Podcast
Pure Dog Talk
Hosted by Laura Reeves · EN
Pure Dog Talk is the VOICE of Purebred Dogs. We talk to the legends of the sports and give you tips and tools to create an awesome life with your purebred dog. From dog shows to preservation breeding, from competitive obedience to field work, from agility to therapy dogs and all the fun in between; your passion is our purpose. Pure Dog Talk supports the American Kennel Club, our Parent, Specialty and All-Breed Clubs, Dog Sports, Therapy, Service and Preservation of our Canine Companions.
12episodes
Episodes
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01 — Clubhouse: Dandie Dinmont Terriers: Breeding the Perfect Front: 50 Years of Preservation with Betty-Anne Stenmark
Jul 900:47:38Tap to summarizeBreeding the Perfect Dandie Dinmont Front: 50 Years of Preservation with Betty-Anne StenmarkLegendary preservation breeder and AKC judge Betty-Anne Stenmark joins host Laura Reeves to celebrate 50 years of King's Mountain Dandie Dinmonts, sharing invaluable insights on structure, puppy selection and what it takes to breed, select and judge a historically correct Dandie Dinmont Terrier. From navigating a "gene puddle" to her absolute, non-negotiable stance on front assemblies, this conversation is a masterclass for preservation breeders and dog enthusiasts alike.This episode is brought to you by the Pure Dog Talk Club Partner Program in proud partnership with the Dandie Dinmont Terrier Club of America (DDTCA). The Breeder Interview Series is dedicated to preserving breed histories, celebrating master breeders and educating the next generation of dog fanciers. To support the creation of educational, source-grounded content like this, and to gain access to exclusive community resources, consider joining our Club Partner Program today!Navigating the "Gene Puddle"The Endangered Breed Reality: Dandie Dinmonts are a very low-entry, endangered breed with an extremely limited gene pool. Betty-Anne famously notes, "We don't have a gene pool. We have a gene puddle."Phenotypic Breeding & Linebreeding: To maintain quality without genetic diversity, Betty-Anne focuses on breeding by phenotype. Her program utilizes highly line-bred lines and maintains a strict standard where an outcross is considered just 25% of the other dog is unrelated to their line.Reaching Into the Past: To introduce "the devil they know," Betty-Anne and her breeding partner, Sandra Pretari Hickson, utilize frozen semen from dogs they bred 20–25 years ago, reaching back six or seven generations.Hybrid Vigor: Betty-Anne recounts the dramatic revelation of finding unrelated stock in Australia and New Zealand in the late 1990s, which introduced crucial hybrid vigor back into her breeding lines.The Uncompromising Standard: The Front AssemblyWhy the Front Matters: For Betty-Anne, the front assembly (a well-laid-back shoulder and a matching upper arm) is the single most important structural feature.No Compromises: If a puppy does not possess a correct front assembly, it is immediately altered and placed in a pet home. Betty-Anne warns that once a proper front assembly is lost in a line, it can haunt a breeding program forever and is incredibly difficult to reconstruct.The Judge's Perspective: As a breeder-judge, Betty-Anne explains how a correct front assembly dictates a dog's head carriage, reach, stride and overall presence.Dandie Silhouette, Length and Top LineProper Proportions: The Dandie Dinmont is the longest breed in the AKC, measured from the top of shoulders to the root of tail.The Unique Outline: The breed’s hallmark top line, featuring a gentle arch over the loin, does not fully develop until around four or five months of age.The Tail Set Red Flag: A poorly set or upright tail acts as a glaring red flag to judges and is highly heritable.Selection at Ten WeeksThe 10-to-11-Week Rule: Betty-Anne and Sandra avoid making final decisions before 10 or 11 weeks of age, noting that puppy structure changes too rapidly beforehand.The Non-Negotiables: Beyond the front assembly, critical early checks include ensuring the correct bite (which should look like a slightly overshot scissor bite) and ensuring males have both testicles.Preservation Breeding and MentorshipThe Next Generation: Modern dog breeding is challenging, with fewer people having the time or space for it. Betty-Anne actively looks for enthusiastic younger breeders to join the "King’s Mountain family".Fostering Trust:Newcomers are encouraged to attend national specialties, write letters or emails and seek out genuine mentorship. Betty-Anne notes that co-ownership is a wonderful way to start under the guidance of an experienced breeder..For more information about the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, visit the DDTCA website. For more information about Pure Dog Talk's Club Partner Program stop by HERE.
Transcribe →670 – Emergency Medicine Best Practices
Jan 20, 2025Tap to summarizeEmergency Medicine Best Practices [caption id="attachment_13516" align="alignleft" width="515"] Dr. Callie Harris at her "day job" in emergency medicine.[/caption] Dr. Callie Harris joins host Laura Reeves for a deep dive on emergency medicine, urgent care and which is right for you and your dog. “I got bit by the emergency bug,” Dr. Callie said. “This is when the magic started to happen, where I recognize I was an adrenaline junkie. I loved working with really scary crazy cases and I also enjoyed being part of the entire team in my exam room. With very frantic scared pet parents, I knew that I could provide not only life saving techniques, but communication strategies to try to promote calm. “This is what I tell that next generation of aspiring veterinary professionals, animal welfare professionals, anybody in the pet care industry, pets are attached to humans. They kind of have to be prepared to talk to other people because my patients, they don't get in their own cars, they don't drive to the practice, they don't fill out their own history forms. Guess who has to do that? The pet parent. So it's a whole thing. “At the end of the day, I have seen any and everything. Emergency veterinarians, we're definitely like the Cowboys of our profession or Cowgirls or cow people, where nothing phases us. We will eat while we're looking at a really gross wound. We can just get through anything. “The development of emergency facilities came about and so now you have practices that are just dedicated to seeing your non vaccines preventative Wellness types of appointments. We're really seeing the sick patients but even then, ER's became over inundated with cases, pet ownership skyrocketed. “So over the past handful of years is really when we started to see the uptick in urgent cares in the vets space. And so an urgent care is going to provide that middleman if you will. So this is going to be the facility that's going to still treat those ear infections, UTI's, vomiting and diarrhea, coughing, you know, your standard, “my pet is sick on a weekend or after hours and I don't know what to do.’ “The reason why you would bypass an urgent care is for those real critical scenarios such as my pet’s unable to breathe or my pet is bleeding out profusely, my pet got hit by a car, my pet has a really severe fracture. These are going to be the ones that I would urge pet parents to drive past the urgent care and go to an emergency.” Listen to the full episode to hear Dr. Callie’s adventure with Moon Pie the goat and more.
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