True health reform for man's best friend

Raspberry Tart -Lacey

I remember how excited I was when I received my first breeding quality puppy.

It was early 2010, just after the new year.

The year before, I had made the life-altering decision to find another home for my highly-trained search and rescue dog, Citara, in order to create a separate breeding kennel that could support my mother and breed founder, Lois Schwarz, in her quest to perfect the world’s first large breed companion dog with the look of a thick-boned dire wolf.

I had whelped a few litters prior to this, but for the first time I was going to co-own a breeding female with Lois in order to purposely advance the breed, not just dabble.

This female’s name was Raspberry Tart (aka: Lacey).

She was a light gold wolf gray with a silver undercoat.

And to this budding entrepreneur’s mind, she was the prettiest little puppy you ever did see.

At this time, Jay and I were still working full-time as elementary school teachers.

I was a special education teacher specializing in Orton-Gillingham phonics instruction for those children struggling to read. I also had extensive background in developmental mathematics performing graduate research at George Fox University to prove all children must go through the same developmental stages of logical thinking.

Anyway, in those days I felt on top of the world.

I owned my own cedar cabin in the high Colorado Rocky Mountains.

I was a well-respected member of the teaching staff at Bayfield Elementary School.

And now, I was embarking upon my own dog breeding business helping a crazy dog lady , my mother, shape a new dog breed into existence.

And this co-owned puppy was going to be the catalyst to launch my own breeding kennel.

If you’ve read my first book, Dire Wolf Project: Creating an Extraordinary Dog Breed, (it’s on Amazon) you will remember how I desired to be the best, most-responsible dog breeder there ever was.

That was back before I understood what a joke that term really is.

In any case, Lacey was going to be the beginning to my grand idea of producing superior health and perfect temperament.

Awe… the glory… the fame… the prestige that surely awaited me!

But, nope…

It wasn’t meant to be.

Right before my eyes, sweet little Lacey jolted and convulsed after a rough play session.

The other dogs backed off for a moment then sniffed her gingerly as the little pup regained her composure.

With some sadness in my heart and lots of concern, I phoned Lois.

She asked me all kinds of questions, but in the end, we had to assume this puppy had had a seizure.

Just like a deflated balloon, all my plans instantly vanished.

I eventually found that cute puppy, Lacey, a good home with a family in Ohio and traveled her there myself.

I always questioned my judgment on that fateful day, because Lacey never had another seizure.

Well, I just found out that this little girl that had held so much hope for me in 2010 passed away at the ripe old age of 14 years old.

She was a wonderful healthy dog until the last.

And while I never will receive an official “responsible breeder” award (I wouldn’t want one if there was), I am sure proud of the fact that I didn’t lie… didn’t hide… didn’t let my own plans overshadow the superior ideal of breeding for health first without excuses or compromise.

Breeding dogs means sacrifice.

It means letting go of one’s own plans.

And not just anyone has the moral ethics to do it…

Because it comes from a higher conviction to do what is right that is laid down from outside own human desires.

I learned well from Lois’s example.

She guided me to always speak the truth and let the chips fall where they may.

And I am so thankful for it.

Lacey, may your furry soul rest in peace until I see you again in heaven, my dear tail-wagging friend.

If you don’t know, the Dire Wolf Project has a health foundation dedicated to openly and honestly sharing the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help us God, about the health issues, mortality, and DNA results we have found in the breed.

No other dog breed in the world is as open about the health issues, mortality, and DNA results as we are here at the Dire Wolf Project.

We hide nothing, even though nefarious individuals use it against us.

While we won’t be silenced, unfortunately, the ridicule does cause other breed groups to fear speaking the truth about the health in their own breeds.

Until the stigma and shame of revealing breed-wide health issues are eradicated from dog breeding, the true reality of canine health will never be fully known.

So let us be the first to stand up bravely and end the stigma for our own breed.

And maybe other breeds with equally stout hearts will follow our lead ushering in true health reform for man’s best friend.

https://direwolfproject.com/direwolf-dogs/our-health-foundation/

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.

Raspberry Tart -Lacey

Raspberry Tart -Lacey

Raspberry Tart -Lacey a few months old

Raspberry Tart -Lacey 10 years old

Raspberry Tart -Lacey helping mom feed the deer

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