the joy of great homes & health testing

I love all my homes, but some are shining stars of responsibility

Shortly after I sold Gibbs, I got a call from a nice lady in the Midwest, who had fallen in love with him on the web, and was interested in using him on one of her girls. I let her know that although he'd been sold, he was available to the right girl, and we talked some more. She inquired upon his health testing, and I had to admit that I don't bother with health tests unless a) i'm getting ready to breed said dog, b) there's a concern. Since all the health tests done in Borzoi are only good for a year or so except for DM, it's not worth it unless there's a local, convenient clinic.  I told her that if hse was serious, the health tests wuld be done before hand.

So, yesterday I sent a clinic notice to Gibbs' new mom, and instead of complaining about the prices, she asks "Which ones do you want done?" So, including doing DM(Even tho he's DM by parentage, I'm DM testing each breeding generation of my dogs), she's going to get his hairy tush CERF, OFA THyroid & Heart, and thus his Chic # :) So proud and pleased with her.

I've tried offering bonuses for testing, but even with those, the homes don't follow thru. . .someone I know was complaining about the cost of the DM test in the same breath they were wanting someone to breed to their dog. . that test alone is a must have, and worth the cost. I just don't understand

Weather here has been horrid, but this weekend is forecast to be nice and light for summer, so Gibbs will be joining Bounce & I at the coursing field for his QC, crossing fingers he'll get it!

DNA testing

My dogs have been participating in various research groups for years now. . Obie donated blood to bone cancer research, touchet & Eros donated DNA to research on dental health, almost everyone I currently own is DM Clear by test or parentage(Still need to do Bounce, and debating whether to bother with Touchet). I am so proud of my puppy buyers who've gone on to DM test their dogs for the furthering of the breed health database, even if the dogs may never be bred or are past breeding age or retired.

But recently my dogs, well one currently, has stepped into another research field. Bounce donated blood to Vetgen for DNA Colour gene analysis

What colour is this borzoi?
Bounce (Shown above at just under a year) at birth, looked all the world to be a blue brindle, but as she matured, we wondered. ..at 15 months old, she looks like a chinchilla, except that she has dark dark dark dark dark grey pigment. Unlike our other blue, she has dark eyes. People argued with me she wasn't a brindle, and she couldnt' be a blue, so when I heard that research was being done into the 'chinchilla' gene, so we decided to do Bounce

I just got the results of first of the three tests they do, and yep, I'm right, she is brindle (kbrkbr will contribute brindle, cannot contribute fawn) is the results so far. . it'll be interesting to see if she's a chinchilla or actually a blue. .I don't care, I love her for so much more than just her beautiful colour :) I'm just tickled she can donate to further research.

Next on my list is to do Bella, who's an odd colour herself!

Health Clinic frustrations

I love health clinics, they're a cheaper way to get those necessary health tests.

Since Secret didn't get bred this fall and her CERF (eyes)expired last month, need to get hers done, want to get an "official' one on Grins(he's had 5-6 of them done, but only once on the proper paperwork and his breeder forgot to take registration number, etc with her when she took a bunch of dogs), and Kani's new mom has agreed to get all of Kani's tests done, and this is the last one she needs. I'm so happy and thankful her new mom is going out of her way to do these things for me. Kani's also had 1-2 unofficial ones. . .but want an official one, so been looking at clinics now that my life has slowed down.

And am frustrated. . if you're going to be listed as a contact for information on ANYTHING, then you should be answering your emails. Found one that is convenient to kani's owner, a bit inconvenient for me(2.5 hrs), but we could meet and do all three at once, wrote them over a week ago, and have heard nothing. Especially annoying as there's a closing date for entry

There's a local vet who does it, but for the cost of doing all three at a health clinic!

Also need to get Touchet in and get her scanned for her microchip so she can get her Chic, she's got allt he needed tests, but for some reason, none of the vets scanned her for her microchip, and I totally flaked out about it, guess I'll take her in tomorrow when I take poor Herbie in for his vet visit.

Planning on puppies

So, in preparation to hopefully breed my darling princess Secret, I've been getting her health tests done. She Cerf' last fall, got her DM test in January, and two Mondays ago, I took her in and got her OFA Thyroid panel and heart eval.

I'm not sure when she's due in season, some people don't keep records like I do on things like that, just sometime this spring. So I took her in, hoping it was far enough ahead of her season, that we'd be ok. . .

Handed the vet the appropriate paperwork and got called in. . .he read over the OFA cardiac thoroughly, and then started the exam.

Now, I had her sister done by the specialist last year, and I swear it was over and done in a lickety split. Dr B took forever, to the point both Secret & I were fidgeting AND I started to worry he found something. Without saying anything, he took her in the backroom to draw blood, check her microchip, and brought her back, still not saying anything. . it wasn't until he handed me the paperwork and I looked down that i saw it was clear. . not as if I ended anymore gray hairs!!!

Last week, I got the results on the blood test, thyroid normal, wahoo!! :) Sent in the heart paperwork and now waiting on her Chic #. . need to get her mom's microchip checked and sent in, and then it'll be two generations of Chic'd dogs :)

Now it's a wait. . and rethinking stud dogs. .the top boy on my list is not keen on plastic, he interferes, not meanly I'm told, but still. . .Secret has prey drive, but her work ethic sucks LOL He is beautiful in every other way, the next boy I don't like the stud agreement given me, others I like would require chilled AI, and just don't have that type of money laying around right now.

Of the dgos locally, I LOVE Wizard, his built, his personality, his work ethic, his willingness to pelase, but he's not the dog for Secret. . .he's got the best front in that litter, the rest of his sibs are too straight for my tastes, and I'd like to fix her front(just a little more under), so nope, not him(tho I did get his dad to send me the DM swab and he's now been DNA'd for that and sent in!). . .oh well, may go the 1st choice I have. . and just hope the genes come together for running like they did with the Holiday litter.

Yippee! Health testing

I've got a longer blog post coming up, but had to post a quick happy post

In the last two months, I've received two DM clear results

FC Silkenswift Rider of the Storm SC, FCh, ORC, GRC "Grins"
Mielikki-Mandolin's WikiWiki Makani "Kani"

With Grins results, that means the NCIS litter is all clear of DM by parentage(Since mama Dei is the same!)

Kani I was worried about, as her two brothers are carriers, but now I know at the worst her pups are carriers.

Kani also is thyroid normal, got that paperwork yesterday! Need to get her OFA Heart paperwork in, and look for cerf clinics, her new mama is willing to take her to one for me! (I didn't turn in her paperwork last time!)

Feel like I need to go buy a lottery ticket since my luck seems to be on the good side right now LOL

Happy Holidays

Well, I got a semi decent xmas: Didn't get what i want, but you can't get them back once they're gone. . .but it was semi decent

Secret's DM:
1st. The Wait is OVER!!!

I hate waiting

I am not the most patient being

So, when I sent in Secret's OFA DM test 12/3, the next three weeks were hell on my nerves

Why?

Because the results of this test could so affect the choice of stud dog, my first choice may or may not be a carrier since his grandfather sired a number of carriers, so it was really important to me to get these results.

She's not due in til March/April, but I wanted to do the test ASAP. .not sure when the stud dog owner'll do him. . but now I know it doesn't matter for breeding purposes who I will breed her to. . as she's clear :) So as I said in my previous post, even if he's a carrier or hell, an affected, I will use him.

Now to work on the older dogs. Not that I'm going to breed any of them except maybe Grins again, but the more dogs we have tested, the better idea we have of the gene pool. . and well, Grins' mirror cousin is an "at risk", so a bit worried there and Dei's half sister was a carrier, soo it is important. . .Also helps clear litters(The holiday & NCIS litter)

A load of my mind, just in time for xmas.. .not that I didn't have other loads to occupy my mind:

2nd
Poor Dei had a strange wart pop up. I thought it was a tick, yeah, I know, WTH was I thinking, a tick in December? But that's what it looked like. . so THursday Bonnie took her to the vet's(I couldn't get off work the day before a holiday), and I waited on pins and needles. She's 10, so anything odd comes up I will be a worry wart(Excuse the pun LOL). Thankfully Dr Knickman says it's just a skin tag, but we're having it removed when she goes in for a dental next month. He said she looks really good for a 10 yr old. I have to say, she looks way better than her mom did at this age. Lost Kyra at 10 yrs, 3 months, the way Dei looks, she is going to live beyond that, barring anything going wrong, you can never tell. She's currently enjoying life as a house dog. Too many old dogs in the dog kitchen, and she's too naked to be a yard dog, so she's been guarding my desk at night, and she's holding the floor down quite well!!

3rd:
Two Fridays ago, I noticed the heat sensor on the car was fluctuating. . and not just slightly, it would raise up to half way, drop down, raise up, drop, all while just driving in town, wasn't doing anything extreme with it. Came straight home, took it to the Car Vet the following Monday, and got the bad news: Head Gasket. . .the early Neons were known for bad head gaskets, damn Dodge never did a recall on it, even tho it is a widely known problem. Thankfully, the Car isn't going to cost me anywhere near as much as I'd worried, even with a new timing belt, water pump and the headgasket. .and hopefully I will get it back Monday and it'll last me another 50K. . .not that it didn't ruin Xmas, but oh well. It's my 13 yr old car and only has 76k on it, can't complain too bad.

And the last tidbit that wasn't a worry, but made xmas a decent one. . I now have 4 opens to run. . we held a practice yesterday, and Ms Nacht & Bratty Bella got their ASFA Certs. Bella looked really great, running like a little blond adult. Bonnie looked at me after Bella came off the field, totally ignoring her yardmate who was a little brat and tried to play with her and asked "You're keeping that one, right?" Oh yeah. . .most definitely, keen as Grandpa Brooks and great uncle Grins. . .it'll give me something to do with that one until she matures, she's currently very very coltish, vs Nacht who is looking much more mature.

Depending on weather, will go get their QC's next weekend, but that gives me Ziva, Jenny and the two girls(And Reba when she's not in season) to run. After not having an open dog to run since Grins back in 2004, it's soo nice to have a few . LOL Secret had a nice practice too, shocked BOnnie with the speed on the straight(did an almost 200 yds straight then turns), look forward to getting her out some more before she comes into season. We'll try Aurora next time(My knee said no more in the cold wind) and maybe Gibbs now that he's had time to mentally mature. It was a lot of fun running the lure again, ran it for a Shihtzu, a Samoyed puppy as well as a crapload of Afghans and our BOrzoi.

4th:
I think I have a new OB dog. .Jenny. . this bitch has learned to open the dutch door. .. so, next month, we will start Rally and agility training as my knee allows LOL. . .she's unfortunately a house dog at night due to her neck injury(Think she got T-boned by her idiot brother), she doesn't have the undercoat the others have and with subfreezing weather, she'd be a Jennycicle. . .this morning, she let ALL the old dogs into the house. .too smart for her own good. Maybe we'll start doing some training tomorrow LOL

Had a quite day at home, usually go for a walk on xmas, but no car meant we took a nap and just relaxed. . .tomorrow we might get hit with snow, oh joy, I was so hoping none this year LOl

Hope everyone had a safe happy holiday

The sky is falling the sky is falling!

I'm proud to be a friend of a certain lady in Borzoi. The first, and
only person, brave enough to post the results of her dog if it got the
"At Risk" result for the DM Gene. Luthian is her beloved, spayed,
girl, but she did what was right and posted the full results

Too bad others in this breed are too damn chicken to post even carrier status.

Bah

Yep, the paranoia has hit the people all ready, afraid of having
fingers pointed because GASP the results didn't come back as perfect.

Someone I know got the result of carrier on one of their dogs. . she's
out of a dog this breeder bred who's now dead, and they are now
wanting the other parent tested because "I want to know where it came
from".

COME ON people, it DOESN'T matter in the scheme of things. Pointing
fingers is NOT going to help the cause. In this case, neither parent
is being bred from again(the one is a retired altered pet, the other
as I said is gone). So why get upset about it? Because people are
taking it as an affront to their lines. . .MY dog couldn't've produced
this. . . Even tho we inherited this problem which had NO test until
recently. There are people who unknowingly bred two carriers together!
IT's not their fault, they had no clue. . .because nobody KNEW

Yes, there are people who will cut their nose off to spite their face,
and only breed to clears. . .not sure why, as as of right now, we
still have to test every other generation due to possible mutations. .

This is a TOOL, it will allow us to make better decisions. . we truly don't
understand the affect of DM on our breed. . Heck, having two doses of
the gene doesn't even mean the dog WILL suffer from DM, just that they
are at higher risk to come down with DM. . now, if outside influences
have to come into affect for that to happen, nobody knows. .but some
people are blowing it so damn out of proportion with so little knowledge it's frustrating


I am currently preparing Secret to be bred to a dog who may be a carrier. His grandfather is believed to've been an affected, as a number of his get are carriers, a large number. . if Secret is clear(Her DM went out two Fridays ago) I will continue on with that plan even if he is a carrier, if she's a carrier, we'll wait to find his status out.. if he's a carrier, than I'll have to change my mind, and thus why I'm looking at other dogs. Heck, if she's clear, I'd breed to him even if he were at risk, as he's too damn nice and the worse that'll happen is all the resulting pups would be carriers. . .This test allows us to make these decisions!

Our gene pool is too small to eliminate even the at risk right now. . .but breeding properly, we can never produce another at risk dog again! Within a generation of two of that at risk dog, you can have clears again, that is the joy of a DNA test!

Am I worried? Yep, who wouldn't be at this point in time, we don't know how affected our gene pool truly is, many of the dogs are clusters of certain bloodlines due to carriers popping up. . .but unlike bloat or cancer where it's a wait and see, we have something at our hands that will help us potentially eliminate this from our gene pool, WITHOUT destroying our gene pool. It allows us to smartly use every dog tested, and select away from the one gene we don't want!

Yes, if she's a carrier or even an at risk, there will be stud dog owners that won't allow their dogs to be used on her(or any other dog of the same status), but so be it. . .again, cutting their nose off to spite their face. I'll just go on to my next choice, but whatever her status is, like my friend's dog, it will be up there for all to see. I didn't create the problem, I'm just trying to work away from said problem.

Truly truly hope the breeder gene pool one day becomes more educated in these things. . just goes to show again that there should be some sort of miniature genetic course given to anyone before they decided to put two dgos together.

So KUDOS!! To Kathy to being brave enough to put it out there for all to see. And shame on those who continue to hide it.

On a side note: Dei, TOuchet & Secret all have their CERF #s!! :)

She was one in a million

Last night I'd've bet money I heard Surya barking to come in.

Been 6 weeks. .and I still miss her (and the dumb blond) terribly.

Those who haven't had a special dog won't understand, will make fun of me, I don't care.. she was my once in a lifetime dog.


I went to do something, and called Secret Goose. . poor Secret. . .she doesn't realise how big of a hole she stepped in in coming home. .
.

I catch myself looking for her in the yard. .she used to lay there and just watch me do whatever I had to do, ears cocked, until I headed to the gate, then she'd boink in excitement. Rarely ever making a noise, but waiting patiently



We're (Gossips friends & I) donating a trophy in her name, and I had to go thru my photos for the trophy maker, and I bawled the entire time. Too hard seeing that so full of life face and not have her next to me.

We finally got the full necropsy back. . .i'd been worrying it was the 'sudden death' thing that is in Borzoi. . I was pretty sure she didn't have any of the other heart problems in Borzoi, she'd had her heart OFA'd in May, had had another good ascultation by my own vet, and no dog with a heart murmur bad enough to kill a dog like this could beat dogs on the field like she was beating them, like she DID beat them 5 days before she died, and doing it without much effort by the way she
didn't pant long and hard. . .absolutely NO exercise intolerance. As my friend Ariel said today, there's no way a dog with a heart problem could kick her competitions asses like she did that last weekend. . .




I needn't've worried: her heart was perfect.

Nope, what killed my shining star was a freaking bacterial infection of the lungs, mass hemorraging in the lungs "Toxic shock". . .WTF?

I don't understand most of the necropsy, Bonnie & Jim do, and the above is the basic nature of it. . .massive bleeding in the lungs killed my baby, caused 'toxic shock'.






I have talked to other owners who've lost dogs the same way, no known cause. Was sent links to articles about boarding kennels/rescue kennels that have had dogs suffered from this. . .sometimes there's a known vector, other times it's a WTH is going on. . A friend told me about losing her brother to something akin to this. . .except dogs don't always tell you when they're feeling icky

All it does is leave me depressed, lonely and frustrated. I would do anything, ANYTHING to have her back at my side. I can't even go walk until I'm exhausted, my knee is STILL killing me, and so trying to not overdo it. . .

Secret has helped, a lot, even tho she is nothing like the Goose

She is stubborn

She is clingy to the point of throwing temper tantrums if I leave her and she can't get to my side.

She is clueless of personal space

She is dingy

But she is sweet, and bouncy, gives me hugs like Gossip used to, is loving on Pippens, gave Treasure a swipe of her tongue.

She reminds me in many ways of a combination of Surya & Gossip.

She has brought smiles back into the house, and is slowly warming up to everyone, but she's definitely MY dog. .as if I move, she has to follow me. . silly little red head.

Off to shows this weekend, frustrating as I can't even show my own dogs until this bum knee heals. . was hoping it'd be feeling much better, but it comes and goes :(

Miss you Goosey goose. . .

degenerative myelopathy

Not that it really matters anymore, but my darling Gossip was DM Clear. . now here's hoping her sister is too. . damn I miss that dog

Degenerative Myleopathy in Borzoi(A beginner's course)

Note: Blogger doesn't like my tables, sorry about the formatting!

If you're looking for a new puppy, you may've seen terms you're not sure of "DM clear", "DM Carrier".DM is Degenerative Myelopathy (http://www.caninegeneticdiseases.net/DM/basicDM.htm) a newly diagnosed problem in Borzoi. This is a disease of the spine, a neurological disease, kind of like Lou Gehrig's Disease. The age of onset is 5-14 yrs, with most dogs I've heard who might've been affected by this disease, being 'veteran's(over 7). I say might've, because we now thankfully have a gene test that will tell us who is Clear of this gene, who is a carrier, and who is 'at risk', but up until recently, we had just a vet's 'educated guess'

Before you panic, there is no reason not to purchase a dog who has one parent who is a 'carrier', if the other parent is a clear. Your dog/puppy will be a carrier, which means they will not be affected by the disease at all, they just carry the gene. Each dog passes on just one of the genes

According to this website http://www.caninegeneticdiseases.net/DM/testDM.htm the genes are A(affected)/G, but I'm trying to simplify it completely, trying to mystify a bit, genetics for people.

To simplify it:
N=Copy of the Normal gene, n=copy of the unnormal/at risk gene

Normal, does not carry the gene, will not be affected by this disease : N/N (two normal genes)

Carrier, carries one copy of this gene, will not be affected by this disease: N/n (one normal (N), one non normal gene(n)

At Risk, carries two copies of this gene, MAY be affected by this disease: n/n (two non normal genes)

Sire: N/N Dam N/N

	Sire
Dam		N	N
	N	NN	NN
	N	NN	NN

Puppies will all be normal (NN)

One parent a carrier, one normal:

Sire : N/n Dam N/N

or

Dam N/n Sire N/N

	SireDam
Dam/ Sire		N	n
	N	NN	Nn
	N	NN	Nn

Statistically, half the puppies should be normal, half
carriers, basically, each pup has a 50% chance of being a carrier.

One parent "at risk" one parent Normal.
Sire : n/n Dam N/N
or
Dam n/n Sire N/N

	Sire/Dam
Dam/ Sire		n	n
	N	Nn	Nn
	N	Nn	Nn

All puppies would be carriers

The below two are breedings that in a perfect world, NOBODY would do.

Both parents at risk:
Sire: n/n Dam n/n

	Sire
Dam		n	n
	n	nn	nn
	n	nn	nn

All the puppies will be 'at risk'

Both Parents carriers

	Sire
Dam		N	n
	N	NN	Nn
	n	Nn	nn

Each pup will have a 25% of being normal, 25% of being 'at risk' and 50% being a
carrier

Hopefully, nobody will purposefully do the last two breedings, but if they do, hopefully they will be honest about it.

IMPORTANT: At risk does NOT MEAN they will come down with the disease (http://www.caninegeneticdiseases.net/DM/ancmntDM.htm). It means they are at higher risk of developing it, but it is not a definitive test!

"Cleared by parentage"

What this means is both parents were tested clear of the disease. Unfortunately, with mutations, further generations may become affected, but that first generation is clear.

How do you check the status of a dog? Unfortunately, not everyone is using the OFA database for various (IMHO) silly reasons, but it is a good place to start (http://www.offa.org/). Others have been using the University of Missouri, but regardless, they should be able to provide you a copy of the tests done on their dog(s). If they refuse to do so, run the opposite direction.

http://www.caninegeneticdiseases.net/DM/testDM.htm

Now, there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with using a carrier or affected, as long as they are bred to a clear. Our gene pool is too small in Borzoi to cull these out at this point in time, but with careful breeding, they can benefit the gene pool.

For example, I have a bitch that I'm waiting for the DM test on. I don't expect her to have a problem, her mother is still bopping around with puppies and she's almost 12, both of her parents lived to be 12.5. . .her father I lost young to dog flu, but both of his parents lived to be 10.5+ with teens in their pedigree to. . .

BUT, if she came back a carrier or an affected, I would NOT throw her out with the bathwater, I would just make sure that whomever she is bred to has been tested and is clear. . .with this test, there's absolutely no
reason to throw away carriers or affected. Unfortunately, there are people who don't understand the
simplicity of this. . and a carrier has them screaming the sky is falling. . .::SIGH:: a little biology would go a long way in the dog world.

What does this mean to you as a pet buyer?

If the breeder tests, it means they care enough about the breed to test.. if they publish their results no matter what, it means they really are. This is someone you should feel good about getting a puppy from.

If one of the parents are a carrier? If you want to breed said puppy, just means you need to make sure its intended has been also tested and is clear. Doesn't really mean anything to you as a pet buyer. . if one parent is a carrier, the worse that happens is your puppy is a carrier, it carries this gene, but it is 'masked' by the good gene and will never develop the issue.

The DNA test is a tool, that's all. . and hopefully people's hysteria will soon settle down and they will realize it's a tool that allows you to continue with your lines without dumping them to the wayside like it used to be if you found out you carried a problem. Now you have a way of telling who has the gene, and ultimately, can remove that gene by spay & neutering carriers in the future, but for right now, let's do it the right way, and use the carriers/at risk smartly!

Health Tests

Soo, one of my goals this year has been to try and be a little more "responsible" in getting my health tests sent in to the various registries.

it's a PITA. . why? Because when you CERF at most places, you take the paperwork home. Last time I had Cerf's done, my friend wanted to scan 'em for her records, she scanned 'em, and well, I have no clue where they went. .::SIGH:: I found half of them, but not the ones of dogs she had done at a CERF clinic here at her house, but by the time i found the half, they were expired, darnit.

Sooo, when I saw the Nationals testing, I took advantage of it. Can't beat the prices, which included sending the paperwork in for you. . two of my breeding had their eyes done(I believe testing a young dog unless you're worried is not worth the money, so didn't bother with Gibbs). Gossip (Mielikki-Windhaven's Petty Gossip RN, JC, CGC, SGRCIV) and maui(Mandolin-Mielikki Maui Waui) both CERF'd clear & got clear heart exams. Just waiting on the results to get posted on the CERF & OFA websites.

Today Eros (FC Mielikki's Somebody T'Luv SC, FCH) and Grins (FC Silkenswift Rider of the Storm SC, FCH, ORC, GRC) went to New Bolton with Grins' breeder and got two clear health tests. Bonnie's getting them scanned in now and they will be in the mail ASAP.(long as they don't disappear on her desk LOL)

Now to get Gossip's thyroid done soon as she's done blowing coat, a last thyroid done on Dei, and eyes on both her & Touchet!

pet homes

Pet homes

I love my pet homes

Regardless of how they turn out, if they're missing teeth, if they have a bi-colour eye, if they have a ring tail, they don't care.

And I have some absolutey WONDERFUL pet homes.

My fourth litter, I put into the contract, that they had to have their puppies heart & Thyroid checked at the age of 5. Eyes can be harder, but these two a normal vet can do. That litter, the Gossip litter, turned 5 end of last month, and Hecate & Aspen have both already had their vet checks done, and their hearts were ascultated clear. We're waiting on their thyroid checks. But I wanted to THANK Agnes & Sheffia for following thru with their agreement so quickly! Secret & Gossip will be done this winter(they are either in season or just came out, so have to wait for the thyroid). I expect the last two pets to be done this fall, but was so tickled to find out these two were done ASAP :)

I truly believe you don't know the true health of your bloodline if all that gets tested is the show/breeding dogs.

Touchet, TImmy, GOssip oh my!

Just a quickie note, been busy and tired and keep forgetting to update

Took Touchet to the vet's Wed, and she got a clear bill of health, including a thorough ascultation of her heart. At 10.5, if she was going to come down with a genetic health problem, the consensus would be she'd already have it, but her heart is perfect :) She DOES weigh 80 lbs, so OMG, it'll be on green bean diets here soon for her.


Timmy is leaving for his new home in Boston today. His new mum is driving down to get him. He will be trained to be a therapy dog for autistic kids. He has a wonderfully sweet personality, well, they all do really. That just leaves me Tony to place, Gibbs & Ziva are going to stay here for now, Jenny is goign to be co owned with Bonnie. Gibbs reminds me A LOT of his father, busy, obnoxious, dorky, but sweet. And Keen without the overly keen part. LOL I'm tickled there.

And Gossip. . .Gossip turned 5 this week. Can't believe my baby girl is five, she is out of season, and oh so happy to be. Did some roadwork last night, up the steep hill, she wasn't impressed with me, but did it anyway, cuz I asked her to LOL

Cerf'd

I'm pleased to announce 6 dogs I bred andcurrently own and one more that I co own had their eyes checked yesterday and were Cerf'd clear, YIPPEE!! :) I'm not sure if Reba was done, Scirocco was missed because she was in the kennel, but they'll be done next time.

This gives Touchet everything she needs to get her Chic# :) I am so darn tickled :)