Happy Slovak New Year!

We've already been enjoying our new year. We blew away some cobwebs and headed off to some woodland that we've not been to before. It's a 25 minute drive from home; so the same time as we'd normally travel to the other woods we occasionally visit. I think we might end up preferring this area of woodlands to our previous haunt. Mainly because it's less dense and remote. So when I'm on my own, it's less daunting. Also seems very well fenced and no surprise openings onto roads. There are also huge long gravel paths so if its muddy and you're not feeling up to adventuring into the woods it's an easy walk. Also can see other people from a long way off. Oh and no riding of bikes or horses allowed. Phew!

Grey really enjoyed himself. He was relaxed and happy pottering around. I've noticed that he really doesn't go off hunting into the woods. Probably a blessing in disguise seeing as he's a pet and not a worker. But still in this environment he's in his element. I can see us being able to do some nice bits of training in that area. His recalls were lovely. He's been so much more relaxed and tired since trips out there. Much more than the beach trips. It would be nice if we lived nearer than 25 mins each way. That puts almost an hour on top of the walk. But I'd rather have quality time in the right environment than time in an unsuitable environment.

Today we returned and bumped into his brother, Gunner. The boys haven't seen each other in over a year I think, since we did a couple of tracking sessions together. Probably 18 months. Very funny to see how different and how similar they are in all aspects. Grey is a much smaller dog and twice as hairy. I think Gunner looks the more breed standard type with smooth ears. Grey has definitely got the wilder hair do! We'd also met a girlie slovak for a walk at Christmas and that was another example of how much more laid back the girls are from the boys. Grey was a bugger and so over excited. I think he's much better on woods and turf than beach.

Here's some photos and a bit of video of Grey mooching the day before on our own.

Our plans for 2011 are to be happy and stress free. Carry on with training as every good slovak needs an honest days work to be happy. And training really is just every day life. Helping to reinforce habits that make our lives fun and him the confidence to develop skills. We're going to hopefully get a place on the next LADS COLLAR course starting in mid-Jan. Micro-shaping here we come!

Another young slovak with pain issues

We sadly heard of another young male slovak of 12 months with the same extreme pain symptoms as Grey, Gunner and Indy had. Crying in pain so much that had to be hospitalised. Jed has had extensive tests and the diagnosis is sterile meningitis. We hope that Jed gets better really soon and makes a speedy recovery. Details of his condition were posted on Dogsey Forum.

So why are these young slovaks coming down with such extreme symptoms? We have four reported cases of a pain condition. Two have been found to be discospondilitis (Gunner and Indy), one sterile meningitis (Jed), and Grey is the unknown. There is also a friend who has a 3 year old bitch (Eva) who also had meningitis and had to be isolated for 9 months from the age of 6 months.

Update on Grey: He's on the second day of a 25KG dose of Metacam. He's still limping and had a little yelp when going down some stairs. He's been kept in today and we'll speak to the vets tomorrow. We're just hoping that we can find out what the heck is wrong with him and get him fixed.

Sad news - Gunner has been diagnosed with epilepsy

We're heartbroken for Grey's brother Gunner (Stormdancer Swell) and his owner. The day before Grey went in for his MRI, Gunner had an MRI too. He's been diagnosed with Idiopathic Epilepsy. This is really devastating for his owner. He's started on medication which has side effects. He's very drowsy and has peed in the house at night. But without medication he was having fits every couple of weeks. If left to have repeated fits he could end up with lesions in the brain and eventual damage. The last two were in a single morning, the day after his MRI. The fits last from3-5 minutes. His back legs collapse and he goes down.

Epilepsy could be like a ticking time bomb for the UK slovaks. It can show up from 6 months to 6 years. The other slovak we know that is fitting but who hasn't been tested yet is of the same parentage as Grey and Gunner, but he's 5 years old. The UK slovaks are very closely bred with a small number of studs and breeding bitches, themselves from lines that are very closely bred. I would say the time has come for responsible action to be taken.

I'm trying to find out if there are links with the pain issue and epilepsy or if it is just a separate issue that we may have to face. Ideally I'd like to speak to someone in Slovakia for advice to hear if they have had experience of epilepsy in their lines.

Here is a link to Grey's pedigree. You can see that the dogs Hajasov Dvor appear again and again.

Someone kindly posted some useful links on canine epilepsy. If there is a plus side to this story, we're not looking at thousands of dogs that are potentially affected. We may have a chance for a case study because of the small number of dogs and also of the breeding stock.

http://www.aht.org.uk/genetics_research.html

http://www.canineepilepsy.co.uk/

http://www.veterinary-neurologist.co.uk/seizures_epilepsy.htm

http://www.ourdogalfie.com/

Home training while recouperating - Impulse Control

We did our own bit of training today taking inspiration from the Susan Garrett 'It's Yer Choice' video that a friend sent us as something to do while Grey is under house arrest not exercising. I probably made quite a few mistakes with not having enough room to back up. We managed to get to the point where we're practising on lead walking close to food on the floor.



We've had a few walks round town and the upside from this enforced free running ban is that we're doing lots and lots of positive experiences around his usual trigger points: kids, prams, motorbikes, vans, lorries, shouting people etc. No lunging today which is great.

I had an update on Gunner today. He's gone in for his MRI tomorrow. So hope they come up with a diagnosis to help him. Also heard that another young slovak is up for possible rehoming. It really is a shame with such few numbers in the breed in total that they come up for rehoming because people can't cope. They're difficult dogs to manage, especially the boys. There are strong grounds I believe for adapting the official breed description to underline the fact that they're working dogs, need loads of stimulation and exercise and are not couch potatoes.

Report back from the vets

Quite a mixed bag of news really. He's had a every test there is to have and is now home with shaved bits and feeling sorry for himself. The vet doesn't think it's cancer, so it's a huge relief. They don't know what it can be and have mentioned that it could be as a possibility immune related arthritis. His xrays look fine on all joints and spine. We've been sent home with more painkillers and anti-biotics until Thursday evening. So I guess more of the lying around moaning until then.

Let's not forget it's Gunner and Grey's 2nd birthday today. Here they are when they were reunited as adolescents and below a video I found on my phone from a few weeks ago up Botany Bay. Happier times. Both are not too well at the moment with also Gunner having fortnightly collapses. Happy birthday lovely boys.

Exercise Induced Collapse - EIC

Grey's brother, Gunner has had a couple of scary episodes where he has collapsed while out exercising. His back end went and he was out of it with eyes rolled back for 10 mins. He's had investigations and the current prognosis is that it is EIC which is Exercise Induced Collapse. It is possibly hereditary so something that I would like to get more information on for Grey.

http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/exercise-collapse.html

Dr Jimmy Simpson is doing a study on it at Edingburgh Vet School.

http://www.basc.org.uk/en/how-to/...deal-with-a-collapsing-gundog.cfm

Gunner's owner has contacted our breeder who is also the health rep for the breed club, so we should hear back soon. It would be useful to know if other dogs have had this in the breed and what is the best thing to do.

Comparing the brothers

We had a really fun morning out in the rain last week. Yes! In the rain! We went along on a session to learn some basic tracking and searching near Whitstable with grey's brother and littermate Gunner. My goodness, how different they are in size. Gunner is a much much bigger dog in stature and height. He always has been and probably because he is still entire that this has possibly enhanced the difference. Grey was neutered at 12 months (remember his unexpected birthday present that he wasn't too keen on!)

The scentwork training was really up Grey's street. He was very enthusiastic about his own tasks and everyone elses too! My eardrums by the end were ringing as he generally barked the whole time. I guess you could call it drive! If we continue with it, he will hopefully learn to wait his turn and that there are things that aren't for him to do.

In other news we're still working on lead walking, lead walking, lead walking. He's currently rolling around lounging on the sofa after a busy morning out in the Old Town. I have to have one gripe. Why do people think it's ok to ride bikes down the pavement and especially if there are people with prams and right next to a big dog. It's really unfair. Grey has been spooked a number of times now and it's so annoying as it can really set a dog back. Get on the bloody road you people!

Grey meets Gunner

I'd tracked down one the owner of one of Grey's litter mates. His brother, Gunner. Who it turns out is even bigger than Grey! Now there's a first. He lives about an hour from where we live which is brilliant. It was so very strange to see two slovaks together. Two youngsters the same age expecially. I'm so used to being the only slovak in the village. I suppose if the breed takes off then this might happen more often, but it's still rare. I don't even come across many HPR (hunt point and retrieve) breeds at all. In the last few months I've seen about three weims, one viszla, one spinone pup and that's it.

Anyway, Gunner is lovely. Less hairy than Grey, but then Grey is possibly too hairy at this stage. He's taller than Grey. Both have lovely temperaments, which is great to see. I'd love to know if there is some kind of residual recognition from when they were pups. They only lived together until they were seven weeks. They had a lovely play on the beach and for once I managed to get some great pictures.

Gunner is going to start gun dog level one training soon. I've begun enquiries about finding an HPR course for Grey too. I think half his leash issues are from him naturally quartering. Certainly don't have a problem sending him away from me to hunt. It's getting him to walk by my side that's a pain.

Here are some more pics from the big get together: