In this weeks newsletter I wanted to take a minute to address some wet weather issues since that is what we are dealing with. Each season has it’s concerns, and here in Utah we are starting our winter thaw/wet spring. It is always muddy, wet and chilly. It’s a good time to teach them to wipe their feet before they come back in the house, or deal with all that mud. Two health concerns related to cold wet weather are skin conditions (specifically fungus infections) and respiratory illness. Make sure the dogs don’t spend a lot of time with wet fur, towel them off and make sure they have dry places to get out of the weather if they will be out for a long time. Make sure you have warm dry air for the to breathe after being outside. Houses with forced air heat have very dry warm air. You will also find, this time of year is when dogs can really destroy a yard as the plants are so vulnerable, and the dirt so soft. Try to limit their traffic to hardy plant areas, concrete, etc or rotate which parts of the lawn they are allowed on so they don’t wear out the grass and make big mud holes. We just finished a run off the back of the sunroom with gravel and pavers to help the lawn come back where it has already been worn down. They still get their daily runs so they have plenty of exercise, I just let them wear out the grass at the park instead of at home!

I haven’t received many questions lately for the newsletter, so I will keep this one short. I look forward to more questions and more pictures! We had Shania’s pups all placed this month and they have some wonderful families, congratulations to the Wallace, Dowding, and Delany family as well as Tanner. I hope the pups are as much joy to you as they were to us! Sasha is due to whelp any day for all of you who are waiting patiently on her litter, specifically the ones returning from Iraq that we all owe a great debt to!

Stephen Parsons

Family Dobes

Quality Dobermans for 17 years

801-870-3777

http://www.familydobes.com