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gy from my hands. It was not a tangible and (I thought) na reliable method. I enrolled for a Diploma Course in Shiatsu – a good down-to-earth practical method of healing. “
MINNA THE MIRACLE In 1999, an adorable German Shepherd puppy called Panzer joined our family. He had strength of character and potential in both obedience and showing. At 14 months he was not moving freely and showing signs of stress when gaiting. Panzer attended a specialist Vet for X-rays and adjustment. I remember the shock of being told that he had a fractured pelvis; he would be in constant pain; perhaps we should seriously consider having him put down; nothing could be done.  There were more traumas in Panzer’s life before I realized that I could do something for him. The intuitive part of me dared to hope, but the scientific part said “dogs are different!” Since I changed my attitude Panzer has gone on to gain his Endurance Title, his CD title, passed his Tracking Qualification Test and is currently working towards his TD (Tracking Dog). He got his A stamp for hips (an impressive score of 2:2) and his Z stamp for elbows (0:0). He passed Breed Survey gaining a Class 2 and has been awarded two Excellent Medallions in the specialist show ring. In the spring of 2003, Chyna (Panzer’s full sister), gave birth to 14 puppies. Puppy number 12 was less than half the size of her siblings. Despite 18 years of experience, my sister’s efforts to revive the pup and establish normal breathing had failed. The pup lay limp; lungs strained for air as her mouth opened and closed involuntarily. I held her in my hands, hoping she would feel warm and protected as she took the final breath. Energy flowed from my head to my hands and into the tiny black form, cold, but still alive. An hour or more passed, and nothing seemed to have changed, but when I dared to look, the breathing was no longer laboured. Dead? No – she was a little warmer and her breathing had stabilized. Honey and water was offered and her tiny tongue licked keenly. Another hour of healing and we dared to hope. Bach puppy rescue remedy was given and half an hour later she quickly drank two droppers of milk formula. I held her gently for the next hour. When energy flow to my hands began to wane I knew it was time to give her back to her mother. Chyna licked her thoroughly creating emotional bonding and physical stimulation. Her energy sufficiently stirred, puppy number twelve eagerly sought and found a teat to feed from. I am grateful to Minna. She reminded me that in essence, a dog is no different from the human species. The dog spirit knows how to accept love, kindness and help with his/her healing process. The dog spirit also knows how to give love, and it does so unconditionally. 

As you massage your furry friend, have confidence in your ability to comfort and heal. May the bond between you grow into the realization that you are truly kindred spirits.
Lyn McAlpine  “Miracles do not happen in contradiction to nature, but only in contradiction to that which is known to us in nature” - St. Augustine 

MORE ABOUT MINNA  Minna weighed just 6oz. at birth and her 13 litter mates were between a pound and a pound-and-quarter. She was the size of a large newborn kitten! At the time, I truly believed it would be impossible for such a tiny puppy to survive in this incredibly large litter without supplementation and special attention! Despite her smallness the only time she received rescue remedy and milk supplement was during the first 4 hours of her life. Within 2 hours of joining her litter mates she had latched onto a teat and never looked back. She possessed incredible physical stamina, keen natural instincts and remarkable mental strength which enabled her to develop crucial survival skills. Quite out of sight and snug, she often lay in the channel between her mother’s teats.

The moment a pup sucked less vigorously or nodded off she would quickly emerge from her hiding place and push it off the teat. Once there, not even the biggest pup could dislodge her. If not sleeping in the aforementioned favourite spot she would be somewhere beneath the pack, but incredibly she always had a teat. By the time she was two weeks old my only fear was that she would be carried out of the whelping box when her mother vacated the den. She had such a tight grip on the teat and hung on longer than the others.  

At 6 weeks of age the litter was having chicken wingettes for breakfast. At first I separated Minna from them at feed times but she refused to eat alone. So reluctantly, I put her in with them where, true to form, she honed up her survival skills. She would wait till one of the pups had softened the wingette by chewing on it. Then, in one quick movement, she would dive underneath the pup from behind, snatch the morsel and dash away to a secluded corner or into the kennel to eat it.  The next thing that concerned me was the possibility of her being injured by her much larger litter mates. Initially she became the target of rough play but learned very quickly how to defend herself.  She gave as good as she got and pretty soon, even the largest puppy knew not to pick on her.

Her strategy was to, where possible, avoid confrontation but once her tolerance level was exceeded her determination, skill and fighting ability was impressive! The trip to the Vet for vaccinations and general health check was the next hurdle and caused me a degree of anxiety. I mentally prepared myself for the worst considering the strong possibility that her small build may be due to a heart problem, possibly a hole in the heart. And I hadn’t ruled out that her condition may be due to some form of dwarfism! But none of these fears came to fruition. She was as healthy, if not healthier than her litter mates. In fact, none of them had a problem; no hernias; no retained testicles or any other minor imperfection!  
However despite a clear bill of health, Minna was still so small when it came time for the pups to go to their new homes that nobody wanted her. And at 7 weeks, her ears were too small to tattoo. So I ran her on with my pick bitch called Risky. I still had both of them at 5 months of age when Risky decided showing was not for her.

She just didn’t have the attitude and was a lazy dog in the show ring. Although she had a better fore-quarter than Minna and potentially better reach she couldn’t be bothered using it. Minna on the other hand, was not quite as well put together yet she moved much better. The difference was in attitude! Minna has loads of enthusiasm; she loves to run and uses everything she has to full advantage. And, of course, stamina is her other great asset along with a strong will and temperament. Not that Risky had any problem with character or temperament. She just didn’t have the fire or the necessary willingness to run. 

MINNA'S STORY CONTINUE.......

Minna was shown in specialist German Shepherd Dog Club of Victoria Shows and in the All Breeds ring over the next three years. She was graded Very Promising on all but one occasion by specialist judges.

Minna’s critique in the Junior Class under specialist judge Mrs. Melanie Groth at the Working Dog Club on October 31 st 2004 reads:

“Just above medium size, strong, substantial, expressive well-proportioned well coated black and gold female of very good type. Very good head with correct planes of the skull and foreface. The eye could be just a little darker. The neck should be just a little longer, high wither, firm back, well laid slightly short croup. The tail is set just slightly high. The upper arm is of good length but is slightly steep, very good hindquarter angulation. The pasterns should be firmer and the toes are slightly long. Very good fore and slightly short underchest. Standing not quite correct in front, steps slightly narrow at rear, the elbows should be tighter. In movement displays very good drive with a slight restriction in the reach where the back ligamentation should be just a little firmer.”

Graded VERY GOOD.

Prior to the show Minna had no fitness training (no roadwork or swimming) apart from chasing flies and birds out of the back yard! She was always very active and kept herself fit. However, I did take her to training classes to learn how to behave in the specialist ring. After Melanie Groth gave the above critique Minna became lame. Had that not occurred she would have place second in the class! Afterwards, she continued to have an intermittent problem with the right shoulder. It was three years later when I discovered the cause of this was due to her constantly knocking the point of her shoulder on the rear tow-bar of my 1988 Toyota utility as she ran around it to get to the front gate of our property.

At around the age of 18 months Minna became picky with her food and weighed just 25 kilograms. She was uncharacteristically nervous particularly when she came into season. Naturopath Dr. George Coughlan prescribed some drops and within a couple of months she had got over it and started to eat properly.

And her critique from the Intermediate Class at the State Breed Exhibition on May 14 th 2005 under specialist judge Honey Gross Richardson reads:

“59 cms 20 months. Well above medium size, medium strong, expressive bitch of very good type. Strong feminine head, just medium eye. Stands with a high wither, slight nick behind. Firm back, slightly short, slightly steep croup. Good forequarter, upper arm should be better angled. Very good hindquarter. Stands correct in front. Steps correct going and coming with elbows still to attain final firmness. Exhibits good movement.”

Grading VERY GOOD.

I did not get Minna’s hips X-rayed until she was two years old in August 2005. The reason for this was I felt that her hips possibly required a little more time to develop. In the womb which she shared with 13 siblings her body had been considerably squashed from the ribs down. Her hindquarter at birth was very thin and under-developed in appearance. Thus, it was a disappointment, but no real surprise to me when she got a score of 0:0 on her elbows and 23:22 on hips. A total score of 55! Subluxation was 5:5. Looking at the X-rays confirmed her hips had not developed correctly. The outer part of the hip had not developed sufficiently to surround the femoral head. What did surprise me was how, with such bad hips, she moved so powerfully and correctly! Her condition caused her no pain and she kept herself fit by constant running. I assume that her very strong muscular development and her mental attitude was what held her hindquarter together.

Again I consulted Naturopath Dr. George Coughlan who had a good look at the hip X-rays and concluded it was worth a try putting her on a course of herbs and vitamins to develop the hip joints. After twelve months on this routine I had her re-X-rayed but the hips had got worse. So, I didn’t bother sending the plates away on this occasion. At a guess, the score may have been around the 70 mark! But it still didn’t affect her gait or her quality of life. She really was Minna the Miracle and true to her name: Bozeeb Real Spirit.

After this, on October 30 th 2005 Minna placed first in a class of four in the Australian Bred Class at the Working Dog Club Show. Judge, Mrs. Robyn Knuckey, gave the following critique:

“Very large, medium strong, well-proportioned bitch of very good type. Very good head and expression where the eye colour should be darker. Good withers, firm back, croup is of good lay but should be longer. Very good forequarter angulation, where the upper arm should be longer and better laid, very good hindquarter angulation. Very good fore and underchest development. Steps correct going and coming. Very good ground covering movement.”

Grading VERY GOOD.

Minna was not shown in the specialist ring after three years of age. This was because of her hip status. Without the “A” Stamp for hips she could not achieve the Grading of Excellent in the Open Class. Therfore, I considered it pointless to show her just to obtain a placing and a critique. Further, now knowing her hip status, I didn’t want to put her under physical stress that may be detrimental to her general wellbeing even though there were no outward signs of distress. And, breeding with her was now out of the question. So, Minna had to be content with being Aunty to the pups bred here at Bozeeb. This role she fulfilled very well and loved to jump in with the pups and play once they were out and about.

Minna did continue her career in the All Breeds ring and in January 2006 got her Australian Champion Title. A highlight of her show career was when she was awarded bitch Challenge and Best Open in Show at the German Shepherd Dog Club of Victoria Open Show at 5 years of age.

Then, at seven years old, what I at first thought was a minor gastric upset turned out to be something more sinister. The symptoms were similar to the mystery malaise she had suffered at 18 months of age. She became picky with her food, but this time she didn’t get over it and, at times, I had to resort to feeding her with a dropper filled with egg yolk and milk. This went on intermittently for a couple of months and after a couple of consultations with the Vet there was no great improvement. Then, one night she started having fits and I rushed her to the after- hours clinic. Tests confirmed kidney failure and the fits were caused by the build up of toxins in her body. For a couple of days after the late night visit she seemed okay and I dared to believe she might recover. It was a false dawn because the fits returned and she could not keep food or liquids down. She dropped three kilograms in two days mainly because of dehydration. Her weight was only 24 kilograms whereas normally it was 29 kilograms. So, I made the decision to have her put to sleep. This was on December 28 th 2011. In hindsight, the similarity in the symptoms she had at 18 months of age indicates her hips were not the only part of her body to be affected by her body having been compressed in the womb. It is highly likely the kidneys were under-developed too. The surprising thing is how well she coped with her disabilities. I believe it also has a lot to do with the All Natural diet she was on from birth onwards. She truly was a miracle and we had 7 years with her that really, under normal circumstances, should not have happened at all. It is also rather ironic that my one concern for Minna was that her hips may cripple her and cause undue pain as she got into old age. But, in the end, that wasn’t the thing that shortened her life. And it’s not the first time it has happened in this way. It is a lesson in life. The things which we fear seldom happen. So it is a pointless exercise putting mental energy into possible outcomes.

R. I. P. MINNA!

CH. BOZEEB REAL SPIRIT

Panzer's Story

At the 29 th National German Shepherd Dog Show (Victoria 2001) Panzer was called out in 10 th place in Intermediate Class by SV judge Herr Rudiger Mai. It was a very large class of 30 dogs, but after extended gaiting he became lame and dropped to 13 th position.

X-rays revealed a suspected fractured pelvis!

The injury was old. We suspect it occurred at about 4 months of age when Chyna knocked him off his feet causing him to fall heavily against a concrete edging. He lay winded and for a few moments we thought he was dead. Then he got up, shook himself and walked away as if nothing had happened. On inspection he had a graze below his ribs but no other visible signs of injury.

He was in Baby Puppy Class at a local All Breeds show the following week when it was noticed he had become lame. We took him to a local canine manipulator (a greyhound man) who made adjustments to his back, croup and shoulders. After that he seemed okay, but every couple of months he required further treatment and the issue was ongoing. He always looked loose and ungainly when he gaited and sometimes fell heavily on the forehand. At the time, I thought it was normal puppy looseness and he would grow out of it. He was a very big boy with large bones and a well-developed chest for his age.

So, after the 29 th National Show, Lyn was devastated when the Vet (an acknowledged expert on bone development) showed her the X-ray plates. The pelvis was so badly mis-aligned because of the fracture he believed there was no way Panzer could gain a pass for hips. He was of the opinion the injury was so serious the lameness would get progressively worse and Panzer would become temperamental and unpredictable because of the pain. He should not be allowed to go up and down steps and a walk around the block once or twice a week would be more than sufficient. She couldn’t even do obedience work with him. She was therefore advised putting him down might be the best option!

But there was worse to come. The Vet prescribed anti-inflammatory tablets to which Panzer had a severe reaction. Within 24 hours he started vomiting and bleeding from the bowel and was placed on a drip at the local Vet. It was touch and go as to whether he would make it through the night! After five days he finally came home.

Lyn had a cry……….and for a couple of months felt quite numb………….

Then she rallied and took Panzer to a “doggy” Naturopath who had an entirely different view of the situation and put Panzer on a course of herbal mixtures and tablets. She also took him regularly to a local qualified canine Chiropractor who did some excellent work.

And……12 months down the track……….the recovery was remarkable!

Panzer achieved his A-Stamp with flying colours: a reading of 2:2 on hips and 0:0 on elbows.

Then he amazed and bemused everyone by gaining his ET title (Endurance Test) on June 29 th 2002.

No doubt this is his greatest achievement. To qualify for the title he was required to gait at an average speed of 11 kilometers per hour to complete the 20 kilometer course. Vet checks were made for each dog at the completion of each section of the circuit.

Panzer did it comfortably!

In August of 2002 he got his Breed Survey Class 11. At times, he was still affected by the injury and inclined to pace. And, unfortunately, the day of the Survey he did not present himself well in movement. The Breed Surveyor recommended that we re-present him if the gait improved at some point in the future.

His next amazing achievement was in November of the same year. He was Graded Excellent by Hans-Jurgen Bieger at the Working Dog Club of Victoria Championship Show and received his medallion.

Then, on August 2 nd, 2003 he gained his CD (Companion Dog) Title. On the same day, his sister Chyna qualified for hers too.

Not bad for a dog that, at best, was supposed to remain a cripple all his life!

Unfortunately, in the All Breeds ring, he was unable to attain his Australian Championship. He did get three Challenges and two Best of Breeds. Many All Breeds judges are prejudiced when they observe a more curvaceous topline on a German Shepherd Dog. This, perception is unjustified because overline is only ONE aspect of the dog. Other breeds exhibit various styles of topline and get their Championships with relative ease. And, for this reason Panzer’s sister, Chyna, is still chasing 7 points at the ripe old age of 8!

Panzer has always been fed an All Natural diet (BARF – Bones And Raw Food) and no dry food at all. Since 18 months of age he had been given Naturopathic remedies to assist the healing process and to strengthen muscle and ligaments.

I am firmly convinced had he been on a commercial (dry food) diet he would have developed arthritic changes and the damage would have been irreversible. The good quality natural foods and the correct balance of minerals and vitamins the body extracts from them effectively protected his bones from deterioration even after serious physical injury. And, no doubt, the chiropractic work assisted this process.

Full credit must go to my sister, Lyn McAlpine, for having the determination and foresight not to give up even when faced with insurmountable odds.

Sadly, we lost Panzer to cancer on May 7 th 2007.

But, the positive side is he was with us for 5 years longer than predicted by Vets and other so-called experts! And, during that time, he achieved a lot. He also sired one litter and currently has a number of Grand-children.

Of course, I have to ask the question as to why he succumbed to cancer when on such a good diet. There has to be a reason for everything and I do have some theories.

The cancer involved his spleen and digestive tract. The latter was severely damaged by the anti-inflammatory tablets and it could well have been this trauma that was the instigator.

Also, at one point in time (under the age of 2 years) Panzer was over-vaccinated having been given a 12 monthly injection for heart-worm. Maybe this, combined with his normal yearly inoculations, could have set the stage for cancer.

As for my sister, she now has Panzer’s niece Bozeeb Tessabelle “TESSA” who was born on August 24 th 2007. But no dog can really replace Panzer!

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