About Us
Photo of Stuart and I used for the CKC Centennial issue in 1988
I’ve been a member of the “West Highland White Terrier Club of America” since 1980 and a Life member of the “Canadian Kennel Club”.
Our West Highland White Terrier's bloodlines are from the Top respectable blood lines in England.
All our Westies live in our home as family members, “because we care.” All our pets are sold on a CKC non-breeding agreement.
Through the 30 odd years of showing and breeding Westies, we've won a number of awards including Number One Westie for several years and Number One Westie Puppy, but health and temperament are most important, Special attention is given to the immune system.
Please browse through our web site if you would like to have any additional information on our Westies please call me.
Penny-Belle Scorer
905-262-6653
Code of Practice for CKC Member Breeders
NEVER GIVE a DEPOSIT WITHOUT SEEING THE PUPPY and VISITING THE BREEDER Make Sure that the Puppy is from that BREEDER and is raised in Their Home.
If a Breeder has links to a Club's web site ask if they are a member of the club and not using it to give the impression of credibility
A reputable breeder would never let a puppy go to his new home at Christmas time... or advertise in a news paper or list puppies for sale in a on line classified site...
What is a "Purebred" Dog?
Defined by the Canada Animal Pedigree Act, a purebred dog is a dog that has parents of the same breed that are registered with the Canadian Kennel Club. One can NOT sell a dog as purebred without papers from the registry as well it is ILLEGAL in Canada to charge extra money for those papers!
BRINGING HOME A NEW PUPPY OR MATURE DOG
Bringing a new puppy or dog into your family is a large emotional, mental, physical, & financial responsibility. You should seriously consider all aspects of adding a pup or mature dog to your family...and, the new pup/dog SHOULD be considered a part of your family. All family members should be in agreement about this responsibility. If even ONE family member is opposed or not totally supportive, you are asking for trouble. You will be bringing a pup/dog into a NO WIN situation. This will create a stressful situation & the pup/dog will experience the negative fallout.
Be certain you have carefully researched different breeds & the care of the pup/dogs to find the breed that fits your family, personality, routine, & lifestyle. Prospective Westie owners should take the Westie Profiler on the WHWTCA Home Page. We should not be a DISPOSABLE DOG society. The best analogy for adding a pup/dog to your home is their needs, training & care will closely parallel those of an infant or toddler.
Once you have successfully gone through the above process & have selected a breed. You must find "reputable" breeders of that breed. Purchasing a pup/dog from a pet store or backyard breeder is asking for problems & very possibly heartache. A "reputable" breeder will interview you, the prospective owner, almost as stringently as you interview them. Be aware that purchasing a pup/dog from a reputable breeder will cost more money than your other options. However, the money & emotional trauma you are likely to experience & expend with the other options... more than justifies the extra cost. Your initial financial outlay will be "minimal" when compared to the problems you may encounter going through the other venues.
Once you are dealing with a reputable breeder(s), you will be ready to select a pup or a mature dog. Let me dispel a myth...most people think that the females are sweeter, more affectionate, & easier to train. Both genders are wonderful.
If you are purchasing a PET pup/dog, you must SPAY or NEUTER them. There are countless physical & behavioral reasons for this. And, there are too many unwanted dogs in the world already. Certainly, you do NOT want to add to this overpopulation on purpose or by accident.
PREPARING TO BRING THE NEW PUP/DOG HOME
Purchase their crate, toys, food & water bowls, treats & a supply of Bitter Apple.
Have a yard potty pen set up (see housebreaking article). Decide how you will keep the pup/dog confined to specific areas within the home. Buy baby gates to help block off areas.
If you already have a dog, I recommend setting up the new pup's/dog's crate, pens, etc. for a couple of days or a week prior to bringing the INVADER home. This gives the current dog a chance to get used to the physical changes in their environment.
1). Puppy/new dog PROOF your home. Look around, imagine "you" are a high energy, inquisitive pup OR a dog in a new environment...WHAT do you see that is really enticing? Move knick-knacks from accessible areas. Move things that are scented. All trashcans must be made INACCESSIBLE. All shoes, socks, misc. clothing must be picked up. Newspapers, magazines, books must not be accessible. Move things that can be knocked over. Keep a close eye on decorative pillows, rug corners, couch or chair skirts. Electrical cords can be chewed, grabbed or tripped over...the item will crash to the floor...broken or hurt the pup/dog. All medicines MUST be out of reach. Look at your counters/ shelves...is there anything hanging off that they could pull or tug.
2). Get a supply of the food the pup/ dog has been eating, don't change the food the pup/dog could have diarrhea.
3). SCHEDULE TO BRING THE PUP/DOG HOME WHEN YOU WILL BE HOME WITH THEM FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS (for example, a weekend). This should be a time when you will be able to devote the majority of your attention to the new pup/dog. This involves helping them to adjust to a new environment, starting their housebreaking routine, and just getting to know each other.
4.) If you have a current canine resident, it is often recommended to allow them to meet the new pup/dog on neutral territory...the park or on a walk through the neighborhood.
5). Be certain that you do not neglect the current dog in all of your focus on the new pup/dog. This will cause the current dog to RESENT the new one. Make certain you do not constantly correct the current dog. Certainly, do not banish the current dog to another part of the house. If you have to keep the dogs separated for a period of time, it should be done so they are in the same vacinity...just separated by a baby gate or whatever.
6). Be careful NOT to only give your current dog their special attention & time...when the new one is not around. If you do, they will learn that things are only good with Mom/Dad WHEN the new pup/dog is not around. So, make certain that you pet or play with the current dog WHILE you are petting or playing with the new one...even if that means one arm petting or playing on one side of the baby gate & the other arm playing or petting on the other side of the baby gate. Take them for walks "together". Give treats & praise to the current dog at the same time you are giving treats & praise to the new one.
7). If your current dog ACTS OUT in some way (potties in the house, chews something up, some behavior that is different from their norm), try not to make a big deal out of it. Ignore it, if possible. A strong reaction on your part may only INCREASE their anxiety. Lack of a reaction on your part will probably allow the behavior to subside on its own.
8) Do not let your new pup/dog out of your sight. If they are out of sight...they are INTO something or pottying.
If you are ready to do ALL of this, then you are ready to bring a new pup/dog into your home. Once you are through the initial adjustment stages, you are ready to begin the real work. This means training/ teaching your new pup/dog the rules you want them to follow. The old cliché of GIVE LOVE A CHANCE is the perfect approach to having a new pup/dog in your life. Give them a chance to love you, give them a chance to learn what you want from them...GIVE LOVE A CHANCE...you will be rewarded ten-fold!!!
*************************************************************************
Choosing a Responsible Breeder
Adding a dog to your family can certainly add a great deal of joy to your life. To increase the likelihood that you and your new family member will be a good match it’s important to do your homework. There are many informative sites and books on choosing the breed that best fits your lifestyle.
What are the hallmarks of a good breeder?
NEVER GIVE A DEPOSIT WITHOUT SEEING THE PUPPY AND VISITING THE BREEDER….. Make sure that the puppy is from that breeder and is raised in their home.
* A reputable breeder breeds to the standard. What does that mean? All breeds have a standard by which they are measured. The standard is what makes a Westie a Westie and not a Lhasa Apso. Do your homework. Know the breed standard for the breed in which you are interested. Don't fall for the idea that you are getting a "rare color" or some other variation that is outside the standard for your breed. There is a reason the standard exists.
* Reputable breeders participate in dog shows or a variety of other competitive events, such as obedience or agility trials, sporting breed field trials, northern breed sled racing, and similar events. All of these help breeders to know where their dogs stand in relationship to the breed standard. They use this information to determine their dogs` strengths and weaknesses and what they need to address in their breeding program. They look at their dogs with a critical but loving eye. This is always to the benefit of the breed and to you, the consumer.
* A reputable breeder provides information regarding health testing. If you have done your research on a breed, you will know what health concerns there are in your breed of choice. ALL breeds have health concerns. If a breeder tells you the breed has no health problems, look some place else. All breeders know their breeds health issues and by acknowledging this are able to use this information in making breeding decisions..
*A reputable breeder is a member of a national breed club and registers puppies with a registry. In Canada the CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) Some examples of registries that should set off alarms that you are not dealing with a responsible breeder include:
ACA (American Canine Association)
APR (American Purebred Registry)
APRI (America`s Pet Registry Inc.)
ARU (Animal Registry Unlimited)
CKC (Continental Kennel Club)
FIC (Federation of International Canines)
NAPDR (North American Purebred Dog Registry)
USKC (United States Kennel Club)
WKC (World Kennel Club)
WWKC (World Wide Kennel Club)
Please note that some of the registries have similar or the same initials as the older and well established registries. This can cause confusion for consumers. Don't be fooled.
Even if the puppy you are getting is registered with a traditional registry, think twice before buying from a kennel that utilizes alternative registries. If the breeder is raising healthy dogs in a manner which complies with the high standards of a traditional registry, why wouldn't all their dogs be registered with them?
* All reputable breeders will sell with a contract. If you are buying a pet, the contract should be for limited registration with a spay/neuter agreement. Good breeders are concerned about the pet population and they’re also concerned about THEIR puppy! They know the extent of work and commitment that goes into raising quality dogs. Offspring of dogs sold on CKC None Breeding Agreement
* If you are interested in showing your dog in conformation, the breeder should be seeking to mentor you or know that you have a mentor that understands the ins and outs of conformation. Know what you are signing. Do not agree to “puppy back” agreements if you are a novice unless you know you have sufficient help in not only whelping a litter but in making decisions about placement of the puppies. Do not allow yourself to be pressured into making a decision to show or breed your dog. There is a lot involved and a good breeder knows that a female is at risk when whelping, particularly if she is with an inexperienced owner.
* A reputable breeder does not allow puppies to leave their mother before at least 9 weeks of age. Even when a puppy is weaned, it is being socialized in the litter. They learn how to interact with the world. Bite inhibition is one example of a lesson missed by puppies removed at an early age from their mother.
* A reputable focus their attention on only one breed or a couple of breeds. A lot of time goes into learning about their breed of choice. They know they can't spread their efforts over more than one or two breeds. Their efforts are in the quality of dog, not the quantity.
*A reputable breeder is going to ask you questions to make sure you and the breed of dog you are considering are a good match. Responsible breeders want to make a placement for life. They’re careful to place their puppies in homes where they’re truly members of the family. Be honest with them and you can learn a lot.
*A reputable breeder is willing to answer your questions about the breed and may have books or websites they refer you to for more information.
. Copyright 2003 Lu Wyland
http://www.dogs4dogs.com/blog/2009/09/09/combination-shot-for-dogs/
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/13_8/features/Annual-Pet-Vaccinations_20036-1.html
http://www.dogs4dogs.com/puppy-shots.htm
http://www.dogs4dogs.com/blog/2009/08/06/treating-adverse-vaccine-reactions-by-jean-dodds-dvm/
http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/HEMOPET.HTM
We follow the Jean Dodds Protocol
CANINE VACCINATION PROTOCOL – 2009
MINIMAL VACCINE USE
W. Jean Dodds, DVM
HEMOPET
938 Stanford Street
Santa Monica, CA 90403
310-828-4804; Fax 310-828-8251
e-mail: hemopet at hotmail com
(remove spaces, use @ symbol and .com)
Note: The following vaccine protocol is offered for those dogs where minimal vaccinations are advisable or desirable. The schedule is one I recommend and should not interpreted to mean that other protocols recommended by a veterinarian would be less satisfactory. It's a matter of professional judgment and choice.
Age of Pups
Vaccine Type
9 - 10 weeks
14 weeks
16 -18 weeks (optional)
20 weeks or older, if allowable by law
1 year
1 year
Distemper + Parvovirus, MLV (e.g. Intervet
Progard Puppy DPV)
Same as above
Same as above (optional)
Rabies
Distemper + Parvovirus, MLV
Rabies, killed 3-year product (give 3-4 weeks apart from distemper/parvovirus booster)
Perform vaccine antibody titers for distemper and parvovirus every three years thereafter, or more often, if desired. Vaccinate for rabies virus according to the law, except where circumstances indicate that a written waiver needs to be obtained from the primary care veterinarian. In that case, a rabies antibody titer can also be performed to accompany the waiver request. See www rabieschallengefund.org
_______________________________________________________________
This thought-provoking article by Dr.. Jean Dodds, provides valuable information regarding making informed decisions about vaccinating your animal companion and is reprinted here with her kind permission.
CHANGING VACCINE PROTOCOLS
W. Jean Dodds, DVM
938 Stanford Street
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 828-4804; FAX (310) 828-8251
The challenge to produce effective and safe vaccines for the prevalent infectious diseases of humans and animals has become increasingly difficult. In veterinary medicine, evidence implicating vaccines in triggering immune-mediated and other chronic disorders (vaccinosis) is compelling. While some of these problems have been traced to contaminated or poorly attenuated batches of vaccine that revert to virulence, others apparently reflect the host’s genetic predisposition to react adversely upon receiving the single (monovalent) or multiple antigen “combo” (polyvalent) products given routinely to animals. Animals of certain susceptible breeds or families appear to be at increased risk for severe and lingering adverse reactions to vaccines.
The onset of adverse reactions to conventional vaccinations (or other inciting drugs, chemicals, or infectious agents) can be an immediate hypersensitivity or anaphylactic reaction, or can occur acutely (24-48 hours afterwards), or later on (10-45 days) in a delayed type immune response often caused by immune-complex formation. Typical signs of adverse immune reactions include fever, stiffness, sore joints and abdominal tenderness, susceptibility to infections, central and peripheral nervous system disorders or inflammation, collapse with autoagglutinated red blood cells and jaundice, or generalized pinpoint hemorrhages or bruises. Liver enzymes may be markedly elevated, and liver or kidney failure may accompany bone marrow suppression. Furthermore, recent vaccination of genetically susceptible breeds has been associated with transient seizures in puppies and adult dogs, as well as a variety of autoimmune diseases including those affecting the blood, endocrine organs, joints, skin and mucosa, central nervous system, eyes, muscles, liver, kidneys, and bowel. It is postulated that an underlying genetic predisposition to these conditions places other littermates and close relatives at increased risk. Vaccination of pet and research dogs with polyvalent vaccines containing rabies virus or rabies vaccine alone was recently shown to induce production of antithyroglobulin autoantibodies, a provocative and important finding with implications for the subsequent development of hypothyroidism (Scott-Moncrieff et al, 2002).
Vaccination also can overwhelm the immunocompromised or even healthy host that is repeatedly challenged with other environmental stimuli and is genetically predisposed to react adversely upon viral exposure. The recently weaned young puppy or kitten entering a new environment is at greater risk here, as its relatively immature immune system can be temporarily or more permanently harmed. Consequences in later life may be the increased susceptibility to chronic debilitating diseases.
As combination vaccines contain antigens other than those of the clinically important infectious disease agents, some may be unnecessary; and their use may increase the risk of adverse reactions. With the exception of a recently introduced mutivalent Leptospira spp. vaccine, the other leptospirosis vaccines afford little protection against the clinically important fields strains of leptospirosis, and the antibodies they elicit typically last only a few months. Other vaccines, such as for Lyme disease, may not be needed, because the disease is limited to certain geographical areas. Annual revaccination for rabies is required by some states even though there are USDA licensed rabies vaccine with a 3-year duration. Thus, the overall risk-benefit ratio of using certain vaccines or multiple antigen vaccines given simultaneously and repeatedly should be reexamined. It must be recognized, however, that we have the luxury of asking such questions today only because the risk of disease has been effectively reduced by the widespread use of vaccination programs.
Given this troublesome situation, what are the experts saying about these issues? In 1995, a landmark review commentary focused the attention of the veterinary profession on the advisability of current vaccine practices. Are we overvaccinating companion animals, and if so, what is the appropriate periodicity of booster vaccines ? Discussion of this provocative topic has generally lead to other questions about the duration of immunity conferred by the currently licensed vaccine components.
In response to questions posed in the first part of this article, veterinary vaccinologists have recommended new protocols for dogs and cats. These include: 1) giving the puppy or kitten vaccine series followed by a booster at one year of age; 2) administering further boosters in a combination vaccine every three years or as split components alternating every other year until; 3) the pet reaches geriatric age, at which time booster vaccination is likely to be unnecessary and may be unadvisable for those with aging or immunologic disorders. In the intervening years between booster vaccinations, and in the case of geriatric pets, circulating humoral immunity can be evaluated by measuring serum vaccine antibody titers as an indication of the presence of immune memory. Titers do not distinguish between immunity generated by vaccination and/or exposure to the disease, although the magnitude of immunity produced just by vaccination is usually lower (see Tables).
Except where vaccination is required by law, all animals, but especially those dogs or close relatives that previously experienced an adverse reaction to vaccination can have serum antibody titers measured annually instead of revaccination. If adequate titers are found, the animal should not need revaccination until some future date. Rechecking antibody titers can be performed annually, thereafter, or can be offered as an alternative to pet owners who prefer not to follow the conventional practice of annual boosters. Reliable serologic vaccine titering is available from several university and commercial laboratories and the cost is reasonable (Twark and Dodds, 2000; Lappin et al, 2002; Paul et al, 2003; Moore and Glickman, 2004).
Relatively little has been published about the duration of immunity following vaccination, although new data are beginning to appear for both dogs and cats.
Our recent study (Twark and Dodds, 2000), evaluated 1441 dogs for CPV antibody titer and 1379 dogs for CDV antibody titer. Of these, 95.1 % were judged to have adequate CPV titers, and nearly all (97.6 %) had adequate CDV titers. Vaccine histories were available for 444 dogs (CPV) and 433 dogs (CDV). Only 43 dogs had been vaccinated within the previous year, with the majority of dogs (268 or 60%) having received a booster vaccination 1-2 years beforehand. On the basis of our data, we concluded that annual revaccination is unnecessary. Similar findings and conclusions have been published recently for dogs in New Zealand (Kyle et al, 2002), and cats (Scott and Geissinger, 1999; Lappin et al, 2002). Comprehensive studies of the duration of serologic response to five viral vaccine antigens in dogs and three viral vaccine antigens in cats were recently published by researchers at Pfizer Animal Health ( Mouzin et al, 2004).
When an adequate immune memory has already been established, there is little reason to introduce unnecessary antigen, adjuvant, and preservatives by administering booster vaccines. By titering annually, one can assess whether a given animal’s humoral immune response has fallen below levels of adequate immune memory. In that event, an appropriate vaccine booster can be administered.
References
Dodds WJ. More bumps on the vaccine road. Adv Vet Med 41:715-732, 1999.
Dodds WJ. Vaccination protocols for dogs predisposed to vaccine reactions. J Am An Hosp Assoc 38: 1-4, 2001.
Hogenesch H, Azcona-Olivera J, Scott-Moncreiff C, et al. Vaccine-induced autoimmunity in the dog. Adv Vet Med 41: 733-744, 1999.
Hustead DR, Carpenter T, Sawyer DC, et al. Vaccination issues of concern to practitioners. J Am Vet Med Assoc 214: 1000-1002, 1999.
Kyle AHM, Squires RA, Davies PR. Serologic status and response to vaccination against canine distemper (CDV) and canine parvovirus (CPV) of dogs vaccinated at different intervals. J Sm An Pract, June 2002.
Lappin MR, Andrews J, Simpson D, et al. Use of serologic tests to predict resistance to feline herpesvirus 1, feline calicivirus, and feline parvovirus infection in cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc 220: 38-42, 2002.
McGaw DL, Thompson M, Tate, D, et al. Serum distemper virus and parvovirus antibody titers among dogs brought to a veterinary hospital for revaccination. J Am Vet Med Assoc 213: 72-75, 1998.
Moore GE, Glickman LT. A perspective on vaccine guidelines and titer tests for dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 224: 200-203. 2004.
Mouzin DE, Lorenzen M J, Haworth, et al. Duration of serologic response to five viral antigens in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 224: 55-60, 2004.
Mouzin DE, Lorenzen M J, Haworth, et al. Duration of serologic response to three viral antigens in cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc 224: 61-66, 2004.
Paul MA. Credibility in the face of controversy. Am An Hosp Assoc Trends Magazine XIV(2):19-21, 1998.
Paul MA (chair) et al. Report of the AAHA Canine Vaccine Task Force: 2003 canine vaccine guidelines, recommendations, and supporting literature. AAHA, April 2003, 28 pp.
Schultz RD. Current and future canine and feline vaccination programs. Vet Med 93:233-254, 1998.
Schultz RD, Ford RB, Olsen J, Scott F. Titer testing and vaccination: a new look at traditional practices. Vet Med, 97: 1-13, 2002 (insert).
Scott FW, Geissinger CM. Long-term immunity in cats vaccinated with an inactivated trivalent vaccine. Am J Vet Res 60: 652-658, 1999.
Scott-Moncrieff JC, Azcona-Olivera J, Glickman NW, et al. Evaluation of antithyroglobulin antibodies after routine vaccination in pet and research dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 221: 515-521, 2002.
Smith CA. Are we vaccinating too much? J Am Vet Med Assoc 207:421-425, 1995.
Tizard I, Ni Y. Use of serologic testing to assess immune status of companion animals. J Am Vet Med Assoc 213: 54-60, 1998.
Twark L, Dodds WJ. Clinical application of serum parvovirus and distemper virus antibody titers for determining revaccination strategies in healthy dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 217:1021-1024, 2000.
Table 1. “Core” Vaccines *
Dog Cat
Distemper Feline Parvovirus
Adenovirus Herpesvirus
Parvovirus Calicivirus
Rabies Rabies
* Vaccines that every dog and cat should have
______________________________________________________
Table 2. Adverse Reaction Risks for Vaccines *
“There is less risk associated with taking a blood sample for a titer test than giving an unnecessary vaccination.”
* Veterinary Medicine, February, 2002.
______________________________________________________
Table 3. Titer Testing and Vaccination *
“While difficult to prove, risks associated with over vaccination are an increasing concern among veterinarians. These experts say antibody titer testing may prove to be a valuable tool in determining your patients’ vaccination needs.”
* Veterinary Medicine, February, 2002.
_________________________________________________________
Table 4. Vaccine Titer Testing *
“Research shows that once an animal’s titer stabilizes, it is likely to remain constant for many years.”
* Veterinary Medicine, February, 2002.
_______________________________________________________________
W. Jean Dodds, DVM, is an internationally recognized authority on thyroid issues in dogs and blood diseases in animals. In the mid-1980's she founded Hemopet, the first nonprofit blood bank for animals. Dr. Dodds is a grantee of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and author of over 150 research publications. Through Hemopet she provides canine blood components and blood-bank supplies throughout North America, consults in clinical pathology, and lectures worldwide.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Always feeding the best of nutrition