Vivace Staffords and Sport Dogs

10/31/2023

Update to our summer breeding teaser announcement: Our 2024 breedings had to be rearranged in order for due diligence to happen with health checks. So our special spring 2024 litter has been pushed back to hopefully late summer 2024.

We have an exciting breeding announcement, pending OFA results, we have a special litter planned for early spring 2024. I expect fabulous sports prospects with great temperaments from this litter. We are so excited, stay tuned in for an official announcement in late summer!!!!!

10/29/2023

Tattle, Vivace's He Said She Said out of Steve/Khloe, went Winners Bitch, Best of Winners, and Owner Handled Best of Breed today AND took an OH Group 4! She got her first two points and I'm so happy with how well she is doing for a 9 month old puppy.

10/29/2023

Congratulations to Cheater, Vivaces Caught Me on the Counter, Steve/SWAK 1.0, who just completed her RATCH title in Barn Hunt. That is her Barn Hunt Championship title at just over 2 years old which is her 36th title in all. Super proud of Cassie and Cheater!

10/29/2023

Guilty, Vivaces Verdict is In, Steve/SWAK 1.0, recently competed at an UpDog Disc event and snagged the Top Novice dog spot! Huge congratulations to Mary and Guilty on rocking out at disc!

10/29/2023

Lily, Vivace's Tiger Lily, from Steve/SWAK 2.0, recently got her very first title, BCAT title in Fast CATS. She has her weave poles down pat and should debut in agility soon! Huge congratulations to Lynn and Lily!

10/29/2023

The Steve/Khloe pups now at 9 months old are starting to mature mentally and physically. A snippet of them in their daily lives being the cherished pups they are.

10/27/2023

Three little Staffords chewing on a bed. Steve and his two daughters, Voodoo & Tattle, having a cheek chew session all together on a kuranda bed.

09/24/2023

Vivace Tiger Lily got a 1st and Q in Rally novice today with a 92 and also earned her BCAT title! So proud of these two and they are just getting started.

08/28/2023

Potato, Vivace's All That An’a Bag Of Chips, from our Khloe and Steve litter doing fabulous recalls at flyball practice at 7 months of age. It's important to remember that at this age their growth plates are still open so you will notice that the jumps have been pulled to the side to keep things safe for growing babies.
When working on recalls with any puppy, or adult for that matter, it's paramount to remember that the reward should be 2-5 times the length of the work. So if they take 2 seconds to get to you the party should be 4-10 seconds long and if they take 5 seconds then you party for 10-25 seconds. A solid recall/come when called will save your dog's life so it needs to be the most highly rewarded thing you do.

08/28/2023

Staffords are notoriously hard on their beds and soft toys. I pretty much exclusively use Primo Pads and Far More Shade products. Primo Pads are sturdy, water proof, and super easy to wipe down. The Tuff Pads and Berber Pads from Far More Shade are made so that if they get chewed on a little bit they can still be used, the whole bed isn't a loss. I generally send all my puppies home with a crate pad from FMS that smells like home to help with their transition.

https://www.fmsdogbeds.com/products/berber-pads

We don't just make the bed, we BUILD IT

08/17/2023

As a trainer it makes me cringe to hear owners saying how their dog flips over onto their back asking for belly rubs when they try to do XYZ to the dog. So many people don't understand dog body language and assume belly up means a happy dog wanting belly rubs when that is not the case. Take the context of the situation into consideration and look at what other signals your dog/puppy is giving you. If your dog is stressed out about what is going on, chances are that them being belly up is not in fact them wanting belly rubs.

08/11/2023

Remember that you get what you pay off, if you only give your dog attention when they get into things that you don't want them to get into they will learn that is what is required to get attention/interaction from you. Make sure you are paying off the behaviors you want your dog to repeat so your dog learns appropriate ways to get you to engage in play with them. Rewards are determined by the animal being rewarded so while you may not feel that you are rewarding your dog for "inappropriate" things, if they increase the rate at which they engage in those behaviors then your responses have been a reward to the dog whether you intend them to be or not.

07/28/2023

Just because Staffies love other dogs as puppies and adolescents does not mean they will love other dogs as adults. The goal of socializing young is to get to the point where as adults they tolerate being in a smaller space with other adult dogs without having a negative reaction but that does not mean they always want to play and have their personal space invaded.

A subject which needs to be understood!

Dogs are complex creatures with individual needs, likes, dislikes, agendas ....the list goes on ...and guess what !! Just when you think you KNOW what that list consists of - it can change!

Dogs go through lots of behavioral changes as they go through their developmental stages of life.

Here, at The Barking Lot, we take great care to LISTEN to the dogs - observe the behaviors- create rules and structure to allow safety and security - we lead the dogs into appropriate interaction and play and we extinguish opportunities for questionable or unsafe behaviors.

SOMETIMES dogs reach a point in their development or maturity where they decide they no longer enjoy the environment and interaction styles of a busy daycare - THIS IS NORMAL!!!! And we RESPECT THAT AND WE RESPECT THE DOG!

Please understand .....a dog who has exhibited displeasure with large play groups STILL has A LOT of other avenues of fulfillment !!! Training, hiking, walks, fetch, swimming, a ride in the car, learning a new trick ....the list goes ON AND ON! But please don't despair if your dog is not a fit for daycare - there are MANY THINGS YOU CAN DO TOGETHER to meet his/her needs!! ❤️

07/09/2023

The Steve/Khloe litter at almost 6 months of age, so proud of these guys!

07/09/2023

Tater, formerly baby Frogger, is doing fabulous in her new home and has taken to the dock diving pool like a frog to water 🐸🐸🐸

07/08/2023

We have an exciting breeding announcement, pending OFA results, we have a special litter planned for early spring 2024. I expect fabulous sports prospects with great temperaments from this litter. We are so excited, stay tuned in for an official announcement in late summer!!!!!

05/14/2023

Frogger, now Tater, is off with her "Aunt Sarah" to get to her new dad in Ohio. She is going to get to play Flyball, Dock, and Disc. We are excited to see her accomplish amazing things!

04/23/2023

Vivace's Verdict is In, Guilty, is starting to rock it at flyball, disc, and agility. He and his mom Mary do all the things!

04/23/2023

At her last trial Vivace's Caught Me on the Counter, Cheater, earned her Rally Excellent title and two RAE legs, super proud of her and her mom Cassie!

04/21/2023

We still have one female puppy available to a performance home only, she is not a pet puppy, from our Khloe/Steve litter, DOB 1/11/23. I will try to get updated photos this weekend as these are from 8 weeks of age. This girl is fearless with an excellent tug drive, she would make a fabulous flyball or agility dog.

04/05/2023

Even if you prefer to rescue your next puppy/adult dog, do your research and know what to look for in a reputable rescue. There are ethical breeders and ethical rescues just as there are backyard/puppy mill breeders and "retail rescues" that are just in it for the money and the clout.

04/01/2023

Now that the surprise puppy is out of the bag I can announce that puppy number three went all the way to Alaska! Pong who is now Vivace’s All That An’a Bag Of Chips, Potato, will be playing flyball and doing conformation with Bree Arbaugh.

04/01/2023

Puppy number four to leave the nest is Sonic who is now Vivace's May All Your Bacon Burn, Calcifer. He will live in southern California with his mom who is beyond excited to finally have her hands on him.

03/26/2023

Puppy Double Trouble today with the simultaneous departure of puppy #3 and #4. Sonic and Pong were both LAX bound as of 2am this morning. Pong had an early morning hand off at LAX to continue onward and Sonic is still en route from DFW in Dallas, TX.

03/24/2023

Vivace's Verdict Is In, Guilty, crushing it at a recent agility trial. Photography credit to Big Air Photography.