Puppy Count

We had the puppy count x-ray today!!! YAY!!! Rey is so big around that it was difficult to get a good, clear image. 2 different vets looked it over, though, to confer on numbers. They both agreed that there are 9, possibly 10 puppies! We are going to have our hands full! One week until due date! Oh, boy, this is going to be a ride!

Official Litter Announcement

We are so unbelievably excited! These are going to be very high drive, gorgeous, phenomenal pups! We are thrilled to partner with Elena Seki of Red October Dobermans who owns the amazing sire Atlas. Please contact us via email: snowspringsdobes@gmail.com with any questions or for more information. Puppies are due February 1, 2019.

Puppies Coming in February!!!

We have confirmation that our sweet little Rey of Hope is expecting puppies!  Puppies are due February 1, 2019.  We are thrilled about this news!  Look for more details to come soon!

Rey Passed Her BH Trial!

What a day yesterday! My little Rey girl and I traveled with some of our dog club friends to Boise, ID for a schutzhund trial. Rey and I were able to complete a goal we've been working very hard toward for the past 11 months!!! Rey passed her Schutzhund BH (obedience/temperament) test. I'm so proud of this girl of mine! She works hard and teaches me everyday. We are still at the beginning of our journey together, but we are having a great adventure!

There have been so many people who have mentored and supported Rey and I on this journey. We are so grateful to our extraordinary friend and trainer Rossi Dengler--always there to teach, encourage, and keep us on the right track. Our friends in the Utah GSD Schutzhund Club, you are part of our team too! Thanks to Heidi Theis and the Treasure Valley Working Dog Club for hosting such a fantastic trial event! To the wonderful trial judge Craig Groh, thank you!!! Thanks to Katie Schwarzwaelder for breeding this amazing girl and allowing her to be in my life! And most of all, the biggest thanks go to my special men--Patrick and John--who are the biggest cheerleaders and supporters of all!!!! Thanks for helping Rey and I reach our goals!!! You are so LOVED!!!! Gratitude to ALL!!!

Canine Good Citizen Rey

Today Rey passed her AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test.  She's very happy and proud of herself! We love this sweet, spunky little girl of ours!

Rey Passed Her AD @ Northwestern Regionals

Cute little Rey of Hope passed her AD (12 mile endurance) test on June 8, 2018 at the Northwestern Regional Show hosted by Menlo Park Schutzhund Club in CA. 4 other dogs from our local Utah GSD Schutzhunde Club also passed. Rey was fantastic! What a fun little girl! Thanks, Katie Schwarzawelder, for her great breeding (Bismarck x Amorella). Rey also got the amazing opportunity to do a protection session with the incredible helper Stacy Burgan! He gave us some great tips and ideas for her progression. Then Rey sat back and cheered on her 8 GSD club friends at their GSD conformation show, watching them take home 4 first place and 3 second place ribbons. What a fantastic weekend! Thanks Menlo Park Schutzhund Club for hosting, Harald Hohmann for being our official German judge, and David and Randy Witmer for the beautiful accommodations!  What a fantastic weekend!

AKC Working Aptitude Evaluation (WAE)

Yesterday Rey participated in the AKC Working Aptitude Evaluation (WAE) at the 2018 Beehive Cluster Dog Show in South Jordan, UT.  We are happy to announce that Rey passed the evaluation and has earned her WAC (Working Aptitude Certification)!  We are proud of this little girl of ours!  GO REY!

Rey's Schutzhund Training

Rey and I have been working with our local Schutzhund club for the last 6 months.  We are having a lot of fun and Rey is a quick learner.  Our goal is to pass the BH trial this year and then move on to testing for her IPO-1 next year.  Her are a few pictures of Rey from various training days.  This Rey girl makes the work so much fun!

RIP Ana, 3/22/2011-12/6/2017

And just like that, heaven gained another angel. Our sweet "Little Mother" Ana crossed over the rainbow bridge at 4:20 yesterday afternoon. She was surrounded by our family, encircled in love. We are heartbroken. Ana was a blessing and a joy. DCM and cancer may have won the day, but it can never truly take Ana from us. She's a member of our family and always will be. We learned so much from her. She was a lover and a giver. She felt deeply and knew your heart. Her eyes looked right into your soul. Run free, Ana! Go find Mack and continue your adventures. We'll see you again! RIP Ana, 3/22/2011-12/6/2017

Rey in BH Training

Our sweet and spunky little Rey of Hope has started training to take her BH trials in 2018.  She has had 7 lessons so far and is really picking up the skills quickly.  She is smart and loves the work!  We couldn't be more pleased with this girl!  Here is a short video of her showing off some of her skills.

Health Update on Ana

Ana is the sweetest little doggie and we are so happy that she is in our family/pack! She has had a rough year and we thought it was time to share her news with our Snow Springs Dobes friends. As many of you know, last May she was diagnosed with DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy). It is a heart problem which plagues dobermans worldwide. It is elusive and very difficult to eradicate, even with the most dedicated efforts to careful breeding and selection of genetic longevity. Among other things, DCM can cause sudden death. Luckily for Ana, we caught the DCM very early and she has been taking medication to help her heart function more efficiently. To date, she is not suffering any ill effects from the disease, which we continue to monitor with our vet. The other challenge is that Ana was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. We noticed a small lump in one of her nipples and had it checked out by the vet. He told us it was a mammary cyst but to keep an eye on it and bring her back in if anything about it changed. Last month we noticed that the small lump was changing rapidly, so we took her back to the vet. Sadly, we were told that she has a fast growing breast cancer. The vet felt that putting her under anesthesia for surgery is very risky. Because of her heart condition she could die on the operating table. He was willing to attempt the surgery, but only with our express understanding that it carries high risks for her. Even then, the vet said the cancer would most likely come back. He also said that chemo for dogs is not very effective and usually just prolongs their life only a little, but adds to their suffering quite a lot. My husband and I talked and prayed and consulted another vet for a second opinion. We didn't want to make a rash decision. Right now, Ana is not suffering any noticeable effects of the cancer or the DCM, but continues to be a happy, energetic, and sweet little lady. Her appetite is great, she loves to play, and she gives the best snuggles around. She is a nurturer and highly sensitive to the feelings and needs of her people. She is in a really great place emotionally, and just exudes happiness and contentment all day long. She is a joy to be around! Honestly, if you didn't know she had these 2 health conditions you would never guess by how she acts. Taking all this into consideration, as well as the advice of 2 vets, we have decided at this time not to take action on the cancer. We will continue to treat her DCM with medication, however, as that definitely helps her feel better. For now, we will allow her to live a happy and pampered life as our beloved pet and family member. We will cherish every moment we get to have with this little lady, for however long we are blessed to have her. Our sweet Ana is a blessing in our lives!

RIP Mack

Our hearts are breaking! Our gentle giant Mack passed away suddenly and crossed the rainbow bridge. At age 9.5 years he was still a happy, fun loving, adventurous, compassionate, active guy. We thought we'd have more time with him. He has had occasional seizures in the last 6 months and a grand mal seizure is what took his life. My husband and I were both by his side as the light left his eyes and he took his last breath. We were NOT expecting it nor were we even close to being ready for this day to come. It has been so hard! Mack was everything we could ever want in a dog, and more! There's no way to possibly sum up what he's meant to us. His passing leaves a huge hole in our hearts. We will never forget the lessons he taught nor the important role he has played in our family. We love our Big Mack! Run free over the rainbow bridge, buddy! Find Kita and Anya and continue your adventures together. We'll see you again!  RIP Mack--06/27/2007-11/13/2016