On a nice sunny day in late September 2005, Sally Robison was very excited and happy. She was going to pick up her Rottweiler puppy from the breeder, Joan Foote, of Thundervalley Rottweilers.
After looking at a number of breeders, and careful consideration, Sally had settled on this particular breeder. Although she had wanted a female puppy, there was not one available. Arriving at the breeder’s home, she was shocked by the filthy condition of the home. But like so many people, she was blinded by her excitement about getting a new puppy. Even the dark windowless building where the puppies were kept did not deter her.
She was immediately drawn to one little puppy who hung back on the far side of the pen filled with dirty sawdust. Their eyes met, and his fate was sealed. “I want that one” she said. And so it was. Sally was so happy about getting this darling little puppy that she had planned a little family celebration in honor of him coming home. He was christened “Xari”. “One who eats”. And he always loved to eat!
Little puppy Xari came home with Sally, and like all little puppies, he was adorable and sweet. His immediate outward appearnce gave Sally and her family no warning for what was to come. Within days he began to fade right in front of Sally’s eyes. An emergency trip to the veterinarian on a Monday morning confirmed her worst fears. Xari was very sick. Filled with parasites, an infestation so overwhelming he had to undergo a blood transfusion to save his life. He was severely undersized and underweight, only half the size of a normal puppy his age. It was nip and tuck for some time, but with the constant tender love, care, and attention from Sally and her family, and some substantial veterinary costs, he made it.
Xari was a delightful personality. Sally sought out positive obedience training early for little Xari, and he did well. She often caught him out in her back yard, “looking up to heaven”, as she called it. Little did she know how this foretold his sad future.
When Xari was about 2 years old, Sally acquired another puppy, the female she had long wished for, from a different breeder. While out playing with this new puppy, as normal dogs do, Xari suffered a catastrophic injury to his neck. During normal play, play which would never have affected a healthy dog. Xari was diagnosed with cervical spinal disease. His neck bones were weak, and poorly formed. He had bulging disks which caused him great pain and difficulty with normal movement. Sally searched and searched for a vet who might be able to help him, and by a stoke of luck, or some angel looking over her shoulder, she found Dr. Al Nunez, of Animal Hospital at Baldwin Park, in Orlando FL. Dr. Nunez utilizes a holistic full spectrum approach to animal care. Xari was prescribed several different types of Eastern herbal supplements and medications, underwent acupuncture and chiropractic care. After many months of intensive care, he recovered enough to live a somewhat normal life. However, the affects of this injury were lingering. Xari could never wear a collar again. He could not play with other dogs. He had difficulty rising. He could not eat or drink from the floor because he could not lower his head all the way. His neck shortened and stiffened as his injuries worsened.
Xari managed to survive in this severely restricted lifestyle for 4 years. And then his condition returned, and it was worse. Dr. Al again helped Xari. Once again Xari was given a variety of intensive therapies as before. This time his treatments included a new cutting edge therapy called IsoTherm heat therapy in addition to the others. These intensive and expensive treatments helped a little. For a while. Unfortunately, his decline continued. He began to have difficulty in being able to make it outdoors to take care of his duties. He grew very weak in the rear and had difficulty walking and standing. He fell. His pain was obvious. His caring loving owner had to make that most difficult of decisions that all of us who love pets dread. She had to release him from his misery at only 6 years of age. When he should have been in the very prime of his life, Xari had to be freed from his broken and painful body.
Xari’s owner is my dear friend. I am the breeder of her second Rottweiler. In talking with Sally over the last couple of weeks since Xari’s death, she has expressed her wish to tell everyone who is looking for a puppy how important it is to buy your puppy from a breeder who is responsible. A breeder who performs the recommended health testing on their breeding animals to make sure they are using only animals who are healthy, and a breeder who provides support to their puppy buyers after the sale. Sally wants people to know how important this is, for Xari’s sake, and for the sake of all the other animals who suffer because of the lack of care by ignorant or mercenary breeders.
This is Xari’s legacy. To educate those who need the right information so that they can select breeders who will sell them a healthy animal, and guarantee it with a written legal purchase agreement.
So what Sally and I would like is for you to pass this on. And when it’s sent to you, please pass it on again. Keep passing it on, to honor Xari, and to educate future buyers.
If you are looking for a Rottweiler, look for a breeder whose breeding animals have hips and elbows radiographed, and results sent to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, and results displayed in the online data base located at http://www.offa.org. Equally important is cardiac screening. Rottweilers have several forms of inherited heart disease. Responsible breeders have all breeding animals examined by a Veterinary Cardiologist prior to breeding. Responsible breeders also certify animals free of hereditary eye disease before breeding. More information about health testing and responsible breeding practices can be found at the American Rottweiler Club’s website located at http://www.amrottclub.org.
When you visit a breeder, look for clean conditions, and puppies who look round, clean and healthy, with clear eyes and high activity levels. Good breeders show great care in selecting the homes for their puppies, and will want to know as much about you as you will want to know about them. If you observe conditions that are cause for concern, contact local authorities. As hard as it is, never try to rescue a puppy from such conditions by purchasing it. Every dollar that is paid to substandard or uncaring breeders causes the cruelty wheel to turn. Don’t contribute. As hard as it is, walk away.
This article is dedicated to the loving memory of Thundervalley’s Grissom. Xari was much loved by his family and many others. He died a needless early death due to the gross neglect he and likely his mother suffered during his early development. We love and miss you Xari, and we will never forget you.
