[Dailydrool] Wondering how to help/ breeder questions

[Val lbrewerzwick via Dailydrool]

Aloha all. No, I am not breeding basset hounds nor do I have any intention to start.

There is one basset hound breeder in the Hawaiian Islands on Oahu (different island than where I live) and she is new to the business. I am writing wondering how to help her.

Her name is Ellen Karpusiewicz and she has named her kennel Sun'Hawaii European Basset Hounds.  Ellen is from somewhere in Eastern Europe and has some difficulties with language. I do not know how long she has lived in America, and language difficulties pose some problems.  She has had bassets all of her life and loves the breed. SHe is what I would say is more a "hobby breeder" than a puppy Miller, as her hounds live inside with her as pets as well as outside, are loved and vetted, and she is careful not to too frequently breed. 

That being said, she is inexperienced and lacks a mentor.  I discovered Ellen after her first litter of puppies two years ago and have been in email contact since.  Two puppies from that litter needed rehoming (this is extremely common here as people moving off island often leave their dogs behind. Sigh.) and Kim and I (basset rescue) helped with that.  I sent Ellen copies of some breeder contracts as examples and wrote to her about needing breeder contracts with a return-to-her clause.  I also sent the essay Sandi W. wrote on breeding.  Ellen talked with the Texas breeder who had sold her one of her dogs about what to screen for genetically.

This past summer Ellen's female had a second litter. Within a day, the female spiked a fever and was rushed to the vet, where she died within hours, orphaning twelve pups.  Apparently the vet sent Ellen home with bottled formula which she and her husband tried to feed the pups every two hours, but within a few days, nine of the pups had died.  I heard about this at this juncture and again, via email, sent an article about newborns needing subQ fluids and tube feeding. I also placed an emergency ad for a lactating mama dog on Craigslist. A chihuahua breeder stepped up but her mama dog was too tiny. HOwever the chihuahua breeder took Ellen's three survivors and was giving them fluids and tube feeding. She communicated to me (and Ellen) she thought the pups were all dehydrated and starving, and might all have been saved if different steps were taken a week earlier, from the onset.  TWo more puppies died the day the chihuahua breeder took them.  IT looked as though one puppy might make it under the chihuahua breeder's ministrations, but alas, the last one died after aspirating formula when it swatted the tube free when being fed, so all twelve pups perished as well as the mother.   I fault Ellen's vet for not getting better info to her, BUT, I also don't know what was really said and how much was communicated or understood, due to language problems.  This was a tragedy.  I remember Sandi once writing that it helped new breeders to have an experienced breeder mentor.  Ellen does not have one, but I think needs one.  I do not know if the chihuahua breeder would consider such a thing or how Ellen should approach her, or if there is some other route to finding a patient mentor who would be willing to work with the language barriers.

The female that died was Ellen's only female. But now I understand she has imported four puppies (with enormous difficulty and expense due to quarantine and air flights), all from Europe (Ireland, Spain, Czechoslovakia, and I forget the fourth country). she plans to start breeding in a couple of years when they are old enough.

So my question is, how can I help her become a more experienced and responsible breeder?  She is welcoming of help, not a bad or greedy person, and loves bassets. She is just inexperienced, I think, and has a language impediment.  Are there any simple books?  Do I need to find out her native language and order a translated book? How does one find mentors? VEts with dog breeding experience? I would really hate for her to lose another litter or grown dog.  I would be grateful for any suggestions. (I am limited a bit by our living on different islands)

Val of Hawaii with Mariah, Mila, and notabasset Ipo vlbzwick at yahoo.com