Lessons from a PPO Conversation

Yesterday I had a great phone conversation with a smart and savvy PPO (Potential Puppy Owner). He asked all the right questions — and more. #winner

But he also shared his frustrations. Breeders who do not respond to email inquiries. Puppy producers who do not deserve to be called breeders that are quick to offer a puppy to anyone with $$$. Breeders who lack data — and data-informed strategy.

As I listened to him, I realized that many of his concerns are shared ones — but from a different vantage point.

When you are trying to make data-informed breeding decisions, it is a bit hard (understatement alert) when stud dog owners don’t respond to emails, have an attitude of Semen for All!, and do not have the data to even begin to build an articulated strategy.

Huh. That was an interesting insight — that the frustrations of PPOs are/can be similar to some of us breeder-types…

I take an unanswered email as rejection to my inquiry about a stud dog. I might try twice and/or use two methods of reaching out — just in case the person is busy or has a gutted kitchen or some life event. But I figure an ignored inquiry is a message of sorts, and the respectful thing is to pay attention to the message sent — even when said message is a silent one.

There are two potential stud dogs I REALLY like — so much! But apparently so does everyone else and so the dogs are being used — a lot.

I have at least two issues with that and they are related. First, I do not really want puppies from a male that is available to any and all comers. Second, it is not good for the breed when a male sires more than XX litters — I am not sure what the number is but there is a number.

On the other hand, it is a positive thing if a male is used enough that there is data on his offspring. Like most things in life, it’s complicated. But in general, I do not want to join a parade when choosing a stud dog.

I look at both Berner-Garde and the OFA database to explore how a stud dog owner values data — actions speaking so much more than words, and past behavior being the best predictor of future behavior.

There is a stud dog I REALLY love — so much! But one side of the pedigree is a bit sketchy — in my opinion — on orthopedics. I can live with that IF I know the dog is not producing in that direction.

But how can I know if only two of his 16 offspring who are well over 24 months have results in the OFA database, and one of those reflects an orthopedic fail?

I can’t know. Therefore, I cannot use that dog with one of my girls, which is a bummer.

Breeders likely do not really understand the great PPOs they are losing by ignoring emails, placing puppies without high standards for buyers, and/or failing to gather and share data.

I was reminded of this yesterday.

And stud dog owners likely do not realize or fully understand what they are losing by ignoring inquiries, potentially overusing their males, and/or failing to gather and share data.

Of course, if cash is the primary consideration — never mind all this nonsense.

First in a Regular Series: Sixty Days to a Draft Title (maybe)

Daisy and I are embarked on a journey.

Sixty Days to a Draft Title.

Ambitious and especially for a dog as novice in working events as Daisy is — but what is the worst that can happen at a draft test (barring being struck by lightening, of course)? We don’t pass — but nobody takes away our birthdays and so Big Deal.

Our (okay — my) sights are set on the Inland Northwest Bernese Mountain Dog Club’s two-day draft test in Helena on September 20 & 21. It is a fabulous test at a lovely site with wonderful, cheerful and laid back volunteers and awesome judges — and scones. Click HERE for more info on the test.

But Daisy and I have a lot of work to do to be ready.

Draft tests begin with what is basically a heeling pattern, although it is less “heeling” and more loose leash walking in the handler’s general vicinity. A recall follows before the dog is harnessed/hitched.

Can I just say that I wish they would get rid of those two things — the fake heeling and recall?! For so many reasons. But I digress.

Daisy does not know how to heel. Minor issue — that can be trained and especially because it is not exactly “heel” so it can be less than perfect. We have 54 or so more days, after all!

Recall — agility training has helped with “wait” but this exercise will also need work. However, not as one complete exercise! We will work “wait” by itself and “come” by itself 100% of the time for the next month.

How do you work them separately, you ask? Easy Peasy.

Put dog on a wait, reward for the behavior — and release. Add distance to the wait as the dog can tolerate but always return to the dog and reward — and then release. If the dog breaks the wait, you just got info that you moved too quickly for their current skill/understanding. Slow that training down, sister!

To work on “come” — toss a cookie and let the dog chase/get it, and then say “come.” Give an even better cookie when the dog comes. You can call the dog in the house, in the yard, etc. — this is an easy exercise to practice.

Training a new dog for draft is always a bit of an anxious mystery — did she get the full set of carting genes? A partial set? Or like Harper B for Be Missing Those Completely — None.

Here is Daisy pulling the training cart — her second time hitched up.

It would appear that Miss Daisy has the complete set — whew. That helps so much.

At this point Daisy’s biggest challenge is letting herself be harnessed without playing tug with the harness and/or rolling over with joy that she is being touched. Daisy feels her Feels in big and happy ways — “sedate” is not in the Dog Dictionary next to her name.

Can we do this? Is the Sixty-Days-to-a-Draft-Title doable for Daisy?

I guess we will all see. It sure will be fun to try!

Excuse Talk

My new part-time job is managing all things reconstruction. I imagine this is like herding really slow cats — who need frequent naps.

Last Thursday I marched into two different offices because a week had gone by and I did not hear back as expected. Time was up — I needed some answers!

I got two very different responses.

Response #1: A phone call. Overly friendly voice, stated he had left a message last week — but did not remember which number — and quickly moved to setting up a time to come out.

I am a professor and have been for a long time. I know Excuse Talk when I hear it.

I went home and pulled up phone records on the computer. I checked my phone and Dear Husband checked his.

Nada. Nothing. No message from that person, the voice mail boxes were not full, and no phone call from his number.

I called the Regional Manager of the company and invited him to investigate since perhaps there was a logical explanation — but under the present circumstances, I told him, I was not comfortable working with their company any more.

Response #2: Receptionist grabbed the human involved — and he simply apologized for not getting back to me.

I will continue working with that company — they are trustworthy.

We see Excuse Talk in Life with Dogs. In fact, Berner-Garde will include Excuse Talk in individual dog records. You can spot it because it is listed as anecdotal and it usually strains credibility.

For example…

• A pattern of anecdotal entries from breeder along the lines of “puppy played rough…” to explain known-to-be-inherited orthopedic problems.

• Anecdotal entry that explains dog was frightened by fireworks (bitten by ant, had this or that drug, ate the wrong food under the wrong phase of the moon, etc.) and that caused her to develop XXX condition.

Excuse Talk is easy to do and it is understandable — we so want there to be an explanation that does not require us to face hard truths. I get it.

And we so want to believe the Excuse Talk of others — because recognizing that someone we care about (or need!) is a complicated and maybe not-all-that-honest human being is rough. And so we just let the Excuse Talk slide. It is just easier that way.

But Excuse Talk is more than an innocent tall tale. It can be a reflection of something central and core about a human being — a sort of Integrity Test.

How can I trust a Project Manager who lies?

I can’t — or more to the point, I won’t. Because in my world, integrity matters. A lot.

And if I give Excuse Talk a pass — in a Construction Project Manager, a student, or a breeder — I have allowed myself to join the dishonesty. Even more, when we give a pass it means we have not cared enough to invite change.

I have found that exposure of Excuse Talk can and often does result in positive — and sometimes even appreciated — changes, even though it is both hard to do and hard to hear.

And I am not just talking about other people — all of us can so easily slip into Excuse Talk mode. Sometime the one who needs us to call an Excuse Talk Alert is ourself.

There is no shame in being an imperfect human being — only in pretending the truth is something different than it is, and asking others to go along with the lie.

Hence my current lack of a Project Manager — and this blog.