We've been feeding Royal Canin for that past few months now with great success.
I recommend ordering food straight from the Royal Canin website. There is no charge for shipping no matter the amount you purchase. When puppies reach 5 weeks of age, I will send out an e-mail containing a recommendation of the food we use. Within this e-mail will also have a coupon included. That way you can have food ready to go for when your new puppy comes home. Your puppy will also go home with a Royal Canin Puppy Starter kit (if kits are in stock and I have them on hand) which contains a small sample size of their puppy food along with a tote bag, measuring cup, and coupon for your first order. Not only that, I typically have a canister of food in each of my puppy packs that contain some probiotic for transitioning. It's best to use that little canister first since going home can be stressful. Click on either photo and the link will take you to the Royal Canin website to order. Happy 1st Birthday Melvin!
We've had a lot of puppies and adult dogs come and go through the years in our program. There were quite a few Matthew was very fond of... typically adults. So it's hard to see them go, but it's the nature of the beast. But then low and behold, last year Matthew decided to pick out a pup for himself. He chose a VooDoo x Stevie (granddaughter to Yeti x Echo) pup born on January 1, 2023. I knew fairly early on that she'd have a blue eye and no one scooped her up. Everyone wants blue eyes, I thought for sure she'd be picked. Then Matthew picked her. I asked Matthew if he'd want to raise a litter from her. Told him the pros/cons involved and he decided he didn't want to take the risk. I had Melvin spayed early on around 6 months old so he wouldn't have to deal with a heat cycle. She's slept with him pretty much since she was 8 weeks old. She's funny too.... he's got a little dog bed for her so whenever he goes to bed or whenever he's in his chair watching a movie or gaming, that dog is right there in her little dog bed. She's not cuddly with him which is perfect for him. It's like she knows how he is. It was so cute when he picked her out a Transformer toy when she got spayed that stays in her dog bed. That kid is addicted to Transformers. But when Matthew's at school or at play practice and she's hanging out with me or Sean, she will be a lap dog with us. He loves that little dog. One year old and weighing in at 11 lbs 7 oz. I told Melvin don't expect anything fancy today, gifts or treats or anything, Matthew's not that kind of guy. I get a lot of questions about her name. It comes from a video game and a skit Matthew did for school on a Roaring 20's project. The names Melvin and Fenton were the characters. I actually played Fenton and used the name for a boy I kept back until Radish came along, and Matthew played the character Melvin. It just made sense to name her that. Matthew & Melvin M & M Found a maker on Etsy selling these fleece whelping pool covers.
Couldn't pass up the Boston print in striped sweaters! Makes me think of the Spongebob Squarepants song - "Striped Sweater" CozyPuppyDesigns We finally got around to putting new flooring in.
I’m by no means done. I started in the living room and then it dawned on me priority was getting the puppy nursery done before puppies arrive. I’m so glad Phoenix wanted to help me with this project as initially I was planning on doing it all myself. 2024 is MZBostons 10 year anniversary too, and what better way to send puppies home with a pretty new floor?! Updated map of MZBostons and Phoenix's Frenchtons
If you’ve moved and I’m missing your state, please let your girl know! Mojo was due to have her first litter the end of September/first part of October.
I had a feeling she wasn't expecting a very big litter. Very likely a singleton - meaning only 1 puppy. She started nesting and doing the typical pre labor stuff on Sunday. That first stage of labor can take 12-24 hours. It was close to 11 PM and the puppy was presenting breech and I couldn't help her get it through the canal as it was just plain stuck. So off we go to the ER Vet in Sioux Falls. As I suspected it was 1 very large puppy. She had her c-section and the puppy didn't make it. It's things like this that make me wonder why I even do it? These are the times I just want to throw in the towel and be done. I try to remain positive and keep remembering the good always outweighs the bad. Breeders tend to get a bad rap and a lot of judgment. The cost of Mojo, the travel expense to get her, the anticipation of her litter, the costs of producing a healthy litter in turn to have an emergency c-section on a Sunday night and to go home with no puppy. It's not all sunshine and rainbows. I retired these girls most recently.
Ursula found herself a wonderful home in the Black Hills with a family that had gotten a MZBT pup in a rehome situation. They had lost their other Boston and he needed a new friend. Emmylou (formerly Hedy) went home with the parents of young man with a MZBT pup. She'll spend half her time in Minnesota and half her time in Texas on South Padre Island. Lucky Bostons! These are initial screening questions I utilize when someone is interested in a puppy.
Granted most folks do have Boston experience, but some don't, and I want them to do their research on brachycephalic (short nosed) breeds before hand. Boston Terrier Questions ~Have you read through the buyer’s info page on my website? If not, please do so: https://www.mzbostons.com/buyer-info.html ~In what instance are deposits refundable? ~Is everyone in your household on board with a new puppy? ~Anyone have any allergies to dogs? ~Are you familiar with the Boston Terrier breed? (It is typical for short nose breeds to vomit by eating/drinking too quickly or just because, pass gas, and snore) Puppies tend to be a lot of work. They are babies when they go home so they are not housebroken/potty trained or crate trained (they are newspaper trained here), those things take time. They sometimes whine/cry for a week or 2, especially at night. There is a period of adjustment and transitioning for them. No 2 Puppies are the same. Each has their own unique personality. They might be easier or harder than a previous puppy. ~Is this something you are prepared for? ~If renting, is the landlord on board with a new puppy? ~Do you run a daycare inside of your home? ~Will this puppy grow up to be a pet or do you have plans for breeding? ~Do you understand that puppies can get injured if they are dropped by kids and/or adults or fall off of furniture or from heights? Puppies can/do get sick and injured, will this be something you are able to handle and are prepared for? ~Are you able to pick up your puppy in person when he/she is 8 weeks old? Puppies go to the vet at 8 weeks of age and can go home during the week that they are 8 weeks old, prior to turning 9 weeks old unless I would need to hold back a puppy dependent upon my discretion. Vets are very booked out right now, it is important to have a vet visit scheduled within the timeframe I require to ensure a healthy puppy. Something new!
When we send puppies home, each pup comes with a Puppy Package. This ALWAYS includes a jar/container of the food they are currently feeding. We are now includingRoyal Canin Puppy Kits with your puppies, as I've been thrilled with how puppies have been taking to Royal Canin these past few litters I've sent home. Believe me, I've tried it all throughout the years. I just want our puppies to thrive on a food and this one seems to be such a hit! Those of you that have already reserved a puppy have already gotten an e-mail recommendation from me from Royal Canin with the food your puppy is currently eating. It comes with a 20% coupon on your first order. Some key pointers: Shipping through Royal Canin is always FREE! Unlike Chewy, you don't have to spend such and such amount to qualify for Free Shipping. You can get a smaller size and it's still Free Shipping! If you sign up for their Autoship, you save 5%. There's no real easy way to say this, so I'll just come out and say it.
I lost Bindi last night. I am so incredibly thankful and grateful for her these past 4 weeks, she really kept them babies nice and chubby. But its been a bit of a struggle with her. I didn't want to say anything on here for fear of stressing out the families getting her little boys. But it is is now up to me to keep them going. I think we will be ok, I've been working on transitioning them for the past week to reduce the nursing demand they had on her. I'm fairly certain she passed from eclampsia/hypocalcemia (low blood calcium). I'll never forget what my Mom told me all those years ago when I decided to venture into my own breeding program. She said, you think long and hard about this because at some point, you will lose a female, and 9 years later, that time has finally come. An updated photo of Phoenix's pet Pug, Pickles. He's decided to name his Blueberry pup nicknamed Cloudberry.... Chips.
Pickles & Chips 2023 - Dog Food
I’ve debated on whether or not to write this post for awhile now. Selfishly, I’d rather keep it my own “dirty little secret.” But it is worthy of sharing. Most of you will continue to do what you do. Some may read this post in it entirety, others will start and skip right over it. This is something you really need to have an open mind for if you’re one of those people. “Dog Food Snobs” I’ll admit many times throughout my breeding career I’ve been in the very same boat. I myself, have been a victim of a Dog Food Snob. I didn’t have an open mind. I followed the marketing, the things I read on social media, the commercials… I followed all of that. If Facebook says it’s true, it must be right? Facebook…. honestly, how credible is that? A meme told you so? Really? So far 2023 has taught me I have a low tolerance of many things. Perhaps I’m getting to that age where I just don’t have the time or energy to deal with the little things I once did. I was always the person to be there to lend a helping hand but I’ve been continued to be dealt with various situations that I no longer will take part in. I’ve learned to let it go and walk away. Starting out I’ve pretty much tried everything. I’ve fed Diamond, Taste of the Wild (grain free is supposed to be great right? — Ugh! Read up on DCM), Victor, Sport Dog Food, Pro Plan Sport (with great success for 3 years straight until something didn’t agree with my dogs… more on that later), Muenster (the owner ate his own dog food for 30 days, that must be ok? Right? Now I chuckle), Inukshuk (made in Canada), Purina Dog Chow & Puppy Chow, Purina One Adult & Puppy. Do you notice the trend? I did all these foods that really have no science behind them. Where am I now? Back to Purina. It’s where I’ll stay for the rest of my breeding days and pet owning days. Sure people (mostly other breeders) have come to me trying to get me to try their brands. Foods like Paw Tree and TLC, they are mlm type companies. I get it. It’s a tough time right now and breeders need all the kick backs they can get. It all sounds great. Fresh Pet foods you buy in a refrigerator section in your local grocery store? Those should be best right? I too, again, fell for a lot of the hype. I joined this group and learned so much, and I encourage you to do the same: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CanineNutrition/ Going forth, I will only feed/recommend 5 companies that understand the importance set forth by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association or WSAVA since that’s quite a mouthful. Those 5 companies are: Purina, Royal Canin, Eukanuba, Iams, and Hill’s Science Diet Yes, despite what you’ve been told about Beneful (oh no!) this is a great food option to feed your dog. Purina has so many options for EVERY BUDGET. Same with the other 4 companies. Things I’ve learned by joining this group. Do NOT mix foods together. You’re causing more harm than good. The food is already formulated and completely balanced for your dog. It really messes things up if you mix together different brands or different proteins. Don’t do that! DCM…. oh boy…. there are so many of those fancy boutique brands that cause that condition. You don’t want to unknowingly do that to your pet. There’s so much more! But you’ll have to join the group to see for yourself. Science. Yes I said it. We’ve got to stop believing what we read on the internet or because someone told you so. Chicken allergies? Highly unlikely a dog really has an actual chicken allergy. If you are one with an open mind and ready to give this group a go, please join it. There is so much to learn. Because when it comes down to it, we all want the same thing for our dogs. To live as long as they can and to be as healthy as they can. |
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