~ Winston and his Family

I wanted to send along a quick update on Winston.  Mr. is 9 now, going on 10.  We moved into a proper house rather than an apartment which is a big change for him as he’s been an apartment dog his whole life.  Barking at the mailman is his new favorite passion!  He immediately identified the most comfortable chair in the house and claimed it for himself (see picture).  We moved next to a giant park which is perfect for him (a small part of the park is in the picture attached).  On rainy days, we can wander through the park with him and on drier days, ball chases are still his specialty.  We also have some walks that take us along a lovely canal.  The only thing we’re really missing in Ireland is doggie friends. Many dogs are not well socialized in Dublin and their owners are not on top of their dogs.  We’ve had enough near bites and bites that I just don’t trust most dogs around Winston anymore.  Luckily, he’s never been that interested in other dogs – he’s more human and ball focused – so I don’t think he’s missing much.

We’re expecting our first human child any day now so we contemplated getting another dog while I am off for 6 months on maternity leave, but honestly, finding a breeder we like as much as you has been an impossible challenge so we’ve put that plan on pause for now.  I must admit, I think Winston prefers it that way – he likes being the center of our world.  With the baby coming, that will change a little, but I’m confident he will love having a new human to sneak food off of, get cuddles from and follow around.

We started to notice some stiffness in Winston after park trips and that his “gallop” changed a bit and became more of a bunny hop in his back legs rather than moving them independently.  After a visit to the vet, they found his hips have slight incongruity (aka hips are slightly the wrong shape for the socket they fit into) and mild degenerative joint disease.  We went through a course of Cartrophen and I must say, we’ve noticed a great improvement already.  Hopefully, that treatment will suffice for quite a while to keep him spry.

I still can’t believe that I’ve had Winston for almost 10 years.  I can’t imagine my life without him – he’s my constant companion and I’m so grateful for him.  Can’t wait to see the bond that he forms with baby!

Best, Rebecca Armistead

Breeder Comment

Thank you, Rebecca, for remembering us. We are so happy that your move has found you well adjusted. Winston has had the best of everything–with you accommodating his needs despite any obstacle you faced along the way. Thank you, again for giving him a great life. You are a testament to what can happen even when someone doesn’t live in an ideal setting–with acreage and whatnot. But now–he has it all in Ireland.

It is not uncommon for older dogs to become stiff–to have problems, but of course, we had to see it happening to any OwyheeStar offspring. To me—he seems a bit young to have that much tightness in the hips. (Eke) Dusty (his father) passed at 14+ years. The last few months he was very shaky in the back end. He had OFA certified Good hips and a good family history of good to excellent hips. He has lumps and bumps we left alone–because we thought it for the best. Penny (his Mama) lived to 12+ for sure–I cannot remember exactly when she passed. Of course, the average life for a Weimaraner has been reported to be 11 years and 2 months. The expectation is somewhere between 9 and 15 years–with a few exceptional cases living to be around 16 years. We all want the 16 years.

I believe the Cartrophen is the same as Carprofen –a Generic form of Rimadyl (click here—to read more about this drug. ) What I like to suggest is Duralactin   — I don’t know if you can buy this in Europe or not. Amazon also has it for sale. The Duralactin can be used any time for a slight injury or when inflammation might be a problem. It helped Dusty remain mobile and seemingly pain-free. We love this option, as things like Rimadyl affect their vital organs–and in some cases, there is a life-threatening reaction.

Finally, thank you, for all the kind words about us. I do so hope when you are ready for another Weimaraner you find the perfect breeder. I am sure you will. Sooner or later something unwanted comes knocking on our door.