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<DIV><FONT color=#800000 size=4 face=Baltimore>I am so enjoying your notes
regarding Henry. Buying from a Pet Store isn't the best place to get
a dog. However, my first pure bred dog (a Dachshund) was bought from
what would now be called a Broker. Sam was never sick and was
the most darling of dogs. He did blow a disc in his neck at age 5,
had surgery, and within a couple of months was as good as
new. I know of a Dachshund owner who bought a puppy from
a highly respected breeder. At 6 months the little guy died from an
enlarged heart. No heart murmur, no warning, no other problems
with siblings. Just a birth defect.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#800000 size=4 face=Baltimore>So Henry can turn out to be the
healthiest dog you ever had, or not. You can
get blood tests for some bleeding issues in Bassets. Check the
Basset Hound Club of America's web site. At least you'll be able to
rule those things out.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#800000 size=4 face=Baltimore></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#800000 size=4 face=Baltimore>Your questions regarding
food.... The most natural diet is the best diet. Dogs do
not digest grains the way we do. Corn has been so modified for
crop yield and pest resistance that most of the better foods don't use
it. Corn, wheat, soy should be avoided, are hard to digest and don't
provide any real nutritional value for a dog. Some dogs get the
itchies from too many grains. On the other side of that,,dogs
are scavengers and will eat most anything and survive.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#800000 size=4 face=Baltimore></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#800000 size=4 face=Baltimore>Personally, the best premium food
you can afford (there are grain free foods, too) should do Henry just
fine. Don't over vaccinate him, stay away from chemicals
give him lots of love, exercise and discipline. Enjoy
him </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#800000 size=4 face=Baltimore>Cathy Blatz<BR><A
href="http://www.summerhilldachshundsandbassets.com">www.summerhilldachshundsandbassets.com</A></FONT></DIV>
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