Terrible Teens?

I hate it when people continuously complain about their dogs and their behaviour, it can be especially hurtful when it's one I've bred. It left here an open book and within no time at all it's a monster. If you have a problem then you can do one of two things, sort it or live with it! To be fair it's usually the owners fault for not addressing an issue correctly or quickly anyway ... But what the hell happened to my perfect puppy?
Kaiah has been a joy, a darling. Obedient, loving, quick to learn, confident and happy, honest she must have been one of the easiest bitch puppies ever. But I repeat, what the hell has happened to my perfect puppy?
Basically Kaiah is now a teenage thug! She torments her mother to a point that one day Sammi came home from the field and now wouldn't go back out with her. She then turned her attention onto Asha, she hides in the long grass and charges Asha. When Asha had had enough and  "Told her" she snapped her teeth in Asha's face. Shit, that is bad manners! It seems the child will not be told. I think Sammi has left it too late to tell her, she adores her, promotes her and has put her on a pedestal. Kaiah's nature is such that she now feels very important and because she's been allowed to get away with everything from everybody she's now taking liberties.
Within the home there really isn't any issues, she's sweet happy and very cuddly. But because of her behaviour within the pack I have now started to remove her puppy privileges, and I'm making her do things for me to achieve her goal.
Of course she is in season and I can't imagine that is helping. She away from her beloved Loki, hormones are raging within her and she's a teenager. Not a great combination really is it? I'm sure we've been here before with other bitches, we'll just have to ride the storm out really won't we.
So who do I walk her with today? It was going so well yesterday when I was walking her with just Tali. Tali does her own thing and is pretty boring company I guess, so Kaiah had no one to torment. But then the shit really hit the fan as she came across a single sheep who was out of my view behind some reeds, it ran and she chased it. I screamed, I called, I panicked, I ran .. but I also had Tali to think of and she struggled in the heat to keep up. In those few minute you think everything, she's killed the sheep, she's been hit by a car, shot by the farmer ... she's out of your sight and your mind is racing with fear. Luckily for me there was a good Samaritan, a man preparing to go for a walk in one of the bottom parking spaces. He saw her chasing the sheep, gave chase and somehow grabbed her. I think I was expecting a lecture from him, but he must have seen how distressed I was and was so nice to me, he insured me she hadn't touched the sheep. It took a brave man to just grab a strange GSD, and who ever he was I will always be grateful to him. But of course this is now fresh in my mind and I fear taking her back out there today, but I have too. Lessons will have to be leaned, but she has to go out, and lets face it, I've had the same experience to date with almost every generation. Sort it or live with it Mrs S, but don't moan about it!

Beautiful Sammi's Song

I love the video for this song - but for a change it's nice to read the lyrics
This was top of the charts in 2013 when my Angel was born.

Walks

 Kaiah went out with just Tali, as she now has no friends! After today's antics I'm not sure I want to be her friend either. She must be the easiest puppy I've ever owned, by I hate this teenage rebelion of hers!

 Sammi, Asha, Loki and Ziva

Everyone happy out and about

Nico and Jezi 

Mikey's song

Another one I've managed to get with just the lyrics playing and not the video. I cried so much to this last year. Sometimes life is so unfair ....

Lux

After a long chat with the breeder in Suffolk my head is well and truly pickled again! She is willing to hang on to the pup for just a few weeks to see if the testicle drops, she will check him weekly for me. As it can be felt, there is a chance ...  But, and it's a huge but, she has another litter there, now three weeks old out of the son of the father of the first litter. So Larro is the sire of the 8 week old pup, his son Lux is the sire of the 3 week old pups. Both males have been imported from Italy, but OMG I have just fallen in love with Lux.
Now that is my kind of dog! She says of Lux, "Everyone that meets him loves him too, such a character. He is beautiful, we love him to bits, main fault if you like he is a big boy, but we knew that when we bought him."  Well I can live with big! lol The breeder continues "I'm happy to keep the Larro boy so you can choose between the 2 and we'll def know about the dreaded testicles by then! In the meantime if the testicles are both here you can come for the Larro boy." She is being so kind, she couldn't do anymore for me, I'm really touched.
What am I going to do? Hell I don't know? When she originally made the offer last week I was definite I didn't want to do that, but now circumstances have slightly changed and after seeing Lux ..  I'm not so sure! I guess if she tells me next week that the testicles have come down on the older pup I'll be going down for him, if it's 2 or 3 weeks before anything happens then it would be wise to wait and see both.
I must admit his name made me smile too. I guess some of you remember our little Lux?
God I like this dog!

Nan's Song Became Nikki's Song

I found a copy of this song without a video - just the lyrics. It's very touching and I cried so much to it after we lost Nikki. Please listen, without this girl none of us would have a "Blanik,"  all roads lead back to Nikki .. and this is Nikki's song!

On The Ball

I told you I was getting obsessed with testicles didn't I? But it is interesting to learn and find these things out.
Each testicle forms high up near the kidneys in early embryonic life and then descends into the scrotum during late foetal life or early neonatal life (soon after birth). If embryos have a "y" chromosome they do not develop into testis they become ovary's and the pup is female. The testies travel down the inguinal canal passing through a narrow area referred to as the "ring." which is high up in the inguinal canal. Many of the experts state that if a male animal's teste/s have not descended by 2 months of age, then they are very unlikely to do so. Other are a little more generous, allowing the animal up to 16 weeks before deeming the animal's testicles unlikely to descend. Vets suggest that they can take as long as 6 months to fully descend, but with normal puppy growth the ring closes or decrease in size making it impossible for the testicle to pass through, this will then cause the testicle to stay retained. Simply as the animal grows the testicle grows and the ring closes.  Another reason for the testicle not to be able to fully descend is if the cord is too short for it to stretch to the scrotal sack.
Late testicular descent certainly can occur though this is extremely rare. I have heard of a case whereby a cryptorchid show dog was given a prosthetic testicle to hide the fact that one of its testicles was not descended, only for the true testicle to descend later on, resulting in the show dog having three testicles for a brief period of time before the prosthesis was removed. A friend with a cryptorchid was also told to consider a trip to Ireland where things could be "sorted" for her, she didn't!
Due to increased heat and blood supply to the retained testicle cryptorchids often have character problems caused by increased testosterone. Some are nervous, some nervous aggressive and some are aggressive. Some hyperactive and difficult to control. Removal of the retained testicle will usually, over a few week alleviate such character problems. But of course the greatest risk is of cancer on the retained testicle spreading within the body in middle age. There is little risk in early life but cryptorchids should have the retained testice/s removed once they are fully grown and the growth plates have closed.
So there you go .. a little copy and paste to help me on the way, but good to know and refer back too in future .....

Blade's song

Kirsty MacColl - Days
Please listen to the lyrics, the video is a tad distracting

Kaiah's Song

It wasn't just Louis that had a song.  Lots of my dogs have "Theme Tunes." Whilst listening to Robbie this morning this song made me smile and think of Kaiah. It may not be appropriate into adulthood but it currently is. Don't listen if you're easily offended.
Anyway, it's made me think of the dogs that have had their own songs, some in life, some in death, and I've decided to post them on the blog .. I'll start at the beginning of Blanik with Blade!

A Kind Of Commitment

"Sully" a friends red sable playing with Sammi 

Yesterday I received a message from the breeder in Suffolk, she said ".. just got back from the Vets, they've had their jab, the Vet gave them a good 'feel' said the paler boy has both and the other boy has one and the other high up in the ring, it will come down, that was her opinion, I felt when I got home and could feel one each?"
I decided at that moment not to go down there this weekend, but to wait and see what this week brings with it. I then chatted to some friends with sables who agreed with me that taking the paler dog was not in my best interest. One friend said, "with some judges quick to put sables down as it is you must at least get a decent coloured sable." As I've mentioned before I know too well the influence colour has on the breed with poor Asha often passed by simply for colour. Right or wrong? I'll let you decide.

This morning I received another message from Suffolk. "Do you want to plump for the redder boy? The other person wants to come on Tuesday for their pup!"  Ah commitment time, but I had already decided last night that I did not want to take on a pale sable dog and I totally understand the other people want their pup. So yeah, the redder dog it is or nothing, and now all we can do is wait and hope. At least he's not 8 weeks old yet is he, and she will give him a couple of weeks to see what happens.
I was honest with her this morning, I told her I had got very deflated and shed a tear or two last night. So much for not being emotionally involved eh! She is still optimistic that it will come, but does understand my reasons for needing to wait. I just can't believe this is happening again .. Excuse the profanity, but I must have been an evil twat in a previous life or something!