It's well known that dogs derived from a common ancestor shared with grey wolves roughly 20,000 or 40,000 years ago. Dogs self-domesticated as their ancestors followed hunter-gatherers, that is they domesticated themselves more and more as new, more docile generations were born. Today, dogs share 0.1% of their DNA with grey wolves. That sounds like a small number, right? So that means dogs ARE 99.9% wolves, right? Well, no, not really. That 0.1% has a huge impact on dogs. That is what enables them to digest starches, its what changes their brain structure and brain functions making them more sociable.

Modern dogs need a diet different than that of their carnivore relatives. They are descended from omnivores and need to be fed an omnivorous diet. Dogs evolved to eat potatoes and rice. Diet shaped their domestication. Dogs have genes that make a longer versions of maltase, an enzyme that is important in digesting starch. Longer maltase is found in herbivores and other omnivores suggesting it is important to plant-eaters. 

Dogs that eat diets high in proteins and not enough grains are at high risk of kidney disease as the dog can't excrete urea well enough.  There is solid literature showing diets high in protein and phosphorus are devastating to a dog's kidney function and can cause permanent kidney damage and death. One study showed renal lesion were more severe in the dogs fed a high protein diet than dogs fed a low protein diet. Another study showed dogs fed a high protein diet had reduced kidney function. Dogs even displayed more aggression and behavior problems when fed a high protein diet.

I can't begin to describe the level of eye-roll I have when I read or hear about the ole' dish soap to kill fleas advice. Sorry not sorry; your dish detergent is for dishes not dogs!

Let's face it, the reason people ask Dr. Internet is because they want a cheap, quick solution. Dr. Internet has a lot of opinions and even more misinformation. So here are five facts about dish detergent as flea control:

1. ​Did you know fleas can survive submerged underwater for 24 hours?
2. Soap doesn't quickly kill fleas. Experiments with glycerin soaps and water had little to no effect on fleas, which lived up to 4 days in the mixture! One study killed only 25 fleas over 6 days using the common blue dish soap and water. Soap may contribute to the death of soft bodies insects but not been shown to do so in fleas.
3. Dish detergents strip oils from surfaces which can be devastating to you're pet's coat health. After all, it is used to remove crude oil from wildlife.
4. To kill fleas living on your pet using a dish detergent bath your pet would need to be fully submerged for days. The bath only removes adult fleas, which are only 5% of the whole flea population in your home. Those fleas are washed down the drain alive; stunned but not dead. A drowned flea can appear dead but once removed from water can revive within 60 minutes. (The same principle applies to flea shampoos which are effective only against the adult fleas living on your pet.)
5. Topically, spraying dish soap and water mixture will not have any effect on the flea population. Detergents can be toxic to pets, topically and if ingested. Spraying detergent on your pet poses both a topical risk and ingestion risk (licking fur).

If you're trying to control a flea problem you need to use the right tools. Use a veterinarian approved flea control (there are topicals, collars, tags, pills, chews and injections). Don't forget to treat all animals in the household as well as those outside that your pet comes into contact with. You'll need to treat the environment as well, that includes every room in your home (carpeted floor and hard floor). Wash all bedding, pillows, blankets, dog clothes and soft toys in hot water with laundry detergent and laundry sanitizer. Maintain flea treatment for at least 3 months to ensure you're treating the whole flea life cycle. It is best to keep pets on year round flea prevention and to treat your yard and home seasonally.

When should you consider using a dish detergent on your pet?
1) Emergency removal of substance in the fur such as oil
2) Removal of a topical irritant/allergy (such as a reaction to a topical medication or new shampoo)
3) To remove skunk spray - it must saturate the fur for at least 20 minutes

Dish soap is for dishes not dogs.

Kalee - Keeping you and you Doberman posted.

Breeder Rantings: No, that older dog is not going to be discounted. 

Often times people ask for an older dog, that is fully vetted and trained, for a few hundred dollars. What thy don't realize is the value of that dog doesn't decrease simply because it is older. The pedigree, genetic health testing, and companionship don't change as a dog ages. An older dog has lots of perks that a younger puppy doesn't have; 1) past the "crazy energy" stage, 2) past the teething stage, 3) housebroke, 4) obedience foundation, 5) socialized, 6) potty trained, 7) vetted, 8) past the trauma/fear stage(s), 9) settled into its personality and temperament and so much more! A quality dog doesn't loose its value.

There are many reasons a breeder may have an older dog for sale, 1) rehoming a returned puppy, 2) the dog didn't fit their breeding program, 3) completed titling, 4) retired breeding dog, 5) guardian breeder home, 6) breeder is shifting their program goals, 7) downsizing, 8) placing a quality pet, 8) rehab and home. Whatever the reason may be you need to know that a responsible breeder has still invested in that dog. Imagine having a pristine collector's car you're selling and people telling you because it's an older it isn't worth anything. To the right buyer that car is invaluable. The same goes for dogs, age doesn't break a dog.

There is are variables that will effect a dog's worth, such as it's breeding potential, titles/awards, health factors, and if its a matured or senior pet. A 6 year old retired champion could easily still be several thousand dollars but a spayed, 3 yr old companion pet may be only $1500. Don't try to haggle down the price. That is offensive and rude to breeders. We work hard to rear our dogs and dedicate countless hours into our programs. By haggling you're saying we're not worth it but you want what we have. 

Did you know Doberman come in shades of blues, ranging from a light grey to deep steel? The blue coat color is the recessive form of a black coat. The blue coat is often criticized and dismissed due to the prevalence of Coat Dilution Alopecia (CDA), a form of permanent hair loss. There is no genetic testing available to identify which dilutes will develop CDA. CDA is not well understood but it is believed to be caused by damage done to the follicle by clumps of melanin. Blues are not a rare coat color. It is simply genetics that make the coat "dilute" to blue. Blues and fawns make up between 12-15% of the whole Doberman population. The Doberman Pinscher Club of America accepts the blue coat as one of the four standard colors. A blue Doberman is a true Doberman. There have been many blues to finish their champion titles as well as to compete and title in a variety of other avenues. While they are prone to CDA a blue Doberman is an important and valuable part of the breed. They can provide diversity and excellent genetics to the breed and it's future.