German Shepherd Puppies;
Distinctly West German, Uniquely American
100% German Bloodlines, Breeding to a higher standard! Outstanding Companion and Family Protection dogs; Herding, Performance and Service Dogs
are all our Specialty.
We train/work/title and live with our
dogs as well as health test. We breed sound dogs (not afraid of
thunder or gun shots)
Last updated -
Thursday, March 19, 2015 08:37:08 PM -0500
Last updated -
Sunday, November 08, 2015 08:02:48 PM -0600
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COURAGE - CHARACTER - PREDICTABILITY
Show
puppies by Anatomy; Loyal Companions
and Protection by Nature; Health and Longevity by good
genetics; and proven by Health
Testing Certifications. Brought to you by a
thoughtful knowledgeable trusted
breeder of over 45 years.
Breeders of the finest quality Schutzhund/IPO
titled & Breed Surveyed German Shepherds in the United
States. Our breeding
program maintains
the integrity of the
German Shepherd's heritage to preserve the ideal human-canine bond.
"BREEDING HEALTHY DOGS BY DESIGN"
Our Merkel Geneology is from
Haßloch, Germany
We are published in these books
BREEDER
QUALIFICATIONS:
KENNEL NAME:
Haus Merkel
Breeder Name: Dyan
Merkel
Website:
http://www.hausmerkel.com
Location: North
Texas
Contact Info:
vhmerkel@yahoo.com
214-755-5755
HEALTH TESTS:
Hip/Elbow
Certifications: Yes
Degenerative Myopathy
Certifications: Yes
Thyroid tests: Yes
CERF tests: No
TRAINING:
Titles/certifies
breeding stock in
discipline?: Yes
BREEDING STOCK:
Raises breeding
stock from
puppies:
Yes
Titles dogs bred on
premise: Yes
Imports titled
breeding stock: Yes
Buys from other
Breeders: NO
MORE!
SCHUTZHUND/IPO:
Has trained in
Schutzhund: Yes
HOT from puppy to
SchH3: Yes
HOT and bred to
SchH3: Yes
CONFORMATION/BREED
SURVEY:
Show ratings: Yes
Breed
survey: Yes
BREEDER
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
V Putz vom Haus
Merkel SchH3, Kkl 1a
V Ulla vom Haus
Merkel SchH3, Kkl 1a
V Zessa vom Haus
Merkel SchH2, IPO3,
Kkl1a
V Riesa vom Haus
Merkel SchH2, Kkl 1a
V Puma vom Haus
Merkel SchH2, Kkl 1a
V Emma vom Haus
Merkel SchH1, Kkl 1a
SG Wickie vom Haus
Merkel IPO1 a
SG Vessa vom Haus
Merkel IPO1 a
SG1 Clar vom Haus
Merkel SchH1 a
Ch Merkel's Opium
SchH1
V Merkel's Arletta
SchH1, a
SG, VP2 Nixe vom Haus
Merkel BH, AD, a
SG Feli vom Haus
Merkel BH, AD, a
Ch Merkel's Leica
UDT, OFA
Merkel's Leibchen
Shiloh UDT, OFA
Ch Merkels Sangria
UDT, OFA United States
Grand Victrix
Ch
Merkels Vendetta ROM, OFA
Ch Merkel' Quaestor
CD, ROM, OFA
Ch Merkel's Essence
UD, OFA
Merkel's Coda vom
Jennerick CDX, OFA National
Certified Search &
Rescue Lieb vom Haus Merkel
OFA, National
Obedience
Winner Ch Merkel's Cut Up
of Timmee UDT, OFA Certified United
States
Service Dog
Bryn vom Haus Merkel
CGC, OFA
Certified United
States
Service Dog Fred vom Haus
Merkel
Ch Merkel's The
Cutting Edge OFA
Ch Merkel's Virtual
Reality OFA
Ch Merkel's Tequila
CD, OFA
Ch Merkel's Sante Fe
OFA
Merkel's Spellbound
ROM,OFA
Merkel's Emma ROM ,
OFA
Merkel's Estes CD,
near ROM
2009 Annual Achievement Award Recipient
Ch Merkel's Heart's are Wild
CDTDTC HIC CGC
TDI
OFA
Ch Merkel's Heart to
Heart CD, OFA
PRODOMINANT LINES
USED:
World Sieger Larus von Batu
SchH3 Kkl 1a
World Sieger Zamp vom Thermodos
SchH3, Kkl 1
World Sieger Yasko vom
Farbenspiel SchH3,Kkl 1a
VA Dux della
Valcuvia SchH3,
Kkl1a
Kirschental
WRITTEN GUARANTEE:
Yes EDUCATION
AVAILABLE:
Yes
LIFETIME
SUPPORT:
Yes
YEARS AS BREEDER:
46
Excellent Link to pet/health videos
• Any health care links located here
are NOT to replace a veterinarian visit; please take your dog to a vet
immediately at any sign of odd behavior or any symptoms of illness or
injury. Call your vet and describe your dog's symptoms with any of your
concerns about the dog's well-being. Your veterinarian may discover
changes in your dog's health that you have overlooked. It is always
better to err on the side of caution
VICTOR
SELECT HI-PRO PLUS
Calorie Content (calculated):
ME 3894 kcal/kg;429 kcal/cup
Formula for Active Dog &
Puppies contains high levels
of Proteins and Energy with only 30%
carbohydrates! This super premium food is
naturally formulated with added vitamins,
minerals and other additives that work
together to support a strong and healthy
immune and digestive system. As with all
Victor dog foods, this formula is free
from Corn, Wheat, Soy or Glutens and is also
made using GMO Free. Dogs love the
all natural flavor of this super premium
food
HOW TO GREET A DOG Click on photo for the
BEST INFORMATION YOU CAN EVER HAVE ON MEETING OTHER PEOPLES
DOGS-Children really need to learn this.
THIS is why you do not walk your dogs on asphalt or concrete
in the summer. If you see someone walking their dogs on
asphalt or concrete, PLEASE educated them and get the pet to
cooler ground. Original post was from Pet Ambulance Victoria
This should be sent to all the veterinarians including the specialists!
We have received two notices.
(1) Nails wrapped in cheese at dog parks in Chicago and
Massachusetts (see pic). (2) from some friends that in
Augusta Maine dog park, antifreeze is being found in doggie
water bowls. Please beware and be careful and PLEASE SHARE
and spread the word
Ever wonder where puppy mill dogs come from? Here's an
example. Many get cooked alive in the sun and freeze to
death in the winter. If you purchase your dog from a pet
store, I can guarantee your "AKC" certified dog came from a
place like this. This one is even better than the ones
I saw in Iowa and Missouri!
Do you recognize she is a Yorkie?
Please do not purchase your pet from a Pet shop, Backyard
breeder or Commercial Puppy Mill.
ALL PETS RESCUES
needs your help!
"The man who rears a
dog must complete what the breeder began..." Max v. Stephanitz; Father of
the German Shepherd Dog
This is a real
combination of symptoms that spells out EMERGENCY. These are the classic
symptoms of a condition referred to as "bloat" - a dog that is pacing,
restless and has unproductive attempts to vomit.
This is a common problem in large breed
deep-chested dogs but can also occur in smaller dogs.
Basically what happens is this - the
stomach twists causing the blood supply to the stomach to be compromised
then leads to tissue death. As tissues are damaged, toxins are released
and a sequence of events occurs that if left untreated, leads to death.
If you ever notice these symptoms in
your dog, call your local veterinarian or emergency clinic as soon as
possible.
This is a condition that is fairly
common and often occurs in the evening or nighttime hours. It is also a
very expensive condition to treat.
READ MORE...
Dealing with Excessive Barking
The first step to stopping barking is to understand why it is
happening. Dogs bark for all kinds of reasons, including
anxiety, boredom and/or loneliness. Sometimes they bark just
because it feels good. Luckily, most dogs will respond to
one or other intervention to curtail their barking. Whether you
simply bring an outdoor dog inside or take the time to apply
behavior-modification techniques, you can cause a dog to be less
of a nuisance and to be more socially acceptable.
Removing Skunk Odor
No need for the tomato juice. Use a mixture of 10 parts hydrogen
peroxide to 1 part baking soda. Add a dash of degreasing
dishwashing soap and pour into a spray bottle. Spray liberally
over dry coat and allow to air dry. Avoid eyes. Works on other
objects, too!
Splay Leg in Weaning Puppies (Hyperextended
Knee)(Myrofibrillar hyproplasia)
Almost any joint in the skeleton of the Dog could be
potentially hyperextended through some abnormal
movement or injury. Hyperextension basically refers
to any movement that causes the joint to move past
its normal range of motion, resulting in pain,
swelling and restriction of movement either for
short or long periods of time.
Swimmer pups are unable to stand. They attempt to
move across the floor with a paddling movement. It
occurs in overly fat puppies. Affected puppies are
reluctant to elevate themselves. Those which are
able to raise on smooth surface flooring demonstrate
splay legs due to lack of traction when attempting
to walk. Puppies may develop flatten chest
cavity if the underlying cause of 'swimmer'
condition is not corrected and the limbs are not
used. The shape of heart, lungs and esophagus may
also change as flattening progresses, thus affecting
the viability of puppies. Attempt to prevent
splaying is important if leg splaying is detected
early. Any non-genetic based condition can be
rectified by placing the puppies on non-slippery
surface (e.g. by placing towels or carpet in
whelping area, egg crate foam), by hobbling legs
together to prevent further splaying, and by
applying physical therapy to improve muscle
functions...swimming in the bath tub.
Splay leg Syndrome
generally happens with poor footing and is different
from a swimmer. See below.
Photos of puppies with Splay Leg
Syndrome
(Hyperextended Knee(s))
This German Shepherd puppy
suffering from the Splay - leg Puppy
Syndrome in the hind legs. His
legs were taped for a week and was
walking normal afterwards and has
had no adverse problems as an adult.
This German
Shepherd puppy has both back
legs affected also. He
looks like a swimmer with
the way that he is laying
but he is not. One
hind leg was much worse than
the other due to the breeder
not noticing this condition
at early onset
All puppies
taped and treated as soon as it
happened (generally occurs around 3-4
weeks of age) had rapid
and full recovery. It is
thought that the flooring that the
puppies live on may not provide good
enough footing (Slippery Floors like
newspaper, low pile outdoor
carpeting etc).
Some puppies are so aggressive and competitive for
nursing that they actually
stretch/pull out the ligament around
the knee as well as the patella. Once it is pulled
it will not ever be normal taping
with the figure 8 method is the
best.
Taping at early onset is the only
treatment so far that I am aware of. There seems to be
no genetic inheritance factor.
However because we must title our
dogs to get a breed survey to be
able to breed we would never use a
puppy that has had this problem in
our breeding program. Our dogs
are required to work and must do 8
foot jumps and trot for 12 miles to
qualify. I personally feel that this
would not be for a dog with a
previous problem like this.
We have
basically eliminated the knee
hyperextension from our
puppies by placing large nap rugs in
the whelping box from day one of the
puppies lives. We also keep
the female closed in with the puppies
at all times and manually let her
leave the whelping box to go to the
bathroom. We have seen
that the larger more
aggressive puppy is affected with this
versus the smaller weaker less
competitive puppy. I see this
happening more often in kennels
where the mother
can leave the box at will...the
puppies fight harder for their meals
and can slip their knees during this
process.
If you
do not tape the affected leg
immediately when you first see it
happening it will twist, knot up
and muscles will swell to where you
cannot even get it to bend for
taping. If you force it to
bend for the taping you will ruin
the ligaments and the knee itself
and most often the hip will push out
of the socket.
PLEASE DO NOT FORCE TAPE A
PUPPY AT THIS STAGE. At this point run to a specialist
for treatment. Puppies that have a
bum leg that wasn't treated may have
to have it amputated as to keep it
from dragging and getting infected.
Examination of the affected leg will
generally show malformed femur bone,
Patellas not where they are supposed
to be and the inability to move with
the leg under its body.
Rebuilding the affected leg can cost
upwards to $20,000 (not recommened)
whereas amputating the leg when the
puppy is older will cost $18-$2000.
At this point you could put the
puppy in a cart to at least keep the
leg from twisting until surgery is
done to amputate and help keeping
the puppy from dragging it's leg(s)
preventing abrasions and sores from
developing. Swimming is
excellent therapy for a growing
puppy. You must use a dog life
jacket for swimming and be there for
the dog at all times.
This is
only how I have managed to keep
puppies alive and normal. It
is not for everyone and most
veterinarians do not know what to do
as they generally put these dogs to
sleep as the owner/breeder cannot
afford treatment by a specialist.
I feel that taping is my only choice
as I do not want to put down
beautiful healthy puppies and I have
been successful with this taping for
over 30 years.
These are
the only photos I have of a puppy that has been taped.
When taping it is very important not to force the legs into
position or tape too tightly. Manipulate the knee
gently until it bends normally and then wrap the tape in a figure
eight around the stifle and over and around the hock and up
loosely.
The knee needs to stay in position so it cannot
hyper-extend. I find it easier to work with the legs
when someone else is helping by holding the puppy and
keeping the leg(s) in position. I also like to bring
the tape over the back and add tape to make a hobble
across the hock area above the feet. Make sure that
you do not tape the genitals so that the puppy can still
urinate and deficate. If a puppy goes for a long
period of time straining it's legs it may also have the hip
joint involved. Basically this means that if you x-ray
you will see subluxation. I take the tapes off after 3
-4 days. Keep an eye on the tape as you don't want
them to get wet. Remove immediately and retape if
there is no infection. If you smell a foul odor take
the tapes off and let the skin heal before retaping.
Your vet might recommend antibiotics at this point.
It's my opinion that these
dogs once treated will make excellent pets without any
problems. After all, I have had 42 years of experience
with my own breeding program as well as numerous other
breeders that I have taught to tape over the years.
Every dog that I have taped lived a full long life with no
issues in the legs or knees. It is well worth the
effort of taping these young puppies versus putting them to
sleep. I cannot stress the importance of getting to
these puppies at the first sight of a problem!
Swimmer with Splay Leg
Photo of a
Rabbit with Swimmer/Splay leg
Syndrome (has one good leg) Photo of a Pig with Splay leg
Photo of a
pigeon with splay leg
Swimmers
generally have flat chests making it
very hard for them to breathe, eat,
or maintain competiveness with their
littermates for the mothers milk.
Footing should be changed
immediately to an egg crate type
foam in the whelping box to
accommodate the puppy or puppies.
Once the puppy is able to start
using it's legs with this footing
they seem to grow out of this flat
chestedness and splay leg
effect - particularly when the
mother stands up for nursing the
puppy takes the pressure off it's
chest nursing. Taping is helpful to
remold the chest but not necessary
the puppy does need the egg crate
foam to lay on.
We hope to find
photos of puppies/other animals
whose breeders have different taping
methods. Please email all
photos to
vhmerkel@yahoo.com and put in
the subject line Splay leg photo.
All animal photos are welcome with
the splay leg/swimmer or the taping/treatment. Please
send photos of your vet taping with
step by step so others can see the
technique used.
I am a
German Shepherd breeder, not a
veterinarian. If at all
possible work with your vet on the
taping. They have the
experience and understand how
the joints are moving under the
tape.
