Kallmee Vizslas and Toy Fox Terriers

17/11/2023

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It’s a gamble you guys 🎲

When you bring your seizing dog to the vet and the FIRST question is not “what do you use for flea and tick meds?” Then you know we have a big problem here.

Most people tell me that when their dog has a seizure or any neurological issue they take the dog to the vet and after tons of bloodwork and test after test with a clean bill of health that their vet never, not once, asked about flea and ticks meds that might have been given.

How are consumers ever going to learn about the dangers of this product if vets don’t even CONSIDER that this drug MIGHT be part of the problem? When you get a new puppy and you go to the vet guess what is in your puppy pack? Yup. One of these chewables.

I’m not sure what else to do so I just spread the word. It’s all we can do.

26/10/2023

Truth!

How to Dog Toy🐶❤️

🎨by SANESPARZA

https://showsightmagazine.com/showsight-subscribe/

22/10/2023

Just as you are not instant friends with every person, neither is your dog. And that’s ok! Don’t force your dog to interact with other dogs and don’t allow overly social or dogs with no social skills to get in your dog’s space when your dog indicates he doesn’t want them near him.

Always remember, your DOG doesn't need to like to engage with every other dog any more than YOU need to like to engage with every other person you encounter!

22/10/2023

16/10/2023

Well said. Too bad the public won’t read it before adopting a dog at the shelter.

The popularity of Pit Bulls and why this is so problematic:

I am sure that this post will garner a fair amount of negative response, but at this point I am more afraid of the consequences of not speaking out than I am of the anger that may come my way for daring to say what so many of my colleagues feel, but keep silent about for fear of censure.

The reality is that almost daily we get requests for help from people who have either bought or adopted Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes and are reaching out due to the following:
1. They have more than one dog of this type and they are now fighting and doing serious damage to each other.
2. They have one of these dogs that has done serious damage to another dog in the family.
3. They have had to separate their dogs due to fighting, but now want them back together.
4. They can no longer walk their dog, because it has done damage to another dog on walks.
5. They have adopted a dog of this type and want the dog “socialised” as it shows reactivity to other dogs.

We have dealt with so many of these cases that it has gotten to a point where we are wanting to simply refuse to get involved anymore, because these situations are far too predictable and can seldom be resolved to the satisfaction people are hoping for. Something needs to change and if those of us who deal with this on a daily basis are not willing to speak up, it is unlikely that they will and we will be responsible for people making the same mistakes over and over again.

I am not sure where the idea has come from that Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes are such great companion animals and the most idealised family dogs. Were they popularised by the Dog Whisperer and his awful TV show? Is it simply that there are so many of them spilling out from communities where they are still used for fighting and as a status symbol, that they now comprise the majority of dogs in shelters and so rescue organisations have done a massive PR campaign in order to get them adopted? Or is it that they have become a good way for people to feel they are championing an “underdog” and fighting against prejudice, because people mistakenly equate the reality of breed predisposition with racial prejudice and bigotry?

Perhaps it is a combination of all of these things, but I am constantly dismayed by extremely kind, loving and well-meaning people such as:
• The young, active person who wants a pit bull as a partner for recreation and expects the dog to run free on the mountain and beaches, visit coffee shops and attend social functions at friends’ homes
• The young couple wanting to get their first dog before they start a human family who been told that pit bulls are wonderful with kids
• The person who falls in love with the idea of rescuing an “underdog” with a difficult past
• The young family who goes to adopt a puppy, and are told that breed does not matter
• The person with the big heart who keeps adding more and more dogs to their home, believing that they will all get on, regardless of type and history, if they are simply given enough love
• The caring husband and father who believes that a pit bull will keep his family safe from intruders and be a great companion for the kids

While no one disputes the idea that herding breeds are predisposed to herd, guarding breeds are predisposed to guard, pointers tend to point, retrievers like to hold things in their mouths and terriers like to hunt small critters, for some reason most people do not seem able to accept the fact that dogs that have been selectively bred to fight and kill each other might just be good at doing just that and MORE EASILY drawn into that type of behaviour pattern than another type of dog. This does not mean that these dogs are “evil”, it does not mean that there are absolutely no exceptions, it does not mean that no other type of dog is capable of doing harm to other dogs and it does not mean that a well-managed dog of this type may not make a loving companion for someone who accepts the risks and learns to mitigate them. However, it does mean that for the average person, acquiring a dog of this type is bringing a dog into their home that presents a HIGHER risk than many other types of dogs they could have chosen.

What is most concerning is that the majority of the people who end up in these situations do not intentionally choose this increased risk: they are often kind-hearted people who simply have no idea that the risk exists, because they have been told fairy tales by rescue organisations, believed some nonsense they have seen on TV or had no reason to doubt the “it’s all how you raise them” mantra. This is so grossly unfair and my heart breaks when we have to be the ones to tell caring people hard truths such as that their dogs may never be able to live freely together again, that their dogs fighting poses an enormous risk to their young children and the dogs may need to be rehomed or that they cannot ever let their dog off lead in public or allow it to interact with other dogs again.

Few people want to hear these things or live like that. Few people would ever deliberately choose this reality for themselves, their dogs and their families. Yes, I do realise that there are never any 100% guarantees when getting any dog of any type from any source at any age, BUT are we really going to deny that there are not factors that increase the risk of having a dog with dog-dog aggression? Why would we lie to ourselves and to others? Who are we trying to protect by going along with this – or are we just protecting ourselves from an unpopular and uncomfortable truth?

Is it not time to warn people that acquiring a dog that has been selectively bred for dog-dog aggression (and not defensive type aggression, but rather “gameness” or predatory type aggression) that they are INCREASING THEIR RISK of having a dog that gets into serious fights with other dogs in the home, that does not get along with other dogs at all and that is likely to do very serious damage to other dogs and any humans that happen to get in the way if they do get into a fight? If we kindly warn people and they choose the risk, that is their responsibility, but if we remain silent and they make a choice not knowing the risk, then surely we are partly responsible for the problems they may end up facing. I for one, do not want to bear that responsibility anymore, so I am speaking out motivated by compassion, not judgement - I hope this post will be received in this way.

03/08/2023

https://showsightmagazine.com/kallmee-susan-thibodeaux/?fbclid=IwAR3xFZYEYCdmQV8vHNyFnOTROpS8cnKfdqPaYYnxjp_1mpfLoMsGOFYvfN0_aem_AWr2DW9LMWCBph70akXe4skG6jI3j_Xnp6xbi8VAp6tj7zWtyi1jaA2iWrszaLOfGGk&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Susan Thibodeaux is the breeder behind Kallmee Toy Fox Terriers. Read about the kennel's beginnings, the puppies, and much more!

17/04/2023

When you get a Vizsla puppy - follow this advice! Take it to heart!

27/03/2023

“Blessed Are The Husbands”
Blessed are the husbands of dog show women
Who have no interest in dog shows
But love our passions because they love us.
Blessed are the husbands
Who haul bags of dog food with not a cross word
And offer to walk the dogs
To whereever their heart desires
And stay all day
To watch our us do what we love.
Blessed are the husbands
Who have the patience to listen
To our every conversation
About the days competition and show sites
And pedigrees and future breedings.
Blessed are the husbands
Who don’t complain about the money
Because soon it will become
Food and entry fees and vet bills.
Blessed are the husbands
Who have the kindness
To sit in the whelping box with us overnight
On puppy watch, or nursing the fading,
Or to investigate a strange sound.
Blessed are the husbands
Who possess the wisdom
To let us chase our dreams
And keep the sink free from dishes
And know how we lie when we say
“Just need to make a quick call to a friend about a dog show."
Blessed are the husbands
Sent to dog show women with a note from God
“Treasure this one, for he is so rare
He cannot be replaced”
In the dog show world, it’s easy to overlook our silent supporters. Our husbands are the unsung heroes of this wild and crazy ride. Don’t forget to Thank The Husbands.
~Robin Gates modified from the Horse Woman version

18/10/2022

How to brush your dog’s teeth. I brush my dogs’ teeth nightly. Our dogs’ dental and oral health are an important piece of their longevity and overall well-being.

Note- DO NOT USE PEOPLE TOOTHPASTES! Use only toothpastes specific for dogs. Human toothpastes contain chemicals dangerous for dogs.

17/09/2022

Absolutely accurate.

14/09/2022

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=616672319983134&id=100049211145093

In the last few years, I’ve watched “dog culture” explode into a phenomenon I’d never seen as an early dog trainer. When I first started training dogs, people didn’t come to me with requests for their dogs to be able to handle things and expectations we put on them so heavily today. Nowadays, it’s amazing what we ask of our dogs because of this culture that emerged. And then we wonder why dogs are going downhill behaviorally so quickly.

1. Dog “groups” where people get together with dogs on leash and do activities and social events. Including birthday parties, Halloween parties, etc etc

2. Dog daycares where dogs are kept in large groups to play

3. Dog parks where humans AND dogs interact in groups

4. Behaviors like perfect heel on leash, sit stays on beds, ignoring environmental enticement in the name of “training”

Then there’s dog sports, dog classes, therapy dog work, service dog work, dog shows, trail walks, public outings, restaurants, breweries, and farmers markets and parades and town days and family over (with their dog) for every holiday and apartment complexes and car rides and pet stores and all these places we’ve been made to believe dogs SHOULD go and should WANT to go to and if they don’t then you need to do more and more work with them and help them like it and if you don’t then you aren’t fulfilling them or meeting their needs and your dog isn’t happy and you are failing or they just haven’t been raised right.

Please. Take a breath.

For 20,000 years dogs existed beside us doing none of that. For 9,000 years they were created for purpose and work, not for pets (with the exception of a few toy breeds) We didn’t expect ANY OF THIS during that time unless they were designed and created for it: now it’s what we want all the time. From all dogs. That’s not fair.

Our culture has changed SO much and dogs haven’t had a chance to catch up. We want all this new stuff because it’s part of OUR new culture, but we need to pause and realize it’s not a part of most of theirs. People coming over? Not really what most dogs were created to enjoy. Going new places all the time? Not what most dogs were created to handle. Hanging out in groups and put in costumes and having their pictures taken? Not normal to a dog. Riding calmly in a glass box going past all these distractions at 35mph? Not part of their DNA either.

We would NEVER expect this of any of our other animals either. Why are dogs taking the brunt of this. Because dogs are extremely adaptable and truthfully, they love us so much they will try so so hard to make us happy and do what we ask of them. But, can we for a second stop and think that maybe it’s too much sometimes? Can we please take some accountability for their stress and mental health as part of OUR unrealistic expectations that we’ve been led to believe make for a good dog vs a bad dog? I’m not talking about not working with them and helping them learn to live in todays world. That’s important. I’m talking about taking a step back and having respect for who they are and why they originally ended up with us. I do this all the time before I put any of my dogs in a situation, and that means sometimes I don’t bring them.

If the culture is changing; let’s add human education and understanding of basic canine ethology, body language and respect into it too. It’s only fair to honor the animals who have stood beside us for so so long.

Helen St. Pierre

18/07/2022

Flyer getting a Group 2 in West Palm Beach.

20/05/2022

We send puppies home with short nails - we do them every week from 2 weeks old on, when you get them home it’s your responsibility to keep your dog’s feet healthy. Keep those nails short! Do them weekly! Long nails affect tendons, ligaments and joints.

29/04/2022

Vizslas are NOT for everyone! Read Rita's article - I completely agree!

https://www.moonlightvizslas.com/storage/2020/09/Are-Vizslas-Good-with-Kids-1.pdf

29/04/2022

So many good articles on Vizslas here. A goldmine from experienced long time Vizsla people.

https://www.vizsladogs.com/articles.htm

22/04/2022

My interview regarding my Toys with Showsight magazine. Its also in their April 2022 edition.

https://showsightmagazine.com/kallmee-susan-thibodeaux/

Interview with a Toy Group Breeder Susan Thibodeaux - I live in Cocoa, Florida. I have been in dogs for 41 years and breeding for 38 years.

24/03/2022

Keep your dog’s nails short!!

http://www.maximaldog.com/resources/nail-care?fbclid=IwAR38voPXzNFYZOxYpRPrcvxMrnDp1BniF4xWboyBQbGswRK7ihstI5Vr6HA

Ah, the bane of every Manchester’s existence: nail care. This is so important that I made a special page for it. I will only say this once: If you can hear your dog’s nails tapping on t…

09/02/2022

It’s Toy Fox Terrier Day! ❤️❤️

A diminutive satin-coated terrier with an amusing toy-dog personality, the Toy Fox Terrier is, as breed fanciers say, “truly a toy and a terrier.”

Why do you love the breed?

17/01/2022

https://www.facebook.com/100009783482777/posts/1677834575885976/?d=n

14/01/2022

Why you want a SHOW-BRED dog even if you aren’t planning to show it (shared from another FB thread)

“I don’t want a show dog, I just want a pet.”

This is one of the most pervasive sentiments that puppy buyers, especially families, express when they're looking for a dog. What they really mean, of course, is that they don't want a show BREEDER – don't want to pay the high price they think show breeders charge, don't want to go through the often-invasive interview process, and think that they're getting a better deal or a real bargain because they can get a Lab for $300 or a Shepherd for $150.

I want you to change your mind. I want you to not only realize the benefits of buying a show-bred dog, I want you to INSIST on a show-bred dog. And I want you to realize that the cheap dog is really the one that's the rip-off. And then I want you to go be obnoxious and, when your workmate says she's getting a puppy because her neighbor, who raises them, will give her one for free, or when your brother-in-law announces that they're buying a goldendoodle for the kids, I want you to launch yourself into their solar plexus and steal their wallets and their car keys.

Here's why: If I ask you why you want a Maltese, or a Lab, or a Leonberger, or a Cardigan, I would bet you're not going to talk about how much you like their color. You're going to tell me things about personality, ability (to perform a specific task), relationships with other animals or humans, size, coat, temperament, and so on. You'll describe playing ball, or how affectionate you've heard that they are, or how well they get along with kids.

The things you will be looking for aren't the things that describe just "dog"; they'll be the things that make this particular breed unique and unlike other breeds.

That's where people have made the right initial decision – they've taken the time and made the effort to understand that there are differences between breeds and that they should get one that at least comes close to matching their picture of what they want a dog to be.

Their next step, tragically, is that they go out and find a dog of that breed for as little money and with as much ease as possible.

You need to realize that when you do this, you're going to the used car dealership, WATCHING them pry the "Audi" plate off a new car, observing them as they use Bondo to stick it on a '98 Corolla, and then writing them a check and feeling smug that you got an Audi for so little.

It is no bargain.

Those things that distinguish the breed you want from the generic world of "dog" are only there because somebody worked really hard to get them there. And as soon as that work ceases, the dog, no matter how purebred, begins to revert to the generic. That doesn't mean you won't get a good dog – the magic and the blessing of dogs is that they are so hard to mess up, in their good souls and minds, that even the most hideously bred one can still be a great dog – but it will not be a good Shepherd, or good Puli, or a good Cardigan. You will not get the specialized abilities, tendencies, or talents of the breed.

If you don't NEED those special abilities or the predictability of a particular breed, you should not be buying a dog at all. You should go rescue one. That way you're saving a life and not putting money in pockets where it does not belong.

If you want a purebred and you know that a rescue is not going to fit the bill, the absolute WORST thing you can do is assume that a name equals anything. They really are nothing more than name plates on cars. What matters is whether the engineering and design and service department back up the name plate, so you have some expectation that you're walking away with more than a label.

Keeping a group of dogs looking and acting like their breed is hard, HARD work. If you do not get the impression that the breeder you're considering is working that hard, is that dedicated to the breed, is struggling to produce dogs that are more than a breed name, you are getting no bargain; you are only getting ripped off.

-Author unknown