Author: Wavemaker Staffords

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#staffordnotstaffy

For years I have used the above hashtag much to the annoyance of some. I have had people ‘unfriend’ me on social media (that’s okay with me btw everyone doesn’t need to follow me). I have had 100’s of discussions on this topic. My viewpoint can be more easily described in the following blog post by someone I follow. I didn’t write the following however it sounds exactly like I had:

Not long ago, we wrote about the Staffordshire bull terrier. We explained why we share our home on wheels with two Staffordshire Bull terriers, Mojo and Venus.

Whenever we walk in a city or travel by public transport, we frequently hear comments such as: ‘Cute stafford!’ or ‘I’ve got one just like that.’ When we do find ourselves in a conversation, people often wonder why our dogs are so small. ‘They must still be puppies, right?’ Another sentence we commonly hear is ‘My neighbor/sister/mother-in-law/friend (take your pick) has a staffy too, but it is much bigger and bulkier!’

We usually just swallow our pride. Often though, we can’t refrain from explaining that Mojo and Venus are purebred Staffordshire Bull Terriers who both fit the breed standard. And to be honest, it’s not about pride at all.

We can’t judge people for thinking it either. It’s just what everyone is told, by hobby breeders, by every media outlet, by friends and family, and et cetera.  So how could we even blame them.

Just a recent example

Recently, we were offered a position working on a campsite. We indicated that we owned dogs, explained that our dogs are purebred Staffordshire bull terriers, and that they would be taken along to the campsite with us. This was alright. The employee would try to find a campsite that allowed dogs, so that we could work for them. Three days later, we were informed that the employee’s colleague also owns a ‘stafford’. He was certain that those dogs are not allowed on campsites in the country. Our breed was supposedly classified as one of the two categories of ‘dangerous dogs’ in France.

What our contact person failed to realize, is that her colleague did not own a Staffordshire bull terrier. More importantly though, she did in fact not read up on the rules thoroughly. Though the American Staffordshire Terrier (which is also commonly referred to as staffy) is banned in France, they are not to be confused with the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. They are a different breed entirely. The fact that people have become accustomed to referring to groups of dogs under one term has resulted in difficult situations for owners of pure bred Staffordshire Bull Terriers.

After all, there were no vacancies on campsites where dogs were allowed, but we are welcome to work for them next year. We sent over some clear information with good references, and our purebred Staffordshire Bull Terriers are now welcome, too!

Staffy has become a dangerous grouping term

Why would we bother that people call every blocky-headed dog a staffy or pitbull? The simple answer is, it has consequences for both the public opinion about purebred dogs and their owners.

The term Staffordshire Bull Terrier starts with ‘staff’. The name will remind people of stories they might have seen or read about in the media. A big blocky-headed dog (of unknown heritage) attacking a child will be referred to as just another staffy or pitbull. 

The problem here is that although these incidences rarely include purebred Staffordshire Bull Terriers, they do bear the brunt of it (and so do the American Staffordshire Terriers whom have not been involved in any incidents in the Netherlands for over 15 years). People have come to see the breed as dangerous by hearing bad publicity about ‘staffies’ everywhere. But what even is a so-called ‘staffy’? For as far as I know, it’s a non-existing breed.

All dogs with a similar appearance, both purebred and mixed breeds from responsible breeders, backyard breeders, and shelters, are grouped together and bundled under one name. Why? Because it’s simple. But effective it certainly is not. Though their appearance may show some similarities here and there, their personalities often do not.

Even professionals do not seem to care

At university, I came to realize that even professionals can’t distinguish between breeds and do not care to label dogs correctly. During my time working in the largest animal shelter in the Netherlands, there were numerous blocky-headed mixed breeds with floppy or pricked ears, short and long legs, squished noses, undershot jaws, and … You name it. All of them were referred to as staffies, both amongst colleagues as well as to potential future owners. Staffies where said by the manager to make up 75% of the shelter’s population, yet during my stay I only saw one individual that clearly resembled the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and no American Staffordshire Terriers whatsoever.

Shortly after my time in the shelter, one of the dogs labeled as a so-called ‘staffy’ was rehomed. Within a week, it ended up biting a child. The dog was tall (his head reached my hips), had floppy ears, legs that belonged to a giraffe and a strong undershot jaw. In no way did it resemble either a Staffordshire bull terrier or American Staffordshire Terrier. Five days straight articles kept popping up on the internet about how yet another staffy had bitten a child. Journalists started speculating about the need for a breed specific legislation.

If the law were to go through, it would mean that purebred Staffordshire Bull Terriers would get punished for something they didn’t do. We do not mean to say that we have a perfect solution for the problem – as there certainly is a grave issue with a strong increase in incidents. But we do know that we should seek a solution that fits the issue at hand. We should rather focus our attention on all the (mixed) breeds and their irresponsible breeders and owners!

Characteristics

We don’t mean to say that mixed breed dogs should be discriminated against. On the contrary. Though characteristics are specified for every breed of dog, individuals differ. Both genetics and environmental circumstances play a strong role in the behavior that any dog will display.

One must simply remember that individuals referred to as staffies, most times do not resemble the Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed and its characteristics. A mixed breed that looks like a Labrador retriever does not influence the way we look at the Flat Coated retriever, does that make sense?

Grouping all dogs with some similar features, read blocky head, under the term ‘staffy’ has caused ignorance in the public and media. People no longer recognize purebred dogs from mixed breed individuals. Nor do they make the distinction between American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terriers, while there is in fact a large difference between the breeds. And above all, we’d hate to see purebred Staffordshire Bull Terriers get banned due to badly informed owners and irresponsible breeders of (mixed breed) dogs.

Even between breeders of every breed, there are many differences to be found! Venus is a sports-bred Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and Mojo is a show-bred Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Though their appearance is very similar, their behavior is incredibly different. Staffordshire Bull Terriers are often referred to as nanny-dogs on many websites, and they are friendly and happy dogs. But we’ll be the last person to say that the breed is your ‘perfect calm family dog’. But we’ll talk all about that in two weeks!




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5 Steps To Improve Your Dog’s Health In One Year

The following article is from Dogs Naturally Magazine. We did not write this but we feel the information is very important.

What’s the one thing you can do to make your dog live longer or be healthier?

Would you feed a different food? Would you give your dog more exercised attention? What would you change?

Over the years, I’ve made many lifestyle changes for my dogs. And some of these changes have had a massive impact on their health. So, in the spirit of sharing, I’m going to reveal the top five changes that have had the biggest impact on my dogs’ health.

PS: #5 is, by far, the most important, but read them all …

5 Steps To Improve Your Dog’s Health In One Year

1. Feed A Raw Diet

One of the best ways to immediately improve your dog’s health is to toss that bag of kibble in the trash. Start feeding him a fresh, raw diet. There’s really nothing magical about what’s in the raw diet … what’s important is what’s not in it …

Kibble needs to contain at least 30% starchy carbohydrates to hold it together. Some kibbles contain as much as 60% starch (and kibble manufacturers aren’t required to say how much is in the food).

Why is starch a problem? There are a few important reasons …

Mycotoxins

Starch is a breeding ground for molds, which produce a by-product called mycotoxin. Mycotoxin can contaminate crops before they’re harvested or after your dog’s food is made. The most common sources are corn, barley, wheat, beets, peanuts and cottonseed.

Research shows that the core vaccines your dog gets as a puppy protect him for at least 7 to 15 years.

Mycotoxins are extremely harmful to your dog. One mycotoxin in particular, aflatoxin, is the most potent cancer-causing compound found in nature.

Other Dangers

Carbohydrates are also the preferred fuel for the harmful bacteria that live in your dog’s gut. And worse, cancer cells. Many are genetically modified. They’re sprayed with pesticides (which also harm your dog’s gut bacteria). And, most importantly, your dog has no nutritional need for carbohydrates!

2. Replace Fish Oils With Healthier Oils

Fats are a very important part of your dog’s diet. Fats play several different roles, including: …

  • providing energy
  • forming the membranes of all the body’s cells
  • helping the body absorb fat soluble vitamins
  • controlling important hormones

A good way to make sure your dog is getting enough fat (and enough of the right types of fat) in his diet is with oils.

This may have you reaching for the fish oil, but fish oils are a bad idea. I know, this seems radical to you, but here’s why .…

Fish Oils Can Cause Disease And Inflammation

Fish oils are heated and processed foods. And that heating and processing damages the fats and causes oxidation or rancidity. Even oxygen can cause oxidation. Even if you buy a really high-quality fish oil, every time you open the bottle, it becomes more and more rancid.

Oxidized fats break down and create oxygen-containing molecules called free radicals. Both MDA and free radicals cause premature aging and disease. This is because they damage proteins, DNA and other important cellular structures.

This damage is called oxidative stress. It leads to health problems, including gene mutations and cancer, and inflammatory conditions.

Fish Oil Contains Toxins

Although fish oils are loaded with healthy fats, fat is where fish and other animals store toxins. Unfortunately, the oceans are becoming more and more polluted by the minute. Heavy metals like arsenic, lead and mercury end up in fish oil. These toxins can cause nervous system disorders, cancers, liver and kidney damage and skin problems.

And don’t think your dog’s fish oil is safe. Independent lab analysis found that even tested fish oils still contained dangerous PCBs.

Fish Oil Kills The Ocean

Menhaden fish is one of the most sought-after fish for omega-3 fats – and it’s commonly used for pet foods. Menhaden fish are important because they eat algae blooms. This keeps the ocean waters clean and full of oxygen.

But it’s estimated that fishermen take half a billion menhaden from our oceans every year. Now the oceans are developing dead zones – areas with a lack of oxygen. The fertilizers used to make our foods run off into the oceans and create these algae blooms. And without the menhaden fish, these algae blooms are killing our oceans.

Switch to phytoplankton. Phytoplankton is also an excellent source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids. It also has important trace minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients. Phytoplankton is absorbed by the body as soon as it gets in your dog’s mouth. This means it delivers key nutrients without your dog having to digest it first. Learn more about feeding phytoplankton, including what to buy and how much to give. 

Sardines (fresh or canned) are also a good option.

PHYTOPLANKTON

Phyto Synergy is complete nutrition in a small package. Rich in omega-3 fats and minerals, phytoplankton is a healthy alternative to fish oils. 

3. Feed The Gut (Not The Dog)

Bacteria that live in your dog’s gut form 80% of his immune system. These friendly bacteria produce your dog’s vitamins, help him digest food and more.

But these friendly bugs can easily be damaged by some foods. For example, starchy carbs feed the enemies and crowd out the friendlies. Antibiotics, poor diet, radiation and even aging can also affect the gut bacteria. You need to help your dog’s gut replace the friendly bacteria. Here’s how …

Feed Probiotics

You can boost the number of good bacteria in your dog’s gut by adding a probiotic supplement to your dog’s diet. You can also give probiotic foods such as fermented vegetables, raw goat milk or kefir.

If you buy a probiotic supplement for dogs, follow the dosing directions. If you buy one for humans, assume the directions are for a 150 lb human and adjust for your dog’s weight.

You can also add these probiotic foods to your dog’s regular food or give as a snack.

Fermented vegetables:

  • Up to 15 pounds – 1 tsp a day
  • 16 – 30 pounds – 2 tsp a day
  • 30 – 60 pounds – 3 tsp a day
  • Every additional 30 pounds, add 1 tsp

Raw goat milk – 2 oz per day for every 20 lbs of body weight.

Kefir – give ¼ cup per 25 lbs daily.

Fish oils are heated and processed foods. And that heating and processing damages the fats and causes oxidation or rancidity.

One thing to remember with probiotics is that you need to introduce them slowly. If your dog is new to probiotics, they can cause a die-off of the harmful bacteria. This can cause gas, loose stools and stomach rumblings. So just go a bit slow if your dog has a history of digestive upset.

Probiotics need food too, and that’s the role of prebiotics. They support the healthy probiotic bacteria.

It’s easy to add these too. Bananas are good in moderation (they contain a lot of sugar). Green leafy vegetables and apples are also great sources of prebiotics. And you don’t even have to worry about how much you give.

Garlic is also great, in moderation. Fresh organic garlic is best. Give up to 1 tsp for every 30 lbs of your dog’s weight per day.

4. Replace Dewormers With Herbs

For most dog owners, tapeworms, whipworms or other parasites can mean a trip to the vet. It’s great that you care about your dog, but …

Conventional chemical dewormers contain really harmful ingredients that can have dangerous side effects. Here are some of the most common:

  • Fenbendazole – can cause vomiting, lethargy, weight loss, diarrhea, inflammation, even death
  • Pyrantel – can cause vomiting, weight loss, depression, even death
  • Praziquantel – can cause lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, even death

Most of the common dewormers contain these ingredients along with other nasty drugs. This makes them even riskier. So skip the chemicals and opt for herbs.

Herbs For Worms

  • Diatomaceous Earth (DE). DE can reduce the number of worms in your dog. Just make sure it’s food grade DE, never pool grade. Feed small dogs a teaspoon per day and dogs over 55 pounds up to a tablespoon per day. Make sure it’s well mixed in his food as inhaling DE can irritate your dog’s lungs.
  • Oregon Grape. Oregon grape is an anti-parasitic, so it’s a perfect natural dewormer. Give it as a tincture, using 12 drops per 20 pounds. Don’t give this herb to dogs with liver disease or to pregnant dogs.
  • Chamomile. Chamomile is great for preventing and getting rid of roundworms and whipworms. In glycerin tincture form, give 0.25 ml to 50 ml per 20 lbs of body weight twice daily.

For more stubborn cases, try:

  • Black Walnut. Black walnut is a very effective natural dewormer. But it can be harsh on your dog’s system, so try the more gentle solutions first. The strong ingredients in black walnut can cause vomiting, diarrhea and gastritis. It’s best to use it in consultation with a holistic vet.
  • Wormwood. Wormwood is similar to black walnut. It should only be used when other options fail. Don’t give it to dogs who suffer from seizures, kidney problems or liver disease or dogs who are pregnant or lactating. Also like black walnut, it’s best to use it only after consulting with your holistic veterinarian.

Foods For Deworming

Along with herbs, there are several different foods that you can give your dog to both prevent and get rid of worms. Remember that a healthy gut is unattractive to worms, so a raw food diet is a really good start in preventing worms.

  • Fermented vegetables. Sauerkraut, kimchi or carrots are good choices. Work up to 1 to 3 tsp per day per 20 lbs of body weight with his food.
  • Pumpkin seeds. These are one of the safest and most effective ways to treat worms. Just grind up the seeds and give ¼ tsp per 10 lbs of your dog’s weight in his food.
  • Pineapple and papaya. Both are full of enzymes that help fight worms. Give 1 tsp per 10 lbs of your dog’s body weight per day as a snack or with his food.
  • Grated carrots, watercress, fennel, cucumber. All are great ways to help your dog fight worms. Add 1 tsp per 10 lbs of body weight per day to your dog’s food.

5. Avoid All Unnecessary Vaccines

Here’s an important tip … most vaccines your dog gets are unnecessary!

Over-vaccination costs you more than just money … it can seriously harm your dog. Vaccine reactions are more common than you think and they’re well documented. Reactions can range from minor (lethargy) to moderate (chronic allergies), to severe (death).

And there’s actually no need to put your dog’s health at risk …

Mycotoxins are extremely harmful to your dog. One mycotoxin in particular, aflatoxin, is the most potent cancer-causing compound found in nature.

Research shows that the core vaccines your dog gets as a puppy protect him for at least 7 to 15 years. That means he’s covered for most, or probably all, of his life after his puppy vaccination. It also means that anything more than those first puppy shots is over-vaccination.

Even though your vet wants you to vaccinate every 1-3 years, there’s no research showing it’s necessary. Nearly every dog who’s vaccinated at or after 16 weeks of age is good for life. So the next time your vet tells you it’s time for your dog’s regular vaccination, ask her for the research. Or, better yet …

Dr Schultz’ original research on the duration of immunity is available online. Read it here.

If you’re worried about skipping this year, you can check to see if he’s protected beforevaccinating. Ask your vet for a titer. A titer is a blood test that measures the level of protective antibodies your dog has.

AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) vaccine guidelines say a positive titer can replace vaccination for the core vaccines. So if your vet presses you to vaccinate, you can refer her to these guidelines. Don’t just give in and vaccinate, your dog’s life might rely on that decision!

So, what about non-core vaccines like bordetella, lyme or leptospirosis?

Well, they’re unnecessary too. What’s worse, they often don’t work and carry some of the most dangerous side effects.

Even rabies, which is required by law, is only required every three years in all US states and most Canadian provinces.

So, before you make an appointment for your dog’s vaccines, think about how they might affect his health. Remember, nobody can force you to vaccinate your dog. Stick to your guns and don’t let your vet guilt you into changing your mind. You’ve made your decision for a very good reason.

Get your dog’s health back on track with these five simple changes. They’ll seriously improve his health and reduce his risk of disease. They did for my dogs. ?

dogs health
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Lots of Firsts

When we first began this journey with Staffords our intentions were to have some fun, meet new people, travel a bit and study the breed. Somewhere along the way we also broke some breed records and enjoyed some firsts. Bragging isn’t really our ‘thing’ but at some point it does become important to document successes. Below are a few accomplishments for which we are incredibly proud to be associated with and also some firsts that aren’t so great but worth a mention.

Nowadays we often hear frustrated new owners complaining that their Stafford is ‘still not titled’ even after several shows. Geez. When did this even happen? Fifteen years ago it wasn’t at all uncommon to show your Stafford for a year or two semi regularly before you earned that title – and it was important too – a title actually meant something – most people showed their own dogs – now it seems handlers are everywhere in the breed – now also it seems people aren’t happy if it takes them more than 5-6 shows. As well, it seems breeders think every puppy in a litter should be (and is) shown. Not a record to be terribly proud of, but certainly impressed by, is that it took us nearly 40 times in a show ring to title our first Stafford, Pnut. In those 40 times in a show ring we learned A LOT and became better at presenting our dogs. So – our FIRST champion was a lot of hard work, travel and dedication. Pnut is also our first to compete in weight pull, rally obedience and she even tried terrier racing. She was also our first raw fed dog.

Captain was our first big winning dog – winning BOB at many prestigious shows including Devon, Hatboro and Morris & Essex. He sadly also became our first dog to die young in an accident.

Nealie became our first therapy dog, first AKC Breed Ambassador, first Obedience dog and first imported Stafford. She became our first dam to our first litter and therefore she became the matriarch of what was becoming Wavemaker Staffords.

Our first litter was also our largest litter to date. Six healthy puppies, naturally whelped in under 4 hours – three of them were shown. Three became titled. One sad fact from our first litter (which I blogged on years ago) is the fact that we were fooled and sold one dog from this litter to a person who lied to us. He was treated very poorly. We tried getting him back, went to court and still didn’t get him back. To this day we think about him and just hope he lives a good life despite the rumors. So. . . our first lesson in the importance of carefully interviewing new owners. We have been lied to since then, but the difference being the dogs are well cared for whereas Madoc was not.

Of those first puppies, Hula became the first Stafford to earn a lure coursing Excellent title. Our girl Pnut became the second to earn that same CAX title and she did it at nearly 11 years old. Our Staffords always ran the full 600 yards to earn their ribbons. I add this b/c many only ran 300 yards for that same ribbon, claiming the breed was brachycephalic which they are not.

Hula became our first working medical alert home bred girl. Marina became our second.

Francis, who was a Hula son, became our first to show at Westminster, our first to place in the Terrier Group, first top Owner Handled Stafford and our first to title in Nosework. He also was our first dog we lived with and then sent him to be with a good friend who needed him more than we did. He is in the very best home we could ever hope for now.

Somewhere along the way we grew from a collection of various enrichment protocols with litters to following Puppy Culture and seeing it make a big difference. Our first PC litter was Marina’s first litter.

Marina has gifted us with many firsts – she and her brother Stirling (who is now DD) were our first blue puppies, she is our first to show at UK Champ shows, first to qualify (4 times) and show at Crufts, first to win BOB over specials under a breeder judge, first to win BOS at specialties, first to win SB at specialties, first to win two excellent titles in Dock Diving (DMX and AJX), first to try barn hunt and first to travel overseas with us. Marina is an amazing girl and we do brag on her often. She is the winningest blue in the history of the breed anyplace. We learned a lot when we had a litter with two blues in it. We learned mostly that some people are shallow, dishonest, fickle and cruel. We also learned not to care and just enjoy our dogs.

Two very sad firsts include losing our first puppy (in our 4th litter) and having our first stillborn puppy (in our 5th litter). Both heartbreaking experiences.

Sailor is the first Stafford to earn the FCAT title in FastCat trials. He also may become the first Stafford to earn the Trick Dog Performer title very soon.

Schooner is the first Stafford we have bred to be a serious agility competitor. He is also our first homebred to with an all breed High in Trial at Obedience and on the same day High Stafford in Trial at our National Specialty.

Smithy is our first homebred to win 14 points, all majors, in one Specialty show weekend. Let’s hope I can travel west again to try for that last single to title him. Smithy was our first singleton puppy.

Johnson and Dutch became the first puppies we got back after selling/giving to new owners. Dutch made his way to an incredible home and is doing fantastic and Johnson is still with us. If my husband doesn’t fall too in love with him we will sell him into a home one day who wants to enjoy barn hunt, nosework, obedience, swimming, biking, hiking and more. He is an amazing dog and a real good guy to live with. He is a special boy.

Pnut, Captain, Nealie, Hula, Pixie, Gracie, Tackle, Cotto, Madoc, Derby, Sage, Finn, Francis, Stirling, Marina, Bay, Schooner, Sailor, Roka, Smithy, Johnson, Colt and Dutch – these are (or were) the Staffords we are responsible for. Most of them do not live with us, but with the exception of Madoc we know where they are. We continue to be in touch with their owners. We receive texts, calls, emails, photos, videos, brags and questions. That’s how it should be.

Firsts. All of them special.

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An Open Letter to All Breeders

AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL BREEDERS
By Lynsey Smith 

-If you don’t have goals: DONT BREED.
( Producing “great” pets, or big and impressive ISN’T a goal). Far too many breeds have been RUINED because people breed simply for pets with no REAL goals for the breed. 

-If you don’t TEST your dogs in some way (health and/or temperament and working ability) DONT BREED 

-If you don’t research the history of the breed to know what to look for (other than “great” pet or big and impressive) DONT BREED 

-If you don’t become familiar with the dogs within the pedigree of your dogs in order to know what traits may show up in a breeding: DON’T BREED 

-If you breed back to back to back to back to back: STOP BREEDING 

-If you never hold any pups back to watch how they develop in order to determine if you are meeting your goals: DON’T BREED 

-If you make “picks” at birth or a week old BEFORE a pup can even show you anything about itself other than it’s sex and color: DON’T BREED 

-If you will sell a puppy to anyone with the cash or to someone who knows nothing about the breed and you dont bother to educate them: DON’T BREED 

-If you “ride coattails” of other breeders in order to talk up your own dogs even though you have done nothing with them yourself (ex: “champion bloodline” or has a “famous” dog back in its pedigree): DON’T BREED (get off your arse and prove your own dogs first) 

-If you do not know your own dogs pros and cons and are unwilling to acknowledge their faults and adjust your program accordingly: DON’T BREED 

-If you do not offer to take back dogs or puppies if they are not working out for whatever reason and will allow a dog that YOU brought into this world to end up in a shelter or worse; don’t say that you LOVE your breed b/c clearly you don’t so do the dogs a favor and DON’T BREED 

-If you are unwilling to learn from others, take advice (good and bad) and in the process BETTER THE BREED: DON’T BREED 

-If your aim is to make a name for yourself or fatten your wallet and not to better your breed: DON’T BREED

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Recognition

I used to think it did not matter if our hard work was recognized by our peers or not. I have since decided that it does make a difference. It does matter.

Over the last 15 years we have actively supported both financially and voluntarily, donated time and work for, served on, created and led committees, served as board officer and director roles, designed artwork for the magazine, set up health testing discounts at several specialties, actively promoted the club and breed by working breed booths, seeking new members – sponsoring and paying for new members and much much more.

Nealie and I are currently one of the (if not the only) only Stafford teams recognized by the AKC as a Breed Ambassador which means we have fulfilled and been signed off what it takes to be trusted to attend classrooms, libraries, scouting groups and any public place to speak about and promote the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. We visit classrooms where children can read to Nealie and listen to me discuss responsible pet ownership and more.

Nealie is also honored as a Register of Merit honoree by producing 4+ champions (and all done without handlers or taking them to shows week in and week out), although her name is not yet listed on the club website as such.

The Illustrated Breed Standard the club uses has almost identical text as the one Jason and I did for the rescue fundraising yet no mention of The Stafford Knot has been made. We agreed to allow the club to use our text in exchange for referencing and crediting the many people who contributed to the body off work which took years to produce. Sadly they did not. The parent club used the TSK seminar, both in full or parts of it, and we have always been happy to supply the club with the presentation when asked to do so. We also try to volunteer dogs for hands on assessments when possible including being at shows which we had not planned on attending just for this purpose.

For many many years I have spent countless hours and money of my own promoting the club. I have (for free) designed logos and artwork, made videos and fliers, uploaded to FB and IG for the club, designed trophies and shirts, and volunteered in person at most of the big specialties over the last 15 years. I have raised 1000’s of dollars for the club over the years beginning with selling 500 silicone anti BSL bracelets our first year of membership. We also ran several RDO days, rescue fun days and breed booths.

For years I did not say NO. I always said yes, of course I will help. This year I finally said no. I have done enough. It’s now time for others to do the work.

Recently, TSK was recognized by our Area Director only because she and I worked closely for a year to put on our most recent Specialty event. It was an overwhelming success in that people had a great time and it not only paid for itself but also raised in excess of $4000 for the club. A first. The club has always lost money. Always. Every. Single. National. I appreciated the AD recognizing my efforts and the contribution TSK has made. That gesture almost took away the hurt of the rejection of the others.

There were still complaints from the usual suspects. In fact, there were lots of complaints. All made by the same people who ALWAYS complain and rarely work. These same few people make it very difficult for those who do work hard. You know what they say about one bad apple – its very true. By the way – it’s not a bath mat you won at a DOG SHOW it’s a crate pad, DOH. And there WAS hospitality in the form of food in the free welcome bags, a free pizza party, a free spaghetti dinner, coffee pastries and sandwiches in the morning, coolers of drinks ringside and a cookout one evening. All free. No donation jar. A few ungrateful people leave a very bad taste especially when its constant.

Wouldn’t it be terrific if we could work together like I have been asking for the last 10-15 years? If we could endorse each other we would have more impact and more reach. TSK has ten years of articles available for free and if the club endorsed TSK all those articles would be known by all new members and new Stafford owners, not just followers of The Stafford Knot. TSK has a huge worldwide following. This could only help the parent club. If we could endorse one another and this would help everyone. One would think that would be a no brainer. No clue why the resistance.

I have worked with several former rescue chairs in some capacity – I have always been heavily involved. TSK (me) has been responsible for a great deal of rescue and rehoming work for the breed for many many years. We raise the money, we reach out and find homes, we pull dogs, we arrange transport and foster care – we have done everything we could. I would love to retire from this exhausting task! It would be wonderful if others would step up so I can retire.

The club talks big about promoting good sportsmanship. Let’s see some action behind those words. Endorse the hard work of all people working to Promote, Protect and Preserve. How about it?

So yes, it does matter if there is recognition.

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Never stop learning

On the recommended reading page here on our website we begin by stating “Never stop learning” and we follow our own advice! Recently, because of the friendship with one of our puppy buyers I had the opportunity to take a course in raw pet food nutrition. The course is an online one offered by Dana Scott of Dogs Naturally Magazine.

We have been feeding natural species appropriate diets to our pets for about fifteen years now and we have tried many combinations and formulas over the years. We update our nutrition page every now and again and we know people reference it. That page gets the second most number of hits on this website.

So back to this course – its been a while since I took a class with this much math and science! Remember in math class when you asked – will I ever use this knowledge in real life? Well, as it turns out – yes – yes I will use that math! Dana packs a ton of information into each module. She gives detailed information regarding her views on a correct primordial diet. She backs up her view with downloads of references along with course notes.

I learned a LOT taking this course. In fact, I also changed my viewpoint regarding a few things I thought I had correct. I now have a handy chart, links to online charts and I can calculate the exact percentages and food combinations to feed each pet – if I needed to. I mean, don’t get me wrong – the information is valuable in case I get into a debate with a non believer, in case I am asked advice by a newbie, if I run across a pet with particular dietary needs – yes, now not only can I know what to feed but I can also back it up with WHY.

Knowing me I won’t be quite specific or exact but I WILL and have changed the routine and combinations in my own pets meals. I also switch supplements from what I had been using to new products which are friendlier to not just my pets but also to the environment. Instead of talking forever here I wanted to say the NUTRITION page is now updated to reflect some of the knowledge I picked up in this course. Take a look and see what you think. Dana took great pains in backing up this information so I am willing to give it a try. Its not far from what we already were doing – just mainly tweaking the fats/ratios/sources and reintroducing Phytoplankton and green nutrition.

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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.

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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.

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The Dominance Controversy

https://canineprinciples.com/10-great-reasons-not-to-copy-cesar-millan/
I will forgive the writer for using the term ‘guardian’ and not owner only because she uses so many other wise words in this blog entry.

“The one thing all dog trainers will agree on is that the others are wrong”

I don’t know who said that first but in my experience its certainly true. No wonder most pet owners are confused. Before I knew any better I too was influenced by a local guy who a ton of dog owners referred to as our very own dog whisperer. I took a badly bred, very reactive dog to his class. I watched in horror as this man proceeded to place a prong collar on my dog and yank the crap out of him in order to get his attention. Wow. When that did not work he placed a shock collar on him, except he referred to it as a ‘stimulation training device’. I will never forgive myself for what I allowed this person to do to my dog and for me thinking this was acceptable. Times have changed.

His end goal was for the dogs to basically behave like doormats. He was a tape recorder telling us that we are the pack leader, we are in charge, we are in control….blah blah blah. Bullshit.

I bought/adopted/owned dogs all my life. I live with dogs for the interaction and pleasure of enjoying each others company. If I wanted a doormat I could buy one at Home Depot. I didn’t want to hurt my dogs. I didn’t want them to obey me because they feared me. I want them to make decisions to do things with me and enjoy these things. Granted, nail trims, baths, grooming are not always exciting activities but they also do not have to be torturous or scary!

Cesar Millan did a lot of things for dog owners. He did bring to attention the need to interact with the animals. At least people did see that they should spend time with their pets. BUT he also (having zero credentials) was offering some terrible advice on his reality show. He was cruel to the dogs. Watch a show of his with the sound off. Look at the dogs body language. Do you see fear? Do you see joy? The man is cruel. He is barbaric in so many ways. He teaches people that in order to live with a doormat . . . erm, a dog, that they must use force, intimidation and pain. Boy was he wrong.

I urge you to click the link below and read Dr Sophia Yin’s post on dominance. It’s lengthy but super valuable! After reading both articles posted here think about how you feel about what Mr. Millan tells people on his reality show and decide for yourself how you plan to engage your dogs. My hope is you choose a positive approach, offering choices to your dogs and engaging them in the learning process with you.

https://drsophiayin.com/philosophy/dominance/