dancinbcs

What a cheeky way of saving himself all the money he would normally have to pay to book that many doggy models through an agency. They are also pretty hopeful in thinking they will get it all done in a couple of hours. Photo shoots are usually an all day affair, even with just a few perfectly trained dogs.

Try a Backseat Buddy to stop him falling into the footwell.

I could write a book about all the incompetant vets I have heard about over the years. Good vets are definitely in the minority and the only vets I recommend to anyone with a pure bred dogs are the vets that have a large pure bred breeder clientele. In the whole of Sydney most breeders use just three vets from the hundreds scattered around the suburbs. I wouldn't let most vets anywhere near my dogs.

I'd get a second opinion. Both on the price and the need for surgery. Ask on here for recommendations for vets around your area.

Dinner Plains is the only snow area in Australia that allows dogs.

My dogs all get Calcium Ascorbate powder from about 5 weeks and then for the rest of their lives. It works out at 1000mg of Vit C per teaspoon, so they get a quarter teaspoon per day. Calcium Ascorbate is much easier on the stomach than Ascorpic Acid. The brand makes no difference. I was put onto to it many years ago by greyhound breeders that swear by it to keep ligaments tight and therefore joints working properly. My dogs all have good hips and elbows and so far haven't had any ligament problems so hopefully it has something to do with it.

Different DNA tests use different coding but clear is clear no matter if it is called Type A, Grade 1, Normal or Clear. They all mean that the dog is not affected by and does not carry the gene for that condition. The hip scores are done for each hip and the lower the score the better. As the scores range from 0:0 to 53:53, a score of 3:3 is pretty low and would be considered very good in most breeds. Tthe elbow scores, again are for each elbow but here the scores only range from 0:0 to 3:3, and again the lower the score the better. 0:0 means perfect elbows. The DNA profiling just means that they can prove the parentage of the dog by DNA.

Could it have been snake bite? I know it is winter but there have been some recent reported snake sightings in different areas. The other horrible thought is a bait. Could someone have thrown something in your yard? If it had been a heart or liver problem the vet would have found it on autopsy. Another possiblility is a brain aneurism or tumour, that is just as possible in dogs as it is in people. If the brain was not sent for pathology, it may have been found in a normal autopsy. So sad to lose a young dog so suddenly.

It depends on the breed and the age. Most adult dogs would cope fine with that arrangement but some puppies need more room. I won't sell a Border Collie puppy to anyone without a yard at least 10m x 20m because BC puppies need access to that much running space from about 5 weeks old.They prefer an acre or two but most cope ok with a suburban yard. As puppies they do self exercise and need enough space for several zoomies sessions a day. Other breeds can be much more placid so the need for space is not as great.

I never have any trouble with dogs in the car but mine have almost daily car rides to start with, even if it is just round the block. I actually start litters with car rides every few days from about 5 weeks old then the one keep gets daily rides for a while from 8 weeks. The more you take them in the car the better they get and the less fuss you make the better they are. A crate is always better to start with if possible and I find the working breeds love to look out the window with all that movement. The crying may be that he can't see properly and also would like to get out and chase everything. He will soon learn that it is not going to happen and settle down. Does your back seat not fold down to allow space for a crate? I thought most modern small cars had that as a built in feature.

Ok, if it is a known problem in the breed, the breeder is an idiot if they do not start testing immediately and try to get on top of the problem.

Yes, it is reasonably common in all dogs and many do correct with age, but without very expensive specialist testing (sometimes more than the value of the puppy) and diagnosis there is no way to tell what is causing the murmur or if there is a chance it will improve. For this reason I always advise breeders to keep puppies with murmurs until they grow out of the problem before rehoming them. Some breeders can afford the diagnosis and for some conditions, the surgery to fix them, before placing a puppy. For others the cost is prohibitive and the best option is to run the puppy on and see what happens. If they are not prepared to do that then the puppy should be euthanised, not passed on to an unsuspecting buyer. Heart murmurs are pretty rare in my breed but if they have not disappeared by 12 weeks they usually indicate a serious problem. The sound of the murmur also doesn't seem to be any indication to how bad the problem is. Dogs with very mild murmurs can in fact have very bad defects. I know of one breeder with a dog that had a very mild murmur as a puppy. When the murmur hadn't gone by 12 months, they investigated and discovered a completely malformed heart. It is not any sort of genetic problem the specialist has ever seen but the heart has formed completely wrong and surgery to correct it is not possible. The prognosis is not good and it is just a case of sheer bad luck but so lucky for the breeder that they never sold this puppy.

Many congenital defects, including heart problems, do not have a genetic component. Some are just bad luck others caused by toxins, vitamin deficiencies, etc. Dogs are living creatures and there is no such thing as a "perfect" one but no puppy should ever be sold with a heart murmur. Breeders can do everything right and still have puppies born with congenital defects. It depends on what the exact diagnosis is and if the defect is proven to be genetic in the breed. If it is a known genetic problem in the breed then a breeder who repeats the mating has rocks in their head. Breeders need to keep track of all defects and if something occurs more than once, that is the time to start investigating the cause. Furballs, what is the exact heart defect your dog is suffering from? Was there any sort of heart murmur at 8 weeks?

Ridgebacks were bred to hunt lions but only to be used in a pack situation to corner a lion and keep it there until the hunters arrived. They are one hound that was never actually bred to attack or kill anything, including lions. They will bail up an intruder but are not at all inclined to bite them, it is simply not in their nature. Yes, they are big and powerful but there is a big size difference between males and females and the females are generally not much bigger than many of the other breeds the OP was considering. They are a large breed not a giant breed. I know a few Ridgeback breeders and have other friends that have them as pets and if I wanted a large smooth coated breed they would be my choice.

That is why I suggested earlier that an older dog from a breeder might suit rather than a rescue. Then you know the exact background of the dog and where it has come from. Many breeders have kids and a retired show dog is well socialised and trained already. They also have access to dogs they have sold that may need to be rehomed for a varity of reasons. I do agree though that an adult Whippet or Collie would probably be the safest option with kids as a general rule. Some examples: Several years ago I had one of my puppy buyers ask me to help her rehome the dog I had sold her. The owner had cancer and was unable to cope with her four dogs. She decided it would be easiest to rehome the one with the best temperament - the 4 year old fully trained female Border Collie that came from me. At the time my boss's daughter was newly married to a man who did no ever want to own a dog. She finally talked him around by telling him about this dog needing a home. She then asked if she should hold out for a puppy but I told her that could undo everything if the puppy turned out too boisterous or destructive. She took my advice, gave this lovely 4 year old BC a home and within a month reported her husband was cuddling the dog on the loungeroom floor. 12 months later her husband rang me to ask if I thought they would be able to take the dog with them to Canada for a year. They had both been offered contracts for positions that were once in a lifetime opportunities, but neither would contemplate going unless I thought the dog would be ok to accompany them. She was one of the most stable dogs I had ever known so I gave them my blessing and off they all went to Canada for the year before returning home and starting a family. Some years later I met a Ridgeback breeder that owned 22 dogs. He loved the dogs and had fallen into the trap of keeping two from every litter until he had all these dogs he didn't know what to do with. He didn't believe anyone would want an adult Ridgie so felt he was stuck with them all. The dogs were all healthy, socialised, trained and had lovely temperaments so I suggested he advertise that he had some available and see what happened. He was inundated with enquires and was able to weed out several wonderful homes including one as a therapy dog in a nursing home. The dogs he placed all fitted in beautifully to their new homes and the breeder managed to reduce his numbers a bit to allow more time for the ones he kept. So there is a difference between a dog from a breeder that needs a new home and a true rescue. The older dog from a breeder is more of a known quantity but is not a true rescue because it is not in danger of being pts. The breeder simply keeps the dog until the right home comes along, however long that takes. BTW, I have never known Collies (Rough or Smooth) as a breed to be barkers. Some are but most are pretty quiet dogs. Bearded Collies on the other hand are notorious barkers. Border Collies are generally not barkers either but it depends on the lines. A few are famous for it.

The Collie Smooth does still have a double coat so would shed but other than that would suit you perfectly. They are generally more confident and generally a bit tougher than than the Rough variety. Collies are great all round family dogs that should be looked at more by people wanting pets. Just make sure, like with any breed that you only get one from a breeder that is happy to discuss all health aspects. Ridgebacks are my favourite of the hounds. Responsible breeders have all puppies checked for dermoid sinus and do not sell affected puppies. Traditionally the rigdeless puppies have been pts by most breeders because most buyers that want a Ridgeback will only buy one with a ridge. Some recent genetic studies however have suggested (not sure if it was proven) that if they only ever breed ridged to ridgeless they will never have any puppies affected by dermoid sinus. So if any breeders are trying this approach there could possibly be ridgeless puppies available. Ridgebacks make great guard dogs because their size and deep bark will deter most intruders, but they are generally very friendly gentle dogs. Whippets are also wonderful pets but do have a need for comfort and warmth, so prefer to be inside dogs. They fit into just about any family but like all hounds are independant enough to not be clingy. All the Weimaraners I have known have all been very clingy, needy dogs. They are hard work as puppies because they are very demanding of the owners time but more sensible as adults if they have been trained right. I have never personally known any Pointers so can't comment on them. For your situation I still think an older dog might be better than a puppy. If you have your heart set on a puppy, than how about an adult Whippet first and then a puppy of one of the other breeds so it would have the Whippet for company. BTW I know of a few breeders that have both Ridgebacks and Whippets, so they are breeds that get along well.

Have just realised what breeds we are talking about crossing here and I can assure you that you would be pushing it to find even one decent home for these puppies, let alone a possible litter or 8-12. The cost of raising a litter like that could easily be $1000 plus there is a possiblility of a caesar, add another $1000. Can you afford to be that much out of pocket and be stuck with a whole lot of large puppies eating you out of house and home and no chance of finding homes for them. The shelter I worked for put down nearly all puppies that where Cattle x, Shepherd X, Rotti x or Bull breed X, the day they came in the door. They are impossible to home because they are a dime a dozen and quite frankly no one wants them. We used to have people calling all the time wanting us to take litters they had reared and couldn't home but I had to tell them the only thing we could do was pts. Please get your girl to a vet immediately to for an ultrasound and if she is pregnant, desex now or get alazin injections. This is what responsible breeders do when faced with an unwanted pregnancy. Most of the dogs that end up in pounds and shelters should never have been born and if everyone did the responsible thing and prevented unwanted puppies being born there would be hardly any shelters needed.

Is Saffron a breeding bitch or where you planning on having her desexed. If you were planning on desexing just get it done now. The shelter I worked for used to desex pregnant bitches right up until the 8th week, without any problems. Otherwise the puppies may be able to be aborted with injections but you need to get onto it asap. If it is a crossbred unwanted litter and you decide to let her have them, the responsible thing to do is put down all but 2 at birth so she still has something to raise but you only need to find homes for two. I have seen far to many people put a lot of money and effort into raising a litter of large cross breeds only to have to surrender them to a shelter that puts them down anyway, because they are impossible to home. It is always better if unwanted puppies are never born.

:p So True. From one who has worshipped at the Church of Border Collie for 27 years. ;) ;)

A Border Collie puppy would definitely not be suited to your home. Maybe a laid back adult but not a puppy. They are probably the most demanding of all breeds to raise and get it right. Once you know the breed they are easy, if time consuming, but new owners often struggle coping with their first puppy that out thinks them at every turn. Their high intelligence means that they need constant training as puppies or they will think up ways to amuse themselves, that I can assure you, will not amuse you. As for fencing, at least 1.8m and be aware that many BCs can climb chainwire like a cat. They are also all quite capable of jumping a 1.8m fence, but most just never discover it. A fence with no footholds is a must. The males especially need to be with their owners as much as possible. The girls are a little more independant but I still don't sell to anyone where there is no one home for more than 6 hours a day, unless their are other dogs for company. Borders cope in a normal suburban yard if they have plenty of company and daily exercise but they do prefer acres where they can really run. I have kept them in suburbia for many years but there is nearly always someone home and the dogs compete in shows and obedience and travel most places with me. Keeping their minds occupied is vital. Price wise a puppy from parents DNA tsted for CL, TNS, CEA as well as beign hip and elbow scored, is about $1000. You may pick up an adult for a bit less if the breeder is looking to rehome an older dog. Dog shows are free to attend and decent breeders don't mind you tyre kicking so long as you are prepared to wait and talk when they have time. If they are getting ready to go in the ring they will be too busy to talk, so may ask you to come back in an hour or so. In the mean time you can wander around looking at other breeds. Where are you located? If we know where you are we can let you know when and where shows near you are on.

Oops, sorry about that. It is rarely the wife in a family that doesn't want a dog, so I assumed the wrong way round. As a breeder I never sell a puppy to a family if the wife/mother is not 100% enthusiastic about the purchase. In my experience if a woman is not happy with a dog it is more likely to end up being rehomed. I know you intend to be the one looking after the dog, but the reality is that in 99% of homes, the wife always ends up having to be responsible for the the dog and especially for any damage it creates. Under these circumstances I would not contemplate a puppy at this stage. If either spouse is not a real dog lover then I always recommend going for an already trained adult dog, either rescue or retired show dog from a breeder. If you get the right dog your wife may be charmed into becoming a dog lover but if you get a puppy and it turns out to be a really destructive one, she will never get to like dogs. BTW there is no real way to tell which puppies will be the most destructive. I have owned several generations of related dogs of the same breed. Some destroy everything they come into contact with and others never destroy anything. It is just the luck of the draw. Maybe two adult dogs from one of the hound breeds would suit. Some are just as happy with another dog for company as they are with humans. They are not as devoted to their owners as working and gundogs are, and are happier to do their own thing. If you like big dogs, how about Rhodesian Ridgebacks?

I suggest you take the family to a dog show and have a look around. Talk to the owners of breeds you like the look of and also see if your OH takes a fancy to any of them. If he is the one that is going to be home most, having a dog he prefers would probably work out better. Your situation is not really ideal for a puppy of any breed but you may be able to find a nice mature dog from a breeder. Many breeders run on more than one puppy from a litter, train and show them then pick the best show dog and sell the others as pets. Others keep females, show them and then breed a litter or two before desexing them and selling or placing them as pets. Most of these retired show or breeding dogs are aged from 12 months to about 5 years, and they would a better choice than a puppy if you are away for 10 hours at a time. The DOL breed listings have a mature dogs for sale section as well as puppy listings, so have a look there as well.

The original Nylabones in wolf size are good for Borders to chew in the house without making a mess. Make sure you get the hard cream coloured one, not the rubbery clearer one and do not get any other brand. The cheaper white ones in other brands are very dangerous. Other than that carrots, broccoli stems, pig, sheep or venison ears are all good. The beefhide chews are ok occasionally but I stopped using them when they started to import them all from China. I have heard soem absolute horror stories about Greenies and wouldn't even consider gving them to my dogs.

Siberian Husky without a doubt. The other two wouldn't even be close to what a Sibe sheds. Yeah a friend of mine owns 9 dogs, a variety of breeds but the majority are husky and she recons they shed like nothing she has ever owned before. I must say my lab also sheds loads, I am forever vacuuming and sweeping up outside. Daisy my beagle sheds heaps but it's nothing compared to Micha fur! OMG And it's ALL year round too. The show Sibes only seem to shed twice a year and then do it massively. I wonder why your's sheds all year? How often is he washed and blow dried? Using a force dryer will get the dead coat out in one or two goes. Without a decent dryer I can see it taking months to get it all out but at least the hair comes out in clumps. The amount of hair you took out in that video is no more than I can get out of a BC that is shedding but again it is only twice a year. They still lose some hair all year but not like the twice yearly coat drop. When mine shed it is like a snowstorm when you turn a force dryer onto them. I can completely carpet my backyard (and share it with the neighbours) with one BC coat. The problem with Labs is the short coat does not come out in clumps so you don't end up with a nice big pile of hair that is easily thrown away. They shed one hair at a time and as the hairs are quite coarse they stick into everything and are impossible to remove.

Yep, you learn to live with dog hair. At times my carpet takes on a distict black and white haze unless vacuumed every day but my Border Collies and my childhood Samoyed cross all have nothing on the Labrador we had, in the shedding stakes. That much shedding even I cannot handle. I will never again own a breed with a short dense double coat because they shed 365 days a year and the short hair works it's way into everything. Some of the breeds on my "never own list" include Labs, GSD, Corgis, Vallhunds, ACD or anything else with a similar coat. At least the BC hair falls out in clumps that are easier to pick up and unlike the shorter coated dogs they don't have a doggy odour either. Most Spitz coats don't worry me because they shed in clumps as well and don't have any odour. The only option to shedding is to get a non-shedder like a Poodle that needs to be clipped regularly. There are a few very finely coated breeds like Viszlas that don't shed much but there are not many.