Diva

The only real bottom line is that the diet works for you and your dogs.

11.15 will be fine, try not to worry.

I'd suggets a vaccination lump as well given the position. It wouldn't necessarily be painful. Most just go away but I had one last for months. Dogs do get fatty lumps, but that would be very young for them, I've only ever had them in geriatrics. They also get less benign tumours, but again not likely at that age.

Why feed a raw meat diet? For me it seems odd to feed highly processed and often imported kibbles where I am just taking on faith the quality of the ingredients used, in preference to locally sourced meat/bones/offal where I have a more direct knowledge of what they are really getting. I try not to to eat huge amounts of highly processed foods myself, so it's all really a related perspective. I'm not fanactial about their diet or mine, but some things just make sense. I love the energy levels, coat quality, muscle tone, small non-smelly stools and general health they show on the raw diet, if they didn't do well on it I wouldn't persist. I don't really buy the 'feed them like wolves' argument, but I do think dogs are primarily carnivores, not obligate carnivores like cats but primarily designed for a meat diet all the same. I'll feed grains, vegies etc, and premium kibble, but they are minor parts of the diet. I often, but not always, get their offal and game meats from organic butchers - the offal because I tend to think the liver and kidneys would be where pestcides etc would be concentrated so if there is any benefit to buying organic it would be for those cuts, and the game meats just because they carry them. The offal at the organic butchers is much the same price as elsewhere so it's no sacrifice. I still use normal worming preparations because I don't know of a really effective alternative. I have only had fleas here once, when a new puppy arrived with them, and I used a chemical product to eliminate them. I use the three yearly protocol for vaccinations, and as long as I continue to participate in dog sports where vaccination is a requirement I'll continue to do so.

Dogs have died in Canberra from bluegreen algae exposure, usually makes the newspaper when it happens as a warning to others. Not sure if any dogs were affected this year but the main lake was closed to swimming and boating for a while because of the risk to human health.

While I wouldn't tell you your dogs shouldn't tell their pesterer to bug off, I also don't recall you saying that dog was snarling and nipping. In fact you said it was friendly. Not acceptable even so, but not really the same situation IMHO.

My point was really that the rules should by the same. I don't think it's OK to be bitten by a small or large dog, nor to have my dogs attacked by either, and the risk of harm does not excuse. I don't think you were saying it does, but it's such a common excuse and one I am very sick of - if the aggression of small dogs damages my young large dog's attitude to dogs in the future, that's harm and harm that it's going to take me a lot of effort to reverse. If small dogs react differently to large I don't care, as long as their reactions are not inflicted on me and mine. I am mainly talking about on lead walking along footpaths and suburban pathways - in an off lead area there is always the risk of a badly behaved dog and I take that into account. But I shouldn't have to be dodging small out of control dogs on flexi leads or dogs rushing out of yards whose owners think it's all 'cute' and 'harmless'. Years ago one of my dogs reacted to such an attack by picking the small dog up in his canines and throwing it about 3 metres away. The owner was shocked, but lucky her JRT got away with just 4 puncture wounds. Had my dog wanted to do harm as opposed to just get shot of the pest, the result would have been very different. I can't understand why some people think the onus is on me to protect their dogs because mine are bigger, when mine are on leash, calm and legal, and theirs are off lead, aggressive and out of control. Defies logic. Apologies for venting, it was a bad weekend for aggro little dogs around here .

Not silly enough to let their small dogs tangle with a staffy? You are blessed. In my neighbourhood they are quite happy to let their small dogs leap to bite the faces of two adult sighthounds weighing 45 kg and 36 kgs respectively. They must assume my guys are gentle giants who will take all and any crap without retaliating, but they too are just dogs, and have their limits. I won't be aplogising if they get pushed past them.

Once they are on the supplements they should stay on them, not necessarily the same product but those same 2 key ingredients. The product I use on my old dog has a warning to that effect but I'm not sure they all do. I have been advised that you can increase the chance of joint problems by supplementing for a few months/years then tiring of it and stopping.

I'd expect both to be charged with assault, not the little lady excused and laughed about because she is little. That is too often what happens for little dogs. And if little dog owners are worried about the harm a wayward big paw can do, they need to be as watchful as I am - I don't let my guys go off lead around little unknown dogs and owners and just run up to them, but that caution isn't reciprocated.

We need more owners like you Cavalier

This is timely for me having had a few bad experiences on walks lately and needing to vent. I have big dogs. I think my dogs think bad manners are bad manners. They may not feel as threatened by a small dog behaving agressively towards them, but they will be p*****d off, and even frightened and confused when youngsters. So then their own attitude to other dogs can get affected, and I fail to see why that is OK. I'm lucky that I have friends and dog club acquaintances with very well behaved small dogs who I can socialise my dogs with, which is especially important when they are young and developing their behavioural repetoire. But on the street I have had some appalling examples of people walking snarling snapping small dogs - only small - on flexi leads getting right in my dogs' faces, even though I'm almost walking in the traffic to avoid them, and off lead small dogs rushing out of yards as I walk past and doing the same. Of course big dogs off lead (in on lead areas) are bad too and I have experienced that as well - but the owners of these smaller dogs have acted like it doesn't matter, and is even funny or something to be proud of, because the dogs are little. Only when I have said that I will not intervene to stop my large dogs retaliating as much as they want if they are bitten first has the look on the owners' faces changed and they have reeled their dogs back in. (It's not true, but it makes the point) All dogs may sometimes behave badly, but if your dog is trouble, keep it close! It doesn't matter what the size is.

If she understands the training game I'd be wondering if her backend awareness needs work, as Nekhbet suggested. More a physical development issue than a training one. Walking over a horizontal ladder just off the ground (so each leg has to be lifted consciously), backing up, going slowly up and down stairs can all help.

I don't know a massage therapist, but Sandra Hassett at the Animal Medical Centre in Phillip is both a vet and an animal chiropractor, ph 62852637, while Allan McRae does both horse and dog chiropractic work, 0429723237.

Accidently came across a reference to a study Tuffts University in the USA are running on borderline thyroid issues and owner directed agression, it's only just starting by the look of it. www.hsvma.org/pdf/tufts_study_ad_v2.pdf.

Yes, that's how it is here. And if the vaccination card says he is due this year then he didn't get the 3 year shot - unless if just says that Bortadella/parainfluenza is due this year, that is just the canine cough bit. If in doubt maybe drop into a vet surgery and ask the nurse to interpret. I think the KC vaccine is not worth it, but boarding kennels ask for it.

The 'core' most serious diseases can now be covered by a 3 year vaccine. Some vets like and use it, some don't, but it is an accepted protocol. I have heard different versions of whether it is a new vaccine or just a version of the old one, I don't know. If you want your dog covered for kennel cough it is an annual injection (or nasal spray) in addition to the 3 yearly shot, but it is only for kennel cough (kind of like an annual 'flu vaccine in humans). My vet only charges about $18 dollars for that visit, and the only reason I have it is that I board my dogs occassionally. Otherwise the efficiacy of the kc vaccine (it only covers a few strains of the organisms that can cause kc so your dog can get it even if vaccinated) vs the seriousness of disease (in most dogs it's like a bad cold) would lead me not to bother.

I don't think I could ensure success if it is not an exercise the dog is already proficient in - how can I make sure a dog won't break the stay? I do aim for errorless learning in stays but I can't guarantee it. I tend to think of primary reinforcers as things the dog needs, but I'm OK if people think touch is one of those. Not sure my snooty sighthounds would agree they need it, but it is reasonably effective for them. Staranais, I've always called them a KGS too.

Yep. Exactly how I would think they would used in that exercise.

That's our point of difference then, to me the clicker or my 'terminal' marker word are always reinforced. Not always with a primary reinforcer as often for my dogs praise, touch and play are meaningful enough, but it's part of my contract with them that they are always reinforced somehow as part of the training game if I click or tell them 'yes'. So if you click then use an intermittent bridge, but the dog doesn't complete the behaviour, does it still get the 'something good'? If not doesn't your click become 'something good might be coming' which changes the meaning a lot? This is why I don't click then use an intermittent bridge.

I thought both the IB and terminal bridges were 'bridges' between the behaviour and the primary reinforcer, not necessarily two behaviours. Jules, do you give a primary reinforcer after the first click?

But in that model I'd treat after the click, a click is always a terminal bridge for me. So I might cue stay 'good, good, good' click, primary reinforcer. But not click then use an IB - that sequence is wrong for mine.

There are a number of imports around from the USA, Sweden, UK, Russia and I think there's one from Hungary too. How unrelated they are once you go back more than a couple of generations is not something I have checked, sometimes they look fairly unrelated over five generations but not once you dig deeper. The imports from each country are often related themselves as a small number of overseas kennels are heavily represented. I used to think a small gene pool was likely to be an issue, particularly given the effect on the breed of the Russian revolution. But I recently came across a 2002 Russian study of genetic diversity in the breed and it was higher than I expected. IMO the thing which has preserved its fairly good health status is that it was bred up until modern times as a performance animal and tested in the field. As that rigourous selection process becomes less of an influence over time and selection for show perfomance becomes the main criteria more problems may well arise. The influence of lure coursing in some countries may be a balance to that, as long as the breed doesn't split into coursing and show types.

1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc) I am a long time pet owner, who shows sometimes, does a bit of obedience training and, recently, lure coursing. All of my responses below are drawn from my own experience or personal research - but I don't claim to be a breed expert and I hope a Borzoi breeder will come into the thread eventually to post their perspective. 2. Where and why was the breed first developed? The Borzoi is a Russian breed which hunts by sight, traditionally using its speed to catch hares, foxes, and wolves. In the early days of the breed in the Western world it was often called the Russian Wolfhound, but Borzoi is the official name. 'Borzoi' is derived from a Russian word for 'swift' and can be applied to other sighthounds in its country of origin - the full Russian name for the breed is Russkaya Psovaya Borzaya, which very roughly translates as Russian long-coated sighthound. Borzoi-like dogs have been known from Russia since the 13th century, and some authorities claim as far back as the 11th century. The first 'standard' for the breed was written in the 17th century, and the breed is said to derive from sighthound breeds from countries to the south, such as Arabia, mixed with longer-coated Russian shepherd and bear hunting dogs to improve the breed's ability to survive harsh local conditions. By the mid-19th century, wolf hunting with Borzoi was a favoured sport of the Russian aristocracy. Hunting parties could consist of over one hundred Borzoi, which may represent a number of estates with many kennels breeding their dogs for a specific coat color or physical type. When a wolf was spotted, three dogs, normally a dog and two bitches, were slipped to pursue the wolf and capture, pin and hold it until the hunter on horseback arrived. While hunting ability was paramount, the Russian elite also wanted a spectacle, and the appearance of the hounds was considered important too. The breed fared poorly during the Russian revolution, being too associated with the hated nobility, but is still hunted (not on wolves!) as well as shown in Russia today. 3. How common is it in Australia? The breed was a little more popular in the eighties, but has never been a common dog here. Currently somewhere between 40-120 are probably bred in any given year. 4. What is the average lifespan? 10-13 years. 5. What is the general temperament/personality? Mine have been very bonded, gentle and affectionate with their family, friendly with everyone as youngsters but becoming more aloof and reserved with strangers as they matured. They are a usually a quiet breed, well behaved in the house, graceful and elegant, quite dignified in public but with the ability to be a total clown in private. They are well mannered and easy to train for day-to-day behaviours, but are not natural obedience competitors, although they can reach the highest levels of competition when trained with commitment and the right approach. They do not usually thrive with rough or harsh handling, and aren't a good breed for ill-mannered children. They can have a strong prey drive and love of the chase and should be well socialised as youngsters with smaller dogs and any other animals you want them to behave well around as adults. They should not be let off-lead in unfenced areas, as their chase instinct can kick in and when running flat out they have little regard for traffic or other hazards. If not trained and socialised otherwise they may be a hazard themselves to small, fluffy, fast-moving critters. 6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult? A 45 minute walk a day has been plenty for mine, as long as they get the occassional free run in a large safe area where they can really open up and sprint. 7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? Yes, but only if they understand what they are getting - that a Borzoi is a big, fast, and sometimes independent-natured dog with a sighthound temperament, definately not a run-of-the-mill dog. A puppy should be selected to match the household as the differences in temperament between puppies can be significant. I have had Borzoi pups that have been perfectly behaved from the time they landed paw in my house, and others who were full-on and over the top until they matured. A novice owner should aim for a more laid back individual. Having said that, my first dog was a Borzoi and it was a completely wonderful experience. 8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? Some adults can, but it is not preferred. 9. How much grooming is required? A good thorough brush once a week is enough for most of the year for a non-show dog, and that could take anything from 1/2 hour to an hour depending on how much coat the dog has. A couple of times a year coats will change and more grooming is needed then to avoid coat ending up everywhere. The coat is a lot easier to look after than it looks and, apart from a few areas on the body, is not particularly prone to knotting if it has the correct texture. 10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)? An adult Borzoi can be very gentle in its interaction with people. Puppies vary in their boisterousness but I think they would generally be too big and bouncy for the infirm or for small children without good management. Few Borzoi like rough handling and small children should always be supervised when with them, for both the dog's and child's sake. 11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of? Some claim there are no hereditary problems in the breed but heart, eye and thryoid issues are not unknown. Bloat and bone cancer are also diseases the breed can suffer from, but I am not sure if they arise from the breed's build and size, triggered perhaps by environmental factors, rather than from a specific genetic basis - although some lines may be more susceptible than others. 12. When buying a puppy, what are the things you should ask of the breeder? (eg what health tests have been done (if applicable) and what is an acceptable result to those tests so the buyer has an idea of what the result should be). See at least the dam of the litter for yourself, some individuals can be shy and the temperament of the dam is important. Ask to see other realtives if you can for the same reason, and quiz the breeder on the health of their stock - although as no health testing is commonly done you will have little to go on there. If you feel uncomfortable, try another breeder. A novice owner is probably going to want a good source of advice as the dog grows, and you will do better with a breeder willing to stay engaged with you as questions arise. (edited for clarity)

I think they are prone to infection if they are deep and the top heals over while infection festers underneath. If they are not too deep I'd just keep doing what you are doing. Poor boy.