I have once again been asked to host seminars on the effective use of Livestock Guardian Dogs and will be at the following events with some of our dogs.
The 2013 National Goat Expo in Bloomington, Illinois September 26th - 29th
The 2 hour seminar will be held on the 26th and I will be available thru the entire weekend to answer any questions or just to chat about LGD's and goats.
The National Goat Expo will include seminars and workshops on everything goat and
goat related including health, nutrition, reproduction, pasture
management, product marketability and more as well as showcasing all breeds of goats including Dairy, Fiber and Meat.
http://www.nationalgoatexpo.org/index.php
The Minnesota Dairy Goat Association Fall Conference,
November 2, 2013, University of
Minnesota St. Paul Campus
I will be covering the following topics and much more at the seminars...
-A brief history of the LGD and how it's been used
-How the LGD functions and it's capabilities
-The value of an LGD to a farm operation
-Assessing your needs
-Realistic expectations &
common misconceptions
-An overview of the most common breeds
-Choosing the right breed for your needs and experience level
-Choosing a breeder
-Starting the pup
-Training tips
-Socialization
-Resources and groups
We have once again been asked to attend the Badger Kennel Club Dog Fair on November 3rd as the Spanish Mastiff breed representatives and will be happy to spend the day talking about one of my absolute favorite subjects!
The dog fair is an informational event that gives people an opportunity to educate themselves about all the breeds of dogs and meet them face to face. There will be seminars covering health, nutrition, training and more! This event is attended yearly by thousands of people from all over the Midwest. I'm looking forward to seeing all of the familiar faces and meeting thousands of new people too.
Lois Jordan
http://www.fallcreekfarm.net
Friday, September 20, 2013
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Our upcoming Spanish Mastiff litter
Our F litter of Spanish Mastiff's is due any day now and I am extremely excited to finally see these lovely pups from our beautiful Zoe (Agora del Viejo Paramo) and Ivan (Iker de Picu Xiana)! I adore both of these dogs for their temperaments, personalities and working ability and am impressed by them daily (as are the thousands of people who have met them). I think that they will produce some spectacular pups!
This litter is so important for not only the genetic diversity that they will provide here in the US, since they'll be completely unrelated to all but one other dog, but for their temperaments, health and soundness as well.
Neither Zoe or Ivan have ever had any health issues whatsoever and are structurally sound with excellent movement and agility. Both are exceptional working dogs (tho Ivan still has occasional issues with the birds) and are extremely intelligent. Their temperaments are near perfect and these two are my easiest dogs to take along to all the educational and fun events we attend yearly around the Midwest. They always take the excitement of these events in stride regardless of being surrounded by hundreds to thousands of people at each one.
above photo from November '12
We gave Zoe a bath today and brought her inside in preparation of her whelping. The bath was necessary since she had had a run in with a skunk a few weeks ago! Since the weather is still unpredictable, and I like to stay close by the first two weeks in particular (I actually sleep within 15 feet of the pups), she'll have her pups in our walk in pantry which makes it easier for me to keep an eye (and ears) on things.
Zoe is not used to being inside and each time I took her outside, she has
headed straight back to the barn and pasture. She's missing her goats
and work buddies...
Ivan was very happy to see Zoe!
I'll be posting lots of pictures once the pups are born!
Lois Jordan http://www.fallcreekfarm.net
Sunday, March 31, 2013
2013 Annual Easter Petting Zoo
Once again our Spanish Mastiffs Zoe and Ivan, along with our Nigerian Dwarf goats brought much joy to hundreds and hundreds of children and parents today at the annual Easter event in Janesville, Wisconsin!
The baby goats were a huge hit with children and grown ups alike, and everyone got such a kick out of watching the interaction between the dogs and goats and seeing how comfortable they are with each other. It's nice to have the opportunity to teach people about how these dogs function with livestock on a daily basis and showing how changing their environment by taking them off the farm does not change the bond they form with each other.
We have been fortunate to be able to provide the petting zoo for this community event for many years now and enjoy it immensely. I love seeing people come back year after year and watching the children grow!
Surrounded by smiling, happy children, good people, dogs and goats... you couldn't ask for a better way to spend the day!
15 month old Ivan soaked up the attention from the children all day long :-) He was just a pup at last years event and since he is now over 160 lbs, there were many comments about his development!
One tired goat (Fall Creek Ariel) taking advantage of a vacated chair.
Happy Easter everyone!
Lois Jordan http://www.fallcreekfarm.net
The baby goats were a huge hit with children and grown ups alike, and everyone got such a kick out of watching the interaction between the dogs and goats and seeing how comfortable they are with each other. It's nice to have the opportunity to teach people about how these dogs function with livestock on a daily basis and showing how changing their environment by taking them off the farm does not change the bond they form with each other.
We have been fortunate to be able to provide the petting zoo for this community event for many years now and enjoy it immensely. I love seeing people come back year after year and watching the children grow!
Surrounded by smiling, happy children, good people, dogs and goats... you couldn't ask for a better way to spend the day!
Happy Easter everyone!
Lois Jordan http://www.fallcreekfarm.net
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Video's and a few pictures
A couple of pictures and video's I took today of Zoe (Agora del Viejo Paramo),
Ivan (Iker de Picu Xiana) and our 12 week old pup Eve playing in the pasture. It started innocently enough with the dogs up on the hill watching over the goats in the valley until Eve found a 'toy'. The toy is Zoe... ;-)
Ivan is almost 12 months old in this picture and is the image of his father!
I found it so funny the way Zoe grabs hold of Eve and then throws her off! Even so, she is always so careful regardless of how the others yank and tug on her!
Lois Jordan http://www.fallcreekfarm.net
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Upcoming Events
I am very proud to have my dogs be the 'ambassadors' of the Spanish Mastiff breed and wanted to post about a few upcoming events where people will have the opportunity to meet a few of these amazing dogs in person!
October 8th
Last year I was asked to host a 2 hour seminar on the effective use of Livestock Guardian dogs in the Goat industry at the National Goat Expo being held in Des Moines, Iowa and I happily accepted since I firmly believe that Livestock Guards should be an integral part of any successful goat operation.
The National Goat Expo is the first ever event of it's kind and scope and will cover all things 'goat'. There will be 30+ seminars and workshops dealing with health, nutrition, breeding, marketing, etc., over 35 vendors and many shows (including 3 National shows) for Dairy, Meat and Fiber goats.
http://www.nationalgoatexpo.org/index.html
I will be covering many topics in regards to Livestock Guardian dogs such as function, assessing your needs, expectations, training, socialization and support to name just a few, as well as a brief overview of various breeds.
I will have at least one dog with me (in the goats pen just like at home!) and possibly two, so you will have the opportunity to meet this rare and exceptional breed!
On November 4th, we will be at the Badger Kennel Club 24th annual Dog Fair held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, WI.
This is an absolutely fabulous informational event and covers all things dog related. Seminars on nutrition, training, health, demonstrations, etc. Dozens of vendors with excellent prices on dog supplies too! This really is a fun event for dog lovers and is a fabulous opportunity for those interested in learning about new breeds to meet them in person!
Over 150 dog breeds will be represented, including 25 or more rare breeds. For the ninth year, we will once again be the breed representatives for the Spanish Mastiff. Breeds will be set up alphabetically this year instead of in their designated groups.
Thousands of people attend this event every year and I look forward to seeing many familiar faces and meeting thousands of new ones! If you are in the Tri State area, be sure to stop by and say hello to Zoe and Ivan!
Lois Jordan http://www.fallcreekfarm.net
October 8th
Last year I was asked to host a 2 hour seminar on the effective use of Livestock Guardian dogs in the Goat industry at the National Goat Expo being held in Des Moines, Iowa and I happily accepted since I firmly believe that Livestock Guards should be an integral part of any successful goat operation.
The National Goat Expo is the first ever event of it's kind and scope and will cover all things 'goat'. There will be 30+ seminars and workshops dealing with health, nutrition, breeding, marketing, etc., over 35 vendors and many shows (including 3 National shows) for Dairy, Meat and Fiber goats.
http://www.nationalgoatexpo.org/index.html
I will be covering many topics in regards to Livestock Guardian dogs such as function, assessing your needs, expectations, training, socialization and support to name just a few, as well as a brief overview of various breeds.
I will have at least one dog with me (in the goats pen just like at home!) and possibly two, so you will have the opportunity to meet this rare and exceptional breed!
On November 4th, we will be at the Badger Kennel Club 24th annual Dog Fair held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, WI.
This is an absolutely fabulous informational event and covers all things dog related. Seminars on nutrition, training, health, demonstrations, etc. Dozens of vendors with excellent prices on dog supplies too! This really is a fun event for dog lovers and is a fabulous opportunity for those interested in learning about new breeds to meet them in person!
Over 150 dog breeds will be represented, including 25 or more rare breeds. For the ninth year, we will once again be the breed representatives for the Spanish Mastiff. Breeds will be set up alphabetically this year instead of in their designated groups.
Thousands of people attend this event every year and I look forward to seeing many familiar faces and meeting thousands of new ones! If you are in the Tri State area, be sure to stop by and say hello to Zoe and Ivan!
Lois Jordan http://www.fallcreekfarm.net
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Having to clear the air yet again...
I know I said in my previous post that that was all that needed to be said about Brenda Negri, but good Lord this woman just refuses to take her meds and grasp hold of reality! I let it go on too long last time before addressing the outright lies she tells in her pathetic effort to make herself seem dedicated...
On one of the latest versions of her site where she is again bashing other breeders... she talks about how others are selling what Brenda does not believe are "real working Spanish Mastiffs" and that the dogs are run with a "handful" of goats or a "small bunch" of "dwarf sized show goats" (this from a woman who has more then twice the number of dogs then she does sheep or goats on about 2 acres - house and out buildings included!). She goes on to say that it's not what she would call "testing ground for real predator issues". Brenda recently posted a picture of a dead chihuahua and bragged about how her "real" LGD's had killed it...oh yeah, that sure is testing those dogs against real predators!!
Brenda has admitted on numerous forums that the only predators she has to deal with are dogs (you know - like that chihuahua), no wolf, coyote, bear or mountain lion. All of which are well documented here in my area. Wisconsin has one the largest wolf populations in the country, but we haven't been bothered by them even when close neighbors have, because my dogs are DOING THEIR JOBS! I have not lost a single one of my extremely valuable "dwarf sized show goats" (most commonly known as Nigerian Dwarf Goats - the fastest growing dairy goat breed in popularity in the US today) to any of the large coyote population here either. I have seen how my dogs have reacted to bear, coyote and mountain lion and THAT is what I would call "tested" against real predators!
She says that I spend more time showing my goats than I do focusing on my dogs because (according to Brenda who has never been to my farm) my dogs are not my top priority. Really!? My dogs are healthy, active, well socialized and trained for the work they do 24/7 (because 4 of my dogs live with the goats - not just thrown into a small pen with them for photos). In other words - they are doing exactly what they are bred and trained to do. I didn't purchase my livestock so I could claim that my Spanish Mastiff's are working (like Brenda did), I purchased the breed to protect the investment I have in my herd like any responsible farmer would/should.
I certainly do more educational events with my dogs every year than goats shows! I take the dogs out there in public so thousands of people can meet them every year and learn first hand about the breed and see them in person! This is documented, and there is no one in this country who has made this kind of effort to educate the public about the breed.
My adult daughter takes care of the animals when I am gone for the day at a show (a whole FOUR times this year!).
I have lost two puppies out of FIVE litters because of my focus on my dogs health and well-being. Brenda lost 7 or 8 from one litter alone shortly after they were born...maybe she was too busy on the computer to focus on the whelping mother...
Speaking of focus and priority, Brenda recently posted truly horrifying pictures of an emaciated Patron who has been sick for about 10 months now. You can count every rib. The poor dog looks like he just escaped Auschwitz, but unfortunately for him, he is still there...
Patron is brother to my wonderful dog Zoe, and Brenda is now suggesting possible genetic issues for his problems. For all her claims of vet care, I seriously have my doubts based on comments she made elsewhere as well as her lack of knowledge about some of the basic suggestions others made to her in an effort to help the dog. If she had taken him to all, or any of the vets and specialists she claims, they would have figured this out by now through blood tests, biopsies, x-rays, etc...Maybe Brenda believes that she is a vet now... Hard telling.
Highlighted comments below are my own and I removed comments made by others.
Cinco Deseos Ranch Livestock Guardian Dogs He feels great for his condition actually. We've tried everything, for everything....not even special food helps. Of course have dewormed him numerous times, all the time....tried holistic stuff, meds, etc. I just put him on Sulfa and Metro and a steroid now and then for a bit and it helps some but then stops working. But he works, plays, runs....just about 50 pds too light although at one point Mel he was too fat - 210! HUGE....just too heavy for working dog. So he's about 40 pds off here now. Still has such a presence about him though!
September 15 at 6:42pm
Cinco Deseos Ranch Livestock Guardian Dogs TAMMY....been there done that on several probiotics and still no success. Trust me when you dump nearly seven grand into a dog.....you've tried it all.....holistic and otherwise, I've done it.... I'd feel worse if he felt bad but he doesn't, he is happy, he plays, he works, he eats like a horse.- Cinco Deseos Ranch Livestock Guardian Dogs Jacalyn I do wonder if that might be what he has. Big guy eats all the time. Nothing stays in him. Like I said elsewhere if he were in pain, or suffering, it'd be one thing thank God however he is upbeat and he plays and works and dotes on the puppies. Does not seem to ever be in pain. (doesn't even know enough about the breed to realize how stoic they are and the incredibly HIGH pain tolerance they have!?)
- Cinco Deseos Ranch Livestock Guardian Dogs We've done the yogurt like I said probiotics - it does not work. This is where you wonder about genetics.... He lost a litter brother in Spain at 8 months to bloat. He has a sister here in Wisconsin who contacted Leptovirus and could no longer breed. (and just WHERE would you get information like that Brenda since my vet told me that there should be no issues!? Are the aliens speaking to you again?) Methinks this particular litter might not have had the most hardy or tough of immune systems and constitutions. That's three pups out of a litter with some serious stuff. I do wonder about that anyway....(please make note of this interesting comment for later...)
- Cinco Deseos Ranch Livestock Guardian Dogs Yes we tested for giardia, several times, always negative. Ditto coccidia.
- Cinco Deseos Ranch Livestock Guardian Dogs Joni I have never heard of that will check it out thank you!
- Cinco Deseos Ranch Livestock Guardian Dogs I'm also checking into chronic wasting disease... (Some of the comments/suggestions made were for Thyroid, Chronic Wasting, Pancreatic, etc. Don't you think one of those vets or "specialists" she supposedly took him to would have checked for the any of these things already? Yet she keeps saying "I'll check it out" or she'll research it...)
- Cinco Deseos Ranch Livestock Guardian Dogs We have tried special foods to no avail. Even just feeding him sweet potatoes and meat, or yams or rice and chicken. It is beyond allergies. I have tried sensitive stomach food too (at $80 a bag!?!?! Gads) - made it worse.His sister in Wisconsin is not right. She cannot conceive, (REALLY Brenda!? That's news to me since she DID in fact conceive!) she has or had, leptovirus. (Finally! A bit of truth! Not something Brenda is too familiar with, but of course she found the information on my website... As I posted on my site earlier this year, the dogs got Leptospirosis from the resident raccoons that infested the barn at my new farm. Zoe and Aislinn both re-absorbed their litters from their December breeding's which is how we discovered the problem. It was caught quickly, all the dogs were since vaccinated for it, all had blood panels run afterward to determine if there was any long term effects and all counts are normal. The update on this situation was also posted on my website.) They have tried something like four times now to breed her and she won't take. I know for a fact they bred her not long ago because they were planning on a litter about now and nope, she did not take again. So there is something not right with Patron's sister. (You know it for a FACT do you?? How is that Brenda? I certainly wouldn't give you the info, so how do you "know for a fact"? I think you have it confused with all the times you have tried to breed your own dogs unsuccessfully. Since Zoe is not yet 3 years old, your twisted version would have had me trying to breed her at one year old. Even tho YOU have tried to breed bitches at 14 months old, it is not something that I would ever do!
We bred Zoe at the beginning of June last year, but missed it due to the Holiday when her levels peaked. We bred her again at Christmas at which time she took, but lost the litter in January. That makes 2 times - not 4. She did not get bred on her last cycle because I didn't want to risk having 3 litters at the same time.Your comment should read "So there is something not right with Patron's" owner... Now that would be what most would call a verifiable FACT!The breeder in Spain lost a littermate brother at 8 months to gastric torsion. I am beginning to think the immune system on this particular litter was anything but great. That is three pups with something wrong out of a litter. Not good...? (here is that comment again...) The mother is shown a lot. She seems to be doing fine. I don't hear much about Patron's father anymore, Nistos. Have no idea what he is doing or if he has thrown any pups with odd disorders. Language barrier plus no one wants to talk about this stuff it seems. (So many Europeans have watched your antics here and have little interest in having anything they might say being twisted into something it never was!) Like HD they want to all brush it under the rug. This is a magnificent breed but it has its problems like most breeds do. - Cinco Deseos Ranch Livestock Guardian Dogs PS Should mention I am trying salt tablets on him and his fluid intake has increased and looking at this photo just taken about a week ago, and him today, he has actually gained a couple of pounds I think. I also have him on European anti-diarreah pills. They have not kicked in yet but he does look to me like he may have put on a couple of pounds. I just keep trying....that is all I can do. He is not in any pain, trust me...he feels great...right now he's passed out asleep in front of the wood stove in the house. In fact recently (I think due to the pups being out and about) he has increased night time guarding activity and is barking and running at night a lot....much more than a month ago. So he actually is feeling better...go figure...
- 8 hours ago
(And there it is!
This is the comment that - sadly, did not surprise me at all! She repeatedly talks about his poor health, the imagined issues in the bloodlines, poor genetics, etc. but has already tried to breed him TWICE while he is in this horrendous condition, and plans to do it again, all the while SHE believes that it is genetic???
It says alot about her dedication to the breed and her own dogs that she would even attempt to breed a dog that she believes is predisposed to some sort of immune deficiency as well as having no qualms about putting a dog whose health is already compromised through the rigors of breeding doesn't it?
Does she really believe that Gastric torsion has something to do with the immune system!? Really??
It would be truly wonderful for the poor dogs in Brenda's care if she would stop playing these stupid games and make it a PRIORITY to FOCUS on the health and well being of her own dogs...Unfortunately, I don't see that happening since it would mean cutting into her own profit! Just like any puppy mill would, she has already proved that she is more than willing to jeopardize her own dogs to make a buck, such as evidenced above and her willingness to breed her bitches back to back even after delivering larger litters.
There should be an addendum on Brenda's website that states UNLESS THERE IS MONEY INVOLVED "I rest my bitches between litters, breed selectively and never "puppy mill" litters"...
Such a shame.
Lois Jordan http://www.fallcreekfarm.net
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Congratulations are in order!
This is overdue and I apologize for not posting this sooner, but I was having trouble with my Google account!
I want to commend Norma Roman-Ortiz for her incredible devotion and dedication to our wonderful breed! I am so proud of what she has accomplished with our pup Diva (call name Tatyana)! Diva is only the second Spanish Mastiff in the USA to earn her Canine Good Citizen certificate (CGC)! Anyone who is familiar with the Spanish Mastiff breed and the LGD personality understands how challenging this can be! The fact that the Spanish Mastiff was bred to work independently of their owners coupled with their intelligence and stubbornness proves this accomplishment monumental!
Could Canine Therapy work be in Norma and Diva's future???
A well trained, well behaved Spanish Mastiff that is out and about in public with their owner does more to educate the public and promote the breed than any written word ever could.
I am also very proud to announce that Diva is the first Spanish Mastiff to earn a Champion title in the USA! Norma has been showing her on the east coast in ARBA (American Rare Breed Association) shows and is doing a fabulous job there too!
Not to make light of her work in the show ring, but I am so incredibly impressed with Diva's CGC certificate - especially considering her mother Delilah's sometimes daunting intelligence and independent nature!
Congratulations to you Norma and thank you for providing Diva such a wonderful home!
Lois Jordan http://www.fallcreekfarm.net
I want to commend Norma Roman-Ortiz for her incredible devotion and dedication to our wonderful breed! I am so proud of what she has accomplished with our pup Diva (call name Tatyana)! Diva is only the second Spanish Mastiff in the USA to earn her Canine Good Citizen certificate (CGC)! Anyone who is familiar with the Spanish Mastiff breed and the LGD personality understands how challenging this can be! The fact that the Spanish Mastiff was bred to work independently of their owners coupled with their intelligence and stubbornness proves this accomplishment monumental!
Could Canine Therapy work be in Norma and Diva's future???
A well trained, well behaved Spanish Mastiff that is out and about in public with their owner does more to educate the public and promote the breed than any written word ever could.
I am also very proud to announce that Diva is the first Spanish Mastiff to earn a Champion title in the USA! Norma has been showing her on the east coast in ARBA (American Rare Breed Association) shows and is doing a fabulous job there too!
Not to make light of her work in the show ring, but I am so incredibly impressed with Diva's CGC certificate - especially considering her mother Delilah's sometimes daunting intelligence and independent nature!
Congratulations to you Norma and thank you for providing Diva such a wonderful home!
Lois Jordan http://www.fallcreekfarm.net
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Clearing the air in the New Year
Because I honestly believe that most people have the intelligence to see through someone like Brenda M.Negri, I have avoided addressing any of the absolutely ridiculous lies and wild claims she has made about myself as well as any other person who has bred a litter of Spanish Mastiff's in this country in the past year.
The only reason I'm even bothering at this point is that I honestly feel sorry for the people who may be too trusting or for those it simply hasn't occurred to to DO THE RESEARCH! I know that I have talked to many people who have been in contact with her and can only shake my head in disbelief at the stories they tell me! Considering the number of wild allegations she has made against breeders here, she has never once backed up a single innuendo or statement with any proof, regardless of all the times she has been asked. It's simply because none of it actually exists other than in Brenda's twisted and sick mind! One person on the LGD-L list summed it up accurately in a reply to yet another one of Brenda's ridiculous posts "If you can prove that to me, then I will believe these kind of sweeping allegations you make that have no base." (I can forward the thread to anyone who is interested.)
The Internet is an interesting place, but just because one person writes it on Facebook, doesn't mean that there is any actual truth to it!
Though some people will always prefer to believe the sensational lies over the actual facts, I'm sure it simply hasn't occurred to others to actually question the garbage they are being fed. The truth is out there for all to see if they only take a few minutes to look. Those are the people this post is aimed at so you don't have to go through what so many others have when dealing with this nutcase. DO THE RESEARCH on any breeder first! Enter a breeders name as well as their kennel name and READ what actually comes up. Be prepared because Brenda uses many, many screen names! I can tell you that the only negative you will see written about me is from Brenda herself. Brenda can NOT say the same. There is a reason she has been blocked, moderated or kicked off of almost every livestock guardian dog forum and Spanish Mastiff forum out there! And it certainly isn't because she is misunderstood~!
As long as you don't disagree with her, offer up an opinion different than her own, question her, suggest that she's wrong or tell her no, you may never have a problem with her. If you do, read any of these links to discover how viciously she attacks and belittles those that do...There is a pattern here that has become apparent to most everyone who has had any dealings with her both here and in EU. There are more, but you'll get the gist of it...
http://edgefieldsheep.com/bb/
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/
http://www.backyardherds.com/
Brenda has snapped like a rabid dog at every hand in the LGD community that has been extended to her in friendship and help.
Brenda keeps claiming that she is raising the bar when it comes to breeding Spanish Mastiffs in the US and the question that begs asking is HOW exactly is she doing so? She plans to breed the same bloodlines that others have numerous times before her over the years, she has not bred a single litter and yet she claims that hers will somehow be miraculously better than the very dogs she is reviling all over the Internet!? She says that most all the other dogs bred here "lack type, bone and wrinkle", yet they are out of the same lines that Brenda plans on breeding herself, lines that 5 of Brenda's dogs came from! She blasts Anne Lattimer-Goetz' dogs and yet they are the same bloodlines as hers, and in fact were sired by the father of THREE of Brenda's dogs. Do the research folks! Apparently Brenda is banking (literally) on no one having the intelligence to see through her lies!
She has no breeding plans posted that have not already been done here over the past 10 years. Maybe the reason she doesn't post extended pedigrees on her dogs is because people would quickly realize the truth of the matter. I have always wondered if Brenda would ever catch on to the fact that by bashing all the dogs here, she is in fact bashing her own future puppies!?
Raising the bar Brenda? I don't think so.
She claims that she is the first Spanish Mastiff breeder in the US to x-ray their dogs hips??? No, you are not! I've had dogs x-rayed, Anne Lattimer, Joe Himmelberg, Kymberly Hudson and Karin Graefe have all had dogs x-rayed at one time or another too. Brenda is not doing anything that hasn't been done here already over the years!
Brenda "raising the bar"? Not hardly!
As for Brenda's claim that I "don't believe in x-rays", that is just more of her twisting words into something they never were. What I have said is that though I think it is a fine tool for breeders, I don't believe it is the be all / end all, and that I am more impressed by fluid movement and correct legs with proper angulations. You can take two dogs with good hips and produce dogs with poor hips. That is a fact. You can also take a dog with poor hips, breed it to a dog with good hips and never have a case of HD in the resulting offspring. There is not enough background information available on any of the dogs in EU to determine if HD may or may not crop up a few generations down the line and frankly, some results are suspected to be false anyway. There are many contributing factors to HD other than genetics (environment, diet, etc).
All of this was in a discussion on the Spanish Mastiff Yahoo group and can be verified. (BTW, Brenda managed to be the first person to ever be kicked off of this group!)
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/
I would be more inclined to get a dog that has a single parent with a moderate rating than I would from parents with good ratings that lack adequate angulations or are cow-hocked. I had a dog with the same type of poor legs that many of Brenda's dogs exhibit, talked to other owners of dogs with similar issues and we all saw those dogs breaking down and / or crippled beginning as young as 3 years old. Do you honestly believe that I care that my dog x-rayed with good hips when she couldn't get up without struggle because of her poor rear legs??? The difference is that my dog wasn't bred, while Brenda plans to breed all of hers regardless of being cautioned over and over about the probable consequences and being told of what the rest of us dealt with. The same issues, heartbreak and expense that those who buy pups from her will likely have to deal with as well.
Yes, I do take issue with that sort of callous disregard for both the breed AND the people who will suffer along with their dogs! She downplays the structural faults on some of her dogs and says that her dogs movement is "sloppy" and that they are "outgrowing" their cow hocks. At 14-16 months old, an SM should not have "sloppy" movement and dogs don't "outgrow" structural faults such as these.
I talk at length about these subjects on my blog because I feel very strongly about the very problems Brenda tries to make seem insignificant.
http://spanishmastiffs.
Hell, she even plans to breed a dog that (according to Brenda) has an "atrophied leg"! Will the money she makes from those puppies justify what she will put the dam through to carry a litter?
Good luck folks, because Brenda doesn't believe in contracts, which means you won't have a leg to stand on! She has also stated over and over that she doesn't do spay/neuter contracts and "if someone buys a dog from her, it is theirs to do with what they want". Can ANYONE tell me how it can be good for the breed to have non-breeding quality pups bred!!?
'Raising the bar' Brenda? No. Not in this lifetime!
Brenda has falsely claimed that I am out to make a quick buck off these dogs. That I am "cranking out litters" and that I am a "puppy mill"... What a crock! I have had Spanish Mastiffs for NINE years and have had FOUR litters! Brenda has not even had the breed for two years yet and plans to breed FOUR Spanish Mastiff litters this year alone (8 litters total according to her)! So with the facts laid out, tell me who do you think is really "looking to make a fast buck" off of selling puppies and who is the puppy mill??? Do the research folks!
She goes on and on about the prices charged by others... Yet I've sold pups for less than what she has listed for any of her planned litters long before Brenda ever came on the scene and I can tell you that I sure wouldn't sell an unregistered pup for the $1500 Brenda's asking! What about her supposed 'Boz' Shepard's priced at $2700? hmmm.
And since I mentioned it (and Brenda never stops mentioning it), in regards to the pup I made the colossal mistake of selling to her that she keeps saying is unregistered...Brenda got the paperwork (I have copies and her signature from USPS), she just never bothered to send it in to FCI! According to her, she has not registered any of her imports, yet why does she continually harp on one dog but not the others? Because it is nothing more than an effort to deceive others into believing yet another lie... I also asked to take the pup back from Brenda and she refused. Maybe because she knew that I could have undone the damage she did and turned that dog around and made her into a good LGD? That wouldn't have suited Brenda's purposes. She states that the dog lacks "type" yet she looks exactly like her grand-dam Florita (mother to Brenda's brindle male)!
Like most cons, I will grant you that she is very talented at reading people and telling them what she thinks they want to hear. I initially fell for her lies as well and was incredibly surprised when she originally put up her website and I discovered just how thoroughly she had deceived me and the sheer number of lies she had told. She is a chameleon that changes her story depending on who she is talking to or what forum she happens to be on.
She will talk about how her dogs would "attack a child running towards her gates just like an adult" on one forum, and yet writes on her site that they are child safe! She writes about how her dogs are socialized, but then states on another forum that she seldom gets visitors so her dogs are aggressive towards strangers. How do you socialize a dog without people?
What so many experienced LGD owners and breeders find worrisome is Brenda's continued use of scare tactics (the big, bad mega wolf) and her promotion of aggressive LGD's and fighting dogs to deal with them. Her lack of knowledge on how LGD's really function and her lack of experience will lead to disaster as pointed out here. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/
As for her claims that my dogs use ramps, that particular fabrication came from this thread http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/
Most of what Brenda states is just too ridiculous to even bring up except for the amusement factor...
Like my adding a thousand hits to my site every night! Too funny! The problem with that bit of nonsense, is that 1) it doesn't happen and 2) it's not possible for me to change my counter. It reads one ISP and will only register/add that ISP one time regardless of how often that person returns to the site. Could it be Brenda projecting her own lack of integrity and dishonesty onto others again??? Accusing others of what she is guilty of herself? She does tend to do that quite a bit!
She is continually claiming conversations that never took place, "Lois said this" or "Lois said that" yet I haven't spoken with this nut in well over a year! Lets see the records of these supposed phone calls Brenda! Even when you've had people call me to try to get information, I don't waste my time talking about something as inconsequential as you.
Her claims that I have 'bad mouthed breeders on my website" is just more projection by her! She's the only one that has been doing that!
According to her, I'm jealous of her, well respected breeders in Spain are jealous of her, Kangal breeders are jealous of her, people in the LGD community are jealous of her (people who have been working with all LGD breeds for decades), people who breed mixed LGD's are jealous of her. Maybe she needs her medications adjusted again...I hear that paranoia is a symptom of mental illness.
Just for giggles, I love where she claims 40 years of ranching experience here
http://edgefieldsheep.com/bb/
I wonder when all that happened? I don't recall there being alot of big ranching operations in Laguna Beach, CA where she was raised? Since she is only in her 50's, was that before or after she worked for a legal office, the TSA, CA. Highway Patrol or unemployed while living off her mother's income and 2 acre hobby farm (oops, sorry! Ranch) the past five years or so?
She says that she is the first to bring over a dog from del Viejo Paramo. Big surprise... NOT TRUE! I referred her to them after I bought my female and was actually nice enough to put Brenda's dog from the same kennel on a plane and send him to her when I picked up my girl! She has actually only brought over 2 dogs so far that aren't related to dogs that were already here.
As for Brenda's ridiculous claim about my dogs not working? Too stupid for words! Anyone and everyone that has been to my farm will tell you the truth of the matter. At my old farm, the goats free ranged 24 acres along with my dogs and birds, at night they were locked into their own pasture. Some dogs would be in the pasture with them, some had perimeter duty. Some got to sleep in the house. Photos have been on my site for years and anyone with a lick of sense can see that my dogs do in fact work. The goats and birds would not be comfortable with them if they didn't. Since we've moved to our new farm, the goats and dogs are confined to their 9 acre pasture with the exception of our two house dogs (who have always been house dogs).
What does it say about Brenda as a 'breeder' (and I use the term loosely!) and as a person who claims to be devoted to the breed, that she has done her utmost to try to turn what has been a wonderful and positive experience for so many owners and breeders here in the US and make it appear to be something ugly and negative. What kind of legacy is that?
Everything I have said here can be verified with copies of e-mails and links (many, many more than the few I've posted here). I'll be happy to provide them. Can Brenda show proof of even a single one of her accusations? No.
She doesn't know the meaning of the words integrity or honesty.
A little interesting background information on Brenda M. Negri. I don't know if the author is 'all there' either but she profiled Brenda to a T and we are obviously seeing the same tactics employed by her in regard to myself and other breeders here in the US.
http://barbarahartwellvscia.
From another post that I unfortunately find quite believable based on my own experiences with her. "Negri's mother, her fifteen year old son and others have expressed their concern to witnesses over what they described as Negri's "unstable" mental condition, apparent paranoid delusions and bizarre behavior."
http://barbarahartwellvscia.
I don't believe that I will need to post anything further on this subject and will go back to enjoying my dogs and my life. This was much more than than the topic deserved anyway...
Lois Jordan http://www.fallcreekfarm.net
The only reason I'm even bothering at this point is that I honestly feel sorry for the people who may be too trusting or for those it simply hasn't occurred to to DO THE RESEARCH! I know that I have talked to many people who have been in contact with her and can only shake my head in disbelief at the stories they tell me! Considering the number of wild allegations she has made against breeders here, she has never once backed up a single innuendo or statement with any proof, regardless of all the times she has been asked. It's simply because none of it actually exists other than in Brenda's twisted and sick mind! One person on the LGD-L list summed it up accurately in a reply to yet another one of Brenda's ridiculous posts "If you can prove that to me, then I will believe these kind of sweeping allegations you make that have no base." (I can forward the thread to anyone who is interested.)
The Internet is an interesting place, but just because one person writes it on Facebook, doesn't mean that there is any actual truth to it!
Though some people will always prefer to believe the sensational lies over the actual facts, I'm sure it simply hasn't occurred to others to actually question the garbage they are being fed. The truth is out there for all to see if they only take a few minutes to look. Those are the people this post is aimed at so you don't have to go through what so many others have when dealing with this nutcase. DO THE RESEARCH on any breeder first! Enter a breeders name as well as their kennel name and READ what actually comes up. Be prepared because Brenda uses many, many screen names! I can tell you that the only negative you will see written about me is from Brenda herself. Brenda can NOT say the same. There is a reason she has been blocked, moderated or kicked off of almost every livestock guardian dog forum and Spanish Mastiff forum out there! And it certainly isn't because she is misunderstood~!
As long as you don't disagree with her, offer up an opinion different than her own, question her, suggest that she's wrong or tell her no, you may never have a problem with her. If you do, read any of these links to discover how viciously she attacks and belittles those that do...There is a pattern here that has become apparent to most everyone who has had any dealings with her both here and in EU. There are more, but you'll get the gist of it...
http://edgefieldsheep.com/bb/
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/
http://www.backyardherds.com/
Brenda has snapped like a rabid dog at every hand in the LGD community that has been extended to her in friendship and help.
Brenda keeps claiming that she is raising the bar when it comes to breeding Spanish Mastiffs in the US and the question that begs asking is HOW exactly is she doing so? She plans to breed the same bloodlines that others have numerous times before her over the years, she has not bred a single litter and yet she claims that hers will somehow be miraculously better than the very dogs she is reviling all over the Internet!? She says that most all the other dogs bred here "lack type, bone and wrinkle", yet they are out of the same lines that Brenda plans on breeding herself, lines that 5 of Brenda's dogs came from! She blasts Anne Lattimer-Goetz' dogs and yet they are the same bloodlines as hers, and in fact were sired by the father of THREE of Brenda's dogs. Do the research folks! Apparently Brenda is banking (literally) on no one having the intelligence to see through her lies!
She has no breeding plans posted that have not already been done here over the past 10 years. Maybe the reason she doesn't post extended pedigrees on her dogs is because people would quickly realize the truth of the matter. I have always wondered if Brenda would ever catch on to the fact that by bashing all the dogs here, she is in fact bashing her own future puppies!?
Raising the bar Brenda? I don't think so.
She claims that she is the first Spanish Mastiff breeder in the US to x-ray their dogs hips??? No, you are not! I've had dogs x-rayed, Anne Lattimer, Joe Himmelberg, Kymberly Hudson and Karin Graefe have all had dogs x-rayed at one time or another too. Brenda is not doing anything that hasn't been done here already over the years!
Brenda "raising the bar"? Not hardly!
As for Brenda's claim that I "don't believe in x-rays", that is just more of her twisting words into something they never were. What I have said is that though I think it is a fine tool for breeders, I don't believe it is the be all / end all, and that I am more impressed by fluid movement and correct legs with proper angulations. You can take two dogs with good hips and produce dogs with poor hips. That is a fact. You can also take a dog with poor hips, breed it to a dog with good hips and never have a case of HD in the resulting offspring. There is not enough background information available on any of the dogs in EU to determine if HD may or may not crop up a few generations down the line and frankly, some results are suspected to be false anyway. There are many contributing factors to HD other than genetics (environment, diet, etc).
All of this was in a discussion on the Spanish Mastiff Yahoo group and can be verified. (BTW, Brenda managed to be the first person to ever be kicked off of this group!)
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/
I would be more inclined to get a dog that has a single parent with a moderate rating than I would from parents with good ratings that lack adequate angulations or are cow-hocked. I had a dog with the same type of poor legs that many of Brenda's dogs exhibit, talked to other owners of dogs with similar issues and we all saw those dogs breaking down and / or crippled beginning as young as 3 years old. Do you honestly believe that I care that my dog x-rayed with good hips when she couldn't get up without struggle because of her poor rear legs??? The difference is that my dog wasn't bred, while Brenda plans to breed all of hers regardless of being cautioned over and over about the probable consequences and being told of what the rest of us dealt with. The same issues, heartbreak and expense that those who buy pups from her will likely have to deal with as well.
Yes, I do take issue with that sort of callous disregard for both the breed AND the people who will suffer along with their dogs! She downplays the structural faults on some of her dogs and says that her dogs movement is "sloppy" and that they are "outgrowing" their cow hocks. At 14-16 months old, an SM should not have "sloppy" movement and dogs don't "outgrow" structural faults such as these.
I talk at length about these subjects on my blog because I feel very strongly about the very problems Brenda tries to make seem insignificant.
http://spanishmastiffs.
Hell, she even plans to breed a dog that (according to Brenda) has an "atrophied leg"! Will the money she makes from those puppies justify what she will put the dam through to carry a litter?
Good luck folks, because Brenda doesn't believe in contracts, which means you won't have a leg to stand on! She has also stated over and over that she doesn't do spay/neuter contracts and "if someone buys a dog from her, it is theirs to do with what they want". Can ANYONE tell me how it can be good for the breed to have non-breeding quality pups bred!!?
'Raising the bar' Brenda? No. Not in this lifetime!
Brenda has falsely claimed that I am out to make a quick buck off these dogs. That I am "cranking out litters" and that I am a "puppy mill"... What a crock! I have had Spanish Mastiffs for NINE years and have had FOUR litters! Brenda has not even had the breed for two years yet and plans to breed FOUR Spanish Mastiff litters this year alone (8 litters total according to her)! So with the facts laid out, tell me who do you think is really "looking to make a fast buck" off of selling puppies and who is the puppy mill??? Do the research folks!
She goes on and on about the prices charged by others... Yet I've sold pups for less than what she has listed for any of her planned litters long before Brenda ever came on the scene and I can tell you that I sure wouldn't sell an unregistered pup for the $1500 Brenda's asking! What about her supposed 'Boz' Shepard's priced at $2700? hmmm.
And since I mentioned it (and Brenda never stops mentioning it), in regards to the pup I made the colossal mistake of selling to her that she keeps saying is unregistered...Brenda got the paperwork (I have copies and her signature from USPS), she just never bothered to send it in to FCI! According to her, she has not registered any of her imports, yet why does she continually harp on one dog but not the others? Because it is nothing more than an effort to deceive others into believing yet another lie... I also asked to take the pup back from Brenda and she refused. Maybe because she knew that I could have undone the damage she did and turned that dog around and made her into a good LGD? That wouldn't have suited Brenda's purposes. She states that the dog lacks "type" yet she looks exactly like her grand-dam Florita (mother to Brenda's brindle male)!
Like most cons, I will grant you that she is very talented at reading people and telling them what she thinks they want to hear. I initially fell for her lies as well and was incredibly surprised when she originally put up her website and I discovered just how thoroughly she had deceived me and the sheer number of lies she had told. She is a chameleon that changes her story depending on who she is talking to or what forum she happens to be on.
She will talk about how her dogs would "attack a child running towards her gates just like an adult" on one forum, and yet writes on her site that they are child safe! She writes about how her dogs are socialized, but then states on another forum that she seldom gets visitors so her dogs are aggressive towards strangers. How do you socialize a dog without people?
What so many experienced LGD owners and breeders find worrisome is Brenda's continued use of scare tactics (the big, bad mega wolf) and her promotion of aggressive LGD's and fighting dogs to deal with them. Her lack of knowledge on how LGD's really function and her lack of experience will lead to disaster as pointed out here. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/
As for her claims that my dogs use ramps, that particular fabrication came from this thread http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/
Most of what Brenda states is just too ridiculous to even bring up except for the amusement factor...
Like my adding a thousand hits to my site every night! Too funny! The problem with that bit of nonsense, is that 1) it doesn't happen and 2) it's not possible for me to change my counter. It reads one ISP and will only register/add that ISP one time regardless of how often that person returns to the site. Could it be Brenda projecting her own lack of integrity and dishonesty onto others again??? Accusing others of what she is guilty of herself? She does tend to do that quite a bit!
She is continually claiming conversations that never took place, "Lois said this" or "Lois said that" yet I haven't spoken with this nut in well over a year! Lets see the records of these supposed phone calls Brenda! Even when you've had people call me to try to get information, I don't waste my time talking about something as inconsequential as you.
Her claims that I have 'bad mouthed breeders on my website" is just more projection by her! She's the only one that has been doing that!
According to her, I'm jealous of her, well respected breeders in Spain are jealous of her, Kangal breeders are jealous of her, people in the LGD community are jealous of her (people who have been working with all LGD breeds for decades), people who breed mixed LGD's are jealous of her. Maybe she needs her medications adjusted again...I hear that paranoia is a symptom of mental illness.
Just for giggles, I love where she claims 40 years of ranching experience here
http://edgefieldsheep.com/bb/
I wonder when all that happened? I don't recall there being alot of big ranching operations in Laguna Beach, CA where she was raised? Since she is only in her 50's, was that before or after she worked for a legal office, the TSA, CA. Highway Patrol or unemployed while living off her mother's income and 2 acre hobby farm (oops, sorry! Ranch) the past five years or so?
She says that she is the first to bring over a dog from del Viejo Paramo. Big surprise... NOT TRUE! I referred her to them after I bought my female and was actually nice enough to put Brenda's dog from the same kennel on a plane and send him to her when I picked up my girl! She has actually only brought over 2 dogs so far that aren't related to dogs that were already here.
As for Brenda's ridiculous claim about my dogs not working? Too stupid for words! Anyone and everyone that has been to my farm will tell you the truth of the matter. At my old farm, the goats free ranged 24 acres along with my dogs and birds, at night they were locked into their own pasture. Some dogs would be in the pasture with them, some had perimeter duty. Some got to sleep in the house. Photos have been on my site for years and anyone with a lick of sense can see that my dogs do in fact work. The goats and birds would not be comfortable with them if they didn't. Since we've moved to our new farm, the goats and dogs are confined to their 9 acre pasture with the exception of our two house dogs (who have always been house dogs).
What does it say about Brenda as a 'breeder' (and I use the term loosely!) and as a person who claims to be devoted to the breed, that she has done her utmost to try to turn what has been a wonderful and positive experience for so many owners and breeders here in the US and make it appear to be something ugly and negative. What kind of legacy is that?
Everything I have said here can be verified with copies of e-mails and links (many, many more than the few I've posted here). I'll be happy to provide them. Can Brenda show proof of even a single one of her accusations? No.
She doesn't know the meaning of the words integrity or honesty.
A little interesting background information on Brenda M. Negri. I don't know if the author is 'all there' either but she profiled Brenda to a T and we are obviously seeing the same tactics employed by her in regard to myself and other breeders here in the US.
http://barbarahartwellvscia.
From another post that I unfortunately find quite believable based on my own experiences with her. "Negri's mother, her fifteen year old son and others have expressed their concern to witnesses over what they described as Negri's "unstable" mental condition, apparent paranoid delusions and bizarre behavior."
http://barbarahartwellvscia.
I don't believe that I will need to post anything further on this subject and will go back to enjoying my dogs and my life. This was much more than than the topic deserved anyway...
Lois Jordan http://www.fallcreekfarm.net
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