Dudley and Trooper

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The Start of One of The Busiest Weeks

Stormy is having a great time.   She is our 11 year old foster girl, who is retiring.   It's been a bit of a
shock to her to start out here at our busiest time, after spending years of isolation previously.

Stormy sleeping with Pheobe.   Pheobe is one of three dogs in the same family staying here
until their owners can find a place to live.   I've known Phoebe and her brother, Gus, for many years. 
Jake who will be coming up is the newest addition to their canine family.

This is Jake sleeping with his buddy and our dog, Boris.   Cattle dogs are weird and quirky, and Jake
is no exception to that rule LOL.

Our boys, when we snuck out of our very crowded house to go to the beach very early.   These weeks are difficult
for them.   While they love the other dogs, I bet most times they are thinking why they can't get a little alone time:)   So
we sneak out very early in the morning for that.

Another picture of Leon and Boris during our outing.

Stella the larger American Bulldog of six months in this picture is our training client, and she needed to do an overnight.  She is a pistol, and I was not convinced that she stopped ever LOL.   The little guy of two plus months will also be a training client, and his name is Dudley.   He is super cute as well.

My husband submitted to me proof that Stella does sleep on occasion LOL.

This is Ollie Wanna Ballie.   He stayed over this week, and was our training client years ago.   He has been
a daycare client here for years.   He is also Boris's BFF.

Boris watches his Mastiff friend Bella enjoy her ball.

This is Tommy our long term boarding client.  He is actually very much like our own dog.  He is round and brown. 
Not the best picture of him.

Harley sacked out on the couch.   Dudley the little English Bulldog puppy is his new family member.   No doubt he is tired from his new friend.

Jake's other family members, Phoebe (yellow) and Gus (brindle).

We have more guests coming in tonight.   Every year these weeks are the craziest.   Luckily we have very nice doggies, and we insist that they have training before coming here (except for the smallest puppies like Dudley or some very small dogs).

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Breed Specific News Wednesday

Lennox's unfair execution has reminded many dog professionals of the dangers of Breed Specific Legislation.  Realizing that other dog professionals in the USA did not know of Lennox's plight, also reminded me of conversations with veterinarians and dog owners.   Many people in the world of professional animal care and many dog owners do not know about these laws, which can effect them quite personally in the United States.

These laws can also effect business professionals that need to travel or relocate both inside and outside the United States.   You can see our long term guest Tommy on many blog posts.   Tommy needed to be quickly re-transported from Switzerland back to the United States, due to breed attitudes and laws there.

So for our very little part at Mannerly Mutts, I have decided that every Wednesday (the day Tommy is believed to have been executed on 7/11/2012--though the date is still in dispute due to some questionable actions) to remind our audience with current Breed Specific News.   Not only are we also owners of a breed targeted, Dobermans, but I also work with many breeds targeted (who are all really great dogs).  

BTW, I will report news whether I am in agreement or not.   I want to post items without a bias, and also show where problems arise (IE unsupervised and untrained dogs usually with neglectful owners).

The following are recent news items that I have found in Breed Specific Legislation:

1. Sophie's Dog Adoption and WICCA take on BSL
2. South Florida Veterinary Medical Association Supports Repeal of BSL
3. Large Dog Insurance Law in Middletown
4. Pit Bull Awareness Of Tennessee to Peacefully Protest in Lewisburg (apparently on 7/18 the animal shelter there euthanized 13 sponsored dogs)
5. Breed Discrimination in America
6. Pit Bull Blitz Losing Battle for Councils
7. In Hobart IN Discussions Continue About Dangerous Pet Regulations
8. Dog That Killed Neighbor's Shih Tzu To Be Put Down
9. Questions on the Lennox Case
10. Education May Prevent Dog Bites (MY OWN OPINION: I am not for blaming the victims of dog bites.   Owner responsibility and supervision is the key IMHO.   Owner's are also responsible for managing people who may not know better regarding interacting with their dogs)
11. On DNA Testing Used To Classify Animals
12. Wayne Pacelle and HSUS Flex Muscles to Help Pitbulls In American (Okay, I had to force myself to put this item up here.   Do a LOT of RESEARCH on HSUS.  They often, er, misrepresent their involvement in such things to rack up donations.   Want to help out dogs?   Donate to local shelters and rescues that you know well.  Don't know them well?   Get to know them.  However, these things are parts of the issue, and so I included this, ahem, article.)
13. Hobart Pet Ordinance Enforcement Requires Community Involvement
14. Maple Ridge BSL Bylaw Sees Some Controversy

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Doberman Rescue's Stormy

It has been pointed out by some of my clients that I have not officially introduced Stormy on my blog.   You can find the following description of Stormy on Doberman Rescue Unlimited's website:

"STORMY is an 11 year old, black and rust, cropped and docked female whose owner couldn't afford the veterinary care Stormy desperately needed. Unfortunately, her medical needs had been neglected for years by the time she came to DRU with a mammary tumor the size of a softball and a broken tooth. Once DRU's vet determined that the tumor had not spread to her organs, Stormy had surgery to remove the entire mammary chain on the right side of her body to stop the growth of multiple tumors. Our veterinarian also removed the fractured, rotted tooth and cleaned the rest of her teeth. Antibiotics were prescribed to clear up a urinary tract infection which was causing her to wet her bedding and anything else underneath her. Sadly, Stormy had once been the center of her owner's attention, even traveling cross country to compete and achieve performance titles most people only dream of reaching. When things changed in her owner's life, Stormy was relegated to the backyard or isolated in the basement or a crate. This nice old lady still has the energy of a working dog and relishes daily walks with other dogs. Some arthritis in her rear legs is helped with moderate daily exercise and supplements to keep it in check. Stormy enjoys the company of benign dogs but likes cats in all the wrong ways! She would love a home where she can once again be in the center of attention.


Stormy has has gone to a permanent foster home. Please consider a donation to our SSNAP program to help us cover her medical expenses. I'm a SSNAP dog!"

Robert and I happened to meet Stormy at Doberman Rescue Unlimited's open house.  I had been stalking my friend, Alissa's Facebook page as she was taking care of Stormy during her recovery period.   So of course, when I went to the DRU open house I had to meet her.   Robert and I left as quickly as we could before we offered for her LOL.   Stormy never really left our minds though, as we held out.   As they say, the rest is history.  

So Stormy is retiring here at Mannerly Mutts.  The SSNAP program will cover her medical expenses, and another sponsor covers her food and supplements.  So please consider a donation to Doberman Rescue Unlimited to help care for Stormy and other seniors that they help.   (not to mention all the dogs outside the senior program that DRU re homes and cares for in the interim).

We are so honored to have Stormy retire with us.   Her breeder also had a home for her, but it was thought best if she did not have to travel to Kentucky.  Stormy's breeder has produced some great working dogs, including Stormy, with some very long lives (which is something we all hope for).   So hopefully we will get to spend some years with Stormy aging yet healthy.  

Stormy has only been here less than a week. We are in the process of really getting to know her, but she is already a part of our family:) Stormy is active, brave, protective, loyal, fun, energetic, and well trained. Now the trick is just to be absolutely clear to her that she needs to be obedient to us LOL. Smart dogs will try out all their options as they are getting to know you. Stormy is also very friendly and loving. She clearly has a healthy prey drive. In short, she is a lot of fun.

Here is some video of her second or third day here with the group.  



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Breed Specific Legislation News

It's been a week since Lennox's, a dog seized and destroyed in Belfast Northern Ireland, family's battle with the corrupt government ended in tragedy.   It has gotten me thinking of ways that we can all get the information on Breed Specific Bull Shit Legislation.   So many dog professionals, dog owners, and people in general don't know about it or the impact that it has on others.

Today here are seven (as in seven days since Lennox was lost to his family) news articles on Breed Specific Legislation from right here in the United States!

1. Breed Specific Legislation in Las Vegas
2. Maryland "Pit Bull Law" Not in Effect YET
3. New State Law Makes Pit Bulls More Adoptable
4. Breed Specific Legislation Proposed in Marriana Ark
5. Disabled Vietnam Vet Gets to Keep His Bully Service Dog
6. Breed Ban Shot Down in West Fort Ark
7. Sioux City Residents Want Their BSL Rescinded

Need to know about Breed Specific Legislation and if it is anywhere in your state?  Understand A Bull Website keeps up a list by states on this link.  A great way to see what is going on in your state, and a great source to refer to if you plan on travelling with your dog.

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Boris's friends (mostly Tommy)

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Lennox "Freed" from Isolation 7-11-2012 (some graphic pictures)

I just can not go on with my day today without officially giving my condolences to Lennox's family, and providing information to people about this very tragic story.  Lennox is just one of many unfairly lost due to Breed Specific Legislation practices not only in his country, but other counties including the USA.  

I had unfortunately assumed that others, especially those in the dog profession were already aware of this ongoing tragedy that started two years ago and with an ending many did not want on 7/11/2012 at 7AM (by official reports, although that is in question). One day browsing through Facebook, this picture came upon me (I don't for the life of me remember how exactly).

I got curious.   I figured probably this little girl had a dog that had bitten someone or been at large around her neighborhood.   Then as I delved into this, the scope of what was happening hit me, if what the owners were claiming was true (and no one has disputed the events leading up to Lennox's seizure by the Belfast City Council in Northern Ireland).

Therein started the family and friends campaign on Twitter, Facebook, and the Web to save their dog.  (Later I will link to the the site with the details of this story.   Right now, the officially reported day after Lennox's "humane" demise the bandwidth on these sites has been exceeded.  More proof of how many did not know the details in this very important case.   Important, because this happens all around us everyday, but not usually with a family that will go all out to fight for their dog and gather supporters.   This is not a story about a dog with a bite history at all.   This is a story about a family pet, a measuring tape, and being seized because his measurements were within the "Pitbull Type Dog's" definition.)

For those of you who don't think this can happen to you or your dog?  This is from Denver.  Those are a whole lot of Lennox's that are illegal there.   They are not napping in this photo.

Curious about areas that this can and does happen in the USA?  Understand A Bull (seems like they may not be updating this anymore) had/has a large amount of data by state.   I used to reference this if I would go out travelling anywhere.   Although Maine does not allow for Breed Specific Legislation, people who work for Maine have tried to go around this by trying to introduce legislation that puts mandates and restrictions on dogs of a certain size.   So this still has the potential to go deeper down the rabbit whole by penalizing good dogs and responsible owners with tragedies just based on the look of their dog and NOT their actions or irresponsibility.   It is truly an insane situation that we find ourselves in as dog owners.   Don't have a Pitbull Type dog? Don't feel so safe, many times they try to fit various breeds into that definition.   Also, many breeds fall under other communities Breed Specific Legislation.   Not to mention, your neighbor may have such a dog that you like, your daughter, your mother, or your friends.  

You may even be struck by such a tragedy going on with strangers overseas, like the Barnes family and Lennox.   I was very touched because they did not give up on their dog.  Honestly, I figured with all their work, that they would get their dog back in the end (you know alive and whole).   Since May of 2010 until July of 2012, this family fought to keep their dog in the hearts and minds of strangers.  Here is what Lennox's girl wanted for Christmas:

At that time, many were thinking this was a distinct possibility (that his owners would get him back possibly by that Christmas).  Unfortunately this was not to be.   Lennox was seized due to his measurements on a tape measure and then kept in deplorable conditions for the next two years as his loyal loving family fought for his life.  The life of a dog without any prior incidents and owned (by all known accounts) by responsible loving dog owners.

There is a lot you can find out about this online, although today, most of the sites have exceeded their bandwidth as more and more people find out about this tragic outcome.  There are pictures of the dog warden interacting with Lennox after she said the dog was vicious.   She was up close and personal with her face to an unmuzzled dog, and not in the way someone would handle a dog they were afraid of or thought was unpredictable.   There are pictures showing the deplorable state he was in after seizure by the Belfast City Council.  

Today this video on YouTube has been linked of interactions with Lennox, the dog warden and an "unknown man":




I sincerely hope you do not have to be a dog trainer or canine behaviorist to see this is not how one would interact with a "vicious and unpredictable dog".   There seems to be much more documentation out there that this was a nice family pet, then any documentation by Belfast City Council that this dog was an actual danger to the community.

This tragic event makes me very much feel for the Barnes family. I am so proud of them for fighting for their dog and not giving up. Rest in Peace, Lennox. Many of us wanted so much better for you.
  

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Gus and Gator et al

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