advertising Director Fernanda Barlow ads@frenchiefancy.com
Marketing Director Matthew Dover mkt@frenchiefancy.com
Contributors Gale Golden W Jean Dodds, DVM
Distribution
EUROPE
AUSTRALIA
Photography Ann WIldman Fernanda Barlow RedDogFoto.ru
UNITED STATES
Ana Jagtiani (Spain) Anna Denisova (Italy) Bitten Oldereide (Norway) Magnus Berglin (Sweden) Sarah Ventham (UK) Jakko Broersma (NL) Toni Saira (Finland) Daniela Akkad (Austria) Tove Rasmussen (Denmark) Mourning Chang (Taiwan)
Kelly McClelland
Matthew Dover (East) Fernanda Barlow (West) Vivianne Mello (South)
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FANCY advertisers ARGENTINA CICCALE Romina (CIMABULL) .............................. 16, 17 BRAZIL BRITTO, Marcio (BULL RANCH MX) ....................... 52 CARDOSO, Ana Claudia (BULLS DAS GERAES) ......... 30 DUARTE, Claudia ............................................ 28, 29 MARTINS FILHO, Luiz (BULL RANCH MX) ............... 52 NETO, Armando (JADORE) ................................ 28-31 ROCHA, Alex (NOVIZALA) ..................................... 64, 65 ROSSI, Wellington (COTIBULL) ............................... 53 SANTOS JR, José Carlos (BULL RANCH MX) ................ 52 SILVA, Eliseu (COTIBULL) ............................................ 53 CANADA MCINTYRE Anne (PETITE CHERIE) ................... 18, 19 ST. JOHN, Shelley (ROBOBULL) ......................... 10, 11 CHINA ANNIE (ANNIE ARTIST) ........................................... 31 HE, Ge Wu .................................................. COVER, 2, 3 LUO, Viva (OVERTOP) .............................................. 38-41 COLOMBIA GALVIS, Jairo (VILLA GLORIA) ............................... 12, 13 ZULUAGA, Walter (LEON GEROME) ............................... 50 COSTA RICA ABARCA, Adrian (ADABAR) ..................................... 51 PEREZ, Raul (RAPEMO) ................................. 50, 51 YIN, Siben & Stephanie (SAINT HONORE) .... BACK COVER ECUADOR SOTOMAYOR, Jose Carlos (SECUTOR) .......... Cover, 90, 91 MEXICO KUCHEL, Erwin (KUVIBULL) ................................. 12, 45 VIANA, Ana (VIANAC) ........................................... 36, 37 PORTUGAL LUCIGNANO, Giovanni (MATING OF THE KING) ...... 64, 65 UNITED KINGDOM CLUBLEY, Aisha & Ben (FRABULL) ................... 32, 33 FRIEND, Darren (KINGFRIEND) .................................. 32 SMITH, Linda (BELLICOSE) ....................................... 88
BARLOW, Fernanda (CARAMRURU) ....................... 86, 87 BERRY, Pat (Foxmoor) ...................................... 18, 19 BROTT, Karen (CHAMBORD) ................................. 46, 47 BYRUM, Barbara (BYRUM) ....................................... 26 CATON-MUSTO, Kathy (SAFARI) ........................... 34, 35 CRON, Donna (MATISSE) .................................... 68, 69 DALTON, James (Fabelhaft) ................ 7-9, 10, 11, 14, 15 DOVER, Matthew (BELLA LUNA) ................................. 77 EUCARIUS, Debra (SUIRAC) ............................. 48, 49 FITZGERALD, Melissa (WINDSWEPT) ................ 54, 55 FORGIONE, Karen (DIAMONE RIDGE) ................... 70, 71 GOLDEN, Gale (MORGAN MANOR) ............................ 82 HILSMAN, ROXANNE (HILSMAN) ................................ 27 HULSEY, Vivianne (VIXBULL) ................................. 86, 87 HUNT, Lori (ASSISI) .......................................... 78, 79 KARR Stephanie & Jerry (DRIFTWOOD) ............. 56, 57 KLEIN, Mary ....................................................... 58-61 LY, Rick (RICKLY) ............................................ 58-61 MATTINGLY, Debra & Kenneth ........................... 42, 43 MCCANN, Beverly (CRESTAGARD) ........................ 18, 19 MCCARTHY, Barbara (BANYAN) ........................ 62, 63 MELLO, Vivianne (VIXBULL) ............................... 86, 87 MILAM, Elizabeth & Jack (DE LA RIVE GAUCHE) ..... 84, 85 MILLER, Stephen (PECHE MIGNON) ....................... 42, 43 MISCH, Susan .................................................... 18, 19 MUNT, Debra ....................................................... 83 MUSE, Kelli (CHER AMI) ...................................... 72, 73 PARSCHAUER, Ken & Lucy ................................. 34, 35 PAYSON, Perry (GOLDSHIELD) ................................... 84 SANCHEZ, Anibal & Zeeba (REVERIES) ............... 54, 55 SENATOR Klaudia (POLPRESTIGE) ........................... 80 SHAW, Patricia (DIVA) ................................... 10, 11 SHINDLE, DEB ................................................... 62, 63 SIMON, Susan & Dick (EPIC) ....................... 48, 49 SMITH, Robert (PECHE MIGNON) ...................... 42, 43 STRAUB, Aurelia (MARQUESA) ............................ 89 THOMAS, Kim .................................................... 66, 67 TRAUFLER, Amy ............................................. 68, 69 WOLFINGER,Linda (LWOLFRANCH) ................................. 81 VENEZUELA CELIS, Diego (MokaoDC) ......................................... 7-9
this issue’s stats > Frenchies from 12 countries, in 92 pages.
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FANCY TALK - ANN WILDMAN - WILDAX FRENCH BULLDOGS
the ancy talk interview with ANN WILDMAN WILDAX french bulldogs
showed Boxers in the UK in 1947. The Wildman family were heavily involved with dogs long before I was born so I have been brought up with dogs and dog showing and to me dogs are just a natural part of my life and I would not want it any other way, my mother always says that I was born in a whelping box! I started working in Obedience, doing Working Trials & Tracking with my father when I was a young girl, progressing into the show ring later with Boxers, I have also been successful in the show ring with Bulldogs, Boston Terriers and of course French Bulldogs. We have won the Top Breeder, Top Dog, Top Puppy, Top Sire, Top Dam, Top Stud award many times. We are currently Top Dog in Boston Terriers, and Top Breeder in French Bulldogs in the UK.
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nn Wildman, as her parents used to say, was born in the whelping box. Her family has been involved in the showing and breeding world for many years before she was even born. She breeds and exhibits under the kennel name Wildax, and is also a Judge for all breeds and Best in Show, and can award CCs for French Bulldogs, Boxers, Bulldogs and Boston Terriers. She has judged in many different countries, including Russia, Italy, Germany, Spain, Holland, Belgium, Finland, Denmark, Latvia, Australia and Japan. Get to know a bit more about Ann and Wildax in the following pages.
How did you start with French Bulldogs, did you have another breed before Frenchies? Along with my parents we run the Wildax Kennels. My paternal grandparents showed Smooth and Wire Haired Fox Terriers in the 1920s and 30s and later 20 frenchiefancy.com
We have also been awarded Best of Breed at Crufts with a Bulldog, French Bulldog and Boston Terriers. I am the secretary of the West Lancs French Bulldog Club and thoroughly enjoy the administration side of dog showing, not only do we organise shows but we also hosted the first ever French Bulldog Dog of the Year and Puppy of the Year event in the UK in 2017. The next event is to be held in February 2018 and we always welcome overseas visitors. I am considered to be a bull breed specialist and I write the breed notes for the French Bulldogs in the weekly canine publication Our Dogs.
What was your first Frenchie like? Bredwardine Begum of Wildax was a beautiful short cobby compact bitch with a beautiful head, she was awarded a CC and quite a few Reserve CCs before she got a hematoma on her ear and could not be shown again.
FANCY TALK - ANN WILDMAN - WILDAX FRENCH BULLDOGS
Did you have a mentor starting out? Obviously my mentors were my parents throughout my show and Judging career. My parents Judge all over the world and my mother is a Best in Show judge. My parents have the Top Boston Terriers in the UK consistently making up Champion after Champion. My knowledge in dogs comes from my parents, when very young I remember when travelling with them to various Judging appointments, mum would always read the standard which was kept in the glove box of the car, of whatever breeds they were Judging and Mum and Dad would debate the various breed standards. These debates really helped me to understand not only the actual standard but the various terminology used.
What are your thoughts on line breeding? What about repeating breedings? Close line breeding was considered the norm many years ago, it is now against Kennel Club rules to breed too closely for an example father to daughter or mother to son, I have done a Grandfather Granddaughter mating with excellent results, we are strong believers in line breeding, but it is knowing when to use an outcross that is the key. With line breeding you must know what is behind the breeding in terms of both faults and virtues that are likely to crop up, you also must line breed to quality to maintain type. If you breed to mediocre stock just because it is ‘line breeding’ then you will get mediocre puppies. I imported dog into the UK from Japan, which I own in partnership with his Breeder Mrs Mikae Godai, I imported Jap / Am Ch Le Bijou Circuit At Wildax aka Michael, because I needed a total outcross to compliment my bitches as I had boxed myself in by line breeding. Michael is a super stud dog and his progeny are being shown in the UK, most notably Wildax Chudney Ross who has delighted us by being awarded the CC at only 9 months of age at East of England Championship show in June 2017. Chudney is out of Wildax Diana Ross who has 2 CCs and is still being shown, and yes I will definitely be repeating this mating.
What is your process to evaluate puppies as show prospects? When do you start looking at them and what do you look for? I look as soon as the puppies are born, some feel chunky and ‘interesting’ and stand out from the others, then I look at them seriously at about 5 or 6 weeks when I will stand them and look at the head and overall construction. Puppies will change and go through what I call a leggy teenage stage but overall, I know my breeding and know that what I saw at 6 weeks will usually come back at 4 or 5 months. August 2017 21
FANCY TALK - ANN WILDMAN - WILDAX FRENCH BULLDOGS
Do you think our breed is a “head” breed? Yes, this is a head breed, a brachycephalic head breed, and yes I think the head is extremely important but as a Judge I look at the whole picture, one cannot just take the head into consideration when judging or any one point, as the saying goes you can’t walk on your head.
What is one trait that you simply cannot stand when you see in a French Bulldog, no matter how nice the rest of them are? I am a sucker for a ‘melting expression’. So many Frenchies have too much wrinkle on the forehead which gives a mean expression. Then there is light eyes which again detracts from the overall expression. Ears should be alert and erect; a French Bulldog is not a French Bulldog without Bat ears. How can a Frenchie look intelligent with ten to two ears that stick out of the side of its head?
If you could breed to any dog, dead or alive, which one would you choose and why? Ch Omar Sharif De La Parure, I saw him being shown in Europe in the 80s and he was simply stunning, his head was beautiful and so masculine, he was so balanced not exaggerated in any way, he oozed quality and type. I would have loved to have used him.
What has been the French Bulldog bred by you that has been closest to your ideal of type? Ch Wildax Miss Moneypenny. Penny as she is known was the Top UK French Bulldog for four consecutive years 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012 gaining 25 CCs along the way. Penny absolutely loved the show ring and was known by all for her outgoing personality and showmanship. When talking of expression, many find it difficult to define the indefinable; however one look at Penny and it is simply explained? One of the highlights of her career was being awarded Best of Breed at Manchester Championship show in a record entry under the world renowned breed specialist and Father of the Breed, Victor Van Raamsdonk of the World Famous De La Parure Kennel. It was he who christened her ‘The Queen Of The Show Ring’ because of her extrovert attitude and gregarious personality. 22 frenchiefancy.com
Penny is by the UK and Japanese Champion Sexy Style Saunders. Her mother is Byrock Silver Bangles to Wildax who herself won 2RCCs before retiring to have puppies.
In your years of breeding, what has been your favorite litter that you have bred to date? The litter that produced Ch Wildax Miss Moneypenny. Her sire is UK and Japanese Champion Sexy Style Saunders and her mother is Byrock Silver Bangles to Wildax who did quite well in the show ring in the UK winning a couple of Reserve CCs. I repeated the mating twice but unfortunately she didn’t have another litter to that particular dog, so I used Eastonite Diamond Geezer at Rowendale who not only had a fantastic pedigree, but he was producing beautiful puppies, this mating produced Wildax Diana Ross 2 CCs, Wildax Gladys Knight 1 CC and American Champion Wildax Percy Sledge.
When you choose a breeding, do you put more emphasis on type or on pedigree? In choosing a Stud Dog I will first have to like the dog and ask myself if he will compliment my bitch, I will look at what he is producing in the show ring; I will then study the pedigree with particular emphasis on the Grandparents and what other progeny they have produced. I will have to like the temperament of the Stud dog as well as the overall construction, balance and type.
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There some faults that I could not forgive in a Stud because I think they are so hard to get out of a line once in, i.e. Bad fronts, over exaggerated top lines, bad feet. When looking for a stud for my Ch Wildax Miss Moneypenny, I obviously looked at the Top Stud Dog at the time that had multiple CCs, however I thought he was too small for Miss Moneypenny. I judged Frenchies in the UK around that time and when looking at the catalogue later I noticed that quite a few of the dogs I had placed were bred by the Eastonite kennel who had imported from the Top Du Terroir De Fontfroide kennel from France. Eastonite Diamond Geezer at Rowendale was the perfect male, not only was his pedigree agreeable to me because of the many dogs from the Du Terroir De Fontfroide kennel but he was also a slightly bigger Ch Friend De La Parure son. This mating produced the beautiful Ch Wildax Dusty Springfield, and my top producing stud dog Wildax Smokey Robinson.
What, in your opinion, is the hardest thing about breeding French Bulldogs? For me it was actually finding a suitable Stud Dog in the UK, some breeders charge extortionate stud fees as well as ensuring that you sign a contract to state that all the puppies should be endorsed. Now I don’t believe that all stud dogs should be available at public stud to the general public, but to fellow breeders come on... Then of course there are the sleepless nights because we stay with the puppies for three weeks.
In your opinion, what should breeders from your country be working on to improve the breed? I believe that movement needs to improve in the UK, there is nothing worse when judging than to find a beautiful specimen of the breed to go over and then be disappointed when watching it on the move. There are not many excellent moving Frenchies in the ring in the UK at the moment. Back ends are a problem; so many Frenchies are straight in stifle, with no defined hocks or width of second thigh. So no wonder they can’t move as they should, how can they be expected to move on these spindly legs so many have? If a dog moves correctly it will be correctly constructed. I like to see a free flowing steady action and a dog that looks like it could move all day totally unrestricted and economical. Another saying that I have heard many times from my parents is ‘Made right moves right’
What has been your most treasured achievement or win so far? It has to be being awarded Best of Breed at Crufts in 2014 with my Ch Wildax Miss Moneypenny under breed specialist Judge Mr Paul Harding of Pringham fame. In fact I still get emotional when I think about it as it was definitely my most treasured achievement so far. Penny showed her socks off and didn’t put a foot wrong; she really is the ultimate show dog.
If you could give someone who is starting out in our breed today any advice, what would it be? Look at what is consistently winning and look what breeding is behind them, study the breed, look at your dogs faults and when breeding on, try to improve on what you have, I find so many new comers see themselves as experts on the breed within the first year or two, they tend to group together in little cliques and criticise the dogs that regularly win in the show ring on Facebook and other social media forums. They then spend time looking for conspiracy theories as to why they were beaten instead of looking at what they are showing. So my advice would be to not air your dissatisfaction with a Judge on facebook and resist becoming kennel blind, you will not breed on if you cannot recognise your dog’s faults and breed accordingly. I always say
that these people should stay off facebook and go walk their dogs. My dogs are walked at least twice per day, in the morning they are walked for two and a half miles on hard ground, in the afternoon they are walked in the park and are let off the lead to play and rumble, then in the evening they are walked again for half an hour of ‘fun show training’. My dogs are always in rock hard condition and I would advise newcomers to exercise and feed their dogs correctly because I am a firm believer in “you get out what you put in”
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FR ENCHIE
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f ancy health
food sensitivity vs. food allergy: is it not really just the same thing? written by Dr. W. Jean Dodds, DVM and published with personal permission
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onfusing food allergies with food sensitivities (or intolerances) is a common mistake, not only among dog guardians, but also among veterinary professionals. I often hear experts in the veterinary field refer to food allergies, when in fact they are talking about food sensitivities. This is unfortunate, because as long as the veterinary community continues to confuse these two very different immunological responses, our dogs likely will not receive the correct diagnosis and will continue to suffer. So, let me be clear. Food sensitivities and food allergies are definitely not the same thing.
The fact is that true food allergies are actually quite rare. If I had to estimate from personal experience, food sensitivities are at least 10 – 15 times more common than food allergies. So, if poor little Buddy is scratching incessantly or has chronic bowel problems, he’s probably suffering from a food sensitivity, rather than a food allergy. So, what’s the difference? Food allergies reflect a more immediate immunological response. A classic example of a food allergy is anaphylactic shock caused by peanuts: as soon as the person or animal comes in contact with the allergen – the peanuts – their airway closes and they cannot breathe. This response is virtually instantaneous. Boom! The antigen (in this case, peanuts) triggers an immediate, and sometimes life-threatening, immunological and physiological reaction. Rashes, hives and swollen eyes are examples of less severe – but also serious – allergic responses. These are all called Type I hypersensitivity reactions. In the blood, they show up as antibodies to immunoglobulins E (IgE) and G (IgG) working together with immune complexes. Food sensitivity (or intolerance), on the other hand, is typically a chronic condition and often does not involve an immunological response. It generally builds up over time – perhaps even after months or years of exposure to the offending food. Food sensitivity is caused by Types II and III
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hypersensitivity reactions. They show up in saliva or feces as antibodies to immunoglobulins A (IgA) and M (IgM). By detecting IgA and IgM antibodies, food sensitivity testing is able to clearly identify the specific food(s) causing the sensitivity or intolerance. It can also differentiate between food sensitivity and food allergy. Although they are generally not life-threatening, food sensitivities can affect many different aspects of the dog’s physical well being. Common signs of food sensitivity include: • GI tract issues similar to Irritable Bowel Disorder (IBD) • Chronic scratching itchy skin • Chronic burping and gas rumblings (borborigmi) • Chronic skin, ear and foot infections, especially with yeast The first step in providing the proper relief to dogs with food sensitivities is to accurately identify the offending ingredient(s). With the proper information, you can begin feeding your dog a diet that agrees with his body, and he can get back to doing what he does best – being a dog. W. Jean Dodds, DVM Hemopet / NutriScan 11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843 Find this and more articles on Dr. Jean Dodds’ Pet Health Resource Blog: http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/
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f ancy details 4 hacks to improve timing
written by Gale Golden, Creator of the Breed Smart Program – 4 Steps to Bigger Litters and a Better Breeding Program
In the words of Joyce Meyer, “The right timing is not always our timing.” And, nothing could be truer about that statement than breeding dogs. A breeder’s life is governed by canine reproductive cycles in ways that cause our non-breeding friends and family to shake their heads. Weekends are a given…holidays inevitable…and even important family events like your child’s wedding can coincide with the most important breeding you have ever done! That said, There are always ways you can improve your results… even if the timing doesn’t coincide smartly with your life events. Here are four hacks that have improved our program and perhaps can help you too.
BREEDING HACK #1 USE YOUR SMART PHONE CALENDAR AND QUICK NOTE APPS This is a 2 for 1 hack! Part 1 - Smart phones are indispensable for many reasons and one of them is timing your seasons. Use your calendar and notebook apps to keep track of seasons. Starts, finishes, notes, this data can help you sleuth out problems you never noticed before. One of my favorite things to do is mark the anticipated season start date on my calendar. I get an automatic notice from my phone and I know the season start day is coming…maybe not that day but soon. Part 2 – Upon notice from my calendar, I immediately switch Mama’s crate blanket to neon green. This helps keep me aware and is easy to notice the slightest spot. I can also give the stud dog owner advance notice and avoid last minute panic calls (a real pet peeve for dog owners). You can’t get any easier than this to find day one. A side benefit of the blanket is your breeding/kennel support staff (aka husband, kids, etc.!) is now aware of who is in season! HINT – Typical season timing is six months. So, six months from day one of her last season is when you want to set your calendar alert. Of course, it could go much longer but at least you are aware it is coming and you can plan not to miss it!
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BREEDING HACK #2 USE A SIMPLE “RULE OF THUMB” TO YOUR ADVANTAGE Yes, yes, I know our flat faces don’t read the breeding books! But, knowing average cycle “rules of thumb” can help you measure even when critical timing falls on untestable days in your area such as New Years, Christimas, Weekends, etc. Doing a breeding to cover the “rule of thumb” could mean you don’t miss out until you can do more definitive testing. So, here is the one I use -
LH Surge (typically coincides with a 2-2.5 progesterone) (Let 2 days go by)
Ovulation (typically coincides with a 5 progesterone) (Let 2 days go by)
Begin Breeding (every other day for at least 2 days and preferably longer)
As you get better at the timing of your specific girls, you can refine this significantly. For example, our girls for three generations successfully conceive good size litters very late in their cycle when their progesterone numbers might be 15 or higher. But, I still use this “rule of thumb” to guide my testing timing and give stud owners the alert. I also use it to cover the period with a breeding in case I am wrong! HINT – For those that don’t know what LH (luteinizing hormone) is or how the 4 hormones work together to moderate the estrus (fertile) cycle…you have reading to do! A simple internet search of the key words “canine estrus cycle” will get you more than you want to know.
BREEDING HACK #3 HAVE A “PLAN B” STUD DOG PLAN You did all your homework and selected the very best “stud muffin” for your girl. This is your “Plan A.” You call the stud owner as she starts into season to find out they moved, are away for a month in Fuji, or the stud dog is infertile. Big UGH! But, if you had a “Plan B” you would not have to scramble. True story – I went to do a breeding to an older dog. It was going to be a transcervical insemination so I had a full repro staff on deck. We collected the dog…it was a hot summer…the counts were well below what is acceptable for this type of breeding. I was bitterly disappointed but had a back-up dog on deck and completed the procedure. A pregnancy resulted…I finished one of those puppies undefeated and his sister went on to produce the #1 dog (all breeds) in Canada and a top sporting dog in USA. I also did breed (in the winter) to my original dog and got some beautiful girls…so all’s well that ends well when you have a “Plan B” backup stud dog plan. HINT – don’t debate with me on this one…just do it!
BREEDING HACK #4 GET EDUCATED FOR FREE I am guilty of this one too! I can research a flat screen tv purchase to death but I relied heavily on my vet staff to guide my breeding without doing any research or learning on my own at all. They were a great source of information but were not a real substitute for my own education. Since, the cost of breeding our darling flat faces is significant and a single cycle costs thousands… it makes sense to do some homework. Here are the top three things I think everyone breeding dogs should know regarding timing… 1. The four hormonal pillars of the canine estrus cycle – these are the hormones that govern the cycle and how they work together to tell your dog to start her season, ovulate and go out of season. They predict optimum fertility and thus breeding timing.
2. The different kinds of fertility testing and what they tell you – cytology, LH surge, progesterone, estrogen. Research what they tell you about hormones and timing. 3. Diestrus Day 1 – Know this important stage of the estrus cycle and you know a ton! Diestrus is the best predictor of due date. Working backwards, it tells you the most likely ovulation and breedings that produced your puppies if pregnancy result. Great information for future breedings of this girl! It also gives you the best day to do a C-section. How do you know this important day? A simple microscope and swab can show you when Diestrus begins…you can do this at home or have your repro specialist do it and it is inexpensive compared to other tests. Colorado State University in the United States has a nice website discussing the cycle and even has quizzes so you can try your hand at it without collecting a single sample yourself. HINT – Adopt a quest for learning as a breeder and never, ever stop educating yourself. The internet, while not perfect, has some amazing education to offer breeders. The American Kennel Club also offers an ABCs of Dog Breeding course online that is one of the best around for the non-scientist…and I do believe it is available at no cost over the internet. Partner your education with a great repro team and your program will benefit. I love hearing from you! Send me your best tips for improving the timing of your breedings and I will include them in a future article with credit. You can contact me at galegolden@live.com or message me on Facebook at Gale Bertone Golden. In closing, I leave you with this quote to inspire you to improve your timing…happy breeding! Till next time,
- Gale Golden
“Now…is your time to shine” - Anonymous
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