B-Q

It bugs me to no end when people don't consider the difference breed makes when choosing a puppy. I did want to chime in though and say please don't be asking them to isolate their puppy untill after their vacc are complete (I assume 12 weeks?) If they do this they are missing vital time where they can be socialising the pup. Be smart about it, don't take an unvacc'd puppy to a dog park but it should be out in their arms atleast seeing the sights, sounds and smells of the world. Seeing cars, buses, trains, people, busy area's, quiet area's, people on skateboards, motorbikes etc. Missing out on these things can leave lifelong scars on how a dog see's the world and how they function in it. Be smart about it but for gods sake please get the dog out and socialising.

We have 10 acres but the dogs don't have free run of it. We have a dog fenced houseyard that is bigger than a normal backyard but Quinn doesn't self excercise generally so she needs effort put in everyday. She does need a chance to really strecth her legs atleast a few times a week so for that I usually use a tennis racket+tennis ball and either go down tot he back paddocks or down tot he football field and wack the ball around for a while. I rarely go for leashed walks unless we have somewhere to go for her to socialise and train in new environments (that seems to wear her out a lot) I bike with her a bit but my area's kinda hilly so there arn't many places we can go. I jog a couple of times a week and take Quinn for that but even 6km or 8km barely wears her out because I'm slow so its only a slow trot for her, she usually does zoomies when we get home. Training is always very helpful. Shaping tricks with a clicker will make her use her brain. I'm instructing at a training group now so Quinn gets to come to training with me a couple of times a week, eventhough she sits in her crate for more than 3 hours most times to get out at the end for 15 or 30 minutes. She gets a lot out of it just from sitting and watching all the action and its helped reduce her reacticity mountains.

I can't really add any more to your original question but is she irresponsibly breeding puppies from these dogs? If not then why such a push to get her to desex them? 3 of our 4 dogs (all our girls) are entire. None are registered, none have had pups and none are going to. (with the possible expection of one although that will totally depend on what sort of working dog she turns out to be and is only a vague blip on the horizon atm) Quinn is 2.5, entire and I'd like to compete with her in agility. I'm not in a huge rush to desex her although I likely will because she gets the worst PMS I have ever seen. But my next dog, a male, I would like to keep entire. Reproductive organs doesn't automatically equal irresponsible owner and BYB puppies. There are reasons we have chosen not to desex our bitches and I don't think that makes us worse dog owners. /rant over I didn't know a dog had to be desexed to be on the associate register till now either.

I made an order the other day and was so restrained. Only spent $25.... just when back and spent $130. Can't wait for them to arrive.

I just watch the two episodes on abc2's website. I think it's probably the best dog show I've seen on TV in a long time. I absolutley agree that your general leadership skills have more of an effect on your dogs than we expect and it does come easier to some people. We've had ongoing dog to dog aggression issues in our house for years and really pulling together our leadership skills has made probably the biggest difference regarding this and our overall control of our lot. And this is a house that is responsible and owners that actively and regularly train with their dogs. Not being doormats anymore (something none of us had relised we'd slipped into the habit of so much) has made a huge difference. And nothing we've changed has been overly aversive to the dogs, there are no alpha rolls or the like but things like ignoring them when we get home, getting them to move if they are in the way and not giving them all the free love they ask for has improved their recall, self control, greetings and alert barking aswell as improved the tormented 14 year old cats life that has the joy of living in a house of 4 dogs including 2 young, rambunctious working dogs who like to think he is there purely for their entertainment. Quinn is particularly fast to take advantage of me when she can and it's probably the thing that has caused most the issues I've come up against with her. So yes, I think that episode was totally relavent to their issues at home. I like the show - it shows dogs in a positive light, placing the blame fair on owners shoulders. It't tackling the big issues facing dogs in society right now. It will hopefully continue to impress me.

2 words. Slippery Slope. I think we need more effort put in to promoting responsible ownership and cracking down on the people that don't follow the adequate, sometimes overbearing rules we already have.

I'll be there. :) All booked in for a weekend in Cairns. My real life name is Maggie so keep an eye out for me. I know of atleast one other DOLer going.

Yes we are on acreage, no thats not all you need to own a BC. She spends most of her day asleep inside and doesn't self excercise (or self train btw) I'd happily move Quinn into an apartment so long as I could give her a good walk/run everyday. Oh, and while we're on it. Yes, she's a BC. Nope, no husky, no basenji and no kelpie.

Buster is 7.5 years older than Quinn. She is just on 2 now. I want to wait till she's about 5 to add another dog but it will depend more on when I'm happy with her training and where she is.

My mother or brother would take Buster, she would take Quinn aswell but I think atleast atm Quinn is a bit more dog than she would ideally want to handle so I've told her if she wanted to rehome her to a good sport/pet home I wouldn't mind. That being said - she's well in love with her and don't think she could give her up.

I'm still crazy about BC's, my next dog will be another one then I want to start looking at Malinois. I'd also one day like to own a Kelpie (or a few), Borzoi, Greyhound, Bullmastiff, Pug, Rottweiler, German Shorthaired Pointer, Field Lab, Field ESS. Need to stop looking at other breeds.

Just found Quinn chewing on one of those silica "Do Not Eat" packs you get in some foods or vitamins or shoes or whatever. We are usually really careful to make sure they are all thrown out straight away to avoid this but we obvisouly missed one. How worried should I be? I don't think she condsumed much of it, what (if anything) should I be watching for?

I thinks she's great and I've been crazy for clicker traiing since I picked up my first clicker. I LOVE watching them work it out and its such a fast way to teach. I taught Quinn to open a cupboard door, take out an item, close the door and bring the item to me in about 4 sessions thanks to her being so clicker savvy. Emily Larlham is actually coming to Aus later in the year to do a seminar at camp tailwaggers. I can't wait.

For my two. 2 wire crates 1 soft crate in need of repair 4 dog beds 2 training bags 6 leashes 12 collars 10+ Tugs 2 flirtpoles (one homemade - ones an old lunge whip) 2 long lines 2 training bags. 1 crate cover 15+ clickers (I lose them constantly so I just have heaps on hand now) 3 nail clippers 5 brushes (only one dog gets the occasional brush) 2 harnesses Badly in need of building/buying some proper agility stuff.

So for christmas I got Mum a big photoframe with room for three photos in it. I wanted to get a few of her new puppy to go in it and was hoping I could get some in "series" So yesterday I was out taking photos of puppy in the evening and got these three nice ones where Mum lent in to kiss her on the head. My sister jumped into the back of the shot though. Could anyone cut the legs out of these pics by any chance?