Lost/Stolen Dogs!

I was adopted by a grey tabby cat a few days ago. Because of that, I posted him/her on the Olds and Area Pet Lost & Found. After looking through a lot of the postings, I learned that there are a lot of dog thieves doing a great business in the area. They cruise the streets of both urban and rural, looking for dogs they can steal. They then put them up for sale on Kijiji or something similar for hundreds of dollars! There is such a demand for dogs since COVID hit that this has become a very lucrative business! I've heard 2 first hand stories of people paying $1200 and $1800 for a mix of 4 breed puppies! Aka mutts! I'm not against mixed breeds, I've had many! But when people start selling them for absorbatent prices, there are many red flags that go up!!

So, please everyone! Please be careful with your dogs! Do not leave them alone in the yard when you are away. Be sure your gates are locked when you are home, and keep your eyes out for suspicious vehicles. What a despicable thing to be doing!!!

Mary Ann

Moving Day!

https://youtu.be/KLBWGhg-eww


Mary Ann

Attn Carol Sprague

Carol,

Your email was incorrect on the message you sent via my website. If you could please respond to this email, I will be able to respond to you.

Mary Ann

EMAIL IS FINALLY WORKING!

I have good news and bad news! My email is finally working and it seems like everything is getting through now. The bad news is I still have no access to emails sent in the last 6 -8 weeks. So if you have applied for a puppy, please resend your emails! Better yet, please fill out your questionnaire and send them along with your email. I have puppies available due to the mess up of my emails. I have more females than males so if you are looking for a female, now is the time to apply!

If you have already sent a deposit for a puppy, please send me an email to be sure I still have all your most recent information.

Technology is going to be the death of me!

PLEASE RE-SEND ANY PUPPY APPLICATIONS THAT WERE SENT IN THE LAST 6-8 WEEKS!

Thank you!

Mary Ann

Miss Pink

Mary Ann

Miss Orange

Mary Ann

Mr Red

Mr Blue

Miss Purple

Puppies born December 6

Mary Ann

Puppies playing in traffic! (Noise!)

https://youtu.be/dhCQ5m8a0o8

Mary Ann

Get This For Your Dog For Christmas

 This is called a Flirt Pole.  It's the best thing since fetch for your dog!  Your dog will go crazy jumping and running after the rope toy while you expend a minimal amount of energy in the middle.  My kind of toy when it's the end of the day and I'm at the end of my energy allotment!  One word of caution though, if you have a dog under 18 months old, be very careful of overdoing the fun or having your dog leap into the air.  The may come down wrong and hurt their growth plates.  Just keep the toy near the ground and they will still have the best time ever!

I will get a small commission if you order through my link.

I'm so disappointed/sad/mad/frustrated!

After spending HOURS on the phone today trying to get access to my website and emails, the techs now tell me it may be impossible to retrieve all the lost emails and impossible to update my website again. And if I mess around with it too much, I could end up losing my whole website altogether! I've spent 100's and 100's of hours building that website!

There is one small chance to download and go through every single page, paragraph and photo to make sure it downloads/uploads properly. And I just don't have that kind of time right now.

This whole day has been wasted and for nothing. 😔

Mary Ann

Tia's first Christmas!  

SIX Puppies Born Dec 6!

I'm so tired I can't see straight but the puppies have arrived! 4 girls, 2 boys! One for sure all black male! One girl is very, very small so she is receiving a lot of TLC day and night. She's otherwise healthy, just small.

Off for a quick nap!

Mary Ann

5 Poisonous Christmas Plants

1. Pointsettas

2. Mistletoe

3. Amaryllis

4. Christmas Cactus

5. Holly/Ivy

All the above plants can be poisonous to dogs. Some not as lethal as others. But all will give Rover at a minimum, a bout of vomiting and diarrhea! Nobody wants their dog to go thru that. Especially at Christmas.

Remember to put any of these plants up high and out of harms way. And watch for leaves that may have dropped onto the floor.

Have a very Merry and Safe Christmas everyone!

Mary Ann

Lost Emails and Puppies!

As I wrote earlier I have been having problems with my website and emails. There appear to be 3-4 weeks of emails missing. I am busy with the techs trying to recover them. If you have written and not received a reply my SINCERE APOLOGIES.

I am assured by the tech that they will be recovered soon. I will start replying to them in the order they have been dated.

As for my website, I cannot update it. All updates will be on this blog until things get sorted out.

And now some good news. Fia's five puppies are now 2 weeks old and doing well. Nova my very fat pregnant girl is ready to have her pups any day. I will start taking deposits shortly. I expect 7-8 puppies!

Stay safe everyone. And be kind to one another.

Mary Ann

Group Shot

Fia and 2 week old puppies

Mary Ann

Miss Green

Miss Orange

Mr Black

Miss White

Eyes just opening

Rudolph looks a bit intimidating to this one

My sister took this photo. I thought it was awesome! You could put some very funny captions on it! If you have a good caption write it in the comments. They will get published shortly after you send them.

Hawk from Czechoslovakia

Enjoying his raw knuckle bone! Keeping an eye on Gaia in her crate. Just in case she might steal it. I'm happy to say this big brute is wonderful about surrendering it to humans!

I'm so please with him. His temperament is fantastic and he's such a looker! 37.7 kgs yesterday at the vet. At 15 months! Not an ounce of fat on him. Passed all his health/breeding tests!

URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT

My computer/website has stopped working. I can no longer access emails sent to me within the last several weeks. I am very behind on my emails and I know most of those emails I have not responded to yet. Also, I can not update my website with the announcement of our newborn litter OR that I have another litter on the way! I have little time to spend trying to fix the problem so all announcements will be via this format until I have time to fix everything.

PVR is not working. Wifi & cell phone not working. And now my website and email! Good grief!

Mary Ann

Hawk meeting some of the pack

 

I ruined my 25+ year record! But I'm glad I did! PART ONE

(For those that can't handle waiting for the end of the story). I'm glad we ruined our record, because we have 5 beautiful puppies and a healthy Mom! Fia needed a caeserean section.

PART ONE - At 9:00AM on November 19, 2020 Fia started acting strangely. Here we go I thought! She was due to have her puppies on November 22 so I wasn't surprised by her restlessness and wanting to stay close to me. You could see she was having small contractions so we went into the whelping room and I sat expecting a puppy any time. By 10:30, nothing. That's not a good sign.

I felt inside and could feel a puppy head. It's mouth opened when I touched it. Good! It's still alive! Intervention was needed. The puppy was not proceeding down the birth canal as it should. It was STUCK! I had travelled to Cranbrook many years ago and taken a 3 day course on Puppy Intensive Care. Best thing I've ever done. I can't tell you how many perfectly healthy puppies I've saved just because of bad luck on their part. Too long in the birth canal and starved of oxygen, hip locked, placenta detachment etc. All the puppies are perfectly healthy, but without intervention would have died. I'm ever so grateful to Myrna Savant Harris!!

As it turned out, this puppy was hip locked. That means the puppy's hip is locked up with the Mom's pelvis. There's no way the puppy could possibly come out. Strangely enough, you need to push the puppy back IN! That unlocks the hips and hopefully when it is squeezed through the next time, it comes through properly! And it did! So at 10:38 in the morning, the first pup was finally born! A beautiful little Black and Tan girl! Two hours later, another girl was born with no problem at all.

And then we waited. And waited. And waited. It was now 5:00PM so a call to the vet. Fia was not in distress, so we waited some more. And some more. At times I could just reach high enough in the birth canal to feel a nose. Other times I'd feel for it and there was nothing. I could never feel enough that I could grab hold of it. I stayed up all night with her, giving her glucose for energy and calcium for strong contractions. In the form of ICE CREAM! Fia loves ice cream! But to no avail. The vet called me at 7:00AM to see how she was doing. I LOVE MY VET! We decided even though Fia was not showing any distress (sleeping soundly and taking care of her two pups) that I would bring her in to the clinic.

Part Two to follow...

King!

Could you move please! You make it really hard to do my yoga! Every time I give up a little mat, guess who takes it over!

Effects of Early Spay/Neuter on 35 Different Breeds

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.00388/full?fbclid=IwAR1KRgd5H9df7yX-dbkRPaw69_wgZ5kdbaBzGOqHM1VWLKX9P2L14IF_hVQ

Above is the link to the actual paper if you are interested.  If the link doesn't work, copy and paste it into your browser.  For those of you who are only interested in the GSD (German Shepherd Dog), the summary follows.

PYO - Pyometria - infection of the uterus usually resulting in being spayed.

UI - Urinary Incontinence - Unable to control the bladder

German Shepherd Dog

The study population was 514 intact males, 272 neutered males, 173 intact females, and 298 spayed females for a total of 1,257 cases. In males and females left intact, the occurrence of one or more joint disorders was 6 and 5 percent, respectively. Neutering males at <6 mo., 6–11 mo. and 1–2 years was associated with increased risks of this measure to 19, 18 and 9 percent, respectively (p <0.01). Spaying females at <6 mo. and 6–11 mo. was associated with a 20 and 15 percent level of increased risk (p <0.01), and spaying at 1–2 years with a 5 percent risk level (p <0.05). The occurrence of one or more of the cancers followed for intact males and females was 3 percent and 2 percent, respectively. Neutering at the various ages was not associated with any appreciable increased risk in cancers followed. The occurrence of MC in intact females was 5 percent and for those spayed at 2–8 years, 6 percent. Of intact females, 3 percent were reported with PYO. UI ranged up to 9 percent for females spayed from <6 mo. through 1 year of age (p <0.05–0.01). The suggested guideline for males, given the risks of joint disorders, is delaying neutering until over 2 years of age. For females, with the same joint issues as males plus the risks of UI, the suggested guideline is delaying spaying until over 2 years of age.

Hilarious! Zeus Plays Like Crazy!

How sweet!

Rommel & Cruz catching a quick nap while hiding from the youngsters!

You'll Never Guess What?!

As most of you know, I have been looking for a new stud dog since shortly after my beautiful, all black, Merlin, passed away.  Turns out that was 2.75 years ago.  Not 2 years like I had thought.  

Well, about a week ago, I saw a dog on the internet that was absolutely perfect!  But I had seen 3 perfect dogs before, so I dared not get too excited about this one.  Seemed I always JUST missed out.  Sold last week, sold yesterday etc.  

But this time I can tell you that FINALLY I was successful!  I didn't want to say anything, just in case...  but now I can say, without any reservation, THAT I HAVE A NEW STUD DOG!!!

He flew in from the Czech Republic a little over a week ago and he is now here at Guardian Angel Shepherds!  WOOHOO!!

He is a gorgeous dark sable, 12 months old, and great confirmation (IOW straight back) He has all his health clearances and is trained in protection.  He would be considered a green protection dog at this age.  But he is fearless!  He came out of the airline crate like he owned the world!  New smells, new people, new COUNTRY! Nothing phased him.  And he's huge for a 12 month old!  He looks like he's 3 years old!  Big boy, very muscular, can't imagine what he'll look like at 3 years.  

It will take a few months to get his papers and health clearances from Europe.  In the meantime I will introduce him to a life in the house with the rest of the pack.  He was born and raised in a working kennel environment so he knows nothing about house manners.  Or people manners for that matter.  He just about knocked me down 3 times when we first took him out of the crate.  Not his fault.  He was never taught!  So I have my work cut out for me.

His registered name is "Dak" but I have given him a call name.  He will go by "Hawk" from now on.  He is learning very quickly about house life but it could take some time for him to be accepted into the pack.  Maybe months.  He will never socialize with the other stud dogs, Rommel and Tazer.  Rommel is retired but he doesn't know that!  You would never expect stud dogs to get along.  Every stud dog must believe he is the Alpha of the pack.  So you could imagine the horrific event should they come in contact with one another.  Living with a pack is nothing like having a couple of dogs around the house.  You have to understand pack dynamics to have a successful breeding pack.

So that's my exciting news!  I will add photos as we get them.  But for now...

Introducing 'HAWK"

Reputations are so important! - Reference

This is part of an email I received from someone looking to buy a puppy from the US.  I have changed the names as I have not received permission from all involved.

Hi, Mary Ann, 

My name is Joanne, and my husband Jim and I live in  North Carolina. You have come highly recommended by Kelly Burnham, a dog trainer in San Diego, who raves about the temperament of your German Shepherds. (Kelly is friends and colleagues with our dear friend Carol-Ann Adam Kreid, a dog trainer in San Diego. That is how the connection was made.) I am so impressed by your website -- your history, your experience, your biography, your insights into German Shepherds ... breeding, training, raising them ... It is abundantly clear that German Shepherds are your life and your passion. And that radiates through your breedings. I respect the time and energy, the heart and soul you have put into your dogs! Mary Ann, you are a treasure! So ... here is the reason for my message: I want to fill out a puppy application and send you a non-refundable deposit, and I also want to tell you all about me and Jim, and our love for dogs, especially our dear Lani, a German Shepherd who was a life-changing dog for us…

How's that for an incredible email!  It certainly made my day!  Or week!!  To hear that I have a reputation that has travelled all the way to San Diego just blows me away!  Now if it was a BAD reputation, I know they will carry vast distances!  But a good reputation is much harder to develop.  I want to thank "Joanne" for all the kind words.  I hope I can get you a puppy across the border and into North Carolina!

Mary Ann

Still on the look out for a new stud dog.

 It has been a long time since Merlin passed away.  Seems like forever to me.  I have to find some good outside blood to add to my line.  About every 5 years I import a stud dog but with Merlin passing away unexpectedly, it was sooner.  But after 2 years of searching, I still have not found anything worthy of my name!  My contact in Europe has retired so it makes things much more difficult.  And now, the airlines will not allow dogs to cross the Canadian/American border by plane.  So the dog either has to come from Europe, or Canada.  The ideal would be if a Canadian brought in a dog from Europe and then sold him to me!  That would save me a ton of hoops to jump through.  On average, just the transport costs in excess of $6000.  

So... I continue to look but what I'm looking for is few and far between.  And expensive.  Wish me luck!

GAIA!!

Dropped Gaia off at the CARE Vet Centre in South Calgary at 8:00AM.  I sat in the parking lot until 9:44.  I wasn't texting.  I wasn't reading.  I was thinking.  I was worried.  My precious, sweet girl was not eager to be handed off to a stranger and taken into the building.  In some ways it felt like I was betraying her.  Of course, with stupid COVID, everything has changed and I couldn't take her in myself.  My heart broke, just a little.  I wondered if that was going to be the last time she ever saw me and I wondered if she was going to think I abandoned her.  And yes, there were a few tears.

First thing on the list was a CT scan so they could figure out the best way to remove the broken piece of bone.  After the CT, surgery was scheduled and an overnight stay.  They were going to call after the CT and let me know what they found.  

Normally, when I have to go to Calgary, I try and make it worthwhile.  After all, it was almost 2 hours to get to the clinic, so what should I do now that I was in Calgary?  I couldn't think of a thing.  All I could think about was Gaia and the look on her face as she turned to look at me just before going through the door.  I decided I would just drive home and count the hours until I could  pick her up the next day.  I climbed into the back of my Jeep with Rommel and Cruz, told them what was happening and why I was leaving her behind, and off we went.  Homeward bound.

I turned on some podcasts to listen to as I drove, to take my mind off things.  An hour and a half later, the phone rang.  It was the CARE Centre phoning to let me know the results of the CT.  It just so happened I had arrived in Olds so I pulled off onto a side street to take the call.  It went something like this:

Hello, Mary Ann?  Yes.  This is Dr Little from the CARE Centre.  I have good news.  Well that's nice to hear!  Gaia doesn't need surgery!  WHAT?!  She has panosteitis.  OMG!!  That's fantastic news!!  I did a scan of both elbows and both shoulders and her joints are "pristine"!  OMG!  I can't believe this!  You will still be able to use her in your breeding program. This is such good news!  Absolutely unbelievable!  So I can pick her up then?  Let's give her a couple of hours to come out of the anesthetic and then you can pick her up.  Well I'm almost 2 hours away now so I'll just grab a sandwich and head back down there.  THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Panosteitis, sometimes shortened to pano among breeders,^[1] is an occasionally seen long bone condition in large breed dogs. It manifests with sudden, unexplained pain and lameness that may shift from leg to leg, usually between 5 and 14 months of age, earning the nickname "growing pains. "^[2] Signs such as fever, weight loss, anorexia, and lethargy can also be seen. The cause is unknown, but genetics, stress, infection, metabolism, or an autoimmune component may be factors.^[3]It has also been suggested that rapid growth and high-protein food are involved in the pathogenesis.^[4] Whole blood analysis may show an elevated white blood cell count; this finding lends support to the theory that panosteitis is due to an infection.^[5]

The above is wikipedia's definition of Panosteitis.  To prevent Pano from occurring, I have always changed my puppy's food from puppy to adult at 9-10 months of age.  This helps to prevent rapid growth and decreases the amount of protein in their diet.  This is the very first time that one of my  dogs has developed Pano.  When discussing my diet change with Dr. Little, she stated that she wished everyone would do the same.  She also commented on the incredible temperament and correct structure of Gaia.  She said it had been a very, very long time since she had seen such a good representation of the German Shepherd breed.  I told her I had two more just like her in my Jeep!  And when she was returned to me, the vet tech commented on how sweet Gaia was.  At which point I rolled down the back window and out popped Rommel and Cruz's heads!  She was delighted to see how friendly and beautiful they were!

So we have had a WONDERFUL day here at Guardian Angel Shepherds!  A day that started with worry and dread, turned into a miracle.  I asked the vet tech how often a scheduled surgery didn't actually get performed.  She just looked at me and laughed.  

I want to thank everyone for all the prayers, kind thoughts and wishes, offers of financial help, texts and emails I have been receiving.  The Guardian Angel Family is second to none!  There are days that I wonder why I spend 3 days without sleep after the whelping of a litter.  I ask again when I've spent 2 weeks feeding and caring for a newborn pup 24/7 only to have it die in my hands.  And again on the days I have to euthanize a beloved 4 legged family member.  But days like this, make it all worthwhile.  (And many, many others!))  I am so proud to call you all family!  I can't thank you enough.  And a special thank you to Julie who took the time to do a draft Go Fund Me page for Gaia.  Not to mention all the work she does keeping my Facebook page up to date and fielding a ton of questions for me.  Thank you Julie!

The picture is of Gaia and her Grandparents after she was returned to me from the clinic.  I think that "stink eye" look I got from Gaia says it all!

Mary Ann

Dropped off Gaia!

It's an awful feeling leaving your pet behind at the vet! You wonder if you will ever see them again. In most cases you will. But there is always a small chance you won't. It weighs on your mind until you hear they are resting comfortably after surgery.

Please send prayers our way that everything will go well. Thank you all for your previous kind messages, thoughts and prayers.

Real women...

Karleen sent this tonight. I whole heartily agree!

Grandpa & Grandson

Rommel & King enjoying the last days of warmth.

Gaia at 4 months

Gaia & The Orthopedic Surgeon

Gaia and I made the 2 hour trip down to South Calgary CARE Centre yesterday to see the orthopedic surgeon.  The decision to have surgery on her elbow was a foregone conclusion.  Euthanasia was out of the question, amputation was out of the question, a dog with a lifetime of pain was out of the question.  So, the answer was made.  Her surgery is booked for next Wednesday morning.  We will have to leave at 5:00AM and I will pick her up late Thursday afternoon.  She will be restricted to 3 weeks of minimal movement and 3 more weeks of rehab and gentle increases in exercise daily.  

How is she doing?  Amazingly well!  How am I doing?  Stressed and worried.

The orthopedist said she will be pain free for many years but to expect she will get arthritis in that elbow.  At that point we will manage her with pain meds.  In the meantime we will manage her with joint supplements and restricted exercise.  No jumping over 10 foot walls like her Dad!

I want to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers and best wishes.  It means the world to me that so many of you are thinking of us at this time.  Gaia is the only daughter I have from Cruz who is now retired.  Cruz is the only daughter I have from Diesel. Diesel is a son of Justice and Justice is a son of the ORIGINAL Angel!  So Gaia is one of the true original lines that I have.  The lines I have been developing for almost 30 years.  So apart from the fact I love her dearly and would do anything for her, she is a very important part of my breeding program.  And for those of you who know Gaia's Mom, Cruz, you know she has given me a number of service dogs and PTSD dogs.  So I'm hoping Gaia will continue to supply people with dogs they can depend on to help them on a daily basis.

She is such a sweet and gentle girl.  Just like her Mom.  Cuddles on the couch is her idea of heaven!  The vet was very impressed with her conformation and temperament.  She said she hadn't seen such a nice German Shepherd in a very, very long time!  So calm, quiet and easy going.  And barely over a year old! That's my Girl!  I was very proud of how she behaved.  I was a little worried having not had her off the farm for the last 6 months due to COVID.  Sure, she's come to town in the Jeep with me, but I haven't been taking her out.  She has plenty of friends and acres to run in at home so no need to put myself in danger around strangers.  

So that's the story.  Again, thank you so, so much for reaching out to us.  This Guardian Angel Family is the BEST!

Mary Ann

Handle your puppy

Part of socializing is the ability to handle your puppy all over.  Pretend you are a vet.  Can you pick up your puppy's paw and look for a broken nail or a thorn?  Can you look deep into his ear to check for foreign objects?  How about pull his tail like a 2 year old might?  Does he react by biting your hand?  Can you grab her collar without her objecting and fighting to get away?

All these things and more need to be done almost on a daily basis.  If you are having difficulty, pull out the treat bag!  The timing here is critical.  Unlike clicker training where you click and THEN deliver the treat, you must treat at the same time as you grab the collar, hold the paw, or pull (gently) on the tail.  What you are doing is PAIRING the two events.  Pairing something that you pup might find undesirable with something desirable.  It should only take a few days before your puppy is looking forward to being handled.  Both your vet and your puppy will appreciate  this training!

Mary Ann

Gaia’s Specialist Appointment

Her appointment is October 6th at 2:00 PM. I'll let you know what I find out.

Mary Ann

Reference

 Hi Mary Ann, 
We thought we would give another update on our beautiful Sadie!! She’s doing so great, she’s AMAZING with my children, I don’t think we could have asked for a better fit! She’s really learning things so well, still working hard on not jumping up on you when she’s excited but other than that she’s really doing so awesome! She’s learned to open the door handles to bathrooms and bedrooms in our house lol so there’s no keeping her out! 🤣 auld have asked for a better fit! She’s really learning things so well, still working hard Hope all is well!! 
Melissa Kirkendal

Rex is in Alaska!

 I am pleased to announce:  Big boy Rex has found his forever home in Alaska!  He drove from central Alberta, all the way to beautiful Alaska.  Well, HE didn't drive, he was a passenger.  😊  He has two companions, an elder Lab and another Guardian Angel Shepherd by the name of Emmie.  Emmie is 3.5 years old and they are obviously feeling like family already!  

Congratulations Rex on finding your new forever home!

                                                            Sure can tell they are Guardian Angel Shepherds!

                                                             Can you tell which is Emmie and which is Rex?

A word about socialization

 And that word is TRUST.  

Most people think of socialization as getting your dog used to people and other dogs.  Although that is definitely part of socialization, it is far from being the only things.  

Think of socialization like this.  Does my dog TRUST me to walk him over the fallen chainlink fence on the grass?  Does my dog TRUST me enough to walk by that running motorcycle? Does my dog TRUST me enough to protect him from that scary dog?  Does my dog TRUST me to walk through that group of loud humans?  Get the idea?

If your dog trusts you to be kind and gentle and help him through difficult times, then when he becomes an adult (mentally), you will have the best dog your dog can be.  I say mentally an adult because socialization does not stop of 16 weeks or maybe even 16 months!  It really depends on your dog.  Would you let your four year old child navigate the world without your help?  Or your 16 year old teenager drive just because they think they can?  Think of your dog as 1 month = 1 human year.  Until they have reached 24 months old.  Just like humans, dogs need direction and education.  Don't stop socializing until you can honestly say that your dog can handle things on their own.  Just one bad experience as a child, can alter that person's perception of the world forever.  And the same goes with your dog.  Be careful with your dog until he has learned how to handle stressful situations on his own.  Is that really too much to ask for a lifetime of loyalty?

I am seeing more and more dogs with juvenile fear and aggression and I think the reason is people expect too much, too quickly.  It is the number one reason people call me for help.  Build that relationship with your dog so he feels you've got his back, no matter what.  

TRUST is earned, it can't be demanded.  Allow your dog to make mistakes without getting mad.  Instead, go back two steps in his training and help him understand.  If you've lost his trust, it can be regained in time.  Don't rush him to grow up.  Instead, help him to grow up!

Gaia Update

 For a dog with a broken leg, she's doing really well!  I can't believe how tough these dogs are.  To their detriment I might add!  She would still like to run and play and wrestle with her half sister if I would let her.  I'm still waiting to hear from the surgeon but no news of an appointment at this point.

Thank you all who have sent best wishes!  I was overwhelmed by your kindness!  Not only from my Guardian Angel Family but from people I've never met or talked to before.  It truly blows me away the kindness of people.  In a time when things seem so troubling, it is wonderful to know that the majority of people out there are so kind and generous.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Gaia

Really Bad News

Gaia's broken leg will cost in excess of $8000 with no guarantees. She is only just turned a year old! No insurance on her. Have it on her Mom, Rommel and her half sister Gypsy but I can't afford to have it on all the dogs. Who do you pick?!

This is the worst news.

Gaia has a broken leg!

Still waiting to hear back from the surgeon. I'll let you know when I know.

Everyone NEEDS this!

https://dunbartraining.com/dbt3-1?utm_campaign=DB+-+TDA+1+2+C&utm_content=My+Son+Has+Gone+Nuts%21&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ActiveCampaign&vgo_ee=4sF95YfekUTFlOvE6hn3V0Iv7c%2BXPMKQiuV%2F%2BDMG%2FS0%3D

Mary Ann

This is what it looks like

This is what it looks like when a dog arrives from Europe! The crates are all handmade and made of lumber.

Big paws to grow into!

Mr. Blue

I've had many people inquiring and wanting Mr Blue! But I'd really like to find him a home where he has a job. He would be suitable for any kind of scenting work. SAR, arson, drugs, bomb, tracking. He has some attitude but also loves to please.

Please pass this along and help me find him his perfect home! Thank you!🙏🏻

I have one puppy available to an approved working home. Bomb/Drug/SAR/Cadaver etc.

Mr. Blue was purchased by a member of the San Francisco Police Department as a potential Drug/Bomb dog.  All training and care had been pre-approved and Mr. Blue was heading down to sunny California until... COVID19 hit and closed the borders.   Normally, I put them on a plane and in a few hours, they are in the hands of their new owners.  But there are NO airlines taking dogs across the border at this time.  I spent months trying to figure out a way to get him down there without having to hand deliver him to San Francisco.  At any other time, I would have done that in a heart beat but not when California is a hot spot for COVID.  We have just recently given up on getting him down there.  So that means one more lucky person will get a Guardian Angel Shepherd puppy. 

Mr. Blue was born June 7, 2020.  He is courageous and med-high energy.  His first instinct is environmental as opposed to social.  He must check everything out in his environment before acknowledging strangers.  Once he is satisfied with his environment, he enjoys meeting new people.  This would make him an ideal drug or bomb dog.  He can safely work in public without being distracted.  He was second in the pack hierarchy which means he will probably have aspirations of top dog so will require a handler with knowledge of training working dogs.  He is inquisitive and loves to retrieve.  He walks on leash, rides escalators and elevators with no problem. He is litter box trained which can be transferred to outside areas with ease and is crate trained.  He travels very well in vehicles.  He understands basic commands and has a superb recall.  And, he has already made his debut in the television industry!  He's a gorgeous bi-colour with a beautiful masculine head.

If you or someone you know is looking for a non-aggressive working dog, please send them my way.    Please pass this along.

We did it! The commercial was a great success!

Sundown on the last day and we are done!  This is about 2/3 the crew and the puppies all celebrating a job well done!  This was such an incredible trip for us!  It's always been on my bucket list to be involved (even just watch!) a movie or commercial  being made.  Specifically a dog one of course.  It is such an amazing thing to see.  Although my assistant Lee-Ann and I did all the training of the puppies (sit, down, stay, come, mat) it was the great talent of the two trainers (Melanie and Alex) who managed to successfully get the puppies to do it the right way at the right time with TONS of distractions.  Booms, lights, screens, microphones and a dozen people surrounding them!   I wasn't allowed to be close while they were filming as I was a major distraction to the puppies.  I did watch from a distance though and it was fascinating. They really had to think on their feet depending on each situation.  It was impressive to see.  

The puppies were so good that we didn't even need the extra day of filming at the end!  Scenes that were allotted to take 3 hours, took 25 minutes!!  And that happened over and over and over again!  We were rewarded one day with lunch on a moving passenger train because we had extra time!  A full 45 minute train ride through the prairies!  It was awesome!

Turned out we used 3 puppies instead of 2.  It was really nice to be able to exchange the pups more often.  You will only see what looks like 1 puppy in the commercial but it will actually be all three.  In general terms, Miss Pink (Tia) did the close ups.   Miss Yellow (Leila) did the fast recalls (comes).  And Mr. Blue (Boy) did the kisses and excited greetings.  Each did a little of everything but mostly they had their own jobs.  

The weather was insanely HOT!  38C or 100F on 2 days of the shoot.  The great thing was we (the pups, adult dogs and I) got to spend our time in a $400,000 RV with air conditioning!  They also had a kiddie pool full of ice and another air conditioned van to transport them back and forth to the set.  I felt really guilty as all the crew were working in that heat and me, the newcomer, was sitting in a/c luxury with my own bathroom!  They didn't seem to hold it against me though.   Thankfully!

We all did such a great job that it seems like I could be invited back again.  The director was very pleased with the puppies and the trainers felt this would not be the last time we saw each other.  I'm very excited about the possibilities!

And I must thank the owners of the puppies who allowed me the extra two weeks to keep the pups so I could go on this adventure.  Almost ALL the owners offered their puppies for the commercial.  There was only one who needed to travel at a certain time to come get their pup.  Everyone else was so incredibly generous and I thank all of you.  Whether your puppy was in the commercial or not.  Thank you so much!

Here's to new beginnings!

Commercial!

The first 24 hours with the pups in Okotoks with me at a hotel. What a crazy time it has been! It was 38 degrees today so the pups spent the majority of their time in air conditioned comfort! It is now 8:30PM and we are at the vets getting health checks and 2nd shots. Somehow it feels cold at 28 degrees! How does that work?

Back to the hotel for dinner and some training practice and then up with the sun tomorrow morning.

It is an interesting industry. Nothing ever seems to go as planned. Spme of the crew met the little ones last night. It was a little overwhelming being surrounded by about 12-15 people. I told everyone to "back off!" and come in slower and more careful. And that changed everything. When the pups realized they were literally the stars that changed everything!
Mary Ann

Camping with our new puppy!

Mary Ann

Training for commercial is going really well!

 I am happy to say that training for Miss Pink and Miss Yellow is going really well.  BTW that would be Tia and Leila!  I met the movie trainers down in Okotoks yesterday for the first time and they were very happy with the training thus far.  I was really nervous as I've never trained for the movies before and didn't know if I might be making some mistakes!  But turns out they were very happy with how things are going.    I'll be driving back and forth (2 hours each way), every day this week to get the pups used to different environments, including the real set.  There will be booms and light screens and all kinds of paraphanalia that go along with the cameras and we are going to introduce them to that today.They also have to get to know other dogs too so they need time to learn to trust.  It's been a ton of work so far and I'm afraid to say the work is only just beginning!  The production company was kind enough to get me a hotel for the week of shooting so I don't have to put on the miles.  The puppies don't seem to mind the long car ride, but hey, they get to sleep the whole way!  Sorry there's no photos but it's all very hush, hush!

No one has to worry about the dogs here at home.  Mark will be here and I have kind neighbours who will be caring for them as well.  

So all in the world of Guardian Angel Shepherds is going well!

PS I've had lots of feedback from new owners and everyone is thrilled with their puppies!  I'll tell you more about that in another post.

Alaska Happy!

Meet Emmie!  She is 3.5 years old.  She lives in Alaska and her parents would like another Angel to keep her company!  

"We are interested in getting another dog and wouldn't go anywhere but to you!"

All Puppies Placed and Commercial Pups Picked

Congratulations everyone!  You FINALLY know which puppy is yours!  Miss Yellow and Miss Pink have been picked for the commercial.  Their attributes seem to be the best for the commercial.  Lower energy, watch from a distance before jumping into the mele and very handler oriented.  It's was a very difficult choice to make.  I first thought I wanted very social puppies and ones not very environmental.  But what was happening was they couldn't concentrate on the task at hand when there was someone else in the room.  There will be 50 people on set!  This is all new to me so I hope I've picked the right ones.  Like I said, it was a very difficult choice.  Each puppy had it's pros and cons.  I wish I could bring them all!

I'll tell you, trying to teach puppies this young is like trying to teach a 6 month human baby math!  They really don't have the capabilities.  About the only things they've learned was that food also comes from hands as well as bowls, and if I get up on the bed I get treats.  Even the bed thing is dicey.  They'll do it but are they understanding that they ONLY get treats on the bed?  Hmmm... it's debatable.  Sometimes I think they are getting it, but then I question it again.  It's not their fault of course!  They have all learned that the handler is where good things come from and that is a crucial lesson.  I'm hoping Miss Pink and Miss Yellow will have the capabilities with a few more weeks development.  They need to sit, down, lower their head, stay, come and hopefully howl!

What all of them DO know is come!  Every time!  Really fast!  So all you new owners need to do is not mess it up.  I will teach you how to do that when you come to pick up your pup and get your first lesson.  And speaking of picking up puppies, everyone who isn't in the commercial needs to make an appointment to pick up your pup.  Except of course the San Francisco Police Dog which I'm still working on.  Did you know that all airlines are not taking pets across the US border ever since this whole COVID thing started.  Sure has made things more difficult.  Normally I'd drive the pup to Calgary airport and put him on a non-stop flight to San Fran.  No problem!   I've spent many hours researching how I'm going to get him there and nothing is firm yet.  But that's my problem not yours.  Just thought I'd share.

Looking forward to seeing everyone soon! 

Check out puppy recalls!

https://youtu.be/eaWFlY3Mx84

Pups Have Been Vet Checked, Dewormed, Microchipped

The vet was here a few days ago but I didn't have time to tell everyone until now.  I wish I could say they all passed 100% like what usually happens but a few had a few minors problems that they should grow out of.  It was the males who had the problems.  Two had an undescended testicle.  She said that she would not be surprised if they came down on their own as it can take up to 20 weeks.  On one pup she said she could already feel it on it's way down the inguinal canal.  As none of these dogs are going to be breeding dogs and will be neutered, it should not be a major problem.  In all my 25+ years of breeding, I've only had one dog turn out to be a cryptorchid as an adult and that was about 23 years ago.  Email me if you have any questions.  

Mary Ann