Health: Highly Aggressive Bone Cancer (Part 1)

Quite a few of you are new members to our Inner Circle… WELCOME!

Before we get into our conversation today, I need to let our new subscribers in on an extremely valuable aspect of the Dire Wolf Project…

The Dire Wolf Project was founded on

radical open and honest health reporting.

No other dog breed is as forthcoming about the ongoing health challenges facing  their dogs. The Dire Wolf Project is thus far the only dog breed to establish a welcome atmosphere for vibrant owner health reporting. No matter the health problem facing our dogs - whether a known genetic component or not - we publicly report it on our health database.

This health database goes ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE BREED IN 1988!

That’s right!

Our founder, Lois Schwarz, saw a great need for radical honesty in breeding for superior health and longevity.

In fact, she was so adamant about this, she recorded everything reported to her in large binders organized by litter.

Before computers…

Before the Internet…

Before dog owners even expected their breeder to be there throughout their dog’s life…

Lois knew the ONLY way to eradicate serious genetic health issues from her lines was to know exactly what health problems plagued the breed.

Of course, in order to accomplish her goals, she had to gather information from owners around the world.

That meant fostering a spirit of openness in order to keep in touch with every owner throughout the dog’s life.

Again, this is revolutionary in the dog breeding world.

Become a member of ANY other dog breed club on the Internet… there is nothing like the raw, honest truth of dog health like we share here.

There is also nothing quite like our public owner-led health group, backed 100% by the Dire Wolf Project.

If you want to be a part of the world’s first truly open owner health group, where almost 800 American Dirus dog owners and enthusiasts come together to share their health concerns and triumphs, join the DireWolf Dog Health group on Facebook.

Here’s the link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/direwolfdoghealth

That being said, in today’s email I want to address a sad event that an owner recently shared in the group.

What you are about to read must be placed in the proper context.

The Dire Wolf Project is a rare breed of dog with a small overall population.

So… that means even one significant health issue could have a big impact on our dogs.

Therefore, we monitor the health of our dogs very closely.

Last week, a prominent retired stud dog named Boss (Hammer/Blossom) closed his eyes for the last time and departed this world.

Only ten days prior, his family had no idea what they were about to face.

You see…

Boss was diagnosed with a highly aggressive form of bone cancer, osteosarcoma.

His family faced a brutal choice…

Amputate his affected limb (front left elbow)

or

Say good-bye.

The family decided Boss was simply too large to recover well from a front leg amputation, so they opted to let him go.

Boss was eight years young.

We all grieved with the owner for such a terrible loss.

And that, right there, is why the Dire Wolf Project can’t be matched by any other dog breed.

When you purchase an American Dirus dog, you enter into a family.

We have our ups and downs.

We aren’t perfect.

There are crazy daredevil cousins…

Weird cheek-pinching aunties…

Grouchy grandfathers…

And know-it-all uncles.

But, we all come together in a loving family of American Dirus owners to help one another when times are tough… and celebrate together when someone overcomes the hurdles in life.

In tomorrow’s email, I will delve further into what Boss’s devastating health concern means to the breed.

We will also explore what to do moving forward to make sure the breed won’t be riddled with high incidences of aggressive bone cancer.

See you there!

Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project, founder of the DireWolf Guardians American Dirus Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus dogs.