Posts by Laura Reeves
561 – 4Ever15: Choose Kindness
4Ever15: Choose Kindness
Nick Carroll winning Best Junior Handler at the Great Dane specialty in Des Moines, IA.
Denise Carroll joins host Laura Reeves to share her story of how the twin epidemics of school bullying and teen suicide affected her, after her son, Nick, took his life last month.
Nick Carroll was Denise’s adopted son whose happiest place was dog shows. He had friends and projects and felt safe, showing Great Danes in the breed ring and Juniors.
“It didn’t matter who was competing,” Denise said. “He would cheer you on no matter what. If he lost in juniors he’d still cheer on his friends. The friendships he made at dog shows were really close ones. He maintained some really good friendships.”
But his school life was another matter. Denise said that Nick was routinely bullied at school, including additional attacks around his service dog.
- The 2019 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice) indicates that, nationwide, about 22% of students ages 12–18 experienced bullying.
“What I feel is, when Nick started taking the dog to school is what made him an easy target. School was the biggest issue for him,” Denise said.
How to avoid costing someone their life
“The biggest thing is to realize what we’re all struggling with something,” Denise said. “You never know what someone is going through at the time. So, you should try to be kind. In today’s society, people can hide behind their phone, be anonymous and say things and not have consequences for their actions.”
More survival tips from Denise:
- Today’s kids have gone through a lot more trauma than kids did when I was growing up.
- Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes
- Parents need to talk to their kids, that a difference in someone else isn’t a bad thing
- Parents don’t communicate with kids. Kids have electronics that are their parents. They don’t talk with mom and dad or sit down and have meals together.
Statistics from the Suicide & Crisis Center of North Texas:
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Suicide is the third leading cause of death of young people between the ages of 15 and 24.
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5,000 young people complete suicide in the U.S. each year.
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Each year, there are approximately 10 youth suicides for every 100,000 youth.
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Each day, there are approximately 12 youth suicides.
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Every 2 hours and 11 minutes, a person under the age of 25 completes suicide.
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In the past 60 years, the suicide rate has quadrupled for males 15 to 24 years old, and has doubled for females of the same age.
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For every completed suicide by youth, it is estimated that 100 to 200 attempts are made.
“We went to Orlando (for the AKC National Championship),” Denise said. “It was bittersweet because Nick was supposed to be with us. I took some friends of Nick’s and his sister to Sea World. We’d laugh for a while and somebody would say Nick would have loved this. At one point, the four of us just hugged each other and cried. It was special because they loved him just like we did.
“Christmas has been hard,” Denise said. “I put off wrapping presents because I had presents for him that he’ll never open….”
Nick’s Message:
Be helpful and kind.
“His shining moments were when he was helping people,” Denise said. “I want more people to be like that. To give to others. And not be takers and just do what’s best for you. We could all take a page from Nick’s playbook.”
To offer condolences or support, contact Denise directly.
560 — Lessons from Orlando and Holiday Musings
Lessons from Orlando and Holiday Musings
The extravaganza of purebred dogs that is the AKC National Championship week in Orlando has come to a close. I skipped the last couple years with the pandemic and all that entailed, so it was really good to be back with the people I so rarely get to see.
I think we all learn something new each time… Like how it’s possible to walk 10 miles and never see the sky…. Or just how many shiny suits St. Johns actually makes…. Or what we jokingly refer to as “snacks in Orlando” … where a cheeseburger, an appetizer and two drinks costs $100….
But there are some actually useful lessons to be learned, some that happened to friends, some observed, some that have happened to me over the years, so here we go.
Wait, my dog is HIGH?
First up, dogs put ridiculous things in their mouths. Even at high-end hotels, be observant and careful when letting your dog roam free in the room. My friend Ingrid learned this lesson the very hard way this week when her Chihuahua found and ingested marijuana in a hotel room on her trip to Orlando. She is now extremely aware of the signs of cannabis toxicity in dogs….
This has become something of an epidemic at veterinary practices, according to Dr. Marty Greer. So, for those who haven’t experienced this, here are some tips. Also, take a listen to our past podcast on the topic of how cannabis can be useful in treating dogs in forms that do not contain THC.
Cannabis contains more than 100 different chemicals (or compounds) called cannabinoids. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the cannabinoid that has the most psychoactive effects. It is also the compound responsible for some of cannabis’ medicinal uses, such as treating nausea and improving appetite in cancer patients. Other compounds, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have shown promise for medicinal use and do not have psychoactive effects.
Dogs have more cannabinoid receptors in their brains, which means the effects of cannabis are more dramatic and potentially more toxic when compared to humans. A small amount of cannabis is all it takes to cause toxicity in cats and dogs.
Per VCA Animal Hospital, most of the signs of intoxication are neurological. Pets may become wobbly and uncoordinated. They may be hyperactive or sleepy, disoriented, and/or very vocal. Their pupils may dilate, giving them a wild-eyed appearance, and they may drool excessively or vomit. They may also develop urinary incontinence (i.e., urine leakage). In severe cases, tremors, seizures, and coma can result.
Physical signs include slow or fast heart rate, altered blood pressure, and slowed respiration rate (breathing rate). Lethargy and increases or decreases in body temperature may also be observed. Fortunately, these side effects are usually short-lived but they can still be dangerous and make your pet quite miserable.
Diagnosis is based on an accurate history and clinical signs. Although there are tests to determine the level of THC in the urine, the results take time, making them impractical. Human urine drug screening tests are quicker but are not dependable in pets. The diagnosis is made much more quickly, and treatment initiated, when responsible pet owners provide accurate information regarding the pet’s exposure.
When a toxin enters the body, often the first line of defense is to get it out. If the toxicity is discovered shortly after ingestion, your veterinarian may induce vomiting to prevent further absorption of the toxin.
Two factors may interfere with this early defensive strategy. First, the signs of toxicity may manifest only after the drug has been absorbed, meaning it is already in the system. Second, cannabis has an anti-emetic effect that inhibits vomiting. In life-threatening cases, the stomach may be pumped (gastric lavage). Activated charcoal may be administered every six to eight hours to neutralize the toxin. Enemas are also used to reduce toxin absorption from the gastrointestinal tract.
The second line of defense in cannabis toxicity involves providing supportive care until the effects of the drug wear off. Medications and supportive care to regulate your pet’s heart rate, respiration, and body temperature are used if needed. Since your pet may be lethargic, with no desire to eat or drink, IV fluids can help prevent dehydration, support blood pressure, and maintain organ function. Anti-anxiety medications can minimize agitation. Gastrointestinal treatments may be needed for nausea or vomiting. To prevent self-trauma while your pet is disoriented and uncoordinated, confinement in a safe, comfortable space is helpful. Noise should be kept to a minimum to decrease sensory stimulation.
If cannabis is ingested with toxic or problematic substances, such as xylitol, chocolate, raisins, or foods containing a lot of fat, supportive care or additional treatments may be required to treat conditions associated with the ingestion of those substances.
Pro Tip
Next, carpets are slippery! The AKC National Championship show, Westminster Kennel Club, and many of the biggest shows in the country feature beautifully carpeted rings to showcase the dogs. Experienced exhibitors know that dogs don’t move well on the carpet because their feet slip and they can’t drive off their rears. Even in a stack, dogs can have trouble holding their normal position. The best solution to this problem is to keep the dog’s feet wet. Spray bottles of water or wet towels will soften the hard pads enough to give the dog a grip on the carpet. This will allow you to showcase your dog to its best advantage on that gorgeous red carpet.
Your feet also need some consideration…. We’re putting in LOTS of hours on our feet… moving, standing, running, walking. Your entire body depends on those feet, so take care of them. Change shoes midday. Just the slightest shift in fit makes an enormous difference. I’m given rations of grief about my “shoe suitcase” but I promise, if I had taken better care of my feet when I was younger, it’s a good bet I’d live with less pain today…
Third, we would all do well to learn lessons from the best junior handlers in the country. They are supportive and outstanding sports, they cheer for each other, they encourage each other, they tease friends through bouts of nerves. They are composed under immense pressure, they are driven to succeed, they ooze talent and dedication. They may or may not be the future of the sport, but *their* futures will be immensely improved by the lessons they take away from the sport and incorporate in their daily lives.
We hear an awful lot about millennial this or teenage entitlement that, but when you see these young men and women working their butts off, sprinting over miles of concrete, competing at the highest level and often working ridiculous hours for handlers to support their dreams, you are left with a much different understanding of our youth. The best and brightest of these kids will shine no matter where their life’s journeys lead them.
Redemption is a Thing
Winston Churchill’s oft repeated quote is more fitting to our sport than most…
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
Watching friends battle back from injuries, defeats, disappointments and setbacks has been inspiring for me, particularly this year. Kelly Shupp, who just handled our Spinone to win the Sporting group here, shattered her ankle in September and we really didn’t think she’d even be walking by this time. She fought through pain and frustration and disappointment and dedicated herself to being on the end of Josie’s leash to wrap up what had been a history making year already. Her strength and determination and sheer will power literally bring me to tears of awe.
Sharing is Caring
Whether it’s the YaYa Sisterhood of the traveling outfits when you win the group and didn’t expect to or a corner of a grooming space in a crowded building, this sport really can bring out the best in us. I treasure the people and friendships built over my lifetime in this sport.
I know there are Debbie downers out there, but I firmly believe that our lives are immeasurably richer when we focus on the positive and find the beauty around us. It’s lots easier to do that if you simply avoid and/or ignore the folks who would burst that bubble.
Big Trips are Exhausting
Having driven cross country innumerable times, in various vehicles, daunting weather and impossible schedules, I offer a few words of wisdom.
- Plan ahead. If something can go wrong, it will and at the most inconvenient time. Have backup plans for your backup plans. Pay attention to the weather apps. I used weather underground to route around upcoming storms. Adding an extra few hours or even a day to the trip to travel safely saved me countless headaches. Factor that into your planning. If you don’t need the extra day to arrive safely, you can always use it to relax and have a little fun on the journey.
- Sleep more and eat less. I always stop for a good night’s sleep. I need it to be safe on the road. And the dogs sleep better when the rig isn’t moving. I snack a lot when driving but rarely eat huge meals. I also stop every three to four hours to x dogs, get fuel, walk a little, stretch and keep the blood moving.
- Listen to a podcast! Lol
Thank YOU…
In closing, as we end the year of competition and transition into the holidays, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you guys. It’s been 6 years now of talking to y’all. I was stopped this week by a lovely young man with a Barbet. He shared with me that the whole reason he was at the show was because of the work we do here. That he’d discovered the breed because of our episode with Judy Descutner. That the podcast gave him the tools and encouragement to stick with it. That brief conversation was the best gift ever.
And it’s those stories, YOUR stories, that keep me keepin’ on. So, thank you for taking us along …. On your road trips, your workouts, your grooming sessions, and your lawn mowing. I’m looking forward to a whole new year of sharing fabulous stories with you.
And I hope you’ll join us on the first Tuesday of every month for the live podcasts on the Facebook page, LIVE@5. If you haven’t had a chance, stop by Pure Dog Talk and join our Patrons getting their Pure Pep Talks.
559 – Food Fight? Science Based Facts on Feeding Your Dog
Food Fight? Science Based Facts on Feeding Your Dog
Rob Downey, President and CEO of Annamaet, foundational researcher in pet feeding, joins host Laura Reeves to discuss the pros and cons of raw vs kibble and how to make sure your pet is fed a healthy diet.
“The real thing is, with any product, is how well it’s balanced and the raw materials going in to it,” Downey said. “You can’t say all raw is better or all kibble is better. It really comes down to the formulation. Whether or not its AFCO approved, who’s done the testing and the raw materials that are included.
“I’ve studied nutrition for close to 40 years. When we put together our products, not only was I there, we had a board certified veterinary nutritionist and a guy who got his PhD in vitamins. The three of us hammered this out for weeks. It just amazes me that somebody thinks I’ll just put this together in my back yard and I’ll add some green beans and everything will be good.
“It’s especially a concern right now when studies have shown how important vitamins and minerals are.
“The problem is (vitamin deficiencies) are happening sub-clinically. Studies have shown that 60 percent of home prepared diet are deficient of at least one nutrient.
“Most veterinarians aren’t really trained in nutrition. Only about 50 percent of veterinary teaching universities even have a core nutrition course. Veterinarians have to learn so much, they just don’t have time.
“One of the things when you’re talking raw or home-prepared diets, you want to be careful you don’t go over about 10-15 percent organ meat. Organ meat tends to be really high in Vitamin A and copper. Copper storage disease is a rising threat in many breeds not predisposed to it….. Copper is stored in the body in the liver.
“I don’t care if it’s raw or kibble, if you start with the wrong raw materials, you can have trouble. To say one is better than the other is difficult.
“People are loyal to raw because so many people want to feed their dogs like wolves… Wolves only ate every three to five days and had to chase down their prey… Dogs have evolved. Dogs were domesticated before any other animal or crop. The ability to break down carbohydrates is through the amylase genes. Dogs have evolved to the point that they have seven times more amylase genes than wolves.”
From the Study:
“A recent comparison of genome-wide patterns of genetic variation in a large panel of dogs and wolves identified genomic regions that were affected by directional selection during early dog domestication “(Axelsson et al. 2013). Through functional characterization of genes residing in these domestication regions, new light was shed on characteristics of adaptive advantage to early dogs. These analyses identified several genes involved in digestion and energy metabolism, suggesting that the transition from wolf to dog was accompanied by a change in diet. Augmented by evidence from expression analyses and enzyme assays, it was concluded that changes in three consecutive steps in the pathway responsible for starch digestion and subsequent glucose absorption allowed dogs to rely on a diet rich in starch relative to the carnivorous wolf diet (Axelsson et al. 2013).”
Find the entire study HERE.
558 — Holiday Gift Guide, SuperZoo and Small Business Saturday
Holiday Gift Guide, SuperZoo, and Small Business Saturday
Dr. Marty Greer, DVM, and host Laura Reeves throw out some GREAT ideas for holiday gift-giving for the animal-loving family. Greer’s recent trip to SuperZoo and strong support for Small Business Saturday provide heavy influence on the list!
Find links below to many of the products mentioned on the podcast and more.
Small Business Saturday
- Gift certificate for your vet
- Gift certificate for your groomer
- Tips for the groomers
- Goodies for your veterinary clinic – remember them when it ISN’T a holiday!
- NAIA Giving Tuesday
- Gift certificate for freezing and storing semen
- Gift a Pure Dog Talk Patrons Membership for a friend or puppy buyer
APPLE AIRTAGS – WITH CASES FOR DOGS – chose a waterproof case that is durable. These are not meant to be dog-tracking devices – they are for luggage and backpacks
557 – From Chasing to Pacing: Troubleshooting In-Ring Movement Issues
From Chasing to Pacing: Troubleshooting In Ring Movement Issues
Laura’s monthly LIVE@5 podcasts offer an interactive opportunity for listeners to ask questions and get personal insight. This particular topic revolved around questions regarding movement. Laura provides techniques to deal with dogs that pull, lunge, lack focus or pace in the ring.
Q: (My dog) has this new thing where, on the go round, he pulls very hard toward the center of the ring and starts to gallop.
A: Our dogs don’t communicate with us, and we don’t communicate with them, with our words. What they hear is our tone of voice. Our body language and our energy. So, like our nervous energy, or our negative energy, or our very positive energy, or most importantly our Zen.
If the situation happens when going around with a group of dogs, instead of standing there facing the back end of those dogs as they start to run away, I turn the dog. I put him fully perpendicular to that line of dogs running away. I keep him completely focused on me and on a watch me until it is our time to go. We give the dog in front of us three full strides before I start. And then we go and then the dog is going to be more collected, more together.
Q: When gaiting, (my dog) always wants to be looking at me instead of straight ahead where we’re going, which I feel throws off his gait.
A: Don’t look at the dog. It seems kind of silly and sort of simple, but we get so worried about what the dog is doing that we’re constantly looking at them. And the dog’s reaction of course because again, they don’t respond to words, they respond to body language. If we’re giving them eye contact, they’re going to give it back.
Laura covers everything from chasing to pacing in this great interactive conversation.
Don’t forget to check out the next LIVE@5 on the first Tuesday of every month.
555 – Dr. Gayle Watkins LIVE: Socializing Puppies Properly
Dr. Gayle Watkins LIVE: Socializing Puppies Properly
Four-time AKC Breeder of the Year in four different sports, Dr. Gayle Watkins, founder of Avidog, speaks about how we create working and competition dogs through proper socializing.
Watkins observes that socialization is building social relationships with humans and dogs. And the current method of socialization causes more harm than good. Puppy development should be manners, mental resilience, civility and trust, she posits.
“The vast majority of people think socialization ends at 16 weeks, the sensitive period. Those first four months so important to puppies. But most dogs need socialization or “development work” through 15 months,” Watkins said.
Another misconception Watkins notes is that 8 to 10 weeks is a fear *imprint* period, not a time in which dogs are necessarily more fearful.
“They’re not more afraid at that age,” Watkins said. “They’re going through continual progression towards fear that starts at 5 weeks. It’s what a canine is. They are fearful creatures. This is inherent in this species, so fear is inherent in dogs.”
“If you go online and you Google socialization and puppies, you’ll get a million hits, over a million hits, and you will get checklist after, checklist after checklist. This is not a checklist. We’re talking about teaching skills. What is stability? It’s the appropriateness of the dog’s response to stress.
“I also want to build resilience. Putting them under stress very, very early. So that they can be resilient. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from stress and frustration. If you think about it, we can’t make every puppy bombproof. More than anything else. It is built through inoculation to stress. When we are aiming for stability, we want to introduce stress to teach them the right behaviors. Here we must introduce stress to teach them to be resilient.”
Watkins’ insights on raising sensible, calm competition ready dogs is invaluable. Listen HERE to one of her first conversations on Pure Dog Talk, on bomb proofing your puppies.
556 – Building Trust with Your Puppy During Socialization
Building Trust with Your Puppy During Socialization
Dr. Gayle Watkins is back with part two of her presentation on proper socialization steps for raising competitive dogs.
Watkins emphasizes the need for the owner and puppy to build trust during early socialization. This means being a “control freak” about safe-guarding your puppy’s interactions with people, places and other pets.
“We are responsible for creating trust,” Watkins said. “We do it by being trustworthy and reliable. We are often not trustworthy with our dogs. Teach your puppy they can rely on you.
“Civility is the appropriateness of behavior around people and dogs,” Watkins added. “It is keeping your mouth shut, not biting anyone, not climbing on anyone. Not assaulting other dog or people as you are meeting. Civility is not the same as friendly. It does not require physical interaction. More important to teach our dogs indirect interaction, when they see a person or dog and do not interact.”
Getting puppies “out” to see urban centers, hear different noises and so forth does not also necessarily mean *meeting* other people and pets right away, Watkins noted. She also advocates for supervised puppy classes long before training classes begin.
Puppies handle stress best if we give them cues they can fall back on, Watkins said. If a situation is causing stress for the puppy, have them offer a sit and watch behavior, for example. She adds that forcing a puppy in to a situation that is clearly uncomfortable or scary for them can cause you to break the trust you are hoping to build with the puppy.
Watkins also discusses acquired fear or aggression in dogs that can actually be passed on in the whelping box – epigenetics is the name of this phenomena. Her emphasis on raising stable and trusting dogs springs from studies that indicate 80 percent of aggression is genetically based.
The bottom line, Watkins said, is that raising confident, stable puppies takes time, effort and commitment.
554 – Dr. Marty Greer’s Passion Project & Anniversary Episode
Dr. Marty Greer’s Passion Project & Anniversary Episode
Dr. Marty Greer, DVM and host Laura Reeves celebrate their fifth anniversary of sharing important veterinary topics on Pure Dog Talk.
Greer’s passion project is Breast Cancer Awareness in dogs.
“People sometimes forget that dogs get breast cancer too,” Greer said. “It’s not an uncommon kind of cancer to find in dogs, unfortunately. It is definitely linked to spaying at an older age. But, in spite of that, there are still some significant benefits in waiting to spay. So that’s a whole ‘nother topic.
“But essentially we see it in middle age to older, normally female dogs that were left intact after the age of two. So, anybody that’s breeding their dog is typically not going to spay before two because of health clearances, because she needs to mature before you breed her. So this means that almost every dog in a breeding program is gonna fall into a possibility of breast cancer. Mammary tumors, same thing, different term, all the same stuff.
“And I think it’s really important that people know that there isn’t a good treatment other than surgery. So early detection and surgery is going to be almost the only thing that we can offer.
“So, really, early detection, finding a nodule, taking it off when it’s small and then being very attentive for additional ones to develop is very important.
“Dogs have five sets of memory glands. The littlest ones are at the front between the front legs, and then they go down a nice string all the way down, usually in a fairly straight line. Every now and then they’ll be an extra nipple or something else thrown in, and that’s OK. It’s just a normal variation.
“But what you want to do is go along that chain that goes down, so feel from one nipple to the next and in between the nipples and just gently manipulate the skin so that you can see if you find anything that seems abnormal. A breast cancer nodule will feel firm, like a pea or a little cluster of peas. They’ll be firm. They won’t be those soft kind of masses. They won’t be on the belly button. They’ll typically be off to the side. The most common place to find a tumor, and the most serious tumors, are in the glands closest to the back legs.
“I strongly encourage people not to spend the money on a fine needle aspirate. A lot of veterinarians want to stick a needle in it and aspirate it, and because most mammary tumors are mixed of different cell types, that is not going to be an accurate assessment of what you have.”
Listen to the full episode here and then flash back to the first episode, introducing Dr. Greer.
553 — In Their Honor We Must Continue Their Paths
“In Their Honor We Must Continue Their Paths”
Tomorrow is All Saints’ day… It’s also Dia De Los Muertos … So I believe it is fitting to hold up our friends and loved ones today on All Hallows Eve….. Our tribe has lost legends, and legends in the making, just in the last few weeks, never mind during the course of the last couple years.
The days are shorter, colder and grayer today. The mottled leaves are falling. The dry grass is wilting. The winds of change heralding the season have arrived to scurry and swirl the fallen leaves in our path. The fog is settling in, the sun tilting on its axis. It feels as if the world is dying around us as the fall equinox wanes and the winter solstice creeps ever closer. When we lose friends and family this time of year, the anguish seems to seep deeper into our bones than at any other time.
Nonetheless, within our dog community, we are all, at the core, performers. The show must go on. No matter how devastated. How shattered. How destroyed our souls. So, we push through and push away and push down the heartache and angst and horror and sadness. Even as we collapse, crushed, with a dog on our chests to get through the night.
“Thinking of you and all the amazing people brought into your life through the dogs. Does not make their passing any less sad, but oh how it has enriched your life.”
This small note brought me such comfort. And I wanted to share this bright spot with all of you who are hurting right now. Our lives are all immeasurably enriched by our community of fellow dog lovers. Whether you started yesterday or have spent 50 years in this sport, the camaraderie and shared love of dogs is literally a lifeline for many.
The litany of those gone in the last few years is nearly unbearable. Respected judges. Gifted breeders. Talented handlers. Beloved family. Bastions of passion and commitment to purebred dogs who are so nearly irreplaceable.
Joe Gregory
Barbara Alderman
Pat Laurans
Pat Hastings
Linda Souza
Jerry Moon
Jamie Donelson
So very many more near and far, bright stars each within their own universes.
The smiles and voices that will forever stay with us.
I will never forget literally sitting at Jerry Moon’s knee while he taught me how to trim Cockers properly so I could show an ASCOB dog for a new client. Or the time Jerry went down at the old Brush Prairie show site during the Cocker specialty. He had won the variety with his beloved Fosse and would not leave in the ambulance until he was assured I would take Fosse back in for the breed. We won that day under Dale Simmons and against Don Rodgers with the ASCOB dog. That they are all gone now is hard to navigate in my mind.
Working with Pat Laurans on the GWPCA board. Even before then, picking her brain about old dogs and pedigrees. There was literally nothing Pat couldn’t accomplish if she put her mind to it. She left her mark on Take the Lead, the AKC Reunite Pet Disaster Relief Trailers, the Parent Club Committee for the Delegates and so much more. She was a fierce advocate for our breed and a good friend to me over the years.
Just this spring I spent months working with Pat Hastings, Chris Levy & Nancy Martin on a presentation to vet students at OSU when they were invited to a local dog show. She was such an inspiration to me, not just in her knowledge, but her skill at wielding it to such dramatic effect.
Linda Souza’s support and kindness to me as an Irish Wolfhound handler back in the day… in a breed where professional handlers are not the norm … was such a gift to my young self.
Barbara Alderman’s kilowatt smile and the mind-bending opportunity to join her for dinner as a fellow judge. Joe Gregory’s dance moves. Talking Spinone with Gloria Geringer and Wirehairs with Roger Hartinger. Watching from afar as Jamie Donelson beautifully showed a dog we raised here. These are memories stored carefully away in the heart.
I’ve talked often about our tribe. The people who find their place here in our big tent. We really are all branches of the family tree, with DOG as our common denominator. But a lot of these folks, they were roots and trunks and giant limbs on that tree. And their loss is deeply felt.
One Pure Dog Talk Patron sent me this note and it has re-kindled the fire in my soul…
“This is very sad news. Irreplaceable loss for the dog community. In their honor we must continue their path and make the sport stronger and welcoming to all. It does not honor those we lose if we sit around in sadness. We must take their teachings to the next level.”
So, with that my friends, I challenge you. If any of the people we have lost meant something to you, even tangentially, take their mantle. Lift their spirit. Wear their colors and then take it further. Wear their hearts as yours.
What stands out about the losses we’ve suffered recently is that many of these folks didn’t just “do their thing.” They gave. And gave and gave and gave and gave. Of themselves, their passion, their commitment, their devotion. Their time, their money, their blood, sweat and tears. Their joy. Their humor and creativity.
We can all do more. Give more. Be more. For the people we love and treasure and honor and grieve. We can give them a gift that WILL keep on giving if we can emulate even 10 percent of their dedication and love and kindness and mentoring.
Let their passing break you. Let it smash you to the ground. And then build yourself again in their images.
Here are a few ideas. No matter your role in our sport, from newbie to lifer, from owner handler to all breeds judge, club president to chief of poop patrol. You can incorporate these or use them as a springboard for your own plans. Let’s call it Giving Grace.
- BE NICE! I mean literally, just be friendly and polite. We’re dog people. We’re mostly natural introverts. I’m not suggesting you blow up the walls you’ve so carefully constructed. But, you know, maybe open a door, or even a window… Say please and thank you… I’ve mentioned before, say congratulations, and mean it, even to your most bitter rival. Chances are good that the next time you have a crisis, they’ll be there offering you a helping hand.
- BE SUPPORTIVE! New folks are not the enemy. In fact, they are the only way we all have a sport in which to participate going forward. Offer a hand, a suggestion, an atta boy. If you can’t be supportive in your breed, or find support there, find friends in other breeds. It is a competitive sport and sometimes it’s a challenge. If your circle doesn’t clap for you, find a new circle – it really is a thing. Find the courage to build a happy and supportive group. Offer to bring someone else IN to the circle you have built. This is a two-way street. On that note, if you haven’t already, seriously consider joining our Pure Dog Talk Patrons. I cannot tell you what pure joy it is to have a strong, committed group always available to help with questions, cheering success and consoling in loss. Invest in your circle and you will be amply rewarded with support, mentorship and friendship in an amazing community.
- REACH OUT! How many times during these hard losses have we kicked ourselves for not making that call, writing that note, sending that message. And not just to the famous and influential. Extend it to your circle outside of dogs. Call a cousin or classmate you haven’t seen in years and just talk about old times. Volunteer to organize a letter writing campaign at your kennel club to send cards to all the judges on your panel this year, thanking them for their time. Offer your club’s members to judge local 4H or fun matches. Join up with the AKC’s Fit Dog Turkey Trot and invite someone you think could use a morale boost.
- IF YOU BUILD IT, they will come… Take that gamble. Do the hard thing. Live within your means. All of these are insipid truisms and throw away phrases, right up until they’re actual hard truths. Right now, what is that one thing for you? Run for president of your national club or your city council. Start a local handling class or a cooking class for new moms. Go back to school and start a new career. Whatever your dreams are, push them. Get that new puppy in a new breed. Stretch your boundaries and push your limits. Have a story to tell? Write that article or book or podcast. What’s the worst thing that happens? Nobody reads it? I can assure you, from vast personal experience, rejection – of an idea, a dog or you personally — is not the very worst thing that will ever happen.
- EMBRACE Serendipity… I know this one is a little woowoo, but I’m going to tell y’all a story. 2015 was my year from hell. I lost puppies and old dogs and old friends and dreamed of wins and my mom…. All too much, too close, too hard… I stumbled through the end of the year and much of 2016 in a very rough place mentally, physically and emotionally. In the midst of that, I met a new person with new ideas who didn’t know I was a walking train wreck. Serendipity do. Or maybe it was mom working her magic … We’ll never know. But Mary Albee asked me to host this podcast, and I said no, I don’t talk, I write. And she said no, I want you to be the host…. Well, it’s history now, but a vaguely formed idea in the back of my head of offering an education platform that was sorely lacking in our community came to fruition. I worked my ass off. I invested my money, my skills and a new-found laser focus into helping other people. When we get outside of our own heads. When we focus on others. When we give instead of take. There is literally no limit to what we can achieve.
- TEACH! Mentor, coach, guide, share the knowledge you have. LEARN! None of us knows everything. The very greatest thing about my job is the opportunity to learn something new every day. The following is a fitting aspiration …
I offer this toast in closing:
…. To all we have been, to all we have lost, to all we will become….
Let’s celebrate All Hallows Eve tonight and raise a glass to All Saints Day tomorrow. May our memories of them be blessings.
Give more grace. Wag more, bark less. Wage peace.
Namaste.
552 – Spinone Italiano: Storied Bird Dogs of Gentle Character
Spinone Italiano: Storied Bird Dogs of Gentle Character
Long time breeder Allison Schultz, of del Caos Spinoni, joins host Laura Reeves for a Love the Breeds month discussion of the fascinating history and empathetic nature of the Spinone Italiano.
Allison Shultz’ “Limbo,” shown by Nancy Martin, the breed’s first Best in Show record holder, with five lifetime BIS awards.
Schultz acquired her first Spinone in the early 1990s, long before they were officially recognized by the American Kennel Club. The breed dates back thousands of years in Italy, to when birds were hunted with nets.
“(It) probably started 2,500 years ago. Long before there was a gun, there was a hunting dog in Italy. They were known as the pointing griffon, rough coat griffon, because they have a wire coat.
“Interestingly enough, when you go to Italy and you go to some of the palaces as a tourist, you’ll see the Bracco in the mosaics and in the paintings, because they were the dogs of the Lords. The Spinone was really the dog of the peasant.
Spinoni move quietly through even the toughest cover.
“When they first started hunting, it was either maybe slingshots, but mostly nets. So, they had to be really quiet in the field. (The dogs) had to be intuitive because you couldn’t yell at them because the birds would fly away. So, they really became very close working, silent hunters.
“They work at a trot so that the human can keep up. They’re not one to bolt a half a mile away looking for a bird because it’s so ingrained into them and so intrinsic that they had to hunt close (so) the hunters could throw nets over the flocks of birds.
Ch. Elettra del Subasio showing correct coat and skin.
“They developed a really thick skin, which is really, really important to the breed. And the thick skin is as thick as a cow. It’s called the skin of the bull in Italy. And the name Spinoni means thorn. They can go through any kind of cover without even noticing it.
“They have this ability to move quite silently through even the hardest cover, and even though they could break through easily. They just don’t do that. They’re very, I hate to say, careful because that implies slow, but they’re very, very careful about how they move.
“And the other thing they did is that they naturally flush. So, they point and let the human being know where the birds are. Then if the net gets thrown or they throw the net up in the air, Spinoni will then flush the bird into the nets. That’s how they provided food long before there were guns and bows and arrows or anything, actually.
The gentle, empathetic character of the Spinone is paramount.
“The first thing in the original standard, which the Italians still hold today, is they must be of the sweet temperament. So that means in 1,500 years of record keeping there was never a bite in Italy from a Spinone. One of the reasons their temperament must be so sweet is that they have to live with other dogs. Because the Italians usually had Segugios to hunt and take care of the rats and the vineyards and the gardens, and that’s what they depended on for living.
“So, the Spinoni had to be a dog that got along well with other dogs, always. But the first thing in that standard is character. And the most important thing about Spinoni is the character has to be sweet. Dolce, they call it, gentle character. That’s very, very, very important.
“And a little interesting point about World War Two, in the Italian resistance, which one of my mentors was in… They used the Spinoni when they went on things because the Spinoni could tell the difference between Italians coming to meet them and Germans. That was by the diet, we believe, because the Germans ate mostly German food and smelled differently than the Italians did. They could identify the Germans quite readily.
“And remember, the resistance in Italy, after Mussolini fell, were a lot of teenagers 15, 16, 17, 18 year olds, it wasn’t necessarily the old guard. But many of those men were in families that were fifth, six, 7th, 8th generation Spinoni breeders. A lot of the old breeders… would have seven generations of their parents’ records, as Spinoni breeders.”