Dog Parks and Puppies -- NO!

Perfect example why I'd rather to go the dentist, than a dog park.  Read: "Well Socialized? No, Well traumatized." - http://www.whenhoundsfly.com/well-socialized-well-traumatized/

In the opinion of many other dog behaviorists "dog park" is a four letter word as far as puppies are concerned.  I share these sentiments.

More reading "Welcome to the Frat Party a/k/a I'm not Socializing my Puppy that Way so Go Away" by The Dog Snob blog. Excerpt below:

"Regardless of how you feel about adult dogs at dog parks, I think there is one thing we can all agree on. Puppies do NOT belong at dog parks. Period. End of story. Why, you ask? Let us count the ways. Illness. Injury. Stress and fear responses. The list goes on and on. Dog parks are like frat parties. They are full of loud, rude, clueless, and overstimulated individuals who only get worse when part of a large group. Plus, farting and humping is not only allowed, but encouraged. "

The BOYZ - 2, Their Breeder - 0

They did it again! 

Crates, Car Rides, Shots and Vets -- OH MY!

The BOYZ had a big day -- a car ride to the vet in a crate. The pups were a huge hit at Yorba Regional Animal Hospital where they got a check up and weigh in.  There was a bit more "quiet" on the way home from the vet (1.25 drive) -- yay! 

NO THANK YOU to jingling tags!!!

Lyra" models the collars/tags I prefer

With as active as Vizslas are (as in perpetual motion) I simply cannot take the jingling tags. I have found several nameplates (and collars) that look great and are nice and silent.

First of all, I exclusively use these nylon hunting collars. They scrub clean, are odor proof and all the colors look great on a Vizsla's coat (I know, I have almost all the colors!) and for ten bucks you can't beat the price, especially since they come with a FREE CUSTOM name plate! http://www.gundogsupply.com/k-9-komfort-center-ring-w--dee-3-4--collar.html  $9.95 - I also like these cheaper versions (less colors though)
http://www.gundogsupply.com/k9k-center-ring-3-4in-day-glow-collar.html $4.99

I have 3/4" (11-15" length) for adult girls and I usually do 1" on adult boys (or Csilla).  I like the "O" ring in the back of the collar, easier to clasp a leash in a hurry.  ASK ME about puppy sizing. 

Additional Name Plate: http://www.gundogsupply.com/exidplatwitr.html 

You can also use these Boomerang "Collar Tags":

http://www.boomerangtags.com/page.php?c=collartags&k=h#CollarTag_L

Connecting the dots between Exercise and Injuries

This diagram shows the growth plates which will close (indicated by the black lines) between 6-12 months and which joints are most vulnerable (indicated by the red circles).

The average age for injured puppy is between 9-13 months. For most owners the story is always the same, owners don't understand what happened, ". . . he's been doing (this) for months, and then all of a sudden, BANG, he came back on three legs"! Truth is, the puppy was injured because he had been exercising at levels that are only safe for mature dogs (hiking for an hour or longer / running at full tilt after Chuck-It balls or beside a bike...).

How this happened should be no mystery. The diagram illustrates all the asymmetrical development of puppy's limbs. The hips, shoulders, elbows, stifles, hocks and SPINE are all vulnerable, creating more serious risks than when the puppy was young.

Please limit the amount of exercise for your puppy (refer to my exercise guidelines).

Top 10 Best Pet Insurance Companies

Pet insurance is a good idea for an athletic breed like the Vizsla, a broken leg will cost you a couple hundred and an obstruction surgery will cost you thousands (like $7,500).  Here's a link to the Top 10 Best Pet Insurance companies http://tinyurl.com/per6369

10 Reasons Not to Use a Retractable Leash

10 Reasons Not to Use a Retractable Leash

1. The length of retractable leashes, 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