Watch Out, World!
Wilson is almost 7 weeks and is on the go!
He took a trip to our sons’ elementary school this past week and was a hit..
Kizzy has her CHIC number
Kizzy’s CHIC certificate came in the mail yesterday – woo-hoo! Her CHIC page
CHIC stands for Canine Health Information Center and it’s a centralized canine health database. To earn a CHIC number, a dog has to have all required health tests for their breed publicly documented (not all breeds are eligible for a CHIC number).
For Danes, there are four required tests – heart, hips, thyroid and eyes. These four things are deemed the biggest (testable) issues for our breed and recommended prior to a decision to breed a dog.
A dog does not have to pass all their health test – their owner just has to be willing to publicly list the results. Kudos to those who are willing to display less than perfect results. Even if that particular dog isn’t being bred, the information is helpful to those who own related dogs. And, less than perfect results don’t always mean the dog should never be bred. It depends on the problem, the severity, and the strength of the dog’s other merits when weighed against those results and the dog’s other weaknesses.
The CHIC program is a wonderful tool for breeders and puppy buyers alike. It allows breeders to make smarter breeding choices. The more information a breeder has – on the breeding candidate and their relatives – the more informed their breeding decisions. For buyers, it allows an easy way to verify and research before purchasing a puppy.
4 1/2 Weeks Old & Cute as a Button!
Wilson is over 10 lbs now. Today he graduated from the whelping box to a drop pen (crate with a raised floor) as he is able to escape the whelping box on his own!
He has tried a variety of ground raw foods – chicken, turkey, pork, beef and green tripe.
4 Weeks Old! First Outdoor Adventure
“Puppy” now has a call name – Wilson!
Wilson had his first outdoor experience today.
And first stacking practice!
Puppy Update – First Meal!
The puppy is 23 days old today and weighs 6 lbs 7 oz. He had his first real food last night and loved it. AFS meat (a mince meat raw diet) soaked in goat’s milk. Doesn’t quite have the hang of things yet (big mess!), but he was enthusiastic.
I will have to try and get some pictures of his little messy face after tonight’s meal, before his momma happily cleans him up!
For now, a picture of doing what he currently does best….
Kizzy’s Win Picture from Marshalltown, IA
The picture from the Heart of IA KC show came in the mail today:
Bio-Sensor Program
The puppy is 19 days old today and we while actually finished the Bio-Sensor (“Super Puppy”) program on his 16th day, I’ve been meaning to document the program on here.
The goal of this neurological stimulation program is to help kick start the pup’s neurological system. It is believed that these simple exercises benefit the puppies in multiple ways:
- Improved cardio vascular performance (heart rate)
- Stronger heart beats,
- Stronger adrenal glands,
- More tolerance to stress
- Greater resistance to disease
The exercises are very simple and are performed on the pups starting at 3 days old and continuing through 16 days old. There are five exercises:
Tactile Stimulation – Gently stimulate (tickle) the pup between the toes on any one foot using a Q-tip. It is not necessary to see that the pup is feeling the tickle. Time of stimulation 3 – 5 seconds.
Head Held Erect – Using both hands, the pup is held perpendicular to the ground, (straight up), so that its head is directly above its tail. This is an upwards position. Time of stimulation 3 – 5 seconds.
Head Pointed Down – Holding the pup firmly with both hands, the head is reversed and is pointed downward so that it is pointing towards the ground. Time of stimulation 3 – 5 seconds.
(Forgive the picture here…cheap help comes in the form of a 9 year old assistant!)
Supine position – Hold the pup so that its back is resting in the palm of both hands with its muzzle facing the ceiling. The pup while on its back is allowed to sleep struggle. Time of stimulation 3-5 seconds.
Thermal stimulation – Use a damp towel that has been cooled in a refrigerator for at least five minutes. Place the pup on the towel, feet down. Do not restrain it from moving. Time of stimulation 3-5 seconds.
Skyy health update
During her recent c-section, a large tumor was discovered on Skyy’s spleen. Hemangiosarcoma (blood fed sarcoma) is suspected and the prognosis is not good. We discussed the options available that day and decided not to attempt removal or even a biopsy, as the risk with her bleeding out was too great (the tumor had a very large blood supply feeding it).
There are various options I have to consider, including a splenectomy (removing the spleen and tumor), however the prognosis isn’t good for any of the options.
I have decided not to put Skyy through any additional surgeries and to simply keep her comfortable and well loved during her remaining time.
She did give me a scare earlier this week and she completely stopped eating on Thursday of this past week and was continually vomitting. I started treating her with pain meds, thinking it might be a pain related issue and fortunately, she has started eating again. I imagine my time with her is very limited, but as long as her quality of life is good, I am going to enjoy her company.
She is still taking wonderful care of her baby boy, who is growing fast!
Kizzy with her baby brother
