Summer 2011

We have had a busy year so far.  Porsche X Orinoco puppies are growing up fast.  I kept Viper out of that litter.  She is doing well.  Getting so big.  She plays constantly with her mama and uncle Razor.  A little bundle of energy!!  Plenty of attitude.   Summer makes training difficult because its so hot.  I am trying to get Porsche ready for her SchA.  I was working towards her Sch1, but the heat has made tracking an  occasional rather than regular occurance.  I have Porsche entered in a trial in early July, but we may pull.  Its a strange field and strange helpers and I don't know if we will be able to go down there and practice before the trial.  Its Porsche's first trial, so I just don't know if its a good idea.   Razor is progressing.  I am working on his obedience slowly.  Concentrating on perfection.  My hope is that by make his foundation solid with sits fast and positioning perfect that once he gets that down everything else will come easy.  I made a lot of obedience mistakes in Cinders early training.   I honestly never thought she would be as good as she is.  She was my first schutzhund dog and my goal was only a Sch1.  We didn't train for perfection, so we have had to go back and work 2xs as hard on fixing our mistakes and at the end of the day they will probably keep her from ever getting a V in obedience and possibly protection.  A dog always reverts to its foundation.  Razor's potential is greater than his mothers, so its up to me not to make mistakes.  He has an amazing natural capping ability.  Very clear headed and naturally very quick and clean in his movements.  His grips are phenominal.  I have showed this boy to many people and worked him on nearly a dozen helpers so far.  Everyone loves his grips.  They are awesome not just for a doberman, but for any breed.  He moves between drives like a machine and he learns very quickly.   My one issue that causes some obstacles is that he has a high level of possesiveness.  If he gets the sleeve before I get the leash, he will take off with it.  He outs cleanly and nicely, but if he has the sleeve he will hug it to him with his legs and doesn't want me to have it.  We'll get it figured out.  Its really pretty minor and if I had him as a pup, it might not even be an issue at all now.  So we will keep working and hopefully get his BH this fall and his Sch1 at the 2012 UDC nat'ls.   For Cinders, its clean up time.  Trying to fix the little things.  Going backwards again on her healing.  Telling her sit when I stop and trying to get her to sit faster and correctly.  If a dog does not sit correctly and quickly while healing then they will not do so in the out of motion.  Its too hot to run blinds which we desperately need.  So in protection, control, control and more control.  I intend to trial Cinders at the Regionals.  We may go to an earlier Regionals as she is due to come into season in Sept around the time of our Regionals.  Then I will be breeding her.  The plan is to breed her to Eiko V Landgraf IPO3.   Our goals for next year are the UDC Natls and ultimately the IDC.  We have a major obstacle to over come as Cinders does not crate and will have to be retrained to crate, so she can fly to Europe.   Brandi Williams Masaya Dobermans www.masayadobermans.com

Back to Training!!!

The AWDF is 8 wks away and Porsche is due in about a week and I have LOTS of work to do!!!!   Not to mention seven  2wk old Great Danes pups at home and a full time job!  It makes me crazy to even think about it. Cinders blinds still have much to be desired.  Still not getting her to lock up quickly on the stand out of motion and after almost 2 months off of training for various reasons (ok we have trained a couple times in the past 2 mos), her control is not what it been before the hiatus.  I did get to track her maybe 5 times in the past 2 months and was very happy to see her corners doing much better.  I am hoping for improved weather to allow more training.  However, we did train in below freezing temperatures yesterday and I expect to do the same tomorrow and all weekend long.   The good part about Cinders and I is that we are good at "crunch time".  Cinders will work until she literally drops and she is more than happy to prod me around.  She doesn't know how to quit and she will work every day and only show improvement.   I was very pleased with Razor's 3rd training session since I have had him back.  It was also the 3rd helper I have worked him on.  Solid as  a rock with grips just as calm.  I think this boy is super nice!  He is not as defensive as his brothers Vader and Lava which actually makes training very easy.  He also has high compliance and very nice pack drive without the separation issues in some of Cinders pups.  He has the calmest grips I have ever seen on a dobe his age.  I have to admit, I am getting a little attached and I am in no hurry to place this boy.   Brandi Williams Masaya Dobermans www.masayadobermans.com

Porsche the Puppy Thief

Porsche desperately wants to steal the Dane pups in the spare room.  She thinks she would make a much better mama and doesn't see the point in giving birth to her own young when there is a perfectly healthy litter of seven so near.  Harley disagrees with some very deep growls!  Every time I go through the baby gate to check on the Danes its like I have a Doberman attached to my leg.  Half the time I don't even realize she has came in behind me!  I think she is going to make an excellent mama!  She is very sweet and maternal by nature.   Cinders won't go near the new pups. She is very pleased that they are not hers.  I imagine she will be the same with Porsche's pups.   Brandi Williams Masaya Dobermans www.masayadobermans.com

One Boy Comes Back Another Boy Leaves

After much inner debate, I decided to place Vader.  Vader is everything I could ever want in a schutzhund Doberman.  Civil with phenomenal drives and extreme confidence and grips.  He is his mother with testosterone.  Unfortunately, Vader still has an overbite.  The more I work this boy the more attached I get and the more depressed that such an awesome dog has such a fault.  I feel fortunate that what I feel is the perfect home came up for my baby.  Vader is going to a competition schutzhund home where he will be part of the family and most important he will be close by where I can watch his progress and be available if things don't work out.   About a week before I placed Vader, I bought Razor back.  Razor's previous owner was a shepherd guy and he decided he wanted to purchase a trained shepherd.  Razor came with rave reviews from his previous owner and fellow club members.  I got to work this  boy last weekend and I was very impressed with his balanced drives and super calm grips.  A very nice boy with a solid foundation. He is also a complete sweetheart and a wonderful household addition.  He is a wonderful schutzhund prospect and I anticipate good things for his future.   Brandi Williams Masaya Dobermans www.masayadobermans.com

What do you think??

Here is a picture of Porsche at 6 weeks pregnant. The vet believed the ultrasound showed 5 pups. I'm not so sure since we still have 3 weeks to go!

Happy Birthday Arras!

Arras is the father of our "A" litter- Porsche, Alex, Rain, and Tessa.  He turned a very healthy 11yrs old today!!   On a side note, Cinders cut the pad of her paw almost 2 wks ago.  Unfortunately, she reopened the wound and its driving my crazy as I wanted to get as much training in as I can before the pups come.  I am thinking about wrapping it and putting a boot on her so we can run blinds. Not sure how that will work.   Brandi Williams Masaya Dobermans www.masayadobermans.com

Porsche Puppies Coming!

I haven't written for a while.  The Dobes and I have kept busy.  Vader's training is coming along well. I have been going slowly with and building a solid foundation.  He is a natural tracker and very confident in the bitework.  His obedience has been improving lots too.  He still reminds me so much of his mother that its crazy.   Cinders' obedience is doing lots better.  Using the pinch on her waist seems to be helping a lot with her foraging.  Her corners in tracking are doing much better too.  Control in protection has been doing well, but we took about a month off in protection due to weather etc and when we went to train in Nashville this last weekend control wasn't great.   Porsche is now 1 month pregnant.  I am really excited to see what she and Orinoco throw together.  I anticipate that by line-breeding on the Black Gong side we will bring some natural aggression and excellent grips to the table.  Then add in very correct conformation and this should be an exceptional litter.  Ultrasound showed 5 pups.  I am hoping there is a nice female in the litter for me.  Porsche has been ultra sweet and maternal.  She has been grooming everyone and wants to kiss me and be held all the time.  She is SOOOOO SWEET. Icky sweet!  But I love her.   Brandi Williams Masaya Dobermans www.masayadobermans.com