26 Jan 2013

Kirkintilloch, Lenzie & District Canine Society

At Lawrie and Symington in Lanark


CULSEANDANES VIPERS TALE
 3rd in Great Dane Graduate 
thanks to the judge Elaine Robertson for thinking so highly of Stripe.

This was Colin's first stint in the ring and he did good I thought with Stripe even when he started loosing his trousers. 







 Al came 1st in Junior Handling





Plus Best Junior Handler








with CULSEANDANES VIPER'S TALE  aka Stripe.
His first of many to come.
Now his face was a peach and I missed it. 
The shock and surprise on his face was seen by all.
I would like to thank everyone for rooting for him also 
the words of encouragement to him even the complete stranger that was rooting for my lad and dog.
The cheers could be heard thoroughout the halls. 
big thanks to the judge Erin McShane for thinking so highly of the boys as she was undecided over her winner so asked them all breed questions about their chosen dog. 
A very well deserved win for Al. 




13 Jan 2013

PAISLEY & DISTRICT CANINE SOCIETY

Today at Magnum Centre.

Culseandanes Viper's Tales came 

3rd in Great Dane Graduate, 
the difference today was I was in the ring with him and I was very nervous as its been over a year since my last time.

Thanks to Mrs Harriet McLean for thinking so highly of Stripe on the day.




Me being a tad nervous in the ring. 

Al and Stripe 




In JH today Al and Culseandanes Viper's Tale
they came 2nd and again qualified for the semi finals at Richmond in September 2013 
Really proud of them both 
Well done Al and Stripe.
Judge today was Mr Ryan Lack.

Thank you for the encouragment from friends for Al 

11 Jan 2013

ringcraft

We go every week sometimes twice depending on schedules of my husband. He is our driver after all.
We havent been since the Christmas break and Loki was being a bugger till our Teacher showed him who was boss.  He didnt like it but did it as he knew I stand nice treats come. I run on another treat for me. He learns very fast.

So Al is running him on and he goes flying as the floors are sliddy oops and nearly goes on top of a bordeaux who played nice as Loki slid into her poor love.  So a change of shoes for Al so he isnt sliding about the place and he goes early next week for extra training, as his dog and himself are in the ring as of the 9th of next month. So training every night for Al as homework 15 minutes is all and he shall get it.
Bella was a sweetie and thoroughly enjoyed herself at ringcraft doing her stance and running on showing off wagging her tail bless her. I hope this continues as she matures. A good try for her as it was her first time ever with no training except a couple of stances at home.


We use half choke chains on them and lead and it seems to be working for both puppies. A nice at heel walk a few pullings but thats to be expected. Slowly gettting there with them. We think both boys will go far in the show ring as long as both train everyday.



I am fair excited about next month for Loki and Al and he gets to do it alone on the day.

here at 10 days old having a snuggle. 


10 Jan 2013

Kibble fed Great Danes

kibble food

Now most try and get one that has meat first. I know I do, so I recommend

Proplan 
Protein - 27.0% Fat content - 12.0% Crude ash - 7.5%

Royal Canin
Protein -18%  Fat content -16.5%  Crude ash -8.8% Calcium - 1.01%

Iams 
Protein - 23% Fat content - 13% Crude ash - 7.2%  Calcium -1.2% 


Canagan
Crude Protein 33.00%, Fat Content 17.00%, Crude Fibre 3.50%, 

Acana
Protein 33%, Fat Content 17%, Crude Ash 7.5%, Crude Fibre 3.5%, Calcium 1.3%,

Orijen
Crude Protein (Min.) 38 %, Crude Fat (Min.) 18 %, Crude Ash(Max.) 8 %, Calcium (Min/max) 1.3 %, 


As I have used these personally. Mainly all large breed adult too. 
Some have higher protein than others same with the fat levels. 
It isn't the protein you have to watch for, it's the calcium levels in researching about kibble foods. Some are better and I know some are expensive but if you're using a filler food you are in fact using a lot more than you think so a false saving don't you think. 


I have had no adverse effects from them eating these kibbles as no runny bums unless overfed which is easy too do in puppies as they are naturally greedy. 



Some tips. 

Whenever switching foods, do it gradually, by mixing the old and new foods together, increasing the new food a little each meal. This helps avoid loose stools.

Feed out of clean, stainless steal bowls. Plastic bowls harbour bacteria and can cause issues, like doggy acne.

Many giant breed owners feed out of elevated bowls. The raised bowls are merely for the dog's comfort, it neither prevents or causes bloat. I personally feed floor level. 


Dane puppies tend to be lean and gangly while growing up. This is normal so dont panic. Some take longer to mature than others too so dont panic and telephone your breeder to have a chat to clear up that for you. 

After maturity, don't allow your Dane to become over weight. Spaying/neutering doesn't cause a dog to become over weight - over feeding and not enough exercise does! Many people seem to believe that if a dog's fat doesn't jiggle, the dog isn't fat - not true. You will decrease your dogs life if over weight. 

Happy Trails now. 

Updated 07/01/2014

For raw feeders follow the link
feeding-raw-to-your-great-dane

    9 Jan 2013

    Feeding Raw to your Great Dane


    Why switch to raw 
    To have a happier, healthier pet with cleaner teeth, better coat, and fewer medical problems.
    So you can spend more time with your furry friend. 
    Because you want your pet to live the longest, healthiest life possible. 
    Well they are my reasons. 



    Tripe


    Raw Feeding FAQ


    Getting Started

    How much should I feed?

    The general guideline is 2% to 3% of your dog's ideal adult weight. This is only a starting point. Each dog is different. Watch your dog's waist and ribs. If your dog gets too chubby, cut back on what you're feeding. If your dog gets too thin, increase what you're feeding.  Its your eye that tells how much really and once established you'll just know.


    So for a 65kg Great Dane I would feed  1.6kg per day not per feed per day. This does not look like a lot but it is in fact enough for your Dane would you believe. 

    Yes many would then go on to overfeed their dog only because this isnt a lot. All you will do is give your dog a poopy bum 

    Puppies are fed 8% of their body weight as they tend to get fat if fed more than that. Once they are 6 months old I feed them the same as the adults going by their body weight. Yes this is a bit of a pain as they'll need weighed at least once a fortnight. 



    How should I start? Should I switch my dog gradually to a raw diet?


    Most dogs do best with being switched cold turkey. Feed kibble one day, feed raw the next day. Kibble is an unnatural food for a carnivore. It takes your dog much longer to digest kibble than it will to digest raw. If you try to alternate between the two the raw food can get "stuck in traffic" behind the kibble. This can cause the raw food to pass more slowly through the system than it should which can cause problems for some dogs.


    What should I start with when I switch my dog to raw?

    One common beginner mistake is to feed too much variety too soon.
    Pick one protein source and stick with it for a week or two. A popular choice for dogs new to raw is chicken. It's inexpensive, the bones are relatively soft and easy to digest for beginners, and it's easy to find. Chicken leg quarters are a good choice for most dogs.
    They have a good amount of meat on them. Watch with wings and necks with your Great Dane as some do like to try and swallow whole.
    Do not freak out if they do barf back their meal and eat it again for beginners this is normal in fact some of the established feeders do this too so dont be alarmed and yes let them eat it again. I know minging but they dont mind honest.


    I just offered my dog a raw meal and he/she is looking at me like I've grown a second head. help what now?

    There are a few possibilities. First there are additives to kibble to make it addictive to dogs. Raw food won't have as strong a smell so your dog may not realise that what you've put in front of him/her is actually food. Sometimes tuff love is required to convince them otherwise.
    Give your dog 10  minutes. If he/she is showing no interest in the food casually take it up and put it in the fridge for next meal time.
    DO NOT offer anything else until next meal time. At the next meal time offer the SAME thing that was refused at the previous meal and repeat the process. Some dogs have been known to hold out two or three days, or longer, before they decide to accept raw food.
    Believe me this is tougher on the human than on the dog. I know you will be tempted to give your dog a snack. Resist the temptation for your dog's sake. A healthy dog will not starve himself/herself. There are some medical reasons why your dog may not want to eat what you're offering.
    teeth decay is quite common in kibble fed dogs. If your dog's mouth is in bad shape and causing him/her pain he/she may be reluctant to eat RMBs(Raw Meaty Bones). If you suspect that there might be a medical reason why your dog is reluctant to eat you should have him/her checked out by a vet.


    Myth 

    Feeding raw to your dog will not make them go out and kill or even bite you it does not make them blood thirsty either.


    A mixture of tripe, mince and a chicken leg which has bone in it.

    NEVER EVER COOK ANY OF THE MEATS WITH BONES AS THEY CAN CHOKE ON THEM AND SPLINTER INSIDE AND KILL 


    These are one meal and I feed 3 times a day for easier digestion, mainly for the puppies. Once over 6 months I feed twice daily.



    List of foods you can give at any meal. 

    Chicken 

    Turkey

    Rabbit


    Tripe

    Cod

    Salmon

    Sardines

    Veal

    Horse

    Beef


    Heart



    Tongue


    Liver

    Veggies (if they'll eat them)



    Pork 



    Duck



    Pig (heads) 



    Pig trotters 



    Whole Eggs



    We find because ours are a large breed to not give minced as they hoover it up to quickly and barf it back or to supervise at all times and sometimes hand feed it so they slow down. So we try and give large pieces so they can chew slowly well in theory they chew slowly. 



    Puppies tend to play first and then they get it and chew which is fun to watch them munch and crunch away.




    Homebred puppies
    We begin our puppies on raw mince of beef or chicken at 3 weeks sometimes 4 weeks depending on how mature they are. This is finely minced and yes there is bone in it too. 

    Mummy dog will drop her food in the whelping box for them to try and if they don't eat it after 30 minutes or so she will go back and eat it. We remove her at this point because she will barf it back for them as she would in the wild. This is usually our key to knowing that the pups are ready for a meal. 

     Raw fed


     raw fed
     raw fed. 



    Noona gnawing a tasty bone 


    Covers or rugs are washed every second day if down as all dogs need supervised when eating raw in case of disagreements. If outdoors its fine as they find a corner to eat and its all done in about 15 minutes except pig heads because of the chewing involved. 

    Trial and Error is the key here. 




    This information is meant as an introduction to raw
    Please, do thorough research about what it takes to create a healthy diet before starting your pet on raw. 

    Not all take to  raw so I have done a bit on Kibble link below to follow 






















    7 Jan 2013

    Before and after for whelping on raw.

    Dams before and after whelping on a raw diet.

    Week 1 - 4,  after mating she should be on her normal diet. Do not increase as of yet.


    Week 5 – 7,  increase the minces. Your dam is your guide here. Please include liver by 3% and bone. For me personally it was 5% sometimes a little more and the liver stayed steady on the 3% most days. This is to stop her the dam being striped of calcium at birth with the bone and to form the pups also. Liver is for vitamin C for both. Please keep an eye on the back end as this is a good guide on what is happening and adjust as needed too. 

    Week 8, increase again now but no bone in diet at all not even in the minces.


    Week 9,  food should be doubled accordingly or what your dam will eat. My dam wasn't fat and most carry big litters or big pups. 


    When we got to week 7, I was feeding my dam little and often and we got to 6 meals a day. She didn’t mind at all and we where feeding about 7-8kg and this should continue till pups are 3 weeks old.

    After the birth make up a broth for her to have not long after finishing please do not be alarmed if she is sick after just gauge your dam accordingly.  I sometimes wait a few hours after birth to give the broth. Plus bones are back on the menu the next day.

    Week 1 -3 post birth your dam will need double or treble the amounts you normally fed. So say your dam was fed 3lbs pre pregnancy she will be on 6-9lbs daily feed her small amounts throughout the day. She needs this to feed them pups and if a big litter she will be looking for this

    Week 4 start decreasing the amounts given to the dam as she should now be getting clean up duties from the pups and they will be drinking less.

    Week 5 she should be on double rations now because pups will be totally weaned but still feeding from her.

    Week 6 she should be on her normal rations now as pups wont be going in 4-6 times a day just maybe once or twice.






    5 Jan 2013

    BAKA

    At Thainstone Exchange in Inverurie
    Culseandanes Brutus Blue 
    Great Dane Post Graduate  3rd 

    Thank you to judge Mrs M Cunningham for thinking so highly of Leo
    Taken at the show the wee whippet was a bit frightened of the boyos but they only wanted to say hello.


    Vipers Tale from Culseandanes was not placed out of a strong class of 5 

    In JH today Al and Culseandanes Brutus Blue was not placed out of a strong class of 6.  

    Al even answered 3 breed questions correctly in his class and stood very well with Leo thats all we can ask of them isnt it. 
    He run on his dog very well and did everything correctly too which I am very proud of in my boy.
    Well done Al. 

    It was another long day for us as we didnt wait on the AH class as hubby was tired and I mean tired as it was a long drive to the venue and another long drive back. 




    1 Jan 2013

    my son Al


    I am very proud of Al as he has overcome a lot of issues because of his disabilites (ADHD, Tourettes and Asperger's),  in his life and relates so much with the dogs it makes me smile with pride. 

    He and whatever dog he has on the day are placed and has qualified twice for Richmond in the semi finals. 

    He was on a high at Magnum Centre the Greenock Ho Ho Christmas Show as he got a second in Junior Handling which made him swell with pride as it was totally unexpected to him we knew he had it in him, and went on to show Leo the next day at Larkhall all by himself in the big rings. Al and Leo got 2nd, 3rd and 4th in his classes.  

    Sadly he missed his JH class as they held it first thing. 

    A few of our friends stayed till the end for the stake classes which was nice and encouraging for him. 

    He is getting known now in the show ring and folks are saying hi to him and calling his name. He does get a tad embarrassed though cos he is looking and going who is that but he knows the dogs more than the owner. 

    He has been shown a few tips from other owners, breeders and handlers which he has taken on board. 

    He is our young one up and coming and I see good things for him in 2013. He takes pride in himself and his dog on the day with gentle encouragement to the dog and himself.

    If unsure he will ask the judge again where he has to go. If unsure of a floor he walks not runs the dog for safety reasons and if asked he will say.