What people refer to as a challenge

That doesn't deter IBM, though. Apparently, its long-term goal is to essentially build an actual silicon version of the brain. As they put it, that means they need a chip system with ten billion neurons and hundred trillion synapses, which consumes one kilowatt of power and occupies less than two liters of volume. That's what people refer to as a challenge.

Here's the Gizmodo article: http://gizmodo.com/ibm-is-creating-an-entire-computing-architecture-based-1063836530

To Coin A Phrase > Very Cool

Ziggy as a free man

Rotten Teeth

Stella Bella, 13.5 yrs young

For those of you who have older Bouvs (or even younger ones, for that matter) please take care of their teeth. If you don't brush them daily -- even if they have bones -- tartar builds up, infections occur, etc.

I can relate to you that Stella Bella -- age 14.5 -- is having a rebirth of sorts. 

No, she has not lost her lifelong caution & insecurities BUT she is now running (arthritically), is somewhat more excited about treats & wants to be out & about more since 6 rotten teeth were pulled from her mouth. 

I held my breath when I decided to have this done and & I am VERY glad I did !! As we all know these guys are quite taciturn, can take a lot of pain w/o complaint & I feel so guilty about what was clearly a failure on my part to realize Stella's discomfort over what must have been a long period. 

It's just that it's so damned hard to read her as there is so little to read in her reactions in the first place but I definitely see a difference in her behavior now. 

Yes, it is an added cost. Yes, your Bouv does have to undergo some form of anesthetic. But if if you decide to do it, be sure to discuss a course of antibiotics with your vet before the procedures. 

I pass this on to you all as a cautionary 'tail'. (For more Bouvier tails click here.

Hugs to all your Bouvs.

Colors For a Grey Day

Sabrina, My Easter Girl

Several years ago, on Easter Sunday, my lovely, deaf, Sabrina succumbed to cancer. I think of her often but on Easter Day, I like to imagine her spirit floating about, ignoring the ravaged body she left behind, playing with Truman, keeping an eye on us as she always did.

Sophie

Ziggy's Bed, Sophie has her own, Explain this to me. 

What is that?

Q: Cathy > what is the correct full name of the breed? Bouviers des Flandres or Bouvier des Flandres? I have seen it spelled both ways (and mangled in many others.) If I had only one Bouv, would I have a Bouviers des Flandres, a Bouvier des Flandres or a Bouvier de Flandres? 

A: Jim > conferred with my dad, the retired French prof, and I also decided to read some of the sites from Belgium in French to see how they refer to it.. What I was able to discern is this.. if they are referring to the breed in general, it is always Le Bouvier des Flandres which would be singular masculine. However, if they are talking about the dogs (note the s on dogs), then they are referred to as Les Bouviers or Les Bouviers des Flandres which would be 3rd person plural, or if it just one, le Bouvier. So, if you were referring to your two dogs, that would be "mes Bouviers"... now.. one more thing, Bouvier appears to be masculine all the time, so, for my bouv Mimsy, if someone asked me what kind of dog she was, the correct response would be "Ma chienne est un Bouvier des Flandres". I did also see one reference to a Bouvier de Flandre and that would be grammatically correct since Flandre is singular, but that one is very rare...

Are you really thinking about a Bouvier des Flandres?

Q: My husband and I have only recently become aware of Bouviers des Flandres and have come to believe that this just might be the breed for our family. [...] I have a few concerns I would like you (any of you) to comment on, if you would: 1. We have read about the fragrant nature of these dogs [...] 2. I've also noticed a few people talking about their Bouvs being aggressive toward the cats [...] 3. And, just from reading this list I'm beginning to wonder about those who write about having "yappy" Bouvs. [...] A: I've been thinking about the questions you raised several days ago & I decided to respond to them. First of all, I think you've demonstrated great responsibility in researching different breeds of dogs before accepting one into your household. My hat's off to you. It can save heartache & worse for both your family & the dog.  However, I'd be interested to know why it is that you "have come to believe that this might just be the breed for [your] family"?  Most dogs I've ever lived with fart, bark & chase cats naturally. What were the attributes of the Bouvier that attracted you, that made you lean towards this breed? I find the three questions you asked pretty inconsequential in terms of the entire Bouvier experience. Perhaps you already know a great deal from your own life, from reading Pam Green's article DON'T BUY A BOUVIER !! & talking to some Bouvier owners via email, but let me just run down a couple of things about the Bouvier which will occupy much more of your attention than the 3 items you've mentioned: Bouviers *need* TRAINING -- you have to take them to obedience classes if you don't know how to do it yourself. And even then, you probably should go anyway. An untrained Bouvier is extraordinarily difficult to live with because they are strong willed, extremely intelligent, imaginative, will fill up a power vacuum in no time flat & run circles around you, your family, your furniture & cats before you know what hit you. Bouviers *need* GROOMING. I know there are groomers but it's more fun to do it yourself. This process takes about an hour or two a week once you get their coat into shape. And you have to *train* them to accept grooming or it is a giant pain in the butt -- theirs & yours. During the winter or rainy seasons, wiping feet, de-icing beards & bodies will become part of your daily existence because most Bouvs just love to play in & around water, mud & snow. Bouviers *need* to be with their families so having them around means that, like many an intelligent two or three year old child, they need attention, conversation, entertainment & *more* training.  They go through the terrible twos but with them, it's the terrible ones. They constantly test, probe, challenge your authority, decide what's right for them to do & what's not worth doing. They cannot be beaten or scared into submission; they must learn to respect you as a strong but *fair* leader. And they will try your patience, make no mistake. If you perform admirably then they will follow you anywhere, unlike children. Bouviers *need* EXERCISE. Now some breeders, like one kennel in the Philadelphia region states in their "brochure" that Bouviers don't need a lot of exercise & therefore make great apartment pets. Baloney. They *need* exercise just like you do. Bouviers can live in apartments; I lived with one in this way for many years but every day we went to the park to run, play & swim. His name was BOGART. Many Bouviers, as you've probably read on the mailing lists, *have* HEALTH ISSUES. Pretty serious ones at that -- heart, eyes, thyroid, hips. Only a good breeder can help ameliorate these problems through very responsible breeding, but even then problems can & do occur. Animal medical insurance is really non-existent for all practical purposes so you have to be prepared -- but hopefully never have to -- reach deep into your pockets to take care of your canine child. Finding the *right* breeder is crucial. I cannot stress that enough.  Bouviers are big, bulky, playful, aggressive, possessive, mischievous & sensitive animals. They are, in short, a handful. They need constant supervision, attention & care. They don't mature fully both emotionally & physically until the age of 4 or 5 so it will be a long haul. So whether they fart every once in a while, yap every so often, or chase the cat is not the question. The question is are you & your family *committed* to the responsibilities of owning a Bouvier? I don't know the answer; you do. If you are, the questions you raise will be taken care of  for the most part. I might suggest that you also go to shows, meet Bouviers & their owners, RESEARCH THE BREED thoroughly, take your time & read a very fine BOUVIER BUYERS GUIDE.  If *any* breeder tells you they are the best, most famous Bouvier breeder, turn around & *run* out. The BOUVIER BUYERS GUIDE contains extremely good information about buying or adopting a Bouvier. And if at the end of your research, you decide that you are going to commit to a Bouvier des Flandres, the people in the Bouvier community will be extremely supportive & helpful in answering more questions, making suggestions & guiding you over the rough spots that are sure to come. Whatever you decide, the best of luck. Having a canine companion as part of your household just can't be beat. If it turns out that the Bouvier is, after all, not for you, there are other wonderful breeds or mutts that may be easier & just as much fun to live with.

Stealth Bouvette

Not 9/11 but 12/14

It's getting closer & closer

Sandy the Herricane [sic] is coming.

From the Ridgefield Press 10/27/12 

"Saturday, noon —  Hurricane Sandy’s predicted path was shifted south late Saturday morning — but Connecticut is still in its sights. [...]

While the storm may officially hit land south of Connecticut, the northern part of the hurricane, which is typically the most destructive part of a hurricane or tropical storm, is set up now to hit southwest Connecticut."

OMG, That's us!!

Sophie, the diary of a southern Belle (epilepsy)

Some of you (very few) know that Sophie (age 8) suffered 2 grand mal seizures last wknd. These were followed by a few petit mal seizures, i.e. over time the intensity of the seizures diminished. 

Sophie is back to herself & we haven't had any recurrences at any level. 

She has been to vet, all examinations including xray, urinalysis, T4, bloodwork have been within normal range for a lady of her age. 

Causes for a sudden onset of epilepsy can range from the usual idiopathic to brain tumor with change in blood chemistry, lyme & stress in between.  

I've elected not to do an MRI as the resolution to a brain tumor is a non-starter & is, in and of itself, painless.

So I've started to seek out other explanations for this sudden onset of seizures. I've settled on stress.

Within 24 hours of bringing Ziggy (a REALLY crazy, 7 mo old, fun loving, noisy, smart, FAST MOVING little thing into the house) Sophie suffered her first seizure. 

Although the cast of characters has not changed, we have gotten a handle on some of Ziggy's antics and restored some ORDER to the house. And, as I said, there have been no epileptic recurrences. 

I'm writing to ask if any of you have specifically had this kind of situation with a Bouvier and a new arrival that changed the dynamic of the household. 

If so I'd appreciate your comments, suggestions, advice. Condolences and that sort of thing are unnecessary (although the thought is appreciated). 

Sophie is a rescue. After conferring with her foster mom, we don't/can't get any more background health information on her first 7 years. We do know she was abused & basically abandoned. We do know she ran away from home & survived (feral) for 6 months, only to be returned to where she started. 

She's smart & sensitive -- especially to sticks, anger, etc. She shows some insecurity under certain circumstances & feels she must be in charge when we are out & about, i.e. very protective. She gets along famously with Stella. She may feel she lost control when Ziggy entered the picture but I am conjecturing. 

Please let me hear from you, the larger Bouvier community if you've had the experience I've described. 

I am posting this on every Bouvier group site that I know of and on my blog. 

You can respond below or to me privately.

Thanks so much. 

-- 

Jan, Stella Bella, Sophie & Sigmund (aka ZIGGY stardust) in Ridgefield, CT USA

BouvSite @ http://www.bogartsdaddy.com/bouvier

Blog: http://janrifkinson.blogspot.com

Photos: http://janrif.zenfolio.com

jan.rifkinson@gmail.com

203.431.1691 <eve>

Advance pro-activity in defense of the Bouvier

Meal Time

Sophie, the diary of a Southern Belle (Epilepsy)

10/24/12 

Sophie had two gran mal seizures over the wknd followed by a couple of petit mal seizures. 

If a dog is epileptic it is usually seen between ages 1-2. As Sophie is a rescue we have no record / information on that so we are assuming old dog epilepsy which can be caused by a number of factors: electrolytes out of whack, kidney problems, tick infection, stress, brain tumor. 

We are testing for what can be tested for up to MRI for brain tumor. Rationale being if she has a brain tumor (painless), then what? Sophie has not had a recurrence since Sat night & I am up most of the night every night watching her b/c that's when the episodes occur. 

So far nothing out of the ordinary has been revealed by the tests. She had xrays of chest, kidneys, pancreas, stomach w/o any negative results. We are waiting for urinalysis. Ticks negative. 

If Sophie has more episodes we will put her on anticonvulsants, i.e. phenobarbital or some variant. The prognosis for controlling epilepsy medically is optimistic, short of a brain tumor. If she has no other seizures it will be chalked off to idiopathic (don't know what the f**k it is) or possibly stress. 

There is some logic to the stress diagnosis as the first & most serious episode occurred within 24 hrs of bringing Ziggy into the mix. His extremely high level of activity causes stress even on us but he is sloooowly calming down, learning the routine of the house & some modicum of manners (he's +/- 7 mos old), very smart, very willing to learn, is a lover & is extremely cute. However, Sophie's health comes first so we're keeping our fingers crossed -- no more seizures & Ziggy's learning curve. 

I discussed all this w Sophie's foster mom as she has a right to know what's going on & she told me that she took in another foster shortly after Sophie came to live with her & that Sophie became so agitated that she moved the other foster elsewhere. Sophie had very little confidence when I got her (more than she had when she was first rescued) & she certainly has a lot more now but possibly not enough to convince herself of her position within the household. Stella, OTOH, could give less of a damn. 

I will update this entry as warranted. 

Human Training

This is a very simple lesson which most people don't understand. It is the Bouvier's responsibility to walk with you, pay attention to you, see where you want to go... not the other way around. Try explaining this concept to an inexperienced owner who thinks they know it all and you encounter lots of b.s. reasons why this doesn't work with their particular Bouv. Wrong.

Zigmund (aka Ziggy) in San Antonio TX, ETA Newark Int'l Airport 10/18/12 16:30

Hiking in Aldrich Park

15,000 news locusts

I've always wondered what would have happened if 15,000 journalists focused their attention on a real story of import; how history might have been changed. 

From Morning Media Newsfeed:

"At the 2012 Conventions, 15,000 Journalists Search for a Story (HuffPost / The Backstory) Scoops and valuable, legitimate nuggets of insight and information are hard to come by in Conventionland, yet reporters who swarmed the halls en masse in Tampa are all at it again in Charlotte, where the Democrats kicked off their election kabuki Tuesday [...] "

Ruminating after the RNC

I watched all coverage, speeches & commentary on MSNBC, starting at 7pm every night of the three nights of the convention culminating with Mitt Romney's speech last night. 

New to me was the sense that -- FINALLY --  there was a great crop of young and varied potential GOP leaders on the horizon &, IMO, this is a good thing for the party. I thought the women were especially impressive; women like Condolezza Rice, Nikki Haley & Mia Love. But the guys -- Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio & Paul Ryan -- were nothing to sneeze at either. 

Putting the political red meat aside, my take away was that (except for Clint Eastwood) the convention was very well orchestrated & inspirational but there were few (if any) details about what's going to change going forward. Having said that, I don't think any convention is meant for wonkiness or policy details so what are we really left with? 

Hope & change? :-)

This personal evaluation doesn't automatically put me in anyone's political column but I think this showing of young turks is important because I, for one, am tired of hearing from the same old white guys on both sides of the aisle. 

Obama was the first to offer a real choice in that department which is why I think he won the election in '08. I don't yet know about '12 but I think new people with new ideas & new energy is what we need in BOTH parties so the thinking electorate can have a real choice. 

This is such an election & I am looking forward to the debates for a change. 

Going forward, I will be watching an equal amount of coverage & commentary of the DNC on the Fox News Channel and expect a similar takeaway but we'll see. 

I'll update this blog entry at the end of next week. 

I think independents are more likely to be swayed one way or the other after the debates. 

I'd be interested in your takeaway which is why there is a comment box below. Post as anonymous if you must.