Contact Us Anytime!

Email is IdahoOutbackGriffons@gmail.com or
Home phone is 208-532-4822
Cell phone or text is 208-300-0096.
Thanks Christy and Elliott Owen
83 East 700 North Rupert, Idaho 83350

Saturday, July 23, 2022

I have written a new article!

 Please see my article at the bottom of the BLOG.  WRITTEN about anxiety and your Griffon.  I am also working madly on a new web page.  That will have updated breeder profiles, as well as the articles more readable and orderly.  

The following are some Griffon RULES. but see the article to make sense of it all.  

There are rules that will help you raise a brave Griffon

·         I and all the humans in this house are the boss and rank higher than the Griffon.

·          Babies and small children are my friends. They are prized above all other things by my adult owners, so I worship them as well.  I can play gently with them.  I never bite, or jump on them especially the baby though she is super cute.  They can greet me, and talk high because they are babies… I understand that to a degree. 

·         Teenagers… or other sub adults must adhere to similar rules as the adult owners.  They are not to teach me to play too rough, or ignore basic rules.  Most Griffons recognize sub adults as being pretty fun. 

·         Griffons do not need to make any decisions. Let your rules be clear.  IE Cats are not food…and the like. 

·          Griffons leave kids alone leave other animals alone unless I say different

·         Avoid talking in a high voice,or treating your dog like it is a baby.   Your Griffon is a dog not a child.  He takes the high voice in greeting or whatever as some kind of distress,  yours or his.

·         Try petting in an upward movement on the chest instead of the top of the head or back, or scratch a belly. Don’t stare him down in adoration or appreciation, it actually feels dominant to most griffons.   

·         Never greet or say goodbye. It is just another day. Wait for the calm after the storm to appreciate your Griff.

·         Put your puppy away lots. In the yard on his mat or kennel, with the neighbor.  He needs to be adjusted there.  If needed add an incentive to keep him there. 

·         Get your keys jingle them and happily return, don’t take the dog, unless you want to.  Get in your car come back.  Certainly don’t take your Griffon with you  every time. 

·         Everyone has the same rules in the house, no matter who you are. If the dog can’t be on the couch than not ever.

·         Send a member of the household to an obedience class with your puppy. Pick the person that feels the least control over the puppy, your 2nd choice is the person that is vested the most, but your house will run smoother if you pick the first option.

·           Dogs should not be at your level, they are not humans, stay on the floor and off the bed.

·         Scold without penitence, and immediately.

·         Swiftly get over the anger of correction.

·         Walk with a loose lead, if you don’t know how, either YouTube it or get a trainer. Same with biting or jumping.

·         No harnesses, they incite pulling.  If you feel out of control learn to use an ecollar or a pinch collar or a gentle leader.  Used as intended they are excellent training tools.

·         Some dogs need a play collar and a different collar or set up to differentiate from anything goes to your job is to be calm. A backpack etc.  The stuff you see on service dogs is on purpose to let the dog know he is working. Use that tool.

If this article applies to you, save your dog, get a trainer today.  I am here to inspire.  Of late have had several Griffons that have struggled and it is breaking my heart. These rules could save those loads of grief. 

Please know I am not picking on any one situation or person, do not take offense, just saying things like they are. 

REMEMBER EXERCISE, OBEDIENCE then LOVE

CHRISTY

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Jaegar

Jaegar
I love the elements of this photo

Anxiety Your making me Crazy

Anxiety and Your Griffon ie You All are making me Anxious! Let’s start at the beginning. We can all agree the WIREHAIRED POINTING GRIFFON, is a sensitive soul. When these dogs were first bred, they were a mix of high powered hunting, pointing, retrieving, and tracking dogs as well as a generous dose of “How can I please you… Please I beg you, just tell me what to do… ” Those soft teddy bear eyes, with their mischievous nature sometimes seduce their humans into buying into the “Your a good dog… I am just going to love, love, love you” “You make me sooooo happy I just want you to be my best boy” Doesn’t sound that bad right? Oh how contraire. I know we went over a lot at puppy pick up. A lot of puppy pick up is about living with a sensitive, softer breed of dog. I am seeing a serious uptick in folks that are mishandling their Griffon as puppies and creating monsters in their adult Griffons. So the psychiatry of raising a good puppy, and I dare say a good human, is the ultimate goal of having a companion dog that is adjusted to the family, and the life a family leads. A dog that can play and participate in all manner of family activities and live in amongst us as we work , travel, and hunt like an integral part of the family is what we strive towards A dog’s job is to be a pet or working partner….. He is not a human child. He is not equipped to make any decisions, other than ones programmed by nature or nurture. Sometimes his job is to sit in a kennel or yard for 8 hours while their human works. His job is to be able to self comfort… something that our small humans should learn as well. I follow the puppy raising principle of “How to raise a BRAVE puppy”. So you begin with positive reinforcement. So there is an incentive to behave in the way I want you to. Some dogs work for treats, some for love, and some to play. I use a combination of rewards. I often start with treats. Most of my adult dogs work for a pat, but I think they all still believe a treat could happen and that always makes their responses crisper. Up front you should expose your puppy to everything and everybody. The more they see and experience the stronger they become. By the way, I consider a puppy any dog 12 months or younger. If I hear a young puppy howling because he is stuck in the wood pile, I take note, and then let him work it out. He figures out he can impact his own fate if nothing else then he was bored being stuck there. He now has a skill of helping himself. Being brave… When a puppy gets bit by an adult dog, the other dogs including the mom do not rush over to console, not do I. So if your pup learns a life lesson, please do not undo it by commiserating with their miserable state. Instead be strong and know what not to do next time. the Postman is real nice, in fact they all are. The water spraying on the road is super fun. The BB gun buzzing through the air always brings out a wing or bird! I love to meet the people at Lowes and petco. I like to go play in the stream and run through the briars with my friends. I am BRAVE. And when your puppy is in a calm collected and strong state that is when they are loved on not when they are fearful, and anxious. REWARD THE BAHAVIOR YOU WANT. I go out of my way to make lots of experiences fun and rewarding for example. When I train puppies for loud noises… First I don’t shield them from the lawn mower and power tools. The adult dogs are calm you are calm all is good. I use a BB gun and am constantly popping at a sparrow or starling. The adult dogs love this game because they know this means a bird could fall to the ground. It is gross I know but their joy outweighs the gross factor for me. The puppies see the enthusiasm. So as the pop gets bigger, the excitement grows. WATER I love to throw toys in, and wade in myself. I always bring other joyful water loving dogs. Never scary all fun. BEING ALONE I have been alone. It is not scary, I know because I have been alone. Now let’s imagine you were never ever alone. Someone walked you while you went potty, someone slept next to you, someone didn’t insist you had to stay on a rug, or your own bed. If you whimpered someone raced over and wiped your tear and tugged you onto the couch. If you yip or whine it is met with a friendly its OK boy. Someone hugged you before they left you while going to town, softly caressing you and in a squeaky voice saying I’ll be back you just wait right here for me. When that same someone returned I raced over crying and wailing, I leapt into their arms just grateful they had not abandoned me. This happens too much. Your puppy needs to learn to be alone and be happy. So give them something special they only get when they are alone. A chew toy or treat. Practice leaving and returning and never acknowledge your puppy. He is busy being alone and content. When you are ready to engage, and he is exhibiting calm, non reactive energy, you can engage. But no need to overdue. After all this is his job. You are rarely congratulated for making it through another long boring day of work, just because you did not have a meltdown. Please hold back when you want to excitedly greet or tearfully say good bye. It is not good for your Griffon who then thinks he should worry because you have clearly just averted death or kidnapping, or are soon to leave to war. Exercise, Griffons are full of it, the need for speed. In every case you should allow your Griffon space to stretch and burn calories. Younger Griffons need this even more than older dogs. Once your Griffon has the edge taken off, we now need to turn on the brain. So teach him things. I mean hard things not just sit. An off leash recall, down and stay for extended periods of time, scent hunt your hidden child or partner, teach him to find sheds, look up what is required to make your dogs a good citizen with AKC and visit an old folks home. Ask him to obey in increasing outside stimuli. Here is where the motivation comes in handy. Ie treats Or JUST LOVE HIM, and he will be a paranoid mess that can’t breathe or whimper without your assuring force. Some just become less of a dog than they should be, some will decide since you seem to need a leader and will try to keep all the bad guys … things away. At it’s worst, I am going to open up this wall or door while you are gone with my bare teeth, bleeding, but dam the cost, because I cannot cope. I can’t trust that person because he limps and smells weird.. I have absolutely no idea how to lay here and pass the time…. What should I do now. There are rules that will help you raise a brave Griffon • I and all the humans in this house are the boss and rank higher than the Griffon. • Babies and small children are my friends. They are prized above all other things by my adult owners, so I worship them as well. I can play gently with them. I never bite, or jump on them especially the baby though she is super cute. They can greet me, and talk high because they are babies… I understand that to a degree. • Teenagers… or other sub adults must adhere to similar rules as the adult owners. They are not to teach me to play too rough, or ignore basic rules. Most Griffons recognize sub adults as being pretty fun. • Griffons do not need to make any decisions. Let your rules be clear. IE Cats are not food…and the like. • Griffons leave kids alone leave other animals alone unless I say different • Avoid talking in a high voice,or treating your dog like it is a baby. Your Griffon is a dog not a child. He takes the high voice in greeting or whatever as some kind of distress, yours or his. • Try petting in an upward movement on the chest instead of the top of the head or back, or scratch a belly. Don’t stare him down in adoration or appreciation, it actually feels dominant to most griffons. • Never greet or say goodbye. It is just another day. Wait for the calm after the storm to appreciate your Griff. • Put your puppy away lots. In the yard on his mat or kennel, with the neighbor. He needs to be adjusted there. If needed add an incentive to keep him there. • Get your keys jingle them and happily return, don’t take the dog, unless you want to. Get in your car come back. Certainly don’t take your Griffon with you every time. • Everyone has the same rules in the house, no matter who you are. If the dog can’t be on the couch than not ever. • Send a member of the household to an obedience class with your puppy. Pick the person thatfeels the least control over the puppy, your 2nd choice is the person that is vested the most, but your house will run smoother if you pick the first option. • Dogs should not be at your level, they are not humans, stay on the floor and off the bed. • Scold without penitence, and immediately. • Swiftly get over the anger of correction. • Walk with a loose lead, if you don’t know how, either YouTube it or get a trainer. Same with biting or jumping. • No harnesses, they incite pulling. If you feel out of control learn to use an ecollar or a pinch collar or a gentle leader. Used as intended they are excellent training tools. • Some dogs need a play collar and a different collar or set up to differentiate from anything goes to your job is to be calm. A back pack etc. The stuff you see on service dogs is on purpose to let the dog know he is working. Use that tool. If this article applies to you, save your dog, get a trainer today. I am here to inspire. Of late have had several Griffons that have struggled and it is breaking my heart. These rules could save those loads of grief. Please know I am not picking on any one situation or person, do not take offense, just saying things like they are. REMEMBER EXCERSIZE, OBEDIENCE then LOVE CHRISTY

GOALS

Goals
here at Idaho Outack Griffons
My philosophy is to produce a puppyat the height of his potential. We start by carefully selecting our breeding
stock. I like to use health screened animals that gives us the best chance toproduce a healthy, long lived dog.

My second goal is to raise our dogs like ahouse hold pet as well as a hunting companion and a best freind for my boys. I
never have more than 5 dogs on the place, it is all I can bond to properly. WE Co-Own with freinds, so other dogs in our breeding program have their own family life.

All the puppies are raised off my kitchen and are handled from day one. There was a great study done by the monks who raise quality German Shepherds. They discovered techniques all of which involve early handling and human interaction. They were able to create more adjusted and
trainable adult animals. So once they begin crawling about they are underfoot, placed all day in the center of the action where even a crowd can't get ignored.

Weather permitting they are kenneled at night and taught
about grass or paper in the house. I love vari kennels they are excellent astheir den and as a tool in house training and transporting. We start introducing them at an early age to water, wings, and all sorts of exploring.

Lastly I want to retain the natural hunting abilities so all our
breeding animals hunt and are close range dogs. Though we do not participate in the local NAVDA groups these dogs would do well in that venue. This is a wonderful organization that gives you a way to test both your dogs natural abilities and your developing handling skills. AKC has some great opportunities
in confirmation but also has obedience and working dog competitions. I can't wait for someone to take one of these guys through an agility course, I think they could sweep this sort of thing, and maybe one day when my family is a little older I will try this myself. My high point is getting the right puppy to the right folks, we work so much with them we know their personalities, and make it our goal for you to know your puppy by the time he arrives.

Rose X Chrome adult snaps

Rose X Chrome adult snaps
Their name plus Outback kennel call name bottom

Duck Rabbit... Buffalo


Buffalo Dog FOOD what the ????
I am asked
what I feed my dogs all the time. I
happen to be from the Veterinary Industry and have had the opportunity to tour
several of the manufacturers of pet food.
I have also had extensive training on a lot of assorted diet lines. You all know I am practical and have an
opinion popular or not on everything in dog world. Here are my musings.

A long LONG time
ago there was an ad campaign from Hill’s Science Diet that showed a photo of an
old leather boot a can of oil and some other assorted items I can’t remember
but I remember the image. It also showed
a pile of meat on the other side. The ad
then stated the protein and fat content of each side…. Exactly the same. Message there was clear not all ingredients
are not all the same. I also remember
another ad that asked you how much a pound meat was then asked how much per
pound dog food was in the store. Message
here what kind of meat can you expect in a pound of dog food that costs say .50
per pound as a finished product.
So that said
my dogs do not eat steak every day nor do I.
They have a unique non human digestive system that enables them to take
energy from both protein sources and vegtable sources as well of course as
vitamins and minerals. Great strides
have been taken in pet food, and many good diets contain EFAs, glucosamines, antioxidants,
natural preservatives, no food colors… etc.
LOVE IT!
But do I buy
the trendy new dog foods that are touted all natural “WILD” “Buffalo” “BLUE”
and more. They claim they have something
over the other foods available. Just
because your dogs food is made from Kangaroo meat… this does not make the
protein source more digestable or preferable.
IN fact the over use of non traditional protein sources has now made
finding a truly food allergic animal a diet they haven’t been exposed to a
nightmare. Don’t get me wrong, I could
care less if you feed duck and potato, but I don’t think there is an advantage
unless it is medically indicated because of a digestive cause, skin allergy or
the like.
I do believe
in purchasing higher quality foods, by well known manufacturers like Purina,
Iams, Hills, Royal Canin. They do their
research. They use the highest quality protein
sources…. Stuff you and I would readily eat ourselves. They are the leaders in additives that
promote health and long lividness. Don’t
forget way less excrement with a highly digestable food that leaves smaller
less smelly piles about the yard. Also a
Griff coat on a diet with adequate fats is heavy and healthy and not quite but
almost shiny. Don’t buy the cheapest
stuff you can and don’t be drug into the trendy side either. Use a large breed active blend. Or if your dog is chunky … shame on you… he
won’t live as long… get him on an over weight diet and quit feeding him the
other stuff.

Griff Humor

Griff Humor
Griffon Humor

Parasites YUCK

Whether you may know it or not all puppies get parasites from their momma's milk. Momma gets it from cleaning up the feces of the puppies for the first few weeks. This is a normal mother nature thing that all animals do. Below I have a link to common parasites the puppies will get and get treated for while with me. Remember these parasites are not covered under my health guarantee because sometimes no matter how many times I treat my puppies for these they could still have them. I take a sample of puppy feces to my vet to be tested when the puppies have their vet check. I usually take 2-3 samples with me. But just because 2 or 3 samples may not have it doesn't mean all the puppies don't. And both of these parasites below have incubation periods. So they may leave my house clear and free but have the egg in their system for the worms or coccidia. I tell everyone when they take their puppy home take their puppy to their vet with in 5 days. Take a sample of their feces to the vet to be tested and do it again a week after the vet visit. Until puppies are completely away from their siblings and the other fecal matter in the puppy area they are not clear from catching these parasites. Coccidia link:http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1622&aid=727Worms in puppies: http://www.the-puppy-dog-place.com/puppy-worms.htmlhttp://www.ehow.com/about_4740383_worms-in-puppies.htmlIt is very important that you take your puppy for all their preventive shots during the first 4 months of their lives. Parvo is the main thing can kill puppies. All dogs can be carriers but it kills puppies and older dogs. link below is on Parvo.http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1556&aid=467It is also important that you get your dog's heart worm medicine in states indicated by your veterinarians The heartworm is transmitted during the mosquito life cycle. May through October. Or year round if the mosquito possibly can live through your winter. Also every dog needs a rabies shot the first one is good for one year and then they get 3 year rabies shot.

Puppy Heart Murmurs

My Blog is designed to address the needs of my Griff owners and help them be educated in their chosen hobby. Griffons can be afflicted with a heart murmur and I want you to have a chance to know the condition and understand the outcome on affected puppies. I myself in 26 years of breeding dogs have had about 6 puppies develop heart murmurs by their 6th week check up. All but 1 of these puppies have been considered innocent and went on to live uneventful lives. Unknown cause that clears up completely on their own by 18 to 21 weeks. One puppy named Pearl, was physically impacted by this congenital condition. We identified her before she left my place. Ultimately she lived a joyful but shortened lifespan. This is an article from the Magazine Bulldog world Heart Murmurs in Puppies Home The heart operates with a pump like action. Divided into four chambers-right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle-the heart has four valves that work to keep blood flowing in one direction. The valves open and close, letting blood in and then pumping it out. That sound is created from the movement of the valves and the flowing of the blood.The sound a murmur makes depends on when it occurs in the cardiac cycle.Correct auscultation of a puppy's heart at less than 8 weeks of age may reveal a heart murmur. This does not necessarily mean that there is a disease process occurring; however, it may.


To define a heart murmur, an often used example is the vibration felt, and the subsequent sound you hear, when you pinch a garden hose between your fingers with the tap fully turned on. What is heard when listening to the heart is a slurring of the normally distinct heart sounds. This may be a continuous slurring, or it may be intermittent at the point of each beat heard.Heart murmurs are graded by intensity of sound, for instance on a scale of 1 to 6. It is not infrequent that one may hear a grade 1 or 2 heart murmurs in a 6-10 week old puppy. Often these murmurs disappear by the time the puppy is 12-18 weeks old, and are therefore termed innocent murmurs. However, murmurs with a greater intensity may mean that there is a congenital heart defect. Most grade 2 or lower will disappear by 18 weeks and the puppy will be fine with no long term or damaging effects. The puppy would be considered healthy and normal by 18 weeks. However, grade 3 usually or higher is a serious problem.cardiac ultrasound exam is by far the most effective method of evaluating heart murmurs, I'd skip things like EKGs to get the ultrasound Exam, if a choice has to be made between tests.


A puppy at 8-12 weeks with grade 1 or 2 heart murmur would be considered innocent with the sale pending a clean bill of health by 18 weeks, free of murmur, (NOW GRADE 3 OR HIGHER WOULD NOT).Because of the nature of many heart defects, their detection and classification is extremely important to any breeding program when a grade 3 or higher murmur is detected in more than 1 puppy or the whole litter has a murmur.

Griffon Humor

Griffon Humor

Submissive peeing Learn to Greet your puppy/ dog

I am going to write an article because one of our puppy buyers is having some issues with submissive peeing. First let's review the wolf pack that is the first family group of all dogs. In Dog language there are dominate and submissive pack members. In order to survive in the pack a dog shows submission to have access to food, get attention, and to be generally accepted in the family pack. The dominate dog will stare at the lower member, stand over them, perhaps put their mouth over the other dog even bite, growl, and generally be much bigger than the lowly pack member. For one moment think of yourself towering over your puppy reaching down from above and placing your hand on the top of their head. Seems very normal... but what if your puppy happens to be a rather submissive individual with little intestinal fortitude. The best way they can show how great and powerful you are is by peeing all over the floor and flopping to the ground. This is very annoying to all humans, not to mention a pain to clean up. Here is the good news, most dogs can be trained out of the behavior, and most dogs to a certain extent grow out of the behavior.
So now you know what the behavior is now what to do with this puppy. First off acceptance and attention is what they crave. There are a couple approaches to take, 1st just like children attention whether positive or negative is sought. Yelling and scolding makes submissive peeing more like submissive flooding. So here are some stratedgies no fuss, no drama, no high voice, no dominate postures, in fact this puppy needs to realize you have no interest in him at all during greetings. The greeting period is the number 1 time this problem happens so usually once the greeting phase is over you will minimize the behavior.
First option, from now on greeting is not about seeing and paying omage to you but is focused on a food treat. The puppy is taught to stand still waiting for a treat. The focus is pulled off the submissive greeting and now focused on a task. By the time the task is performed a few times the greeting phase is over. This has to happen from all members of the family.
2nd option, ignore the puppy, from now on you give the puppy not a second glance, no greeting, no voice, no attention, let the puppy settle down, get past that time period. Only reward calm and drama free behavior. I like to encourage them to stand quietly and allow a belly rub or an upward rub on the chest. Focus the puppy on staying upright as dogs rarely pee standing up. Keep in mind you are the ALPHA WOLF help your puppy have confidence, training puppy classes, and tasks give them a purpose that helps them be the adjusted dog they can be! See my next article where we will discuss excited peeing, which is related but not the same.

Avery a GLORY Chrome pup

Avery a GLORY Chrome pup

Liberty

Liberty
Chapel Hills's bred AKC CH Lines

True

true

True

true

True

true
7 months

Now and then

Now and then
8 week / adult

Feedback

Hi christy, Grif is doing awsome , i love hime so much . he still sleeps in my bed everynight ,thanks for teaching him that one , is doing great on the ducks and on pointing grouse. i am starting a outfitting service next fall will be doing black bear and moose and caribou . griff will be abel to go all the time . Have ben working remote jobs to bankrole the outtfitting gig . griff get so weird when im gone its funny he nocks the phone out of pams hands when the phone rings and i have to talk to him or he pouts .that dog is so smart . i want to get a female in the spring if it works out . Let me no on the pup . Im guiding elk hunts in townsed montana september threw november so will be own in your neck of the woods then .
take care Brent Harrington

olen hilliard
Hi, I can't believe he's almost a year old! Here are a couple pictures of ourcurious George. He's been a terrific addition to our family, given life to ourold dog and helped me log many miles. Both on foot and by horse. He loves tohunt, loves to go in the car and generally is a great dog around all. You canactually go hunting without a gun and still get live birds :) He also looksgreat with Reindeer antlers at Christmas.!We're hoping to finish the Canine Good Citizenship exam in April. He's readyand willing. Thanks for the terrific dog and I still love the dog name. Neverchanged it... sherrill & mark

Roy Kandi Chilcott
Hi Christy,Thistle, renamed Maggie, is getting along great! She is so smart! It's a lot of work but we are getting along great with potty & kennel training. She already sits by the door when she needs to go out! Amazing! Kandi

Ben Krupka
Hi Christy,Thanks for your advice the other day. Here's some recent pics of Frieda. All between the ages of 18 and 19 weeks old.She's a dream come true!Thanks,Ben

joy gates
Hey Christy- Just wanted to wish you a Happy New Year- love to hear about the other pups from Rose's litter. Hazel is a beauty. Her eye lashes are about an inch long, she's patient, so funny and very smart! She's a lap lover, woodland explorer and I'm very sure she has springs in her toes. She hasn't quite got the catching popcorn thing down, but with practice... :) Hope you are enjoying the season. We are, in great part to your contribution!

Michele L. Turek
Hello Christy,I just want to give you an up date on Sugar or Darla as we call her. She is doing great, very healthy and smart. We have a field near our house which she loves to run and practicing pointing. She easily learned bathroom duties, come, sit and down. We are taking her to puppy class next week for more training which is a positive praise model we've been using. If you attach a "good" or say a command with a happy attitude she takes right to it.I've attached some photos of her in action, resting and her favorite "look how good I sit" mode, so you can see how she's grown.
Thanks again for a great dog ,Michele & Colin

Toni Joseph
Hi Christy,That is so weird we were just checking your site the other day to see if you bred more recently!We are IN LOVE with Wren! He is a wonderful family dog so great with our kids! Sage is 5 and Wren is not his dog, he is his "scruffy brother!"Juniper is now one and she lays on his bed and hugs him always!He is so loyal to us and really needs us in his sight at all times..He is an excellent hunter, he flushed a ton of chukar last week and we are taking him out with no kids on friday! I am planning on getting some great pics I will send some over your way!We have done a lot of camping and fun hikes this recent summer and he is so much fun, he always stays close and he really listens when we call him etc.He is very healthy just shy of 60 pounds, and he is always happy!Thanks again he has really completed our family!Brian, Toni, Sage, Juniper & Wren Joseph