<![CDATA[Gentry Boxers - BLOG]]>Sat, 09 May 2026 00:37:49 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[The philosophy of an excellent dog breeder]]>Thu, 29 Aug 2024 23:10:52 GMThttps://www.gentryboxers.com/blog/the-philosophy-of-an-excellent-dog-breeder
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Gentry Boxers has a strong ethic to produce not only beautiful boxers, but boxers who are fully health screened.  It is our hope and earnest goal that our program will contribute to longevity in the breed.  Over the years, the lifespan of our amazing boxers has slowly been increasing, but according to Dr. Michael Cocchiaro, DVM, DAVCIM at Austin Heart Vet, he sees no reduction in instances of heart problems in boxers.  In fact, he told me at last years' heart clinic that serious heart problems are on the rise in his practice.

Our health screens are published, whether we are happy with the results or not.  We want other breeders to be able to make fully informed decisions about our puppies and stud dogs.  We perform every health screen required by the American Boxer Club Breeder of Merit Program, plus some.  We add screenings for inherited eye conditions, OFA elbows and spines, and we run 24 hour heart holter clearances annually until our dogs pass.  

Having transitioned from traditional allopathic supports to natural rearing has been a process of learning for us.  We have seen an increase in vitality and health in our dogs now that we are fully cooperating with Mother Nature to support our boxers and human family.  We believe that we are seeing strengthened immune systems and increased disease resistance as well.  We have certainly noticed a decrease in the notorious boxer farting that so many of us are accustomed to living with!

Sounds crazy, but before we retire, we hope to be producing boxers who live to at least 15 years of age, and we don't think that 18 is too much to ask!
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Gentry Boxers’ puppies are naturally reared. I raise my dogs and puppies this way because I love my dogs and I want them to live as long and healthy a life as possible. I believe that today’s dogs are bombarded with chemicals and toxic poisons and this causes cancer and autoimmune disorders including hypothyroidism, allergies, joint disease, digestive issues and parasite loads.
If you are not familiar with natural rearing, here are some key concepts:
  • Gentry boxers are fed a fresh, whole diet.  This includes raw meat with bone in, organs, and a bit of fruit in the form of NingXia Red, nutritional herbs and essential oils.  Commercial diets are laden with genetically engineered foods, waste products and scraps which are cooked and extruded with artificial vitamins and minerals added in. 
  • Gentry boxers are not dewormed with chemical wormers.  Healthy dogs are not good hosts for parasites.  Small exposures to parasites prime the immune system and help it to grow strong.  We support all puppies with high quality raw food species specific diet, diatomaceous earth, therapeutic grade essential oils like ParaGize and/or herbs if needed.
  • Gentry boxers are not subjected to flea, tick or heartworm medications.  These substances are toxic and these toxins do not create healthy dogs.  We prefer to build the immune system of our dogs so they do not suffer from these parasites.  We wean our puppies to a species-specific raw meat diet and use a special Immunity Formula developed in-house in our bottles to give our puppies the best start in life.
  • Gentry boxers are treated with homeopathy and/or essential oils.  We avoid the use of drugs and medicines unless it is an emergency situation.  Our breeding girls are all treated with homeopathy, even though they are healthy, to undo the damage done by commercial foods and vaccines in previous generations in order to decrease the chance of chronic disease such as allergies and cancer in our puppies as much as possible.  This is called “constitutional healing”, a unique method that helps our puppies to release epigenetic damage.  We even anoint our puppies at birth with the oils used on baby Jesus to support their immune systems and immediately raise their frequency.
  • Gentry boxers have not been vaccinated (note that rabies is required by law). We are happy to provide you with an unvaccinated puppy and that is our strong preference. Vaccinations cause many health problems including cancer, arthritis, bowel issues, allergies, skin issues, behavioural problems and more.  I have personally dealt with the fallout of a rabies miasm with one of my beautiful boxers, and have since discovered that many breeds are sensitive to vaccine reactions.  Boxers fall into that category and should not be vaccinated.
  • Gentry boxers live in our country home with the family. They also receive plenty of time in the outdoor air and in the sun. Our puppies are heavily socialized and by the time they go to their new homes, they will have been through early development BioSensor Stimulation and Puppy Culture training.  They are exposed to lots of different visitors, situations, and sounds using our personally developed sound-desensitizing loop that is now used by many dog breeders through our free YouTube Channel.  They are also exposed to vacuums, televisions, radios, and other household noises. They also get exposure to children and small animals to make them well adjusted, well socialized adults.
  • Gentry boxers are not exposed to toxic cleaning chemicals in the home.  We use only environmentally friendly products made from natural, harmless ingredients such as essential oils, lemon and orange oil, vinegar and more.  Our #1 choice for cleaning our home and nursery is Young Living Thieves Household Cleaner.  It is completely safe for newborns and mothers who are licking the things we are cleaning.
  • Gentry puppies are kept with the litter for 8 to 10 weeks, depending on the size of the litter.  It is much more expensive and a lot more work for us to keep them longer, but the puppies are much more confident, calm and well adjusted when they learn to interact in a dog family for as long as possible.
  • Gentry puppies are trained using only positive, scientifically sound training methods.  We do not advocate any corrections, they are not only unnecessary but harmful to the dogs.  We work closely with a KPA certified trainer at Southern Paws Dog Training.
 
Take a tour of our Gentry Boxers nursery to see how out babies are raised!

​ Click to read an article in Raw Pet Digest on our breeding program!

]]><![CDATA[THE HOLISTIC BOXER - ISSUE #2]]>Thu, 02 Apr 2015 22:35:39 GMThttps://www.gentryboxers.com/blog/the-holistic-boxer-issue-2HOMEOPATHICS FOR PETS
My personal kit of 100 of the most commonly used homeopathics

We all love our boxers and other pets and most of us depend on our veterinarians to give us sound advice to assist with health issues, both acute and chronic.  We would give our right arm to see them healed.  This article is not meant to impugn the integrity of allopathically-trained health professionals, for they work with what they have learned and can certainly turn a crisis around quickly. They are in the business to heal and their services are valuable.  But how can we use holistic knowledge to augment or even replace traditional treatments that may not be effective?  How can we give our beautiful boxers, other family members the best quality of life along with the potential for increased longevity?

There are six basic classes of holistic supports that often can be used by the lay person at home, typically at very low cost, and often with miraculous results.  Knowledge of these methods and judicious consultation with holistic health professionals can sometimes save a caregiver thousands of dollars in traditional treatments and get directly to the core imbalances and fix them – for good in some cases.  The first two, Homeopathics and Flower Essences, are completely nature-based, non-toxic and free of noxious chemical substances, and great for beginners seeking natural means to reduce suffering and provide significant healing support to themselves and their pets.  They can be used alongside any form of medication without any risk of adverse reactions, and choosing the incorrect remedy does not cause damage.  These are great learning tools for anyone in safe alternatives to traditional treatments because you can try another remedy if the first one is ineffective.

This issue addresses one of my favorites – homeopathics.

Homeopathics – The alternative medical system of homeopathy was developed in Germany at the end of the 18th century by a brilliant MD. Homeopathic remedies are derived from substances that come from plants, minerals, or animals, such as red onion, arnica (mountain herb), crushed whole bees, white arsenic, poison ivy, belladonna (deadly nightshade), and stinging nettle. The original substance is diluted down to the “energy version”, thus turning it from toxin into healer.  The symptoms caused by the original substance are reversed by the homeopathic version of the same substance – thus, the phrase “like cures like” has evolved.  Homeopathic remedies are often formulated as sugar pellets to be placed under the tongue; they may also be in other forms, such as liquids, ointments, gels, drops, creams, and tablets.

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Drosera in its natural state can cause coughing
and is therefore often very helpful for animals with the symptoms of kennel cough
The liquid form is typically easier to dose when animals are coughing
The history of Homeopathics - Founded and proved by German Dr. Samuel Hahnemann in the late 1700’s, homeopathic medicine ushered in a gentle and effective method of curing illness during times when practicing physicians were using crude and harsh methods such as strong chemicals in an attempt to purge the body of supposed poisons, bloodletting to rid the body of supposed excesses of blood, etc.  A poor, but brilliant student who was tutoring fellow students in Greek and Latin by the age of twelve, Hahnemann received his medical degree but was unable to find effective ways to ease the suffering of his own children with the treatments taught to him.  Dr. Hahnemann established a scientific method of ascertaining and proving the medicinal properties of various substances.  He made the monumental discovery that substances that cause disastrous symptoms such as Bella Donna (causes coma, vomiting, diarrhea, and more) can actually reverse those symptoms when the original substance is highly diluted down to its energy form and administered, without the fear of the side effects commonly found with the use of pharmaceuticals.  Thus, for example, the extremely diluted homeopathic Bella Donna has been known to reverse comas.  This brought about the term that “like cures like”, meaning that a substance that causes symptoms in its natural form can reverse those symptoms in its energy form.

Homeopathy was widely adopted in the ensuing centuries with great success in many areas including in the face of serious outbreaks of cholera and yellow fever, but began a decline when health practitioners tried to use homeopathics in an allopathic manner – without proper case taking or individual prescribing – and they obtained poor results.  The use of homeopathics in the United States virtually disappeared in the late nineteenth century largely due to misuse and the financial gains and growth afforded by the patent drug industry started by Eli Lilly company.  Meanwhile, homeopathic use has continued to grow by leaps and bounds in many other countries such as the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and many Latin American countries.

A resurgence of homeopathic medicine in the US occurred in the 1970s and currently is widely practiced throughout the world.  Dr. Richard Pitcairn has been at the forefront of US-based veterinary homeopathy and has provided much of the training to North American veterinarians and individuals.  For dogs who receive traditional vaccinations, homeopathic Thuja can be effective in reducing the negative effects of puppy and annual DHLPPC vaccines, also known as “vaccinosis”, and is a mainstay in home and veterinary homeopathic use. 

Homeopathics are steeped in traditional healing for hundreds of years .  However, it is not an old or rarely used healing method.  A survey of French pharmacists was conducted in 2004 found that an astounding 94.5% reported advising pregnant women to use homeopathic remedies. 62% of French mothers use homeopathics as well. At least 25,000 French physicians prescribe homeopathic medicines for their patients. It is not only much more tried than modern allopathic remedies, but very current in the civilized world's medical communities.

How to use homeopathy at home – start with the understanding that homeopathics can be extremely effective when chosen correctly and in almost any potency, and will pass harmlessly through the body in almost all cases when an incorrect remedy is given.  Lower potencies typically may need to be administered more often.  Higher potencies may need to be given only once.

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  • Invest in a homeopathic remedy kit and learn to choose remedies.  Choosing the correct remedy comes by having a variety to choose from.  I recommend the purchase of a basic homeopathic kit of 50-100 of the most commonly used remedies.  This is one of the most important investments that a person interested in holistic supports can make, and each remedy costs only a few dollars.  Remedies are given in minute doses, and have the potential for permanent shelf-life if not exposed to strong odors, touched, or exposed to Electrical Magnetic Frequencies such as microwaves.  Over time, you will learn to use most of them effectively for both acute and chronic situations. 

  • Learn to muscle test (use kinesiology) your box of remedies as well.  Kinesiology allows you to access the body’s inner wisdom or intuition.  You will often choose the correct remedy based on that wisdom and find that it is perfect for the situation. 

  • Consult a homeopathic practitioner.  Most of them can consult by phone and help you to choose the correct remedy.  This is especially useful when dealing with chronic health issues.

  • Start by using homeopathic Arnica – one of the most widely used and effective remedies for generalized pain, bruising and inflammation.  It is a “must have” in any first aid kit and can be administered orally or on the skin via gels and lotions.  Try it on yourself the next time you run into a table corner and note the reduction in the bruising that you typically experience. You’ll be hooked!  It’s great for sprains, bruises, and bitches in labor and post-whelping, and safe for nursing moms and infants.
Homeopathic Arnica in pellet form

UPDATE!  WE'VE JUST LAUNCHED A HOMEOPATHIC SNAKE/VENOMOUS INSECT BITE KIT!  If you live in an area where you or our pets are at risk of being bitten by venomous snakes or spiders, please check this out.  We were able to save our dogs without a $4,000 anti-venom procedure with a few dollars worth of homeopathics.  See this video for more information:
Watch for our next column on Flower Essences.  You won't want to miss it! 

HAPPY HOLISTIC HEALING!

Author:  Paula Vandervoort; Gentry Boxers, Kindred Animal Spirits

Paula has been raising show/performance boxers for over four decades and currently lives with three conformation champions/service/performance boxers named Dash, Scotty and Ginger, plus a new show hopeful named Spice.

Professional Animal Communicator/Telepath/Energy Healer and Teacher
Professional Flower Essence Practitioner
Raw Feeder
Natural Rearing Breeder, member Natural Rearing Breeder Association
Contributor to The Dog Breeder Store – an online resource for breeders and owners
Alumnus AZ State University - Animal Science

References:
Homeopathic Care for Cats and Dogs – Don Hamilton, DVM
The Nature of Animal Healing, Martin Goldstein, DVM
Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats – Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM, PhD
Natural Immunity – Pat McKay
Natural Rearing Breeders Association
Dogs Naturally Magazine
Miracles in Healing Home Homeopathics Course by Dr. Will Falconer, Holistic DVM
Dr. Peter Dobias, Holistic DVM

“Everything is energy and that is all there is to it.  Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality.  There is no other way.  This is not philosophy.  This is physics.” 

Albert Einstein
]]><![CDATA[ The Holistic Boxer - Issue #1]]>Sun, 22 Feb 2015 20:36:30 GMThttps://www.gentryboxers.com/blog/-the-holistic-boxer-issue-1Introduction to Holistic Supports for Pets Picture
What does it mean to consider supporting your boxers (or any pets) with holistic measures?  Let’s look at the definition of “holistic” - “incorporating the concept of holism, or the idea that the whole is more than merely the sum of its parts.”  This means that all imbalances, whether physical, emotional or energetic, arise from core dysfunctions that can be identified and balanced, and have the potential to resolve symptoms that are displayed on the outside.  The ultimate goal of holistic healing is to help your pet’s ability to heal herself with a strong immune system and a balanced emotional constitution, all by using things found in Mother Nature.

 

Why would you want to learn about holistic supports?  Dogs exhibit external symptoms of illness, and holistic supports can help get to the core issues at play as well as balance out external symptoms.  For example, one of the most common is skin issues.  You’ve seen them – what appear to be allergies, itching, oozing, patches of fur missing, etc.  The skin is second only to intestines in surface area, and is among the first that the body accesses to detoxify toxins absorbed in the body, or push out waste materials of its own immune system at work. 

 

So normally we go to the vet. They do skin scrapings or allergy testing, and treat the symptoms with antibiotics and/or steroids. And what happens?  First, the natural process of detoxing and internal healing is suppressed, and the toxins are pushed inward, moving into other places in the body. We likely find ourselves back at the vet in the near future with either a different chronic set of symptoms or a recurrence of the same symptoms; only this time the symptoms are fiercer.  The vet ups the ante, gives stronger doses, and the cycle continues. 

 

I know: I’ve been there with a dog who licked his feet incessantly for a decade.  He was put on stronger and stronger treatments that suppressed his immune system and made him worse over time.  The symptoms would diminish temporarily, then come back with a vengeance.  The vet, trained in allopathic medicine, used the tools at hand the best he could.  He didn’t know about energy meridians or how to look at the dog as a whole being rather than a set of symptoms. He was not trained in any alternatives to the three main treatment options: Surgery, antibiotics, and steroids.  He did his best, but failed to ever cure the problem.  This dog’s misery did not end until he transitioned over the Rainbow Bridge.

 

What are the core issues that could have been at play with this dog?  Was he allergic to grass, as proposed by the veterinarian?   This is a common diagnosis in a species evolved to have contact with Mother Earth, grass, trees, water, etc.  Does that really make sense?  He could have had an imperceptible injury to cervical vertebrae that caused a nerve sensation to cascade down directly to his foot - making him want to scratch the resulting sensation with his teeth and tongue.  (See figure above)  A chiropractor could have found and corrected this.  He could have had an immune system imbalance, treatable with herbs or homeopathics, or safe and gentle routine liver detoxing.  He could have been emotionally stressed by the presence of new animals or other stressors in his life, treatable with flower essences, homeopathics or energy healing.  There are other “whole body” possibilities that someone trained in holistic medicine might easily have found as well.  He certainly was not innately allergic to grass, nor did he need multiple rounds of antibiotics and steroids, which ultimately made him totally miserable.

 

We all love our boxers and other pets and most of us depend on our veterinarians to give us sound advice to assist with health issues, both acute and chronic.  We would give our right arm to see them healed.  This article is not meant to impugn the integrity of allopathically-trained health professionals, for they work with what they have learned and can certainly turn a crisis around quickly. They are in the business to heal and their services are valuable.  But how can we use holistic knowledge to augment or even replace traditional treatments that may not be effective?  How can we give our beautiful boxers the best quality of life along with the potential for increased longevity?

 

There are six basic classes of holistic supports that often can be used by the lay person at home, typically at very low cost, and often with miraculous results.  Knowledge of these methods and judicious consultation with holistic health professionals can sometimes save a caregiver thousands of dollars in traditional treatments and get directly to the core imbalances and fix them – for good in some cases.  The first two, Homeopathics and Flower Essences, are completely nature-based, non-toxic and free of noxious chemical substances, and great for beginners seeking natural means to reduce suffering and provide significant healing support to themselves and their pets.  They can be used alongside any form of medication without any risk of adverse reactions, and choosing the incorrect remedy does not cause damage.  These are great learning tools for anyone in safe alternatives to traditional treatments because you can try another remedy if the first one is ineffective.

We will learn about the different types of holistic supports in future issues...

Energy line photo used with permission - www.peterdobias.com
]]><![CDATA[How dogs behave at dog shows from an animal communicator's perspective]]>Mon, 14 Jul 2014 22:36:44 GMThttps://www.gentryboxers.com/blog/how-dogs-behave-at-dog-shows-from-an-animal-communicators-perspectivePicture
I recently read an amazingly perceptive article from my friend Reisa Stone, an Animal Communicator from Vancouver, about her observations regarding how horses behave at horse shows.  She observed a lot of anxiety and offered some wonderful advice based on what is actually going on amongst the horses at shows relative to herd mentality.

It got me thinking about all of my experiences over the decades at conformation and performance shows for dogs, the conversations that I have with my own dogs, and some I have had with client animals in competition.  (For those who don't know, I'm a telepathic Animal Communicator.)  For those of us who are showing in conformation and performance, as I do, we often find ourselves dealing with dogs who are suddenly anxious, overheated, and over-amped.  They sometimes lunge unexpectedly at other dogs, when we’ve not seen that behavior in our home environment.  They often get diarrhea, skin rashes, or other illnesses and we have to consider pulling them from competition.  Sometimes they slink away from a particular judge, run around with their tails down, or generally act fearful.  So how do we help them?

In my capacity as an Animal Communicator, I’ve been contacted by clients with show dogs who want me to check in and see if I can “fix” these behaviors in their show dogs, and I can sympathize because I’ve had my share of these issues in my own dogs over the years as well.  These are not always easy to fix, but some of these experiences may help you to understand how you can help your own dog.  You may also see how communicating with your animal can fit in to helping them to enjoy the experience along with you.

The first time I walked into the Reliant World of Dog Shows as a professional Animal Communicator, I was with a friend who was newly practicing her telepathic skills with dogs. When we entered the building, there were several thousand dogs present on the site.  I could feel the anxious energy immediately, and my friend, who didn’t have adequate filters set up for such an event, nearly collapsed once we walked in the exhibitor’s entrance.  I thought she was going to need an ambulance; she covered her ears and said “Oh my God, don’t you hear them all?”  What she was hearing were the telepathic communications of dogs all over the building, talking to one another, looking for help, wondering where their people were, etc.; basically it sounded like an elementary schoolroom without a teacher and the students were running amok!  It was deafening to her and it nearly incapacitated her.

I realized at the time that many of the dogs needed help and didn’t have anyone to talk to, and when she walked in, her telepathic “third  eye” was like a beacon light in their world. They knew we were there and they all wanted to talk at once.  It was literal pandemonium in her head; a cacophony of voices all screaming to be heard over the others.  No wonder she was collapsing!

I have been taught how to “filter” one animal from another, so my communications are always directed at a specific animal. I am very rarely contacted by an animal “out of the blue”, though it does happen occasionally.  That’s for another blog. However, when you realize that dogs at shows are not only bombarded with the noises, smells and sights of hundreds, if not thousands of other dogs and people, along with the telepathic voices of those animals, it makes sense that there is anxiety in the air.  As well, most of these dogs are very good at reading the energy of their people, so they pick up on human anxiety and stress and bring it into their own bodies.

Consider this – there was an experienced performance agility dog who was “missing obstacles” (taking them out of the proper sequence), and the trainer wanted to know why this was happening so much.  The telepathic communication by my mentor revealed that the trainer was so focused on the sequence of the obstacle course that she was thinking about the next two obstacles prior to the one the dog was on.  The dog was picking up on this as a telepathic visualization, and was so incredibly connected to her trainer that she was paying more attention to the telepathic instructions than to the physical cues that were being given. Therefore, when the trainer thought about the dog walk (which was two obstacles ahead), the dog said “got it!” and ran to the dog walk instead of the tunnel which was supposed to be next. Once the trainer understood that it was important to keep her thoughts directed at the current obstacle, the problem disappeared.   The dog followed the physical cues and received her “mental” instructions at the same time.  Problem solved.

This story illustrates how very connected our dogs are to our own emotions and thoughts.  Every thought has an impact; a life of its own. And thoughts can communicate very real intentions to our dogs.  If we are anxious and worried about how we will do in the ring, the dog certainly picks up on it.  In Reisa’s article, she talks about how the horses are so affected by the disruption of herd mentality and energies when they are put into show situations.  Dogs don’t have a herd mentality; they have a human-animal connection.  And they pay attention to the thoughts and emotions of their human and family members.  However, at a dog show, that connection  is disrupted and the dog can lose track of the purpose of being there and become fearful and lonely because he/she has lost the sense of connection with their human – you.

As another example, I talked with a working breed dog that was consistently being aggressive in the ring. His person wanted me to “get it under control” if possible.  When I connected with this dog, his entire energy body was filled with fear and anxiety, and the dog was not at the show during the session.  When I asked him what was happening in the shows, he showed me in detail, and told me that he hated being there.  He begged me to tell his owner that this was not supposed to be his job.  In his mind, aggression was the only way to get the message across.  I passed this along to his owner, who was pretty insistent that he needed to do this job.  He was a promising show dog and she wanted him to do well and win.  So I ended up having a long talk with him, explaining why he was being asked to do this job, what it entailed, and showing him in pictures and videos how she expected him to behave.  His energy calmed and he became pensive and quiet for a bit after I explained all of this to him.  I don’t think he really understood why he was put into shows, so it took some time to make sense to him.  He was very bitter about being thrust into show situations without being asked if he wanted to be there.  He then asked for something in return.  He said “if I do this, could you ask her to play ball with me?  She doesn’t play with me and I need that from her.”  She agreed, and the next weekend he was pretty much an angel in the show ring, according to observers.  I will say this – if you make a promise to an
animal – FOLLOW THROUGH.  Animals are like children – they don’t understand when you make a promise and don’t follow through.  It creates distrust.  (Note that this dog would have benefited from receiving a flower essence called Star of Bethlehem, which helps with overcoming past hurts, which this dog felt in spades.  He also could have used Willow, which helps with resentment.)

Along with our usual training methodologies, we all need to add a component of communication for our animals to reassure them of their purpose, their job, and our expectations. I often do this with my own dogs. I have one who easily becomes disconnected from me when he is at the shows and exhibits fearful behaviors.  This happens most when I forget to talk to him prior to getting to the show grounds.  Anyone can do this; you don’t need to be telepathic to effectively communicate with animals if you follow three simple steps:

1)     Say what you want out loud directly to the animal.  Don’t worry if they’re not looking at you.  It doesn't mean they don't hear you.

2)     Mentally visualize what that looks like to them.  Animals like to see pictures and videos, so picture what you see them doing in the ring – acting calm, confident and self-assured.

3)     Communicate using a positive tone.  Nobody likes to be talked down to or threatened, so tell your dog what you want using positive words and pictures.  Don’t start out by telling them what “not to do”.  Show them instead what you expect using mental videos of them acting like rock stars and enjoying the experience.  Thank them IN ADVANCE for what they are going to do for you.  After all, YOU’RE the one who are putting them in the ring, right?

I will give you similar advice to Reisa Stone’s guidance:

1)     Talk to your dog BEFORE you to the show.  Explain what will be happening and what you expect from them.  Talk in terms of behaviors, not in terms of wins.  (My dog can show me if he’s won a ribbon, but he apparently can’t see colors.  He gets very excited when he shows me the ribbon being handed to the handler.  I can’t tell if it’s the color I’m hoping for; I just tell him what a great win it is.  So don’t pressure them to get points or qualifying scores – just show them performing at their absolute best and tell them you will be proud of them no matter what happens!)

2)     Take a few minutes to breathe, calm and ground yourself when you get to the show grounds. Your dog feels your energy, so give him/her the calmest and most positive energy possible.

3)     Consider using flower essences before the show if you have a dog that has predictable anxiety. 
        
        Mimulus and Aspen are great for fear of the unknown.

        Aspen helps with vague or unaccountable fears, providing a sense of security and fearlessness so they may face challenges and difficulties more easily.

        Agrimony is great for sensitivity to disturbances and disharmony.

        Beech is really nice for dogs that are intolerant of others in their space.

        Centaury helps restore assertiveness and confidence.

        Larch boosts self-esteem, confidence and determination.

        Chestnut Bud is particularly good for dogs that have trouble learning from their mistakes and tend to have to learn the  same lesson repeatedly.

        Rock Rose is also good for fear, but more in situations of abject terror and extreme fear.

        Vervain assists high strung animals to be determined and not domineering.

        Vine is great for dogs that are over-assertive and like to dominate others.

There are also some wonderful flower essences that help with dogs that are depressed, lethargic, unfocused, needy, jealous or uninterested.  We will cover them in another article.

For those who are interested in using natural, homeopathic supports for performance anxiety, consider giving your dog Gelsemium sempervirens prior to showing.  The dry pellets can be dropped directly into the patient's mouth. If the situation does not allow for that or you are not comfortable with a dry dosing method, simply drop one to three pellets into a volume of water (the exact amount isn't that important.)  Stir or shake well.  The pellets may or may not dissolve, depending on the hardness of the pellet, but this doesn't matter as long as the solution is stirred or shaken well.  Dose the patient by placing some (1 or 2 drops, teaspoons or fractions of teaspoons) of the solution on the dog's nose near the nostrils or directly into the mouth. The exact volume isn't that important.  The goal is to use adequate volume to ensure good contact with the patient's mucous membranes.  (The potency - 6C, 30C or 200C - is fairly forgiving in acute crisis situations, so just use the potency you have available and watch the dog for any changes and redose when the remedy action wanes or ceases.  Redosing may be in 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 1 hour - or whenever needed.  You cannot really overdose.

You may find that one remedy or flower essences works better than another, but usually when you find the right one, it's like a little miracle.  So don't give up.

I want to thank Reisa Stone for inspiring this article and offering tremendous insight to those who breed and show horses as well as other animal species.  If you would like to read her article, you will find it at www.reisastone.com. Or click on this link to be sent to her article entitled “Minimize Your Companion’s Anxiety”.

New Anxiety Formula Proves Helpful

A NEW ANXIETY FORMULA IS NOW AVAILABLE - We have been conducting trials of various combinations of flower essences mixed with homeopathics to test their effectiveness on performance dogs who exhibit various fearful and/or anxious behaviors. We were also fortunate to be able to test these formulas on human volunteers as well. 

By researching and consulting  higher guidance/intuition, the formula was improved over a period of six months to optimum results.  Volunteers charted specific behaviors such as dogs "refusing weaves in agility", people feeling "heart palpitations prior to business presentations", people feeling "panic attacks when driving on strange roads or meeting strangers", dogs "trembling/leaning in the conformation ring when approached by a judge", dogs "shaking/vomiting ringside prior to a performance competition".

We saw an overall improvement in symptoms of at least 60% in fearful and anxious behaviors after using this formula for a month.  Trials are still underway and we appreciate feedback from anyone who purchases this formula for their pets or themselves.

This formula includes:

Homeopathics:
Gelsemium sempervirens
Argentum nitricum
Aconitum napellus
Arsenicum album

Flower Essences:
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]]><![CDATA[Leash Aggression and Fear - Six Minutes that can save you a lifetime of grief]]>Thu, 30 Jan 2014 17:01:39 GMThttps://www.gentryboxers.com/blog/leash-aggression-and-fear-six-minutes-that-can-save-you-a-lifetime-of-griefAs a dog breeder and professional Animal Communicator, I often encounter clients who want help with undesirable behaviors such as aggression or fear.  When I connect with these animals, I can find out "why" they do what they do, learn about past life issues, and even often can negotiate some changes in behavior from a mutual understanding at a higher level that the relationship will improve if they behave differently.  However, I often hear them say "What do you expect?  I'm a dog!" (or something to that effect).  So even my dogs have behavior issues that need addressing - I am not
exempt.

I'd like to share something that can prevent or change aggression/fear in dogs, especially if you start at a young age.

Young puppies typically act so wonderful around other puppies.  We all think  that taking them to a class at Petsmart is exactly what needs to be done, and
it  is.  I always recommend that to my clients.  Puppy socialization is critical.  
We need to get our babies out and about to learn how to greet other dogs
and  play, right?  However, once they are moving into adolescence,
sometimes my  clients contact me because their wonderful snuggly puppies
are now acting like  jerks or they are seeing fearful behavior. This is
very common with adolescents,  and you can affect this positively in a big
way.

I want you to watch this very important six minute video and think about what you are doing with your dog now. I have personally dealt with leash aggression, fearful behaviors, and barrier guarding, and if  you've been to my house, you may have seen it in action. What this trainer has  to say is imperative to how your  puppy develops over the next couple of years,  and the way you handle him/her around other people and dogs greatly affects how  well they behave around others.

Don't think for a moment that this same  behavior isn't going to happen to you,
because it eventually will if you have dogs in your home. I love how he describes our training response as a "reprimand sandwich with reward bread on each side". My husband still sometimes doesn't understand why I package my response with a reward when we deal with leash and barrier issues. He sees it as "rewarding bad behavior"; however,  properly timed and executed, this handling as a trainer can save you a lot of  problems down the road.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfSFw5NJ01w&feature=player_embedded

Dr.  Sophia Yin also has some wonderful videos on her site to help you avoid and deal  with aggression and fear. Please go there when you have some time and look over  her free, short videos as appropriate. You will have a better
future with your  puppy if you invest the time now. http://drsophiayin.com/about
Much thanks to the Dog Star Daily for allowing me to embed this great video
here!
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