Category Archives: Megan X Zee
Lifesaver
Molly and Jim
- Jim and Molly at 6 Months
We would not have guessed the role Molly would have played in Jim’s life. From the beginning, it was a different one than was planned. Honestly, we had our concerns about Jim’s request for a high-spirited Weimaraner. Who can rain on a man’s dream? A retired senior training their first Weimaraner is something that is more than a bit concerning. Old skin tends to be thin and a scratch can lead to problems. These folks can look like they are in an abusive relationship–getting hooked on the shark baby’s teeth as we call them or catching a toenail is never a good thing.
Despite our concerns for Jim and whether he could keep up with the Weimaraner, they soon proved to us they could do it. Not long after Jim took Molly home he had a stroke. It was then that Molly began her career as Jim’s personal therapy dog. Many years later she is still keeping him alive. We received this note yesterday. Here in Jim’s words, he describes a recent life-saving act by the amazing Molly.
Hi Shela n Cliff,It has been a long time since I last wrote to you. Molly has evolved into a loving companion and my best friend. But sometimes she is a bundle of energy. On Sunday February 21, 2116, she was bounding at her normal speed of “hell bent for leather”. When she got to the bed n jumped up to receive her morning kisses n hugs from me. She freaked out, I was not responding to her usual wake up. By licking my face, or by her pushing me around on the bed. She then started to HOWL N CRY. Tim came into the bedroom to find out, what all the commotion was about. According to Tim, he could not rouse me either. He said that he tried to call my name n shake me to get me up. But he had no luck either. So he called the paramedics. They arrived at the house about 5-10 minutes later, or so Tim tells me. They also tried to rouse me, but no luck either. They then tested my blood sugars and found them at a very dangerous level. My blood sugar level was at a LOW of 20. Which meant that I was very close to death, as anyone with diabetes could be. Maybe, I was dead n they brought me back to life. I don’t really know. When I came awake with 5 five paramedics around me, with a flask of glucose going into my arm. They were preparing me to go to the hospital. They then started to ask me questions about where I was. What city did I live in. And where I was. When I got to the hospital the Drs. n nurses all said I was very lucky to be alive. They have only seen a few people that were alive, with the level of sugars like mine. I spent the next two days in the hospital, trying to get the sugars to remain at a normal level. They would go up n crash down until they reached a safe level.I OWE MY LIFE TO MOLLY. I thank Molly and God for saving my life. She gets more kisses n hugs from me then before.Since then I test my sugar level when I go to bed and if I wake up around 3 AM, I retest my sugars. I am so afraid that I will experiencethat event again. When Molly is around me when I test. I have to tell her that I am alright. If I fail to tell her she starts to bark at me. As if shewas telling me to test again and to tell her.I know that I have told you before how great Molly is n that I thank you again.Jim (Central Oregon)
Thank You, Molly
The amazing Molly continues her work on a daily basis. She is a self-taught therapy dog.
Joy encounters bench danger
Hi Shela & Cliff,
I found a very good GSP breeder and brought home a female puppy named Joy. I’ll send more about how
Bliss looking for a friend to come her direction…
Bliss is doing with the new addition but wanted to share this afternoon’s experience. I send the following message to the GSP breeder so she could share with other dog owners she knows.
Thanks again for a great Weim and for sharing important information with others,
Katherine
All is well but we had a scare at my neighbor’s house I wanted to let you know so you can share with your other puppy parents. You might want to include this or something similar in your next puppy binder.
I was siting on a neighbor’s bench this afternoon and picked up Joy and put her in my lap. I didn’t think to hold her tight enough and she crawled from my lap and fell off the bench getting her hind leg caught between the slats. She seems to be okay now, I carried her home but let her move around in my back yard and didn’t notice her favoring her leg. I’m going to keep her quiet for the rest of the night just in case.
In hind sight, if I had stopped to really survey and think I might have seen this danger, but hopefully someone else can learn from this experience. From a search on the web there have been multiple leg injuries, and some very serious with slatted benches. The bench at my neighbors house had wider spaces between the seat slats. We were lucky. Here is the blog I discovered on this topic that might interest other pet persons. Two photos were removed for this post, but the most important one remains–the bench.
Look at the gap between the two outermost slats in the new model bench being introduced by the NYC Parks Department. A dog could easily break his leg — as one of our dogs did last week. The vets say they are seeing more of these injuries since these new benches started to appear in recent months.
This trauma is totally unnecessary. Please join us in spreading the word that this new bench model is dangerous and let your dog run manager hear from you. A simple solution might be to send the old model benches to the dog runs and reserve the new model for the Riverside, Morningside and Central Park pathways where people sit.
Wowee! That’s a big gap. A guy could get tripped up.
This is Fosco. He’s 8 years old and 7 lbs. On Friday, he launched himself from this bench in the Morningside Park dog run, caught his leg in the gap and snapped it in two. It was very scary.
The take-aways were many: how speedy transportation, dog walker backup, and good luck played critical roles; and what the medical risks were, especially in a toy dog.
Symphony Vet praised us for getting him to treatment so quickly, saying that had he not been rushed in and immobilized as quickly as he was, one of the broken bones would likely have pierced the skin and that would have required an amputation. As it was, we were all very lucky that Dr. Jane Kosovsky, known to many of us on the Upper West Side as THE canine orthopedic surgeon, was available to speed over to Symphony to set his leg with metals plates. His recovery will take a solid four months, including 6 weeks of virtually total immobility. His bandages will have to be changed regularly and he will have to be sedated each time, a particular risk for a toy dog. We are all so relieved by such a positive outcome, but he is not out of the woods yet: he is not eating and three days in has to be fed intravenously. Our hearts go out to Fosco and his family.
Ok, Fosco is a small dog and in case you’re thinking it couldn’t happen to your dog, here’s a photo of Zooey inserting his whole arm in the gap on another bench. All it takes is forward motion on the dog’s part and an immoveable bench slat.We can sit on five slats, can’t we? We don’t need six.
This entry was posted on Sunday, June 16th, 2013 at 1:16 pm and is filed under announcements, blog, dog health, from the vets. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Gobble Stopper for Bliss
I just got this “Gobble Stopper” for Bliss at Petco. It does seem to slow her down more than the donut ring bowl. However she did pop the thing off the bowl at the end of her meal. The instructions do say to remove it from the bowl so it doesn’t become a chew toy.Now if I could just find something to prevent and treat her poison oak . . ~Katherine
Our Comment: Too bad they didn’t make the bone-thingy permanent. It is a cute addition.
Eye-Opening Experience
Dear Cliff and Shela,
Bliss is such a beautiful dog, I always get compliments everywhere we go. Many people ask where I got her and I say “OwyheeStar.” Of course I can never remember how to spell it correctly. I should get some business cards for you and hand them out; not that you need any help finding people that want one of your Weims.
My husband and I love our Weimaraner, and we realize we aren’t quite up to the task yet of two. I have to laugh at myself now recalling my early emails to you both before I embarked on the journey of owning a Weim. I’d get another Weimaraner; but Bliss is exactly the dog I wanted and this next pup is for my husband.
I want to thank you and Shela for the all of the work you do. I am so grateful I got Bliss from you! You guys are tops, great dogs, great breeding program, the best information, and stellar response. I didn’t realize how spoiled I was with OwyheeStar as the breeder, until this eye-opening search for a GSP puppy. ~
Please take care of yourself! If you don’t already, think of your body as a puppy that needs special care. You are instrumental to bringing happiness to 100s if not 1000s.
~Thanks again, Katherine
Dear Katherine,
You and Cliff have been in dialogue over the last few weeks. We have appreciated your predicament, as well as your encouragement directed toward our efforts. Many people who inquire about getting a Weimaraner from us, are skeptical. We understand the lack of trust, because they do not know us. It takes a while to figure out some of what we have done. The puppy-results are varied; this is due to breeding, and the new environment. Not everyone is the same. We feel that those who follow through (not making excuses) can get their OwyheeStar puppy house-trained very quickly. Once you get the training process going, if you do it in short-bursts, intermixed with fun highlights, it can move along quite well. There are always challenges. Nonetheless, it is our goal to set each pup for success. The feedback makes us believe our foundation process is well-laid.
The placement process is frustrating to a lot of folks. Those who get on our waiting list, and have to trust to do what is in their best interest sometimes experience a lot of anxiety. This can present as troubling-emails trying to tip the scale in their favor, or just a lot of banter. We understand, and appreciate the excitement. The seemingly endless waiting (which probably in most cases is not nearly as long as it seems) is hard to accept. Nonetheless, it often takes waiting to get an OwyheeStar pup. It takes about four-months for the process–from mating to the puppy exits. A mating might not produce a litter. We have a systematic process, and our goal is treat each person fairly. We cannot explain every detail of how we do this, but it ends up being based on priority (waiting list order), as well as preferences. During the unfolding of the process it often gets a bit crazy. Everyone has preferences, and their agenda. It is impossible to predict the outcome–we can guess. Sometimes making a prediction actually creates additional pressure, and leads to further misunderstanding. We have found it best to let the process unfold. In the end, most of what transpires will not matter. Thank you Katherine for sharing with us your endorsement. ~ Shela (and Cliff)
Jorja wants to play; Brynn likes the frisbee too!
What do you do for fun?
Jorja is partial to the frisbee…..
Here comes Brynn
Staying cozy with snow in sight
Reports of snow are on the rise. This can mean many things, but for Molly it means staying warm is a good thing.
Longtime OwyheeStar fans might remember Jim an Molly. Not too long after he got her, he had a stroke. One arm was affected. Jim said that Molly saved his life, and got that arm going again. It is good to see Jim and Molly are still doing well.
The day Jim picked up Molly
Molly is six months old here
Molly and Jim on an adventure
Young Molly
Molly does good during Jim’s absence
Molly stayed home
I was in Portland Sunday visiting my brother, and I left Molly with a good friend of mine. I went there to see my sister n brother. My brother is 82 years and my sister is 72 years.
Molly posed for a couple of photos
So this is a very good picture of Molly and one more of her on his futon.
Breeder’s comment and photos from the archives…
Breeder’s Note:
Jim and Molly at six months
You that have been around the longest, might remember Jim and Molly. Not too long after he acquired Molly, he had a stroke.
He credits Molly with saving his arm (and life). Together they build a wonderful new home, after that hiccup in the road to their plans.
This photo of Cliff and Molly was taken just prior to Jim leaving with her.
One Child Plus One Weimaraner
I just received the photos from out latest photo shoot and could not help but to share this with you. Brynn is such a good dog. I have a couple more I think I will send, just because it shows how well they do with kids 🙂
I really love the photo of Brynn and Elliott being silly together! ~ Shannon
Breeder’s Note: While some people struggle to incorporate the Weimaraner into the family, others make it happen. Much of what becomes of the Weimaraner pup’s life depends upon attitude, environment, and commitment. While some who face struggles are embracing all the latest guru’s advice, others follow gut-instinct or have a knack with the Weimaraner. As with raising children, there is not one exact formula for success. The Weimaraner is more challenging, and can pose a problem. The concrete-thinking Weimaraner is not the independent soul that some pointers are; rather they will ignore you at some juncture. However, despite this behavior, their Velcro-nature leaves them needing you despite all appearances. Your relationship and understanding of what makes them tick are the key factors in reaching blissful success. The Weimaraner is not the lazy-man’s dog; nor are they content to lay in the backyard and await you to notice them.
Jack is a more compact Weimaraner
Jack just turned four back in January – crazy! 
He stayed small, right around the 49 lb mark, and it keeps him very active for sure… Of course; this is the time of the year that makes for a puppy who is always waiting for us to do something with him. Soon the nice weather will be here, and we can do more biking and hiking with him. Zach still gets him out hunting from time to time, just not as much as he’d like and though there has not been much training on his part, Jack takes right to it and works hard to find the birds.
Most of the photos we sent, were taken during our last mini-vacation over in Eastern Oregon. We did a road trip with a little camping on the way in a few different locations. No birds found, but everyone had fun. I think my favorite is Jack in his bed at the camp site (which is near the top of this post). Jack loves to work, but at the end of the day is a true city boy. He refuses to sleep on the ground or ever curl up in the dirt like any uncivilized dog would do :).
He will only relax by the campfire if you put a bed or blanket out for him and when he really wants to be to be in your lap. We even have to bring him his own theramarest for the tent. His own dog bed doesn’t have enough cushion to suit his tastes. On more than one occasion we have awoken to him pushing us off our bed while trying to squeeze between us.
So I refer to him a city dog whenever we are camping with friends. This comment always brings a huge laugh from our friends, as their Labradors will easily take a spot in the dirt close to the fire, but not Jack. He may be a city-boy when it comes to his comfort, but he doesn’t hesitate to take a roll. This turn of events would task place when he chooses to roll in something awful smelling whatever. So his city-ways have nothing to do with him wanting to stay clean. Jack just likes his comforts.
Two Blue Weimaraners in the UK
Bolt Looking Good
Bolt investigates the Bird Feeding Station
Breeder’s Note: About exactly a year ago, we exported two blue Weims to the UK. They went to a lovely couple who live and work on a large shooting estate in Norfolk. Marie Claire has more than eight years experience with the Weimaraner. She also raises and shows horses, and she is personally very involved in the hunting aspect. William is the head gamekeeper. To his credit, he is one of the youngest head gamekeepers in the UK. He has worked on the estate for more than 13 years. It is noteworthy too, that he has trained gun dogs for longer than he has been a gamekeeper. So, when the opportunity presented itself, we wanted to see if it was possible. After about almost six months of work and planning, we were able to meet the criteria and arrange the transport. It was no small undertaking. Bolt and Pete were accompanied during the transport to the UK, which made things much better for them. As you might guess, the trip and the transition was hard on them, but a year later they are thriving and making us proud!
Last month, we received a note from someone in the UK who wanted to thank us for making this opportunity possible. What a lovely gesture it was to write to us, but they love their puppy.
Marie Claire reports: Bolt is so eager to please and needs constant stimulation to keep her happy.
Pete on the go
She permenantly hunts and is always on the go. She is so driven. Of all her traits, the one we love the most is her smiling. She doesn’t stop smiling!
As you know, Pete bonded instantly to me, and has not took much interest in working for Will. Regardless, he has done well already as a Stud Dog.
Pete looking good too!
We are pleased with him, but he is a Mama’s boy. He has good hunt instinct, and attributes that benefit our breeding program. We plan to raise a litter this spring with Liezel who is due in season anytime Feb to April ( and she is showing early signs now according to Pete),
~
Note: Regardless of what you think about the Blue Weimaraner, they exist. The Weimaraner is a sporting breed. For this reason, one of the biggest complaints about the blues, is few are proven in the field. We believe if more effort is made to prove them in the field, they can receive some validation. Some Americans want to form a separate breed club for the blue, and break off from the Weimaraner. We see that option as having many pros and cons; those of which would take a great deal of time to address. Let is suffice to say, the Blue Weimaraner can be registered with AKC, but is not allowed to compete in AKC or WCA Show events. There are other events in which the blue can compete and earn a title. There are avenues whereby the blue can receive assessment of their conformation.
Owyheestar Weimaraner's News 