Just as well I watched that suitcase!

Hi, 

My name is Indi….though my life started in London in 2014, last year my human and I moved to Germany. It was a strange year, where, when we were not with the horses, we walked a lot and my human did not seem to go anywhere without me. That was amazing!!!

After a busy summer at work, I had to go to the vet three times, but they were nice to me, so it was not too bad….Mum got a small blue book from the vet and seemed really happy about it.

 

The evening after the last vet visit my human seemed very excited. She had cleaned the car and loaded it with lots of things and she had packed THE SUITCASE!!!!! For any dog that does not know, this is the time where you have to watch your human very closely, or they might disappear for a long time and leave you with other humans…….

 

It was dark when we set off on our journey and I was happy my human had taken me with her in the car, PHEW! She drove a really long time to the sea-side and onto a ship I had been on before…it was noisy and smelly, but I was safe in my car.

 

At the end of our journey we arrived at a familiar place with lovely smells….

 

.......could it be possible we were back HOME, REALLY? 

 

OMG I was soooo exited!!!!!!!!

 

There was Margot, my best friend and 2 amazing humans, I knew from before…..my human seemed really happy too.  We were finally together again, yipeeeeeee!!!!!

Margot and I

One day my human put Margot and I in the boot of my car and we drove to a familiar place. I had been there before a few times, but best of all there were other Eurasiers there with there humans and some excited humans who just came to meet us. One human was very familiar, my human called her Brigitte. I saw her often when I was little and still living with my mum, brothers and sisters. 

 

It was raining a little bit, but that did not bother me, because I got to play with lots of friends and enjoy a really long walk. There was Lottie, who was still quite like I used to be when I was younger, Murphy and Bubbles, who were quiet and very polite. Sheeba, she`s family, and Annie too were super nice….in a nutshell, It was great to catch up with old friends at a familiar place.

 

The woods were full of lovely smells and we met lots of different dogs too. Afterwards we all got together to celebrate Murphy´s birthday with some dog treats for us and biscuits for the humans, which Anne, Murphy´s human had brought for us. She was so very nice to us all and made sure we were all happy.

Thank you for a perfect day for us and our humans. Lots of licks and wags, Indi xxx

 

Thank you, Anne, for organising a lovely walk, Bille (Indi´s human) xxx

 

 

A Eurasier Show from the perspective of a Dachshund

Mom just got us up super early and I’m not happy about it. She keeps brushing my ears! Take me back to bed! There’s bags everywhere and her and Dad keep throwing questions at each other. Have you got the poo bags? Have you got the leads? What about water? Do we have enough poo bags? Jeez, how many poo bags do we need? Where are we going? Can I go back to bed?
They’ve packed the car completely full of bags and shoes and coats and Dawg knows what else. There’s not a lot of room for me. I need quite a lot of space actually. Pretty sure I can smell treatos though… They’re still talking about poo bags.

The journey was sooooo long. So long! But we did eventually arrive. Mom’s just disappeared and Dad’s put me on the driver’s seat of the car. Maybe I can drive us home! I would be a great driver. He’s unloading some of the bags. I hope they’re all full of treatos. 

Mom just came back with a little yellow booklet and she’s reading out names to Dad. We’re all in the same class she said. I guess we’re at a dog show or something. Sometimes Mom likes to get Luca’s fancy, sparkly lead out and they run around for a little while and then when she comes back Luca and I get loads of treatos. I knew I could smell them. It’s a day full of treatos! Maybe that’s why they need all the poo bags.

Mom’s just put my lead on and we’re going somewhere. The grass is so long I’m swamped! There was no point brushing my ears, they’re going to be soaked. There’s dogs EVERYWHERE! Definitely must be a show. But why hasn’t she taken Luca? I hope she’s not showing me. I’d rather…look after…the treatos. We’re going over to some people who have dogs that look like Luca but they’re different colours to him. These ones are more similar to my colour. I like their style! Some of these people are trying to talk to me but I need to be keeping an eye on these other dogs. Sheeba, Annie (she’s pretty similar to Luca, actually!), Ruby, Ursa, Arwen and Frodo are their names, Mom said. I need to make sure they don’t beeline for the car while I’m not there. I hope Luca is guarding the treatos. What if he eats them without me? Mom we need to get back! No time for talking! Treatos at stake! Mmmm steak.

Okay we’re going back now. But Mom’s panicking. It’s okay Mom I got the treatos! Where’s the brush? I need his squeaky frog! Oh! They must be going in the ring. That was quick! Mom hasn’t even brushed Luca, he’ll look all scruffy! Wow she’s really speed-brushing now. Poor Luca. Oop they’re off. Dad’s got me now, can’t see Mom and Luca. Dad and I are making our way over too. They’re doing their thing when they run around in circles with their fancy leads. They must get dizzy. Luca keeps peeing everywhere, how embarrassing. I do not know him!! Oh my Dawg! Luca got first place! I was only joking when I said I didn’t know him. That’s my bro! They’re calling him 'Bob' or something. He’s not called Bob! Dawg humans are so slow sometimes.

 

Arwen came second, Ursa came third, Annie came fourth, and Frodo came fifth. Mom says we have to wait here longer now and go for a group whatever that means, so I guess I’ll have to guard the treatos longer. Dawg this is hard work. Sheeba and Ruby went to go and run around their ring with their fancy leads so we’re watching them while we have to wait. Mom says they’re in the AV Veteran class so that must mean they’re really good and been doing show stuff for a long time. I bet they’ve had loads of treatos. Jealous. There’s two new humans here now and one of them gives the best butt scritches. 10/10 would recommend! Ruby got first and Sheeba got third! They really are good at this. Well done the me-coloured Luca lookalikes! 

Okay, Luca and Mom are going in the group now. It just looks like another class but this time it’s all different kinds of dogs, not just ones that look like Luca. Me and Dad are sat on the other side of the ring. I guess so that we can stay nearer the treatos to keep an eye on them. Good thinking Dad. Maybe I’ll let you have one later too. Maybe. Oh Mom and Luca are running towards us HI LUCA HI MOM HI IT’S US ME AND DAD HI Luca saw us and he wanted to say hi but then they ran away again. Oh well I guess they’re busy that’s okay. Oh my Dawg my bro did it again everyone is cheering! He got first place! This is amazing we’re going to get so many treatos. Everyone is hugging Mom now, that’s nice, these are friendly humans! Dad is really happy too. I think that means we have to wait longer. Gosh they better be some good treatos! At least the sun is shining. Sun AND treatos oh boy oh boy. 

Mom and Luca went in the ring again and they did their fancy running, but they didn’t get a place this time. The dog that came first was a dog that looks like me but had short hair, so that’s okay! Mom said That was such a nice day, and we did Eurasiers proud! I have to agree, especially as no one stole the treatos. We had amazing support and company, too. She is really happy and she said we have salmon sticks and beef jerky, and we’re going to get some chimken from the shop too. I dunno Mom, I wouldn’t say this was a nice day, I’d say it was the BEST day! I guess getting up early wasn’t so bad after all.

 Can’t wait to go again!

 

 

Spitz in the Park 2021

Click her to see the full article

My first two times doing dis fing called showing. By me, Lux.

Since my dad abducted me from my home back in Sweden back in November 2019, my life has been rather odd. I was introduced to a dog who I was told was my "brobins" or brother. Well I couldn't really moan because as far as brothers are concerned he was really kind to me and took me under his wing. You see, brobins Lumen kept mentioning showing, I literally had no idea what he was talking about, but kept hearing I was 'what hoomans call it' "entered into a show" or sumfing like dat. Again, I had no idea what they kept talking about, but it was coming up in March 2020, whatever dis showing malarkey is. Brobins Lumen wouldn't really embellish at this stage, I fink he was holding back on purpose, as he was looking forward to sawprising me wiv whatever it was. 

Then it hit, da big fing called cawona! I hear da hoomans and dad talk about it all da time. I overheard a conversation that my first show was cancelled, I was now 6 munfs old and almost an adult, yet they still won't tell me wat dis "showing" is! Anyhow, the next year became a bit bowring for me, I was not allowed to socialise like I had before, I could no longer meet my new fwends in dis country, like Della, who was also teaching me how to behave around da ladies. Looms can only give so much advice, sometimes you need to put dat advice into pawctice, but I was told dis is not possible no more. Lucky to have a nice bro and a dad who was still learning how to hold two leashes instead of da one, we did as much as we could wivin da rules da goovernment set! I know what day were as dad had da blinking news on 24/7! 

Over da summer I was allowed to do sum normal doggy stuff and met wiv some friends again. I am a quick learner, but please don't tell dad, he is a bit slow on da uptake, but tries his best. A whole year passed, I was now getting quite old and a teenager, I know as I know everyfink at dis age! Early 2020 dis word 'show' popped up again! Having not heard it for a while I fought they must be tawking aboot a big spring party or somefink similar but no! Someting was difforoont. The  way day were treating me was not da normal way! Dad spent 1 howl hour wiv me, wiv a short leash that didn't look like it could hold a big lad like me! He ran up and down in da field and den did some weird turny fings wiv me trying to get me to listen for some reason! Fings were deffo diffo dis time. I also had a posh baff which set my alarm bells ringing even more! What is dis show fing they speak of, I kept asking myself. Lumen was still holding back! I even tried tapping into his brain one night wen he was asleep! Sadly, I was unable to locate a brain but dats ok as I wuv him, he is da best bro a boy like me could wish for. 

Then it happened!  My dad got up one morning looking worse than normal which is quite some feat! For some reason he dressed smart then took me for an odd walk around da roads! Dis is not da norm! Why can't I go splishsplash like normal! Why dis clean Road to walk on? Dad was also being extra nice to Looms and me! Almost like he was feeling guilty for something! Forward an hour and I'd been squished into my car all alone, no brobins by my side!  No banter in da back of da car! We then arrived at some massive field full of uver cars! I heard some dogs barking and could see more dogs getting outa cars than I have ever seen before! There was literally millions of dem! It was so strange! I never knew so many dogs existed! Day were all shapes and sizes just like da hoomans who we look after! Some had really weird fur! Not like mine at all! Some had literally no fur! It was so strange. I was a big bwave boy! I strutted my stuff around enjoying being in da moment as us dogs are good at dat! It's somfink I try to teach my dad all da time! So we wandered around dis strange field den I bumped into my old pal Della! I mean who of thought we came all dis way and bump into my fwend! It was so nice! Della was able to explain why we were here. She imparted some awesome advice but I can't tell you as it's dog speak only for dogs! I did a bit of flirting before we set up camp! I say camp! Della had a good camp! I just had grass to sit on! My dad isn't very pawfessional like some. 

I enjoyed meeting lots of new people, I recognised some names, so it was nice to put a name to a face, people gave me lots of scruggles and patted me lots, which I like. We met some more Eurasiers and I stood next to some shorter dumpier versions of me. They said I was not a proper one of them but I know how to cope with rejection, so it didn't bother me, my dad has taught me well. I fink day were chows or sumfink similar! I watched as lots of diffo dogs ran around a fing called a ring! Wat dis is I asked dad? Wait son, all will be revealed, was his reply! I then saw Della looking even smarter than just now, like she was getting ready for a night on da tiles. She went into da ring and ran round a few times with some others and the man picked her out first, I fink he must have wanted to take her home for himself but Jemma wouldn't  let him, he gave her wat day call a "1st place" whatever dis means. 

So after some waiting around my dad put dat little tiny lead on me, he walked me into a diffo ring and we too did what Della did. I can't fully remember what happened but I ran up and down and da person asked my dad to do it again. Apparently jumping around having fun wasn't wat dad wanted me to do. It was fun though, I did it again but this time I thought I would behave. We watched another nice dog do the same, I sensed he was in the same boat as me and new to all dis strange stuff. Anyhow, the lady gave my dad that thing called a "first place" which made dad happy and for me, an expawrience I wouldn't forget. We did it again but this time we came second, apparently I did very well though for our first time achieving Reserve Best Dog. I would say I had a very good day with dad and friends, we met new people, the atmosphere was lovely, I heard rumours it can be a strange environment at times, but thankfully, it was one I coped well with, meeting some lovely,
friendly people. Dad said I was a good boy all day long and I slept well on the way home where I was pleased to see my bro Lumen who said he had missed me. 

Fast forward a week and we were at it again, this time Devon County Show, last weeks was Southern Counties Champ show according to my dad. I won't bore you wiv as much detail this time, as my engloosh isn't great, being Swedish. First we had a walk around a strange place called a fairground, dis was a totally new expawrience for me! Why do hoomans like spinning around on scary machines wiv loud noises called moosic booming out? Strange, anyhow it was nice to see people having fun even though I wasn't allowed to win a goldfish for my pond!

Anyhow we found a nice place to park up with Della and Jemma again and their professional set up, my dad had an umbrella but not much more. It rained early on, which was a bit miserable and I did my best to stay dry, which was hard on wet grass. 

We waited for a long time and eventually got in the ring full of all sorts of dogs! Big, small medium & me. The heavens opened! The man called a judge told us to retreat, this time I was quite wet but some friends let us stand in their tent while they dried my dad off who looked like a drowned rat! Dad did his best with drying me and I didn't look too bad considering, we went back to the ring where we did that run around stuff! We then got picked out for another first before all those other smashing dogs! I quite enjoyed the feeling. Maybe I am good at dis? Then again, maybe it's a fluke as I don't really know what I'm doing, much like dad. We went in da ring for a second time, dis time it was for best in our AVNSC group, don't ask me wat dat stands for as I can't remember, I am a dog after all. Dat kind man picked me out first again, so I was best doggo in dat group! I was on a roll! People took our pictures and everyfink. I won two rosettes but I'm not allowed to eat them even though I've tried! 

We then went into a biiiiig ring that had like a posh picket fence with a huge group of dogs, like more dogs than you can imagine. Dis time we watched others get picked, which was also fun, as they were super nice. What an expawrience for me! I couldn't wait to tell my brother da news! Much better than bowring old corona news! Let's hope we can carry on showing throughout the year, I fink I like it. 

Stay safe everypeeps and look after your best friends, our hoomans. 

Best wishes, Lux 🐕🐻🐶

 

Sun, woodland and mud - a normal Eurasier walk

It was one of the hottest days so far this year, and mum, dad and I got in the car to travel somewhere for a walk. I had a nap on the back seat on the way and mum and dad chatted excitedly about meeting up with all our Eurasier human and canine friends after such a long time.

Finally we arrived at the Basingstoke Canal Centre (which isn’t actually in Basingstoke) and met up with the pack. There was a fabulous array of Eurasiers, including Bubbles and Murphy whose mum Ann hosts this popular and regular woodland walk near Mychett. There were 29 people and dogs including some potential Eurasier puppy parents, who enjoyed seeing our wonderful breed “in the fur”. It was a great opportunity for the humans to catch up with friends, and for us dogs to explore and sniff all the paths through the woods. 

Fortunately, being woodland, there was some welcome shade and also a couple of paddling and swimming opportunities to keep us water babies cool, although dad did his best to stop me from my other trick of rolling around in the mud! After the walk, we had refreshments from the café and Brigitte (AKA the Furry Godmother) handed out home-made cake to the humans, which was very tasty from the crumbs I managed to forage from being in the right place at the right time! Looking forward to meeting up with the pack again soon. 

Thank you to all those who came along and special thanks to Ann for hosting the walk.

Julie with Gabbie

Kodi has Diabetes

Let us start by explaining what I would like to talk to you about today. Diabetes mellitus, a disease shared by dogs and people. It is defined as a group of diseases characterized by lack of insulin production, efficacy, or both. This lack of insulin availability leads to a large number of abnormalities in the body. Despite the ability to carefully manage the disease process by administering Insulin, Diabetes remains a leading cause of death in people, as well as an important cause of death in dogs.

Sources report that as many as one in 10 diabetic dogs is euthanized at diagnosis, with a further one in 10 being put to sleep within a year, due to lack of success or adequate compliance with treatment.

In Eurasiers, we have seen that it seems to be diagnosed more often in dogs that are also hypothyroid (under-functioning thyroid), which is maybe not that surprising, as both conditions are likely to be part of an auto-immune complex. The incidence of the disease seems to be increasing in both, dogs and people, and it seems highly likely that there is a genetic component to this problem.

What does that entail? My dog is on life support! Got your attention?

Our 12-year-old Eurasier Kodi has insulin injections 12 hours apart with his meals.  It means a commitment to 7am and 7pm feeding plus treatment, always weighing the (raw) food and keeping up with daily exercise. 
You’d do anything for your dog, yes?  Well not all would, diabetes is a common condition in dogs and although manageable, is costly to treat, for our Eurasier - about £3 a day (with some recompense from insurance).
How is diabetes diagnosed?  

A blood test and urine sample.
What is the cause?
Canine diabetes is an incurable disease which is caused when insulin (a hormone produced by the pancreas) levels are too low.  It has a hereditary link.
Symptoms include:

• Increased thirst
• Increased urination
• Weight loss
• Increased hunger - the body thinks it is starving

Because the sugars in the diet can’t be used by the body if there is no insulin, they are lost in the urine. This means the dog effectively isn’t getting enough calories and so the body starts to break down the fat reserves as well.
Sugar levels in the blood will be high and this glucose will draw water with it into the urine.  The dog is dehydrated so drinks more.  This in turn puts a strain on the kidneys.
How does the insulin work?
Blood sugar levels will fall slowly after insulin is given and be lowest about 6-8 hours after the injection.  The sugar levels will then rise until the next feed and injection are due.  This is described as a glucose curve.
Insulin is a delicate medication which must be stored in the fridge.  It’s a suspension so settles and must be mixed gently before drawing into the syringe.
What about food?
A wet food of high-quality protein is needed, with as low a level of carbohydrates as possible, and no in-between meal treats.
What if the dog gets sick, vomits or has an infection?
Urinary tract infections can become a common problem due to the excess sugar in the urine helping bacteria to grow. This is where it gets really tricky, for it is dangerous to give too much insulin, as hypoglycaemic episodes (to little sugar in the body) can easily lead to collapse and death.
Monitoring diabetes
The amount of insulin required can change over time and also due to circumstance, such as antibiotic treatment, exercise etc., so monitoring is very important.  The glucose levels are most accurately measured via blood testing.  Taking prick tests can be done at home with an AlphaTRAK meter which comes with test strips, a lancing device, lancets and a diary.
When you record a glucose curve, usually to find the best dose of insulin when first starting to treat, several readings are taken at regular intervals throughout the day. This is quite a commitment!
It is also important for diabetic pets to have their teeth cleaned when necessary, because infections in the mouth can cause blood sugar levels to rise.

What is the cost (March 2021)?  
An AlphaTRAK monitor to check blood glucose levels is priced between £50-70 (shop around)
Insulin bottle £52 (which lasts us about 3 weeks).   Syringes £25/per 100  
Lancets £18-20   Test strips £49.20 for 50   Sharps box £5

Learning how to manage the disease
When you have the long appointment with your vet to demonstrate the injection technique ensure all family members attend – you need back up, even if it’s a dog-friendly neighbour.  And yes we’ve all managed to stab ourselves with the needle.

How to inject your Eurasier with insulin

The injection sites need to be varied,  so we got a set of clippers as it is easier if you can see the skin. 
Now Kodi is medicated and his blood sugar levels regulated, his coat is so much softer. We have been lucky in that he is amongst the 25% who don’t have the enzyme in the eye which causes a fast growth of cataracts.

He’s lost about 6 kilos and it seemed the stuffing had been knocked out of him before he got treated.  We are a year and 4 months post diagnosis now, and Kodi is a much happier dog! 

Ruth Bickford with Kodi

Hip & Elbow Scoring Alternatives to the suspended BVA Scheme

Hip and Elbow Scoring

Alternatives to the suspended BVA Scheme

compiled by Brigitte Mordan-Grimm, January 1st 2021

SEA members who breed are required to check their Eurasiers’ hips and elbows (No 25, Code of Ethics), both of which are normally scored by the BVA (British Veterinary Association). As of late December 2020, the scoring by the BVA has been suspended due to Covid-19, so for those who need their scores fairly urgently, we recommend the following 2 schemes:

America/OFA and Australia/ANKC

FCI scores usually go through a Eurasier club, which can make it a bit more work for the applicant.

Mention to the veterinarian that you will want your Eurasier’s joint images scored abroad, as they are probably aware of the BVA scoring having been suspended, and might therefore be reluctant to perform them.

OFA has a different grading system for hips to the BVA/ANKC and FCI, but they are all comparable.

Elbow scores are basically the same in all schemes 

Quick facts for hip scoring

• BVA and Australia have the same scoring system
• America and FCI have a different scoring system
• All scores are perfectly comparable
• There is no disadvantage or advantage to a particular scheme
• SEA accepts any official scoring scheme, be it the BVA, FCI, Australia or OFA, for any imported Eurasier, as well as overseas sires
• The KC accepts any official scoring scheme for their Assured Breeder Scheme
• The KC records those scores if sent in, but they are not available on the KC Health Test Results Finder

Submitting to OFA/America

OFA has a different grading system to the BVA/Australia, but results are perfectly comparable.

OFA only accepts submissions for dogs X-rayed after their second birthday; if the dog is younger, it is scored as a ‘preliminary result’. SEA will accept either.

A link to the Screening Procedure

Submission Process

To submit the x-rays either online, or download and fill in the form at https://www.ofa.org/application-forms

OFA accept JPG, JPEG, PNG and DICOM image file formats.

Cost: Over 2 years: Hips & Elbows $40, Hips or elbows only $35. Under 2 years (30/30; 40) https://www.ofa.org/about/ofa-fees

Reports are sent to the veterinarian and owner on completion of the evaluation.

Turn-around time for ‘preliminary results’ (up to 2 years of age) - 1 week,
2 years + 2-3 weeks

Breed statistics are available at https://www.ofa.org/diseases/breed-statistics#detail

Submitting to ANKC/Australia

Canine Hip and Elbow Scheme – general information

Submission Process

The scheme is open to all dogs of at least one year of age (like the BVA)

• Arrange for appropriate x-rays (in DICOM format, NOT jpg!) to be taken at a veterinary surgery, ensuring the dog’s identity is confirmed by microchip
• Complete the form (ANKC Ltd CHEDS, available at ankc.org.au)
• Cost: $100.00 for hips & elbows, $80 for hips alone or $25 for elbows alone
• Chose an assessor from the list of ANKC authorised panelists on the ANKC website https://www.orchid.ankc.org.au/
• Results will be returned to the owner and copies sent to veterinarian
• Turn-around time: 24 hours to a few days

For the majority of panellists you just need to complete the form at http://ankc.org.au/media/9184/ankc-cheds-report-submission-form.pdf  and submit by email with X-rays; subsequently arrange payment. 

One panellist has an online process, which removes the need to complete a paper form. Also, the payment can be made by card at the time of submission. http://www.vetscoring.com/

X-rays can be submitted by the owner or veterinarian as required.

Copies will be sent to the owner and veterinarian.

The ANKC publish current averages, but Eurasiers are not yet included.

For questions and to submit any scores obtained overseas, please contact the UK Health Coordinator.

Short Minutes of the 2020 Eurasier Conference - IFEZ

 
Short Minutes of the International  Federation for  Eurasierzucht 

on 31/10-01/11/2020 

 

Since 1996, each year at the end of October, the IFEZ clubs have met to exchange information about breeding and about any necessary measures to keep our beautiful breed the  "Eurasier" healthy as well as sound in temperament. 

In 2020, everything was different. That meeting was also affected by Corona. We quickly came to the decision to hold the meeting online, so that the exchange of information would not stall.

 

Three conference modules were created for the weekend. With some variation in the clubs’ participants, the content was competently discussed and worked through with the help of the online platform "MS Teams" by John Stegman, the current IFEZ Chair.   

The most important topics covered were: 

• Further collection of ideas on the redesign of the joint agreement on cooperation between the clubs 
• Our database will be cloud-based, backups, GDPR, hits, etc. was discussed; first concrete information was provided 
• The new homepage will now also be made available in English  
• Many new insights about breeding and health of our Eurasiers gained (breeding requirements, thyroid problems, popular sire syndrome, inbreeding problems, etc.) 
• Information about fees in member clubs, requirements of different kennel clubs etc. 
  

Will we be able to meet in person again in 2021? Let us hope so! 

 

©Gisela Aach   

Translation: B Mordan-Grimm