BIJOU STANDARD POODLES

Hershey Thumbnail
Meet Our Poodles

Questions Answered... Whats New at Bijou...Bijou Difference

Contact us: bijoupoodles@yahoo.com





Pediatric Spay/Neuter

Yes, I'm aware of all the latest "studies"
which are clinical in nature, changing, depending
on if shelters are low in numbers or not. IF shelters are Low in numbers
the studies discourage early spay/neuter.
When shelters are full,
all of a sudden you will see the studies show benefits of early spay/neuter :)

What is undeniable, is our pups that have been Altered before they go home
have matured to 11-15 years of age,
without any health issues from early spay/neuter, and we prove this on our web page,
with photos of our senior Poodles as well as the many dog sport achievements
and titles that our alter pups have accomplished, and not, from some slanted study
or studies whose findings constantly change when it is suitable or fashionable.

Is it really that beneficial to wait ?
Anyone with common sense knows the answer is "NO"
no difference in waiting a few weeks to alter.

We do ask that our puppy people spay/neuter either 3 weeks prior to Rabies Vaccine
or 3 weeks AFTER receiving their Rabies Vaccine, and never with any vaccines.
Legally all our pups remain in our name as owners, until spay/neuter is completed.
Spay/Neuter is required to be done before 12 months of age
with papers sent out to new owners, when we receive proof of alteration
and a digital full view photo of your puppy, that we may use on our facebook page.
Photos and comments help us to assess how our breeding program is doing.
Plus we love to see our babies all grown up !

According to The American Veterinary Medical Association
they have been doing spay/neuters in 6-8 week old pups, since the 1980's.
That is 44 years that human societies and Vets have been doing
pediatric spay/neuters, they say they have had no ill effects.

So why aren't all Poodle breeder's doing this procedure ? $$ COST $$
For us to do a litter can cost up to $3,000.00 done by our surgical expert.
This is a very expensive surgery for breeders to provide to their puppy people.
AND time consuming, as will ential an entire day at the Vet office.

We put our pup's health and welfare first, so this is why we have done spay/neuter
before our pups left our home, (when and if possible by our experienced Vet)


16x Reserve Best in Show
11x Best in Show
2x Best in Show Speciality, Alter Champion
altered Finnegan



However proof is in the pudding
and I do provide LOTS of information/data to back up what I say






The other excuse I hear breeders use is "well I want my pups to get their stomach tacked and this can be done the same time as spay/neuter when they are older", again "REALLY" ?? Well the sad thing is that the public has no idea that certain lines have issues with bloat and or torsion and they should avoid buying from a breeder, intentionally breeding this health problem that could be avoided. Canine Gastropexy is a MAJORY surgery ! This major health issue could be avoided through only breeding bloat clear, healthy lines. Bijou Standard Poodles have been bloat and torsion free since 1989 through selectively breeding to void this health issue, as well as educating our puppy people to "free feed" or feed raw.
NO routine tacking, needed for our Bijou Standard Poodles raised how we do.





(our altered Beau competing in Weight Pulling)


Bijou Standard Poodles, has been doing this procedure,
with following up on our pups since 2003.
This is over 20 years with hands on proof positive, that we have not had any ill effects.
I find it most amusing that the people that are most opposed are just those with "opinions" based on what they have "read" online (so of course it must be true), or some Vet has told them (because that is what they heard in school) and ignore facts presented before them, choosing to remain ignorant about the procedure. Bijou Poodles has done real research, following those before us that have been practicing this procedure and most of all we have actual hands on experience. As a result we have made this choice
for our pups in the past, based on our knowledge extensive experience and of course lastly and most importantly
tangible FACTS as evidenced on our web page.



(Our Altered Finnegan competing in Schutzhund protection sport)

All of the pet Poodles you see featured throughout our web page
were spayed or neutered before they went home.
and as you can see, they have grown into some stunning looking, healthy adult Poodles
who also do many Performance and Working Events, making Standard Poodle History along the way !
Our Facebook page also features many of our pups as adults
Our Poodles



Our altered Aero competing in Agility

So why does Bijou Poodles pay and do this expensive procedure for our puppy people ?
I want to know 100% that the pups I place, are going to the loving pet homes
that they were intended to be in. I would not be able to sleep at night knowing
just one of our pups were not being enjoyed as the loving, cherished pet
that they were said to be for, and being kept in foul conditions
with just their minimal needs being met, in order for them to pump out
"puppies for profit" without regards to their well being.
I also know that my Vet's surgical skills are greater than most Vets
and they will do an excellent job.
We have seen too many botched spay/neuters done on adults dogs,
by Vet's lacking these skills. None of the pups we have spayed/neutered
have had any leaking issues that so often happens when a
Vet lacking surgical skills, performs a spay/neuter.
I'm concerned about the health and welfare of my pups,
so I also want to know this procedure is done correctly.



(Chance a brown standard Poodle adult)

We have kept in touch with puppy people since 1989.
and thoroughly screen people to find only the best homes
but even with all our diligence, no contracts and or purchase agreements
can fully protect our pups from the abuse of a back yard breeder,
or being bred indiscriminately by those bent on deceiving.

I have heard of pups from pretty much every Breeder in Ontario, being bred
indiscriminately and on non-breeding agreements, by their pet owners
I know, because these pet owners, have called around looking for stud service.

So because their contracts are just not
easily enforceable and once bred, can't change the fact
that the damage has already been done. I want all my pups that I have placed
to be in loving pet homes they were intended for, where they are cherished.
This means I have passed up offers of over $5,000.00 from people
wishing pups for breeding. That is how strongly
I prefer my pups to be in pet homes. Because I know very few breeders
who treat their Poodles like we do
~ like family members ~


Hershey Thumbnail ....Hershey Thumbnail
Neuter Incision 1 hour after surgery .......................................... Spay Incision 1 hour after surgery





On VERY rare occasions, we have had pups with undescended testicles
at time of surgery. This means that either the testicles would take up to
6-8 months to drop down all on their own
or puppy may totally retain 1 or 2 testicles, which would need removing
eventually, for health reasons. Our pups left unaltered in the past
have always had testicles descend "eventually".
However if they are not present during their appointments
we just pay extra to have our Vet neuter them
So puppy does not suffer later in life, and owners have peace of mind,
that they have a problem free, puppy.
As you can see there is minimal scaring, by our VERY skilled Vet,
and puppy is up and around, just like their siblings.




We do not go into this blindly or based on some slanted study
we have read. We have studied and evaluated other breeder's
doing this procedure for years before we started.
As well as evaluating various Veterinarian's surgical aptitude,
and spending years of tracking results before we were convinced
that this would be a good option for our Puppies.
You have to consider that we plan each of our breedings over 10 years
in advance and we will not do anything to jeopardize our Poodle's health,
their puppy's health or our reputation of 'Producing' superior healthy pups.

As a result of our knowledge and experience, we have found Vets
that specialize in this procedure and perform it routinely for responsible breeders.
Usually spay/neuter clinics are a great place to start asking and researching.
We have seen 3 lbs kittens and 3 lbs puppies run around 1 hour
after their spay and or neuter. Of course to prove this we have also documented
our own pups showing no apparent discomfort 1 day, 2 days, 7 days
and then up to 10 years later. For those still skeptical we have even documented
these same pups over 10 years later all in excellent health.
View our documented video on our puppy follow ups below,
to see what we mean.






Lets face it. No owner or dog would want to go through this experience.
The guilt involved when you look at your Poodle and consider
taking them into the Vet The cost of up to $1,000.00 involved
in getting surgery done later in life. Just call various Vets and price up
spay/neuter of a 45lbs dog with pre-op blood work and vet visit $
The time off of work to take your Poodle into the Vet and pick the Poodle
back up the next day. The risk involved in taking your Poodle to the Vet
and hoping they have the experience needed to have a successful surgery
and recovery (which we have discovered is slim, to none)


OF COURES PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING
SO CHECK OUT OUR ALTERED ADULTS BELOW



Hershey Thumbnail ... Hershey Thumbnail
Fin at 1 year of age .................. Finnegan at 3 years of age
Both of these boys are UKC Alter Champions with Multi Best in Show "Finnegan" being the first Red in History
Both these Red Males were pediactric neuters at 7 weeks of age


Hershey Thumbnail ...Hershey Thumbnail
Muti Best in show "Reigna".............. Maeby
Both of these Brown Females had Pediatric spays at 7 weeks of age


(Bodhi pictured at 14 months of age, who was neutered at 6 weeks of age)
Rally Judges: Paul Oslach, Paul Oslach, Heidi Kadoke
Conformation Judge: Joseph Gubry
Bodhi qualified and completed his Rally Novice Title with 1st Place Class placements
and also Won an Alter Best of Breed for 2 competition wins and 50 Points towards his championship
and because Bodhi did both Rally and conformation the same day he also won a
coveted TOTAL DOG AWARD !!!
Way to go Carol and Bodhi



(Beau - brown male neutered at 6 weeks of age)
Best in Show, Champion
"K Lar's Brilliant Beaujolais"
URO1, URO2, CGN
~ 5x TOTAL DOG AWARD ~
Height: 26.5"
Weight: 65 lbs




Champion
"Bijou's Aero"
URO1, URO2, CGN
~ 2x Total Dog Award ~
Height: 28"
Weight 63 lbs





4x Reserve Best in Show, UKC Champion
"Bijou's Cheddar"
CGN





Altered Poodles compete in UKC working events and even at Dog Shows (in conformation) for Titles and for Owners to have a great time
with their cherished pets, who might even win a BEST IN SHOW like the Bijou Altered Poodles so often do !
Bijou Standard Poodles in an effort to encourage responsible ownership and for our pups to enjoy spending one on one time
with their Owners, are rewarding Owner's achievements, through our Incentive program







People worry that this early procedure might stunt growth.
In fact, research shows that the dogs will actually get slightly Taller and
we used to say leaner, but we found out this was in part to owners actually restricting their diets.
When the pups are toilet trained we really encourage people to leave food down 24/7 for their Poodles.
~ Every Poodle displayed through our web page not owned by us, has had pediatric spay/neuter ~





People also worry about puppy having Urinary incontinence after the procedure.
Puppies that have not been spayed/neutered will pee every 20 minutes if left loose in the house
This is not a UTI, and is normal until they are up to 12 weeks of age.
Pups will hold it, if confined in a properly sized cage for 4-6 hours.

Pups that have been spayed/neutered are no different.
After surgery our pups will have 2-3 days that they pee a LOT.
Basically "frequency" but after this short period they
are in control and should have minimal mistakes.

In a rare case we have had pups experience a Urinary Tract Infection
This is usually related to owners restricting water to aid in toilet training.
Puppy needs water at all times except at night while in their crate/cage.



(Finnegan, Reigna, Finn)
*Click to read about what you can do with your Bijou Poodle
UKC Video about showing in Alter Class
UKC's Announcement about new Alter Classes

Early Spay/Neuter is commonly referred to as Pediatric Spay/Neuter
What ever your Decision is, we offer this procedure through our Veterinarian,
with us assuming all risks and costs involved. As you know this procedure
could cost you between $200.00-$1,000.00 at a later date, so having us do it would be a huge
cost savings to you. Why we would offer Pediatric Spay/Neuter at an additional expense for us?
Because we feel after our research that our pups would be healthier and recovery quicker, less chance
of long term injury from a less experienced surgeon, use of minimal anesthetic, have less scarring, less loss of self,
quicker recovery, less stress and financial strain on owners and overall with less trauma for the puppy.



Hershey Thumbnail ....Hershey Thumbnail
Neuter Incision 1 hour after surgery .......................................... Spay Incision 1 hour after surgery





We have kept in contact with our Puppy People
all of which have healthy adult Poodles winning in Performance Events
and Best in Shows, which are featured on our web page.
However, all our pups are from healthy, health tested, great tempered adults
that have excellent conformation. A puppy's hormones are no more physically
done working by 16 or 24 weeks, any more than they are at 7 weeks.
so waiting an additional few weeks to spay or neuter just does not make any sense.
Bijou Poodles as a result of our Study and consultation with many Vets,
feel that Spaying and Neutering is a desirable thing to do and offer this procedure
to our puppy people, with Bijou Poodles assuming all costs
all risk and all responsibility for, and during the procedure.


Hershey Thumbnail.... .. Hershey Thumbnail
(Puppy wet after a bath and just had visible sutures removed @ 7 days)

On occasion a female puppy may have a reaction to the internal sutures.
This is when the incision site has a hard marble like swelling that will diminish
and resolve without any treatment. We have only had a couple pups have a swelling
get bigger to a golf ball size and in that instance the puppy went on antibiotics
to clear up the swelling with no further complications.


SUMMARY OF PEDIATRIC SPAY/NEUTER:

The Puppy will recover within the hour
The Puppy will requiring less anesthesia
The Puppy will have less surgery time
The Puppy will have minimal if any scarring
The Puppy will not have that huge belly often seen in older dogs after a spay.
The Owner does not have to be faced with any guilt about subjecting their puppy to surgery.
The Owner will not miss time off of work to bring the puppy to the Vet office.
The Owner will not have to worry about a puppy's recovery after surgery
The Owner will not have to take time off of work to get to the Vet 7 days later for suture removal.
The Owner will not have to deal with unexpected heat cycles (bleeding).
The Owner will not have to suddenly find extra money for surgery.
The Owner will save $200.00- $1,000.00 for cost of Surgery.
The Breeder has added expense that they will be assuming or including in the price.
The Breeder will deal with the recovery time with possible frequency of urination, for 3 days
The Breeder has to find an experienced Vet
The Breeder has peace of mind that their pups are being enjoyed as loving pets as they were intended

History of Spay/Neuter Surgery

Article by Marci Hess

 In the 1940s and 1950s:
veterinarians had primitive anaesthetics, monitoring equipments, and surgical tools.
Anaesthetics were not terribly safe, especially for young animals, sophisticated surgical instruments
that are now used to find a tiny uterus did not exist.
Veterinarians were mainly men, working with horses and cattle, heavy, physical work.
They had big hands, and had to find that uterus with their fingers.
Since a uterus is bigger and much easier to find after an estrus (heat, when females will bleed and when they will get pregnant
this can happen at 4-24 months of age) the advice of waiting until after the first estrus (heat) still persists decades later.
Often the practitioner selected the spay/neuter age of the animals based
on his convenience and what was appropriate to his skill and equipment.

Now jump forward to the 1960s.
It is discovered that the incidence of mammary cancer (which is four times higher in intact bitches
than in human women) can be reduced by over 96.4 percent, if we spay before the first estrus (heat).
So the veterinary profession begins teaching this, and now with better equipment, better drugs, and safer methodologies,
veterinarians began to spay before the first estrus (heat).
Determining when the first heat begins presents problems, however.
It differs among large dogs (4-14 months), small dogs (around 6 months), and cats (as early as 4-5 months).
So Six months became the generalised standard age for spay and or neuter,
with the goal being to neuter the majority of dogs before their first estrus (heat).

Now in the 20th Century:
Veterinarians discovered that puppies and kittens can be done at 5-8 weeks of age with phenomenal results.
Of course the age which a Vet is comfortable doing this procedure is contingent
upon their surgical skills as this is not a taught skill, but a learned one.

END







Links for Pediatric Spay/Neuter

The Humane Animal Treatment Society - spay/neuter clinic

1105 South Isabella Road
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858
Phone: (989) 775-0830
Email: info@hatsweb.org
http://www.hatsweb.org/health-clinic.php

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association CVMA supports the use of early spay/castration between 6-16 weeks
The American Veterinary Medical Association Endorses Pediatric Spay/Neuters
Article by Marci Hess
By Dr. Dick Rosebrock
List of Professionals that endorse or perform pediatric spay/neuters
Veterinary Seminars in Spay/Neuter Surgery: Pediatrics
Humane Alliance Videos
Video of pediatric Spay done by Dr. Mackie
Video of pediatric Neuter done by Dr. Mackie
Videos of starting a spay/neuter clinic part 1 by Dr. Mackie
Spay/Neuter Clinic part 2
Spay/Neuter Clinic part 3
Spay/Neuter Clinic part 4
Spay/Neuter Clinic part 5
Spay/Neuter Clinic part 6
Spay/Neuter Clinic part 7
AKC bone density study





Cons of Pediatric Spay/Neuter

 There is a study often quoted done in the article by Canine Sports (http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html)
illustrating some pretty serious downsides with doing Pediatric spay and or neuters.

However I want you to consider that the study doesn't state if the Golden Retriever pups (1444 pups)
in the study were from parents who were OFA'd hips, elbows, shoulders, patella, heart
so we don't know if the pups in the study were from sound healthy breeding stock to begin with.

The study also does not say if the parents were champions so we do not know
if the parents had proper conformation (proper structure) or not to begin with
or if this was even evaluated in any manner

The study also does not say if the parents were all temperament tested,
so we have no idea what the temperaments were on the parents that produced
the pups, so we have no idea what the temperaments were in the lines to start with.

The study also doesn't tell you what the COI of the pups were, so we have no idea if the
pups are a result of heavy inbreeding, therefore more susceptible to genetic problems to start with.

In Conclusion
Studies can be deceiving.
If poorly structured OR unhealthy OR mentally unstable OR crippled dogs were bred OR inbred together
to produce 1444 pups for specimens for this study, well,
they would have serious lifetime mental and OR physical health issues
whether the procedure was done on them or not.


What about Bone Density ?




Some alters may have a slight growth increase as apposed to intact dogs,
this is because the long bones tend to grow for a slightly longer period.
Since this extra growth is NOT caused by more rapid growth,
but instead by prolonged growth, the implication is that this might be a good thing in our breed.
It is known that when growth proceeds slowly over a longer period
the bone density (strength) increases.
This means altered dogs should have stronger more dense bones

For those concerned about bone density
(a problem we have not experienced with our alters)
There are some super foods for your pup's bones and things you can do to for healthier bones.

Food
Sardines. A young puppy should not be given Milk after weaning. They can not process it.
And dairy products are not the only ways to get calcium. Another excellent source is sardines.
All those little fish bones have just what your dog needs in moderation, to build bone mass in their bodies.
Ingesting 3 ounces of canned salt-free packed in water, sardines delivers a little more calcium than a cup of milk !
We really stress Salt free, as Salt is a major culprit in depriving the body of calcium.
The more salt you eat, the more calcium gets carried away by urine.
Fish supply omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA that are good for the skin and coat.
In addition, they help regulate the immune system and reduce inflammation
and so can be helpful for dogs with allergies, arthritis, and autoimmune disease.
DHA is also good for brain health, which can benefit both puppies and senior dogs.
One small canned sardine provides about 25 calories and 175 mg omega-3 fatty acids
a good amount for a small dog (20 pounds or less).
Give larger dogs proportionately more. Feed soon after opening so the fatty acids are still fresh.

Sunshine
OK, sunshine is not a food. But the body produces vitamin D in response to sunlight.
Without vitamin D, our bodies cannot properly absorb the calcium in foods.
Consider if in the winter time you go to work in the dark and come home in the dark
when will that puppy ever see the sunshine ? If this is the case consider hiring a Dog Walker or neighbour to let puppy out for playtime during the daylight hours.

Exercise
We have seen some very spindly, chicken boned, Standard Poodles both Altered and Intact.
The reason is the owners are not exercising, conditioning and feeding their Poodles Properly, along with genetics from their parents.
It is very important that anyone owning a Standard Poodle feed and condition them with routine exercise and a good diet.
You can't expect to go for a leisurely walk 2x a day and have that puppy build up muscle, same as with humans.
You must get that dog's heart rate up daily to properly exercise your dog, playing fetch, off leash in dog parks
Or jogging with your adult Poodle will all accomplish this. Of course please make sure to build up endurance gradually
to avoid injury to your puppy. Also do not exercise your puppy when it is hot or humid and protect puppy from
Salt and frost bite in the winter. Just go barefoot yourself to check out conditions.
Here is more about Jogging with your dog
As your dog matures (2 years of age or more) you can even include a backpacking into the exercise routine.
This outside weight adds stress the bones and muscles, so again do this gradual to build up muscle.
The result is that your dog's body lays down more bone material, and their bones become denser.



NEW in 2014 Some Vets or organizations are now saying not to spay/neuter why is this ?
Vets are now realizing that the number of pets has decreases significantly with the effective spay/neuter programs
Even shelters in the USA are empty and importing rescues and street mutts from other countries in order to stay a float
The shelter industry in the USA is more like a pet store today and they earn money off of the sale of dogs.
So Vets and Shelters are now realizing that they are loosing business and now are changing their stories to "no spaying/neutering".
The health and welfare of animals has not changed. Only the motivation behind keeping the population growing.
Bijou Poodle's only motivation is the health and welfare of our pups. We want to know our pups have had the surgery
done by experts and done correctly. We also wish to ensure that none of our pups are in Puppy Mill homes cranking out pups for profit
We want to ensure all our pups are in the loving, caring family homes that we screened for and intended for them.






2014The drug now called Zeuterin has been on the market before and failed.
Introduced as Neutersol in 2003, the drug, which needs to be injected very precisely and delicately,
was sold to veterinarians without much training or support.
As a result, too many dogs had adverse reactions (inflamed testicles, mostly)
and the drug earned a bad reputation. By 2005, both it and the company behind it had disappeared.
With Zeuterin the Vets are going to be required to take a 4 hour or so course.
It is important for people to be aware that this will be like a non-surgical vasectomy…
meaning testicles will still be there (you can show that dog) as will the desire and ability to breed and tie
and other male issues that intact dogs have, just not the sperm to reproduce.
It is said 50% of hormones are still there so the dog should mature normally.
They are saying they can do pups as young as 12 weeks of age.
Ark Sciences plans to make Zeuterin available at clinics for as little as $15.

Of course there are other injectables on the market being developed such as the injection birth Control
that can last up to 4 years called GonaCon which is being used along with the rabies injection for population control in Mexico
(scary thought for breeders…) Infertile®, Suprelorin®



WHAT ABOUT THE HORMONES ??

An alternative to the Spay or Neuter procedure, called Tubal ligation or Vasectomy .
Tubal and Vasectomy are the same minor procedure as humans
get done to prevent unwanted pregnancy, still leaving the reproductive organs in place and hormones functioning normally.
The benefit to some people of choosing a Tubal or Vasectomy procedure, is that the puppy will have ALL their hormones
and growth happening normally, because hormone production and development is still occurring.
This means that male dogs will still have testicles (same as human men that have the proceedure)
and females will still retain their uterus and uterine horns (same as human women that have had their tubes tied).

The choice is yours if you wish your puppy to have a spay (hysterectomy)
or neuter (castration) or a Tubal or Vasectomy.
The downside to Vasectomy choice, is that males will still have sexual urges driven by hormone production.
Also as with intact dogs, there is a chance that the testicles although descended at time of surgery
will be sucked up and not drop down properly in place. Later on in life this is an expensive castration to have done.
The downside to a Tubal is that and females will also experience mood changes and going through a heat cycle (bleeding for 10 days)
every 4 to 6 months, as well as still attracting males who will all wish to breed her.
The female may even go through a false pregnancy in rare cases.

The choice of Vasectomy or Tubal Ligation procedures ensures the puppy is unable to reproduce,
but gives new owners the option of when, or even if, they will have a spay or neuter done later, and at their discretion.
We are able to offer this procedure option for an additional $100.00.
People do have to remember that should they decide to have their Poodle spayed or neutered later in life
that it will cost a great deal, because the price is usually based on the weight of the dog and the amount
of anaesthesia and time it takes to do the procedure. Recovery is also lengthly.

Spay or Neuter
During a spay or neuter the reproductive organs are removed. The male will not have testicles
and the female will no longer experience heat cycles (bleeding) every 6 months of age.
Castration or Hysterectomy commonly referred to as a Spay or Neuter,
is the usual procedure that most Vets will be very familiar with and have been doing since early 1900's.



Return to Bijou Home Page