I believe there have been some very good seminars held of late.

If any of you have attended one, what were they like? Worthwhile? Thought provoking? Well attended? Any interesting points worth passing on? (:o)

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2001

Answers

Now I know some of you must have attended seminars - I`ve read about the Shih-Tzu Club seminar on the Club site, but I was looking for more personal impressions! (:o)

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001

Hi Roz, In reference to c sections and AIs in the states I think some breeders use AIs when they use their stud alot to keep him from catching any disease. As for c sections I think some breeders do it for their convience instead of waiting for mother nature. I also think that people have a tendency to keep their shih tzu confined in a pen and do not alow them to live like a normal dog which gets alot of exercise by running around so the bitch can have trouble whelping. A shih tzu should be in physical condition and not just a pretty coat. Over here I think people have a tendency to intervien in everything instead of just going back to natural and letting mother nature take its course. I feed a good diet and my dogs get lots of exercise by running around and get plenty of sunshine (also my show dogs). In my 18 years of breeding shih tzu I have never had a c section.

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001

Hi Sheila! Good to have you back. (:o)

Oh I do so agree with you that the bitch should be physically fit enough to whelp naturally. Of course, there are always going to be cases where intervention is essential, even in a perfectly fit bitch things can go horribly wrong.

It brings to mind how much I enjoyed waiting for the arrival of my first litter of Shih-Tzu. Mid-summer, pleasantly warm but not a heatwave. For the last couple of weeks, rather than stopping any walks with my little mother to be, I changed our routine, and had a daily quiet and leisurely stroll around a small local lake with her. Well we call it a small lake - I guess you would call it a pond. The area I live in is on the South Coast of England, and has a big retirement population. The `pond` is next to a block of retirement flats, beautifully landscaped, with seats all around and very popular with the residents.

It was such a pleasure each morning quietly ambling round the lake, a distance that would take no more than five minutes under normal circumstances. However, Poppy used to stroll from seat to seat, being greeted and fussed by everyone there. The residents were so sweet with her, and really seemed to look forward to our arrival, so much so that the morning after she had delivered her four puppies - with very little fuss I might add, I popped back down at our usual time to deliver the news. When the babies were very little I took photo`s down once or twice a week, and when the puppies had had their first injection I took Poppy for her first walk there, carrying the puppy I was keeping in my arms. What a reception they both got! I know it was a little bit of a risk, but I carefully wiped Poppy down with disinfectant when we got back, and, of course, the baby never left my arms, but it was worth it for the pleasure it seemed to give everyone. In fact, the whole lake scenario added to the enjoyment of my first Shih-Tzu litter, the quiet walks helped Poppy, and the quiet kindness and interest shown to us all added to our sense of well- being. Since then, I have found it to be a marvellous place to socialise puppies!(:o)

I`m suprised that you say artificial insemination is used to avoid infections - I was expecting the reason to be something to do with the distances involved between the desired stud dog and the bitch. (:o)

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001

Thanks Roz. I have just been so busy with going out of town to judge, visiting with family over the holidays, babysitting my 1 yr old granddaughter, putting on a shih tzu specialty, doing hospitality for a two day all breed dog show (Kennel Club of Palm Springs), etc, etc, etc. Oh I forgot, I also had a litter of 8 boxer puppies Sept 13th and a litter or shih tzu Oct 15th. I kept a black and white girl (Lindsey) that I absolutly adore. Boy does she have attitude and can she move. (I am very much into movement)

The walk around the lake sounds wonderful. Reading it put me in a tranquel mood.

I just read my post and it should say 28 years of breeding shih tzu not 18. Boy does time fly. I do not breed to often so it does not seem so long.

Actually alot of people still ship stateside but usually ship frozen if it is out of the country or places that have quarentine. Also alot of the breeders that have a top stud and get alot of bitches to breed do not want to take the time to waite for the 2 dogs to mate. They just AI and get it over with and go on to the next one. We do live in a fast moving society over here. One does not stop to smell the roses.

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001

My word you have been busy Sheila!!

Are you attending the National in Florida?(:o)

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001