Category: Karen’s Update

Farewell to PUREHEARTBUL Cotton Candy

On By pureheartbullmastiffsIn Cotton Candy, Karen's UpdateLeave a comment

21st February 2023 – 3rd February 2025 – Rest in Peace my stunning red Candy Cane.

PUREHEARTBUL Cotton Candy was my home grown yellow collar girl and sister to PUREHEARTBUL Cora The Explora. It’s with a broken heart I said farewell to my beautiful red girl way before her time.

PUREHEARTBUL Cotton Candy proir to her final visit to the vets.

On Monday the 3rd of February I took candy to see the veterarian at Wagga Veterinary Hospital to discuss the results of the blood tests that I arranged to determine what type of allergies were affecting Candy.

For almost 12 months prior to this horrible day I had started trialing the effects different types of grasses and pollens on her sensitive skin. It’s rather challenging to determine what caused the allergies. I had completed various sorts of tests to see what and how grasses would effect her in an effort to illiminate everything that I could think of to find out what was bothering Candy.

After changing up her diet, in consultation with the vets, I established that her symptoms were not food related.

Candy’s affliction mellowed during winter and I thought I’d won the battle. Then when Ava’s pups were born Angus and Candy spent time at a friend’s house who was helping me manage my dogs by taking the pressure of me to manage six breeding dogs with puppies. This properties gardens beds were a very dry and dusty and we discovered that Candy loved to sleep in the dust. Unfortunately I was back at square one however I relised that she may have an allergy to dust mites.

Swapping dogs became a thing along with medicated baths for my Cotton Candy Cane. Then I visited my friends house, drenched the garden beds, placed cardboard and sugar cane mulch over the beds and satuated them for 2 weeks.

Now back at home Candy’s condition alleviated slightly however only while she was house in the kennel on the fake grass. At her worst Candy was red raw underneath, constantly scratching herself and damaging her teats and chewing at her feet. Inbetween her paws they were bright red, her ankles and hocks were swell, her skin was loose, her teats were changing size and colour. All while her skin was tougherning and she was starting to lose her fur. To look at her from above she looked normal.

After Candy wasn’t so red I introduced her to this yard again and unfortunately all her symptoms returned. Along with her symptons, Candy’s personality started to change, she became irritable and who wouldn’t with the amount of itchiness that was going on with this for sweet girl. With the irritability came a little aggression and poor Boo and Cora copped most of it and so did the boys though they handled themselves much better than the girls.

So, in December of 2024 I decided to arrange a blood test to establish what she was allergic too. The test took a month to establish and the results were devasting. Her allergic readings to grasses, pollens and dust mite to name a few were off the chart. I was right as she was mostly allergic to dust mites and her reading was so high that I just broke down and cried. You see, I already had experience of the impact and pain of dust mites to humans and I wasn’t about to let my beautiful girl suffer nor watch her personality change.

With Cora and Boo’s litter due in March I didn’t know how I was going to manage this on top of having puppies onboard. As it turned out having 22 puppies meant they I would not have been in a position to provide her with the nursing attention she would have needed and with all these symptons I was hoping for a miracle from my veterinarian.

So there I am at the vets with my beautiful girl listening to how we could manage her condition. Monthly steriod injections that would cost a bomb. There was no guarantee that these injections would even work or worst case her body would get used to them therefore making it ineffective and most importantly these injections would change her personality even more. She would need:

  • daily medicated washes to keep her skin clean and fresh,
  • daily ear washing with medicated ear cleaner as her ears were swollen,
  • isolated from the others due to potential changes in her personality and to circumvent any aggressive behaviour.

To top it off, breeding from her was not an option, nor was I willing to pass her onto another beautiful family to care for, in this condition. It just would not be fair to anyone. It was then I new that I had to make one of the hardest choice I’ve ever made as a breeder. In that moment the best thing I could do for my sweet Cotton Candy Cane was to euthanise her.

Cotton Candy
Farewell to my sweet PUREHEARTBUL Cotton Candy

I’m so sorry that you went through this pain my lovely Cotton Candy girl and forgive me for making this tough decision on your life. Until we met again run free, free from the pain caused by dust and grasses.

All my love, Karen…

Large Bullmastiff Litters

On By pureheartbullmastiffsIn Bonnie, Karen's Update, PuppiesLeave a comment

The Bullmastiff is a giant dog, and the female bitch can weigh up to 60-70 kgs during pregnancy. My experience has been that with a large litter a pup is generally born between 200g and 400grams, however a small litter means puppies can generally weigh up to 700grams. This is a big difference in the scheme of puppy development and feeding regime.

My Bonnie weighed in at 64.6 kgs at full pregnancy therefore managing 12 puppies in a whelping pen is a lot of work. It requires a backup team to assist her to manage these little ones and that team consisted of Bonnie, myself, and Graeme.

21st February 2023 was a really hot day in Wagga Wagga and extremely muggy meaning that the evaporative cooling was ineffective. Bonnie was rushed in for an emergency c-section late evening due to a green discharge from her vulva which potentially meant that one or more puppies were in trouble.

We got the call about midnight that we had 13 puppies, 7 boys and 6 girls which was fantastic news however one didn’t make it.

When she came home from the c-section she was still groggy and not capable of much, even picking herself up was hard to watch and then waking up to 12 screaming babies was not what poor Bonnie was expecting.

Born early, Bonnie’s milk didn’t drop, meant we had to improvise. As inexperienced bottle feeders, a steep learning curve was upon us and if we didn’t get if right, we were looking at losing 12 puppies. We had to understand how these teats worked because as we learnt if the hole was not the right size, they were sucking nothing and if too big I was potentially drowning them.

ARRGGHHHH!!! Who would have thought it would be challenging to feed twelve puppies from a bottle. So, after we got the combination right and Bonnie’s milk came in, we were swapping from bottle to teat constantly. Finally, the puppies were thriving, whew I could relax, so I thought.

Now, Bonnie was not a natural at motherhood. She was clumsy and I constantly feared she would step on or squash her babies. So, to get some sleep we set the alarm on a 2-3 hourly roster, feed the puppies during this night on mum’s teats, took them away from her and commenced supplementing with the bottle throughout the day. It worked!!

As they got older Bonnie was doing everything right in relation to cleaning them up, however, I always had to watch her and after loosing another three boys over a two-week period, one which she asphyxiated at two weeks old, I was very mindful of not leaving her with them unattended.

The puppies adapted and while I did most of the cleaning and bottle feeding during each feed we got into a rhythm. At three weeks the puppies were ready for food and loving it. Feeding time became more about solids and at four weeks they were lapping milk and water.

Having a large litter requires a lot of work, resilience, patience, and love and even though Bonnie was not a natural mum it didn’t mean I loved her any less. I just needed to adjust my expectations and pick up the slack.

Until next time… Karen out for now…

TO Share or NOT to Share

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That is the question!!

In the era of social media and constant connectivity, it can be hard to draw a line between what to keep to myself and what is appropriate to share. On one hand, it’s important to keep some things close to my chest and be aware of the potential risks of oversharing. On the other hand, it can feel liberating to share, find understanding, and express my experiences no matter how good or bad they may be.

So, what to do? How much as a breeder do I share in the journey of having and producing puppies?

It’s important to be thoughtful and self-aware before deciding what to share. Do I feel comfortable with the idea that this information may be stored and accessible for the long haul? Will this post provoke meaningful dialogue, or could it potentially be misinterpreted in a negative light?

Most importantly, it’s important to be true to myself and my values.

So, I choose to share my stories so that clients have an understanding on what a dog breeder goes through to produce these wonderful bundles of joy that they get to share with new families. The excitement on people’s faces when they receive their new puppy is gold. It is, what, I as a breeder lives for and why I do this.

Karen

Featured

Breeding, High’s, Low’s and Challenges

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Dogs on my couch
In order from left to right: Boo, Bonnie and Locki

Becoming a Bullmastiff Breeder has been the most exciting and joyous journey that I have done in my working life. For the second time in my life I have a J.O.B. that I love. It is rewarding and challenging in many and various ways and I get to work from home.

Most people, me included, thought that you could get two registered dogs and breed them. Huh! Hmmm!! Well there’s a lot more to it. One has to know, follow and be accountable to the governing state dog regulations. They must become experts in breeding high quality registered dogs and be an effective communicator to dogs and humans alike.

My first challenge came in April 2021 when we attempted to mate Locki with Bonnie and he couldn’t seem to get it sorted. After various testing we missed mating Bonnie and discovered that my boy at two years old had a urinary tract infection and is now most likely sterile. So what do I do with a dog I cannot use as a stud dog, do I keep him or do I re-home him… the emotions are sometimes overwhelming as he is my boy.

As Boo was scheduled to come into season in late June 2021, my next challenge was to find a stud dog to put over her. Knowing Bonnie is very competitive I started to also research for a stud dog for her as well. So, after finding a stud boy for Boo where I would drive to Victoria and do a live AI, COVID-19 started to rear its ugly head again.

I learnt from the first failed mating attempt that I needed a Plan B which was to purchase and arrange transportation of frozen semen to store at my local AI Veterinarian Specialists. Now armed with semen I’m ready for both my girls.

I’m so excited that Boo is now in season with expectations of doing a TCI (AI) next week with puppies in 63 days after impregnation. Bonnie may not be too far away however she in not due until November 2021.

While all this is happening I have been looking to getting a new stud dog, which after some research I have found a beautiful red boy from the same lineage as my Bella. To say I’m excited is an understatement, however COVID-19 has also impacted when he can travel from QLD to NSW. Well today I got the good news and little Angus in on his way.

In the meantime I’ve been introducing Angus to Locki, Bonnie and Boo by placing an extra bowl out at meal times, regularly using his name and letting them know, he is on the way.

More information to follow when he arrives safe and sound.

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Getting A Breeders Prefix

On By pureheartbullmastiffsIn Karen's Update5 Comments

Deciding to become a Bullmastiff dog breeder has brought with it many reward’s and a few challenges.

Pure Heart Bullmastiffs (PUREHEARTBUL) Kennel

My best friends have been breeding dogs for what appears to be forever and as long as I’ve known them which is as least 30 years. They work hard, attend many, many shows and make it look so easy. So, two years ago when I first told them that I wanted to breed my beautiful Bullmastiff’s they were so supportive and encouraged me to ensure I get dogs that closely resembles the breed standard.

After some studying of the breed standards and research I purchased Locki from a Victorian breeder and then my two bitches Bonnie and Boo (NSW and Queensland).

Something that my dear friends and other Bullmastiff breeders kept reminding me that this is version one and as long as I aim to better the breed by following breed standards and NSW regulations I would be fine.

So, that in mind I started the breeders course. To become a qualified NSW dog breeder one must have knowledge of the following:

  • NSW Regulations Code of Ethics
  • Canine Anatomy
  • Breeding – care, mating and whelping
  • First Aid
  • Nutrition
  • Dogs and the Law
  • Soundness, balance and gait
  • Genetics
  • Hereditary Diseases
  • Canine Welfare

So after much reading, re-reading and then re-reading over the last 8 months I finally took the plunge, attended the exam with the Supervisor and passed first go…YAY!!! I was ecstatic.

The next step was to arrange an inspector to interview me and inspect my property to ensure it is to Dogs NSW standards. The Inspector came and complimented that our kennel as one of the cleanest, organised and well structured she’d ever seen. We were very humble and grateful for her generous words. We sent the forms to Dogs NSW and I’m very happy that our prefix was granted as PUREHEARTBUL.

Until next time… Karen out…

Cen Oil

On By pureheartbullmastiffsIn Karen's Update3 Comments

My dear friend, Alice suggested an omega oil to enhance my dogs coats. She uses this oil for her horses and has seen amazing results.

She gave me a sample to try, so I did some research and this supplement product is 100% Australian owned and based on the simple principle of “Nature Knows Best”. It is the highest natural plant based Omega 3 oil on the market.

They are based in Queensland and ironically in the suburb over from where I used to live before moving to New South Wales in 2016. You can purchase the product online and they will deliver to your door.

I have been using Cen Oil for Dogs over the past two weeks and I cannot believe the results. My dogs coats are fluffier and their colouring has deepened. It is easy to manage and I administer to them with their nightly food.

As my dogs are of a larger breed, I have just ordered some Cen Active Joint and Hip Support supplement. I highly recommend the Cen Oil and will provide feedback on the Cen Active joint and hip support in the coming weeks.

Until next time… Karen

Farewell Bella

On By pureheartbullmastiffsIn Bella, Karen's Update4 Comments

Final Resting Place

8th July 2011 to 6th March 2020

After losing our beautiful Bella to Thyroid Carcinoma and stomach Cancer at only 8 3/4 years, we had the dilemma of how to honour our girl.

We buried out last Bullmastiff “Rastus” in a very large hole in sandy soil at our old home in Mackay, R.I.P Rastus. She was gently covered with her towel and red roses.

With Bella being bigger than Rastus and the red clay soil in Wagga Wagga too challenging to dig a hole without the aid of large equipment, we opted for cremation.

So then how do you honour an amazing pet that has followed you through nine house moves across two states? With a massive tree, of course! So my next challenge was to find a nursery who was able to source a large tree and then what type of tree would suit Bella?

The location was arranged for the dog pen and after some internet research we decided on an ornamental tree, Chinese Elm (Todd), the fancy pants version of the Chinese Elm. I then learned that the next street over was lined with the Chinese Elm, an omen indeed that this was the appropriate tree for our girl.

On the day of delivery I was expecting a 4 metre tree, however a 6 metre tree arrived and what a specimen. With some grunting we maneuvered the tree next to the planter box and Graeme and I planted it the following day.

As the tears rolled down, Graeme and I scattered her ashes around her tree and covered her with our rose petals. Our baby girl is now in her final resting place.

R.I.P. our beautiful Bella girl, we love and miss you so much…

Chinese Elm (Todd) tree planted in honour of Bella

A bit about me…

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My name is Karen and I have a passion for my beloved dogs. I am 159 cm tall and of course the dogs I love just happen to be one of the largest breeds, the Bullmastiff which of course means that they are almost bigger than me.

I’m new to blogging and about to start a new venture of breeding my Bullmastiff dogs. Over the coming months I will be sharing my experiences in showing my two puppies Locki and Bonnie.

Locki turned 10 months today and well I think Bonnie is about 4 1/2 to 5 months. Unfortunately I am still waiting on receiving her papers.

Once I have Bonnie’s papers I will be able to show her as well as each dog has a registration number which you need to add to the NSW Show Dogs registration database.

I will be writing about the adventures of showing and breeding my dogs as an informative way to allow other to experience what it is like to have a large dog in your life. You see, Bullmastiffs are gentle giants who can be just as scared of us as some of us are of them.

They are easy dogs to train and are very obedient. They really don’t like to disappoint us even when they know that they are in trouble for chewing our favourite shoe or plant.

“The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

Nelson Mandela
Locki (9 months) and I having cuddles