Purebred Pride

We receive a LOT of interest in our Staffords. We might receive half dozen plus emails, PM’s, calls and yes even texts from strangers asking to purchase a puppy weekly. Here’s some advice. Don’t send a text asking for a puppy. Further, how about an introduction?

We ALWAYS ask everyone to please read this huge website prior to filling out the application to see if we are a good fit before wasting either of our time. There is a reason we have such a detailed website instead of how most breeders have – just pages showcasing their dogs accolades (or perhaps not) with an application, non refundable deposits and a wait list.

We do not pay our bills on the uterus’ of our Staffords.

We do not have a litter of puppies so that you can have one anytime you ask. There isn’t a kennel full of puppies out back for you to select any color you want. Far from that! Our dogs are our pets first. They live with us and enjoy being spoiled daily. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

We do not promote breeding for those who do not really truly understand this breed, are dedicated students of this breed, fully health test this breed, are active in breed clubs, help with rescue, live with your dogs inside your home, train using positive methods and extensively screen potential buyers including keeping in contact with them for the lifetime of the dogs you sell (to the best of your ability). We are not here to populate the world with Staffords. We have been actively involved in rescue for so long that we KNOW those who do not do the above will sell to people not prepared to be Stafford owners and we end up cleaning up after them.

We also do not sell to people looking to produce ‘sport mixes’. Why on earth would we dedicate 15 years to this breed and turn around and sell to someone we barely know who has zero knowledge of our breed approve of them breeding our fully health tested, carefully bred, Puppy Culture raised purebred Stafford with a fantastic pedigree to be used to make mutts? No way. So don’t even ask.

Too many ignorant people are breeding dogs without a care in the world what becomes of them down the road. We are not in that category. Not even close. So stop. Ask someone else if you can have their puppy. We want to sell to carefully screened, loving, dedicated people who become family. It doesn’t always work out this way but this is what we strive for. We may not be your breeder and that’s fine with us.

May the future of the Stafford be protected and may they enjoy the luxury of not becoming any more popular….for their sakes.

Choking

If you regularly follow this blog and if you have read the website then you already know how important I feel it is to remain with your pets during feeding times. Watch them carefully not only to make sure they do not steal each others food, have a snarky moment with another or in the worst case – your dogs food becomes lodged in your dogs esophagus. If you are not present to monitor these situations you could end up with a very bad event, including loss of life.

Today while I was monitoring lunchtime one of our girls gulped her food and a large half frozen turkey gizzard became lodged in her airway. She was unable to force the food back up on her own. I quickly realized she was in distress and I intervened. I first attempted to reach inside her mouth and pull the food out myself but I was unable as her tongue had already begun to swell. I then performed Heimlich on her which efficiently produced the offending gizzard which I quickly grabbed to prevent her from grabbing it first.

As you might imagine my heart was racing and it would have been easy to panic but I remained calm so that she wouldn’t panic. I remembered my training and did what was needed to save her. Meanwhile it seemed like it took forever and my mind was playing all the horrible scenarios despite my feeling in control. I was lucky. She was lucky.

Afterwards I gave her a massage using YL DiGize on her belly and a blend of Lavender, Jade Lemon, Sage and Rosemary in a massage on her back and limbs. I diffused P&C (mostly for myself) and we all relaxed for about an hour while I watched her carefully for any issues or trouble she might experience. Thankfully she is totally ok.

I have decided to remove turkey gizzards (even when frozen) from their diets – we already no longer feed chicken necks and only duck heads when completely frozen.

If you do not know how to perform Heimlich on your pets PLEASE learn how! There are many videos available on You Tube that you should watch and learn.

Breathe in. Breathe out.