Pup BISS for Bibi

Congrats to Luis Felipe Guevara and family!

Pic by Maicol Caballero, http://www.caballerosprod.net/

Starting early in Junior Showmanship

First step: establishing a good relationship

Two, stacking the dog:

Tell her what to do,

And lets go! :-)

Her best friend must die

Ana would not smile for the picture if she knew that her best friend must die within five years. That is the lifetime that the new Venezuelan Animal "Unprotection" Bill allows for existing Staffordshire Bull Terriers. After that time allowance has passed, having one will be totally illegal.

During those five years that the Congress, in its infinite wisdom, has granted her, Bombay must be kept in "condition of captivity". She won't be allowed to reproduce. If we stopped being there for her, adoptimg her would be a crime.

All of this happens because she is now considered a "pitt bull type canine". Little does it matter if there was no such thing as a "pitt bull type canine" before; the Congress, in its infinite wisdom, invented it.

Little does it matter that the SBT has been called the nanny dog.

Little does it matter that there are only about 100 Staffords in Venezuela, and never an accident involving them.

Little does it matter that they are small dogs, weighting 17 kilos for the males and 15.5 for the girls, tops.

BUT the Animal Unprotection Bill allows bullfighting. Allows cockfighting. Allows ritual sacrifice in wichtcraft practices. Allows vivisection and animal trading in the streets. Does not forbid puppy mills. Not important.

It seems like the Bill's call to glory will be depriving us from our pets.

Terriers: the dogs of the earth

Jolly Roger de Cavecanem, the Pirate Dog, feels at ease at a dog show, but his real happyness lays in the dirt. Lets not forget that Terrier (a French word, BTW) refers to an earth dog, meant to dig in the dirt and catch his prey in subterranean dens. The Staffords were originally considered "strong terriers", and their job consisted in getting small but fierce game such as the badger, out of their caves, where they had previously been located and chased by lighter terriers. No so long ago, their gameness was proved in the "Taestas Mor", a test that certified that the dog was indeed capable of facing the extremely brave and well armed badger underground. In Ireland, such test was a requisite for obtaining the championship.

Those blood tests were left behind long ago, but the terrier instinct was not. To be happy, our friends need to be now and then allowed to get dirtied from nose to toe, digging for their ancestor's roots. And maybe dream of finding a badger, catching it by the tail, and bringing it up back to the light, to master...

Cavecanem pups, in all colors!

I find one of the coolest things about STBs is the number of colors allowed by the standard: black, blue, white, red, brindle, fawn, and pied. Only black-and-tan and liver are not allowed. There is some debate as to what liver is. I think that, in plain English, it means any brown other than red and fawn. Black-and-tan is as in a German Shepherd. Both colors are very dominant and, if allowed, would probably make all others dissapear. Above, Red de Cavecanem, Bombay de Cavecanem and Pukka de Cavecanem. Underneath, Blue, Cuyaquiare, Ch Dum Dum, and Red and Blue de Cavecamen.

More Cavecanem STBs handled by children

I'd like to apoligize for my slug-like slowness at translating my blog. In the meanwhile, please do check the Spanish version for many nice pics! Above, Ven Ch Belnite de Cavecanem (named to honor the great Irish kennel) and World and Multi Ch Dead Game de Cavecanem share good times with children

The Nanny Dog

I quote from the second line of the KC Staffordshire Bull Terrier standard: "Traditionally of indomitable courage and tenacity. Highly intelligent and affectionate especially with children". Both AKC and FCI standards have similar phrasing. Our breed was the first, and until recently the only one whose standard specifically mentions its goodness towards children. This alone should give an idea of how strong is the tie between STBs and kids. In 1997, the Southampton University made a serious analysis about the temperament of all KC breeds. Based on this, the Pet Dogs magazine asked Dr. John Bradshaw, Antrozoology Director in that U, and Sarah Whitehead, expert in canine etiology, to pick the top 10 breeds for children, in no particular order. Of course, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier made that list, and the authors went on to say that they were so extremely patient with children, that the kids should be trained so they didn't harm the dogs!

Our experience upholds all that was said before, and then some. Our “nanny dogs” have literally grown up with my daughters, keeping them company, having fun together, and when the push comes to shove, defending them. In this entry's pics you can see Fiona (Ch Int Lat Ven Lib Dugar de Baladrar Death’s Bride) first with Isabela and then with Ana Lucía, who handled her in Junior Showmanship since she was 5 years old, winning too often for my liking ;-) Frankly, and having bred before Pugs and Bulldogs, both "children's breeds", I think the STB is peerless when it comes to relating with kids.

Fiona's sire is Multi Ch Makeready Dugar, the top Ch producing sire outside the UK, and she has given us the unparalleled satisfaction of producing a World Champion in each of her two litters. That must be a record! Our thanks go to her breeder, my friend and mentor Juan Manuel Durá.