The Pact of the Fire

The Pact of the Fire - A Sioux Legend

When the world was created, First Man and First Woman struggled to stay alive and warm through the first winter. First Dog struggled also. Deep in the winter, First Dog gave birth to her pups. Each night, she huddled in the brush of the forest, longingly watching the fire, which kept First Man and First Woman warm.

First Winter was severe, so cold that First Dog dared not leave her pups to search for food to fill her own belly, fearing that her pups would freeze to death in her absence. She curled around them, but the wind was bitter.

Her belly shrank with hunger, and soon she had no milk. The smallest pup perished, and First Dog felt her own life draining away as she struggled to care for the remaining pups. Fearing for the fate of the others, she knew she had no choice but to approach the fire and ask First Woman and First Man to share their food and the fire's warmth.

Slowly, she crept to the fire and spoke to First Woman, who was heavy with child. I am a mother, said First Dog, and soon you will be a mother too. I want my little ones to survive, just as you will want your little one to survive. So I will ask you to make a pact. First Woman and First Man listened. I am about to die. Take my pups. You will raise them and call them Dog. They will be your guardians. They will alert you to danger, keep you warm, guard your camp, and even lay down their life to protect your life and the lives of your children. They will be companions to you and all your generations, never leaving your side, as long as Mankind shall survive. In return, you will share your food and the warmth of your fire. You will treat my children with love and kindness, and tend to them if they become ill, just as if they were born from your own belly. And if they are in pain, you will take a sharp knife to their throat, and end their misery. In exchange for this, you will have the loyalty of my children and all their offspring until the end of time.

First Man and First Woman agreed. First Dog went to her nest in the brush, and with the last of her strength, one by one, she brought her pups to the fire. As she did so, First Woman gave birth to First Child, wrapped her in Rabbit skins, and nestled First Child among the pups by the fireside. First Dog lay down by the fire, licked her pups, then walked away to die under the stars.

Before she disappeared into the darkness, she turned and spoke once more to First Man "My children will honor this pact for all generations. But if Man breaks this pact, if you or your children's children deny even one dog food, warmth, a kind word or a merciful end, your generations will be plagued with war, hunger and disease, and so this shall remain until the pact is honored again by all Mankind." With this, First Dog entered the night, and returned in spirit to the creator.

From Legends of America

The List of Favorites

While there is no breed that I dislike, I do have favorites and a long list of breeds I would love to own. Here is a shortened list of my top 10 dog breeds. Everyone has their own personal preference for what type of dog they want and I respect that. If we all loved and needed the same characteristics there wouldn't be nearly the incredible variety of breeds we have today. Overall I'm most drawn to medium and large sized breeds. I like the weight range of 35-65 lbs or so. I also have a thing for ears. Dog ears make me very happy so the fuzzier, floppier, or bigger, the better!

Fluffy dogs are very appealing to me. If it wasn't for the drool I would absolutely love to have Newfoundlands. I can deal with fur everywhere but drool hanging from the ceiling is too gross for me. They are very large dogs but tend to be very mellow and calm.

 

Newfoundland
newfoundlanddog.com

Northern breeds with their little fox ears, curled tails, and thick fur have always been favorites of mine. Siberian huskies, Shiba Inus, and Karelian Bear Dogs are my top picks with huskies being one of my all-time favorite dogs (as if you hadn't guessed). Shibas are one of the very few small breeds that I adore. Bear Dogs can be quite intense and may not best for family life.

Siberian husky
doggies.com

Shiba Inu
flickr.com/photos/cedrick2611

Karelian Bear Dog
runningbeardog.com

Next up are gundogs, specifically pointers. They have always appealed to me. I really like their structure, and I can't get enough of their floppy ears! German Shorthaired Pointers ("GSP" for short) are one of the first breeds on my list of favorite dogs after Siberian huskies. The Hungarian Vizsla also makes the list.

German Shorthaired Pointer
mypetla.com

Hungarian Vizsla
pagliaccidogs.com

The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retreiver ("Toller" for short) is another gundog I love. Beautiful dogs and I love their medium size.

Toller
justdogbreeds.com

Next we have the saluki. I love speed and these dogs were built for it. They are tied for second on my list with GSPs.

Saluki
salukis.topcharty.net

Saluki
greatdogsite.com

Up next, the Cardigan Welsh corgi. Along with the Shiba Inu it's one of the only small dogs that I just can't get enough of. I prefer the cardigan to the pembroke because I like the tails! Cardigans are right up there on my list after GSPs and Salukis.

Corgi
thecorgisite.com

Corgi
thecorgisite.com

Finally, we have the Belgian Malinois. I would definitely do schutzhund or other protection sports if I had one. I love the work drive and they are wonderful dogs. Oh, and of course those big ears are something I love!

Belgian Malinois
dogsonline.com

Belgian Malinois

There we have it. Newfoundlands excluded due to drool factor, my favorite breeds are Siberian huskies, GSPs and Salukis tied for second, and then Cardigan Welsh Corgis.

Happy Birthday!

Today is Denali and Kaytu's birthday! They are now 2 years old!! Denali I know was born on February 16th, and since I know Kaytu was born in February of 2010 I'm saying their birthday is the same day.

Our day began with a bike ride to the park. There were no other dogs when we arrived but the girls didn't care. They were having a blast running and and wrestling each other. A male black lab showed up after about 15 minutes and they had a great time playing. We stayed for about an hour total.

Once home I wanted to take a few pictures of them. As I lead Kaytu outside Husband arrived home and was able to help me.

I was waving a leaf around to get their attention.
Denali was focused!

We then went inside to give them their cakes.

Kaytu waiting patiently.

Denali waiting impatiently.

Finally it was cake time! Their cakes are ground venison with an egg on top, and 2 beef ribs for candles. Husband and I sang happy birthday to both of them and let them dig in. We celebrated with strawberry banana smoothies.

Their present should be arriving tomorrow, a bulk order of bully sticks from Best Bully Sticks. Yes, their present is bull pizzles!

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The first time I saw a picture of Denali she was 3 weeks old and I had no idea which dog would be our Denali. We had the name but needed to meet the puppies first to determine which one we wanted. We adopted her from a breeder, Shamrock Siberians, in southern California.

The first picture of the litter. The mother's name is Eden.
Denali is the white puppy on the far right under her chest

Denali's father, named Miles.
www.shamrocksiberians.com

This was the day we met the puppies to choose which one would be Denali,
they were 6 weeks old. Denali is the middle white one.

Denali

8 weeks old, our first family photo!

3 months old

3 1/2 months old
Her ears had a growth spurt before she did

4 months old at Coronado beach

6 months old

8 months old

9 months old

11 months old

1 year old

1 year, 5 months
Denali's first 1st place and first qualifying run in agility

1 year, 6 months old

1 year, 8 months
Introducing Kaytu, October of 2011

1 year, 8 months

Which bring us to today, their 2nd birthday. Time has gone much too quickly. My baby polar bear puppy has grown up into a beautiful young dog, and pretty little Kaytu has entered our lives and come a long way in the 4 short months she's been with us. Happy Birthday girlies!

Pull Me Not, Pt. 2

After receiving a message I thought it was worth making a second note about pulling. While I like the "be a tree" method to teach loose-leash walking and use it with my own dogs, it is not practical for every dog and owner. There are many ways to teach the same behavior and what works for some dogs may not work with others or may not even be possible with others.

The message I received mentioned the method of turning and walking the opposite direction when the dog pulls ahead. This is a valuable method and does work well for most dogs. I do suggest this method for dogs who simply refuse to let up even after several minutes of "being a tree," and especially for dogs who overpower their handlers. If you can't stand your ground or it is very difficult to do so then trying to stand there isn't a good option, and the turning method is a great one. I prefer "be a tree" when possible because the dog is the one making the choice. I believe that when dogs choose and find that their own choices can be very rewarding, the desired behavior will be much stronger and more reliable than if you always have to ask for it. This is why I prefer "be a tree" to turning. I really like to let the dog be rewarded for choosing to do something, rather than asking the dog. Again, the turning method does work well for many dogs and it is a great method if the handler can't physically hold the dog back or if the dog is not letting up. I don't expect someone to stand still for 15 minutes until their dog finally looks back. While no dog will pull forever, you'd have a really sore arm and it isn't worth waiting that long. Turning would be more practical and effective.

I also want to mention that "be a tree" is being used in context of loose-leash walking here (though it has other useful applications as well). Not every behavior is best taught by waiting for the dog to perform it but loose-leash walking is one that I like to let the dog figure out.

There are many ways to do the same thing, and different dogs and owners will work best with different methods.

Pull Me Not

Kaytu is a puller. I refuse to let dogs pull me on leash so I knew this was going to be a big focal point in our training. The biggest reason I don't allow it is because pulling damages their neck. It's also not fun to be dragged around, it demonstrates lack of control for both dog and handler, it's tough to break the dog's focus when they are in "pull mode," and it can be the catalyst for other problems like aggression. Dogs that are straining to move toward another dog or person are already more worked up and intently focused on reaching their target. This makes them likely to redirect that excited, intense energy into aggression when they finally get there. Leash manners are very important to me.

When Kaytu would get to the end of her leash she would pull even harder. Harder and harder, she would lean forward and pull with all her might. When she couldn't pull any harder she would stand straight up on her back legs and balance. It seemed to me that whenever she'd been walked in the past someone would just hold the handle of a 6 foot leash and let her pull as hard as she wanted.

Pulling is a very, very difficult behavior to change because pulling is self rewarding. Dogs pull because it gets them exactly what they want. They have no reason not to pull unless you give them one.

I had a brief internal debate on how strongly I really wanted to train the pulling out of her. I love mushing with her. Denali goes for bike rides with me but she does not really pull me. Kaytu on the other hand pulls and runs at top speed. It's exhilarating. Experiencing that with her is incredible and beautiful. It's one of the reasons I have huskies and not other breeds. I like their desire to run and pull, but I also like to harness it (literally) into a specific activity. It is really challenging for many dogs to learn that they are supposed to pull hard and run fast sometimes but other times they are supposed to walk with a loose leash and not pull at all or run ahead. I decided that leash manners definitely were more important. I was going to do everything I could to keep her working drive, her desire to pull, while also training her to walk nicely on leash. I was willing to sacrifice the mushing for good leash manners if necessary.

We do this 2-3x per week, at least 5 miles at a time.

The first real walk we went on was a hike. I had done very little walking with her at home and was a little worried about how well she would do. Denali was offleash, Kaytu had never been there so was very distracted, and I introduced the head collar. All at once. Very bad planning but I couldn't leave Kaytu home alone that day. She had to come. Ideally I would have introduced her to the head collar first and gotten her comfortable with it and gone on short walks up and down the neighborhood to teach her the basics of loose leash walking but it wasn't an option. We had only had Kaytu a month and most of that time had been spent on learning impulse control (not bolting out the door), building our bond, and just teaching her the rules of the house and basic manners. Walks were basically from the front door to the car and the car to the gate of the dog park. I was teaching her during those very brief times but we hadn't really worked on it a lot. I was consistent, but we didn't do it often enough for her to really get it yet.


We got to the trailhead and I put the head collar on. She was bucking, rearing, pawing, shaking her head, she hated it. I was ready with treats to keep her distracted and my other trick was to keep her moving. She couldn't be pawing at it if she was walking. It didn't take her too long to get used to it. I chose to use the head collar for a couple reasons. First because it was a new tool that she wasn't familiar with. She was used to pulling with a collar on, but the head collar was a new thing with no pulling association. Head collars also allow for much greater control with much less use of force. When the dog tries to pull when wearing a head collar, the dog will turn its own head to the side. That makes it much more difficult to pull forward. Most dogs will learn to compensate and will strain their necks the other way to continue pulling forward, so it's important to train loose leash walking and not only rely on the head collar. It's also important to never jerk the leash when the dog is wearing a head collar. Pressure turns the dog's head to the side so quick snaps can easily cause damage to the dog's neck.

First hike, wearing the pretty pink head collar.

Walking on a loose leash is ultimately the dog's responsibility. It is not my job as a handler to constantly be calling her back or giving any kind of command or sound to her to keep her close. It's her job to keep the leash loose, not mine! The way I teach it is to make it clear to the dog that she decides when we stop or go.  Any time she puts tension on the leash, I stop. The phrase used is "be a tree." I don't make any sound. I don't tug on the leash. I don't poke her. I don't say her name. I don't try to make eye contact. I am a tree.

The way I hold the leash is important too. If you hold the handle end of a 6 foot leash the dog will be an entire 6 feet in front of you before it starts to pull. That's already about 4-5 feet too far. I hold the leash so that there is enough slack for her to walk next to me on a loose leash with a little bit of wiggle room. It's not necessary for her to be glued to my leg on hikes or walks, and it's also a difficult position for the dog to maintain. A little wiggle room is fine. If she starts to walk ahead she can only get to where her waist is next to my knee before the leash is tight. I don't want her to be able to get far enough ahead of me that she can cut in front of me. I hold the handle in one hand (opposite the dog) and accordion fold the leash in that hand as well. The other hand I hold the leash in the appropriate place, and I also give her treats with that hand. It's usually best to give treats with the hand closest to the dog.

First hike.

Back to pulling. So she pulls, I freeze and become a tree. Then the instant that she looks at me -or- backs up and puts slack in the leash, I click and give her a treat. [Note: the clicker has already been associated with treats to her. I'll talk more about clicker training in a later post.] The click is a critically important marker. It tells the dog the exact moment she did the right thing. Typically what she would then do is as soon as she got the treat and I took a step she would instantly lunge forward again and pull. So again I would stop and be a tree until again she either looked at me or put slack in the leash which I would reward.

This is initially an extremely slow process for most dogs, especially if they have a history of being allowed to pull. Pulling has been very rewarding in the past so it takes them time to figure out that it is no longer a rewarding behavior. Some will catch on very quickly but with a dog like Kaytu who had been profusely rewarded for pulling in the past and who was (and is) still learning to pay attention to people it was very, very slow. Be patient!! I like dogs to figure things out on their own so that it's their choice. The dog is the one deciding, and the dog needs to know it. During the training process it is crucial to not EVER let the dog pull. If you give in and let the dog pull even once then the dog will likely learn that pulling does sometimes work- they just have to try harder. It will put a big bump in the training process and set you back. Even walking from the front door to the car, even from the car back into the house, even to the mailbox and back into the house, you must not EVER let the dog pull. It will likely be very time consuming at first but that's ok. You can outlast your dog. Be consistent 100% of the time.

Once you are able to take more than one step without the dog pulling, reward the dog while you are in motion. I would give Kaytu a treat every 3-4 steps if she was staying near me with the leash loose. To give the treat I would silently grab one treat from my bag and put my hand next to my side. I'm fortunate in having a dog tall enough that I don't need to lean over to give her a treat.

Mmm treats.

I recommend tiring the dog out some before training sessions, no matter what you are training. Go for a run. Play fetch. Go to the dog park for half an hour. Taking the edge off their energy goes a loooong way in helping the training process. Dogs bursting with energy are more easily distracted, less motivated, and it's much more difficult to keep their focus and attention. Keep training sessions short too, about 10-15 minutes (a 3 hour hike right off the start is not recommended at all). You want to do whatever you can to set the dog up to succeed.


I stayed consistent throughout the hike. It was extremely tiring and there were times when I was quite frustrated and impatient. My best advice for those times is to close your eyes and take a deep breath. Relax. Don't let your dog get the best of you. Take a break. Several times during the hike I would give her the release word and allow her to explore. I would stand still, not allowing her to pull me in any direction, but I would give her the full 6 foot radius of the leash to explore. When I was ready to walk again I would call her and squat down to encourage her to come to me. I would give her a treat for coming to me, then we would begin walking again.

We are the type of people who like to really hike. Fast, heart pounding hiking. I explained that I was going to have to go slower with Kaytu and we should think of the hike more as a nature walk and less like cardio exercise. I know it was frustrating for my husband and in-laws to have to wait for Kaytu and I but I was not about to be dragged along and I was not about to sacrifice the training. It was frustrating for me too but I didn't want her to have even a single experience with me where she was allowed to pull. Kaytu tested me and she tested me hard. There were times when she would do great wouldn't pull for 50 yards or more, and then suddenly she'd start to pull again. I'd have to be a tree for several minutes. It's not easy to stop in the middle of a hike. I wanted nothing more than to keep going. I told everyone to just keep going, we'd catch up eventually.

Waiting for her to give some slack. Waiting.. waiting.. and more waiting.
Be a tree!

Overall that hike was a great success. Kaytu got used to the head collar and was starting to grasp the concept that she controlled when we stopped or walked. She pulls, we stop. She doesn't pull, we go. She is in control.

Over the next couple months I was still mainly focusing on training her to Sit-Stay at the door, coming when called, and refining her manners. The walking was slowly getting better but without more practice it was going to take a very, very long time. I finally dedicated a few time slots recently to specifically work on walking with her and only her.


The night I put the shock collar on her the first time was the first time she showed me that she really understood what I was asking of her. She would notice when I stopped and she knew what it meant. She would scoot backward, flip around and come to me, or look up at me. I was testing her then, allowing her to go ahead to the end of the leash after I'd stopped. Before getting to the end of the leash she'd flip around on her own, no prompt from me, and she'd come right back to me for a treat.
I didn't want her to think the game was to pull, come back, treat, pull, come back, treat, so after that night I switched to only giving her treats for remaining next to me. She had demonstrated to me that she knew what she was being rewarded for and that pulling meant she could no longer move forward. Now if she starts to pull, I become a tree. As soon as she slackens the leash we'll move forward again and after a couple steps I will reward her for remaining near my side.


Today she did awesome. She no longer needs a head collar in the neighborhood, she didn't wear one today. She is noticing me, my movements, and what it all means. She turns with me. She stops as soon as I stop. There was a little bird that ran across the sidewalk in front of us as we were walking. We saw it at the same time. Her head lowered and her ears perked up while simultaneously I stopped sharply. Because I stopped, she stopped. She relaxed her posture and she looked up at me. She didn't chase the bird. She looked up at me!! That's one of those moments where you know that your dog is really getting it and your patience and training is paying off. I was so, so proud of her. I jackpotted her and gave her many treats while we stood there and let the bird run away.

We walked to a little park in the neighborhood and I gave the release word and sat in the grass with her. She rolled around, rubbed her face in the grass, and I pet her and played with her for a few minutes before standing up, calling her to my side, and walking back home.

Let me amend my first statement. Kaytu is not a puller. She is able to handle stronger and bigger distractions at closer distances. She is becoming able to control herself and keep herself from lunging forward toward things she wants and places she wants to get to. She still has her moments when her excitement is too much but she is getting better and better at containing herself. She is not a puller anymore. Extra exciting distractions aside, the majority of the time when we are walking she is right next to me and when she does pull she instantly corrects herself. That's exactly what I want. I am so proud of my little Kay!!


P.S. She still pulls hard and fast when we bike!

Vaccines

You probably vaccinate your pets, as most responsible owners do. What you may not know is that over-vaccination can be extremely harmful to your pet at worst, and at best it's a waste of money. What do you need to know about vaccines? What vaccines do you actually need to give your puppy? When should you vaccinate your puppy? What about boosters? I'll cover all of it.

I'm going to quote information from veterinarians and research, not put this in my own words. Some of it has been slightly reformatted to be easier to read. I'll first bombard you with common abbreviations concerning vaccines, from the 2011 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines (more from those guidelines later):

Bb = Bordetella bronchiseptica [aka "kennel cough"]
CAV-1 = canine adenovirus, type 1(cause of canine viral hepatitis)

CAV-2 = canine adenovirus, type 2
CCoV = canine coronavirus

CDV = canine distemper virus
CIV = canine influenza virus—H3N8
CPiV = canine parainfluenza virus
CPV-2 = canine parvovirus, type 2

DOI = duration of immunity

IM = intramuscular (route of administration) [into the muscle]
IN = intranasal or mucosal (route of administration) [into the nasal passage]
MDA = maternally derived antibody
MLV = modified live virus, attenuated virus vaccine
MV = measles virus
RV = rabies virus
SQ = subcutaneous (route of administration) [under the skin]

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First, a basic understanding of how vaccines work. Dr. Jean Dodds says, "There are two types of vaccines currently available to veterinarians: modified-live vaccines and inactivated ("killed") vaccines." Explained below by Dr. Dodds:

Modified Live Vaccines (MLV)
Modified-live vaccines contain a weakened strain of the disease causing agent. Weakening of the agent is typically accomplished by chemical means or by genetic engineering. These vaccines replicate within the host, thus increasing the amount of material available for provoking an immune response without inducing clinical illness. This provocation primes the immune system to mount a vigorous response if the disease causing agent is ever introduced to the animal. Further, the immunity provided by a modified-live vaccine develops rather swiftly and since they mimic infection with the actual disease agent, it provides the best immune response. 

Inactivated Vaccines (Killed)
Inactivated vaccines contain killed disease causing agents. Since the agent is killed, it is much more stable and has a longer shelf life, there is no possibility that they will revert to a virulent form, and they never spread from the vaccinated host to other animals. They are also safe for use in pregnant animals (a developing fetus may be susceptible to damage by some of the disease agents, even though attenuated, present in modified-live vaccines). Although more than a single dose of vaccine is always required and the duration of immunity is generally shorter, inactivated vaccines are regaining importance in this age of retrovirus and herpesvirus infections and concern about the safety of genetically modified microorganisms. Inactivated vaccines available for use in dogs include rabies, canine parvovirus, canine coronavirus, etc.
Dr. Jean Dodds' Recommended Vaccination Schedule

1. Distemper (CDV) (MLV)
*Initial vaccine (e.g. Intervet Progard Puppy) given at 9 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 - 20 weeks.
*1st Annual Booster given at 1 year - MLV Distemper/Parvovirus only

*Re-Administration Interval: None needed.
*Duration of immunity 7.5 / 15 years by studies. Probably lifetime. *Longer studies pending.
*Comments: Can have numerous side effects if given too young (< 8 weeks).

2. Parvovirus (CPV) (MLV)
*Initial vaccine (e.g. Intervet Progard Puppy) given at 9 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 - 20 weeks

*1st Annual Booster given at 1 year MLV Distemper/Parvovirus only
*Re-Administration Interval: None needed.
*Duration of immunity 7.5 years by studies. Probably lifetime. *Longer studies pending.
*Comments: At 6 weeks of age, only 30% of puppies are protected but 100% are exposed to the virus at the vet clinic.

3. Rabies (killed)
*Initial vaccine given at 24 weeks [~6 months] or older

*1st Annual Booster given at 1 year (give 3-4 weeks apart from Dist/Parvo booster), killed 3 year rabies vaccine
*Re-Administration Interval: 3 yr. vaccine given as required by law in California (follow your state/provincial requirements)
*Comments: rabid animals may infect dogs.

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And that's it! Those are the only 3 vaccines recommended by Dr. Jean Dodds, at those specific ages. These are usually referred to as the "core" vaccines. Here are other vaccines commonly given that are not needed, called "non-core" vaccines. Do research in your own area to determine if your dog would actually benefit from any these vaccines, paying attention to the side effects and consequences of these vaccines as well as variations of the vaccines to make sure your dog receives the right one if you deem it necessary.

Vaccines Not Recommended For Dogs

1. Distemper & Parvo @ 6 weeks or younger
*Not recommended.
*At this age, maternal antibodies form the mothers milk (colostrum) will neutralize the vaccine and only 30% for puppies will be protected. 100% will be exposed to the virus at the vet clinic.

2. Corona
*Not recommended.
1.) Disease only affects dogs <6 weeks of age.
2.) Rare disease: TAMU has seen only one case in seven years.
3.) Mild self-limiting disease.
4.) Efficacy of the vaccine is questionable.

*Leptospirosis
*Not recommended
1) There are an average of 12 cases reported annually in California.
2) Side effects common.
3) Most commonly used vaccine contains the wrong serovars. (There is no cross-protection of serovars) There is a new vaccine with 2 new serovars. Two vaccinations twice per year would be required for protection.).
4) Risk outweighs benefits.

*Lyme
*Not recommended
1) Low risk in California.
2) 85% of cases are in 9 New England states and Wisconsin.
3) Possible side effect of polyarthritis from whole cell bacterin.

*Bordetella (Intranasal) (killed)
*Only recommended 3 days prior to boarding when required.
*Protects against 2 of the possible 8 causes of kennel cough.
*Duration of immunity 6 months.

*Giardia
*Not recommended
*Efficacy of vaccine unsubstantiated by independent studies
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So why is distemper, parvo, and rabies recommended to be given at certain ages? Dr. Dodds continues:

Immunization Schedules
There is a great deal of controversy and confusion surrounding the appropriate immunization schedule, especially with the availability of modified-live vaccines and breeders who have experienced postvaccinal problems when using some of these vaccines. It is also important to not begin a vaccination program while maternal antibodies are still active and present in the puppy from the mother's colostrum. The maternal antibodies identify the vaccines as infectious organisms and destroy them before they can stimulate an immune response.


A note from Dr. Dodds:
Note: This schedule is the one I recommend and should not be interpreted to mean that other protocols recommended by a veterinarian would be less satisfactory. It's a matter of professional judgment and choice. For breeds or families of dogs susceptible to or affected with immune dysfunction, immune-mediated disease, immune-reactions associated with vaccinations, or autoimmune endocrine disease (e.g., thyroiditis, Addison's or Cushing's disease, diabetes, etc.) the above protocol is recommended.
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You may be concerned that your dog is actually not immune by only giving those vaccines when the dog is a puppy. Fear not, immunity can be tested for! Titer testing is explained by the National Institutes of Health (NIH): "Antibody titer is a laboratory test that measures the presence and amount of antibodies in blood. The antibody level in the blood is a reflection of past exposure to an antigen or to something that the body does not recognize as belonging to itself. The body uses antibodies to attack and remove foreign substances."

Dr. Dodds goes on:

Titer Testing

After 1 year, annually measure serum antibody titers against specific canine infectious agents such as distemper and parvovirus. This is especially recommended for animals previously experiencing adverse vaccine reactions or breeds at higher risk for such reactions (e.g., Weimaraner, Akita, American Eskimo, Great Dane).

Another alternative to booster vaccinations is homeopathic nosodes. This option is considered an unconventional treatment that has not been scientifically proven to be efficacious. One controlled parvovirus nosode study did not adequately protect puppies under challenged conditions. However, data from Europe and clinical experience in North America support its use. If veterinarians choose to use homeopathic nosodes, their clients should be provided with an appropriate disclaimer and written informed consent should be obtained.

I use only killed 3 year rabies vaccine for adults and give it separated from other vaccines by 3-4 weeks. In some states, they may be able to give titer test result in lieu of booster.

I do NOT use Bordetella, corona virus, leptospirosis or Lyme vaccines unless these diseases are endemic in the local area pr specific kennel. Furthermore, the currently licensed leptospira bacterins do not contain the serovars causing the majority of clinical leptospirosis today.

I do NOT recommend vaccinating bitches during estrus, pregnancy or lactation.

W. Jean Dodds, DVM
HEMOPET

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Now, a Q&A from Dr. Dodds:
Some Frequently Asked Questions – Some questions are part of the Guidelines for Vaccination of Dogs and Cats compiled by the Vaccine Guidelines Group (VGG) of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA)

Q. Do dogs competing in agility or other events need more vaccines for protection than other pet dogs?
A. No, although if the event location has an exposure risk for Leptospirosis or Lyme disease , annual vaccination for these diseases should be considered.

Q. Is there risk of overvaccinating with vaccines not needed for a specific animal?
A. Yes. Vaccines contain material designed to challenge the immune system of the pet, and so can cause adverse reactions. They should not be given needlessly, and should be tailered to the pet’s individual needs.

Q. Are the initial series of puppy core vaccines immunosuppressive?
A. Yes. This period of immunosuppression from MLV canine distemper and hepatitis vaccines coincides with the time of vaccine-induced viremia, from days 3 to 10 after vaccination.

Q. Can anesthetized patients be vaccinated?
A. This is not preferred, because a hypersensitivity reaction with vomiting and aspiration could occur and anesthetic agents can be immunomodulating.

Q. Is it safe to vaccinate pregnant pets?
A. Absolutely not.

Q. Should pets with immunosuppressive diseases such as cancer or autoimmune diseases, or adverse vaccine reactions/ hypersensitibvity receive booster vaccinations?
A. No. Vaccination with MLV products should be avoided as the vaccine virus may cause disease; vaccination with killed products may aggravate the immune-mediated disease or be ineffective. For rabies boosters that are due, local authorities may accept titers instead or accept a letter from your veterinarian.

Q. If an animal receives immunosuppressive therapy, how long afterwards can the pet safely be vaccinated?
A. Wait at least 2 weeks.

Q. Should vaccines be given more often than 2 weeks apart even if a different vaccine is being given?
A. No. The safest and most effective interval is 3-4 weeks apart.

Q. At what age should the last vaccine dose be given in the puppy series?
A. The last dose of vaccine should be given between 14-16 weeks regardless of the number of doses given prior to this age. Rabies vaccine should preferably be given separately as late as possible under the law (e.g. 16-24 weeks).

Q. Should the new canine influenza vaccine be given routinely?
A. No. It is intended primarily for pounds and shelters and high density boarding facilities, as nose-to-nose contact and crowding promote viral transmission.

Q. Can intranasal Bordetella vaccine be given parenterally (injected)?
A. No. The vaccine can cause a severe local reaction and may even kill the pet.

Q. Will a killed parenteral Bordetella vaccine given intranasally produce immunity?
A. No.

Q. Are homeopathic nosodes capable of immunizing pets?
A. No. There is no scientific documentation that nosodes protect against infectious diseases of pets. The one parvovirus nosode trial conducted years ago did not protect against challenge.

Q. Should disinfectant be used at the vaccine injection site?
A. No. Disinfectants could inactivate a MLV product.

Q. Can vaccines cause autoimmune diseases?
A. Vaccines themselves do not cause these diseases, but they can trigger autoimmune responses followed by disease in genetically predisposed animals, as can any infection, drug, or chemical / toxic exposures etc.

Q. Can a single vaccine dose provide any benefit to the dog? Will it benefit the canine population?
A. Yes. One dose of a MLV canine core vaccine should provide long term immunity when given to animals at or after 16 weeks of age. Every puppy 16 weeks of age or older should receive at least one dose of the MLV core vaccines. We need to vaccinate more animals in the population with core vaccines to achieve herd immunity and thereby prevent epidemic outbreaks.

Q. If an animal receives only the first dose of a vaccine that needs two doses to immunize, will it have immunity?
A. No. A single dose of a two-dose vaccine like Leptospirosis vaccine will not provide immunity. The first dose is for priming the immune system. The second for boosting the immunity has to be given within 6 weeks; otherwise the series has to start over again. After those two doses, revaccination with a single dose can be done at any time.

Q. Can maternally derived antibodies (MDA) also block immunity to killed vaccines and prevent active immunization with MLV vaccines?
A.Yes. MDA can block certain killed vaccines, especially those that require two doses to immunize. With MLV vaccines, two doses are often recommended, particularly in young animals, to be sure one is given beyond the neutralizing period of MDA. 

Q. How long after vaccination does an animal develop immunity that will prevent severe disease when the core vaccines are used?
A. This is dependent on the animal, the vaccine, and the disease.

· The fastest immunity is provided by canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccines -- MLV and recombinant canarypox virus vectored. The immune response starts within mins - hrs and provides protection within a day without interference from MDA.
· Immunity to canine parvovirus (CPV-2) develops after 3-5 days when an effective MLV vaccine is used.
· Canine adenovirus-2/hepatitis (CAV-2) MLV given parenterally provides immunity against CAV-1 in 5 to 7 days.

Q. Can dogs be “non-responders” and fail to develop an immune response to vaccines?
A Yes. This is a genetic characteristic seen particularly in some breeds or dog families. Boosting them regularly will not produce measurable antibody. Some of these animals may be protected against disease by their cell-mediated and secretory immunity.

Q. Are there parvovirus and distemper virus field mutants that are not adequately protected by current MLV vaccines?
A. No. All the current CPV-2 and CDV vaccines provide protection from all known viral isolates, when tested experimentally as well as in the field. The current CPV-2 and CPV-2b vaccines provide both short and long term protection from challenge by the CPV-2c variant.

Q. Are serum antibody titres useful in determining vaccine immunity?
A. Yes. They are especially useful for CDV, CPV-2 and CAV-1 in the dog, FPV in the cat, and rabies virus in the cat and dog. Rabies titers, however, are often not acceptable to exempt individual animals from mandated rabies boosters in spite of medical justifcation. Serum antibody titers are of limited or no value for (many of) the other vaccines.
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Now, some information from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). I'm going to copy and paste, you can find the entire 42 page guidelines in .pdf format here.

2011 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines

p. 3 "When compared with infectious (attenuated, avirulent, modified live, recombinant viral vectored) vaccines, noninfectious vaccines are more likely to produce local and systemic adverse reactions in some dogs."

p.10 "Most noninfectious vaccines require at least two initial doses to immunize, regardless of the dog's age. The first does of a noninfectious vaccine generally primes the immune response and the second dose, which should be administered 2-6 weeks later, provides the protective immune response. Immunity typically develops approximately 7 days after the second dose. Therefore, the minimum time for onset of immunity is approximately 3 wk after administration of the first dose of a noninfectious vaccine"

p. 12 "Because dogs older than 14-16 wk of age are not likely to have interfering levels of MDA [maternally derived antibodies], administration of a single initial dose of an infectious vaccine to an adult dog can be expected to induce a protective immune response. ..... MDA is the most common reason early vaccination fails to immunize."

p. 12 "The onset of immunity after administration of a single dose of infectious core vaccine is approximately 4+3 days in the absence of MDA [maternally derived antibodies]."

p.13 "Infectious core vaccines are not only highly effective, they also provide the longest DOI [duration of immunity], extending from 5 yr up to the life of the dog."

p. 17 "Despite the confusion and controversy surrounding antibody testing, these serologic tests are useful for monitoring immunity to CDV, CPV-2, CAV-1, and RV. .....On completion of the puppy core vaccination series with the last dose given at 14-16 wk of age, a dog can be expected to have an antibody titer or positive test result, regardless of the serologic test performed, provided the serum sample is collected > 2 wk after the last dose of vaccine." (CDV=distemper, CPV-2 = parvovirus, CAV-1 hepatitis, RV= rabies)

p. 18 "....the last dose of CDV and CPV should be administered at 14-16 wk of age. At this age, MDA should be at a level that will not block active immunity in most puppies (>98%) when a combination MLV vaccine is administered."

p. 18 "In a study reported in 1997, dogs vaccinated with a product containing CDV (canine distemper virus) and then placed in an environment without CDV maintained antibody titers for at least 10 yr."

p. 20 "...the list that follows includes categories of adverse reactions that have been attributed to vaccine administration.
-Injection-site reactions: lumps (abscess, granuloma, seroma), pain, swelling, hair loss associated with ischemic vasculitis

-Transient postvaccinal nonspecific illness: lethargy, anorexia, fever, regional lymphadenomegaly, soreness, abortion, encephalitis, polyneuritis, arthritis, seizures, behavioral changes, hair loss or color change at the injection site, respiratory disease

-Allergic (hypersensitivity) and immune-mediated reactions:
Type 1 (acute anaphylaxis): angiodema (especially the head), anaphylaxis (shock) and death
Type 2 (cytolytic): immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (suspected only; causality has not been confirmed)
Type 3 (immune-complex): cutaneous ischemic vasculopathy associated with rabies vaccine, corneal edema ('blue-eye') associated with CAV-1 vaccine, immune-mediated disease.

-Tumorigenesis: vaccine-associated sarcoma or other tumors

-Multisystemic infectious/inflammatory disorder of young Weimaraner dogs: may be genetically linked to both a poorly characterized immunodeficiency and to autoimmune disorders (e.g., hypothyroidism and hypertrophic osteodystrophy [HOD] that are detected shortly after vaccination

-Vaccine-induced immunosuppression: associated with first or second dose of combination MLV vaccines containing CDV and CAV-1 or CAV-2 with or without other vaccines (e.g., CPV-2, CPI). Immunosuppression begins 3 days after vaccination and persists for 7-10 days. The suppression may be associated with increased susceptibility to other diseases.

p. 21 "It is reasonable to avoid administration of any vaccine to patients with a history of systemic disease suspected to be associated with previous vaccination (e.g., immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, immune-mediated thrombocytopenia) or known to be caused by vaccine (vaccination-site cutaneous ischemic vasculitis after administration of rabies vaccine).

p. 28 "As with pregnant dogs, veterinary medicine has advised against vaccination during illness, due to concerns about suboptimal protection, or worse, vaccine-induced illness."

p. 29 "Manufacturers only recommend administration of vaccine to healthy dogs. Dogs receiving immunosuppressive chemotherapy should not be vaccinated. Doing so may result in a suboptimal immune response or may aggravate (reactivate) an immune-mediated illness."

p.33 "Vaccine adverse events are significantly underreported in veterinary medicine."

p. 34 "The vaccination protocol that includes the minimum number of vaccines yet still provides a reasonable opportunity to immunize the dog would be: a single dose of combined infectious (attenuated, avirulent, modified live, recombinant viral vectored) CDV, MLV CPV-2, with MLV CAV-2, administered at 16 wk of age or older, plus a rabies shot at the same time (but inoculated at a separate site on the body)." 

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You feel like a pro now when it comes to vaccines? Or simply overwhelmed? It boils down very simply for me. I follow Dr. Jean Dodds' recommendations and only vaccinate my dogs with the 3 core vaccines. Two or three rounds of parvo and distemper at the specific ages as puppies, rabies at 6 months, titers for parvo and distemper at 1 year, then rabies every 3 years after that or as required by law. Titer testing once every several years to verify immunity. That's it!