Health and Grooming of your Silky

Health and Grooming of your Silky is of up most importance.  It is necessary to keep your Silky current on all shots, vaccinations, heartworm treatments, free of parasites and annual health checkups.

Grooming is also very necessary for your Silky’s comfort.  Who wants to go around with matted, dirty hair!!  Makes your skin itch and crawl and no one will hold you or sleep with you!  By clicking on Grooming you can go to some basic grooming information.

We are very fortunate in that the Silky, as a breed, is a very healthy one.  We do not have much in the way of inherited illnesses or problems but there are a few things we need to be watchful for and in breeding our Silkys we certainly want to try to KEEP our breed free of serious problems.  One way to do that is to keep records of health problems.  Sometimes a slight lean towards a problem can be nipped in the bud if noticed early on.

Australian Silky Terrier

Silky terrier is one of the few Breeds that do not cast its coat. The coat of the dog does not usually reach the floor so the care after it is much easier than the care after the Yorkshire terrier coat. Silky terriers do not require top-knots and the use of curlpapers. Hair on the head does not bother dog while eating.

Silky terrier and Yorkshire terrier are the two absolutely different breeds!!!

Silky terrier is very active dog and adores walking, though it can be easily taught to a fully in-side house life.

Australian silky terrier needs to be groomed periodically. According to the standards of the breed silky terrier has to be long-coated. Some people prefer short-coated doggies or cut hair of their pets.

Australian silky terrier is a breed that does not cause allergy!

Dirty and dry coat must not be combed!

It is necessary to put conditioner or other antistatic components on the comb beforehand.

Australian Silky Terrier is a small companion that adores being in the middle of attention and action.

Silky terrier can be characterized as very smart, brave and always ready to action. They are much socialized, energetic and in good mood. They are ready to any action that will bring happiness to his owner. Silky terriers are very curious, active and quick. The hunting instinct is highly developed. Despite the sizes of the dog they are good at guarding.

The dog is very compact and friendly and enjoys travelling and hunt. Silky terriers are intelligent and learn quickly. Are friendly towards all family members and like to be in company. They can live together with other animals, like children and attention. The dog is of truly terrier character and can easily be prepared to compete in dog shows.

YOU LOST? THAT’S GREAT!

Sounds kind of sarcastic, doesn’t it? Now, think about it -- it’s not a bad thing to lose; in fact, you can learn a lot more by losing than you can by winning. Still not convinced? Well, I guess no one in their right mind wants to lose, and depending on your reason for showing, losing can make you ANGRY, HURT, SAD, FRUSTRATED, and even JEALOUS! Which emotions are much harder on your psyche than actually losing, when you think about what they do to you.

So, how can losing ever be a good thing? Speaking to the relative newcomer to showing dogs, I guess the first place to start is to understand why you are showing dogs. There are as many reasons as dogs, and even more complicated; however, let’s sort out the major ones.

1. You bought a really nice puppy, and the breeder wants you to show.
2. You bought a really nice puppy, and you want to show because

• a) It looks like fun 
• b) You have a good competitive spirit 

3. You breed dogs, and as a breeder, you want to "compare" your dogs with others.
4. You breed dogs, and you want to show everyone how wonderful your dog is.
5. Your dogs are better than ________’s, and you want to beat him/her.

No matter what your reasons, we all start out as novices in the only sport that requires the rank amateur to go up against the seasoned professional, no holds barred. If you believe everything you hear, you give up before you start – and hand the dog over to a professional handler. Or, even worse, you start showing the dog, and lose – and then decide it’s all politics, and give the dog to a professional handler.
The professional dog handler should love showing dogs, he gets his kicks from winning, not to mention his livelihood. He has become an expert by dint of study, practice, listening, watching and learning. He has a varied choice of quality dogs to pick from, and if he has a good eye, he takes out the best. Sometimes he takes out a dog that isn’t great, but finishable, to help with expenses – and because the owner wants so desperately to make his dog a champion. His time is limited as handling requires management skills, people skills, and dog skills … and training, dealing with clients, etc. take up a lot of time. There are those owners who simply have no desire, or time, to show their own dogs … these people have to use a handler.
What you must remember is that there isn’t any owner handler who can’t devote a great deal more time to learning these same handling skills, and hone it to a fine art! Going in the ring the first few times can be kind of scary, but if you go with the expectation of learning, not winning, it’s amazing what you can pick up in just a few shows. Then, perhaps, you’ll be interested in attending one of the many "handling" classes offered by most all-breed dog clubs, and which provide excellent socialization for your dog as well as learning the ropes yourself.
You should learn what to look for from the judge, other exhibitors, and little "Poopsie" himself. When you lose (notice I didn’t say if), begin to find out why. Don’t blame politics, the judge, another exhibitor or the condition of your dog. These are all non-excuses – if the dog is out of condition, that’s your fault for showing him like that; if you tripped over him in the ring, that’s your fault! If the judge didn’t like your dog, Hey! You paid for his opinion, remember? He might like your dog better another day, in the company of a different group of exhibitors. If another exhibitor dropped his brush on your dog, or stomped around the ring too aggressively, that person may be nervous, too - and the next time try not to get next to him in the lineup.
See, you’re learning already. If your dog lost because he wasn’t as good as the winner, ADMIT IT, if only to yourself. Being oblivious to the faults of the dog you’re showing not only proves you’re kennel-blind, but how can you present a dog properly if you don’t know what faults to minimize? If you win, … ummmmmhhh! Bad. Now you have nothing to learn. You have a great dog, and you’re a great handler, the judge is excellent and all you have to do is keep up the good work, right? Wrong! Because the next time you just might lose, and then what … are you going to start looking for excuses, or accept the responsibility and find out why.
It’s tough to win one day, and lose the next in the same competition - but judging is very subjective, and judges are human. Every time you win, your self esteem is bolstered, and it gets harder and harder to lose – and when you lose, it becomes a serious blow to your pride. Losers must take a serious look at their dog -- no matter who you ask, people are very leery of critiquing others dogs – that can get them in trouble. Ask me, I know! Competitors won’t be generous in their praise, trust me, unless they’re looking for fillers for points they hope to win themselves.
So, educate yourself about what a good dog is - and remember, just because a dog is a big winner, doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a good dog. Just because your dog wins doesn’t mean he’s a great dog! Maybe he won against poor competition, under a blind judge, and because he walked in the rain, and the others wouldn’t. Maybe he’s highly advertised, promoted and shown 45 weekends in the year - he’s bound to amass "clout" and a "win" record. All I’m saying is if your dog is in perfect condition, perfectly groomed, well trained and handling well – and you continue to lose regularly, there’s a reason. Sniff it out, listen to friends, talk to judges, and above all don’t be kennel blind to the faults that may be there.
Maybe I’m a hardhead, but when I started, I remember showing dogs for over a year before I ever took a point! When I lost, I found out the reason was usually something under my control, and I took the responsibility for making it work. Sometimes, I had to go with another dog - hard to admit your pride and joy just doesn’t have it - but that’s easier than the alternative -- finishing a bad dog! So join the ranks of "learners", of which I’m one. There has never been a show where I didn’t learn something new; about handling, about judges and the competitors. When you stop learning, you might as well get out of the dog game completely because when you already know everything, what’s the point?

Saint Bernard Frequently Asked Questions

Personality: Calm and dignified. Obedient, very devoted and loyal. Wants to please. Steady, kindly and patient with children.  Since the dog is so gigantic, be sure to socialize very well with people at an early age. Behaviour: Children: Excellent with children. Friendliness: Loves everyone!!! Trainability: Easy  to train. Independence: Needs people a lot. Dominance: Moderate. Other Pets: Good with other pets if raised with them from puppy hood. Combativeness: Friendly with other dogs. Noise: Not a barker. A Saint is NOT A GUARD DOG!!!

What follows are several of the questions asked of owners of Saint Bernards.
How much does a Saint Bernard eat? A Saint does not eat as large of quantity of food as many people suspect. They will not "eat you out of house and home". A Saint Bernard can be raised and maintained on the same amount of food required for other large breeds. Saint Bernards are basically docile, sedentary dogs, and generally require less food per pound of body weight than smaller, and more active breeds.
How much do Saint Bernards weigh? As puppies, Saint Bernards weigh about one and one-half pounds at birth and grow rapidly during the first year – sometimes five pounds a week. It may take as long as three or four years before a Saint Bernard reaches full maturity due to their slower metabolism. Adult males should reach a height of 30-34 inches at the shoulder with a normally weigh between 150 and 190 pounds. Females are somewhat smaller at about 26-30 inches at the shoulder and typically range from 120 to 150 pounds.
Are Saint Bernards good with children? Absolutely. They seem to have an innate, almost natural understanding of children and are amazingly careful not to injure them. They are excellent babysitters and companions.
Are Saint Bernards easy to train? Saint Bernards MUST be trained early in his or her life. Saint Bernard, even the smaller ones, are incredibly strong animals, capable of pulling thousands of pounds. Think of this in terms of what will happen to your arm when the Saint Bernard attempts to chase the neighbourhood cat or squirrel. What about when Grandmother Lucy comes over and your Saint Bernard decides to jump on her? Fortunately, Saint Bernards are eager to please their owners and will begin responding to commands as soon as they understand what you want of them. Do yourself a favour and begin obedience training the first day your Saint Bernard arrives in your home.
Do all Saint Bernards shed? Yes, at least twice a year, and usually in the Spring and Fall season. During this time they will lose much of their coats, sometimes in large clumps that help them adjust to the changing seasons. This is sometimes called “blowing coat” and the poor Saint Bernard appears almost naked, but this is perfectly normal. For the remainder of the year, there is a minor amount of shedding and should not be the cause for any annoyance. Because Saint Bernards shed, regardless of their coat type and length, there is simply no such animal as a hypo-allergenic Saint Bernard. Such a creature is the result of either ignorant breeders or capitalists seeking to make a profit.
Do all Saint Bernards drool? Yes. The weather, the level of excitement, the shape of the dog's jowls, and the method used to provide water to the Saint Bernard all contribute to the amount of saliva, or "drool" produced. Most Saint Bernards will drool on occasion.
Is there a "dry mouth" variety of the Saint Bernard that does not drool, or does not drool as much? There is no such thing as a "dry mouthed Saint Bernard". If the Saint Bernard was bred correctly and conforms to the breed standard, it will have lips "flews" that hang. Saliva accumulates in the flews and when no more saliva can be held, the Saint Bernard begins to "drool". This is true of any dog that has flews, such as boxers. Some Saint Bernards drool less than others, providing the appearance that they are "dry mouth". Most Saints do not drool to an offensive degree, as portrayed in television programs and movies. Providing water via a large bottle, similar to what is used for rabbits, seems to reduce the amount of drool when compared to a bowl of water.
Do Saint Bernards make good watch dogs or guard dogs? The size of most Saint Bernards combined with the tone and volume of its bark will be enough to discourage most intruders. If an intruder gets by the size and bark, your may find that the Saint Bernard has decided to lead the intruder straight to the family treasure, since he would much rather make a new friend than protect your valuables. The one exception to this is when a member of the family is being threatened. Occasionally, when found in this situation the Saint Bernards instinct to protect those he loves becomes very apparent. This is dependent upon blood lines; ask your breeder how his or her Saint Bernards typically react in situations such as these. Your Saint Bernard will learn quickly to recognize your family and friends and seek to become their friends.
Why do some Saint Bernards appear to have short hair and others long hair? The original Saint Bernards from the Hospice in Switzerland were all short-haired dogs. Over 150 years ago, in the 1830s, the Monks at the Hospice believed the long coat of the Newfoundland would improve the short hair, smooth coated Saint Bernard’s ability to survive in the snow. The decision to interbred Saint Bernards proved a failure, however the influence of that interbreeding is present today and provides both long, or rough coat, and smooth, or short coat, Saint Bernards. Rough coat Saint Bernards require more grooming that the smooth coat, due to the greater potential for matted hair.
How much room does a Saint Bernard need? Contrary to what many would think, Saint Bernards do not require large areas to roam. By nature, Saint Bernards are neither active nor nervous breeds and are perfectly content to remain close to home for the most part. Consequently, a small fenced yard or kennel run with of an adequate height is enough. It is important that there is some place for the Saint Bernard to exercise regularly. For the Saint Bernard who lives in an apartment setting, frequent walks will be required to make up for the lack of an exercise area. Saint Bernards, by nature are not fence jumpers or climbers, but occasionally a Saint Bernard learn on its own, or by observing another breed that even a six (6) foot fence is no obstacle. The Saint Bernard is a social creature and desires to belong in a pack setting. Providing additional time in the house with the family, or supplying the Saint Bernard with a friend to play, ought to resolve the fencing escaping issue.
Is a Saint Bernard an indoor or an outdoor dog? Saint Bernards are both indoors and outdoor dogs.
Should I get a male Saint Bernard or a female saint Bernard? This is strictly a matter of individual taste and personal preference. Both are equal in becoming the ideal pet or companion. The male Saint Bernard will be larger, is therefore more impressive when first viewed as opposed to the female. The female Saint Bernard is of a slightly smaller build, however, must she be considered his equal in all other respects. Some Saint Bernard breeders will explain the male temperament as less independent that the females. Some Saint Bernard breeders will explain that male Saint Bernards tend to bond to women and female Saint Bernards tend to bond to men. In the end, the Saint Bernards will choose for themselves who they wish to bond with, and continue to get along with everyone else. A male Saint Bernard can either be independent or not, as is equally true for the female. Most veterinarians recommend the practice of sterilizing (spay or neuter) non-breeding animals for two reasons. First, neutered males and spayed females are at less risk for health issues, such as ovarian and testicular cancer. Second, animal shelters are already at or over capacity and neutered males and spayed females are incapable of falling victim of an accidental breeding.

How do Saint Bernards handle hot weather? As long as there is a cool dry place to nap and plenty of fresh cool water provided, a Saint Bernard will do just fine in hot weather. The amount of food consumed and activity performed will be reduced. Abrupt changes in temperature are extremely hard on a Saint Bernard. This means going from an air conditioned environment into an extremely hot environment can be dangerous for a Saint Bernard. Care should be taken to provide a slow and gradual change in activity while the Saint Bernard adjusts to the change in climate.

Such people as these are the backbone of the breed

Gerald Warren was brought up in a doggy household where his family had as many as fifty Wire Fox Terriers, a couple of Greyhounds and the odd Cocker Spaniel.

In 1947 Gerald swapped a Cocker for his first Bullmastiff brindle bitch and joined the Southern Bullmastiff Society in 1948.

Before he was married, Gerald owned about 28 Bullmastiffs and on meeting Doris said he had finally found a big woman who would be able to handle his dogs! They were married in 1966 having found a mutually free Saturday between dog shows. The birth of their son Bill followed in 1967.

In 1970 Doris and Gerald bred their most successful bullmastiff for the show ring. Ch Copperfield Sarah Pocket was awarded 16 CC's in total and 11 of them were gained in one year. Sarah was classed by the many who judged her as one of the "truly great bitches in the breed".

Copperfield has continued to run successfully for the past fifty five years. We have produced over fifty champions world-wide and our dogs have formed the basis for many of today's most successful kennels.

All our dogs are part of a selective and carefully planned breeding programme and we are proud to admit that we have a maximum of two litters each year, although the norm is only one.

Through the careful study and research of pedigrees we successfully breed sound, active and friendly dogs that are true to bullmastiff type. Because no one has yet bred the perfect bullmastiff and probably never will, we are constantly striving to improve our dogs. We believe in being totally honest with ourselves and don't credit our dogs with virtues that they don't have.

Having over fifty years experience with Bullmastiffs does have it's plus points. We have an in depth knowledge of lines going back over twenty generations. This helps us to avoid hereditary defects and pin point the strongest attributes of dogs from the past.

When using an outcross which is always necessary even in the strongest lines, we spend at least twelve months studying the backgrounds and progeny of our potential stud dog. Stud dogs are chosen to complement our bitches, our decision is never based on how well a dog is doing in the show ring nor how many people are using him at the time!

Puppies are occasionally available but please be prepared to be patient. Mediocre can be bought tomorrow, quality takes a little more time.

Our dogs are available at stud both in the UK and overseas. Please be aware that we will want to see the bitch's pedigree and will endeavour to match a dog to your bitch, regardless of whether we own it or not!

INTERVIEW WITH YORKSHIRE TERRIER BREEDER

Q: When you have the first look at the line of dogs what is the first that catches your eye?
A: When the dogs walk in and as soon as soon as they start lining up, you immediately see the one which is gone attract your eyes. It’s the look of the dog itself which tells you.

Q: Well, how you mean, the eyes or general..?
A: No, general appearance and movements and the character of the dog, it shows off immediately.

Q: How far do you think it should be- the quality of the showmanship, the quality of the presentation of the dog- should be taken into account?
A: I would say first of all, a good judge always look for the quality of the dog regarding the confirmation. And they begin to look for the confirmation and the movement of the dog, than they can start examining quality of the dog and than they can compare those two and weigh it up together. That’s my theory and that’s my experience in judging dogs.


Q: And the presentation itself?
A: Presentation helps very much, and if the dog is presented well and shown well. But the dog you are going to present has to be a good quality regarding confirmation and good looks that is half the battle, and the old saying is the half of the battle is when you are showing a dog if the dog has the quality than you are there all the way trough. The personality helps, and than you can present the dog better, but if the personality is not there and the confirmation is not there you are not gone make that dog look presentable.

Q: And what do you relay most on…
A: I can’t hear you, I’m sorry.

Q: Sorry, what do you trust the most, visual examination or touching?
A: I think you got to touch them, you got to examine them to know the inner points, and than once you see the dog moving you get more ideas. So those are both important, but the most important is the one when you start judging the dog on the table.

Q: What would you say is your ideal champion?
A: I’m afraid that is another question I would say I would go for, because ideal champion, we all bred well known champions, we look for perfection, but I feel nobody has been able to success yet completely. So ideal champion is a useless word for me.

Q: But what are the main characteristics in a dog?
A: The characteristics, they should have the terrier characteristics in them which is very naughty, full of life and they want to be a type that like to show off.

Q: And what is the worst faults when you watch a dog, what immediately tells you that the dog has faults?
A: Well, when you are watching as a judge you examine the dog and even if you are not judging any other dogs, even if you watch the dog on the street you will know the faults if there is something wrong with the movement and than you realize that something is not correct. And than examining them on the table you get all the other ideas regarding the bites and the bone structure so that should help you with the reply.

Q: And this is a question of your activities as a judge. What is your reaction when you know that you in the ring has very well known champions who won a lot. Are you influenced by that?
A: No, you have to wait when the dog walks in and you judge and give your honest own opinion, because everybody doesn’t like the same dog, we all have to like different things so one doesn’t go by the fame of the dog. What should be taken into consideration that sometimes you may get a young coming up dog who would beat this famous dog quite easily.

Breeder Pug

We are husband and wife and our baby son, andeverything begun way back in 1999 when we found a lost pug that we had to return back after hearing a radio plea. At that time we agreed that as soon as we get married, we’ll buy a Pug.

In 2001 we bought Daisy Mae (known as Daisy). Friends encouraged us to start showing. The show excitement, atmosphere and the love for dogs was the start of our passion. To spice it all up, in her very first show Daisy won Best Female Puppy in breed.

A year later we enlarged our family, thanks to Mr. Mike Gadsby and Ms. Gwen Oake by sending us CH Afterglow Grimley Fiendish (known as Shaun) from the U.K.

He is the only Pug that has ever won Best in Show in Norway, 

It was a surprise to us that we had managed to obtain such a good, strong, close specimen to the breed standards. Shaun managed to gain his Best in Show and Best Puppy in Show in the very same show at the tender age of 7 months.

In 2003 we had our very first litter. A litter of 7 puppies, all males, that we named after the 7 dwarfs. We decided on keeping one, but unexpectedly we ended up with 3 of them, CH Fawnydawn dwarf Bashful (known as Scott), Fawnydawn dwarf Grumpy (known as Sam) and Fawnydawn dwarf Dopey (known as Dopey).
They were of a huge success to us as Scott is a 5 times Best Puppy in Show Winner.

September 2005 was really special to us as we had our first baby boy that we named Duane.Then in October we took our Pugs to be shown in an International Show in Enna, in Sicily, Italy and there Shaun managed to win the Champion Class and a RCACIB while Scott won the open class and acquired an Italian CAC.

Currently in 2017 we are still showing our boys and they are still going strong. In fact in the beginning of April during the Annual Pug dog Club show Scott
managed to win Best of Breed.

On the 10th of April our second litter was born 3 boys and 2 girls. We are keeping one of the girls, and one of the boys, hopefully they will be of great joy and success like their parents and all their other brothers.

Thanks for reading about us. If you want to know more about us and our dogs, read our latest news.