Pug Talk - Winter 2015

Volume 51 | Number 4 | Winter 2015

What’s In Your Whelping Kit? The Whelping Pen

Diapers Aren't a Pug's Best Friend In A Pug's Eye

Dancing with Your Dog Canine Freestyle

Got Bugs?

Ask A Vet

Dedicated to purebred pugs and those who love them!

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In This Issue The Tail of the Pug Editorial

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–by Marcy Heathman

PUG TALK

801 Dellwood St. #113 Bryan, TX 77802–5363 Phone: (512) 887–7847 Email: PT@pugtalk.com Web: www.pugtalk.com

What's in Your Whelping Kit? The Whelping Pen –by Beth Ballard

Collector’s Corner

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Featured Rescues

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Rare finds for pug people

OWNER/EDITOR/ PUBLISHER Marcy Heathman

ART DIRECTOR/ GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Christen Cabe Creative Commonground www.creativecommonground.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Artists: Debby Hanks Show Results: Ashley B. L. Fischer The Whelping Pen: Beth Ballard

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Bailey is a Keeper!

–by Pug Rescue of Florida

North of the 49th

Canadian Show Results

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–by Tom Young

Canine Freestyle— Dancing with Your Dog!

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Emma the Once & Future Pug Queen

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–by Cher Grindle McCoy

Pug Talk Exclusive Story: Part 3 –by Ben Gines

Diapers Aren't a Pug's Best Friend In A Pug's Eye

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–by Suzanne Endres Pug Talk (ISSN:1529–5478) is published quarterly by: Pug Talk LLC 801 Dellwood St. #113 Bryan, TX 77802–5363.

Periodicals postage rates paid at Austin, Texas.

Subscription Rates: $36 per year. $50 First Class postage in US. Air Mail (printed material): $55 to Canada; $55 to Mexico; $85 to South America; $85 to Europe, Africa, the Pacific Rim and Australia, subject to postal rate changes.

All foreign orders must be US funds drawn on US banks.

The Pug Dog Club of America National Specialty

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Show Results

–by Ashley B. L. Fischer

Got Bugs?

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Marijuana Poisoning!

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Quarter 3, 2015 CHIC Numbers

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Ask A Vet

Breaking News

–Canine Health Information Center

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Ring in the New Year!

Ring in the New Year! Don't forget our next issue is the Juniors and Seniors issue. Show off your latest pups and your favorite old friends.

DEADLINE: January 31, 2016

The song is ended, but the melody lingers on.

-Irving Berlin

Linda Sue Purkey (Green Gables Pugs)

Coby Rudakewiz John & Jackie Rothenberg

Andrea J Belmore (Gas Hollow Pugs) Larry & Jutta Beard & Natalie Beard Sweeney (Heuberg Pugs) Susan Davis (Dillpepah Pugs) Patt and Rick Stoltz (Tupelo Pugs) Julie & Marc Van Patten

We Want Your Opinion!

Still Shopping?

No worries! The Funky Tails website, www.funkytails.com, sells matching human and dog holiday sweaters.

Whether it’s dogs chasing gingerbread men, pulling on a snowman’s scarf, kissing under the mistletoe or eating the turkey on the table, they have a sweater for it. While the dogs are not pugs, the owners of Funky Tails do own a pug named Jenny.

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Have something to say about Pug Talk? Have a suggestion for an article? Want to see coverage of a certain event? Do you think we're doing a good job? We'd like to know!

You can send us a letter, or email editor@pugtalk.com—these submissions will NOT be used for Pug People Say. If you want to send something in for Pug People Say, please email pps@pugtalk.com with your stories, notes, high-resolution images, etc.

Kim Gorsuch

Joanne Clark (Cherished Pugs) Heidi Fridtjofsen (PugBully Pugs)

Greg & Lorene Vickers-Smith (Wisselwood Pugs)

Thomas Rogers (Rocking R Pugs) Tom Young (Lyntom Pugs) Mary Ann & Donald Hall (Maridon Pugs) Betty Weston Marie Donaldson Laura Libner Marcy Heathman

Barry & Blanca Clothier Dave Kozakiewicz

THE MELODY OF MARGERY STUFFY'S NEWEST PUPPIES!

Ad Design by Christen Cabe PUG TALK July | August | September 2015 22CreativeCommonground.com

Note from the Editor Pug Talk sincerely regrets inadvertently leaving off Bonita Fitchenbaum's name from the contributors list in the Margery Shriver memorial ad in our previous issue.

PUG TALK October | November | December 2015

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Upcoming Shows Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show FEBRUARY 15–16, 2016 The prestigious Westminster Kennel Club show will be held on Monday and Tuesday, February 15–16, 2016. Daytime sessions for breed judging will be at The Piers 92/94. Monday will include the Hound, Toy (pugs!), Non-Sporting and Herding groups. Evening sessions will be at Madison Square Garden, where each breed winner from the day will compete in the groups. Preceding the shows will be “Meet and Compete” at the Piers 92/94, where breed clubs will have a “Meet the Breeds” while the Masters Agility Championship will be held. You can read more about it at the Westminster Kennel Club website: www.westminsterkennelclub.org.

Pug Dog Club of Greater San Antonio Specialty MARCH 11, 2016 Pack your lucky charms and head to the hill country for the 2016 Pug Dog Club of San Antonio Specialty Show. This year's event will be held at the Hill Country Youth Event Center in Kerrville, Texas.

Sweeps Judge: Rudy Ayala Regular Class Judge: Ms. Joanne (Jan) Paulk

Pug People Say "Rocky enjoys a better view of his domain when he sits in the planter."

–from Mike Lennon

Section Title

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EDITORIAL

Tail of the Pug –by Marcy Heathman

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ur holiday issue brings with it cooler—okay, COLDer weather, time to look back at the year past, as well as an opportunity to look forward. This past year we’ve celebrated the return of Pug Talk, and want to thank so many of you for your warm wishes, thoughts for the future, and comments about what we’ve done so far. There have been times when things haven’t run as smoothly as we’d have liked, but so far, we’re ironing out the bumps, and feeling good about the future. The fast new computer with lots of space and memory is up and running, so we have been catching up on what we missed. Your patience has been deeply appreciated.

A recurring problem seems to be submitting good quality, high resolution photographs for the magazine. Pictures which look good (are taken from) on websites or on Facebook are optimal for on-screen viewing but are NOT high enough quality for printing. (If you have photos online that you want to use, please send the original photo file rather than taking off the web.) High resolution photos are required to produce sharp, clear images in Pug Talk, otherwise the print quality is poor.

We also cannot accept photos that are pasted within Word documents, PowerPoint, or similar office software.

Images should be submitted as independent files (usually JPEG or TIFF).

Self-Shot Photos

If you are taking the pictures, you want to use the highest resolution setting on your camera. Generally, iPhones take images at high resolution, but if you have any filters turned on, it can change them to lower resolution, making them unsuitable for printing. If you're sending image files directly from of your iPhone, please also ensure that you select the largest size available. Android phones

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Key to Quality Photos

»» High resolution

(300dpi or higher)

»» Large dimensions »» Large file size »» Uncropped and unedited

generally have a control icon, (unless professionally) which leads to »» Separate file, NOT embedded in other programs either a menu for picture size, or that option will be on a “more options” sub menu.

If you're looking at that same 8" x 10" Use the highest number of pixels for the in pixel dimensions, thats: picture size to get the resolution which is good enough to print.

High resolution (300dpi) = 2400 x 3000 pixels Web resolution (72dpi) = 576 x 720 pixels

Professional Photos

If you’re using show pictures, you can ask the show photographer to send the high-resolution images to us directly at pt@pugtalk.com—please remember to ask them to label the image with YOUR name, rather than a generic title such as "IMG_5746.”

Generic titles make it difficult to tell which pug it is in the picture!

Printed Photos

If you have printed pictures you’d like used in your ad, scan the image at the highest resolution possible (at least 300 dpi). If you’re looking to purchase a scanner, please be sure it can scan at 300 dots-per-inch (dpi) as we’ve seen a few which simply don’t get that high.

Digital Photos

If you have digital image files on your computer and want to know if they’re big enough, all you need to do is look at the dimensions of the image and file size.

It's important to choose photos with the largest dimensions possible. It is also helpful to provide the COMPLETE photo, rather than a version that's already been down-sized or cropped. This gives us more design flexibility.

For example, if you have an 8" x 10" photo in your library, the actual printed size will depend on the resolution: High resolution (300dpi) = 8" x 10" printed Web resolution (72dpi) = 1.92" x 3.4" printed

High resolution print images will typically be a much larger file size due to the amount of visual data they contain about the image, but they are ideal for us to work with. If your photos aren't at least 2MB (megabytes) in size, they’re probably not high resolution.

In the previous example of the 8" x 10" show photo: High-quality image (300dpi) = 27.5 MB Web-quality image (72dpi) = 1.58 MB If you have problems emailing large photos to us (some internet service providers limit attachment sizes), let us know, and we will set up a file transfer for you where you simply drag-and-drop your photo into a special folder where we can pick it up.

So we look forward to your photos for upcoming issues. If pixels and megabytes are just too confusing for you, you can send us the printed picture, and we’ll scan it for you. Please, email us with your problems—that provides us a written item we can track.

As always, we appreciate you and all you do in the pug world. Whether you’re a pug lover, pug breeder, pug exhibitor or just someone who thinks it’s a great breed, we’re glad you’re reading Pug Talk.

Hug your pugs from all of us.

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ls

Don't forget, our upcoming issue is the Junior/Senior issue.

Do you have an up and coming prospect? Or perhaps a great story about some of the retirees at home. We'd love to share their stories with Pug Talk's readers. Send in your high resolution photos and your stories to editor@PugTalk.com before January 31, 2016.

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THE WHELPING PEN

What’s In Your Whelping Kit? –by Beth Ballard

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hat Capital One commercial … the one asking, “What’s In Your Wallet?” Well, from a canine reproduction angle, I’d rather know what’s in your whelping kit.

Being prepared is so important when you are expecting a litter. Whether it’s your first and your mentors are helping you, or it’s one of many, each litter has its needs, both at whelping and as the pups grow. A good whelping and neonatal puppy care kit is absolutely essential.

So in this column, let’s look at what’s in my whelping kit; then you can tweak things to fit your own needs, and in no time, you’ll have a whelping/neonatal puppy care kit always at the ready.

First let me say that all breeds are unique, and my list of supplies for my whelping kit is designed for my two breeds, which are both toy breeds. So my list of supplies can be upgraded, downgraded or edited in any way to fit your particular needs.

First, I highly suggest you get the Myra Savant Harris series of books on canine reproduction. They are wonderful to have, and I also have several other good books in my breeding/whelping/puppy

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care library that are always a great help.

Also, if you do not already have one, seek out a good mentor, or two, or three. You will find that mentor to be one of your most valuable resources for help.

Many of the supplies I have in my whelping kit I rarely if ever use, but if I need them, I want them on hand; thus, I keep everything I think I might need. I go through my kit about 30 days before each whelping and throw away and replace outdated or older supplies. I also make sure I have plenty of everything, especially the things I use for every whelping, and I take an inventory of all.

That way, I know what I do have and can order more supplies as needed.

Some breeders use whelping boxes and love them. I have never been comfortable with having my puppies on the floor, and with my age and back, I’m not real keen on bending down or getting down on the floor, so I use a three foot by three foot puppy pen with the floor elevated to a comfortable height. I find the puppy pen has many advantages other than comfort …my puppy pen has a split top; I leave one half down all the time, and the other half I use as a sort of shelf to hold things like paper towels and bath tissue, wash cloths, a couple of towels and a small tote with my suction bulbs and canned oxygen. I wrap sheets around the outside of my puppy pen to keep

out drafts and help make my girl feel more comfortable.

On the wall next to the puppy pen, I have a large cosmetics organizer, and beside the puppy pen I have a small nightstand so that all my supplies are within reach.

In my organizer, I have iodine wipes in sealed packets. These will last forever; they don’t go out of date like an open bottle of iodine would. I must say though, I rarely use them.

I have Q-tips that are handy for both whelping and neonatal uses. Cotton balls, Neosporin ointment, surgical lubricant …

I use a product called Surgilube, which is a surgical gel that is water soluble, non-irritating and sterile. I have non-latex surgical gloves and use these with the lubricant to do any digital exams.

I keep unwaxed dental floss for tying umbilical cords, and I also keep a few yards of good suture thread from my vet. It’s very good to use for umbilicals, and it ties well and stays put … but the dental floss will work if you don’t have suture thread.

I keep two digital thermometers in my organizer and replace them with every whelping (and of course, Vaseline or petroleum jelly makes temping a lot less stressful).

I keep two bulb syringes close by; one is an infant size, and the other is a smaller

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one designed to use for cleaning human ears. Both are very useful.

I’ve got two pairs of clamping hemostats of the appropriate size.

There is one pair of surgical bandage scissors that may need to be sharpened a little … they are meant to be somewhat dull. My hemostats and surgical scissors have different colored handles so I can easily see which ones I am picking up.

For umbilicals, I put one hemostat an inch or so from the puppy’s tummy and the second one about an inch further down, and with the surgical scissors, I cut between the two. I tie off the umbilical before I release the top hemostat.

I also have a bottle of Betadine. I put about an inch of Betadine in a quart jar and add a little water; between puppies, I put my hemostats and surgical scissors in this to soak. I also use betadine on the puppy umbilicals using a Q-tip.

A very good stethoscope is a must. I listen to my puppies’ hearts and lungs every day, several times per day, for about three weeks. Purchase a good stethoscope. A human neonatal or cardiac stethoscope is a few dollars more but very, very worth it. Mine is a Littman cardiac stethoscope, and there is no ambient noise. I can hear anything I want to very clearly.

I’ve got a digital postal scale. Mine will weigh up to four pounds and has a tare feature; it weighs in grams and ounces.

I kept a Huggies box, removed the top, and put a soft cloth in it. Then I set it on the scale, tare out its weight, and then put a puppy in the box to get its birth weight. I weigh my puppies twice a day, every day, for three or four weeks … or at least until they don’t fit in the box anymore. The first few days, I weigh them in grams—it is much easier to see gains or losses in grams rather than in ounces.

I also invested in a good home oxygen concentrator. This takes room air and concentrates it into purified oxygen for medical use, and then you have good oxygen without needing a tank, regulator or prescription. Plus, the room oxygen concentrator is much safer.

You never know when you might need a little oxygen, and this is a very wise investment for a breeder. You can find them used for very reasonable prices.

Look for one that has less than 5,000 hours use.

I keep a supply of oral calcium at hand.

I used to use Calsorb all the time but found it made the girls sick now and then; it also had such a nasty taste, it would interrupt labor at times. I began using Oral Cal Plus about three years ago with great success. It was designed by veterinarians and a breeder, and there are no more upset tummies … and it has a chicken flavor, so the girls take it very well. Always have oral calcium handy for a whelping. I also keep a bottle of 750mg Tums on hand to use after the whelping. Tums is not as reliable a source of calcium, but it is calcium in carbonate form, which helps to not overdo the calcium intake after the whelping is done.

I keep several pairs of exfoliating gloves handy. Exfoliating gloves will grip and hold a puppy better than anything I have ever found, in case you need to assist with a birth.

You will need plenty of clean towels and washcloths. I do keep hand towels nearby as well, and I usually keep them under my heating pad so I can wrap the pups and keep them warm while I work with them.

I also use rubbing alcohol to run over my hands between handling pups.

I always have a pair of small fingernail clippers—infant ones work great. I keep the toenails on my puppies trimmed short from birth. They grow very fast at first, and they grow into a little “hook” shape that can cause all kinds of issues for the momma and other pups.

I have a small Maglight I love and use for several things. It is wonderful to have at night when you’re up with the pups and mom. I also use my Maglight to inspect each puppy for clefts or other things. At times, a small bright light can really come in handy.

You will need small curved clamping hemostats if you intend to remove your own dewclaws. Be sure to check with

your vet and your state laws on dewclaw removal at home first.

A good heat source for the puppies is a must. I have always used a good heating pad set on low under a few layers of cloth. Your heating pad never needs to be on a setting any higher than low. If you use a heating pad, you will need one that does not have an automatic shut off. I do not use any lamps or overhead type of heat; I have always believed that the heat source for newborn pups should come from below them. You can also use a seedling mat, which can be purchased online or at most garden supply centers. This is not for everybody, but it keeps the pups at an even 90 degrees. A word of warning though: seedling mats should never be used in a plastic Perla bed, whelping box, or plastic of any kind.

ThermaCare bands, meant for back patients, work wonderfully to keep puppies warm for several hours if needed during transport. A couple of years ago, I purchased a car inverter that plugs into the cigarette lighter in my van, and I just plug in my heating pad that’s in my puppy transport kit, if need be.

Sometimes, for reasons beyond our control or imagining, pups are orphaned. You can purchase powdered colostrum, but it is almost always bovine. That is a little helpful, but not much. If you could get canine colostrum, it would need to come from a bitch in your own geographical area.

Every area of our planet is different, and colostrum contains immunities only for the diseases and viruses and bacteria found in the area where the bitch lives. Your best bet is to find a surrogate, and quickly.

Next time, we will see what’s in my neonatal puppy care kit.

It is my honor to write this column each issue. If you have canine reproduction questions you’d like to see addressed in “The Whelping Pen” column, send suggestions to pugs4people2@yahoo.com or connect with me on Facebook @ Beth Ballard (Birch Haven Pugs).

What's in Your Whelping Kit?

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Collector's Corner RARE FINDS FOR PUG PEOPLE

Not everyone collects antiques or expensive artwork.

There are plenty of places where you can find pug items. One of those places to find unique, hand-made, or custom items is Etsy. Etsy provides an online marketplace for crafters, artists and collectors to sell their handmade creations, vintage goods (at least 20 years old), and both handmade and non-handmade crafting supplies. It’s easy to search on Etsy, and you’ll literally find hundreds of unusual items.

Engraved Pug Rolling Pin $33 on Etsy: HousemateArtist

One of those shops is HousemateArtist, who create custom engraved rolling pins. Yes, there’s a pug rolling pin that would make a great gift for your pug friends. While we’re only showing the pug variety, if you’re a pug and boxer fan, they can make one of those for you too. Their direct link is https://www.etsy.com/shop/housemateartist

Pug Jewelry

Under $9 on Etsy: CaramelaHandmade A fun Etsy shop is CaramelaHandmade, where they create handmade jewelry, earrings, necklaces and more. All of their earrings are made from hypoallergenic surgical steel. And while there are a few pug items ready-made, Niki and Neo will also custom make something for you with YOUR pug’s picture on it. You can’t get more personal than that. Find their shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/CaramelaHandmade

Pug Confetti

$2.50 on Etsy: ThePaperPugs And while you’re getting ready to throw a party for your pug friend, you may want to check out Danica’s shop, ThePaperPugs. The confetti pugs are cut from double sided card stock, available in a variety of colors, and you have the choice of how many pieces you’d like to order.

You can also order custom confetti. For the very best pug parties, you just have to have pug confetti! Order yours from https://www.etsy.com/shop/ThePaperPugs

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FEATURED RESCUES

Bailey is a Keeper!

–by Pug Rescue of Florida

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n 2012, Christmas was not very merry for Bailey. Severely underweight and in terrible pain, she had been surrendered by her owner to a shelter. The vet recommended to her rescuers that she be euthanized because she had early stages of a life threatening uterus infection, pyometra.

Bailey also had uncontrolled diabetes making her a huge risk for surgery. But her rescuers also saw her strong will to live. Her blood work looked good, heart and lungs were strong and she was a perky, happy little tail-wagging, kissgiving pug girl, even in her condition!

That’s when Pug Rescue of Florida, Inc. was contacted to help. When we picked Bailey up, she looked like heck. At fourteen pounds, she was a lovable little bag of bones with a very bloated belly,

Bowser –by Jodi McIntyre

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owser's story was just one of the many that Curly Tail Pug Rescue has seen. In June of 2013, the town of Hempstead shelter told us that they had just taken in a pug that needed rescue immediately.

He had a wound on top of his head

Bailey before

On the mend

but her sweet personality and her little peanut head with one ear that sticks up, melted our hearts immediately. We contacted our vet to provide a second opinion. This exam included a more in depth evaluation of her background and history. First, we obtained the original owners vet records, and determined that the owner’s vet had not done sufficient testing to properly regulate her sugar, and didn’t try to find the root cause of her rapid weight loss and unregulated sugar. Bailey spent the day at our vet getting loved on by all the staff, receiving intravenous fluids, glucose evaluations, and insulin injections. We did additional x-rays. From those views and the blood work, our vet felt it was not pyometra, so we had an ultra-sound done to determine what was really going on inside of her prior to doing any surgery. The ultra-sound

that needed medical treatment and a shelter wasn't the ideal environment for him to heal. CTPR asked us to go get him. We had no idea what his wound was like and we were in shock when we got to the shelter. He was very thin and the hair on his scalp was gone, replaced by a red, gaping wound.

Our granddaughter Gianna told him, "Don't worry Bowser, Grandma Jodi and her friends will make you better."

With guidance from Drea, Sonya and Marian, we nursed Bowser back to health. In the two years that followed, the scrawny, beaten up little old man became a quiet, plump and loved fixture of our household. The only sounds he would make would be his cries when we realized we weren’t nearby and his extremely loud snoring. He regained his trust in people and other dogs. He never did like dark places and crates, but finally learned to love being around us. He became a fixture at pug events

Bailey now

showed that the cause of all her health issues was a large cyst on her ovary.

We had to get that cyst out or Bailey would definitely die, but first her sugar had to be under control or she wouldn’t make it through surgery. The fluids and insulin injections did much for lowering her sugar—it went from over 700 to 176!

Once her sugar was low enough, Bailey was spayed, removing the cyst, and also had another benign tumor removed from her shoulder. It took some time for Bailey to regain her lost body fat and build her muscles back up but this little girl is a fighter. Now that her hormones are leveled off, her diabetes is under control.

Bailey’s foster family fell in love with this sweet girl and she is now a permanent part of their family … free of pain and home—forever!

and had a blast at the 2014 Milwaukee Pug Fest.

At home, he would spend his days sleeping and puttering around the house, meandering from doggie bed to doggie bed. When we would come home, he would greet us at the door. First he would approach daddy and after sniffing him, his tail would twitch. You could hear him think, “Not the mama.” He’d find mommy and his little curly tail would twirl like a propeller! Whatever abuse and misery he suffered before was a long forgotten memory. He had a life of love and ease and in return, he gave us hours and hours of joy.

Finally, in September of 2015, after a sharp decline, Bowser left us. His exit from our lives could not have been more loving and dignified, and while he is no longer snuggling on mommy’s lap or snoring in his bed, he putters around in our hearts forever.

Featured Rescues

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CANADIAN SHOW RESULTS

North of the 49th –by Tom Young

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GCH Ex. Xoe's Cassius Clay CGN

PUG CLUB OF CANADA NATIONAL SPECIALITY Regular Classes Winner's Dog EAGLESDARE WICKET'S GOT THE TICKET Reserve Winners Dog CLARIPUGS THE DIPLOMATE Winners Bitch HYCLASS WHO'S ZOOMING WHO Reserve Winners Bitch LYNTOMS PRETTY PENNY Best of Breed GCH EX. XOE'S CASSIUS CLAY CGN Best of Opposite GCH MNSPUGS GLITZ AND GLAMOUR

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ince the loss of the Lower Mainland Show in British Columbia, which was also held Halloween weekend, the Trillium Show in Ontario is probably the premiere show marking the unofficial end of the dog show year in Canada.

Being from Ontario, I am a little biased towards this show and have made a point to attend for many years. For pugs, it is a bit of a marathon, with six shows in three days, including two pug Specialities and a Toy Speciality. The judging panel is usually a stellar one, comprised of respected national and international judges.

The 2015 edition did not disappoint— a fantastic event, bringing in entries from Quebec to British Columbia.

The Costume Competition on Saturday challenged the imaginations of the exhibitors, and they responded with some great and inventive costumes.

As for the judging panel, it was indeed a mix of experienced all-rounders, breeder judges and newer judges, making for a wide array of opinions, which in turn made for a wide array of results. Honestly, I did not envy the judges. There were so many quality pugs there that every show, the winners were decided by mere degrees of subtlety. Any one of them could have won on any given day, and that's what happened.

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Best of Winners HYCLASS WHO'S ZOOMING WHO

Joanne Fernall, president of the Pug Club of Canada and show chair, put on a spectacular National Speciality. A free hot turkey lunch with pug cupcakes followed the show. Saturday evening’s dinner at local restaurant The Great Experience was well attended. There were also some great prizes, with all winners taking home a souvenir to forever remind them of the wonderful wins they had.

It also seems this was the year of the veteran. Veteran dog Rufus (PHLA GCH Caper's Serious Endeavor) won the US Pug National, and another veteran, Cash (Gr Ch Ex. Xoe's Cassius Clay CGN), won the Canadian National—the year of the veteran, indeed.

I would also like to thank Oslach Photography for providing us with pictures of the event, as well as all the organizers, volunteers, judges, ring stewards, and of course, the exhibits and exhibitors for making this weekend a memorable one for all involved. If you did not attend, you missed an experience to cherish for a lifetime. Be sure to mark this event on your calendar for 2016.

You will not be disappointed.

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Best Puppy in Breed HYCLASS WHO'S ZOOMING WHO

Well-respected judge Edd Bivin started off the weekend, judging the all-breed show on Friday. Saturday, Ontario judge David Swartwood evaluated the Pug Club of Canada National Speciality, and Lori Campbell judged the all-breed show.

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Select Male CH CANTU'S SIRIUS INTENTIONS Select Bitch CH ROSE'S THAT'S MY SPOT Award of Merit CH DIAMOND SANDS SIMPLY PERFECT GCh Mnspugs Glitz And Glamour

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Hyclass Who's Zooming Who

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At the Pug Club of Ontario Regional Pug Speciality on Sunday, breeder judge Lorena Vickers Smith gave each and every exhibit a thorough examination, drawing on her experience to pass on well thought out and insightful comments to the exhibitors regarding their dogs. This was truly appreciated. Canadian judge Grant

Townsend judged the Trillium Toy Club Speciality, and American judge Charles Olvis judged the all-breed show.

Thanks to Mary Lou Dymond of the Pug Club of Ontario, there were more great prizes, and as usual, an outstanding regional pug speciality.

PUG CLUB OF ONTARIO REGIONAL SPECIALITY Regular Classes Winners Dog JIMARY'S BILLY BOB

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Reserve Winners Dog HERONCREST N GRYPHONS

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Lyntoms Pretty Penny

North of the 49th

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TRAINING FOR DOG SPORT

Canine Freestyle— Dancing with Your Dog! –by Cher Grindle McCoy

"Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed …"

–Ben Franklin

Thanks to all my pug friends for the kind words, prayers and sympathy extended to me during Sushi’s long battle with a rare disease. She finally lost her battle to complications from pneumonia; Sushi was 13½ years old. She passed on June 11, 2015 after several days of intensive care in our specialist veterinarian’s clinic, where she had been treated for over a year and a half. Although the clinic was 75 miles from my house, Sushi was under the best care possible here in the valley. I needed to take some time off after losing her.

P

rior to Sushi’s illness, I had decided to get another Rottie, as I was missing my sweet Danca who’d passed several years ago. The litter is due November 7th, and I’m so looking forward to puppy breath in the house around the first of the year. It’s been almost 14 years since I’ve had a puppy. Nika, my shepherd, is 14½ and is a member of the GSDCA Thirteen Club.

She is only my 2nd German shepherd to reach 13 years of age, and thus is one of five members of that club.

Mixed vs. Purebred As a trainer, I’m often asked what the difference is between a purebred and a mixed breed when it comes to training.

The answer is relatively simple for me: expectations. When you get a purebred from a reputable breeder, you should have several certainties, the least of which is—for me—that the puppy meets the standard for the breed. Since I do sports and not conformation, I’m looking more for health and temperament and

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less for structure, as it relates to the standard. When you rescue a dog, be it purebred or an all American, there are no expectations, and that can be a good thing.

When you rescue a dog, you have no idea of the baggage. When you get a mixed breed from a backyard breeder, you are never sure of all the breeds that puppy/dog represents. Dogs that have been beaten, starved and tortured have many reasons not to trust humans. But there are plenty of examples of how forgiving dogs can be. (See Michael Vick’s dogs.)

Rescue dogs can do any sport, but freestyle is one that the dogs have more fun and less stress with than any other sport. It’s perfect for them. Because of the potential abuse in their past, rescued dogs need extra care to ensure training is a positive experience. Here are a few tips for training your rescue pug for any sport, not just freestyle: ‣‣ Don’t wait to begin training; start right away. Gentle, reward-based training can help the rescued dog adapt to her new surroundings and form a strong trust with her new owners.

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‣‣ Keep training sessions short and uncomplicated. Be generous with treat rewards and make training fun. ‣‣ Ask the rescue group if your new pug endured any abuse or trauma before rescue. Knowledge of the dog’s past can make it easier to help her adjust to her new life. ‣‣ Don’t force your pug to do things that scare her. Gradual desensitization is the best way to diminish fear. Get help with this from an experienced trainer who uses gentle, positive methods. ‣‣ Remember: It can take up to six months for some rescued dogs to fully settle into a new home.

There may be some behavioral issues to deal with during that time, so be patient.

There are a couple of things you can use in freestyle, or any other sport, for safety and fun: 1. Warm-up & cool-down exercises 2. Teach your pug to cross her paws

Warm-Up Exercises: During freestyle routines, dogs perform many of the following moves: walk (slow and normal); run crawl forward and backward, as well as sideways and in small and large circles; rollover; lift their paws; spin; jump in a straight line, and more frequently, in a circle; and stand, jump, walk, or spin on their rear legs.

Sometimes, they have to perform these moves at high speed, and most of the time, on slippery surfaces like linoleum or tile rather than carpets, which is better footing for the dog. And last but not least, they have to switch from one move to another in a split second, at a certain beat of the music, and do it several times, depending on the team competition level and difficulty of the routine.

Only agility equals freestyle when it comes to the fitness, flexibility, strength and stamina demands from the dog’s structure, muscles and joints. If the dog is not conditioned

properly to perform the moves and is not sufficiently warmed up before the exercise or routine, there is a greater risk of injury. Also, the level of concentration and mental stamina required for canine freestyle is one of the most demanding—if not the most demanding—in dog sports. The dog has to respond to the handler’s physical and verbal cues, be aware of the ring space and repeatedly carry out learned chained moves throughout its two to six minute routine.

The warm-up goal is to tune the dog’s mind and body to cope with the increased physical and mental demands in the most efficient way.

With age, the muscles, tendons and ligaments become stronger, shorter and more rigid—thus, more prone to injuries when they are stretched. The older the dog, the more important the warm-up and cool-down (before and after) exercises become.

The first part of the warm-up aims to increase the physiological and metabolic rates in the body: the heart and breathing rate, blood pressure and consequently the oxygen and glucose (source of energy) supply, as well as the temperature of the muscles and joints. In warm muscles, nerve impulses travel faster and the body reacts more quickly. Also, the muscles glide against each other better, which makes the move quicker and more precise. A warm muscle is less prone to sprains and ruptures than a cold one.

The second, extremely important part of the warm-up is stretching the muscles’ connective tissues, tendons and the ligaments of the joints. Through the stretching exercises, the muscles, tendons and ligaments reach their maximum length, which means that the muscles and joints will be flexible.

Flexible muscles and ligaments enable the dog to spin, jump, and turn quickly, smoothly, and accurately without the risk of spraining or tearing the muscles, tendons or ligaments by sudden twisting or stretching moves.

The basic principles of warm-up are: 1. Keep it light. Do not exercise the dog too long or too intensely! The warm-up is to prepare the body, not tire it. The aim is to exercise all muscles the dog uses during a routine in freestyle (or whatever sport they are doing).

2. Do the warm-up on the same surface on which the dog has to perform. This helps the dog and also the body to adjust itself to the real conditions.

3. Time it well. The dog should reach its mental and physical peaks just before entering the ring.

Depending on the age, size, and physical condition of the dog and the difficulty of moves in the routine or sport, the warm-up can take five to 15 minutes. For older dogs, the warm-up has to be more thorough, and the build-up is slower than for juvenile and young dogs.

During warm-up, raise the difficulty and intensity of exercises gradually until the dog reaches its mental and physical peaks just before entering the ring.

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Canine Freestyle—Dancing with Your Dog! // continued from page 15 4. Start the warm-up with the large muscles (legs, shoulders and spinal column), and begin without straining the muscles or joints (e.g., walk slow and normal).

5. Raise the difficulty and intensity of exercises gradually, in parallel with the smoothness and ease of the dog’s moves (e.g., walk slow and normal, and run).

6. After the cardiovascular system is in full action (walk slow and normal, walk on stairs, run, swimming) and the muscles are warmed up, continue with stationary stretching and then with dynamic stretching exercises that requires flexibility from the joints and muscles (weaving, circles around the handler, play-bowing, lifting paws, tugging, crawling, spinning, walking backwards).

NOTE: Proceed according to #4 above, and progress from the least straining exercise to the more demanding one.

7. The warm-up exercises need to be done symmetrically— left/right, clockwise/counterclockwise and forward/ backward—to warm up the muscles equally on all sides of the body.

8. Warm up the dog even before the shortest exercise that puts the muscles/joints under strain; even one wrong move can cause a serious injury!

stairs), run at both sides of the handler, and do circles in both directions.

Place your left arm under the dog’s tummy and lift its rear end; then with your right hand, gently push its left rear leg at its patella, stretch its leg backwards and hold it for ten to 30 seconds.

Then place your right arm under the dog’s tummy, lift its rear end, and with your left hand, stretch the dog’s right leg backwards.

Alternatively, lure the dog to the down position in a forward movement so that it stretches the rear legs behind.

NOTE: Do this very slowly, and if the dog indicates any discomfort (tries to move) or you feel any resistance in the joints, stop stretching further.

3. Hold the dog’s front by placing your arm under its chest; slowly push its left front leg forward under the elbow, and hold it in the position for ten to 30 seconds.

Then similarly stretch the dog’s right front leg. Alternatively, ask the dog to stand with its front paws on your chest, and keeping the dog in this position, slowly stretch its front legs by pushing forwards under the elbows. With this exercise, both the front and rear legs are stretched, as well as the spinal column.

Suggested Warm-Up Sequence Using your fingers, rub the skin, then gently move the skin in three or four clockwise circles on the body, shoulders, hips and legs, all of which are very important.

Note: Do this very slowly, and if the dog signals any discomfort (tries to move) or you feel any resistance in the joints, stop stretching further.

4. Now move each leg in an up and down circle, and afterward, gently inward then outward. The circle can be completed in 30 seconds.

Dynamic stretching exercises are to be done in the following sequence: weaving, spins, bows, reverse moves, standing on rear legs, and jumping.

NOTE: Carry out these exercises in all possible directions.

During exercises that require strength and speed, e.g. jumps and standing/ jumping on rear legs, lactic acid is produced in the muscles, which causes pain. Good blood circulation in the muscles is essential for breaking down the lactic acid and avoiding sore muscles. Also through aging and exercising the muscles, tendons and ligaments become stronger, shorter and more rigid. This leads to limited movement ability and increased injury risk in the long term.

Cool-Down Exercises

Cooling down the body after intense exercise gradually helps the body remove the metabolic products from the cells and cleanse itself, thereby avoiding soreness. Through the stretching the

The cool-down exercises follow an opposite trend to the warm-up. The intensity of the exercises is progressively decreased until all the muscles are cooled and stretched.

1. Massage the leg muscles.

2. Walk slow and normal, (walk on

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muscles, ligaments and tendons will stay elastic and flexible. This means the body will stay fit, and the dog will not develop muscle and joint injuries and early arthritis.

position. After a while, most dogs will try to paw at your hand, hoping to get you to release the treat. As soon as his paw touches your hand, click and give him the treat.

The cool-down exercises follow an opposite trend to the warm-up.

The intensity of the exercises is progressively decreased, finishing with a walk. Then, thorough stretching is an essential part of cooling down.

In this, each muscle and joint used has to be stretched.

When the dog is reliably targeting your hand with only one of his paws, you are ready for the next step. Gradually move your hand closer to the dog’s other front leg, so he must now lift his paw and move it sideways in order to place it in your hand. Continue to click and treat good responses.

The warm-up and cool-down programs are essential to keeping the dog in top physical and mental condition in order to avoid injuries. However, practicing and performing on proper surfaces is just as important. The ideal surface must be level, non-slippery and firm to allow the paws to turn and even slide, but moderately soft under the surface so the dog lands gently after jumps and for the rear leg work. My practice surface preference is short, dry grass. Nonslippery carpets with rubber insulation underneath (the thicker the better) are also good indoor surfaces. Rubber matting is excellent for inside as well.

Linoleum and tile surfaces are definitely not recommended for doing sports that require jumping! The dog can quickly pick up a serious injury while practicing on these surfaces.

You may notice that as you place your hand closer to the other leg, many dogs will try giving you that paw instead. Just pull your hand away and ignore these responses. No correction—no treat.

Cross Paws Begin with your dog in the DOWN position. If your dog knows how to give you his paw on cue, ask him to do this, and hold out your hand right in front of him. Click and treat each time he gives you his paw, while remaining in the DOWN position. Be sure to focus on just clicking and treating your dog for raising THE SAME PAW EACH TIME, either the right paw OR the left.

If your dog doesn’t know how to give you his paw on cue, hold a treat in your closed hand, and wiggle it around on the ground right in front of one of his paws while the dog is in the DOWN

As soon as your dog can easily target your hand when it is on the far side of his other leg, start pulling your hand away at the last second. Now his paw will land on top of the other leg in a crossed position. Click and treat promptly. Gradually fade your hand signal so it is further away from the dog.

A very special benefit, perhaps the most special of all, is that when you give a home to a needy dog through pug rescue, you’re helping to save a life. When you do rescue that next pug, and you get the chance … I hope you dance!

When he is performing this behavior reliably, add your CUE. You may choose to say CROSS, or come up with your own unique cue word. Remember: get the behavior before you put a cue on it.

Practice until your dog can easily cross his paws on cue, even when you are farther away.

There are many excellent reasons to adopt a pug from rescue. Rescue pugs are amazing. Helping a rescued dog leave his or her past behind and start a new life can be one of the most rewarding experiences for any dog owner. Sushi has given back to me a hundred times what I’ve given her. Many rescue dogs do go to new homes with behavioral baggage from their previous experiences; however, pugs usually do well adapting and learning to trust their new families. Pugs seem to be able to overcome their previous experiences better than many other breeds.

Cher McCoy lives in Lexington, VA with her husband, Steve, her German shepherd and pug, three kiddies, and a parrot.

She is a dog trainer, animal behaviorist and the owner of Lexington Pet Care Center, founder of Virginia ShareA-Pet and hosts her own Pet Education radio show on 3wz 96.7 FM. Contact her at: lexpet@cfw.com

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THANK YOU JUDGES!

Mr. Andrew Brace for the Pug Club of South Florida Specialty win.

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Ms. Cynthia Cool for the Northern California Pug Club Specialty win.

Mr. Adrian Woodfork for the BIS.

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The folks at Pug Talk would like...

...to wish all of you...

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...a Merry Pugmas and...

...a very Puggy 2016!

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PUG TALK EXCLUSIVE STORY: PART 3

Emma: The Once & Future Pug Queen –by Ben Gines

W

ith three blond Pugs in the house it was going to take an enormous amount of patience! Queen Emma began to understand how Mister Wild Thing might have felt.

Lola, who was much younger, insisted upon showing everyone how well she could pirouette while leaping in the air like a ballerina. But all that spinning only made Emma realize she just didn’t have the energy she once had.

Emma tried to put her paw on what was happening, tried to figure out a way to fix it. Surely there must be a cure!

dogbarkit! After all, she could fly in her dreams and if she could fly in her dreams, how hard could it be?

Then Princess Trinket suggested Emma was Old. Well, Emma didn’t mind getting older but she certainly didn’t like the sound of being Old! Why, wasn’t it only yesterday she was racing back and forth, from one end of the house to the other? In fact, she would run so fast it would look as if she were flying! At least, that’s what her Humans would say.

But first she’d have to take a nap.

She was tired just thinking about flying.

She started to worry about her back leg again. More and more it refused to cooperate. She no longer ran the way she used to. She was frustrated and couldn’t get comfortable no matter what she did. The pills didn’t help the way they once did and she was no longer able to go up and down the stairs on her own. Her Humans had to carry her like the proper Queen that she was. Despite the fact that they should have been doing that all along, Emma didn’t like losing her independence.

Queen Emma huffed. She puffed. She even snorted for good measure. And just to make sure Trinket understood Emma was not amused, she farted.

To make matters worse, Emma peed on her Human’s pillow. Her Number One was so angry he decreed she and her sisters would no longer be allowed upstairs. She never meant to do it.

It’s not like it was on purpose. Surely peeing on something wasn’t reason enough to be banished, was it? Okay, so maybe she was a little lazy. She pooped anywhere she wanted and, try as she might, she simply could not get up in time to go outside. She even peed on the floor and her Number One had to clean it up every morning.

While she was at it, she’d show Googie as well, who still raced around, leaping and zipping everywhere as if she were still a pup. The nerve, showing off like that! Emma was going to run so many circles around her that Googie would look as if she were the one sitting still.

Old indeed! And why? Because she wasn’t as strong as she used to be? Or as fast? Or because she had accidents?

Old. That just wouldn’t do. She still saw herself as the puppy she once was. She’d show Trinket and it would serve her right.

Still, it wasn’t like she bit anyone and the floor had to be cleaned anyway. Didn’t her Number One like a clean home?

She’d show that youngster Lola, too, for always prancing around on tip toes. All that leaping and spinning in the air as if she were a real ballerina. Ha!

But Emma was also tired. It all seemed to catch up to her almost overnight.

This saddened her more than anything.

Emma would show them. She’d show them all. She’d learn how to fly,

Much to Queen Emma’s dismay, learning to fly was harder than in her dreams. It wasn’t as easy as she thought and her back legs didn’t want to help her leap into the air. No matter how badly she wanted it, she just couldn’t get off the ground.

She also began having more accidents.

There were times she didn’t even know she had to go. She’d be sleeping or eating and then, poof! There it was.

She knew her Number One didn’t like it because he’d grumble and make strange noises like Wild Thing used to.

Emma would look at her Human with her extraordinarily huge eyes and try to tell him she was sorry, even though she thought she should be able to go anywhere she wanted. To apologize, she would sit in a corner of the room and

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Emma the Once & Future Pug Queen: Part 3 // continued from page 23 bow her head, despite the fact that she was Queen. Still, she realized every great ruler must sometimes submit to another and admit when they were wrong.

With a sigh, Queen Emma wondered how and when she got so Old. She began to long for a time when things were simpler. She remembered the things she used to do—like riding in the car—and the places she was able to go—like the beach and the park.

And, oh, the picnics she attended! With a swish and flick of her tail, Emma wished she could go to another one.

Surely that would help take her mind off this “Old” business and make her feel a lot better!

The very next day her Humans packed them all up in the car and the six of them went for a ride. Poor Mister Max had to stay home and guard the house.

Queen Emma sat in her Number One’s lap like the most Royal of Royals, sniffing and snorting and sneezing and farting while cars and buildings sped by.

She knew where they were the moment they arrived.

The Pug Picnic! And it was everything she remembered.

Googie and Lola, who had never been at all, barked and sniffed and introduced themselves to all the other Royal Pugs.

Trinket, who had gone a few times and made a few friends, was just as happy to be there. She entered a competition and won a ribbon for Most Beautiful Pug. Googie showed talent in the music contest. There was a large plastic sheet on the ground that made pretty sounds every time she stepped on the black and white bars. Emma decided that even though she was still annoying, Googie played the plastic piano better than any other Pug she knew.

Lola, who was fiercely independent and frequently went off to do her own thing, surprised everyone when she entered and won a contest that deemed her Best Dancer. With her ballerina leaps

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and spins, Queen Emma never doubted that Lola would win.

Emma watched the others as they collected their ribbons. She would have liked to compete but her back legs just weren’t strong enough. Still, it was okay.

She’d gotten what she wanted. A special day with her two favorite Humans, and it was the best day in the whole world, as far back as she could remember.

At the end of the picnic, when they all went back home, everyone was extremely tired. Even her Humans were exhausted! It was a lot of work chasing after four Pugs, laughing, and having fun.

Emma was ready to lay down on the cool tile, the way she did when she was warm, but was very surprised when her Number One asked if she wanted to take a nap upstairs, in bed with her Humans. She gave a deep woof, stood as if she’d never had problems at all and flicked her tail back and forth.

Her Number One picked Emma up and carried her up the stairs in his arms the way he used to when she was a puppy.

Emma closed her eyes and imagined she was flying.

When they all finally settled into bed— Number One on one side of the bed, Number Two on the other, Trinket, Googie and Lola curled up at the bottom with Mister Max—Emma curled up, safe in the crook of Number One’s arm. She sighed, shook her little head and laid her chin down on her paws.

As she closed her eyes and thought of everything that had happened throughout the day, Queen Emma decided that out of all her days, and all the things she had done in her life, she had never been as happy as she was right now.

Emma gave another deep sigh and drifted to sleep.

She dreamed of Mister Wild Thing.

Emma saw him as clearly as if he were standing before her. He sat regally, finally smiling, with something round, bright and shiny over his head. He had

big, beautiful wings on his back and his green eyes sparkled as if he possessed special magical powers.

Emma was surprised when Mister Wild Thing dropped her old blue bone at her feet. Why, she hadn’t seen that squeaky thing since she was a pup! Where did he find it? And why did he drop it at her feet? Did he want to play with her?

Putting it to the test, Emma picked up the bone and ran. Mister Wild Thing chased after her, through a field of green, which she thought strange since she really didn’t like the outside, unless she was at the Pug picnic.

After a while, Emma stopped. She realized she was running and her hip didn’t hurt. Her back legs worked the way they did when she was a pup. She wasn’t out of breath and she wasn’t tired. Then she noticed she felt safe and warm, even though her Humans weren’t there. As she wondered how that could be, Mister Wild Thing suddenly appeared beside her.

He nudged her with his head.

Before her, a mirror appeared and Emma was suddenly filled with joy. She gazed at her reflection in awe, amazed and happy to see she was once again young and beautiful. Her hair was once more completely black. Not one was gray!

Like Wild Thing, she also had one of those bright, shiny things over her head.

But the best thing of all was that she had wings.

What was this place? Emma wondered.

Why hadn’t she dreamt of this place before?

And Mister Wild Thing told her she wasn’t dreaming. She truly was there. It was a kingdom none of them had ever known about because they weren’t supposed to know about it until it was time.

Emma understood. It was just like the powers she knew she was born with. The powers that appeared when the time was right. She was in the kingdom where all was born. A kingdom with such incredible power and magic that it wiped away the pain, along

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with all the gray, and made her feel young again.

Most of all, it had given her the wings she so badly wanted lately.

She thought to ask Mister Wild Thing how she got there when she noticed a huge party happening in the distance. There were balloons and streamers and birds sang as she approached. And to her surprise, Emma knew everyone there!

Her mother and father kissed her and wished her Welcome. One of her sisters and two of her brothers were there, though Emma did find it strange all the mice and lizards she’d ever bopped were there as well.

But where were her Humans?

Emma looked but, no matter how hard she searched for them, they were nowhere to be seen.

Mister Wild Thing then nudged her to the big blanket where everyone sat, laughing and having a good time. Presents were everywhere. Emma was surprised to see all the toys she once had. Toys she had destroyed when she was a puppy, toys she hadn’t seen in a very long time.

And that’s when she saw her food and water bowls. She knew they were hers because they had her name on them.

The one bowl was piled to the sky with kibble, more kibble than she’d ever seen. Why, there was probably more kibble there than there was in those large bags her Humans would bring home from the store!

Emma went to her food bowl and ate.

The food seemed never ending and she knew this bowl would never empty. There

would always be food there waiting for her whenever she wanted.

And for a moment, Emma was sorry she had taken his sunshine away.

Finally! Enough food to satisfy a royal Pug of her standing!

But this place…this magical kingdom where pain didn’t exist and everything was beautiful … surely she must have died and gone to heaven!

Beside the bowls was her crown and her old robe of pink and white, looking every bit as fresh and new as the first day she’d worn it.

Queen Emma blinked, flicked and swished her tail, then found herself wearing the crown and robe. Like magic, Emma sat on a throne gazing out at her subjects. They all cheered.

Oh, if only her Humans could see her now. They would be so proud of her!

Then the most amazing thing happened.

Emma felt her Number One near. She couldn’t see him but she recognized his voice as he sang that silly little song he’d always sing to her. The one about sunshine. She thought she finally understood what her human had been singing about all along. The sunshine.

The only sunshine. It made her happy though his skies were now gray. Her Number One would never know just how much she loved him.

Suddenly, Emma felt as if both her Humans had touched her, as if they were both near. She could feel their hands on her heart, on her head, on her belly.

Somehow she knew she would see them again and when the time came, she’d be waiting for them, just as she always had.

Until then, she would run with Mister Wild Thing, who hugged her with open paws before they raced each other.

She ran like the wind, ears back, tongue trailing behind her. Suddenly, Emma felt herself lift up into the air and, just like she’d always wanted, just like she’d always known she could, she flew.

Emma gave a single bark of happiness and knew that here, she would always be the once and future Pug Queen. And here, she would rule, and live, forever.

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IN A PUG'S EYE

Diapers Aren't a Pug's Best Friend –by Suzanne Endres

T

oday I came to an inescapable conclusion. Mommy controls the food, and I can't avoid the final assumption that she can also, through food, control my actions, even though I am the Queen of the World and should be obeyed in every way. Grrrr.

I realized this after I lost the battle of the diapers. It started when I had three compacted disks in my back, and I lost control of certain functions. Mommy kept cleaning things up for the longest time. In fact, I think it was over a year after the injury when she finally decided to make a diaper harness. Here's the story on that.

I had found out that Mommy didn't like cleaning up my little mistakes, but she and I both knew the mistakes were not my fault, but that of inner problems caused by my compacted disks. So she couldn't get angry. I felt embarrassed, of course, because I'd always been able to hold on for eight to ten hours before needing to go outside. After a while, though, I saw that I couldn't do anything about it, so I stopped being embarrassed. But Mommy tried several ways to fix the problem.

She took me out every hour or two, but that didn't work because my body no longer has any timing mechanism to keep me on any schedule. I still drizzled and dropped a number of times a day.

them sound better to me). Boof to that!

Besides being horribly embarrassing, they cost so much that using them would have soon put us into the poor house at the rate I needed changing. However, she needn't have worried about that.

I figured out how to squirm out of the diaper within minutes of having it fitted onto my rear. Mommy thought maybe her cleaning-the-floor days were assured to go on forever and ever (at least that's what I heard her mutter under her breath). But she doesn't give up easily.

After all, she learned doggedness from the best: Me! Anyway, she read about something called a “diaper cover” that she could buy at a pet store. She found this contraption in my size, and she pulled it over a diaper that she had fitted onto my hiney. I am happy to say it didn't do her any good! I saw a movie about Harry Houdini that showed me how to thwart any attempts to trap me inside an nasty contraption that made me feel uncomfortable.

I spent a short while figuring out how to get out of this one. It has a little hole at the end for my tail, and after I rolled,

Then she tried using doggy diapers from the pet store (which she tried calling my “undies” to make

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squirmed, and wiggled all over the floor, I finally figured out that if I stood just right and dropped my tail down, the diaper holder would slide right off my backside, pulling the horrid diaper off with it.

I'm not saying Mommy didn't have a good reason to cover my rear. I didn't totally understand what she was doing, but I knew she was doing it out of love, as she always does anything for me.

However, I knew another thing: diapers are NOT a pug's best friend. They itch, rub the wrong way, and feel generally funny, like something bad is going to happen. So you can see why I wanted so strongly to keep them off!

Mommy then discovered another trick to use; sadly, it's one that I can't seem to get out of so easily. She sewed the diaper holder so it would hook onto my harness. At first, it seemed like I would still win. Mommy sewed some elastic bands to some Velcro strips and hooked them over the front of my doggy harness. But I figured out how to get that off because it was slightly

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loose. The elastic bands would slip down and allow the diaper holder to fall to the side if I dropped my tail down.

Plop! The diaper would soon hit the floor as I stepped to the side. Mommy got upset over that trick, but I just wiggled my little pug tail and smiled at her with my big, puggy eyes, and she couldn't stay angry long. But she thought about the technical problems I had presented, and finally she found a way to entrap me in the harness.

The diaper holder now has the two elastic bands hook under and over my harness criss-crossed so they are holding the diaper quite snugly to

me. She also added a hook from a key chain to clasp the diaper holder to the harness. Even when I drop my tail, I can't usually get the diaper to fall off unless I happen to rub against something that pulls the Velcro bands apart. I do manage to do this once in a while, but for the most part, it stays on. I have to admit, Mommy is one tough doggie cookie when it comes to things she really wants—one of which seems to be a floor that doesn't need cleaning every hour or two all day long and twice in the middle of the night.

She also uses human baby diapers, namely “Huggies,” size three, and she cuts a hole for my tail about two to three inches up on the backside of each one.

This saves quite a bit of her money, but boy, is it humiliating! I tried sitting down whenever she tried to pull the diaper on me, but she withheld my doggy treats for that trick, so I had to give in and hold still to be fitted into my “undies.”

Well, I suppose that even though she won this battle, not all is lost. Now she has to give me treats twice as often, because she gives treats for me to hold still while she puts on the

diaper holder AND when I go outside for mother nature's call. That, by the way, has miraculously been easier to manage. You see, I detest having any soiling touch my behind, so I scratch at the door whenever I think I might need to go, eliminating most accidents that might happen in my new undies. OK, they're diapers, not undies. But who wants to admit to wearing diapers?

Certainly not this Queen of the World!

Diapers Aren't a Pug's Best Friend

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SHOW RESULTS

The Pug Dog Club of America National Specialty –by Ashley B. L. Fischer

O

nce again, pugs and their people gathered together for the Pug Dog Club of America National Specialty week. This year, the event was held in beautiful Gettysburg, Pennsylvania the week of September 14th through September 19th. Entrants gathered at the Eisenhower Hotel and Conference Center, traveling from all over the United States, Canada and elsewhere. There were baby pugs and senior pugs, conformation pugs and performance pugs—pugs in every shape, size and legal color. This year saw the first of a two-trial (held on the

sites, including Little Round Top and Cemetery Ridge. It was a fun-filled week for all, with competition and even a few history lessons.

same day): the Agility trial, as well as an Agility Veteran Showcase. Pugs earned Conformation titles, Rally titles, Agility titles, and Obedience titles; there was even an opportunity to earn their Canine Good Citizen (CGC) title. They toured the battlefield with their owners and posed for pictures at the historic

Anne Raszewski from Canada. Best of Opposite Sex in Sweepstakes was Pugbully Talk Of The Town, owned and bred by Heidi Fridjofsen from Norway.

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As always, our week started off with a regional specialty, this time held by the Pug Dog Club of Maryland. Twelve obedience pugs started the event on Monday. Next, National Specialty show chair, Nancy McCorkle, judged sweepstakes, and her final choices were both foreign dogs. Grand Sweepstakes winner was Xoe-Elek’s Yellow Brickroad, owned by Michelle Chisholm and

After sweepstakes judging was complete, breeder judge, James Tomsic, took over duties as he began the regular classes.

We found out only a few days before the specialty that our original judge was unable to attend; we were so fortunate that Jim was able to fill in. He had the fun of judging the Beginner Puppy class, and his Best Puppy was Jimary’s Sangria Kisses. Then the afternoon began with the Junior Handler competition as judged by Del Richards. Best Junior Handler was Amber Spaulding with

her young bitch, Yellow Frame’s Bossy Britches, from the Open Intermediate class.

Monday ended with the judging of the male dog classes and the eventual award of Winners Dog. Mr. Tomsic had 44 class dogs to sort through, and in the end, his Winners Dog was a lovely Canadian black pug from the BredBy Exhibitor class, Xoe’s Hole In One, owned and bred by Leanna Mottus.

Reserve Winners Dog was Kngz Appetite For Destruction, out of the Fawn 6–9 Puppy class, owned by Jennifer Hessel,

bred by Karen Grueninger and Betty Murray, and shown by Betty.

Tuesday began with 20 pugs competing in Rally, followed by the conclusion of breed judging for the Maryland Pug Club.

First, Mr. Tomsic had 61 class bitches to sort through. This must have been a monumental task with large entries in the classes, such as 17 in the Bred-By Exhibitor, Fawn class. In the end, his Winners Bitch did come out of that big Bred-By class: Shokota’s Diamond In A Rhinestone World, owned by Bonita Fichtenbaum, and bred by Bonita Fichtenbaum and John Rothenberg.

Reserve Winners Bitch was Dress Circle Jimmie Chew, owned and bred

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by Christine Dresser out of the Bred-By Exhibitor, Black class.

Finally we were down to the Best of Breed competition. Mr. Tomsic had 40 specials—finished champions— to judge. All the entries filed in. Their numbers were recorded and they were divided into groups of approximately ten. Each group came back in separately, and Judge Tomsic sorted and cut several times. In the end his Best of Breed was awarded to GCH Hill Country’s Let’s Get Ready To Rumble, owned, bred and shown to perfection

by Kristy Ratliff. Best of Winners went to Bonita’s Winners Bitch, and Best of Opposite Sex went to Ch Trump’s I Love Lucy, a black bitch bred by Curtis Rowe and owned and bred by Christine Dresser and Curtis Rowe. Select Dog was GCH Caper’s Just Be Sirius!, owned and bred by Phillip and Carolyn Fisher and shown by Linda Rowell.

Select Bitch was GCH Applewood ‘N Feilong If I Were Your Woman, bred

by Judi Brown and Chase and Kim Harpole, and shown by owner Patti Mosser. The Awards of Merit went to the Select Dog and Bitch as well as the Veterans, GCH Xoe’s Cassius Clay and GCH Chelsea’s Fantasy Ima Spice Girl Tu. Mr. Tomsic’s dog choices were mostly shown by their breeders and/or owners—with all choices for champion points going to dogs shown by breeder/ owner handlers, and three of the four selections come out of the Bred-By classes—again emphasizing that, in the show ring, everyone has the opportunity to win. As is common at the National Specialty, the dogs in the final line-up all deserved, as were many more who were not in the ribbons.

Specialties are usually full of beautiful pugs, and sometimes placements are made on the smallest of factors.

Wednesday brought the official start to the Pug Dog Club of America’s National Specialty show. The first event is now the annual “Pug Only” Agility trial. This is always a day filled with fun, merriment and many creative “pug moments,” provided by even the most advanced competitors. For the first time this year, we tried holding two trials in one day, and I think most

PUG DOG CLUB OF MARYLAND BOB

GCH HILL COUNTRY LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE Breeder: K. & K. Ratliff Owner: Kristy Ratliff

BOS

CH TRUMP’S I LOVE LUCY Breeder: C. Rowe Owner: Christine Dresser & Curtis Rowe

SEL Dog/AOM

GCH CAPER’S JUST BE SIRIUS!

SEL Bitch/AOM

GCH APPLEWOOD ‘N FEILONG IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN

Breeder/Owner: Phillip G. & Carolyn J. Fisher

Breeder: J. Brown, C. & K. Harpole Owner: Patti Mosser AOM

GCH XOE’S CASSIUS CLAY Breeder/Owner: Michelle Chisholm & Leanna Mottus

AOM

GCH CHELSEA’S FANTASY IMA SPICE GIRL TU Breeder/Owner: Mari Anne Parks & Georgia Burgin

WD

XOE’S HOLEINONE Breeder/Owner: Leanna Mottus

RWD

KNGZ APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION AT VANITY Breeder: K. Grueninger, B. Murray & D. Bardin Owner: Jennifer Hessell, Karen Grueninger & Betty Murray

BW/ WB

SHOKOTA’S DIAMOND IN A RHINESTONE WORLD Breeder: B. Fichtenbaum & J. Rothenberg

RWB

DRESS CIRCLE JIMMIE CHEW Breeder/Owner: Christine Dresser

would say it was a resounding success.

While everyone enjoyed competing and earning qualifying legs and new titles, the highlight of the trial was the for-fun Veterans Showcase, which was held between the two separate trials. There were 14 seniors participating, the oldest being 15 years old! There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Katy Mallory said of her Penelope, posing with her special

rosette and a huge smile on her little flat face, “Penelope is sure she got her MACH that day with all the cheering.”

Many of the exhibitors who were not competing in Agility enjoyed a beautiful day of sightseeing and touring the Gettysburg battleground. As a result, there were quite a few wonderful pictures of pugs posed with Civil War cannons, or perched on old post and rail fences, which were posted on social media that day. Others relaxed at the hotel or the campground where all the RVs were located. Many bathed and groomed their conformation dogs for sweepstakes and breed judging, which would recommence on Thursday.

Obedience began the Thursday activities. OTCH MACH 3 PACH3 Austins Willow Of Watersedge UDX 11 OM7 RA MXG MJC MXP8 MXPG MJP9 MJPG PAX32 was High in Trial, repeating her win at the regional specialty.

Sweepstakes followed Obedience for the PDCA National Specialty. Cindy Tomsic did the honors, and after judging an entry of 61, her Grand Sweepstakes winner was Jennifer Hessel’s Kngz Appetite For Destruction, which made for a very nice week of winning for this lovely puppy. The Best Veteran in Sweepstakes was the venerable GCH Xoe’s Oscar De La Hoya, winner of both the 2010 PDCA National and Westminster Kennel Club the following year. He is owned by breeders Leanna Mottus and Elyse Fernets and Poul and Moraine Green. Best of Opposite Sex Veteran went to Kathleen Getter’s Ch Fairway’s Big Bertha of Cottonwood RA CGC, bred by Kim Yoshida.

Friday began with Rally and 29 pugs going through their paces. At this trial, Margaret Regan’s Ms Gizmo Pudge CD NJP CGCA CGCU RAE 193 earned her RAE 19 title. In order to achieve the RAE title, a dog must qualify in both Rally Excellent B and Rally Open B, on the same day, ten times. This title means that Giz earned 190 double Q’s, a record for the breed and one that will be very hard to break.

After Rally, PDCA President Jason Huff took over the judging duties for the National Specialty Conformation classes. Beginner puppies competed

The Pug Dog Club of America National Specialty

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The Pug Dog Club of America National Specialty // continued from page 29 first. The win went to Andrea Belmore’s black import, De Los Ninios Shetan.

And this time, Jimary’s Sangria Kisses, owned and bred by James and Mary Lou Dymond, was awarded Best of Opposite Sex. Class Dogs came next, with 40 dogs entered. Mr. Huff’s Winners Dog came from the 12–18 Month Fawn class. He was Sandcastl Sunshine Superman, owned and bred by Michael and Michelle Anderson, and shown by Michelle.

This dog was also Best Junior in

Next came the Veterans classes— in my opinion, one of the best parts of our National. The Veterans love to be back in the ring, so they and their handlers just exude joy as they compete together. Best Veteran Dog was Rufus, aka GCH Caper’s Sirius Endeavor, owned by Linda and John Rowell, Phil and Carol Fischer, and Don and Renae Watson, shown as always by Linda Rowell. The Veteran Bitch class was won by GCH Sandcastl Sunshine, owned by Michael and Michelle Anderson and Doug Huffman.

John Rowell with Rufus.

Sweepstakes earlier in the day. Reserve Winners Dog was Carla Rose’s BredBy Exhibitor, Fawn Dog, Rose’s Caped Crusader. Some of the Bitch classes were then judged before we adjourned for the day.

Judge Huff experienced a busy schedule, having judged the better part of Friday and then presiding over the PDCA Showcase honoring the top pugs in agility, rally, obedience and conformation in 2014 that evening. And he was about to put in another full day: Junior Showmanship started things off, and again, Amber Spaulding won Best Junior Handler with her Bossy. After that, bitch class judging resumed with the BredBy Exhibitor classes. At the end, once again, a bitch out of the big Bred-By, Fawn class won Winners Bitch. She was Yellow Frame’s Sunrise Serenade, owned and bred by Judith Basto. Reserve Winners Bitch went to the Bred-By Black class winner, Kathleen Getter’s Cottonwood & Kendra’s Witch Hazel, bred by Kathy and S. Peterson.

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Merit went to GCH Charchen’s Billy The Kid, GCH Hill Country’s Tag I’m It, GCH Bookmark’s Uncommonly Good, GCH Fantasia Diamond Spice Of Eaglesdare, and GCH Hill Country’s Let’s Get Ready To Rumble, who was also Owner Handler Best of Breed.

My favorite event at the National is the Friday night Showcase, where all the previous year’s top ranked dogs in agility, obedience, rally and conformation are celebrated. The performance pugs show everyone what they can

Ashley Fischer with Buster.

Finally, the last big competition arrived: the Best of Breed competition. This time, 53 specials (champions) filed into the ring, along with the two winners of the Veteran classes and the Winners Dog and Winners Bitch, to have their competitor numbers taken down and once more be divided into groups for judging. As cuts were made and dogs kept and excused, Mr. Huff was down to the final dogs and bitches from which he would make his choices. In the end, Rufus—GCH Sirius, who had won the National Specialty from the Veteran class, was the first National win for long time exhibitor, Linda. Best of Winners was the Winners Dog, Sandcastl Sunshine Superman, and Best of Opposite Sex was GCH Honeypugs Oh Little Rock, bred by Kelly Mucci and Bonny Allegro, owned by Jackie Lowrie, and shown by Judi Ellis. Select Dog was Pamela Salomone’s GCH Double D’s Nobel Prize, and Select Bitch was Ch Millpond’s Paddycake Paddycake, owned

by Jean Ettinger and Tiffany Saxon, and shown by Tiffany. The Awards of

Lydia and her winning bitch.

do, whether strutting through a Rally course or blasting through a shortened Jumpers with Weaves Agility course.

Conformation dogs show off why they were the top Conformation dogs. Every dog performed to a narrative describing why they are so special to all of us.

Joey Oswald did a fabulous job with the decorations, echoing the patriotic theme of this year’s National. Jason Huff presided over the festivities, handing out the beautiful red, white and blue rosettes personalized for each dog. I was blessed to have three dogs in the Showcase this year, and I absolutely loved having our two Junior Handlers, Amber Spaulding and Lydia Kitsch, help me show the dogs that evening. I love that the Pug Dog Club of America celebrates the top dogs, rather than putting them through a Top 20 competition as many clubs do. As one experienced pug exhibitor once told me, “People only know your dog’s ranking the first month of the year, if that. Then the race starts all over again. The only place your dog’s accomplishments are

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remembered and celebrated is the PDCA Showcase.” In my opinion, celebrating our dogs is the whole reason we go to the National Specialty!

As always, the Pug National is about so much more than competitions and rankings. It is about getting together with friends we often only see once a year. It is about getting to look at dogs from all parts of the United States and other countries. It is about learning from each other, especially the mentors for our breed. It is a time judges come to our Judges Education and enjoy ringside mentoring, while watching a huge entry and learning from some of the best and brightest in our breed. It is about remembering why we are in this breed and our different canine sports. It is about helping new people in the breed become as addicted to attending the National as we experienced exhibitors have become. Finally, it is about the absolute joy we all experienced when ten-year-old Junior Handler, Lydia Kitsch, won her Open Bitch class and hugged her Pippi in delight. Lydia and Amber are our future, and if they are any indication of the quality of young people coming up in pugs, our breed is in very good hands.

And so we celebrated at the final Awards Banquet Saturday night; we said our good-byes to new and old friends the next day, vowing to reunite in Denver next year.

I know most of us will be counting the days until our next National Specialty.

PUG DOG CLUB OF AMERICA BOB

Breeder: P. & C. Fisher Owner: Linda & John Rowell, Phil & Carol Fisher, Don & Renae Watson BOS

CH HONEYPUGS OH LITTLE ROCK Breeder: K. Mucci & B. Allegro Owner: Jackie Lowrie

GCh Caper's Sirius Endeavor SEL Dog

GCH DOUBLE D’S NOBEL PRIZE

SEL Bitch

CH MILLPOND’S PADDYCAKE PADDYCAKE

Breeder/Owner: Pamela J. Salomone

Breeder: T. Saxon & J. Ettinger & M. Kirby Green Owner: Jean Ettinger & Tiffany Saxon

Ch Honeypugs Oh Little Rock AOM

GCH FANTASIA DIAMOND SPICE OF EAGLESDARE Breeder/Owner: Jean Ettinger & Tiffany Saxon

AOM

GCH HILL COUNTRY’S TAG I’M IT Breeder: K. & K. Ratliff Owner: Carolyn Koch

AOM

GCH CHARCHEN’S BILLY THE KID Breeder/Owner: Charlotte & Edward Griffith

Sandcastl Sunshine Superman AOM

GCH HILL COUNTRY LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE Breeder: K. & K. Ratliff Owner: Kristy Ratliff

1 You can view all the prefix and suffix abbreviations for American Kennel Club titles at http://www.akc.org/events/titles/

2 Obedience Trial Champion, Master Agility Champion 3 times over, Preferred Agility Champion 3 times, Austins Willow Of Watersedge Utility Dog eXcellent 11 times, Obedience Master 7th level, Rally Advanced, Master X Gold Agility, Master Gold Jumpers with Weavs, Junior Courser, Master Agility eXcellent Preferred 8 times, Master Gold Agility Preferred, Master excellent Jumpers with weaves Preferred 9 times, Master Gold Jumper with weaves Preferred, Preferred Agility eXcellent 3 times.

GCH CAPER’S SIRIUS ENDEAVOR

BW/ WD

SANDCASTL SUNSHINE SUPERMAN

RWD

ROSE’S CAPED CRUSADER

Breeder/Owner: H. Michael & Michelle Anderson

Breeder/Owner: Carla Rose Yellow Frame's Sunrise Serenade

WB

YELLOW FRAME’S SUNRISE SERENADE Breeder/Owner: Judith Basto

RWB

COTTONWOOD & KENDRA’S WITCH HAZEL Breeder: S. Peterson & K. Getter Owner: Kathleen Getter

3 Ms Gizmo Pudge Companion Dog, Novice Jumpers with weaves Preferred, Canine Good Citizen Advanced, Canine Good Citizen Urban, Rally Advanced Excellent 19 times.

Junior handler Amber Spaulding

Best Junior Handler

AMBER SPAULDING

The Pug Dog Club of America National Specialty

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ASK A VET

Got Bugs?

F

leas and ticks, the most common external parasites, can infest dogs and cats at any timer of the year. They are a serious health problem to any pet. When a dog is allowed to become heavily infested, it also becomes vulnerable to other serious illnesses.

Fleas and ticks don't live on a dog for long, just long enough to bite and get the blood meals they need to breed.

When their eggs are in your house, your carpeting, drapes, furniture, dog bedding, baseboards, floor cracks, and crevices can be infested. Once flea and tick eggs hatch, they complete their life cycle and wait for a new host to infest or re-infest. Eventually, the house, yard or kennel can become a breeding ground for eggs and larvae.

The best flea and tick control is prevention. Examine every pet often (especially where those pesky creatures like to hide) to avoid the possibility of heavy infestation. It is important to treat the host and the environment and break the life cycle of the parasites.

Check with your groomer, veterinarian or pest exterminator about flea and tick control measures for all pets, the home and yard.

Understanding their life cycles is important for control of fleas and ticks.

While there are products to effectively control them, this is only part of a complete program. The more important part is to stop the life cycle of the larvae.

A word of caution: NEVER use a flea treatment formula for dogs on cats.

Many canine products are highly toxic to felines and can kill them.

Fleas These blood-sucking parasites are small, brown and flattened from side to side. Females are slightly larger than males. They are easy to spot on smooth-coated dogs, but often are difficult to see on coated pets. The first obvious sign your pet has fleas is that it scratches more than normal.

You'll see bugs scurrying through the coat, or see small, black specks on the skin or in the hair. The specks are flea waste, and it's mostly made up of blood sucked from your dog. Want to make sure? Take a paper towel and put the specks from your dog onto it. Spray with a little water. If the resulting spread on the towel is red, that's flea dirt.

Fleas do not stay in one place for long and their amazing jumping talents make control difficult. Typical signs of fleas on a pet: ‣‣ Scratching ‣‣ Chewing ‣‣ Head shaking ‣‣ Little red skin bumps ‣‣ Small black specks of flea dirt (excrement) near the skin Fleas are an environmental problem, not a pet problem. You will see the fleas on the pet, but the ones you see are just the tip of the iceberg. You'll only see about one percent on the pet, not the other 99 percent in the pet's environment. There is no way to beat a flea problem by treating only the pet— you must also treat the environment.

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Fleas, signs of fleas, or a skin reaction to fleas may be present on a single dog in your household, while your other pets may seem fine. Don't think the fight stops there—you have to treat all the pets, as well as the environment, to get rid of fleas.

The flea's life cycle has four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Adult females lay eggs in the pet's coat after a good blood meal. Females can lay 40 to 50 eggs daily. The eggs fall off into the dog's bedding or your carpet, where they hatch. The eggs hatch into larvae in two to twelve days, depending on the humidity and temperature in the area. The larvae grow in dark, warm places (like your carpet), feeding on food crumbs and shed skin, and even the dried blood in flea dirt.

Grown larvae spin small cocoons and within a few days to several weeks or months(depending on the conditions) hatch into hungry adult fleas. New adults need a food source almost immediately, as they cannot survive for more than a few hours otherwise.

seen with the naked eye. Their size and shape depends on the species, the stage of their life cycle and whether or not they are engorged with a blood meal. There are five species common to the United States: Deer tick, brown dog tick, lone star tick, American dog tick and western black-legged tick.

Ticks are closely related to spiders, and can transmit a variety of diseases. A few can affect both pets and people.

These diseases are often mistaken for other conditions and cannot be accurately diagnosed without a trip to the veterinarian. Tick bites on dogs are hard to spot. Signs of tick disease may not appear for 7 to 21 days after a tick bite, which makes regular screening for both people and pets a must.

Four of the common diseases transmitted by ticks are Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, canine anaplasmosis and canine ehrlichiosis.

of the pet. However, they will generally seek hiding places where they will not be easily dislodged as the dog grooms itself. Common hiding areas are the face, in the folds of the ears, between the toes, under the front legs and in the groin area.

After ticks mate, the female remains attached to the pet for several days, sucking the dog's blood and growing up to ten times her normal size. She then drops off of her host and moves to a quiet spot to lay eggs. Each adult female tick can lay from 1,000 to 5,000 eggs at a time. The eggs hatch into larvae or "seed ticks" after an incubation period of 3 to 8 weeks, depending on conditions. To complete their life cycle, the seed ticks become nymphs, which grow into adults. All stages of tick development require blood meals in order to survive and reproduce.

Flea bites can be serious. When fleas bite, they insert a syringe-like mouth into the pet's skin, which causes severe itching. Flea bites can be so irritating that dogs often develop a hypersensitivity to flea saliva. This chronic condition is called flea allergy dermatitis. The dog's fierce scratching and biting produces loss of hair and causes the skin to become thick, red and infected. This condition tends to occur most often on the back, just in front of the tail, on the belly and between the legs. Flea allergy dermatitis requires treatment by a veterinarian.

Ticks There are more than 800 species of ticks—160 species of soft ticks and 650 species of hard ticks. Ticks are parasitic arthropods that feed on the blood of their hosts. Feeding hard ticks can stay attached for several days to several weeks. Soft ticks only feed for a few minutes to a few hours. Ticks can be almost microscopic or be easily

Dog pick up ticks by running through infected woods, fields, grass, bushes, damp areas and sandy beaches. Ticks cannot fly and move slowly. The ticks attach themselves to the animal's skin and feed on blood. Both male and female ticks can be found on all areas

When a tick bites, it forces its barbed mouth deep into the skin. The barbed mouth prevents the tick from being easily pulled out. In a severe infestation, ticks can cause anemia. It can happen quickly because they ingest so much of a dog's blood.

Got Bugs?

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Got Bugs? // continued from page 33 To remove a tick, find where the tick's mouthparts have entered the skin. Place the ends of the tweezers around the base of the mouthparts and gently pull up slowly and steadily until it releases its hold.

Removing Ticks from a Dog ‣‣ Examine the dog's body thoroughly.

Check the entire dog, paying close attention to the areas ticks like to hide.

‣‣ Before removing the tick, apply a cotton ball that has been soaked in alcohol or apply a small amount of flea/tick spray. This will help paralyze and asphyxiate the tick, causing it to release its barbed-mouth. ‣‣ All parts of the tick should be pulled out, including the head. The tick should not be crushed and the person removing it should not touch it with bare hands, as fluids may contain bacteria. ‣‣ Carefully grasp a tick with tweezers of forceps as close to the skin as possible. If using your fingers, wear thin rubber gloves or use a tissue to shield your skin. ‣‣ Do NOT twist the tick to remove it— pull it straight out. Be sure all parts of the tick are removed and that the head does not break off, remaining in the skin to cause infection. ‣‣ After removing the tick, apply an antiseptic to the area on the dog. ‣‣ Burn removed ticks immediately or flush them down the toilet. Do not crush them. ‣‣ Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after removing ticks.

Flea & Tick Control Today's insecticides have made great advancements. Putting an end to a flea or tick infestation requires treating the pet itself, the home, yard and sometimes even the car with an effective product.

The fleas on your dog only comprises about five percent of the total flea population in your home. Getting rid of adult fleas and ticks is not enough. The growth process may take months, so thoroughness and perseverance are the keys to elimination.

There are a variety of products that prevent infestation of external parasites.

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Do NOT: -Twist, poke, squash or burn the tick.

-Smother the tick with any substance

The most comprehensive products work to kill all fleas and ticks to break the life cycle.

These products come in shampoos, spot-ons, sprays, wipes, dips, collars, foggers and dusts. Some act as repellents. Others kill adult fleas and ticks. Still others attack the immature fleas, preventing them from developing into adults that reproduce. Some products do all three. To select the best product, always read the label carefully and follow directions exactly, or consult your veterinarian. Never mix canine and feline products.

Use a good insecticide for the home.

Wash pet bedding in hot, soapy water on a weekly basis. Flea eggs can fall from pets onto the carpet or anywhere in the house, so vacuum daily—remembering to immediately empty the vacuum cleaner canister outside into a sealed bag. If your vacuum uses a bag, seal it and throw it away after vacuuming or the fleas will continue to live in your vacuum. Clean carpets with a steam cleaner from time to time. Hard floors need to be cleaned and disinfected regularly. Don't forget to treat the yard and outdoor areas as well.

To create an effective plan for external parasites, you need to stop the life cycle of the pests. Always read the directions for proper use and clearly understand what products are compatible.

Most plans focus on four steps: 1. Treat the pet • Wash with a flea and tick shampoo • Powder • Spray • Oral medications 2. Treat the environment • Premise sprays • Foggers and/or flea bombs • Home or yard dust • Vacuum regularly indoors and clean carpets 3. Prevent re-infestation • Topic treatment (up to 30 days normally) • Oral treatment • Flea sprays 4. Re-treat the pet and the environment in 2 to 4 weeks or in accordance with the product directions.

Images courtesy Texas A&M University Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

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BREAKING NEWS

Marijuana Poisoning!

W

ith the legalization of recreational marijuana in two states, and the legalization of medical marijuana in 21 other states, the cases of marijuana poisoning are on the rise. Marijuana intoxication may occur in pets that have access to marijuana plants, dried portions of the plants, or foodstuffs containing marijuana. The effects of the poisoning increase when ingestion includes other toxic foods, including chocolate. Dogs eating marijuana infused brownies have died as a result of the multiple toxins.

Marijuana contains a number of toxins, but tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the most toxic, affecting the nervous system.

THC is what makes people 'high' from marijuana. Toxic effects typically begin within an hour of ingestion or inhalation, and usually last about twelve hours. But symptoms can last for days, as the THC is stored in body fat. If you know your pet has gotten into some marijuana or marijuana-laced products, don't wait for symptoms to start before you treat him or get him to the vet.

Symptoms which may indicate your pet is suffering from marijuana intoxication include agitation or excitement, drooling, lack of coordination, urinary incontinence, and/or vomiting. The effects depend on how large a dose your pet receives, and may progress to tremors, seizures, and possibly a coma.

Serious long-term health consequences and fatalities from marijuana poisoning are extremely rare, although newer highly concentrated strains of marijuana and synthetic drugs (such as "spice") that mimic marijuana pose a more significant threat. No matter the source of the poison, it is imperative to seek veterinary attention for treatment.

A typical case may present itself like this: a dog suddenly shows signs of depression, lethargy, stumbling or falling when walking, howling, and extreme responses to loud noises or sudden movements. Sometimes eyes are dilated, and the dog may

lose their appetite or not drink enough water. Treatment can be delayed because these symptoms normally lead your veterinarian to consider other neurological causes, along with poison.

Informing the vet of the presence of marijuana as a possible poison will allow them to provide treatment in a timely manner, as well as reduce the number of expensive tests to rule out other possible poisons. Once marijuana intoxication is diagnosed in the early stages, and intravenous fluids and care are started, most patients recover well.

Although there may be some reluctance to discuss having this poison in your home, it needs to be discussed early on with the veterinarian to prevent increased costs of diagnostic testing trying to determine other causes.

Vets are not obligated to report these types of poisoning, and they need the information to properly treat your pet.

Many people today also have marijuana in the home for medical or therapeutic benefits. Marijuana for medical use in pets is currently under investigation for use with chronic pain and terminal illness, including cancer and osteoarthritis. Several people have reported the legal sale of marijuana in the state of California has improved the quality of life for their terminal pets. But vets caution that while there may be some therapeutic effect benefit, it's not something they're willing to jump into prescribing for your pet right away. Most products sold for canine use use the cannabidiol (CBD) content as the active ingredient, rather than THC. There is no reliable research at this time to substantiate claims that CBD is completely safe for dogs. Research suggests that CBD has lower toxicity and higher tolerability in both humans and animals. However, research has not yet established safe dosing guidelines for either population, because of highly restrictive federal laws which prohibit thorough investigation.

Marijuana: a poison Toxicity Level: moderate to severe Common signs to watch for:

»» Depression »» Listlessness »» Hyperactivity »» Excitement »» Dilated pupils »» Vocalization »» Lack of coordination »» Vomiting

May progress to:

»» Tremors »» Seizures »» Coma

If your dog or cat eats some marijuana, call your veterinarian immediately for treatment advice.

The Food and Drug Administration has warned pet owners against using the products which are available. Vets do understand why people turn to medical uses of marijuana for their pets: people love their animals and are looking for ways to give them better quality of life.

For now, remember that we know recreational marijuana is a poison, and your vet wants to help your pet have a long healthy life. If you believe your pet has been exposed to marijuana, or any other poison, you can call the Pet Poison Hotline at 855–764–7661 (a $49 per incident fee for the service) or the ASPCA's National Animal Poison Control Center at 888–426–4435 (a $65 per incident consultation fee). The National Animal Poison Control Center has an app for our phone, the APCC by ASPCA for both Apple and Android phones.

Marijuana Poisoning!

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Quarter 3, 2015 CHIC Numbers –Canine Health Information Center

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NAME OF PUG

DATE

NEW/UPDATE

CHIC#

OWNER

Mianda's Tea Time

7/2/2015

NEW

106538

James & Cynthia Tomsic

Bit O'Golds Smooth As Silk

7/2/2015

NEW

106539

Cynthia & James E. Tomsic

Bit O'Golds Fly Me To The Moon

7/2/2015

NEW

106540

Cynthia & James E. Tomsic

Andi Aphrodite

7/9/2015

NEW

106694

Joy Barbieri

Andi Taste the Rainbow

7/9/2015

NEW

106695

Joy Barbieri

Hill Country's Lovin' Every Minute Of It

7/30/2015

NEW

107103

Kristy & Kevin Ratliff

Maskarade's Playin' For Keeps

7/30/2015

NEW

107104

Kristy & Kevin Ratliff

MTN Aire's Prince Of The Thieves

8/27/2015

NEW

107724

Connie Dunham

Habanero De Javu Kristian Dior

9/10/2015

NEW

108026

Phillip G. & Carolyn J. Fisher

Dress Circle Jimmie Chew

9/17/2015

NEW

108186

Christine Dresser

PUG TALK October | November | December 2015

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PUG TALK October | November | December 2015

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JAN

31

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Photo Contest Winner The winner of our Holiday Cover Contest depicts the warm holiday wishes being sent by Kim Steinman’s four pugs— MacKayla, Juno, Fiji, and Sweets—and their best friend, our Great Dane, Kai. Other entries in the contest came from Linda Elwood of her baby Li Na’s first Christmas picture. “Li Na” means “beautiful and graceful” in Chinese. Ashley Fischer sent in a photo of Buster in his King costume; Isabelle O’Hara sent us “Holiday Halley” with Halley in her Christmas dress, as well as Halley dressed up on the steps, as Miss Christmas Claus. Black Shady wearing his Christmas scarf was submitted by Rainbow Hopkins. They take his picture for a calendar they send to his grandmas each year. Debbie Vasiliadis sent us the pug in his Christmas collar, and rescue Toula the Santa Pug was submitted by Jennifer Mobbs.

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PUG TALK

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