Are LUA Dalmatians the future?

Maybe? Probably at least in some capacity.

Why not now? Why not 100%?

I often hear people speak about the LUA program as though it’s the answer to everything. I frequently read statements like “no reputable breeder wouldn’t be incorporating LUA dogs!” (usually confidently stated by someone not in the breed….). Why isn’t every breeder incorporating LUA Dalmatians into their program?

First things first, what is an LUA Dalmatian?

The Dalmatian Backcross Project started in 1973 with an outcross using an AKC-registered Champion Pointer bred to an AKC-registered Dalmatian dam.

The project was started to address the Dalmatian’s genetic predisposition to forming urate urinary crystals.

In the AKC, LUA Dalmatians have a unique registration number; in the CKC they do not.

Truth in advertising

The LUA backcross corrects the predisposition to urate urinary crystals and stones, however I regularly see LUA breeders touting that their programs prevent urinary issues, which is simply inaccurate.

The LUA program does nothing to address the risk of the two most common urinary crystals in dogs, Struvite and Calcium Oxalate.

Female Dalmatians, with their wide urethra, are more likely to have an issue with struvite crystals and stones (more than 90% due to an underlying infection) than they are to have an issue with urate.

Why doesn’t every program use LUA dogs?

Quality breeding is much more than breeding two purebred dogs together. Quality preservation breeding is more than breeding two quality dogs together!

When breeders are deciding on a pairing, their goal is to produce the healthiest, soundest puppies with confident, great temperaments, and conformation and markings that adhere to the written standard for the breed. There is SO much to balance!

Is it just about the spots?
I regularly see accusations that Dalmatian breeders are avoiding LUA dogs solely because their spotting tends to be markedly different. Let’s be honest; the spotting pattern is definitely different in most LUA dogs vs. most HUA dogs.

In a litter with both LUA and HUA puppies, you can be pretty accurate with a guess on who is who long before genetic testing is done.

Dalmatians are a uniquely marked breed. They are the world’s only truly spotted breed. As someone who’s received a fair bit of nastiness about my heavily marked girls, I get how it can seem like all the breed focuses on is spotting….but that isn’t the barrier here.

Don’t get me wrong, I am sure there are “spot purists” out there who will continue to avoid the inclusion of LUA dogs in their breeding programs, but MOST breeders are not making the choice based solely on spotting, but rather due to dogs generally lacking in merit.

There are so many different things to balance when striving to breed quality dogs….temperament, structure, health, movement, drive/workability…. With only a fraction of Dalmatians being LUA and a distressingly large portion of those dogs lacking in merit for various reasons, there’s often not the right LUA dog to incorporate into a program.

The potential of LUA

I believe the LUA program has A LOT of potential. Solving a genetic predisposition is a lofty and worthwhile goal! However, a significant number of LUA breeders (not all!) are laser-focused on LUA, often at the expense of other health concerns, poor health testing, poor temperaments, or are producing dogs who are generally lacking in any discernible breed type (meaning they do not bear significant resemblance to the breed standard).

In my experience within the breed, there is not a prejudice against LUA, but rather excellent breeders are continuing to make what they believe to be the best choices to create overall healthy, sound puppies.

Should all Dalmatians be LUA?

Short answer? No

Longer answer? Working our way to 100% LUA would create a significant lack of genetic diversity within the breed. There are plenty of cautionary tales where other breeds have neglected to maintain genetic diversity to the detriment of overall health.

Although every HUA Dalmatian does have the genetic predisposition to forming urate urinary crystals and stones, in the majority of well-bred Dalmatians, this increased risk can be managed with appropriate food, sufficient water intake, and frequent trips outside to empty the bladder.

Every breed has predisposition to health issues. Overall, Dalmatians are a robust and healthy breed. I’d rather deal with an increased risk of one type of urinary crystal than a risk of epilepsy, a significant risk of cancer, or a devastating diagnosis like Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

We are very fortunate the average Dalmatian lives a long healthy life.

What does the future hold?

While dedicated LUA breeders continue to produce improved quality, dedicated HUA breeders will continue to pair dogs carefully to decrease the incidence of deafness, breed away from the risk of CSD, and to create healthy, stable, confident, conformationally sound, beautiful dogs.

Hopefully, the future will hold an era where more breeders are willing to work together, based on a mutual understanding and willingness to be honest and transparent - on both sides of the equation. Cooperation will allow LUA Dalmatians to improve which will make them more attractive to incorporate into programs.

Our First Litter: The Cabin in the Woods Puppies

I slept in my bed for the first time in 8 weeks last night. As my beloved puppies begin to move on to their next adventure, I am looking back on what came before them and looking forward to the lasting impact they will have.

The story of this litter begins years before they arrived. This litter *really* begins with a mostly unrelated dog, Random. Random is our OG Dalmatian. She is a magical unicorn of a dog who is up for any challenge, any adventure, any time. She was my entry *back* into dog sports after a several-year hiatus as I went to grad school, moved across the country, etc.

Random was never destined to be a show dog with her glorious and generous spots, despite her beautiful conformation and movement. We were so enamoured with her that we jumped at the opportunity to add a second Dalmatian with Pam (Rockstar Dalmatians) next litter. That puppy was Hazzard.

Hazzard showed his beauty in the conformation ring early with a best baby puppy in show. As a newbie conformation handler, this remains one of my most exciting moments! Hazzard's first "real" show at 6 months had him take BOB and then a group placement.

He went on to a best puppy in show, multiple RBIS in UKC, and finished his CKC CH, CKC GrandCH, AKC CH, and UKC CH by 14 months. He is now focusing on performance events and semi-retired from conformation with more than 20 group placements.

His brains match his beauty, and he excels in many sports and events from obedience to weight pull to dock diving to mushing and more. Perhaps most importantly, he demonstrates his stable, steady temperament through it all.

We started searching for the right puppy to be a potential future match (knowing much could go wrong and stop our plans - from health testing to conformation to a bite going off, etc). After reviewing tons of pedigrees, looking at many different litters, and seeking the guidance of Pam, we decided on Danger.

Although heavily marked, Danger quickly finished her Canadian championship with a group placement and went on to show her workability in a variety of sports.

Again, perhaps most important is Danger's steady, gentle, wonderful temperament.

Both Danger and Hazzard tested and passed the fairly rigorous BH, a combined obedience and temperament test that comprises the 1st level of IGP—making them the 1st pairing of dalmatians to both have a BH.

We completed all of the recommended health testing for Danger and Hazzard with excellent results and added an echocardiogram to be extra safe. Then it was time to plan for the puppies. Danger's pregnancy was smooth she soon looked like a spotted hippo!

Her delivery was primarily uneventful, with just one pup giving us some concern as she took her time entering the world. As I sat beside Danger in the whelping box, each puppy was born into my hands. I slept beside them that night, and every night after for the next eight weeks, to ensure they had everything they needed and that if a problem arose, I was there to help.

Our littlest pup, who kept us waiting long enough that we called the emergency vet, made her appearance while we waited on hold. After what was undoubtedly an exhausting entrance, little Candy didn't have the energy to latch on. So at 2 am, we watched and rewatched videos on tube feeding and got her fed. We fed her again a few hours later, and then she was strong enough to eat independently.

Over the next eight weeks, I marveled at their changes. I watched them change from white potatoes to spotted yams to tiny dogs. I fed them, I cleaned them, I kept them warm. Above all else, I loved them.

We incorporated Puppy Culture learning and did Early Neurological Stimulation, and tried to add in everything we could to give them the best foundation possible.

I created opportunities to expand their horizons, build on their natural good temperaments, and create bold, confident, happy puppies. They learned about balancing, climbing, and swimming. They walked on different surfaces, heard different noises, and smelled different things.

I screened MANY applicants, talking to 10 people for every one that made it onto the list. When the time came that I had all the information necessary to match them to the perfect home, I had the perfect homes waiting.

Puppies were matched based on conformation evaluations, hearing tests, temperament tests, and the combined knowledge of 6.5 weeks of 24 hrs a day observation.

We had conformation evaluations done by the knowledgeable, wonderful, and generous people from Brightspot Dalmatians. We are thrilled to have produced several show prospects, several performance hopefuls, and to have all puppies with stable, confident, friendly temperaments.

We decided where each puppy would head off for their next adventure, knowing we would be both devastated to see them go and excited to see the joy they'd bring to their new home. Many of them have now moved on to their new devoted families, but I'll always feel a little bit like they're still my puppies.

They'll always have a safe place here. They'll always have somewhere to go if they need it. They'll always be loved by us.

So, to my beautiful puppies; Be safe. Be well. You will be missed.

Top 10 Ways to Keep your Dalmatian Healthy

Want to give your best friend the longest, healthiest life possible? Here are the top 10 things you can do to keep your dog safe and healthy.

10. Be *very* cautious with dog parks.

Although there are absolutely exceptions to the rule, the majority of dog parks are too small with too many dogs. Many dogs that frequent dog parks are bullies at best or straight-up aggressive at worst. 

Dog parks also harbour significant risk for parasites and infectious diseases.

In most cases, your dog would be better served by finding a fully vaccinated friend or two with compatible temperaments. There are plenty of ways to exercise our dogs; we owe it to them to choose the safest options.

I am a HUGE proponent of dogs having the opportunity to run free/off-leash. This just means you’ll need to invest some more time and effort into finding an appropriate and safe place. One resource to check out is “SniffSpot”, an app that facilitates the rental of private areas to exercise your dog.

9. Always have your dog safely secured in the car.

The ideal way to transport your precious furry friend is in a crash-tested kennel. (Check out Zinger kennels - Canadian-made and of exceptional quality). If your car (or budget) can’t accommodate a crash-tested kennel, an alternative is a crash-tested harness. The two brands I am aware of that have undergone proper testing are Kurgo and Sleepypod. 

At *no* time should your dog be riding loose in the car. A loose dog is distracting to the driver. Even a minor crash can be fatal to a loose dog in the car.

8. Keep their nails trimmed short.

Keeping nails trimmed is crucial for a variety of reasons. Long nails interfere with how your dog moves, how their feet strike the ground, and how they push off for each step. Long nails put extra stress on your dog’s joints. 

Overgrown nails are also at risk of being caught and torn. A torn nail can be very painful, can lead to serious infection, and can sideline your dog. Many dogs require weekly trims to keep nails at an appropriate length.

7. Keep your dog vaccinated.

You can find plenty of fear-mongering posts online about the risks of vaccines. Any vaccine absolutely DOES come with the risk of an adverse event or vaccine reaction. However, that risk is very mild and much less than the risk of the disease the vaccine will protect against.

One vaccine that is often called out as “risky” is Leptospirosis. Lepto is endemic in many parts of Ontario (and throughout Canada). Dogs regularly die from Lepto; dogs do not die from the lepto vaccine.

Talk to your veterinary team about the disease risks in your area and discuss separating vaccines. The more you can split up vaccines, the better. I work with my wonderful veterinary team to figure out a safe schedule that provides my dogs with the protection they need while minimizing giving multiple vaccines at one time. I recommend always pre-treating with Benadryl to minimize vaccine reactions.

6. Appropriate parasite prevention.

Ticks are a severe issue in Ontario and much of the rest of Canada. Tick-borne diseases are serious and can be fatal. We have the opportunity to protect our beloved pets from these risks with safe, proven parasite prevention.

Nasty critters like ticks and worms can impact your furry best friend AND you and your family. Don’t let your pet be at risk or be the vector to putting your family at risk.

Talk to your veterinary team about your dog’s individual risks based on location, lifestyle, etc. They will develop the appropriate regime to keep your dog (and the rest of your family) safe.

5. Train and socialize your dog (including crate training).

Dogs should be comfortable and relaxed in various social situations and around different types of people and animals. This can really only be achieved with appropriate and dedicated socialization.

Socialization means getting your dog out in a variety of situations and ensuring they have positive experiences. Socialization does NOT necessarily mean a bunch of people petting your puppy. 

A dog that can be comfortably and calmly contained in a crate or kennel is easier to take places, safer in the car, and relaxed if they need to stay at the vet or in a boarding kennel. A dog that is comfortable in a crate/kennel will fare better in an emergency situation if they need to be contained or evacuated.

A well-trained dog is a joy to take places and will be included in more activities. A dog with a solid recall can enjoy off-leash time safely. 

4. Feed your dog appropriately.

Dalmatians require a low purine diet in conjunction with sufficient water to continuously flush out their bladder. When looking for a food, remember that your veterinary team often includes genuine nutrition experts.

Look for diets that align with the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) guidelines, and don’t be swayed by internet drivel. Your breeder is probably knowledgeable about nutrition. Your veterinary team is probably knowledgeable about nutrition. However, there will be some exceptions. The local pet store employee is probably NOT knowledgeable (but again, there may be an exception).  

Websites that compare diets based on ingredient lists (without any knowledge of formulation procedures, nutrient testing, analyses, manufacturing expertise) are probably not knowledgeable.

3. Plenty of exercise.

Dalmatians were bred to be endurance athletes. The best way to honour that history is to ensure they get appropriate exercise. Nothing too strenuous when growing, but exercise is a huge part of keeping your spotty pal healthy and happy.

2. Invest in health insurance.

The best-case scenario is that you’ll pay a monthly premium and never make a significant claim! I frequently hear the suggestion to simply “put aside that same amount of $ into a bank account.” Not only would that mean you’re better at saving than I am ;), there is zero chance that will be sufficient if you have a significant bill.

I have racked up $20,000 in veterinary bills in 3 days with a foreign body. There is exactly no chance I have that kind of money sitting around. Pet insurance means you can avoid the horrible situation of wondering if you can afford a treatment plan and having to make decisions about your dog’s future based on finances.

And lastly, DO NOT LET YOUR DOG GET FAT!

The most impactful (and simplest!) thing you can do to keep your dog happy and healthy AND to have them live longer is to keep them at a lean, healthy weight. Clinical trials show that dogs kept at a lean weight live, on average, two years longer than their chubby counterparts.

Talk to your veterinary team about learning how to measure Body Condition Score (BCS) and Muscle Condition Score (MCS), how to choose an appropriate diet, and how to incorporate appropriate exercise.

All of this is worthwhile to ensure you get to spend the most time possible with your best friend. 

Where are Dalmatians from?

The question of what breeds are behind Dalmatians (and what breeds Dalmatians have contributed to) comes up regularly in idle ringside discussion. Dalmatians are known as the only truly spotted breed, part of why coat colour/markings are given so much weight in the standard. But where did they come from?

Interestingly, Dalmatians are one of three breeds to do not associate with any other breed group at the genome level. 

When thousands of genomes are put together and run through similarity analyses, dogs of the same breed will cluster together. Then those breeds will group with other very genetically similar breeds. For example, all of the retrievers group together. All of the British terriers group together. All of the poodle-like dogs group together. 

There are three breeds that do not associated with other groups of breeds; dachshunds, basenjis, and our beloved Dalmatians. Dachshunds tend to be loosely associated with the scent-hound group (which makes sense based on their steller noses and desire to follow trails). Basenjis float around on their own but somewhat near the Asian breeds. The suspicion is that Basenjis don’t really cluster with other breeds mainly because we do not yet have appropriate representation of the different dog populations in Africa. 

What about those lonely Dalmatians? They do not have a strong claim to any group!

Every breed in the dog genome was compared through genomic haplotypes (chunks of the genome inherited together). Breeds are then charted by the amount of haplotypes that are shared between the main breed and each other breed. There is no significant haplotype sharing with any breed and the Dalmatian! These genetic events can be dated back to approximately 150 to 200 years. It is possible that whatever the Dalmatian was 200 years ago mixed with other breeds, but in the past 150-200 years there has be no significant mixing of the Dalmatian with anything or anything with the Dalmatian!

As Dalmatian owners, we always knew our beloved spotty pals were unique - now we have a science to prove it :).

What Food Should I Feed my Dalmatian?

This is, hands down, the most common question I see in any of the Dalmatian groups. It makes sense! Doing the barest of research will uncover that Dalmatians have a genetic predisposition to forming urate urinary crystals and stones. For every other dog breed, urate crystals are uncommon.

First and Foremost….always listen to your veterinary team. They know your individual dog and their medical history. If you are not confident that your veterinary team is comfortable with the unique needs of a Dalmatian, find a different practice. 

If your dog has a history of urinary issues and/or has formed stones…they likely need to stay on a prescribed medical diet. The rest of this blog will be about feeding the average healthy Dalmatian and reducing the risk of developing urate stones. 

What is unique about Dalmatians?

Dalmatians excrete uric acid in their urine, instead of allantoin, as the principal end product of purine metabolism. They are the only dog breed that does so (however, it does appear that Egyptian Mau cats, a uniquely spotted cat breed, also share this genetic quirk!). 

What is a Purine?

Exogenous purines, or purines that enter the body via food, are the parent compounds of adenine and guanine, present in the nucleotides of RNA and DNA. As they are broken down by the body, they are excreted as allantoin by most dogs. In Dalmatians, the conversion of uric acid to allantoin is less efficient, resulting in the excretion of uric acid into the urine. 

How do you limit Purines?

For many years, it was thought that feeding a diet low in protein was the most appropriate option for Dalmatians. Although this limited purine consumption, it also resulted in dogs under consuming protein resulting in dietary-associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy and heart failure.

Dalmatians are an energetic, athletic breed and should be fed as such. I do not believe that restricting protein is appropriate for the majority of Dalmatians. Instead, we can choose diets that are made from low or moderate purine ingredients. 

It is crucial to familiarize yourself with purine levels and read labels to make good choices in dog food and treats. It isn’t as simple (unfortunately) as this protein is good and that protein is bad, or white meat is good and fish is bad. 

Within a protein, different cuts of meat and parts of the animal will have different purine levels. Within a category, different animals will have different purine levels. For example, chicken meat is considered moderate purine, whereas chicken liver is very high purine. Salmon is moderate purine; anchovies are very high.

There are many purine lists available online, but I prefer to refer to a peer-reviewed/published journal article:

Total purine and purine base content of common foodstuffs for facilitating nutritional therapy for gout and hyperuricemia. K. Kaneko, Y. Aoyagi, +2 authors N. Yamaoka

What about the rest of the diet?

I see too many conversations about food for a Dalmatian focus *solely* on purine levels and ingredients. Absolutely,  we need to be aware of ingredients and choose appropriately, but diet is always about more than one thing, and beyond their genetic predisposition, we have the whole rest of the dog to feed! Once you have avoided all the high-purine ingredients, it’s time to look at the rest of the diet.

How can you evaluate a diet?

I refer to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) nutrition toolkit when comparing and choosing diets. These guidelines are a great place to start, though I also do not think a diet that is missing one item on their checklist is necessarily one I would avoid. 

Something I encounter regularly on various dog groups is the notion that diets like Purina One or Pedigree are junk. I often see these diets compared to eating McDonald’s every day. That is simply not accurate. While I personally do not feed Purina One or Pedigree, it isn’t because they are “bad” diets; it’s because I am seeking diets with additional benefits like generous protein levels, supplemental levels of omega 3s, and added GI ingredients. 

Diets like Purina One, Iams, and Pedigree are made by companies with decades of history. They are formulated by nutritionists. They are tested for quality. They are meeting the nutritional needs of dogs and are absolutely solid nutrition. 

Ironically, 90% of the time I see someone equate Purina One to junk and make a different recommendation; their chosen diet is nutritionally unsound. Typically, the recommendation is for some boutique diet wholly lacking in expert formulation, clinical analyses, and any history in the market. These are the potentially dangerous diets! I would love to see people stop shaming others for feeding perfectly adequate, balanced diets.

Diets and DCM

Nutrition-related dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is its own full discussion, but what I will say is that there appears to be a clear and strong correlation between boutique, exotic, and grain-free diets and the development of DCM in breeds not usually prone to cardiac issues. Most importantly, there are many, many cases of DCM that have been reversed with a change in diet. Genetic DCM is *not* reversible. 

Although more research needs to be done, the correlation is pretty clear. I can not understand the decision that feeding a grain-free or exotic protein diet is the hill you want to diet on…or rather that you are willing to risk your dog dying on.

The risk associated with switching away from a grain-free/boutique/exotic diet is that you later find out you didn’t need to. The risk of not switching away from these sorts of diets is finding out that the correlation is accurate and your dog develops nutritional-related DCM. And dies. That is not a risk I am willing to take.

What about yeast?

Yeast is a high purine ingredient. I regularly see people dismiss a diet because it has brewers yeast (or some other form of yeast). Is this really a risk for Dalmatians? Again - follow the advice of your veterinary team! 

I was curious about this, as many products use yeast as a GI ingredient (yeast is a prebiotic). So I asked a good friend who is a veterinarian and an internist. She assured me that the minimal amount of yeast found in a diet would be inconsequential. Side note - from years of formulating diets, anything *after* sodium on the ingredient list will make up less than 1% of the diet. Check where yeast sits in ingredient lists; I have never seen it listed before salt :).

What do I feed?

I rotate through a number of different products on the advice of a friend and a PhD nutritionist who works in academia. She strongly believes the best way to feed is to use more than one (appropriate and high quality) product. Having said that, I have fed one sole diet in the past with good results.

The Bedlam Spots thrive on a rotation through Purina Sport 26/16 (Turkey), Royal Canin Adult (Chicken), Eukanuba Performance (Chicken), and Aventix Adore Play (Pork & Salmon). 

These diets provide:

-generous protein for my athletic spots

-added GI ingredients for digestion and microbiome health

-generous levels of omega 3 fatty acids for skin/coat/joint/cardiac/brain health

They are all:

-formulated by a nutritionist

-produced in facilities that are well run, clean, and careful

-produced by companies that do analyses of incoming ingredients and finished products

The Bedlam Spots are ACTIVE. They hike off-leash at least twice a day. They regularly bike/sled/scooter. They swim. They run. They need generous protein to maintain appropriate muscle mass. They benefit from GI ingredients to help combat all the awful things they find and ingest in the forest :). Omega 3s help keep their beautiful coats soft and healthy so they can shed all over me and everything I own. 

There are many great products out there. Your breeder can give you excellent advice, as can your veterinary team. Find something that suits your WHOLE dog, their lifestyle, their body and muscle condition, and take into account their need for moderate protein. 

What about raw?

I have zero issues with raw food. I think it can be well done by a careful, knowledgeable owner. I personally prefer to feed a diet that a nutritionist has formulated, but many Dalmatian breeders feed raw with great results. 

Safety Pins & Sportsmanship

I was tidying up my always messy vehicle the other day and found my show bag with a small collection of safety pins attached to its handle. This made me think about the importance of sportsmanship. 

My bevy of safety pins originated from a show I attended in Moncton last fall. I had lost a button on the blazer I was planning to wear the following day, so I had texted my two local Dal friends to ask if one of them could please bring me a safety pin.

Not only did they bring me a pin, but they also brought me a selection. And insisted I keep them so I’d be prepared next time I had a urgent pin need. These same two people came to cheer me on ringside EVERY time I was in that weekend, which was a total of 15 times; now that’s commitment. Even more than that, one of them took Hazzard back in for group (and won a group 4!) when I had a conflict with Peril in Baby Puppy.

At the end of the weekend, they helped me get a group shot. Gathered up all my ribbons, came to the photographer with me, helped me set it all up, and even caught a behind the scenes pic for me.

These people are awesome. And they are exactly who you want in your breed. One of them was also showing her beautiful Dalmatian. She beat me once; I beat her once, we stayed friends :). As I always say, there is no shame in being beaten by a quality dog, and I was thrilled to see her win.

Fortunately, I have seen a lot of great examples of sportsmanship. I have had another fellow competitor take my class dog in so I could handle my special, even though I had just beat her lovely girl. Before I even had a moment to figure out what to do, she had handed off her dog to her husband and taken my leash and number. True class!

I have also had a fellow competitor’s partner happily take my class dog in when the friend who was slated to show her had to work. Despite my girl being competition to his girl (whom his partner was beautifully showing) he showed her with heart, kindness, and confidence (they were a beautiful team!).

Unfortunately, these shining examples of sportsmanship are not always what we see.

I have had unpleasant run-ins with fellow competitors who have given unsolicited (and unkind) opinions on my dogs, their markings, the breeding programs they came from, and the sports I decide to compete in with them. (who knew people had such strong views about weight pull?!)

I have seen new competitors be turned off the sport by long-time people in the breed. I have seen public posts on FB following shows that throw shade at competitors or sound like sour grapes instead of celebrating the winners and encouraging others.

As the world (slowly) starts to open back up and shows start up again, please take a moment to reflect before you speak (or post). Is your opinion …well….wanted? Is it relevant? Is it helpful? Are you supporting someone? Is what you are going to say encouraging? 

Consider *not* sharing negative comments about someone’s dog unless your opinion is sought. Consider *not* posting that you’re upset you lost; perhaps you could congratulate the winners instead (and commiserate with your friends, privately!). 

Let’s be welcoming to new people. Let’s encourage them. If you don’t like their dog? No worries, then you’ll win ;). But everyone starts somewhere. And let’s remember that at the end of their lead is their beloved furry best friend. Your words can be hurtful.

Be welcoming at shows! Encourage new people. Help them out. Check that their number is on the right arm :), ensure they’re ready to go when it’s their turn. Congratulate the winner! You don’t have to agree, but it’s the judge’s opinion that matters in the moment. Everyone deserves to enjoy their win.

We are a small breed. Let's be a breed community that makes people want to join our wonderful breed!

How do I find the perfect puppy?

Choosing a Great Breeder

A good friend, who is an excellent dog owner and very dog savvy, asked for my opinion on a breeder their friend was looking at the other day. I wasn't personally familiar with this breeder, so I did a bit of checking on titles, showing, and health testing and suggested this may not be the right breeder for their friend.

It occurred to me that someone NOT involved in the show/breeding world might not know what information to look for or where they can go to access that information. "Backyard Breeders" (BYB), the catch-all phrase we use to describe disreputable breeders, are often VERY good at presenting a good front. They have reasonable answers to questions, they know how to market themselves, they SOUND like they are doing the right things - so how can you tell?

Like so many things, a good or bad breeder isn't as simple as doing this or not doing that. And what one person would describe as good may not be acceptable for another. There are, however, several things you can look for (and independently verify) to give you the best chance of your perfect puppy.

Health Testing

Every prospective sire and dam (dad and mom) should be health tested. 

Buyer Beware! Marketing-savvy BYB have begun to claim health testing once they have completed an Embark DNA panel. Although this type of DNA testing can give you valuable information, breeding decisions should not be made without complete health testing.

MUST HAVE: Complete Health Testing

What is complete? Almost every breed has a recommended list of tests. Anyone can access these on the OFA.org website and then search by breed. Once the breeder has completed and submitted the required tests, their dog will be assigned a CHIC (Canine Health Information Centre) number. You can view these numbers online and verify the testing.

Why does this matter?

-It is public

-It is verifiable

-It demonstrates that the breeder has completed the minimum testing recommended by their breed club

NICE TO HAVE: Additional Testing

Breed clubs put a lot of time and effort into developing recommended testing for their breed. The recommendations are based on their best information about the health conditions their breed is at risk to develop. As science moves on, we may learn about new diseases that could impact our breed, or there may be further testing developed that wasn't available before.

For example, in my breed (Dalmatians), to get our CHIC number, we need to test hips (PennHip or OFA), hearing (BAER), and thyroid (special lab) OR eyes (ophthalmologist). I like to see breeders doing both thyroid AND eyes (really, why not, both are non-invasive and readily available). I also like seeing breeders doing an echocardiogram, there are cardiac issues in the breed, and we can't better understand OR avoid them without more testing and info.

BUYER BEWARE: Completing the testing does NOT mean that the dog has "passed."

A CHIC number confirms testing has been done; please go online yourself to verify the results!

Rare and unusual colours and coat types

BUYER BEWARE: Rare is not better!

In your search for your new best friend, you may stumble on to breeders who are offering unique/unusual/rare colours. This could be a serious red flag! Why? Breeders focusing on something like a rare colour result in breeding choices based on creating that colour (or coat or gene or whatever). With a "rare" or uncommon colour they have now DRAMATICALLY reduced the size of the gene pool. 

Laser focus on one attribute or gene like colour means a breeder isn't (can't be!) focused on all the other important things. When your gene pool is SUPER small (because only a few examples of the breed have the attribute the breeder is looking on) you just * can't* also factor in health testing, great temperments, overall conformation, etc. 

There are simply not enough dogs carrying this uncommon trait to allow a breeder to be choosy. They have to use what is out there, whether it is a good match with their dog or not.

Conformationally Sound/Breeding for Show

I regularly see people looking for a nice family pet and specifying they don't need a "show dog." Although you may never intend to show your dog, working with a "show breeder" may still be your best bet for a healthy and sound dog.

Breeders breeding for show are breeding to fit the written breed standard for their breed. In addition to hallmark colours and look, this standard includes specific information on rear angulation, topline, etc. What does all this mean? A dog that is properly built is "sound". Dogs that have, for example, poor rear angulation (meaning their hind legs are maybe super straight or perhaps over-stretched at the other end of the spectrum) are at a higher risk for injuries. 

Although your next pet might not be a Westminster hopeful, you absolutely want to ensure that they are sound and able to move comfortably and stay active for their whole life. Proper, healthy conformation means your dog can run, jump, and play, staying active and healthy. 

"Show breeders" are committed to preserving breed standards and improving on their dogs by making careful breeding decisions. The best-matched breeding pairs can produce a litter that *may* have a few show prospects. The rest of the pups will be perfectly suited to be wonderful, healthy, sound pets. A mismarked colour or a blue eye may keep your pup from the show ring and make them perfect for your family.

Although show breeders are hoping to find their next superstar in their litter, they are MORE focused on breeding great examples of the breed (including proper temperament) that will make excellent companions.

MUST HAVE: Champion Titles

Look for a breeder who is working with Champion stock when planning pairings. Achieving a CH title means that dog has been evaluated by different professional judges and found to conform to the standard. 

Note: Not all breeds are eligible to be shown with a kennel club. There are absolutely instances where a Championship is either not attainable or not important, but for the majority of breeds - it’s worth looking for.

BUYER BEWARE: Breeders saying they "don't need to show for pets" or "find the show ring too political," etc.

These are often excuses used by breeders who either do not have conformationally correct dogs OR temperaments that can withstand showing. Choose a breeder who is dedicated enough to the breed to want to participate and preserve their beloved breed.

NICE TO HAVE: Winning dogs

The downside of a Champion title is nearly any dog can *eventually* achieve this if their owner is willing to invest enough time and money. Assuming their dog does not have a major fault, they will probably get there eventually (and sometimes, even if there IS a significant fault!). 

Want to see how a dog did in a show? You can look up show records on Canuckdogs.com. Search for a dog's registered name, and you will see the shows they attended and what placements they were awarded. If you are seeing a Champion dog, but it took 22 shows to get that title, that may not be a great representation of the breed. No dog will win all the time, but you should see dogs win and finish their title within a reasonable amount of shows. 

Note - of course there can be extenuating circumstances, but again, as a general rule, achieving a Championship should be doable in a reasonable time frame.

NICE TO HAVE? Group Placements

A group placement means that the dog was deemed best of their breed that day and competed against the best of each breed in their respective group. Placing in group (particularly multiple placements) can give you a good indication that this is a quality dog.

BUYER BEWARE: Does that win really matter?

An impressive win is much less impressive if the show was tiny. Or if there were no other entries from that breed. I regularly see people post "Fluffer won BEST OF BREED" from a show where I happen to know that Fluffer was the *only* one of that breed entered. Verify those wins!

MUST HAVE: Independent Confirmation of Sound Temperament

Look for some independent evaluation of temperament. Perhaps this is as simple as a temperament test. A dog with a Canine Good Citizen title has navigated a course of people, handling, exposure to other dogs, and some startling noises. Although perhaps not a guarantee of a great temperament, a far sight better than nothing! Too many dogs with poor temperaments are being bred.

Performance titles can be significant indicators of temperament. A trick title or rally title done virtually doesn't tell you much, but even a basic obedience title (CD) shows that the dog was able to function in a ring under some pressure, be touched by the judge, and hold a stay beside other dogs. This is a good indication that they have a sound temperament.

NICE TO HAVE: High-level titles

Seeing dogs perform in a variety of sports and/or achieve high-level titles gives you a good indication that they are biddable and trainable, can work under some pressure and distraction, are likely manageable around people and other animals, and (most importantly!) that this breeder is spending a ton of time with their dogs!

BUYER BEWARE: Virtual or fun titles

You can do many fun things with your dog, including virtual titles and titles for tricks and stunts. I love seeing anyone do anything with their dog! All training is great :). However, seeing a breeder with many trick titles or virtual rally titles does not give me an idea of their dogs' temperaments.

MUST HAVE: Chance to meet at least the Dam

Many breeders will use an outside stud, meaning a stud not owned by or living with them. Not being able to meet both parents is NOT a red flag. One parent might live across the country! You should certainly be able to meet the dam/mother, and hopefully some other relatives, too.

Please note, many breeders may NOT invite you to their homes without having a relationship with you. This is also not (necessarily) a red flag. I always meet people in a public location first. Once we have established a relationship and rapport, I then invite people to the farm. I will not have strangers come to the farm for my safety and the safety of my dogs.

Instead of a personal visit, ask for videos and photos. Perhaps you can facetime/skype as the breeder walks through their home. You should be able to see the conditions in which their dogs and puppies are being kept.

MUST HAVE: Early puppy development plan

There are some great commercial programs, like Avidog and Puppy Culture, that can help guide breeders through the critical stages of early development. Experienced breeders may not be using a specific program but are still instilling the same foundations through their years of experience.

Ask your prospective breeder how they will be working to create the best foundation for your perfect puppy.

There are many other potential red flags that we will address in another post - but these are the bare bones of finding a great breeder. 

The Truth About Dalmatians

Are they good family dogs? Can they be a dog for a first time owner? Where do they thrive?

Temperament

Dalmatians can be standoffish, but this should never equate to fearful or aggressive. They typically get along well with other dogs and other animals. I'd describe 5 of my 6 as generally "disinterested" in strangers. They're happy to meet people, be pet, etc., but won't necessarily initiate an interaction. The 6th is a wiggly, spotted ball of love for everyone. They are easy to take out in public as they are happy to interact when people stop us to visit, but otherwise will ignore most people we pass.

If you are an introvert (like I am) then people's inherent love and fascination for Dalmatians is a pain. I get stopped every 5 feet by people asking to pet the dogs. Children regularly come running up to us SCREAMING in excitement.

Aggression

I constantly hear how aggressive the breed is. It is not. Lousy breeders breed lousy dogs and there seem to be more lousy breeders in Dals than in many breeds. A well bred Dalmatian will have a stable temperament.

They were truly a “jack of all trades” as a carriage dog that also guarded the horses/carriage, kept barns clear of rats, etc. They maintain a guarding instinct today. They will often be protective of your house but should NOT be an aggressive dog.

Urinary Health

Any Dalmatian not part of the LUA/pointer backcross program will have a genetic predisposition to forming urate urinary crystals and stones. In the vast majority of well-bred Dalmatians, this increased risk can be managed with appropriate diet, sufficient water, and regular trips out to pee.

It is important to note that the LUA/backcross program has successfully eliminated the increased risk of urate urinary crystals and stones but does not have any impact on the two most common urinary crystals/stones; struvite and calcium oxalate. LUA Dalmatians will still have the same risk of urinary issues involving struvite and calcium oxalate as any other dog (or Dalmatian).

Deafness

Deafness continues to be an issue in the breed, but good breeding practices are making a significant improvement. This is linked to the extreme white piebald gene, so it will always be part of the breed.

Blue-eyed Dals have a stronger expression of the extreme white piebald and will be at higher risk of deafness. All kennel clubs, other than AKC, have blue eyes as a fault or a DQ for this reason.

Overall Health

Despite holding a genetic abnormality that increases the risk of urate urinary crystals/stones (same as Egyptian Mau cats!) Dalmatians are a healthy breed overall. 

Copper Storage Disease has been found in most, if not all, lines if you look far enough back. At this time, there is not a genetic screening test, so the best way to improve the chances of avoiding CSD is for breeders to be honest about producing it so pedigrees can be tracked.

Allergies are very common in poorly bred lines but are not a significant issue in well-bred Dalmatians. The world’s top veterinary dermatologists agree that allergies have a genetic component, Dalmatians with allergies should be removed from the breeding pool.

Training and Sports

Dalmatians are incredibly versatile. They excel at many different sports and events. I compete (at high levels) in rally, obedience, agility, barn hunt, scentwork, dock diving, coursing, weight pull, and conformation with mine and we are training in IGP/IPO (3 have their BH-VT).

I regularly hear that they're stubborn; this has definitely not been my experience training multiple Dals in multiple sports and events, nor the experience of my friends who do performance with their Dalmatians.

They are extremely clever and eager to learn. They do not necessarily have an intrinsic work ethic nor the natural handler focus of some breeds, but they have tons of drive that can be brought out with motivation. Many are VERY food motivated and many are toy-driven.

Energy Level

Although energy levels vary between dogs and different lines, most Dalmatians could be described as medium-high energy. One of mine would be content with daily leash walks; the others would NOT. 

Dals make great running partners. Their endurance is outstanding. They love to run and thrive with safe off-leash opportunities.

Fitness

Most Dals LOVE to eat. If you are not careful with their intake, they will become blimps. I see a truly distressing amount of fat Dalmatians. This is extremely unhealthy and will absolutely shorten their lifespan as well as increase their risk for urinary issues, cardiac issues, and endocrine disorders.

Prey Drive

Dals have a range of prey drive. Many love lure coursing sports where they can chase a plastic bag. Many of my Dalmatian friends have stories of their dogs catching various rabbits, squirrels, etc. One of my dogs regularly snatches small birds out of the air (!).

Despite this, I have had no problems teaching them what they can not chase. They are safe around my friend’s cats when I go to stay, and have (mostly) learned to leave my flock of chickens alone.

For people who live with cats or small house pets, you will likely need to invest significant time and effort into ensuring your small friends feel safe and comfortable and your spotty friend understands they’re not to be chased.

In the House

Properly exercised, I find our crew quite chill in the house. They like to play with their toys and rough-house but then will settle down quite nicely and relax on the couch while we watch TV.

I have a friend with a beautiful Dalmatian who describes them as “outside=go and inside=woah”, and that is pretty accurate!

They are a fun (and sometimes challenging) combination of clever, mischievous, and athletic. It is not uncommon for me to find a Dalmatian walking around my counters. 

They ABSOLUTELY can be trained not to get onto and into everything, but they do have a stronger tendency to be mischievous monkeys than many breeds.

They are typically a very “velcro” breed, wanting to be with you wherever you are. They are snuggly and SO loving. This does not and should not equate to a predilection for separation anxiety. A well-bred Dal should be able to be left alone and be comfortable and relaxed.

Family Dogs

I have many friends who have Dalmatians and children who thrive together. With respectful children and well-trained dogs, it can be a good fit. I would never leave any dog of any breed alone with small children. 

Beautiful Taffy, from our Cabin in the Woods litter, is absolutely THRIVING as the best pal of some special small humans.

First Time Dog Owners

Dalmatians can be a handful. They are often high-energy and athletic, so require exercise and training (like most dogs!). They should be well-socialized to combat their natural tendency to be standoffish. They can absolutely be a first-time dog for an owner who is prepared for the work and committed to putting in the necessary time and effort.

Shedding

They shed like fiends; there will be Dalmatian hair in my coffin. Their coats are easy to care for, grooming is minimal even for conformation prep. They will get filthy on a walk, then an hour later, their coats will look pristine again (probably because they literally shed all of the hair out with the dirt, ha!)

Show vs Working

There is no show/working split, so you can go to a great show breeder, get a beautiful dog, and then do all the sports .

Since conformation is important to soundness, even though a show quality dog is not essential since there are non-structural issues like spotting, going to a breeder who breeds to the standard is important.

Finding a Great Dalmatian

I consider it harder to find a great breeder than some other breeds. There are a ton of BYBs and another heap of mediocre breeders. Fortunately, there are also a lot of truly great breeders.

When evaluating potential breeders, first ensure the minimum testing is being done to be awarded a CHIC number. In Dals, this is merely hips (OFA or PennHip), BAER (hearing), and eyes OR thyroid. With such minimal requirements, there is absolutely NO reason not to have a CHIC.

I would like to see breeding stock that have eyes AND thyroid and additionally, strongly recommend having an Echocardiogram done. There are cardiac issues in the breed, and without sufficient screening we will not be able to avoid them.

Although a Championship does not necessarily mean the dog is a good representation of the breed, it does mean the dog has at least been out and shown and found to  have merit enough to collect enough points. 

I strongly recommend potential puppy buyers look for performance titles as well. These can be an indicator of a solid temperament. As much as I personally enjoy tricks and Sprinter or lure coursing events, I would not consider these titles as holding any indication of temperament. 

Events like obedience or rally (live, not virtual) demonstrate that, at the very least, the dog can remain under control long enough to make it around a rally course. Novice obedience includes an examination by the judge, a good indicator that the dog has the nerve and temperament to be (briefly) handled by a stranger.

Higher-level titles give you a much stronger indication that this is a dog that is working well and maintaining focus. A rally novice course, for example, is 100% on leash and does not require interaction with other dogs or people.

The Beloved Dalmatian

I have shared my house with some extraordinary dogs over the years and several different breeds. Dalmatians are a great fit for me. I love getting out and doing things (hiking, biking, etc), and they are ALWAYS eager to join in.

I love trying different sports and events and enjoy their versatility and willingness to try anything new.

I travel on my own a fair bit and appreciate their natural inclination to protect (without being aggressive). To me, they are the perfect temperament. They will alert bark when someone comes to the door and certainly make a ruckus, but at the same time, I consider them totally trustworthy with people of all ages.

They are incredibly sweet, loving, and snuggly. They will follow you everywhere and constantly make you laugh. 

What if the Elephant in the Room is….Your Fat Dog?

It’s an Epidemic

There are SO MANY overweight pets out there. More than 50% of dogs (and cats!) in North America are fat, many of them are obese. That is an astonishing and horrifying statistic.

Overweight pets are NOT healthy. It really IS that simple (and also more complicated). Carrying extra weight puts extra stress on their joints, their heart, their lungs… When we see pets in the morbidly obese range, where they literally can not comfortably move or breathe, that is appalling. 

Chubby pets have a wealth of other associated health problems. We see secondary urinary issues because they are just literally not moving around, going outside or to the litterbox to pee, or urine scalding because they have no choice but to pee on themselves.

We Control Their Calories

Carrying extra weight is not healthy. This is not safe. And this is not fair. We control what they eat. That doesn’t mean that my dogs aren’t sometimes faster and more determined than I am, so they get to something before me :), but ultimately I control their calories. You can look at weight loss and weight management in MANY different ways, but it will still boil down to calories in vs. calories out.

Metabolism and Thyroid

Whether you’re feeding kibble, raw, a homemade diet, or whatever, you control how much they get. I *often* hear people proclaim, “he has a metabolic issue”. Maybe. It isn’t impossible. It’s not overwhelmingly common but also not rare. If he does, then treat it. Hypothyroid dogs often gain weight - so supplement their thyroid. It is actually one of the easiest and cheapest issues to manage. Even if your dog’s metabolism is genuinely working against your efforts to maintain a healthy weight - you can still get their weight down.

The veterinary team will be VERY eager to help people get their pet to a healthy, lean weight. They can make recommendations for appropriate diet and treats. They can guide owners on safe exercise. Rehab clinics exist with underwater treadmills. Dog pools exist. The support is out there, and these amazing teams WANT TO HELP. Let them.

My Vet Said He’s Fine

Speaking of the veterinary team, another common excuse I hear is “my vet said he’s fine”. Let’s unpack that one a bit. Maybe a vet DID say he was fine. I’ve had the pleasure of working with veterinary team members around the world for many years. Most of them are exceptional. But like any profession, some are not. Maybe this vet truly doesn’t recognize this pet is overweight.

More likely? This vet HAS told the owner (probably multiple times) that their pet is fat. Or maybe they only said it once and were then subjected to a tirade of vitriol. I have seen it happen. People get INCENSED when you bring up their pet’s weight. So maybe the veterinary team tried to say something, and it was such a horrible interaction that they then made a note in the file “do not discuss weight”.

Or maybe the veterinary team has already had the “your pet is fat, and it isn’t healthy” discussion 14 times today, and they are exhausted. Maybe they are just not bringing it up anymore because the discussions always go so poorly. It’s unfortunate that our wonderful veterinary professionals have been subjected to so much verbal abuse that they are shying away from important topics. 

Do you really want to know what your veterinary team thinks? Ask them. Be honest. Say you want to understand how to evaluate your dog’s body and muscle condition score. Have them go through the resources like the Purina BCS chart and the WSAVA MCS chart. Take an active role in your pet’s health. Be open to hearing that your pet needs to lose weight.

Learn about Muscle Condition Scoring

Learn about Body Condition Scoring

Fat = Unhealthy

Fat tissue is not just inert tissue. Fat cells are actually your dog’s largest endocrine organ. Fat impacts your dog’s health in so many ways…..stress on the joints, stress on the heart, urinary health (even more important for Dalmatians!), etc etc etc.

Read more about fat as an endocrine disease.

Stop Fat Shaming My Dog

People on the internet can be total garbage, I think we all know that. At the same time, someone seeing a photo of a dog that appears to be significantly overweight and feeling compelled to address it with the owner can also be coming from a very good place. When we are in breed-specific groups and see an example of our beloved breed carrying enough extra weight that we *know* their health is at risk, speaking up is us advocating for the pet's health. 

After many years in the veterinary industry and continuing on in the dog world, I am fully aware that not all owners will recognize when their pet is overweight. Right now, so many pets are fat that pets who are fit look too thin in comparison. The first step to helping these chubby pets is educating owners. I believe that MOST owners are caring and want the best for their pet. I believe that MOST owners do not want to put their pet at risk. So if those owners have fat pets, they need to know so they can help them.

I like to think a future exists where we get the pet obesity epidemic under control. Where lean dogs don’t stand out, they become the norm, not fat pets. They aren’t “chonky”, they aren’t “fluffy,” they are fat. And it is impacting their health.

We aren’t shaming them. We aren’t shaming you, the owner, we are trying to help. 

He’s Not Fat, That is SOLID Muscle

It was actually a dog sport friend who helped me understand this misconception. I was confounded by how often I would hear this while looking at a photo of a dog who was clearly significantly overweight. The different is, when dogs are quite fat they feel *solid*. The same amount of excess weight on a person would feel….squishy. So just because you can’t squish your dog, does not mean they are not fat.

You should be able to feel ribs easily. Not by pressing, just by gently running your hands along your dog’s side. Active, working, sport dogs often have a few ribs visible. These dogs are not too thin. They are in a lean, healthy condition. 

Want Your Dog to Live Longer?

I love my dogs more than anything in the world. I would do anything to extend their life and keep them happy and healthy. There was a landmark Purina study that had two groups of Labs. One group ate 25 % more than the other group and was overweight. The lean/healthy group had a lower incidence of hip dysplasia, those that had hip dysplasia presented later in life, and….most exciting….the lean group lived, on average, two years longer.

Two years. I would give anything to get more time with my dogs. If I can achieve that simply by watching their weight and feeding appropriately? How bloody exciting! They will also be mobile further into their senior years. They will be more active and healthier. 

So - talk to your veterinary team. Let them help (because they want to!). Keep your dog at a healthy weight or GET them to a healthy weight. It can be done. It is worth the effort. You owe it to your dog, they’d do anything for you. 

Why Breeders Sometimes Place Dogs

This is a question I see A LOT on social media. It is often framed in this quite contentious way, conjuring an image of a breeder discarding a dog once it no longer has monetary value. So what’s the story here? Are breeders regularly casting off dogs once they can’t produce puppies?

Like almost everything in the dog world, there is a significant continuum of answers. There are absolutely breeders that will sell/rehome dogs that can’t breed because they no longer have a monetary value. We could confidently classify these breeders as “commercial” breeders or (more pejoratively) as “mills”. Either way, these are not the hobby breeders who are dedicated to their breed. These are not the breeders who are taking extreme care to find the right home for every pup and standing behind them for their entire life. These are not the breeders who are investing in health care and painstakingly reviewing pedigrees to make the correct matches.

However, those wonderful preservation breeders do still place dogs. Does this mean they don’t *really* care? That their dogs are not *really* part of the family? Of course not. There are several reasons that excellent breeders will place dogs.

A Full House

All too often, the people who are quick to demonize a breeder for placing an adult or retired dog are the same people who will vilify a breeder for having “too many dogs”. What is too many? I would assert this is a very different answer for different households. There are plenty of people that have one dog who spends most of its time outside/tied up without interaction with the family. Walks are few and far between. Vet care is minimal. For this household, one dog is too many.

Plenty of multi-dog households exist where each dog gets tons of time and attention, the dogs are trained and exercised, their environment is enriched, and they live a great life. Different people can manage different numbers. A good dog person knows what they can handle, which is why not all dogs can stay.

Breeders who place a dog after they have contributed to their gene pool and future program are doing so in the best interest of that dog. They will find them the right match with the same comprehensive screening they use to find ideal puppy owners. They know this dog well. They know whether they will thrive with a buddy or would prefer to be the only dog. They know what sort of activity level will suit them best.

Their heart will break as they see their beloved dog off to their new world, feeling the loss more keenly than a puppy for all the wonderful time they’ve spent together. But this decision is made with love. They choose what is best for their dog, to move on to a home that will cherish them rather than selfishly keep them.

Breeders need to keep space in their homes for new up-and-coming dogs. So some will head off to new adventures, and some will stay forever. Regardless of the decision, it has been made in the best interests of the individual dog.

Evaluating Puppies

We can tell a lot by looking at an 8 week old puppy. In many breeds, this is the blueprint for how they will grow up. However, you can’t truly know what you’ve got until a puppy matures. That promising front may fall short. That tail set may not settle in to where you anticipated. Or the bold puppy may end up being a bit more reserved.

Many breeders will “hold back” a pup or two and watch them mature. They will decide whether these pups will be part of their future breeding plans later on down the line. Sometimes, as they mature, they are no longer an ideal breeding prospect. The breeder may then decide to place this young adult in a home.

With limited time and space, a dog who will not be part of a breeding program may be better suited as someone’s beloved pet. Or perhaps a promising dog does not enjoy being shown. The selfish decision would be to continue showing to achieve the breeder’s goals and breed the dog. The selfless decision is to look at this beautiful pup and recognize show life doesn’t suit them and find them a home where someone can enjoy their gorgeous pet.

Hustle and Bustle

Multi-dog households tend to be active and exciting, and tons of fun. Dogs wrestling, going for group hikes, having a blast. However, some older dogs don’t appreciate the chaos. Breeders may be faced with a situation of a beloved retired dog who no longer enjoys the rough-housing. Perhaps an older dog doesn’t get along with a new young addition. Some problems can be managed with crate/rotate - only having certin dogs out together.

In some cases, crate/rotate isn’t ideal. It may mean the older dog is getting less time/attention as time is finite and is now being split between groups of dogs. An older dog may potentially be in danger from rambunctious young dogs.

In some cases, a retired dog will be better suited to a quiet home environment. Somewhere they can relax, knowing they won’t be accosted by an enthusiastic young dog seeking playtime.

The reasons a breeder may place a dog are multitude. However, one thing that is consistent is that all of these decisions are made with the dog’s best interests in mind. Breeder placements can be an excellent fit for people seeking a dog. Not everyone’s life is suited to the high-intensity demands of puppyhood. Some households would rather welcome a young adult who already has some life skills and training. Some households are eager for a gentle, quiet senior dog to share their lives.

Breeders are among the most dedicated dog people out there (assume whenever I say “breeder” I mean “reputable/dedicated/preservation breeder”). They are the ones investing time, money, and significant effort into ensuring there will be excellent dogs available for the rest of us in the future. They balance their time/space/money/goals/plans and always try to make the best choices for their beloved dogs.

Obedience “trials” and tribulations

When I started in OB, close to 20 years ago, I found people overall to be very welcoming. Judges were supportive and enthusiastic, competitors were friendly and helpful. After I finished two OTCHs and went on to an OTCHX with my primary obedience dog, my brilliant Italian Greyhound, I took a few year hiatus, the stereotypical "life got in the way". I went back to school to do my MBA, moved across Canada for a new job, and having accomplished all my current OB goals my dogs slipped into retirement, enjoyed their daily hikes and didn't really seem to miss our daily practices :).

When I got a new dog, my magical Dalmatian, I decided to get back into Obedience, among other dog sports. In a new province with a new breed, I felt like a new competitor again, except I came with the confidence of someone who had finished some OTCHs, hit some top ten lists, and "proven" myself.

This time around, I didn't find people quite as welcoming. I had one early experience trialing in the USA. With AKC I am back in "A" or the novice stream, they don't recognize accomplishments from other kennel clubs, so as far as the judge was concerned, it could have been my first time in OB, ever. That morning, under the other judge, Random and I had trialed and she'd done very well, a nice qualifying score in the high 180s. As can happen with young dogs, it all fell apart a bit in the afternoon! We did not qualify, which didn't bother me at all. I expect these things with new dogs (and sometimes not so new dogs!). What was upsetting, though, was the interaction with the judge after. I have become used to judges being very supportive and encouraging, and if not that, then just nothing. This judge decided to pull me aside and lecture me about my dog not being ready. You know what? Maybe she wasn't! I have a tendency to enter too soon...but that's my prerogative, it's my money to waste, it's my dog to enter or not, and without new people entering, this sport will soon be dead.

When I first started in OB there was OB, conformation, or Agility. Then rally came along, a kinder/gentler OB sport. Now, OB trials still compete with conformation, rally, and agility (with several different organizations to choose from), but also with nosework, with barn hunt, with dock diving, with lure coursing and sprinter, and so much more. I used to have to hand deliver entries on the opening evening to ensure I got in, now I regularly am at trials with 10 dogs entered for the entire trial. This would be a good time to be very welcoming to new competitors!

Sadly, getting back into OB, I've also seen a shift in competitors' attitudes. I don't know if that is a result of there being less competitors so all that's left are pretty hard-core people? And don't get me wrong, there are TONS of lovely competitors still. Today I ran into both versions fairly early in my day. I was at a "new to me" trial, so was unfamiliar with the venue and set up. I'd always been taught to show up at least an hour before my ring time, and often show up with more time to spare than that. I find I'm a better competitor if I am relaxed and not feeling rushed. So, I arrived fairly first thing, before the trial had started. The building was at the back of an industrial complex, so after one false start in the wrong parking lot I found the mass of "doggie vehicles" (you know, lots of vans, some SUVs, all kitted out with kennels, fans, blankets, etc. All the necessary doggie accoutrements), and found a spot to park.

I grabbed my collapsible kennels and headed into the building saying a cheery "good morning" to everyone I passed. I'm not, by nature, particularly gregarious, but I believe in making an effort at these events. It's more fun if I have made some connections and chat with my fellow competitors. The third person I passed gave me a stony look in response to my chipper greeting...cool, maybe she didn't hear me, maybe she's not a morning person...whatever. I marched past her into the building and was stopped by her shrill and snarky "you CAN'T kennel in THERE!". Her tone of voice would have made you think that I was planning to kennel on someone's fine china, or perhaps in the midst of a nursery. Nope, just apparently they don't kennel around the ring as it's a tight fit. Cool, every building is different, no big deal, but perhaps there's a friendlier way of getting this message across? I said "ok, no worries, it's my first time at this show so no way for me to know where you kennel or not". She then gestured to an open space in the ante chamber and said "this is all that's left", so I said "neat, guess I will kennel here!". Perhaps my abrupt responses helped her understand that her tone was inappropriate and unnecessary as she then tried to extend an olive branch of sorts and as I was setting up my kennels she asked "so what kind of dogs do you have?". I stopped. Looked up at her. And said "we must have been at 100 different trials together. I know you have xxxxx (dog breed redacted to not identify the culprit of nastiness). She looked at me, then said "oh right, I thought you looked familair". Humph.

Anyway...moral to the story? Don't be a jerk. It isn't necessary, it isn't helpful. It WILL negatively impact the sport. Entries are down, there is a genuine risk of this sport dying. Don't be part of that. Be the person who is welcoming, and encouraging. Share your knowledge. Be friendly. And if you can't be, then just be quiet. If someone is heading where they shouldn't be, let them know (kindly), or don't, they'll figure it out in a minute.

Obedience has really developed a reputation for not being welcoming. That's super sad. And doesn't need to be like that. There's such a wealth of knowledge in the competitors, share it and more people will join!

I do LOVE seeing some truly new people to the sport. There's a lovely girl with a wonderful mini schnauzer that has worked her way through novice and is now in utility and doing well! She is a great addition to the sport and I'm happy to see her chatting with people and hope that she's had the warm welcome she deserves.

Lansing is for lovers….(Or is that Vermont?)

December 18, 2018

Who DOESN’T want to spend their anniversary in Lansing, MI?

This was a big(ish) year for our anniversary, 5 years since we first combined our Brady Bunch dog households (Brad had 2 dogs when we met, I had 4). In past years we have celebrated our anniversary in New Orleans, on a Mediterranean cruise, in San Francisco, and in Arizona. The next logical locale was definitely Lansing, MI….right? The choice of Lansing was the result of a few things. First was Brad telling me “all you actually want to do is go on a roadtrip with the dogs, so let’s just plan something they can come along on”. Well, he isn’t wrong, per say….so I planned a fun trip to hit a few of the States that we hadn’t yet in Southern USA. 

Then Hazzard qualified for the dock diving championships held at the AKC National Championship dog show in Florida in early December – so after much discussion we decided to cancel the anniversary trip and go to Florida instead. Then a fellow Dalmatian friend sent me info on the Dalmatian Specialty being held in Lansing, MI, over our anniversary weekend. So we booked a romantic room at the Red Roof Inn (haha), packed plenty of water (sorry, Flint) and off we went.

Lansing is actually a pretty cool city. They definitely are having a bit of a revival and downtown recovery. They have a very hip brewery, Lansing Brewing, with exceptional food. This was where we went for our “official” anniversary dinner. Craft beer and chicken and waffles? Yes, please. Across the street from Lansing brewing was an also hip craft distillery. Well done, Lansing, well done. We made a trip over there and got a bottle of their vodka to add to our bar. They are obviously a new distillery as all they had for sale were clear liquors, the ones that are distilled quickly, no bourbon/whiskey, or rum (yet).

Day one at the show (Friday) was awesome! There was a Dalmatian sweepstakes, a just for fun event held at some specialties, and Hazzard won it! Sweeps have the BEST prizes, and this was no different, awesome Christmas themed prizes. At the “real” show Hazzard took Winners Dog for a 3 point major win – our third, and thus superfluous major. (to achieve an AKC Championship you need to win 15 points, of which at least two must be “major” wins, 3 points or more. This is to prevent you being able to collect points one at a time. It helps to ensure you truly have a quality dog, not just a dog that you enter at shows against another mediocre dog and collect single points). This brought us to a total of 13 points, agonizingly close to finishing our CH. With no obedience/rally offered at this show, Random was along for moral support, primarily, and for another entry of “Brace of Chaos” in the Specialty 😊.

Day two we got reserve winners, which is a nice way of saying “your dog is nice, but no winning for you, today”. But Day three brought a VERY exciting win, Winners Dog, followed by Best of Winners (when all the champions go in the ring to compete for Best of Breed, the winning dog and winning bitch are also back in. “Best of Winners” is the dog who is deemed to be better, either the Winners Dog or Winners Bitch). That meant we earned….wait for it…..2 MORE POINTS AND FINISHED OUR CHAMPIONSHIP. Wowza, finishing that weekend was seriously unexpected. What a fun an exciting end to our show! As Brad said, he could feel me smiling from across the arena 😊. 

Winning at a Specialty is particularly exciting as Specialties draw larger entries. To win in a ring full of really awesome dogs is super special. This was the end of our trifecta of Championships, first we finished our UKC (June) then our CKC (July), and now the AKC. There are titles beyond Championship, in conformation – various Grand Championships – we will pursue our Grand in Canada (we are already about ¾ of the way there) but will not in AKC. We will show occasionally, for fun, at specialties, but will now focus on the other side of sports, the performance events. Hazzard has been training in obedience/rally, weight pull, and nosework. We have begun entering shows and achieving titles, but now we will make this our main focus.

Hazzard is my first real show dog. Gecko, the IG, has his CKC CH, and I took him in the ring a couple of times, but it was the kindness of friends that got him his CH, I never did earn any points on him. Most people do not get such a quality dog for their first conformation dog. I was lucky. I had already “proven” to my breeder (the amazing Pam Fisher) that I was serious about working with dogs. She was clear with me from the start that Random would not be a show dog (toooooo spotty), so we have only ever focused on performance sports, and Random is AN ABSOLUTE STAR. One of those super rare dogs who is up for any sport, any event, any time. In the 1.5 years I had Random prior to Hazzard joining the household she had achieved 14 titles in 6 sports across 6 organizations. The other lucky thing was Pam having not one, but two show potential male pups in her gorgeous litter – so she kept the liver and let the black come live with me <3. Many, many people in the Dalmatian breed have remarked on how lucky I was to get Hazzard. I wholeheartedly agree. But I was also incredibly lucky to get Random. I just want to live up to the potential of these two amazing dogs. They are awesome. My job is to not hold them back 😊.

Speaking of a 5 year anniversary….we are also really lucky to have Brad. He loves me, and the Spots, even when we aren’t all that lovable. He supports my crazy dog show addiction, comes to watch when he can, shares in the wins and losses, and encourages us every step of the way. The Spots adore him, which is really the true test of what sort of human being you are. I divide my world into “good humans” and “not good humans”. I do not have a lot of gray area. But Brad is the best human.

AKC National Championship

December 17, 2018

The AKC National!

America’s largest dog show. 5,000 dogs and their handlers competing in conformation, agility, obedience, rally, and dock diving. The pinnacle of dog events. We were here because Hazzard (somewhat unexpectedly) qualified for the NADD (North American Dock Diving) Championships back in July. I say unexpectedly only because it is his first year diving. But he has come A LONG way and certainly was ready to hold his own against some of North America’s top dogs. After a lot of back and forth, we decided to go and to make a vacation of it. So, we packed the Spots and our two good friends into our Atlas and headed off on a 2200 km drive from Guelph, Ontario to Orlando, Florida.

We left after work on a Friday – determined to knock a few hundred kms off our trip to make the following two days a bit easier. I took the Spots on a good run so they would be relaxed in the car (they are awesome travelers) and we all settled in. Night one of a road trip always involves a trip to Target for travel “essentials” – including the Spots fresh foods (boiled eggs and yogurt), the obligatory new doggie toy, some dog treats, and snacks for the humans.

Saturday we made it to North Carolina, just in time to catch the start of what would turn into an epic winter storm, eeek. We stayed at a La Quinta, one of my favourite chains for traveling with dogs – dogs are always welcome and never incur extra charges. We woke up to a winter wonderland – significant snow and the threat of freezing rain, so we hit the road (with AWD and snow tires and lots of experience with winter driving). Good thing we did, the snow progressed and many of the highways throughout North Carolina were closed. Rolling out of the storm and into the warmth of the South was definitely appreciated.

In addition to the NADD Championships I entered Hazzard in conformation for 2 days, and Random in rally for 2 days – may as well make the most out of the show! I had left myself a bit of extra time, assuming the parking/kenneling etc would be a challenge, thank goodness I did! Parking wasn’t too bad, we were on right at 8 am so it wasn’t too packed yet. The kenneling area though? Wowza. By far the largest show I have ever been to, the kenneling area was larger than the entire footprint of previous shows I have attended. 1st lesson we learned was definitely book benching area ahead of time. After a truly arduous walk, with all of our gear and 2 VERY excited dogs, up and down and across and over and through the area, we found a small spot for our two kennels and 2 chairs. We got settled in and set off to check out the building. 

I found my conformation and obedience ring amongst the 30 + rings. In some quirk of scheduling I was in at 8 am in conformation ring 17 for Dalmatians AND in at 8 am in obedience ring 4 for rally. Eeek. I started at the rally ring, explained I had a conflict and they kindly moved me to the end of the class. The conformation judge was totally disinterested so fortunately (?) our stint in the ring was brief and I had just enough time to switch dogs and make it into the rally ring. We had entered in Masters, only our second time in and I had neglected to review the signs again, as I had intended. This combined with no chance for a walk-through (I was busy NOT winning in conformation) meant we were going in blind – perhaps not ideal. Random did her best, but it wasn’t our smoothest run and we did not qualify (nor did we deserve to qualify). So by 930 am we were done for the day, haha. Not our most successful day, but both dogs did their absolute best. We headed off, the following day our schedule was 8am and 230 pm – so we would have loads of time to further explore the show. We went back to the amazing house we were renting and Hazzard "practiced" for his dock event by playing in the pool :). 

Day 2: Rally again at 8 am. This time we were able to do the course walk-through (and read up on today’s signs) which made for a totally different experience! Random worked like a champ, despite me totally messing up one sign we came through with a respectable 81/100. Hazzard had a similar experience in the breed ring, he showed beautifully but no love from the judge – hard to feel bad when a gorgeous class of 41 Dalmatians is in the ring 😊. We were cut in very good company, America’s #1 (and very gorgeous) Dalmatian, Nate, was cut with us! Unexpected turn of events, but lovely to see a ring full of amazing dogs. We snuck off before breed judging was finished to get into the interminable line for dock diving practice. Hazzard had NEVER jumped indoors, nor beside another active dock, and thanks to it being Winter in Canada, he hadn’t jumped at all in almost 3 months, so practice was very necessary. He started out with some hesitation (understandable) but with some significant encouragement he did jump/slide into the water. After that, he did two very nice jumps – ok, ready for tomorrow!

Day 3: DOCK DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS! We arrived nice and early so that we could sit and wait for hours, haha – but as our first time at this event, we weren’t sure how quickly it would run and wanted to be prepared (spoiler alert, it did not run quickly). It was super fun sitting and watching the dogs jump, though. The vast majority handled the challenging environment (indoors, LOUD, weird light, weird noises, two docks side by side) extremely well. A few dogs refused to jump, heartbreaking for their owners, but all handlers/owners seemed to handle the disappointment well. 

In due time it was our turn up on the dock, the format of nationals is 2 jumps, back to back, no practice. We are used to doing a practice jump to warm up – and I decided this was still important to Hazzard’s routine. Up on the dock, I got him revved up with his ball, then tossed it in a short way. He didn’t follow immediately (gulp, c’mon buddy) but with minor encouragement hopped in willingly…whew. So we set him up for his “proper” jump, decided on ¾ way back on the dock, less than usual but wanted to make things easier for him – called him, threw his ball and he sailed off the dock. SO PROUD. 16ft, so close to 3 feet shorter than usual, but that was totally expected – the combo of no practice, so sacrificing one of our jumps for a practice, plus holding him closer up on the dock was bound to lead to a shorter jump. But he jumped. With confidence. Good puppy. Considering the same day I got a Facebook memory of some shared pics  last year of him a few weeks before we got to bring him home….pretty proud.

Random is, always, an absolute star. She handled the CRAZY building in a stride. Next year I plan to have her qualify for the Championship as well – this year she missed it by outdoing herself and jumping into Masters instead of Seniors – hard to complain about that!

Our first AKC National Championship was a great experience - and we plan to be back next year. Now that I know the building is manageable we will enter a few more classes.