Breed: Beauceron

Beauceron

An old and distinct French breed of herding dog,  relatively unknown outside of France, the breed is very old within the country. And while there are many sheep herding dogs in France, the Beauceron is the preferred choice due to its tireless work ethic.The earliest record found so far of what is thought to be the Beauceron dates back to a Renaissance manuscript of 1578. In 1809, the abbey Rozier reported plain dogs guarding flocks and herds. In 1863, Pierre Megnin differentiated, with precision, two types of these sheep dogs: one with a long coat, which became known as the Berger de Brie (Briard), the other with a short coat, which is known as the Berger de Beauce (Beauceron).

Beaucerons bear a passing resemblance to German Shepherds--part of their value as watchdogs depends on exactly this fairly large, threatening appearance. Considering the strong resemblance, it's surprising that the Beauceron is one of the major purebred dogs of the world--the breed developed exclusively in France, with no known cross-breeding occuring between the Beauceron and dogs of foreign nations. It's this strange quality of purity that gives the breed its special place in the French heart-not to mention the Beauceron's other qualities of loyalty, nobility, friendliness, and undeniable energy for herding and working.

Double Dewclaw

The Beauceron is invariably black-and-tan, 

with some black-and-gray dogs in existence that aren't considered an official part of the breed. Their hind legs are highly distinctive, with a double dewclaw on each foot--leaving them with six toes, some of which resemble "thumbs". Far from being a defect, this is one of the hallmarks of the Beauceron, and dogs with anything less than the standard six rear toes are not considered to be true Beaucerons.

Brave, highly intelligent, obedient, working dog. Eager and willing to please, they excel at obedience training, very quick to understand and respond to their masters commands. The Beauceron is capable of police work, loyal, patient, faithful, fearless and keenly watchful, able to to detect danger. They are a worthy, natural guard dog. They love to work and exercise in wide-open spaces. Another one of their many talents is working as a herding dog. They may attempt to herd humans and anything else in their sight and need to be taught this is not acceptable. There are places you can take dogs where they can demonstrate herding ability with flocks of sheep. Some lines are prone to bloat and like any breed over 40 pounds beaucerons are prone to hip dysplasia.

Dog Breed: Shiloh Shepherds

The Shiloh Shepherd is a rare breed of dog that is still under development. Developed in the 1970s, they are meant to resemble an older variety of German shepherd. Shilohs are not recognized by any major kennel club, but may be shown in rare breed organizations.

Shilohs are larger and have a straighter back than most modern Alsatians and are bred for intelligence, size, and stable temperaments. Their coats can be a variety of colors and color mixes. They compete in obedience and agility. They work as therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs, livestock guardians and service assistance.

"Do you remember a specific 'German Shepherd'   you used to know as a child (or if you are under 40) one that your family or friends told you about? He was the dog with that super, almost human intelligence; that big family protector that was so very gentle with little children, yet would give his life for his master without question.




The dog that would walk you to the school bus, and then show up again exactly on time to wait for your return; the hero that everyone talked about; the one that seemed half human. His personality consisted of Lassie, Strongheart, and Rin Tin Tin all rolled into one".


http://www.shilohshepherds.org

Husky Race

Husky Race Organised in Kaunas, Lithuania

dated (11,Dec,2010)

Turkish Pointers

Dog breed known as the Catalburun in its homeland, meaning "fork-nose", the Turkish Pointer is a rare hunting breed, closely associated with the city of Mersin in the Tarsus province, but rarely found elsewhere. Its ancestry is not known, but some believe that the breed is descended from English pointers and hounds introduced to the country by Turkish nobility, while other fanciers claim that it is in fact the ancestor of those very breeds. A number of pointing breeds from Greece could have played a part in the Catalburun's establishment as well, since the Greeks inhabited the region for centuries prior to 1922. Due to the limited gene pool, almost all of the modern specimens are heavily inbred, but so far no known hereditary health issues have been reported. 

The Turkish Pointer is neither standardized nor recognized, but this dog breed is fairly uniform in type and a valued local partridge hunter. Usually employed as a single dog when hunting, the Catalburun is said to be unfriendly towards other dogs, although some Turkish hunters use small packs of these rugged workers on occasion. This is generally a calm breed, but it can be aloof with strangers and is quite alert and territorial, making a capable property watchdog. Gentle with children and devoted to its master, the Turkish Pointer is an amenable companion, but it requires a good amount of excercise and is happiest when working. 

The breed is smaller and heavier than some of its more refined European counterparts, but is remarkably agile and resilient. The Catalburun is prized for its stamina and intelligence, being a committed and intuitive worker. The body is well-boned and muscular, with strong legs, a fairly wide and deep chest and an elegantly broad head with a powerful muzzle. The nose can be either black, brown or pink in colour and is split in half at the center, very similar to the trademark features associated with some old Portuguese and Spanish working pointing dogs. The coat is short, smooth and flat, seen in a variety of colours, but most common in white-based colourings with darker patches, ranging from yellow, orange and wheaten to red, brown and black shades, as well as tricoloured. Average height is around 20 inches.

Chinese Chongqing Dog -

The Chinese Chongqing dog is an ancient and unique breed, thought to have been in existence since the Han dynasty in China. The origin of this breed is Chongqing, located in the southwestern region of the China. The Chongqing dogs are used for hunting ( scent hound ) and protection of the home, they are good working dog and family companion.

The Chinese Chongqing dog is quite different from many western breeds, it is known that many western breeds are "man-made", but the Chinese Chongqing dog is a "natural" breed. They were bred for centuries with little regard for conformation, but solely for their working capabilities, and in the old days, geographical isolation make the breed remained pure without the interference from the outside. They shaped by the forces of nature, natural selection has successfully eliminated undesirable traits in the breed. Therefore, no known major health problems exist in the Chinese Chongqing dog.
http://www.chongqingdog.org/en/breedinfo/index.htm

Stud Dog Management

Almost every dog breeding program in the world keeps at least one male dog in residence for breeding purposes. Some will be popular stud dogs, some not. If a dog is offered at public stud the owner must be prepared to deal with stud dog management, keeping in-season bitches and the intricacies of successful matings. The days of putting a dog with a bitch and letting them do their own thing are long past. The practice isn't safe, usually isn't effective and is certainly not the correct way to handle a breeding. 


Teaching a Puppy to be a Stud Dog Although this may sound frivolous, you really do need to "teach" a male how to be a stud dog. Start when they are about 12-16 weeks by letting the baby run with older intact bitches. The bitches will almost always put the baby in his place. The baby needs to learn to take social signals from the bitch. When it comes time for breeding, the bitch will usually signal her readiness. If she is not ready, she may become aggressive and possibly hurt the male if he continues to try to force himself on her. By running them together when the male is young, he will be taught by the bitches what is acceptable behavior, and what is not. Second of all, NEVER correct a young male for mounting a bitch. Either separate the two, or allow the bitch to correct the boy herself. Given the opportunity a bitch will almost always take care of herself. If she has been corrected for being aggressive (such as when she is on lead), encourage her to take action, but do not yell at the boy. 


First Time Breedings The age of first breeding for males varies from owner to owner. Males are usually physically capable of producing puppies by 8-9 months. Many owners like to wait until the male is older, more mature, and has had all his health screenings. A younger male can sometimes present a challenge to breed because their ridiculous enthusiasm combined with a lack of concentration can make a natural breeding almost impossible. The bitches also tend to lose patience with an over-eager male who doesn't know what he is doing. In these cases, an artificial breeding might be needed to get the job done and keep the young male safe. If you intend to have your male perform natural breedings, you will have to spend time with him in the beginning helping him perform. If natural breedings aren't important, or you wish to do only artificial breedings for health or safety reasons, you also need to work with the male to teach him how to be collected. First time breedings are best with experienced bitches. Try to avoid maiden bitches (although sometimes this just isn't possible), aggressive bitches or bitches who have had past reproductive problems. If you are going to attempt a natural breeding, make sure the bitch has stood for a natural breeding before, or is at least even-tempered enough to allow misbehavior from an inexperienced stud dog. If this will be an artificial breeding, make sure the bitch is properly restrained and is no danger to the stud dog.

Care of the Bitch One of the most challenging parts of keeping a stud dog is having to take responsibility for someone else's bitch – keeping them safe, healthy, happy, and ultimately sending them home pregnant. Most of these bitches will be kept in conditions different from yours, which can cause stress and make a successful breeding more difficult. The key is to make the bitch feel at home, providing her with a happy and relaxed atmosphere and keeping stress to a minimum. Try to move her to your house as early in her season as possible.

Questions for the bitch owner:How is the bitch kept at your house? Crated, housedog, kenneled, or a combination.How many times a day does she eat and what does she eat?How many times a day is she exercised? Is she walked on leash?Is she used to children? Other dogs? Other household animals? Common household noises?How often does she come in season?How many times has she been bred?How many litters has she produced?Was she bred naturally or artificially?Has she ever been ovulation timed? Is so, please provide details. After the bitch owner has answered all your questions, you have to determine the best way to make the bitch at home in your situation. If she is a housedog, you might have to change your living arrangements to bring her into the house, at least for a portion of the day. If she is crated, provide a crate for her that is safe and comfortable. If she is kenneled and you don't have a kennel, ask the bitch owner what they think is a reasonable alternative for her at your house. Most importantly, make sure the bitch is securely segregated from ALL intact males until you are ready to do the breeding. 


When to Breed Some experienced stud dogs will tell you when a bitch is ready. He will only mount her when he believes she is ready and he will pay close attention to her signals. The majority of the time you aren't going to be anywhere near that lucky! If the stud dog or bitch are inexperienced, YOU are going to have to determine when is the proper time for breeding. Introduce the dog and bitch a few times before the breeding is to take place. Allow the two to interact – flirt, chase and mock-breed (if the bitch allows it). Watch the bitch's behavior, and if you need to, make notes about how she is acting with the dog. In the beginning she will play-bow and allow him to sniff her behind. She may progress to allowing him to mount her, and eventually (hopefully) she will stand and flag. Also watch your dog's behavior. In the beginning he will chase and court her by standing on tip-toes and placing his head over her shoulders. (The males are wicked-cute when they are courting a bitch!) Soon he will want to mount her -- first in play, and then more seriously as she stands and allows him. Watch for signs of aggression from either of them. Sometimes the bitch will get cranking right before she becomes fully ready. Occasionally the dog will try to bully a bitch into submission before she is ready to stand. Separate the two and try again later. If you want to be more precise, you may use diagnostic testing to determine the bitch's readiness to breed. Progesterone testing, LH surge testing and/or vaginal smears may be helpful. If you use these tests, put the dogs together when it is determined to be the best time for the bitch. If a natural breeding isn't possible, make sure you know the window of time for optimal breeding and get an artificial breeding done. Semen can live in the bitch between 3-5 days, or longer. Breedings are usually performed every other day until the bitch is no longer receptive, or it is determined by testing that she is no longer fertile. It takes between 48-72 hours for a dog's body to produce more viable semen, so performing breedings more often than this is usually only for practice and does not help ensure conception. 


Natural Breedings A natural breeding performed at a time when both the bitch and dog are ready is your best chance of a successful conception. However, at least with most Cardigans, this doesn't happen often. When a bitch is standing and flagging, or when it is determined by testing that she is ready, introduce the dog and bitch in a controlled manner (small room, or on lead). Allow the two to flirt and play for a few minutes to get them comfortable with each other. Have one person restrain the bitch in a way that she is comfortable with. I often lay the bitch across my lap, and this seems to be a comfortable position and good height for both the dog and bitch. Encourage the dog to mount and breed the bitch. Pat her on the rear quarters and tell the dog he is a "good boy" when he mounts her. If he doesn't seem to be achieving penetration, try to adjust the bitch by lowering her rump, or raising her off the ground with telephone books or a stack of towels. If this doesn't work, try to adjust her vulva from underneath and see if you can help the stud dog make contact. Again, if this doesn't work, try manipulating the male to help him penetrate. This operation will take two people! Don't try to do it yourself. The dog's penis has a bone in it, and when you help the two dogs connect, it can often surprise and startle the bitch. It can harm the male to have a bitch flinch or jump at this time.After the dog has penetrated the bitch, he will start long thrusts meant to help him achieve a tie. You might want to help him stay mounted on the bitch (believe it or not, they sometimes fall off) by holding his rump up against the bitch. Try not to distract him while you are helping him. After the tie has been achieved, the dog will stop thrusting and will either remain on top of the bitch or will turn around backwards so the two are butt-to-butt. Try to make the couple as comfortable as possible. Help the dog turn around, or lay them down in their current position. Ties can last upwards to an hour with twenty minutes being average. 


Artificial Insemination Breedings Artificial breedings are relatively easy and can be done at home. Most stud dogs are easy to collect, and after learning proper insemination techniques, it is comfortable for the bitch. If a natural breeding cannot be achieved or isn't desired, try to determine the best time to breed the bitch by the behavior indicators mentioned above or by ovulation timing. Get all your equipment together before putting the dogs together. I use a latex sheath with a test tube attached for the collection part of the breeding. Other acceptable equipment is a plastic baggie, Dixie cup or 60cc syringe cover. Put the dog and bitch together and encourage the dog to mount the bitch and attempt to breed her. Have someone restrain the bitch. When the dog is ready a bulb will form at the base of his penis close to his body. Reach underneath and push his prepuce (sheath) back to expose his penis and hold him behind the bulb. Allow him to thrust like he would for a natural breeding. Place the semen receptacle at the bottom of his penis, or place the latex sheath over his entire penis. The ejaculation produces three fractions of fluid – the clear pre-seminal fluid, the semen, and the prostate, or post-seminal fluid. Production of semen occurs during the long thrusts towards the beginning of the collection. If using a clear receptacle you can see that the semen fraction of the ejaculation is milky-colored. It is only necessary to collect the first two fluid fractions, although it doesn't hurt to allow the third fraction to be collected and inseminated. When the collection is complete, make sure the dog's penis is totally retracted and that the prepuce isn't rolled or pinched before putting the dog away. The insemination of the bitch is best performed with a rigid plastic pipette or a flexible plastic tube. I prefer the pipette because it doesn't bend back on itself when placed in the bitch. Use a syringe attached to the pipette or tube and draw the semen GENTLY into the syringe. Make sure you do not draw any air through the semen as this may damage the collection. After the collection is in the syringe, turn the syringe upright and draw another 5 cc's of air into the syringe. The air helps move the semen further into the bitch when performing the insemination. You may want to lubricate the pipette or tube with a small amount of KY jelly or other non-spermicidal product. The bitch's vulva is lower than her ******. For this reason you will want to straighten the path of the pipette or tube by placing a finger into the bitch's ****** and pulling the vulva up and into line with the ******. Run the pipette or tube along one side of your finger and as far into the bitch as you can go. Do not force the pipette or tube to go any further than it will as you can puncture the ******. Raise the bitch's rear end so it is above the level of her head and slowly push the ejaculate then air into her ******. Slowly pull the pipette or tube out and lower the bitch back into a standing position. Place a lubricated finger into her vulva and gently stroke the top or side wall of the ****** until you feel her abdomen contract. This is called feathering and it helps move the semen up and towards her cervix and simulates a natural breeding. 90 percent of forward movement of the semen is caused by the bitch. Continue feathering for about 5-7 minutes. After an artificial breeding I like to place the bitch in a quiet place and not let her outside to urinate or exercise for at least two hours. Important Note: Most veterinarians suggest elevating the bitch during the feathering stage of the insemination. For Cardigans I do not like to place the bitch in a position that will cause her spine to be vertical for any length of time. This is for her back health, and I have personally not seen any difference in the conception rate using the standing position. 


Collection for Fresh-Chilled or Frozen Semen The collection method for fresh-chilled or frozen semen is identical to a live artificial (with both dog and bitch present) with just a couple of exceptions. First of all, a bitch may not be present and the stud may not want to perform without her. Teaching a dog to perform without a bitch is difficult and some just won't ever do it. Being able to secure a teaser bitch, or the use of an artificial pheromone is often helpful. As a last resort, the stud dog can be injected with a safe, short-acting hormone to achieve a collection. Secondly, only the first and second fractions of the collection are used. And lastly, the dog may be asked to perform more than one collection in order to have enough semen to ship or store. Important Note: At this time, AKC rules required all fresh-chilled or frozen collections and inseminations to be performed or witnessed by a veterinarian. 


Semen Evaluations When collecting for fresh-chilled or frozen semen a semen evaluation should always be performed. It may also be helpful to do routine evaluations on dogs who are bred exclusively using artificial insemination, or if conception rates are low. Semen is normally evaluated for one or all of the following: total number, volume, motility, speed, direction, PH, and percentage of primary and secondary semen defects. Some vets will leave the semen on a warmed slide to see how long it lives, but this is not always needed. The dog should be rated as excellent, good, fair or poor, or actual numbers should be provided. If the semen is not of good quality it may not be useful to store for frozen semen, but the use of PH buffers and semen enhancers might help boost the quality of the semen for use in fresh-chilled breedings. Check with your veterinarian to see what services they can provide in these areas. 


New Strides In Using Old Stud Dogs My old stud dog began having trouble with his prostrate when he was 7 years old. This caused him to have bladder infections. In the beginning, we believed it was just chronic urinary infections, possibly from his food. But when a vet found his prostate gland enlarged and dipping down into his abdomen, we began a different treatment meant to preserve his fertility. (This was after arguing with one vet for twenty minutes about my conviction that unless his life was in danger, he was not going to be neutered.) These treatments included rounds of antibiotics combined with herbal supplements. They were successful and helped give him a couple extra years of reproductive health. When he turned 9, the first few bitches he bred that year got pregnant and carried normal sized litters. Towards the end of the year bitches began to miss. I took him in for a semen evaluation to a local reproductive expert. His semen quality was good, but the quantity was low. The sperm was also "lazy" – moving slowly or not at all. Semen enhancing solution was added to the sperm and this seemed to help. Because of the combination of low volume and low motility, it was suggested that any bitches bred to him be either surgically inseminated or transcervically inseminated. Both methods placed the semen into the bitch's uterus giving them the best chance of getting pregnant. In 1999 10 bitches were bred to my stud dog, who was 10 at the time. Three were mine, 7 were outside bitches. 8 were live transcervical breedings where both dog and bitch were present; and the other 2 were fresh chilled shipments and the bitches were surgically inseminated. Each bitch was also ovulation timed. 9 bitches were timed with progesterone assay tests and 1 bitch was LH surge tested. The LH surge bitch is the only one all year that missed. The litters ranged in size from 1 to 10, 7 being the average. During this year I learned a lot about ovulation timing, evaluating semen quality, semen enhancers and what the inside of a bitch's vaginal looks like! Transcervical inseminations are fascinating. The procedure was new (it is becoming more accepted and common now) and only taught in a few places. My vet spent a week in Sweden learning how to do it. After the dog is collected the semen is evaluated for quantity and quality. The collection is then spun in a centrifuge and the semen is concentrated to between 1-2 ccs. The uterus of a bitch before pregnancy is very small and only about 1-2 cc's of semen can be inserted. After the semen is evaluated, it can be treated with semen enhancers or PH buffers. An endoscope is placed in the bitch's vaginal so the vet can visually locate the opening of the cervix. Since the cervix in a dog is horseshoe-shaped with the opening towards the top of the ******, locating it and threading an insemination tube through it is very complicated. The flexible tube is inserted into the endoscope and is threaded into the cervix. At this point, if the tube doesn't go into the cervix easily, ultrasound is used to visualize the shape and direction of curve of the cervix. As strange as it sounds, not one bitch was even sedated for these procedures. Some got to stand naturally on the table, but some had to be elevated, turned, and/or twisted to get that tube into their uterus. Not one objected to be poked, prodded and eventually inseminated. I was very impressed. And the conception rate was also impressive. I'm hoping more vets become familiar with this new method of insemination, as it seems to solve a variety of conception problems.