Thank you to all who helped!

Buddy is doing much better. He might even be able to come home today! He's not quite there yet but hopefully! Thank you to all those who sent prayers and good thoughts for the little guy. I truly believe it works. Let's keep sending them and get him home to his kids who love him!

Buddy is a family pet but will also be helping children with speech problems. Just one more way a Guardian Angel Shepherd will be helping people. Another K9 Partner!

Mary Ann

Buddy Needs Your Prayers

Buddy is very sick. His previous name was Mr. Blue. Buddy has only been with his family for a week. One day, after a walk, he became lethargic and stopped eating. He stools gradually became looser and he urinated every time he pooped. And he stopped drinking. A really bad combination! These little guys don't have a lot to draw on yet so his owners did the right thing and brought him to their vet. They have ruled out Parvo, thankfully. But he still has a high fever and a high white blood count. They have done x-rays, twice over a period of time, and do not see anything foreign in his stomach. Best guess at this point is he has eaten a plant he shouldn't have. Who knows, maybe someone down the road has used Round Up on their lawn. All we know is he is a very sick puppy. Please send your prayers and good, healing thoughts to them.

Only good thing about this is they had the free 30 day pet insurance! Trupanion will pay 90% of the cost. They said the first night alone cost $3500. You don't need it until you need it!

I'm sending prayers and healing thoughts to my little Buddy. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 I hope you will too.

Mary Ann

So I got this call from Egypt!

You know when you get those calls with all the weird numbers and there's like, 15 numbers?  Generally that means it's some scammer calling from some unknown country looking to relieve you from your money.  I seldom answer those weird looking numbers.  But for some reason, I did this time.  Lo and behold, it was a real person on the other end, calling from Egypt!  Looking for a puppy!  How bizarre is that!  I'm not sure but I think it was the middle of the night there.  

And this is the result!  Happy Family Happy Puppy!

Mary Ann

Pele - Update

Pele is doing well in her new home. She will go in for surgery soon to remove the femoral ball. This will prevent bones from rubbing together and causing pain. Later in life she may have her hip totally replaced but there is a good chance she won't have to. I consulted with a third party vet and he told me that after removing the ball, and I'm guessing some Physio Therapy, she will be able to run and play almost the same as any other dog. He said you would need a very well trained eye to see the difference in her gait. I was ecstatic to hear that!!

Pele

Do you think these feelings are mutual? I'd say so!

Rommel Approved Part 2

Tug & Out!

Check out my video on YouTube regarding playing tug with your dog and how to get him to release anything.  Happily!


https://youtu.be/jN7QtbGtJJ0

Mary Ann

Rommel Approved

I'm at Brass Pro in Calgary. Here are some toys that have stood the test of time. Rommel gives his stamp of approval!

Pele is loved!

This is the message I received this morning from Pele's new owner! It made me laugh!

I just saved your contact info information again and it just hit me.....I FINALLY HAVE A GUARDIAN ANGEL GERMAN SHEPHERD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After all these years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁🦴🦴🦴👣👣👣🐶🐶🐶 And some 💩💩💩


Mary Ann

My 2 All Black Male German Shepherd Puppies

This is Tango & Buddy. I was just thinking how awesome it would be to walk down the street with 2 well trained, all black adult German Shepherds. One on each side of me. That would be quite a sight to see! Hmmmm... Maybe I should do that!!

Tonks & Grandpa Rommel

Tonks and owner came back for a visit and one of the free lessons that comes with the purchase of your puppy.  In an effort to meet "new dogs" we introduced Tonks to Grandpa Rommel.  Tonks was more excited about it than Rommel was!  I can't believe Rommel is 10 years old already!  

Pele (Miss Pink) and the Guardian Angel Shepherd Family!

Pele is doing incredibly well.  So well in fact, it's hard to tell her from the other puppies!  The only thing that gives her away is that she gets tired faster.  She runs, and plays, and wrestles just like the others.  Her weight is good, her coat is shiny.  She's perfect.  Except for that darn dislocated hip!

In case this is the first time you've been to my blog, we had a litter of puppies born March 3, 2019.  We ended up with 11 happy, healthy puppies.  At around 6 weeks old, I came into my puppy building and saw Pele, sitting in a strange position.  Not crying, not whining.  Just sitting strangely.  Long story short after a trip to the vet, and x-rays, we discovered she had a dislocated hip.  The only thing we could figure was her Mother stepped/jumped on her as she was entering the kennel.  We took Pele to physiotherapy and they were optimistic about making an effort to get her hip back into place using a sling and exercises.  Another trip to the vet and he dashed all my hopes.  I came so close to euthanizing her that day.  But I couldn't.  She had such a love of life.  She didn't know this wasn't normal!  She just took it all in stride.  I've never seen a tougher dog in my life!  And now I know I made the right decision.  She is a perfect bundle of joy (with a limp)!

And the news gets better!

It's official, she's going home!  She will have her very own family!

I've known this family for several years now.  They have been patiently waiting, for years, for a Guardian Angel Shepherd.  And this was the year to finally get one!  They waited patiently when they found out Maya had been bred.  They waited patiently to find out she actually was pregnant.  They waited patiently to hear if there were enough puppies for them to receive one.  They waited for the phone call to say "yes, there's enough puppies!"  And they were waiting to find out which puppy they would receive.  But instead of me telling them which puppy would be theirs, they told me.  They wanted Pele!  They could have had a healthy puppy but no, they wanted the injured puppy!  I couldn't believe my ears!  After all this time.  After all these years of waiting.  I literally burst into tears on the phone.  I was so happy that Pele would have her very own family who would love and care for her and her special needs.  I did my best to explain what the vet had told me and it might come down to a total hip replacement in the future.  And that was okay with them.  I was ecstatic!  My faith in humanity was renewed!  

So I'm very happy to tell everyone that Pele is leaving for her home in Saskatchewan tomorrow.  I'm hoping we get lots of updates on how she's doing and I will pass them along to you as I get them.

And I need to thank all those incredibly generous people who donated money to pay for Pele's vet and physiotherapy bills.  I was amazed at how caring people truly are.  You always hear all the worst things and you tend to start feeling like that's all there is out there.  But that's absolutely wrong!  There are so many people who opened their hearts for Pele and I am truly, truly thankful.  Some gave money, some did extensive research into her problem and offered suggestions, some prayed.   I have also donated the cost of a puppy towards the upcoming medical bills she will encounter. All of you are a gift.  We are family.  Family doesn't have to be blood related.  We are the Guardian Angel Shepherd family!

I need just the right owners for Gypsy and Tango

This is a short video of Gypsy (Miss Green).  She is a Black & Tan Alpha female and needs a home that has a job for her.  That could be keeping a marathon runner company on their runs, or Search & Rescue, or bomb/drug dog, something that requires a lot of energy to be used up.  But she must have a job.  I have turned down several people who wanted her on her looks only.  I saved both them and her from a life of frustration.  I'm putting this out there because she needs just the right fit.

Tango was Mr. Tan.  He is an all Black Alpha male.  His video will come out shortly.  He is not as gung-ho as Gypsy but not too far behind.  He could go with someone who is experienced with German Shepherds.  His video will come out shortly.

Here is the link:   https://youtu.be/3JiDzYpCfX8

Pass this along!  Let's find them their new forever homes!

Mary Ann

Short Video on my YouTube Channel

https://youtu.be/LPf_Ade3A6k

The Dog Days of Summer

They are almost here! Enjoying the deck for the first time this year!

This is Trinity. Isn't she absolutely gorgeous! So feminine! She died once and I brought her back to life. But that's a story for another day. I'm just going to enjoy the sun for 10 until something calls me away!

IMG_6559.JPG

You said I'm going where?! And doing what?!

Mr Red (Watson) left today for his new home!

Her First Day At Work!

This is the coolest thing ever!  This is Tonk (Miss Purple) doing rounds with her owner who just happens to be a doctor!  Tonk apparently did very well visiting all the patients and sleeping during charting.  She was loved by all!   I'm a very PROUD MOTHER!

Mary Ann

Rifle Blasts! 10 Feet From My Head As I Slept!

Today I woke at 5:40AM to 2 rifles blasts 10 feet from my head!  My husband was up for work and saw a very large coyote only 25 yards from where we keep the puppies!  They were all safe indoors with Momma but that's much too close for me!  He ran for his rifle and sent two shots just behind his heels!  We have an agreement with the coyotes.  We have 160 acres.  They can use 155 acres and we use 5.  Seems incredibly fair to me!  But when they come sniffing around my dogs, or any livestock we might have at the time, that's not allowed.  First time is warning shots.  Next time, no warning shot.  

I've had one of my old retired girls killed by a cougar so I can't take the chance of having any predators close by.  Fish & Wildlife asked if I wanted that cougar shot and I said no.  It was just being a cougar.  They felt it was a young male, just on it's own from it's mother and wasn't very good at hunting yet.  I said if it came back, then yes, as that would mean there was a pattern and who knows what it might go after, after that.  But it never did, thankfully.  But that was one of the most horrific experiences of my life.  Poor Kahlua.  He daughter Indy came to her rescue but the damage was so bad, she had to be euthanized.  

But today was not a good day for predators.  Thankfully Trinity was going crazy outside which caused Mark to look out the window.  The other dogs hadn't smelled it yet I guess.  Good thing we have lots of sentry dogs!

But all is well and the puppies and Maya never knew the difference.  But we will be extra vigilant!

Mary Ann

Bite this!

When your puppy bites you, which he or she will do, the best thing to do is to find something else for them to bite. That's the only way they know how to play. So if you don't bring something with you that they can bite, you are fair game. It's your fault not theirs!

Keep Your Dog Thin Throughout His Lifetime

https://www.instituteofcaninebiology.org/uploads/1/9/6/9/19691109/smith_et_al_2006_lifelong_diet_restriction_and_radiographic_evidencehip_joint_in_dogs.pdf

This is a link to a study on Labradors to evaluate the effects of diet restriction on development of radiographic evidence of hip joint osteoarthritis (caused by Canine Hip Dysplasia CHD) in dogs.  

Spoiler alert! -  "Dogs allowed to eat as much as they wanted showed evidence of hip dysplasia at younger ages than dogs fed less, and the difference between the groups got worse as they got older.  By 6 years of age, 50% of dogs in the unlimited food group had evidence of osteoarthritis, compared with only 10% of dogs in the restricted food group.  More than 50% of the dogs in the restricted food group still had radiographically normal hips at 12 years old; in the other group, 90% were arthritic.  Dogs fed 25% less food than their pair in the control group weighed about 25% less throughout their lives.  Heavier dogs had worse hips."

Mary Ann

Will the real Mr Tan please stand up!

Sorry. Mr Blue made a double appearance in that last post.

THIS is the real Mr Tan!

Mr Tan

Mr Blue

Mr Red

Pele

Miss Green

‘‘Tis that time of year! Gates!

Mud, mud and more mud! Last year I bought a dump truck full of gravel and put it all in the backyard. The dogs already killed most of the grass so why not! Unfortunately it only covered about 85% of the yard. This year I will get another load which will finish the backyard and hopefully fill the mud pit in Nova's yard as well. I have to wait until things dry up or the gravel will be pushed down into the mud. Welcome to Spring time in Alberta! And thank goodness for gates!

My favourite place

Isis was born in 2003. That makes her 16 years old. Crazy old for a German Shepherd. She is pretty frail but still has a sparkle in her eye. I need to protect her from the over exuberance of the younger dogs and help her up and down the stairs but other than that she still enjoys life. This is her favourite spot. I built 2 raised beds to help her be more comfortable in her later years. The dogs love them. I bought the hammock and made the rest from pvc. They cost between $40-45 each. Much cheaper than the $175-$300 store bought varieties!

Feeding the Puppies

As you know, I am feeding Petcurean, NOW Fresh, Large Breed Puppy food.  But here's the specifics.

They are fed approximately 1 cup, 3 times per day.  Times of the meals can vary somewhat but it is approximately 8:00AM, 2:00PM and 8:00PM.  No food and limited water after 8:00PM.  It will cut down on your nighttime bathroom runs.  

Added to the puppy's food is Vitamin C.   The dosages are: 500mg daily until 4 months old then increasing to 1000mg, and finally to 2000mg daily until 18-24 months of age. Vitamin C is virtually harmless so don't be worried about overdosing. It can cause diarrhea so if this happens just decrease the dose slightly. I recommend a buffered C and divide the amount between meals as opposed to adding the whole dose to one meal.  Ascorbic Acid is most common, however, they have the poorest absorption rate by the body.  Vitamin C can also be found in Ascorbates and are easily absorbed in the intestinal tract of dogs.  I have a mortar and pestle and grind the pills to sprinkle on the food.  I add just enough water to mix it well.

I also add a dog multivitamin daily.  I use VitaHealth daily vitamins.  https://amzn.to/2GYtJFg     (I will get a small percentage of you use this link to purchase the vitamins through Amazon Canada)


I feed puppy food no longer than 9-10 months at the latest.  This will slow down the growth and help prevent Pano (growing pains).  It will not stunt the growth, just slow it down.


If you have any questions, let me know and I'll be happy to answer them.

Mary Ann