Well, by the time I REALLY get this started, looks like I will already have a lot on it.  Went to the vet yesterday w/Nala (our oldest, a Yorkie) for her checkup among other issues I wanted to have checked out and came back SOOOO frustrated.  Her check up was fine and by all appearances so is her blood panel.  Will find out for sure this week .Nala's issue is and always has been allergies.  Her hair has NEVER grown like a Yorkie's should.  I thought ALL AKC registered dogs were good dogs--WRONG!!!I was so new and green when we got Nala I thought getting an AKC registered dog meant a good quality dog no matter where I get her from.  Now, let me back up,  I wouldn't not trade her issues and all BUT and that is why I started this blog, Nala has lost a good bit of her her since 12/12 and by all appearances it is heriditary.  In other words, the breeder either didn't know or didn't care about the health of the puppies.  Though I didn't realize it at the time, Nala most likely looking back, came from one of those wonderful backyard breeders you hear about.  Again, I am not saying not to get one, these puppies need homes too.  I AM telling you to be aware that many of these puppies will end up with problems (medical). The medical file we have at home for Nala, well I'll put it this way, we have 5 additional dogs all small with the exception of the Lab and you can stack all those files against Nala's and it they won't match the thickness of Nala's just to give you an idea.  I can't stress ENOUGH about how bad backyard breeders are--now there is a difference between a backyard breeders and hobby breeders.  Most hobby breeders do the checks necessary on their dogs for issues that particular breed may be prone to.  More on that info on that later but there IS a difference though I have heard and read people have said there isn't.  I happen to know first hand there is.  We also have a Pom that came from a flea market (you'll soon figure this stuff out for yourself).  She is a wonderful dog but she has Alopecia and has had since birth, from what I understand due to breeding. A lot of these back yard breeders don't know how to breed correctly hence the problems many of thees dogs have. She was diagnosed with an enlarged heart 2 years ago in the summer.  This is Puff, now while her issues may seem worse than Nala's, her's is manageable with Enalapril and she is doing great. And no her file is no where close to Nala's.  We also have 3 Shelties that came from a hobby breeder who has been breeding 20 plus years and she does all the checks necessary for the breed before she lets the puppies go.  They pretty much have their shots as well. All the puppies my trainer has gotten over the years (and its been a lot) came from her up until recently because she has quit breeding regularly.  The Shelties have less problems than the other 2.  This breeder STILL takes dogs back if for whatever reason.  She hasn't had to do this much.  I will go into the importance of picking the right dog, keeping the dog and responsibility of dog ownership.  I was really trying to get into this when I returned from visiting my family in a couple of weeks.  I have a lot of people to draw info from  so I definitely have the ability to get the needed answers.  Today is just venting frustration so much for now.

Well, finally managed to get back to try and finish the "about me" section of the blog so you will get a little idea about me and the furrkids.
Ok, I last blogged about Spirit so I will continue with the other 3 LOL!  Splash came next. Our beautiful Sable Sheltie who talks a lot.  VERY observant at home and a little speed demon in the agility ring.  After having a what some people call a "velcro dog",  Splash was a challenge... An AWESOME dog learning to run her has definitely been a challenge.  She has and still does try to outthink me and DEFINITELY in the ring.  One millisecond off on a command or body language and we're done.  Sooo different than Pebbles who nailed every command in the ring (well except STD).  No knocked bars or contact issues.  Splash gives her heart plus some.  She is awesome to run and we always "just barely" don't Q in STD--just when I think we have it, she knocks a bar, or I can't make a front cross (have to rethink those front crosses--never have liked them anyway--never had to do them with Pebb).  Splash loves water and we call her our Sheltie Retreiver.  Puff was next.  My step daughter's hubby was allergic to dogs with undercoat so we took her.  SWEETEST little furr angel but tough as nails.  She was diagnosed with an enlarged heart in 2012, I believe in the summer but per her last visit in April to the vet, was doing great.  She is definitely a momma's dog. I run her in agility as well and she came back with 5 of the 7 ribbons this last weekend.  Pretty good for a little dog some told me to retire. I just LOVE proving people wrong.  Makes me that much more determined! I do watch her to make sure she doesn't get stressed. Vet says is fine and good to run her as long as there is no stress. Pretty neat to see how far she has come.  The latest is Makani pronounced Muh-kah-nee which is the Hawaiian word for wind.  I went back to my roots and chose a Hawaiian name like I did with Nala our Yorkie.  I did find out later "Nala" is actually Swahili but Keli and Kiana are Hawaiian.  Makani's full name is Makani Pua Nani--which in Hawaiian means Beautiful Wind Flower--ALL of which I can and have called her.  Makani has been a little mischevious one from day one.  The first 4 months of her life she spent in and out of the vets office because she ate underwear, holes out of sheets and corners of pillow cases. Fun huh! She's slowed down on that some although I do find an occasional corner missing from a pillow case.  Training her for agility as well.  Little skiddish , we are working those issues and has come a LOOONG way.  She will be AWESOME in the ring once issues are resolved.  Has been jumping 3 ft baby gate since she was about a year.  Ok not quite finished but at least got all the dogs on.  Getting tired, about to go to bed, have to take Puff to get her heart issue checked as a precaution.  Been coughing a little more than usual.  Figure its allergies or the weather--usually is but need to make sure with her.  So for now good night until next time.  Hopefully sooner than this

Still trying to  perfect  this so bear with me, however I will start by telling you a little about our family while I am trying to think of the word I need to use in the first sentence LOL!  My hubby and I are owned by 6 wonderful furrkids.  Nala, a 13 1/2 year old Yorkie. A pup I have wanted since I was a kid.  She came from a backyard breeder and has had a boatload of minor health issues since birth but we love her unconditionally.  I have learned a lot from this sweet girl.  She has always had my heart though she attached herself to my hubby when she was a pup.  Next is Pebbles a 10 1/2 year old bi-blue Sheltie.  My first real agility dog.  She has the most awesome personality.  Nothing seems to bother her EXCEPT when she was in the Standard agility ring.  The table and teeter were always her nemesis.  She loved jumpers and always did well in that ring.  Unfortunately we had to retire her unexpectedly last year when it was determined she had a chronic ruptured disc in her back.  If there weren't weaves in jumpers or an A-Frame in STD, I could still run her on a limited schedule. She still goes with me.  No way would I even think about leaving her out.  Then there is Spirit, a rescue Lab we got around the same time we got Pebbles.  He is STILL our escape artist.  Climbing over,under, through whatever he can and running off.  He always comes back,  My stepdaughter got him for my husband as a hunting dog.  Does he hunt? Well, what do you think.  He is too much dog for me but he is very protective which is good, 

Ok, it is late so the other 3 will have to wait for now but again I am trying to at least start this so if its boring to begin with just give me time.  I promise, eventually it won't be.

First blog

Definitely brand new at this!  Was looking at paid survey's online something I recently signed up for.  Signed up on 2 survey sites to start with.  Survey's really got boring so started looking for something more in context to my interest--namely pets or rather dogs and interestingly found there are none. Not even on  pet products! So I started thinking, hence this blog.  I have enough resources to draw from I decided to start this blog in hopes of eventually turning it in to something more so this is my attempt to make a difference in educating people on the importance of picking out and KEEPING a pet, rehomeing, rescue,etc.