dancinbcs

Plush Puppy Wonder Wash is brilliant for this. Just spray it on and wipe it out with an old towel and it removes the grease and the smell. Especailly handy if they do something like this late at night or at other times when washing isn't an option. One of my adult Border Collies, that sleeps inside, chased a cat under my car late one winter night. She had a grease stripe 10cm wide from the top of her head to her rump. It went right through her big white collar and I thought I would never get it out. Bathing and drying her at midnight did not appeal so I decided to try the Wonder Wash that I kept to clean white feet at shows. It removed all the grease and the smell in about 10 minutes. It's not called Wonder Wash for nothing. Get some and keep it on hand.

The only time that we have noticed her out is around 6.45 in the morning.. We have had reports from neighbours that she has been out thru the day and they have put her back in the yard for us... Im in WA and those regulations are pretty stock standard here, we are in a "bush" area and they want to keep the area in a certain theme. I have a 5 acre 'bush' block in a 'resource zone' . . . also a kennel area. I had a lot of escape problems until I put two strands of electric fence (no collars . . . the stuff they sell for horses and cattle). I can't say the dogs were pleased by the electric fence . . . but they respect it. Have had no problems since it went up. It can be made inconspicuous and I don't think your local authorities will give you grief. If she's jumping (mine were digging under), electric fence won't stop her . . . but you may be able to teach her it isn't safe to get near enough to the fence to jump . . . eg, put up three strands a metre inside your boundary fence. Good suggestion about the electric fence but make sure it is always turned on. I know of several BCs that listen for the hum of electric fences to see if they are turned on before deciding if they will risk getting through. I imagine a GSD would be smart enough to work this out as well.

I was so dog obsessed as a toddler that mum had to go an extra block to the shops so I could visit a dog on the way. The family moved to a house with a yard when I was three and I have had dogs ever since. We had cats as well for many years and I was also horse obsessed and rode from age seven onwards. At 21 I bought a horse and the following year bought my first pure bred Border Collie show dog. I had been going to get the Standard Poodle I had always wanted to do obedience with, but went to some shows with a work colleague and decided that I wasn't keen on the grooming for a Poodle if I wanted to show as well. So back to the drawing board for a breed and finally decided on BCs. After many months searching and some disappointments I found a puppy but family health dramas prevented me collecting him so I had him flown to me sight unseen on the recommendation of the owner of the sire. Now 27 years later, I have become one of the stalwarts of the Border Collie breed. With the help of the best mentor anyone could wish for I made that first puppy a champion, gained his CDX, trained him to UD, dabbled in agility and sheep herding and made him a specialty best in show winner from a breed entry of 170. He was followed three years later by my foundation bitch and since then I have bred 12 litters and produced 8 champions, a grand champion, 2 all breeds best in show winning bitches and numerous obedience and agility titled dogs. Several of my puppies have also proven themselves useful working dogs as well. I have never been one to show or trial every week so from only occasional showing and trialling I am happy with what we achieved. At one stage I worked for about 8 months for the Animal Welfare League in NSW on their front desk so got to see a very different side of people and dogs. Four years working for a large pet/greyhound supply warehouse and a short stint working in a grooming parlour was also enlightening. I have had articles published in National Dog about BCs, grooming and traditional chinese medicine for dogs. One of my dogs was successfully treated for cancer by chinese medicine so I have a huge interest in it. Starting with the local all breeds club, I served on dog club committees or sub-committees since getting my first show dog and have taught basic obedience, show training and grooming to members of the BCC of NSW. My biggest contribution to the dog world though would have to be being a member of the Hereditary Diseases sub-committee of the BCC of NSW since about 1987. Working to assist with the research that produced our first breed DNA test for the fatal condition CL was very rewarding. Educating other breeders has also been a big part of the work done and finally being one of the instigators of the research that produced the DNA test for the fatal condition TNS was the icing on the cake. I still have two Borders and maintain an active interest in genetics and am learning about and occasionally showing, my probable next breed - Japanese Spitz.

You will probably find that the fence height regulation refers to boundary fencing. Check with the council if you can put up a 1.8m chainwire fenced yard inside your boundary fence. They may have a rule as to how far inside the boundary it has to be. Then just fence part of the yard with the higher fence. The biggest worry with a GSD running loose in a rural are is that she will end up chasing stock and get herself shot. A 900mm fence would not be considered safe fencing for any medium to large breed so they need a more secure yard or run within the property for any time they are not being supervised.

Yeah, after a talk yesterday, the boyfriend and I are gathering all his medicial history and xray and we are going to start asking people for second opinions now. Sash are great but everytime we go in there, we always comes home a little flat and more confused. I actually have a friend who works at Specialist Centre at Strathfield, whom is interested in Charlie's case. Also a few other people have suggested and referring us to a few other specialist too. Definitely try Strathfield and Sydney Uni. Hopefully someone will be able to work out the puzzle.

Sorry to hear that the news is not good for poor little Charlie. If he was mine I would take his medical history to both the Specialist Centre at Strathfield and the Uni of Sydney and possibly contact the Uni at Werribee in Vic as well, to see if anyone at any of them has come across a similar condition before. Sash have a lot of expertise but they only know what they have come across before. I know from friends experience with them that they certainly don't know everything about every condition and they will keep running tests and running up the bills forever, if they can't work it out. No vet knows everything, not even a specialist, and when you keep hitting brick walls it may pay to seek other opinions.

This is a Chocolate Border Collie, not a red. In Aussies the colour is called red but in Borders a red is anything from cream to chestnut, not brown.

I have always used the 10mg Phenergan for the dogs and they can have one twice a day if necessary.

If the breeder does not test the rest of the litter and have the registrations corrected then the CC will demand that it is done. The rules are very clear about this now. In the case of this particular puppy that has already been tested, his papers can be corrected by the CC immediately proof of DNA testing is provided.

All my dogs have always eaten grass. Perfectly normal behaviour.

Able to be let off lead Don't think they are known for that particular trait.

It may have just occurred in one line that has died out, or it make have been hidden. Just because a condition once occured in a breed, it does not mean that it will always continue to occur. It also depends on the local gene pool in each country. Some conditions are common in one country but hardly ever seen in other countries in the same breed. The only way to really find out is to have DNA tests developed and used internationally. My breed, Border Collies, probably do more DNA testing than almost any other as we now have three conditions we can test for. The genes for CEA and TNS have proven to be widespread throughout the breed worldwide. CL, however was mainly found in dogs here despite being traced to the most likely source, a dog imported from the UK, many years ago. Epilepsy seems to be a concern in BCs overseas, but pretty rare here and CPRA and PLL used to be listed in everything as known genetic problems in BCs but seem to have completely disappeared from the breed. Years of eye testing before the CEA DNA test became available failed to reveal any other eye problems in Australian BCs. If a condition is reported in your breed, it is worth screening for but if no cases are seen in several generations then it probably never will be, unless you bring it in with an outcross. Dogs affected by genetic problems should not be bred unless the gene pool is so small that there is no option. Working out which parent the affected animal inherited the condition from can be difficult with dominant genes so avoiding breeding from the parents may be throwing the bay out with the bathwater. Without DNA tests the only solution to tracking down genetic defects, is good record keeping and absolute honesty between breeders.

The only breeds that come to mind from that description are possibly Hungarian Visla and Pointer. No idea on breeders, sorry. Minimum grooming and shedding limits you to breeds with really smooth, not just short coats so there is not going to be a lot of choices. Most short coated dogs shed more than long coats unless the coat is really thin and smooth. The complete non shedding coats, like Poodles, need lots of grooming. Add to that the requirement for them to not be independant and be able to be let off lead and it really narrows down the field.

A good greyhound chiropracter should be able to fix a sprung toe. It is a very common injury in racing greyhounds and Border Collies tend to get them as well. Sometimes the foot needs to be taped for a while to keep the toes together and the dog needs to be confined and rested for a couple of weeks after it is manipulated but they usually heal completely after treatment and rest. I can't believe a vet would tell you to just leave it and wait for arthritis to set in. A boot may help with the healing process and help prevent it happening again.

It would probably be best to ask Frozen Puppies these questions. They are the ones with the experience so should be able to give you stats on success rates and approx costs. It also depends on how the fresh chilled is to be inseminated. If it is surgically then there is probably not much difference to frozen unless the semen doesn't thaw well. How old is the dog? Many dogs don't freeze well after about 6 or 7 years of age, so that could be a decider. If the idea with the fresh chilled is to use it without going in surgically, then I would guess that the success rate would probably not be as high. As I understand it, the most accurate way with either is to do a surgical implant into the fallopian tubes.

7 months is definitely not too young. The chances of the testicles dropping after this would probably be almost negligable. I only know 2 dogs in 25 years that have had testicles drop after 6 months. IMO incompetant, lazy vet that just couldn't be bothered doing a more complex operation. I trust my vets to do a good job but never leave a dog for surgery. I book a time and wait while they are done so I am there if anything is not as expected. A couple of the vets even let me stay while they operate, but one recently wanted me to wait in the waiting room. Either way I was there and knew what was going on. Waited for the dog to come out of the anaesthetic and took her home.

I think I would be asking for the second operation free. You weren't consulted about the decision and they have made, and your dog has to suffer through 2 operations when one would have done the job with most vets. I would be complaining long and hard to whichever vet owns the practice over this. Then again maybe I would cut my losses and find a better vet.

Camarna in Austral run the best puppy school I know of. Cannot recommend it highly enough.

If you are open to other breeds, then you have described the perfect home for a Border Collie. The ultimate agility dog, easy to train, great house dogs, love to be with their owner, readily available, easy care long coat, very healthy breed. Price should be around $1000 for a puppy from parents with hip/elbow scores and three sets of DNA results for hereditary diseases.

Sorry, but I don't understand this at all. What makes the vet thinks the testicles will drop in another 3 or 4 months? If they are not down now they may never be down and if they are not down it is all the more reason to remove them. I have never heard of a vet doing this. They usually just make a bigger incision, find the testicles and remove them. Anybody else ever heard of a vet doing this?

I can highly recommend Alternative Therapies at Austral ph: 02 9606 8922. Located next to the vet clinic.

Me either and I have spent a lot of time in the waiting rooms or outside two very busy vets. I have seen plenty of people rock up with the animal loose in the car, go in and borrow a lead or a cat cage. Maybe our vets have their clients better trained. A frequent sight at our vets, though is birds not in cages. The owners just wander in with them on their shoulder but it never seems to cause a problem. The funniest sight I have seen in the waiting room was the guy who came to pick up his pet and transfered it from the vets carrier to his own in the waiting room. Everyone in the room tried to escape when he lifted his very large, very unhappy snake up to put it in a sack to take it home. You can always tell when the wildlife specaialist is on because everyone in the waiting room has a squirming hession sack. and anyone with dogs and cats is waiting outside.

Another vote here for the Kelpie. Great at obedience and agility and will probably get on better with your Kelpie cross than any of the others.

I have had a BC very ill for 24 hours after a C5. I never used the C5 again after that. mine just get a C3 and if they need KC for travel or kenneling I get the nasal spray one at a different time to the vaccine. Also dogs should not be overheated (including exercise) for at least 24 hours after any vaccine so make sure you keep them in out of this heat today.

I haven't read this whole thread but assume you are looking for a very trainable dog. If possible choose one that makes eye contact with you when you talk to them. You can teach this to a puppy but some are just born that way and they are so wonderful to train if they have that natural inclination. You will find as they grow that while the temperaments may be similar the personalities will all be different. Always choose a compatible personality, not on marking or any other cosmetic feature. The choice is best made at about 6 weeks or later and take notice of anything the breeder observes in their behaviour. No idea if you are looking to show or not, but if you are, conformation has to be the most important point.