Reddii

My two are at the vet every 8 weeks for a check up, but that's more to do with the fact that one of them is on a long road to recovery from a broken elbow and the other one is a sporting dog so I like to make sure nothing is out of place/alignment.

What is Bowen Therapy? - Pardon my ignorance. ETA - don't worry.....google is my friend.....thanks

Thanks Mell, We are already about 6 months into this so I know there is no such thing as a miracle cure, prey as I might! Good to hear you are getting some positive results. To see the little man's face when he can do something he hasn't before or has a short run around and is having fun makes it all worthwhile! Cheers. Tony R

The ongoing saga of CK's elbow continues. The break is now perfectly healed (x-rayed), but he is still a bit sore after vigorous exercise and our vet/chiro feels that the joint does not have total movement back. he is on a course of cartrophen injections and zeel tablets to add a buffer against arthritis while the healing hopefully contines - if he is not happy in another 4 weeks we are going to re-xray to look for bone spurs or any other problems that might have cropped up. Does anyone have any experience with Physios to compelement the chiro work we are having done. I know in the human world the two often don't like each other, but they do work well in combination. Also - can anyone recommend a brisbane based physio. Thanks Tony R

My dogs LOVE to help me in the garden so we work on that. they also love to find the cats. Great idea - I'll have to do more of it.

This is all so funny - my dogs are really normal then. I knew a lot of what I was in for when I decided to take on BC's, but some of it is still coming as a surprise. The best thing is the more I learn the more they learn and the more it is rewarding.

I know exactly how unco I am - boys should not dance unless drunk and should not try agility with a fast dog unless.......still trying to work that out. Maybe one day it will come to me. Good to hear another view. T

I would be trying the herding before you put too much obedience on him, as I have found dogs with alot of obedience are sometimes hard to turn on as they are always looking for the handler and it masks the dog natural ability Tracey Thanks to all for your responses. Didn't think about that Tracey. Do you think 10 months is too young to introduce them to sheep? Also, once we introduce them to sheep do you advise obedience on going or are they not compatible? Cheers. Tony

I know I have a BC - believe me, I know. He is the good one, the other one is the reason BC's end up in rescue, total psycho and totally obsessed. Funny part is CK's Kennel name is 'Totally Obsessed and Xena is the more obsessive one!!!! I had a nasty feeling this might be the type of answer I get. It's not a problem, just not ideal and something I have to look out for - part of the breed I love. The kids are a bit young, but fortunately they are all about the same age so in another few years they can all learn about fetch together. Don't worry about the dogs being bored or under stimulated. CK is about to begin basic agility and flyball will follow shortly. Xena is already going to both - she hates obedience though so we don't take her there - she is pretty good, but hates it and I find it tends to interfere with agility as she constantly wants to be on my left and works much better on that side. She also does frisbee and he is about to start with more than just rolling frisbees as well. All in all it's 4 nights a week, plus the weekend. Once CK is a bit more settled at obedience I'm going to look to get into herding as well. Used to have a life before I got my dogs, now they are my life!

The behaviour itself doesn't worry me at present, but we have a number of young children in the extended family who we see quite often. At this stage the kids are not old enough to be let out of sight, but it is not too far off that they will be able to play in the yard on their own. I'm not suggesting the dogs would be let run loose with them, but I also don't want any accidents if we take our eyes off them for 2 seconds. The dogs are part of the family and we are not keen on having to seperate them from us or keep them on lead every time we see the family for the next 5 years or so. Maybe I'm not being realistic - if so then I'll have to work out another way to manage it, looking for any opinions though. Cheers. Tony

Hey all, Mr CK is now just shy of 10 months and after our broken elbow/keep quite problems is coming along really well. One little concern I have is that he is beginning to herd everything (well, he is a BC) and the force is strong in this one. I can recall him from whatever he is doing, but the point is I'd rather not have to call him out of every interaction with another dog/cat/bird and potentially child, although we haven't had that problem yet. Any ideas on the best way to manage this situation before it gets out of hand. He is currently at level 3 in obedience, loves it and I want us to trial in time. I will probably also introduce him to sheep, agility and flyball in the coming 12 months so I don't really want to extinguish the behaviour all together. I'm not aware of any leadership issues and both my dogs will do exactly what they are told when they are told (depending on their level of training of course) and if not will correct their behavior with one step in their direction and a look or at worst a harsh word. We do have some doggy dominance issues at present as the balance of power seems to be shifting from 14month Xena (tiny BC bitch) to CK who is much bigger and more willful. That's about all I can think of. Any help would be appreciated. Cheers. Tony

My two get checked every 6 to 8 weeks beginning about 6 months ago. Xena had a couple of small alignment issues the first time she went which were fixed then and there - has been fine since. If we hadn't fixed that at the time the vet/chiro felt it would have progressed to something a bit more sinister. CK got his first check up and then promptly broke an elbow so we've been going back with him any way. They will continue to go while ever a. I can afford it and b. they are sporting dogs. CK isn't yet, but best to start young IMO.

just spoke with OH and CK is running around tossing his squeaky toy in the air and catching it - sure sign he is on the mend and going insane after 4 days either crated or in his run without a walk! Can't wait to get home and get a big kiss! (from OH as well )

Thanks Rappie, I guess that's part of my thought process. Would have been nice to know what the potential for problems is, rather than the 'take this it is good for him' approach. Part of the problem as I said is that OH is very accepting of what professionals say where as I'll ask questions to the point of being painful. I'm not hysterical, just looking for some opinions on whether the drug is appropriate. It has definitely helped and the boy is much better again today. Cheers. Tony

She is a pretty little thing, but the imposter won't want to know - she is amazing - totally focussed on one of three things.......tennis ball, tuggie or me probably in that order. Sorry to break it to you, but Bronx is 'only' a dog. The only two dogs she has any interest in (apart from CK who is like an annoying little brother that has to be pulled in to line occasionally) are our in-laws' bitsa and sometimes a little kelpie girl at flyball. Makes training that much easier - one less thing I have to contend with any way! See you Monday.

We've been keeping CK quiet for the last 5 months after his broken elbow - another week hasn't hurt! I'd just had the big chat from the nurse when I went to pick him up on Tuesday night then she went in to get him. I was standing calmly all ready to receive a dopey eyed sook and down the hallway from the recovery area came bounding the dumbest looking BC you've ever seen, complete with idiotic grin!! It's slowed him up a bit, but this morning he was back to his usual nut bag (pardon the pun) self. I'll check with the vet and see what they think about training on Monday night - I might have to turn up with an imposter......

Thanks all for your responses. I just have a feeling that this vet tends to over prescribe/sell every time we go in there - he's caring and personable, but we always come away with more than I feel we need. Problem is that OH took him to the vet and she tends not to ask as many questions as I do or look behind why we are doing something. It's only another day on the stuff and CK is MUCH better today - the problem area is not nearly as angry looking. I think in future that we will be looking to our 'other' vet for anything other than the dreaded annual shots. Both vets know we use two for different things so there is no problem there. Cheers. Tony

Mr 9 months (BC and VERY well endowed) has just been desexed. The incision itself is fine and seems to be healing well, but the scrotum is quite inflamed and a bit swollen. We took CK back to the vet because it just didn't look right and after speaking with one of the nurses at training she thought it would be a good idea. OH took the little man in and came away with some anti-biotics for what the vet felt was an infection and 3 days worth of Rimadyl. Having read some interesting things about the drug I was wondering if anyone had an opinion about whether it is an appropriate drug, given he wasn't in major discomfort. If so should we have been told to look for any side effects or am I just being paranoid? Cheers. Tony

Great, we can keep training!!

I used to think they were cruel until I started training at my club. Yes they -can- be cruel, if used incorrectly by idiots who lose their tempers! But if used properly, I don't believe they are. Funny you should say that. I trained my little girl originally with a check chain and blamed a shy period on the chain. As a result my little boy had never had a check chain near him until last week, but went through a shy period about 400 times worse than the girl did. At nine months Xena (girl) was WAY more dependable than CK is, but different dog granted. I got sick of fighting with them about putting their halti on last week and decided to give the check chains a go again. Now come walk time instead of having to work hard to get them to come to me I have two dogs that run up and sit in front of me with their heads in the air. Not to mention two dogs that heel almost perfectly, even being walked together. If anything it has increased CK's focus on me as well. I totally agree about check chains and idiots though - there was guy in my obedience classes with a dobe he used to jerk around dreadfully on the chain - the instructors even had to pull him up a few times because he got WAY too carried away with correction. I'll be continuing to use mine. For the record CK started his obedience training at the RSPCA and is pretty good at nine months, but the last week has seen a big change in him (apart from losing his boy bits ) and at obedience (club, not RSPCA) on Monday night he put in his best performance yet. Moral - if it works and the dog likes it then it can't be cruel.......can it.....???

Thanks Tassie OMG this is SO much of my problems as a handler. So long as I don't start thinking we will usually run clean. Unfortunately for Trim, I think far too often. I am trying so hard to overcome it. I often find myself half way around a course that we are running clean & think "oh, that was a nice turn" or "will have to work on getting that a bit better at training next week". And that's it. Once I have disconnected, I have lost the ability to have split the second timing on my commands & handling that I need to run her. I'm sure if she could, Trim would slap me but the filthy look she usually gives me is puishment enough. The good news is that I am getting better, just not quickly enough. Guys and girls, Thanks to you all for your answers - rather than answering your excellent questions Vickie I think it is suffice to say that I need to be patient and stop thinking, then keep working towards consistency. I know what you mean by filthy looks - sometimes I think Xena thinks I'm just there to slow her down. I'll jump on the other boards/sites and start to read more. Thanks again.

Now that's funny!! and gives me heart! We always have fun - until miss loses focus like she did last night and then it's just funny. She'd had a big day because I was home and she had to help dig holes in between playing frisbee - so I was surprised when she worked well for 45 minutes before going off with the pixies. Sorry to go off topic, but it was very cute - refused the tyre (ran under it) and then ran through the cloth tunnel (favourite equipment atm). We kept dropping they tyre to end on a win as it was clear she'd had enough work, but by the finish she was almost crawling to get under it - cheeky monkey! I think I gotta get one of those shirts - it's pretty clear I'm just there to hold her back!!

Hey all, Another great night at agility last night for Xena - just not so sure about my ability! My question relates to your ability, not your dogs, or even the two of you as a team. As I see it Obedience makes sense, albeit challenging to improve on the finer points. Flyball is really easy - rev them up and let them go (well, almost), but agility is proving to be a real challenge. I find it difficult to be consistent and to reward where and when I get the right behaviour. I understand the theory, but it just seems my timing sux. Overall the trainers are being great and quite patient, but I'm getting frustrated - not so much at the time, but when I sit down and think about how the night went most of the mistakes are mine and I seem to be making the same ones, or a closely related one time and time again. How long did it take you? Is there hope for me? Cheers. Tony

Hey Kit Kat, I was there with CK in your class last night - the idiot BC who wouldn't stop staring at you/your boy - have to keep working on that before he gets himself out of his depth! Hopefully the little op he's having today will fix that. ;) For me it's pretty funny to read this post and relate to my situation. I put a similar one up the other week when my girl pulled a similar stunt while I had CK in a seperate class. It really annoyed/embarrassed me I have to say, but your boy last night didn't bother me at all - I think we are all so conscious of what our own are doing, but others don't seem to bother us. CK has done the same thing at flyball while Xena is working for about he last 8 weeks, but all of a sudden last week not a sound. (He is crated in the car because we can park almost on the field.) I wouldn't worry too much about it - your boy will stop when he realises he isn't going to get anything out of making the noise - might just take a while. See you next week. Cheers. Tony

mmmmm........hard to see how this one could be true when they run obedience classes themselves - granted not to bring dogs up to trial standard, but still.....