Dog Show Fun

I was told this was the evil eye of a bulldog

I think it's a neat photo
This was my favorite photo of the day
It's a yawning Great Dane
That is one big mouth

dogs wait patiently in their crates


pointer gaiting



Juniors grooming for the big show
(hopefully my girl will be doing that next year)





Boston Terrier

Grooming a Boxer

Smooth coated Chihuahua

Beagle-Where is the bait?

Pug stacked in the ring on a table for judging

Resting after a hard day showing

The rings before the activity begins

How dog you make your 8 year olds day. Take her to a dog show. My little girl is an avid dog lover like her mom. So Saturday morning we loaded into the car bright and early at 5:30AM for a 2 hour drive to a show. We had our dog in a crate in the back seat so my daughter got to sit up front with mom. This is the first time she has ever ridden up front in my car. She was in heaven.

We got to the show and walked around a bit then sat up our chairs ring side. We stood as they played the national anthem. Then we waited for the show to get going. After watching a few classes I could tell she was getting a little bored, so I gave her my digital camera and told her to walk around and take some pictures. It was a small show so I could see her no matter where she was in the arena. She was so polite, she asked people before taking her photos and everyone was very nice to her and let her pet their dogs. She was in heaven. Not all the photos were great, but some where very good, and some were candid and kind of funny. I really enjoyed seeing her work.

Best of all on the ride home we stopped for food at her favorite restaurant and she told me it was the best day ever thanks mom.

Beautiful Spring Weather Can Turn Deadly

Yesterday was beautiful here in the high 70's. A nice day to walk the dog, not so for my 4pm patient. I was in the back laying to rest one of our good clients pets when I hear Hey we have a dog having an asthma attack here. First instinct I race to turn on the oxygen tanks, while my co-worker grabs the anesthesia machine to deliver O2 to the doggie. I look over my shoulder to see a very obese pug in respiratory distress and grab an endotracheal tube that I believe will fit him and run over to help. The Dr. is already examining him. His tongue is a little bluish which tells us he is not oxygenating himself well so we start him on oxygen therapy. The doctor says grab a temperature please. I go to grab his tail to insert the thermometer he felt really hot. He was in fact 104.7. Normal for a dog is 100 to 102. This pug is suffering from heatstroke. his owners had just returned home from walking him and he started breathing heavy. These owners had recently adopted this dog and since he weighs 28 lbs (normal for a pug is well under 20) they were trying to get him more fit by exercise. However this guy's weight, breed , and facial conformation proved to be too much for the temperatures outside today. His nose has very small holes even for a pug and his nose is recessed behind a fold of skin also making it more difficult for him to get air. Brachiocephalic or pushed in faced breeds like pugs and bostons have all the same anatomy as regular nosed breeds, but it is condensed into a small face making for lots of folds of skin in the back of the throat. Dogs can only cool themselves by panting or sweating. The only place they are able to sweat from is the pads of their feet, they do not have sweat glands anywhere else. So when this pug got too hot he started to pant really hard, all this panting caused the tissue in the back of his throat to swell. Since there are so many swollen folds it stared to obstruct his breathing and he could not get enough oxygen. So for this little guy we used O2 therapy, cold packs from the fridge, NOT THE FREEZER, under his armpits and inguinal area. You do not want to use things to cold or immerse the animal in cold water because they will cool down too quickly then you have whole new set of problems on your hands. Then we gave some steroids IV to decrease he swelling in his throat. We added a fan and sprayed his foot pads with alcohol. As the alcohol evaporates it cools the feet down faster, remember that is where they sweat from. We also gave this guy some SQ fluids to help cool him some and help hydration. Had his temperature been higher we would have given those fluids IV. Luckily this little guy got to us quickly and we were able to stabilize his breathing and temperature in a fairly quick amount of time, but this little guy certainly could have died. We did stop cooling him when his temperature got to 103 degrees, because after we remove all of our cooling devices the body temp continues to drop about another degree so we do not want to risk getting them below normal body temperature. It was an exciting afternoon and I am glad our little pug will suffer no ill effects.If the body temp gets too high the intestinal tract can actually slough and the you get nasty bloody stool and vomiting.

Lovin' His New Uniform

Last night my son got his baseball uniform. He was so excited so we tried it on. I know his pants aren't fixed right but it was just a quick try on. He sure thinks he is hot stuff. First game is next Friday. Go Lynchburg Hot Rods!!!!!

Five Lined Skinks

stunned skinks
hey the house sprung a leak

no kidding head for higher ground

This is not a gieco add

up close and personal

The weather was wonderful today. So My son and I headed outside. He turned the last two puppies left out to play with while I worked on tearing down our existing water garden. We bought this water garden probably 11 years ago. It is about 2 foot around, about the size of a half whiskey barrel. It's made of wood and ceramic tiles. It was made to be put in one spot and left there. Well this poor thing has been moved so many times from indoors to outdoors to different houses. Well it finally has died and can not be saved. We are planning on putting in a brand new water garden in a few weeks. I am so excited. Anyway I moved out our plants into a large animal waterer and caught the mudpuppy and tiger salamander that my husband brought home last week and turned loose in there. Then I tore the poor old water garden down. To my surprise things started slithering around on the ground below as I pulled out the liner. There sat a pair of five lined skinks. They are very fast but they must have been stunned their home was relocating, because they sat still while I ran in to fetch the camera. I think they are so cute. The juvenile forms have a really pretty blue tail, so these must be older ones. I sure enjoyed the photo shoot. Don't worry I am sure I have plenty of places for them to make a new home. My wood pile is over ran with them.

Stryker having fun at the dog show

Embarrasing moments

Ok yesterday we were off to Columbus for the day to a dog show. The best part was squeezing 2 adults, 2 kids, and 2 Labradors in a club cab pickup truck. It was forecasted to rain so the dogs had to ride up front with us. After the 2 hour ride everyone needed a potty break. I took the kids first since wet pants would be a disaster. I left hubby waiting at the door with the dogs. My male dog proceeded to poop in the floor then a lady came along and stepped in it while stryker peed next to her,luckily not on her. My hubby was mortified. Glad I missed the drama.
Next we were walking around the arena and we passed some curly coated retrievers. My daughter asked in a loud voice mom are those labradoodles. No! I said and hurried everyone by the group of dogs and owners. I explained to her these were purebred dogs and not to discuss labradoodles at a show site anymore. I hope no one heard her.

creepy crawlies

kids love it when dad brings home new critters
Mud puppy


tiger salamander, pretty spots


The belly side of a leach, this one grossed me out a bit

top side of the leach

Leave it to dad to bring home the unusual. He gets weird salamanders and things sometimes in his fish shipments. They just tag along for the ride. Nothing like trans locating a new species to the area. Anyway enjoy the recent finds he has brought home.

SPRING 2009 LABRADOR LITTER

THESE BEAUTIFUL BLACK LAB PUPPIES WERE BORN ON MARCH 3RD AND ARE READY FOR NEW HOMES AT 7 WEEKS OF AGE. THEY ARE PUREBRED LABS BOTH PARENTS ARE AKC REGISTERED BUT THE LITTER HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED. THIS IN NO WAY EFFECTS THE QUALITY OF THE PUPPIES. IT ONLY MEANS THEY CAN NOT BE SHOW IN THE AKC CONFORMATION RING,BUT THEY CAN STILL COMPETE IN OTHER AKC EVENTS. THE CONFIRMATION ON THESE PUPPIES IS STUNNING. THEIR MOM IS CHOCOLATE AND THEIR DAD IS BLACK. THE MOM IS QUACKERS YOU CAN FIND HER ON OUR LABRADOR GIRLS PAGE. SHE HAS ALL HER GENETIC CLEARANCES AND HAS A CGC TITLE. THE PUPPIES HAVE BEEN DEWORMED SEVERAL TIMES FOR COMMON INTESTINAL WORMS AND THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEIR FIRST VACCINATION PRIOR TO LEAVING OUR HOME. THEY ARE WELL SOCIALIZED WITH OUR OTHER DOGS AND OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THE PRICE FOR THIS LITTER IS $150 PER PUPPY. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US AT LABLOVER1996@YAHOO.COM OR CALL US AT 937-446-4307 FOR MORE INFO OR TO SET UP A TIME TO VIEW THE PUPPIES. WE ARE VERY BUSY WITH LITTLE LEAGUE GAMES AND DOG SHOWS RIGHT NOW SO PLEASE CALL BEFORE COMING SO WE ARE SURE TO BE HOME. BELOW ARE PHOTOS OF EACH PUPPY STACKED AND HEAD SHOTS TAKEN AT 6 WEEKS OF AGE.

GREEN COLLAR BOY-SOLD

NO COLLAR BOY-SOLD

PURPLE COLLAR BOY-SOLD

PURPLE COLLAR GIRL -SOLD




PINK COLLAR GIRL -SOLD





YELLOW COLLAR GIRL-SOLD

And the day keeps getting better

Ever just had one of those days. I am fighting off a bit of a cold. Not really sick just enough to be annoying. I am bloated and premenstral and tired. I had hopes of getting up early working out and having all the stuff done around here so hubby and I could go to Lowe's and buy stuff for a new water garden and chicken pen that I have been wanting for some time now. But I hit the snooze and rolled back over and went to sleep. Hubby came home tired and with a lot of paperwork and phone calls to finish. We sucked it up and started out for Lowe's, but the truck started to act funny so we came back home and had it towed to the shop. We watched Marley and Me together and sobbed. Then found out the spark plugs in the truck are rusted and in addition to the birds we removed earlier in the week that we also had a pet mouse in the engine. Anyway if they can't get the spark plugs out it will cost well over 1000 dollars to fix the truck. or the other option buy a new truck, HAH! The best part is I needed the truck this Sunday for a dog show in Columbus. I booked both dogs since Hubby could go with me in case they both won and needed to be back in the ring at the same time. Now I can't fit 2 kids 2 adults, 2 crates, 2 dogs, and grooming stuff in any of our other vehicles. So I guess I am off alone and now hoping my dogs don't win. That's not right. Anyway I am in a bummed out mood and I can't quit eating Easter candy. God help me I'm going to gain 5 pounds in a day I swear. Everyone is napping right now and I really should be getting on the treadmill, but I think a nap might improve my mood, not sure it could get much worse. I hope to wake up with some more energy my jaw wired shut to keep me from eating and motivation to get up off my butt and do something. Wish me luck. I hope the shop calls with good news about the truck.

Obama's puppy

The president is getting his new puppy today, a portugese water dog. He is taking flack over the type of puppy he has bought his two little girls. Now I am not an Obama supporter at all, but in this instance I finally think he did something right. He initially said he was going to get a shelter or rescue puppy, but the puppy came from a breeder. The puppy was placed in a home and returned back to the breeder before being placed with the Obama's. Therefore the whitehouse states it is a rescue, but really it's not. I would have liked the puppy to have been a little younger to bond better with the girls, but with all the extra staff to help train the puppy I'm sure it will do fine. Unlike a shelter puppy the Obama's know exactly what they are getting as far as shedding(since one child is allergic) and temperament. There are many great dogs in shelters and rescues, but there are reasons why they are there and it takes a devoted new owner to overcome those issues. I would not put my kids in that situation. You rarely know the history of these rescue dogs, and most were not socialized and trained properly, so they have potential to have unpredictable behaviors. I have seen many success stories and many nightmares from these types of dogs. I wouldn't want to chance the nightmare with my young kids. So a purebred that has been raised properly by the breeder/ owner that is predictable is the way to go. I applaud Obama for keeping his family's best interest in mind. If everyone bought from reputable breeders that are committed to their puppies there would be no need for shelters and rescues. These places are just dump sites for owners who did not research and didn't take the time to bond with and train their dogs. Except for those unfortunate circumstances were owners die or lose their homes then the shelters are a haven, but most dogs are given up do to behavior issues. And when you adopt there is most always a fee, so in reality you are buying a dog even from a shelter.. The term rescue has become so overused. I hear people tell me they rescued the dog from a breeder cause the cage was small or they didn't like the conditions etc. In reality they bought a dog from someone they felt was unreputable just making the pet problems worse by supporting these people since they felt sorry for the puppy. I don't think there will ever be a total solution to the pet problems, but I think Obama made a good choice.

Yuck Bugs and Utterfly

dressed for the performance getting ready to perform

Last night was my little girls school music program. I worked through my lunch so I could get off early and have enough time to feed and dress everyone before we had to leave. It all went very smoothly. The kids did a fantastic job. They sang us many songs and ended the night with a skit about the yuck bugs, who make each other sick by their ugly words and the beautiful utterfly who comes to save them with kindness. Our little girl had a speaking part and she nailed it. She had only recited it at home one time. I was so proud of her. Towards the end she was quite the smiling little diva on stage.

Singing their little hearts out

Our son had a great time. He even started picking up on the motions the kids were doing, and started doing them himself. Can't wait till his kindergarten program next year.

Dancing in the paw paw patch

We would like to thank all the family who came out on this rainy stormy night to support our little girl. It meant the world to her and to us to have you all there.

Utterfly cleaning up the yuckiness of the yuck bugs.

There's a what in my motor?

My husband popped the hood on the truck for some reason today and called me over with the camera to document his discovery. Looks like we might need to drive the truck a little more often.

Easter 2009

Look What The Bunny Brought!



I love getting ready for Easter and dying eggs, but it seems like it is over with so quickly. This morning the kids got up at 5:40 even though we kept them up an hour later last night. We told them to go back to bed but of course they couldn't, so they played in their rooms till 7 am when it was light out and we could actually see the eggs. The bunny had snuck in very very early and hid the eggs outside. First they opened their Easter baskets. I think they were pleased with everything they got. The bunny sure knows what candy those two like best. And he hit a home run with tennis rackets and squirt guns. Now we just need it warm to go play with them. Daddy even got a basket with a squirt gun and his favorite candy. Look out mom your the only one with out a gun. Then we headed out to find those eggs. 28 in all. The camo ones are more of a challenge to find, but the kids prevailed. Then it was back inside for pancakes.

Finding eggs is fun!
Here's the loot.

Soon after breakfast grandma and uncle came a knocking with loads of candy. The kids each got movies and a few little Easter toys. Seriously the amount of candy is absurd. We have more than we get during halloween when we go to lots of houses. I guess that is okay since they are the only kids in the family. I just hope I have the will power not to gorge on it.

Presentation of grandma and uncle's baskets
Movies

Next we watched one of the movies the kids got and then got dressed and headed off to the other grandma's house. We had a good Easter lunch. We saw family we hadn't seen in awhile, which was very nice. The kids got to play with their cousins which they always enjoy. The kids got baskets from their aunt and Marley and Me the movie from grandma. We had an Easter egg hunt and played with grandma's dogs ( of course they are labs from our kennels, what else would she have). A great time was had by all.Gifts from our aunt.

Our son has inspected aunties gift thoroughly

Gifts from grandma

Easter egg hunting with the cousins at grandma's house

The after math of candy. Seriously isn't this absurd.