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