Decker Terrier Home - News Archive


DECKER TERRIER HOME ~ NEWSLETTER A Bi-Annual Publication 12/01/10 Issue #6 FEEDING A RAW DIET What is raw feeding? When raw feeding, what you see is what you get. There are no hidden ingredients, no fillers. All the mystery is taken out of your dog’s meals. A raw diet is composed of the same food you eat, but as it suggests, nothing is cooked. Well, I don’t know many people who eat bones, but for the most part, raw food is human food. Why feed raw? Dogs in the wild did not have little cooked pellets that contained cooked vegetables and grains (or cooked meat, for that matter), thus their systems are not made for digesting these ingredients. A raw diet is a direct evolution of what dogs ate before they became our pets. Some pet owners who have made the switch have noticed drastic changes in their pets, including: •Shinier, healthier skin •Fresher breath/cleaner teeth •Improved digestion •Improvement with allergy symptoms •Decreased shedding •Increased stamina •Firmer, smaller stools •A general increase in overall health What can I feed? When discussing raw feeding you'll often hear people talking about RMB's, which stands for Raw Meaty Bones. A raw meaty bone is a bone with a lot of meat on it that is consumable. Yes, a dog can eat (and will enjoy eating) the entire bone. No, the bone is not going to splinter; those canines will be put to good use grinding bones up. IMPORTANT NOTE: Cooked bones run the risk of splintering- NEVER feed cooked bones! A dog on a raw diet will need a variety of different meats in order to reap the benefits that each protein provides; for example one type of meat may be higher in iron, while another may be higher in vitamin A. This is why a rotating diet is recommended in order to maintain a healthy raw diet. Here is a list of some items your dog can try: •Chicken - whole or any parts! (backs, necks, wings, etc.) •Turkey - whole or any parts (wings, necks, etc.) •Cornish game hens (whole) •Beef (any cuts) •Oxtail •Pork (necks, ribs, any cuts) •Rabbit •Fish (canned sardines in WATER, not oil, or Jack mackerel) •Quail •Buffalo, kangaroo- almost anything you can think of! Also, your dog does need organ meat, for its high nutrient content- feed liver or kidney as 10% of their diet. When you first start your dog on raw, introduce one protein source at a time. Feed chicken for a week, then beef for a week, and so on, to introduce these foods to your pet’s system. This way you can easily detect a protein allergy. Once the food is introduced you should have no problem varying meat daily during normal weeks. A note on bacteria: This was one of my concerns when we starting looking into the raw option. Raw meat is not safe for humans because of bacteria like e-coli and Salmonella. But, canine digestive systems are have some natural immunity to bacteria, and can handle the bacteria in meat without issue, when in good overall health. In addition to meat, include vegetables, eggs, fruit, yogurt, etc. Eggs, like bones, are a good source of calcium, so are good to use when you don’t have bones. Pumpkin is a good system regulator, so we keep that on hand for most meals. There are countless good foods to give your dog, once you start looking! Grains, however, are completely unnecessary- since commercial pet foods are always grain-based diets, many people are used to the idea that their dogs need grain. It’s just not true. Some of the positive effects of feeding raw are related to eliminating grain from your dog’s diet. How much does my dog need to eat? The general rule is to feed a healthy adult dog between 2-4% of its weight daily, and then adjust as needed. If you have an overweight dog, start on the lower end of the spectrum, if you have a dog who needs to gain a little bit of weight, start closer to 4%. You will also be able to judge by looking at your dog- if he is looking a little thin, bump up his meat intake. Puppies may require up to 10% of their weight daily during growth. Raw diets are ideal for growing puppies, too, but they can’t eat all the same bones an adult dog can. Give puppies non-weight-bearing bones, as their young teeth can’t handle thicker bones. Where do I find raw food? Raw diets are catching on as a viable and healthy alternative to commercial pet food, and so there are some brands of packaged raw food. While those are a step up from kibble, they are very expensive and you still don’t have the advantage of knowing exactly what your dog eats at each meal. We recommend finding a good butcher or local farmer for your meat source. If you have some extra freezer space, you’ll probably be able to work out good deals buying in larger quantities. As far as cost goes, raw is less expensive than kibble. Kibble has filler in it, while a raw diet is 100% food a dog will benefit from eating. People feeding kibble need to feed more of it to satisfy a dog’s dietary needs; raw food is more cost effective in that sense. This is just a basic introduction to the world of raw feeding, but I hope it answers some of the most commonly asked questions I see out there. http://www.dogguide.net/raw-diet-basics.php
DECKER TERRIER HOME ~ NEWSLETTER A Bi-Annual Publication 06/01/10 Issue #5 Pedigree's, Breeding and Reputable Breeders Pedigrees Explained Basically, pedigrees are a breakdown of the parents, grandparents, great-grands, etc., behind a dog (or other animal). They list only a small segment of relatives in the grand scheme of things. (Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, etc are not listed on the pedigree). It is very easy to be blinded by Champions and working titles all over the place. But does this mean the puppy you are looking at will be quality? No. Genetics can be funny and it is very possible for two great dogs to produce mediocre puppies. Breeding great to great increases the chances of producing great so always look for the best you can, but it's not always a guarantee. Just because your dog is from some of the best lines in the country does not mean he or she will reproduce it. It just betters the chances of it. Though a breeder has pedigrees on the dogs, does not mean the dogs are top quality. Even pet shop puppies are sold with pedigrees! So you have to know the source of your puppy and what questions to ask the breeder about the pups. Even the best breeders will end up with puppies that are not the quality they want - it is just the luck of the draw even when breeding the best dogs possible. However, these puppies will be sold with a spay/neuter agreement and even limited registrations to try and prevent the undesired traits from being bred down the road and damaging the integrity of the breed. Pedigrees & Health Just being a pedigree dog does not mean a dog is healthy or does not carry for hereditary problems. A good breeder will screen for health issues such as hips, eyes and thyroid. They many even test further like BAER (hearing) and for other health issues in the breed. It is up to the breeder to do all possible to test and breed for health. If the breeder does not test or you cannot see proof of such tests, this is not a breeder to work with. At minimum, hips and eyes should be screened. Just because a dog is a Champion does not mean it is healthy. I personally spoke to a man who was breeding a severely hip dysplastic bitch he got a champion title on before her hips became apparent. Even after she could barely walk, he kept breeding her. He felt since she was a Champion, she should be bred. He ignored the orthopedic problems he was passing on as he was blinded by the title his dog won. It is not uncommon to hear people well versed in their breed to go over a pedigree and make comments like, "See this dog way back here? Several pups from different bitches in different lines developed eye problems. No other pups developed it. It is suspected this dog has it. This was before there was a test for the problem." And the same things goes for females: "The bitch was bred to a few dogs over the years and in each litter there was an affected pup so it is suspected she has the problem. The genetics are still unknown but none of the males have produced affected pups A pedigree in the hands of a person who really knows the breed and what is out there can tell far more than just the parents of the pup and what titles are behind him. How does this relate for the person just wanting a pet? Well, do you want to risk buying a pet that could develop serious health issues down the road? Not all genetic problems show up at birth. Some take months or years to show up. If you do not care if your purebred has a pedigree, go to a rescue. These dogs need homes. That cheaper puppy you get from that newspaper ad may end up costing you far more financially as he grows up than the puppy from a good breeder who knows the pedigrees behind the dogs very well and also tests breeding dogs. Please, bear in mind that not all hereditary problems have a test as of now. Epilepsy for example, has no screening but a good breeder will know if it has cropped up in the ancestry of the dogs. But that cheap puppy from that ad probably did not come from dogs that have had testing done. Is this a risk you want to take? You can spend $200 on a puppy and then find out it has medical problem that had the parents been tested, they person breeding would have known about. You can end up paying hundreds of dollars if not more in medical care down the road. Or would you rather spend $600 at a reputable person who tests and knows this problem is not in the line? A cheap dog may end up being a very expensive own in a few years Registration The general public has the impression that a registered dog regardless of where it is from is a quality dog. This is far from true. A dog's quality is only as good as the integrityof the person breeding it. Though registries such as the American Kennel Club, The United Kennel Club, the American Rare Breed Association and the Canadian Kennel Club (or what ever national registry is in your country) encourage ethical breeding, it is impossible to get out and inspect all breeders. A back yard breeder or puppy miller can register a litter just as the best breeder in the country can Responsible Breeders Should •Knows the history behind their dogs to the best of their abilities. Many tests are new so if the dogs were alive and died before the test was developed, there can be some ambiguity. However, a good breeder will know all they can about the background and strive to ensure that only healthy dogs who well represent the breed in form and function will reproduce. •Tests the health of dogs being used for stud or brood bitch and insists the same to all dogs breeding to. •Has a working knowledge of the genetics behind the dogs (such as color genetics and health). •Tries to prove the dogs have both form and function. •All dogs will be registered. Those pups that are not show/breeding potential and if not kept, will have a limited registration (if applicable to the registry) and be sold with a spay/neuter contract to help keep undesired traits from passing on. •The breeder breeds quality to get quality and not quantity to get quality. •The breeder does not breed designer crosses such as "poo" dogs or anything else that is truly a cross bred but has a catchy name deceiving the public that it is pure. It takes many, many generations to get genes to breed pure and many years to prove a new breed has been developed. •The breeder has a set goal to improve not only their animals but also to help improve the quality of what is out there. •Does not breed just to produce pets for the general public. A good breeder breeds first for his goals and those not fitting the desired type will be sold as pets or performance only dogs. United All Breed Registry In February 2010 the Decker Terrier was formally accepted into the UABR as a recognized rare breed for registration in the official stud books. The Decker Terrier club is excited beyond measure for this milestone. Decker club members from all over the USA have united to form a strong group of individuals whom are interested in the preservation of this amazing dog. No longer are we dependant upon %'s to track our Deckers, now we can focus on breeding excellent examples of Decker Terriers to Deckers and thus producing outstanding offspring for the continuation of this breed. The Decker Club stands firm in the belief of a traditional dog with unsurpassed versatility. The Decker Terrier of today remains true to his history and foundations. Our club breeds for sound minds, excellent confirmation and supreme health. This is the first rung in our ladder to the long climb ahead for the ultimate goal "To Preserve and Promote". Anyone whom is interested may feel free to contact us on our web page for Decker Terrier Home or you may also feel free to contact the United All Breed Registry. LONG LIVE DECKER TERRIERS! website design by BreederooFor ® use the text ® For © use the text ©
DECKER TERRIER HOME ~ NEWSLETTER A Quarterly Publication 03/01/10 Issue #4 The History and Evolution of Dogs The Evolution of Dogs - Is Man's best friend really a descendent of tamed wolves? - The Facts! Biologists have debated over the history and evolution of the domestic dog for hundreds of years. Most Scientists now agree that dogs are directly descended from Canis Lupus - the Grey Wolf. Dr. Robert K. Wayne, canid biologist and molecular geneticist at UCLA, has shown, through DNA research, that dogs are more closely related to the Grey Wolf than Biologists had previously suspected. In fact, due in large part to Dr. Robert K. Wayne's genetic research, the authors of the "Mammal Species of the World" the internationally accepted reference source on mammal species, reclassified the dog in 1993 from Canis Familiaris to Canis Lupus. The Evolution Dogs from Wolves - How could Wolves be tamed and Why? We will never now exactly why or how wolves were tamed by man, but remains of dogs dating back 10 to 15 thousand years have been found, so we at least have a "ball-park" figure of when which helps to build a picture of the History and Evolution of dogs. The wolf and man had several important things in common, we were both hunters and also hunted in packs. It is certain that during our history our paths would have regularly crossed, we would have even hunted and eaten each other! The most likely scenario is that a human hunting party came across a very young Wolf Cub and decided to take it with them. The Wolf Cub would have been very puppy like at an early age, when grown although far less trustworthy than a dog of today, would not have been quite as dangerous as a wild Wolf. A semi-tamed Wolf would probably have had considerable value to a hunter gatherer group, lending its superior hunting senses to the group. This would have helped not just in hunting but defensively as a warning system as well. The evolution of the wolf to the domestic dog began. The Evolution of the Domestic Dog - Selective Breeding Process Puppy rescue would not have been an isolated case but would have happened in many different groups of human hunters over our thousands of years of evolution and history. Selective breeding would have been automatic. Keeping a wolf that became overly aggressive towards the humans, or of little practical use, would have been both pointless and dangerous - such a wolf would have been killed. Only the remaining Wolves, with desirable traits, would have been selected to breed. Eventually the traits of each group of tame Wolves would reflect the needs of the group of humans it lived with: it's size, colouring, senses and even the length of its coat or swimming ability reflecting the needs of the hunters and their environments. Eventually as the number of humans increased some degree of trade would have occurred between groups, puppies being swapped and traded based on the inbred traits they now possessed - the evolution and history of various dog breeds are explained. The Evolution of Dogs from Wolves - Descendent of the Domestic Dog Dr. Robert K. Wayne's work implies that the modern dog, although very similar genetically to the Grey Wolf, has many separately distinct origins in both time and locations. The Grey Wolf and our modern "canine best friend" are in fact so closely related to Grey Wolves that they can still interbreed, producing fully viable offspring. How did dogs impact Human History? - The Evolution of the Different Breeds of Dogs Understanding the changing requirements of man through our history and evolution enables us to put into perspective the hundreds of different breeds which were developed by man. The Groups, Classifications and Standards all begin to make perfect sense. The various 'landmarks' of the history and evolution of dogs is detailed below - for more details of each particular type of dog please refer to the links at the top of the page. The Evolution & History of Dogs - The Sight Hounds Sighthounds , also known as Gazehounds as their gaze focuses on the horizon seeking game, specialise in hunting their quarry by sight rather than scent. Sighthounds have distinctive characteristics, features and traits which are perfect for their purpose. Sighthounds have extremely good vision. They also have a long jaw and lengthy neck which assists them in sighting their quarry. Their lean muscular body, deep chest and long powerful legs essential assets when following any fast and agile prey. Dogs History - The Scent Hounds Scent Hounds specialise in following the scent or the smell of its quarry. It was not necessary for Scent Hounds to be as fast and agile as Sighthounds - they do not need to keep their quarry in sight. Scent hounds are built for endurance. They can follow a scent for long distances and even across running water. Scent Hounds have distinctive characteristics, features and traits which are perfect for their purpose. They have large noses which have deep, open nostrils and their lips are loose and moist, designed to pick up scent particles and follow the trail of an animal. Their ears are long which concentrates the scent on the nose. Their bodies are designed for endurance, an essential asset when following any scent trail. Dogs Evolution & History - The Hound Dog Breeds Hound Dogs have been bred to chase (or hound) a quarry by sight or smell, or a combination of both senses. Sighthounds have exceptional eyesight, combined with the speed and stamina necessary to catch the intended prey once seen, typical examples being the Greyhound and the Whippet. Hounds which rely strongly on the sense of smell to follow the trail of a prey, such as the Bloodhound, quite literally follow their noses, speed and eyesight is of less importance. The Evolution & History of Dogs - Working Dog Breeds Dogs in the Working group, were developed to perform a wide variety of tasks, such as herding, droving, pulling, hauling, herding, hunting, rescuing and guarding. The very nature of many of these tasks require a big, strong dog. Working dogs have always been viewed as real assets to their owners and have worked with man replacing larger animals such as horses when none such animals were available. Dogs Evolution and History - Sporting Dog Breeds - Retrievers, Pointers and Setters Sporting Dogs hunt by air scent, as opposed to ground scent. The Retriever, Pointer and Setter dogs were bred selectively which resulted in them fulfilling the needs of man. Retriever dogs find and return killed game to the hunter. Some Retrievers are especially equipped, for instance with a water-repellent coat and webbed feet, for retrieving downed waterfowl. Pointer dogs stand in front of their quarry, with their nose and body rigidly still , thus directing (or pointing) the hunter to its location. Setter dogs were originally trained to set, or crouch, in front of game preventing the escape of the quarry. The hunter would make the capture with a net. Man's own evolution and development in technology moved the traditional hunting methods away from primitive tools and nets - the Sporting Dogs were then called the Gundogs. Dogs History and Evolution - The Terrier Dog Breeds Dogs in the Terrier group were developed to hunt and kill vermin. The vermin included control rats, mice and other predatory animals such as foxes that might raided a farmer's produce and livestock. The very nature of these tasks required an energetic, tenacious, brave and determined dog. The History of Dogs - The Non-Sporting Breeds The characteristics and features of Non-Sporting Dogs cannot be generalised. Each breed would have originally have been introduced and strengthened by breeding with animals who already demonstrated the desired traits. As times, fashions and societies changed man established the need for breeds to assist in what was once considered entertainment such as bull or bear baiting or performing in a circus. The Evolution & History of Dogs - Toy Dog Breeds The Toy dogs were initially owned by the wealthy and were viewed by others as status symbols - a luxury item with little apparent purpose. The trend continue to this day. The references to Toy and miniature dogs are slowly being exchanged with references to Teacup dogs - a cute and descriptive name which is ideal for marketing this diminutive type of dog. The History & Evolution of Dogs - Dog Shows Man's passion and pride in his dog led to the desire to show his dog and compare it to other breeds. The organised dog shows were therefore born in the middle of the 19th Century. The dogs were unidentified except for their kennel names! This led to real confusion - there were quantities of dogs with the same names - Rover, Spot etc which were insufficiently described according to their breed or type. Organisation was required - descriptions and breed standards were needed - the Kennel Clubs were born! The Evolution & History of Dogs - The Modern Domestic Dog The history and evolution of the various dog breeds still continues today. New uses are being found. The technology and the innovation of the Space Age led to the Russian Space dogs (please refer to the category and link at the top of the page on Famous dogs for more details) Dogs have even become Movie Stars. What will be the next step in the History and Evolution of Dogs? credits :http://www.dog-names.org.uk/history-evolution-dogs.htm BREEDER SPOTLIGHT Skippin CJ Ranch Jose & Christina Martinez Homeland California Hello let me start off by introducing myself; I am Christina Martinez I am married to Jose and we have 3 children we live in Homeland California on our ranch. I started raising "Terriers" in 2003 starting off with the Fire Mountain Rat Terrier lines specifically. Through the years we have purchased many outstanding Decker Terriers and have begun a top quality breeding program that consists of the last remaining Decker type Fire Mountain dogs left in the world. We have aquired Diamond Valley Patches and he has really been a top producer for our kennel. We have also placed several of those offspring in new Decker Terrier breeding homes. Skippin CJ also works closely with the last few large Decker Terrier breeders to ensure original traits and high quality offspring. Our dogs are raised with very high expectations and litters are born to better the breed they represent. I believe in a traditional dog in keeping with the breed standard that was established in 2005 for the Decker Terrier. I am Vice President of the Decker Terrier Club and have fully supported the efforts and successful journey into Breed Status for our Decker Terriers through the UABR. We do not believe in breeding purely to produce puppies but, in breeding to better the breed one litter at a time. I fully follow the breed standard for the Decker Terrier and encourage people to read and know it as well. Our aim has always been to raise high quality good temperament dogs that have great hunting drive but, can still be a couch potatoe at the end of the day. Much like our all around horses I value the Decker Terrier for being just that as well a handsome dog with great conformation, easy going attitude but still enough gumption to hunt prey. I want to express how very proud we are to be a conservator for this wonderful breed. We look forward to the future and helping new people find and enjoy this dog as much as we have. Here at Skippin CJ Ranch we will never sacrifice our dogs quality we believe in raising the best and only breeding the best of best. Our work here will forever impact the Decker Terrier line and we take our commitments very seriously in that aspect. Thank You Christina Martinez & Family
DECKER TERRIER HOME ~ NEWSLETTER A Quarterly Publication 12-01-09 Issue #3 SEVEN STEPS TO A HOUSE TRAINED PUPPY STEP ONE: GET A CRATE Dogs like to keep their den clean; they will do anything to avoid peeing and pooping there. The pup will develop better bowel and bladder control that is important in house training. Additionally the pup will learn that the crate is a place to relax and sleep. You will find house-training much easier with a crate and not have to worry that the puppy will use the entire house as a bathroom. STEP TWO: PICK A POTTY SPOT Pick a spot near the house in your back yard that is easy to clean; just like us dogs don’t like to use dirty potties. The advantage of using your own property is for better protection from deadly disease like distemper and parvo. Both transmitted through contact with infected dogs vomit or waste. STEP THREE: MAKE SCENTS A dog’s sense of smell is far better than ours, the canine snout has about 220 million cells designed to detect scents while the human has only about 5 million. If your puppy had an accident in the house wipe it with a paper towel and put it outside in the designated spot. You can also wipe the pup after it goes outside and save that one. Repeat a few times, soon the puppy will do its business on your potty spot. STEP FOUR: MAKE A SCHEDULE Young puppies need about 12 -14 potty breaks in a day. They still cannot hold their their water or other too long. Every time puppy wakes up, take it outside. No longer than 30 minutes after a meal or drink puppy needs to go outside also. Set a schedule, make sure to take your puppy outside in the morning and before bed at the same time every day (unfortunately you cannot sleep in on weekends and holidays) feed your puppy at the same time and set play and quiet time. As the puppy gets older the breaks will be less frequent. STEP FIVE: WATCH FOR CLUES AND GIVE A CUE Every time you are outside with your puppy and you see him getting ready to go giving you a clue it’s time to give him a cue and say “go potty” or whatever phrase you’d like to use, just make sure you can use the phrase in public if needed. Repeat that every time, do not change your phrase and keep it simple. Eventually the puppy will associate the phrase with the deed. STEP SIX: BE VIGILANT Until your puppy is fully potty trained it can still have accidents in the house, watch him during play time for any obvious signs, if you see that puppy is ready to go pick him up take him quickly outside to the designated spot. Praise him for going there. If an accident happens put the pup in his crate and clean up the mess with an enzymatic cleaner, do not scold the pup, just put him away. STEP SEVEN: BE PATIENT House training takes time and patience, the puppy will not learn overnight. Once the puppy is 6 months or older or has not had an accident for about a month you can consider him potty trained. HOUSETRAINING MISTAKES: • Failing to use a crate • Not following the schedule • Not cleaning up accidents • Scolding the pup after the fact • Blaming your pup for his accident SPOTLIGHT ON BREEDERS Seegmiller Kennel Lynn & Kimberly Seegmiller Glenwood Missouri Our story all begins with one dog purchased in 2001 from Gold Beach Oregon. Although my family has been involved with dogs since the late 1890's we had never originally intended to raise dogs ourselves. Hattie was a gift to my children as their first companion animal as we still lived in town. I had the idea to get a "Rat Terrier" for the girls, these were dogs that my own grand parents had raised in the 30's and 40's. We received Hattie sight unseen and we loved her from the moment we got her from the airport in Kansas City Missouri. My mother although had her doubts about this BIG girl and could not understand how a Rat Terrier could be 14# at 10 weeks of age. As mothers do she encouraged me to call the breeder to find out what kind of dog this really was, my mother was convinced she was a "mutt". Ina was called and the real story of our journey to save this amazing breed really began with that phone call to Ina. Hattie has been an amazing dog so smart, loyal and obedient. Everyday she is by my side I am remembered as to why I really began down this path. The Decker Terrier is more to me than just a dog they are a passion for whom I have remained true. I believe that preservation with the original lines is paramount to seeing them saved for future generations to know and love. As we searched for the last remaining bloodlines I realized that these dogs were in grave danger. The original bloodlines had basically been tossed to the 4 corners and very few breeders had bred Decker's to Decker's. Out-crossing to smaller Rat Terriers had degraded the original traits and the size had been severely affected. Our goal was to obtain higher percentage Decker Terriers to breed back to high percentage Decker's and fix the traits back into the lines that had been diluted over the 12 years no one had been breeding. We were very lucky to obtain Simon's Lucy from Nathan Daily in Peebles Ohio. I immediately set about getting in touch with as many older breeders I could find to arrange matings for the now seven year old Lucy. It was surely fate that guided us and also someone up above who gave us intuition on whom to save back for the future of our program. Today Seegmiller Kennel is moving forward as a leader in the Decker Terrier Club and community. I will still always look back to my roots and the fragile beginnings that started it all. I remain as always a guardian of my beloved Decker Terrier and will always have their best interest at heart. Traditional values and a willingness not to compromise on quality have always been my aim. I welcome new people who are interested and will lend a helping hand to everyone I can. Thanks to everyone whom has the little flame in their hearts burning bright~ Kimmy Seegmiller www.seegmillersdeckerterriers.com
The Decker Terrier Newsletter ~A Quarterly Publication~ 06-01-09 Issue #1 Welcome: Hi Everyone! Lots of New changes in the Decker world in the past few months. That is ok though, we will carry on. Setbacks are part of every aspect of life and the breeding/ show world is no exception. We want to send out a very warm welcome to each person who has visited our new site for Decker Terrier's. Our intentions include general information on the breeding, rearing and whelping plus everyday cares for our dogs. Decker Terrier Home we hope will become the hub for all things "Decker" related. Article of Intrest: Flea and Tick control on your dogs- We have all had the trials and tribulations of the flea or ticks on your beloved canine friend. There are litterally thousands of methods out there for controlling these pests We have listed some below Natural Flea Control Bio Spot Frontline Advantage k9 Advantix Take your pick and find out what works for you, what works for one person may not work for another so through trial and error you can find what works the best for your kennel or home. A puppy should be started on some type of flea control at or around 8 weeks of age. An ounce of prevention will go a long way against having to eliminate a problem later. Adult dogs should be treated regularly at least once a month especially early spring to fall for fleas and ticks both. Few creatures can inflict more misery, ounce for ounce, than fleas. These tiny, almost-invisible pests can make life miserable and disrupt your household with a vicious cycle of biting and scratching. Fleas may also cause flea allergy dermatitis in some pets and may be carriers of dangerous diseases. Although fleas can be a problem for your pets all year, flea populations typically explode about 5–6 weeks after the weather starts to warm up. EGG STAGE A female lays about 2,000 eggs in her lifetime. In one day, a single female flea can lay up to 50 eggs. The eggs aren't sticky – they quickly fall off your pet and into areas of your home. In 2-10 days, the eggs hatch. LARVAL STAGE After hatching, the larvae head toward dark places around your home and feed on "flea dirt" – flea feces containing partially digested blood from your pet. The larvae grow, molt twice, then spin cocoons, where they grow to pupae. PUPA STAGE Immature fleas spend approximately 8–9 days in their cocoon. During this time, they continue to grow to adulthood, waiting for the signals that it is time to emerge. ADULT STAGE Full-grown adults detect heat, vibrations and exhaled carbon dioxide from inside their cocoons, telling them a host is nearby. The adults leave their cocoons, hop onto a host, find a mate and begin the life cycle all over again. The entire life cycle can be as short as 2-4 weeks. Adult fleas on your pet are only the tip of the infestation iceberg: Often too tiny to be seen, ticks attach to pets and feed on blood until they are engorged. They thrive in high humidity and moderate temperatures, but can be found all over the country. Ticks may carry and transmit diseases, including Lyme disease, that can cause serious health problems for pets and people. Depending on the tick and environmental conditions, the life cycle of a tick can range from a few months to several years. Each free-living stage of a tick's life requires a blood meal in order to reach the next stage. Some species can survive for years without feeding. EGG STAGE Female ticks lay eggs in secluded areas where vegetation is dense and several inches high. Adult females of some tick species lay about 100 eggs at a time; others lay 3,000 to 6,000 eggs per batch. Regardless of species, tick eggs hatch in about two weeks. LARVAL STAGE After hatching, the larvae move into grass or shrubs in search of their first blood meal. If you or your pet passes by, they attach themselves and crawl upward in pursuit of an area of the skin that they can feed from. Then they drop off the host, back into the environment. NYMPHAL STAGE After finding their first blood meal, the larvae molt into the nymphal stage and begin searching for another host. Nymphs are small in size and often go undetected, increasing the chance for disease transmission. ADULT STAGE Once the nymph has had its blood meal, it molts into an adult. Adult female ticks feed on a host. In some cases, they will increase to 100 times their original weight while feeding. After feeding, the female will mate, fall off and lay her eggs in a secluded place – beginning the life cycle again. Updates: We are actively working towards pulling Decker Terrier breeders together in one area on the internet. the Decker community together will forever solidify our goals for the future of this amazing dog. ' "United We Stand and Divided We Shall Fall" Author: Decker Terrier Home Member