Mid summer madness

The mad dog woman is taking a few days off. To recover from the mayhem and madness. To be nice to Mr B, and to bond with BriniZozi, and not be Mrs Shouty-Mummy. I'm leaving the chaos behind. The man pulling the kitchen apart, the other man slopping the concrete everywhere, the crazy mole-man, and the annoying pump man who never does what he's supposed to do. 

All these men, who are supposed to be improving the quality of my life but have actually made the last week almost unbearable. On top of which, Dad has been ill and his washing machine broke down. Now, Dad hasn't bought a new appliance in over 30 years, so we had to get the repair man in. That didn't work, so ended up having to buy a new washing machine - on top of the unsuccessful repair bill. It's not worth thinking about, when you're dealing with old Dad's logic.

Anyway, I let them all get on with it yesterday, and I disappeared to the Shackleford fete. I was photographer and dogsbody. It was a busy but fun day. I bumped into Dawn from Me, Myself and I, Himself and Badger Boo. Badger Boo should have won his group in the dog show - shame on you Judge! I wasn't wearing my welly boots, but if I had been, they would have been adorned with the gorgeous purple welly toppers (left) made by the multi-talented Dawn aka Stone Pit Crafts. Get yours here.

Zozi came second in her group, handled in the ring by Mr B, much to my amusement. They both seemed to enjoy it. All the fun of the fete photos are in the Shackleford village photo gallery.

Today is the Woking Cats Protection fundraising event, supported by Jill at Christmas Pie Crafts, who does a wonderful job fostering kittens. Local people, please pop along and give generously, or even adopt a kitten.

Too tired to cook last night, we celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary a few days early with a meal at our favourite little pub, The Donkey in Elstead. It was delicious, as usual. Thank you ♥

'See you' next week with 'Tails from the Forest' ☀ but in the meantime, why not read my new post 'Wild West Surrey' at Surrey Life magazine.

PS. On the Boxer heart health story, I have had several responses and lots of new information. I will be compiling this and reporting back next week.

Fun Dog Show at Shackleford Village Fete Saturday 22 June

Update: See all the photos from the fun of the fete.

Bring your family pet dog along and join in the fun.

The Shackleford Fete opens at 2pm. The Fun Dog Show starts at 3pm.

Class 1 Waggiest Tail
Class 2 Best Junior Handler
Class 3 Cleverest Dog 
Class 4 Best Six Legs
Class 5 Best Golden Oldie (dogs over 10 years)
Class 6 Dog the judge would most like to take home

£1 per class or £5 for all classes.
Pay on the day.

There is a prize for the winner of each class.

BriniZozi hope to see you there.

Boxer heart health : round 3

By email
Monday 10th June

'Dear Mr ,

Apologies for the very long email trail attached, by way of the history of my concerns.

I am trying to find the right person or group of people to initiate a serious discussion about the prevalence of aortic stenosis in Boxers.

I am not satisfied with the response of the Boxer Breed Council vet advisor, who admits that he is neither a cardiologist nor a geneticist. I have not had a response from the KC health breed survey. Indeed, the links on the KC website to the breed health survey do not open. I have not had a response from the breeder of my puppy.

In short, everyone seems to be saying 'bad luck'.

This is not acceptable. This is not bad luck. This is bad breeding. 

Clearly, the gene for AS is prevalent in the Boxer gene pool. It may even be more prevalent in the south of England, but there is no data to establish this. The gene for AS does not follow Mendelian inheritance, thus, more information needs to be collected on animals affected with, or who have died from AS, as the existing database is woefully incomplete.

I am not a breeder, nor do I show my Boxers. I am lover of the Boxer breed. Only when breeders are compelled to provide information on the incidence of AS in litters, and when the KC collects comprehensive data from owners of AS-affected Boxers and vets who see affected dogs in practice, will the AS gene be bred out of the breed.

To watch a young dog die of AS is heart-breaking. A Boxer unable to run and jump and box and play is pitiful.

I have not included the cardiology report and pedigree here, due to the number of recipients. Please let me know if this would be of any use to you.

I look forward to your response.'

Boxer heart health 1

Boxer heart health 2

Themba's story

Dear Friend (sharing grief)

Dear Friend,

I am so sorry to hear that your dear Dad has passed away. I know your pain. The sadness. The overwhelming emotion of dealing with the death of a loved one.

Your Dad's death has brought back memories of my own mother's death, not quite two years ago. The grief still residing just under my skin, waiting for a wound through which to surface.

I understand now the feelings of grief. I recognise the melancholy. I don't stop myself from weeping at the thought of who I have lost.

And neither should you. Cry, remonstrate. Talk. Tell us how you are feeling. Laugh. Remember.

Be strong for your family.

I wrap my heart around you.

❤

Perfect peony, May 2013

I'm linking up this post with Older Mum (In A Muddle) for #One Week - Spring '13. Delighted to be joining in again.

Photography by Lesley Beeton

Two

For The Gallery. Trouble takes two!

Follow the prompt by Sticky Fingers and post a photograph which best describes your interpretation of the theme for The Gallery.

BriniZozi at play, wrestle-mania, Boxer-style

Photography by Lesley Beeton

The Gallery

Heather Von St James on Mesothelioma

I linked up with the Mesothelioma Center last year, to host a guest blogger writing about the incidence of mesothelioma in the UK and Europe. This popular post has been viewed 826 times, indicating the interest in this subject.

I have no hesitation in hosting this short video about a young woman, a mesothelioma survivor.

Heather Von St James

For more information, please see Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com .

Who gives a damn anyway? Update on Boxer heart health

Right. Well. I did get a response from the Boxer Breed Council. But it's pretty much as I expected. The Kennel Club can't force breeders to get Boxers checked for heart defects like aortic stenosis. Some breeders do. And some breeders lie. Some hope it won't happen to them.

And none of that helps us make a decision about which adorable puppy to buy. So you take your chances and hope for the best.

I've taken the decision to go public with the information I have on the pedigrees of my two Boxers (one deceased from aortic stenosis), in the hope that other people will be able to avoid these breeders and pedigrees when choosing a Boxer puppy in the south of England (Surrey/Sussex/Hampshire). 

My approach is not endorsed by the Kennel Club or the the Boxer Breed Council. I have not had a response from the breeder of my 6mo puppy, Zozi. I did get a response from the breeder of the dog (Themba) now deceased, who offered to take the dog back and destroy him. Themba lived a short but happy life with us.

I would welcome feedback from other Boxer dog owners about their experiences with aortic stenosis, particularly in Boxers with the same pedigree as either of my two. Please help to collect data on the incidence of aortic stenosis in Boxer dogs, because only by collecting this information, can we be sure that aortic stenosis is bred out of the Boxer gene pool.

Tyegarth Tololo (Themba b. s29/06/2007 d. 01/09/2012)

WidleyLodge The Hobbitt (Zozi the puppy b. 21/11/2012

You can read Themba's story here.

A spring garden

Linking up with Older Mum (In A Muddle) for #One Week - Spring '13. Delighted to be joining in again.

Autumn planting gives spring colour

We've been busy in the garden, taking advantage of the warm, sunny days and long, light evenings. And it's paying off. The bulbs we planted in the autumn are just about finishing their showiness, just a few alliums standing tall and purple amongst the last tulips.

Rhododendrons
in spring woodland garden

Our garden is a woodland spring garden, having its best colour at this time of year. The glorious azaleas and rhododendrons are magnificent in their colour.

We have also been busy making more structural changes. It started with the re-locating of the compost area earlier in the year. This has made space for the new potting shed. The little greenhouse has been moved too, and the site marked up. So, any day now, the men will come to lay the concrete base.

Greenhouse for sentimental value,
on the plot for the new potting shed

Our wildlife area is home to bees and spiders and baby birds, and many other creatures I hope.

Bee nest, for solitary bees

Blue tit box, always in use

Bumble bee box, now home to various spiders

We moved the old veggie box into its new position next to the hedge, a perfect spot for the raspberries. I have to treat the timber first though, and line the box, before I can sieve the compost back into the box, erect the tall bamboos and put up the birdnetting. All quite achievable.

Renovating the old veggie box as a new raspberry planter

Mr B's lawn, and potato planter, mini greenhouse for
tomatoes, cucumbers and aubergines, new planter for raspberries

The veggie patch is planted up. The kitchen garden is planted up. After last year's awful crop, I was a bit wary about doing veg this year. I heard a garden expert on a local radio station talking about the problem of the long cold winter and what home veggie gardeners should do to get a crop this year. He said (more or less) 'Don't sow seeds, buy good quality plants. The plants need to be strong this year and raising weak plants from seedlings in the cold spring won't help. Buy lots of plants. Plant densely, especially in the kitchen garden. This will keep the pests down, and encourage cut and come again picking. And finally, he said don't swap self-propagated plants with your neighbour. In doing this, we risk passing on plant diseases, weakening the crop in the future.' Wow, that was a lot of do's and don'ts.

Veggie patch

Kitchen garden

Last weekend, I popped out to the garden centre and chose loads of veggie plants - sweetcorn, carrots, leeks, red onions, dwarf beans, broad beans, beetroot, celery, sweet pepper, beefsteak tomato, aubergine and cucumber. I planted densely, but less so in the veggie patch. I had already planted my early potatoes and those plants look fabulous in what has now become 'the potato planter'.

I did get a few cabbage plants from the neighbour's Grandma. They are doing well, and in return I sent Grandma a few celery plants.

So veggies planted, brambles under control, hens eating the weeds, I painted the metal warthogs red. Job done. 

Metal warthogs, travelled from Africa

A serene setting for the warthogs, next to a bench
and watched by the wood carving man

I think we can relax for a bit. Except for Mr B, who loves looking after his lawn.

A passion for lawn mowing

And a couple of mad Boxers thrown in for good measure

Photography by Lesley Beeton

Review : Canagan grain free dog food

Canagan Scottish Salmon grain free dog food

I was asked to review Canagan, a grain free dog food, and received a 12kg bag of Scottish Salmon flavour, with  herring and trout, from Pets Corner.

Zozi doing the sniff test

BriniZozi, the Boxers, do not have sensitive digestive systems, although we know many dogs who do suffer with allergies. Grain free dog food is made without grain bulk, and contains proteins which active dogs need to stay healthy.

Brin posing with his bag of Canagan dog food

Canagan dog food is produced in Preston, UK using some surprising ingredients.

"FRESHLY PREPARED DEBONED SCOTTISH SALMON Our salmon is sourced from the Scottish highlands. A delicious source of easily digestible protein, Omega-3, vitamin D and selenium.

SWEET POTATO A highly digestible premium source of slow-release energy, rich in anti-oxidants and a great source of soluble fibre.

SEAWEED Provides a natural and valuable source of minerals which contain iodine to support thyroid function and control metabolism.

MARIGOLD, CRANBERRY AND CAMOMILE Marigold stimulates white blood cell production and strengthens the immune system. Cranberry is rich in Vitamin C and helps promote a healthy urinary tract. Camomile is thought to reduce stress."

Whilst the Boxers never turn their noses up at food, they are not greedy either. They prefer to eat only when they are hungry, which is usually once a day in the evening. Even our 6mo puppy is happy to eat after her evening walk. 

I started their trial of Canagan by mixing half and half with their current food, a diet especially for large breed dogs. Boxers are powerful dogs, with superb muscle bulk. They are very active dogs, agile and quick. They need a food to sustain their activity levels. My fully grown adult male Boxer dog eats 500g of dry food each day. The 6mo female puppy is not far off that. She has a well developed digestive system so I trialled the Canagan food on her too.

Regular food at the top, Canagan kibble below

Mixed half and half

Action shot of Brin wolfing down his first helping of Canagan dog food

All gone!

Both dogs were keenly anticipating the food. The biscuits smelled delicious when I dished them up. The dogs went straight to their bowls and ate the lot. First test passed.

The second test was what came up, or out the other end. I'm pleased to say that there were no adverse reactions to the change in food, or to the increase in protein (about 33% in the Salmon flavour). Second test passed.

Two weeks on, the Boxers are continuing to enjoy the Canagan food, and I have not noticed any change in their activity levels. Their coats are healthy and glossy. 

We received the Scottish Salmon flavour, but Free-Run Chicken and Country Game flavours are also available. We will try both flavours, as a supplement to the science plan diet the Boxers are used to. Whilst this is clearly a superior product, it is also around £15 more expensive than the popular science plan food. But if your dog suffers from a sensitive tummy, this may be the food to try.

Disclaimer: This product was provided free of charge by Pets Corner  pet store  for review. I’m not under any obligation to provide a positive review, and the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

BriniZozi sleeping off their Canagan meal

Photography by Lesley Beeton