Health: One Important Piece of the Puzzle of Breeding

Dogs are imperfect biological beings, just like us. We humans experience health issues and hardship related to those issues and yet no one suggests that our parents should not have fallen in love and started a family. Animal husbandry, and in our case, dog breeding, is a bit different in that we manage nearly every aspect of reproduction and determine so much about the future generations of our dogs. We decide which traits we hope to carry forward and we do our best to increase the chances of producing those traits in each subsequent generation. The best breeders among us do everything possible to reduce the incidence of common illnesses and other conditions that affect the quality of life of pups that we produce. We (responsible breeders) do our best, yet we cannot control everything...as much as we might wish that we could.

People purchase puppies with their hard-earned money. And, just like the parents of a newborn child, they hope that their youngster will live a long, healthy life, free from pain and adversity. But puppies are not a product of manufacturing (like a car). They are flesh and blood and bone, like us. I wish responsible breeders could guarantee perfect health for every puppy that we produce, but it's not possible to provide such a guarantee. What we can guarantee is that we will do everything that a person can do to reduce the risks of health issues by using the tools currently available to us. Responsible breeders do genetic testing for those diseases for which the scientific community has managed to find genetic markers. We x-ray hips and elbows for orthopedic weaknesses. And, we do annual eye exams for those eye conditions that can be visibly observed by a canine opthalmologist. Some of those conditions develop over time, which is why an annual exam is necessary. But, there are more health conditions than there are available tests. So, where we don't have a test, we have to research the health of dogs in the pedigrees of our sires and dams. We talk to owners and breeders of closely related dogs We commit ourselves to doing diligent homework.

When people buy from responsible breeders, they want guarantees that this new recipient of all of their love, hard work, and training will be perfectly healthy. But, as we've already said, no one among us can give you such a guarantee. We can and do promise you that we will devote ourselves to education and research about how to breed the healthiest puppies possible and that we won't compromise or skip any important steps in achieving that goal. But, that is truly the only guarantee that a responsible breeder can offer you.

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Gudgeon and Gina have happy news.

With all of that said, we are pleased to say that our two year-old Gudgeon has just received a batch of results for all of the major health clearances that are most commonly done in our breed. Though the bulk of health screening is now behind us, she will continue to get yearly eye exams. We are happy to report that Gudgeon is clear of the following genetic diseases: Degenerative Myelopathy, Exercise-Induced Collapse, Progressive Retinal Atrophy (pr-cd), and Ectodermal Dysplasia. Her x-rays have been evaluated by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. Her hips received a rating of "Good" and her elbows were found to be "Normal." In addition, she has two clear eye exams. Now, we breathe a sigh of relief and we begin planning for the future of The Weatherdeck.

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The American Chesapeake Club's 2017 National Specialty Show

We spent Labor Day Weekend with the Chesapeake Nation (or rather the Chesapeake World) in Raleigh, North Carolina for the American Chesapeake Club's annual National Specialty Show. Chesapeake breeders and owners from around the country look forward to this yearly event with great anticipation as we get to see so many Chesapeakes in one place competing in dock diving, agility, obedience and rally, conformation, and the field. And Chesapeake fanciers from around the world also attend each year. Friends from Germany, Greece, and the UK joined us for the fun this year. 

We travelled to North Carolina with our local Maryland friend, Amy, and our friend Maria who'd travelled from Greece to see the show for the first time. On board were Amy's Poppy, our Gudgeon, and our homebred boy, Brutus, who we co-bred with Jane Pappler of Redlion Kennels and who's owned by our friend Richard Schauber. 

Gudgeon and I had been working for over a year to train for obedience and rally obedience competition and this show in Raleigh was her debut in the obedience ring. We entered Rally Novice and Beginner Novice and were thrilled to earn qualifying scores in both and 4th place in her Rally class. In conformation, Gudgeon was entered in the Bred-by Exhibitor class where the handler must be the breeder and owner of the dog. It is a place for breeders to showcase their best dogs who are not yet champions and for this reason, it is often a very competitive class. For the second year in a row, Gudgeon placed 2nd place in the Bred-by class. To receive a placement in this class at your National is a huge honor and it means a great deal to us. Gudgeon was also asked to enter the ring with her father, BISS GCH Chestnut Hills Windjammer SH WDX "Jessie," for the Stud Dog class. In this class, the offspring of the stud dog are evaluated to assess the stud dog's ability to produce quality offspring. We were honored to be asked by Karen and Ron Anderson for Gudgeon to represent her father. Gudgeon appeared in this class with half-brother, Brody, bred by Robyn Haskin and owned by friends Jill and Rob Conroy. Out of 10 stud dogs in the Stud Dog class, Gudgeon's father was awarded first place and we were thrilled to play a part in that.

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Gudgeon and I in our Beginner Novice Class. Photo Credit: Maria Kapsali.

We started our week off by attending the American Chesapeake Club's first ever Dock Diving competition. As you can imagine, Chesapeakes tend to excel at this sport. I've never competed in Dock Diving before, but decided to let Brutus have a go at it. He's no stranger to jumping off high banks when hunting, so surely he could jump off a dock, right? Though I never suspected that I would get so excited to see one of my dogs jump off the dock, Brutus' enthusiasm for the task made my heart pound. He finished the day with two qualifying Senior jumps of 15'6 and 17'6. I guess now, we'll have to get him out to finish that title.

I adore the look on Brutus' face as he jumps. Expert throwing by Maria Kapsali. Photo Credit: Diane Lewis Photography.

Long ago, when I was planning to attend my first Chesapeake National, a friend advised me to enter my dog so that I would be a full participant in the event rather than just a spectator. Remembering that good advise led me to invite our Greek friend Maria to show Brutus for us at the National. Maria has shown her own dogs in addition to helping out our friend in the UK by showing Arnac Chesapeakes from time to time and she is a talented handler. I knew Brutus would be in good hands and I knew it would mean the world to Maria to show a dog at an American Chesapeake Club National. Brutus was entered in the Hunting Dog Class. He's eligible to enter this class by virtue of holding an AKC Senior Hunt title. Breeders and owners choose to enter their dogs in this class because they want the judge to know that the dog is a working retriever, not just a show dog. As a club, we should all be very proud that this year, we had a very large Hunting Dog class of 12 dogs. All the dogs in the class also hold show championship titles and 7 of them hold Grand Championship titles as well. Brutus is a multiple group winning senior hunter with a Grand Champion title. Maria showed him so skillfully as I sat ringside and watched someone else handle him for the first time. I watched this new pair with great pride. They were awarded first place in this competitive Hunting Dog class which enabled them to return to the ring on Sunday to compete for Best of Breed as the Hunting Dog. We all would have been over the moon if it had stopped there, but it didn't. The next day was a nail-biting experience as the judge made cut after cut and Maria and Brutus remained in the ring...always looking their best. The judge cut the male dogs down to only six and at this point we knew it was likely we would go home with a major award. In the end, Brutus was awarded Select Dog (2nd best male) out of ~200 entries. I'm so grateful to Maria for presenting him so beautifully and giving me the chance to watch it all unfold from the sidelines. 

Judge Lisa Warren, Handler Maria Kapsali, me, and Show Chair George Makatura.

I left this trip so proud of these two dogs who were born into my hands. I'm proud of their amazing temperaments, their working abilities, their beauty, and their hearts. I had a wonderful time at this event as all of my friends and I shared our dogs with each other. There was a great atmosphere where we all wished for and celebrated each other's successes. Such good times with a great group of people. Until next July in Ohio....

Our Trip to the American Chesapeake Club's 2016 National Show Specialty

Every year, I attend the American Chesapeake Club's National Show Specialty. The show rotates each year across three regions of our country, so travel is sometimes involved. I go to the effort to attend this event each year for reasons that I'll share below. For the first time, I missed our National last year when our pups were born just a few days before the event and I was unable to leave mom and pups to travel to Wisconsin. I was thrilled to have a whelping box filled with happy, healthy pups, so I had no regrets about staying home. But, I was particularly excited to head to Portland, Oregon last week for the 2016 show.

When I can, I enter my dogs to compete in the various events associated with our National Specialty. Over the years, I've competed in Obedience, Rally, Conformation, and our Working Dog Stakes. It's not always possible to take a dog for various reasons, but it's important for me to attend regardless because I go for many reasons beyond competition. Our National provides many opportunities, both formal and informal, for learning. There are typically several seminars (health, breed, judging, handling, etc.). And, the show brings knowledgeable people together from around the U.S. and the world and we have nearly a week to spend together to watch judging, share meals, have a drink, or simply walk our dogs together. The formal seminars and the informal discussions are an invaluable learning opportunity for me.

Though I live in Maryland and have the ability to see many Chesapeakes on a regular basis, I think it's important to get out and see dogs from other regions so that my perspective on the breed isn't limited to what I can see locally. I become familiar with dogs from other lines and this opens up breeding opportunities that can help to preserve diversity within our gene pool. I go to see possible stud dogs. And, in one place, you can sometimes see the parents and offspring of any given dog. It's important to see how traits are passed along.

And, amidst all that "work," I get to visit with dear, old friends and make special, new friends. Our common bond is strong as is our commitment to the breed that we love. We joke. We laugh. We support one another. We celebrate each other's successes. And, when the veteran classes go around the ring, we even shed tears together...tears for the old ones we've grown to love over the years...and for those we've recently lost. My friends in our breed community have become some of my dearest friends and I really treasure them. 

This year, I hopped on a plane with my little Gudgeon who celebrated her first birthday in Portland. It was her first big trip and first time on a plane. It seems that all of our socialization and training paid off as she was relaxed and enthusiastic about the whole adventure. She went nearly everywhere with me during our stay in Portland and was a ray of sunshine with all she met. When it was time to compete, we showed in the Puppy Sweepstakes under breeder judge, Annette Monugian (Marnett's Chesapeakes) and in the Bred-by Exhibitor class under breeder judge, Betsy Horn Humer (Eastern Water's Chesapeakes). Both judges placed Gudgeon in 2nd place in their respective classes. This was a lovely result for her 2nd weekend out in the show ring. In addition, Gudgeon earned her Canine Good Citizen title. So, all-in-all, this was a successful trip for us on many fronts. And, I loved having this time to deepen our bond. 

I want to thank Chairpersons Marilyn Williams and Karen Marcotte and everyone who volunteered to host us all in Portland. I've co-chaired one of these events myself and have served on the American Chesapeake Club Show Committee and I know how much work goes into a specialty that spans six days and includes 6 competition events, seminars, meals, trophies, etc.  Thank you, Team Portland!

Week of Wow!

Wow! What an exciting week for four 10 month-old Weatherdeck/Arnac pups in three countries. Our Gudgeon got things rolling over the weekend when she entered the show ring for the very first time in a series of three shows in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I expected her to be a wiggly puppy that would be easily distracted by all the sights and sounds of a large indoor show. She impressed me by being completely at ease and by carrying herself in a way that allowed the judges to see her in the best light. On Day 1 she was awarded Winners Bitch and began her journey toward her conformation championship. Wow! Winners Bitch at her first show! On Day 2 the hosting kennel club had a special competition for puppies under one year of age. Gudgeon was Best Puppy for her breed which meant that she got to compete in a puppy sporting group. She was not intimidated by the larger ring where she claimed 2nd place in the group. Wow! Holding her own with the best puppies of the other breeds in the sporting group! She finished up the weekend with another Winners Bitch award and the added honor of being selected as Best of Winners. The weekend far surpassed my expectations. This was supposed to be a learning experience for Gudgeon and an opportunity for us to learn to work as a team in the show ring. It's such an honor for her to so well received during her debut weekend.

Gudgeon. Practicing the fine art of standing still. (Photo by Karen Beste) 

Before we'd even packed up to head home, unexpected news started coming in from far away. On that same day, three of Gudgeon's littermates were also being recognized in both the UK and Norway! I didn't even know that they, too, were entered in shows on that day. Brother and sister, Buoy and Delta were battling it out for Best Puppy in the UK. Buoy was Best Dog Puppy and Delta was Best Bitch Puppy and in the end, the judge chose Delta to be Best Puppy overall! Then, in Norway, Glenna was awarded Best of Opposite Sex and her first Challenge Certificate with a rating of Excellent. Owner, Heidi Sageng, was on the other end of the lead. Wow, what a great day for all of these pups!

In Norway, Glenna and Handler/Co-owner, Heidi Sageng. (Photo by Co-owner Margunn Tvedten. )

And, if all that wasn't enough excitement for one week, today Buoy knocked it out of the ballpark in the UK when he went Reserve Best Puppy in Show, handled by our friend James Newton. Just, wow!

Chrissie Mayhew and I worked very hard to make this breeding happen and we couldn't have done it without the help of our good friends Sue Worrall, Polly Ruff, Richard Schauber, and the Wernecke family. And, Karen and Ron Anderson of Chestnut Hills Kennel (breeder/owner of the stud dog) have been equally supportive and invested in the whole project. Our little family is touched by a bit of pride this week. What great fun for all of us!

Happy Summer from The Weatherdeck

The rolling Weatherdeck is at it's summer location on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina where we camp in the sand dunes with the dogs. Gudgeon (now 9 months old) is enjoying her first trip to the beach. Bo'sun  (9 years old) and Eddy (nearly 14 years old) are seasoned campers and they are showing her the ropes. We'll share more photos when we get home, but we got a real keeper of Gudgeon on one of our first morning walks on the beach. 

Ratters!

Just a quick Barn Hunt follow-up. Last weekend, we set off for another weekend of Barn Hunt trials with our friend, Amy Wernecke and her Poppy. Both of our young girls went into the weekend with a start toward earning their first Barn Hunt titles and they both came out of the weekend as certified ratters. Gudgeon and Poppy earned their Instinct and Novice titles and it seems that we've all been bitten by a new bug. 

New Beginnings with a New Sport - Barn Hunt!

When you try something new, it's always fun to do it in the company of good friends. My friend Amy Wernecke and I have begun to explore the sport of Barn Hunt with our young girls: Poppy and Gudgeon. The sport pays tribute to the role that dogs have long played in ridding barns of pests. Terriers have their Earth Dog Trials, but they are limited to dogs that can "go to ground" in small tunnels. The relatively new sport of Barn Hunt is open to all breeds that can pass through a tunnel made with bales of hay and, therefore, many more breeds can participate. Even a Scottish Deerhound participated in the trial we attended last weekend!

It's been three weeks of back-to-back ratting for Amy, Poppy, Gudgeon, and me, which led a good friend to refer to us as "The Rat Pack.". We went to our first training day which was enough to give us confidence to enter a trial the following weekend. Both of our girls earned their first legs in the Novice Class which requires the dogs to use their nose to discriminate between three different PVC tubes that are all hidden amongst the hay. One tube is empty. A second tube contains a rat. And, a third tube contains rat litter (intended to deceive the dogs.) The dogs have two minutes to achieve three tasks. They must locate the tube with the rat and signal their find to their handler who must be able to read their signals. When the handler believes they've received an indication from their dog, they must call "Rat!" to the judge who reveals whether the dog has chosen the correct tube. Also, within the allotted time period, the dog must pass completely through a tunnel of hay and they must execute a climb upon the hay bales. As soon, as the dogs have accomplished all three tasks, the judge records their time. The fastest dogs receive placements. And, of course, if all tasks are not completed within two minutes, the dog does not qualify. 

In our first weekend of trials, both Gudgeon and Poppy qualified and placed in their classes. They NQ'd a few times as well, but it is those shiny ribbons and the joy of watching our girls learn and grow with us that has us going back again this weekend. Anything that stimulates our dog's minds and deepens our partnership is a good thing in our book. 

If you'd like to learn more about the sport of Barn Hunt, please visit the Barn Hunt Association's website at barnhunt.com. Barn Hunt titles are recognized by the American Kennel Club.

Poppy's first qualifying run in the sport of Barn Hunt.