Group Photo!

Shep, Sheridan, Sheldon, Sherman

"I don’t want a show dog; I just want a pet" by Ruffly Speaking Blog

I don’t want a show dog; I just want a pet.

by Joanna Kimball on July 13, 2010

This is one of the most pervasive sentiments that puppy buyers, especially families, express when they're looking for a dog. What they really mean, of course, is that they don't want a show BREEDER – don't want to pay the high price they think show breeders charge, don't want to go through the often-invasive interview process, and think that they're getting a better deal or a real bargain because they can get a Lab for $300 or a Shepherd for $150.

I want you to change your mind. I want you to not only realize the benefits of buying a show-bred dog, I want you to INSIST on a show-bred dog. And I want you to realize that the cheap dog is really the one that's the rip-off. And then I want you to go be obnoxious and, when your workmate says she's getting a puppy because her neighbor, who raises them, will give her one for free, or when your brother-in-law announces that they're buying a goldendoodle for the kids, I want you to launch yourself into their solar plexus and steal their wallets and their car keys.

Here's why:

If I ask you why you want a Maltese, or a Lab, or a Leonberger, or a Cardigan, I would bet you're not going to talk about how much you like their color. You're going to tell me things about personality, ability (to perform a specific task), relationships with other animals or humans, size, coat, temperament, and so on. You'll describe playing ball, or how affectionate you've heard that they are, or how well they get along with kids.

The things you will be looking for aren't the things that describe just "dog"; they'll be the things that make this particular breed unique and unlike other breeds.

That's where people have made the right initial decision – they've taken the time and made the effort to understand that there are differences between breeds and that they should get one that at least comes close to matching their picture of what they want a dog to be.

Their next step, tragically, is that they go out and find a dog of that breed for as little money and with as much ease as possible.

You need to realize that when you do this, you're going to the used car dealership, WATCHING them pry the "Audi" plate off a new car, observing them as they use Bondo to stick it on a '98 Corolla, and then writing them a check and feeling smug that you got an Audi for so little.

It is no bargain.

Those things that distinguish the breed you want from the generic world of "dog" are only there because somebody worked really hard to get them there. And as soon as that work ceases, the dog, no matter how purebred, begins to revert to the generic. That doesn't mean you won't get a good dog – the magic and the blessing of dogs is that they are so hard to mess up, in their good souls and minds, that even the most hideously bred one can still be a great dog – but it will not be a good Shepherd, or good Puli, or a good Cardigan. You will not get the specialized abilities, tendencies, or talents of the breed.

If you don't NEED those special abilities or the predictability of a particular breed, you should not be buying a dog at all. You should go rescue one. That way you're saving a life and not putting money in pockets where it does not belong.

If you want a purebred and you know that a rescue is not going to fit the bill, the absolute WORST thing you can do is assume that a name equals anything. They really are nothing more than name plates on cars. What matters is whether the engineering and design and service department back up the name plate, so you have some expectation that you're walking away with more than a label.

Keeping a group of dogs looking and acting like their breed is hard, HARD work. If you do not get the impression that the breeder you're considering is working that hard, is that dedicated to the breed, is struggling to produce dogs that are more than a breed name, you are getting no bargain; you are only getting ripped off.

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Rest of the blog is also excellent https://rufflyspeaking.wordpress.com

First Meal! 🐐 🥛

The Fab Four are enjoying soaked kibble and goats milk! 

What is the value of Puppy Culture?

Jane Messineo Lindquist

I'd like to give a general response to the common question which generally goes like this:

"I recommended Puppy Culture (https://goo.gl/W8JwhH) to a breeder and they say they already do ENS and toys and socialization and don't need Puppy Culture. I would like to encourage the breeder to use Puppy Culture but I don't want to be confrontational. How can I explain the value of Puppy Culture succinctly?"

My answer:

I think the biggest advantage to Puppy Culture for breeders who might already be doing a some or even all of the protocols in the film is that Puppy Culture gives a more organized approach.

Obviously, I was doing everything that is in Puppy Culture before I made the film, but it was more seat of the pants - I can definitely say that, even for myself, my litters have benefitted since I made the film.

When I was making the film I had to ask myself why and make a case for every protocol at every juncture - this is what led to my reaching out to so many additional vets and experts. And, based on this research, I made subtle but powerful changes to when and how and why I did things, and that has had a remarkable effect on my own litters.

And I do see my litters differently now, I see more details about when and how different things happen behaviorally and I'm just more in tune with what each individual puppy needs when. Whereas before we would do certain things at certain times and then "diagnose" the puppies as being good or bad at things, distracted or checked in and attribute many behavioral things to "temperament," I now have less of a blanket approach.

I have a more nuanced view of development and I understand that different traits and abilities can emerge differently and at different times and I am less likely to saddle a puppy with a "label" and more likely to work with the puppy to tease out the strengths in that puppy's character. Still all the same protocols, but weaving them in and out differently.

So, in sum, Puppy Culture is not about the "What," of raising puppies, it's about the "Why," - obviously a perfect framework for a new breeder but certainly also a "booster" for any puppy rearing program, even if they are physically doing all the protocols in Puppy Culture!

10 Reasons Not to Use a Retractable Leash

Adapted from the WDJ article (source below):

There’s an old joke about if there’s one thing that two dog trainers can agree on, it’s that the third one is doing it wrong. But, I’ve found something that very nearly ALL dog trainers agree on, and that I will defend anywhere, anytime, and it’s this: Retractable leashes have no place in dog training.

It almost reaches the level of a joke: If you go to a dog park or almost any gathering of dog people and their dogs, the worst-behaved dogs will be the ones on retractable leashes. It’s sort of a chicken or the egg thing: What came first, the poorly behaved dog or the leash that teaches him nothing?

They aren't good for adult dogs, and never a puppy.

10 Reasons Not to Use a Retractable Leash

1. The length of retractable leashes (name brand: Flexi), some of which can extend up to 26 feet, allows dogs to get far enough away from their humans that a situation can quickly turn dangerous. A dog on a retractable leash is often able to run into the middle of the street, for example, or make uninvited contact with other dogs or people.
2. In the above scenario, or one in which your pet is being approached by an aggressive dog, it is nearly impossible to get control of the situation if the need arises. It's much easier to regain control of – or protect -- a dog at the end of a six-foot standard flat leash than it is if he's 20 or so feet away at the end of what amounts to a thin string.
3. The thin cord of a retractable leash can break – especially when a powerful dog is on the other end of it. If a strong, good-sized dog takes off at full speed, the cord can snap. Not only can that put the dog and whatever he may be chasing in danger, but also the cord can snap back and injure the human at the other end.
4. If a dog walker gets tangled up in the cord of a retractable leash, or grabs it in an attempt to reel in their dog, it can result in burns, cuts, and even amputation. In addition, many people have been pulled right off their feet by a dog that reaches the end of the leash and keeps going. This can result in bruises, "road rash," broken bones, and worse.
5. Dogs have also received terrible injuries as a result of the sudden jerk on their neck that occurs when they run out the leash, including neck wounds, lacerated tracheas, and injuries to the spine.
6. Retractable leashes allow dogs more freedom to pull at the end of them, which can look like aggression to another dog who may decide to "fight back."
7. The handles of retractable leashes are bulky and can be easily pulled out of human hands, resulting in a runaway dog.
8. Along those same lines, many dogs – especially fearful ones – are terrorized by the sound of a dropped retractable leash handle and may take off running, which is dangerous enough. To make matters worse, the object of the poor dog's fear is then "chasing" her, and if the leash is retracting as she runs, the handle is gaining ground on her – she can't escape it. Even if this scenario ultimately ends without physical harm to the dog (or anyone else), it can create lingering fear in the dog not only of leashes, but also of being walked.
9. Retractable leashes, like most retractable devices, have a tendency to malfunction over time, either refusing to extend, refusing to retract, or unspooling at will.
10. Retractable leashes are an especially bad idea for dogs that haven't been trained to walk politely on a regular leash. By their very nature, retractables train dogs to pull while on leash, because they learn that pulling extends the lead.

Full Article: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2014/06/11/retractable-dog-leash.aspx?x_cid=20141014_ranart_petretracableleash_facebookdoc

More reading:  Reel It In - Why I Don't Like Retractable Leashes - https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/blog/Retractable-leashes-in-dog-training-21740-1.html?ET=wholedogjournal:e286358:821510a:&st=email&s=p_Blog110917

Puppy Stage : Transitive Period Week 2-3

Puppy Development: Transitive Period Week 2-3

• This is when brain development quickly ramps up to bring the pup out of the neonate stage. Mentally, the change is as drastic as a caterpillar’s metamorphosis into a butterfly, or a tadpole’s transformation into a frog. It begins with the pup opening their eyes at approximately 14+ days of age, and is shortly followed by ears opening five to ten days later.
• These experiences a marked increase in brain activity during this period, showing a stark contrast with the activity of the neonate. The puppy can now crawl forward and backward, and can finally attempt to take their first steps. They will also begin moving beyond the nesting area to eliminate without the assistance of his mother, and his interest in solid foods will increase, even though weaning won’t occur until seven to eight weeks of age. 
• The pup will engage in play fighting and posturing throughout the transition period. He will also begin to practice using social signals, such as growling, pawing, and tail wagging. Much to the dismay of his owner, the puppy will also exhibit signs of distress for reasons other than being cold or hungry. At this time, being separated from his littermates, being introduced to a new environment, or accidentally wandering too far from the nest will cause him to cry. Additionally, his ability to learn from training won’t reach full capacity until around four to five weeks of age.

2 Week Old Mugshots!

The babies are starting to get peepers 👀

"Sherman" Orange Collar 

"Sheridan" Purple Collar

"Sheldon" Grey Collar

"Shepard" Olive Collar