Diva

I've never heard of it as a general behavioural tool. I have heard of it as way to improve a dog's food drive in training, the same way some people deprive their dog of attention outside of training or trailling so they have a more intense focus on the trainer. I've also heard of it as a dietary measure, part of a prey model diet - for the reasons Kirislin mentioned.

I don't think it matters much if she doesn't want to eat a lot yet, her insides will be very irritated. Little and often is probably the go. But it is very important she drinks and keeps her fluids up.

I've won cash and sash at country shows, so some must do it. I like cash but wouldn't like it to become the standard at every show, every so often is good. I've appreciated some useful prizes like stainless steel water bowls, good quality travel mugs, towels, wine, china platters, ordinary china mugs (but one of which actually looked second hand ) One show had vouchers for the photographer that was present, that was fun. With the crate mats - I am grateful for anything really but the ones given out are so small they are a bit useless for me, my cat has a sizable collection of bed options thanks to in-group prizes. I'd rather no prize than one that looks really tatty, a small amount of cash is better than an item I'm going to donate to the op shop the next week. I'd rather a great looking sash and no prize to that!

my list would be - good judges, that don't have a rep for being 'facey' and that haven't recently judged in the area. Specialists or overseas are a plus - back to back shows - a friendly committee that knows the importance of good signage and clean toilets - grounds that aren't small and cramped, and not prickle invested - dog friendly accomodation nearby if more than 2-3 hrs from home (I don't camp either) - on-line entries - decent coffee

Hang in there, you knew this may happen and it doesn't mean she won't pull through. Sending good healing vibes your way.

Sorry to hear that Keisha, but it's better to have a diagnosis at least. Now you can concentrate on managing the symptoms.

Of course.

Can't say that I hate them uniformally, the state and territory branches operate with some autonomy and they aren't all the same. But too little oversight, too little effectiveness, too much arrogance and an empire building mentality are the themes that come through in the experiences related on this forum. I think the ACT branch is quite good, but elsewhere DoLers have raised issues like: -they have legislated enforcement powers but without the usual accountability and oversight that would apply if it were a gov't agency with the enforcement role, which is a basic failure of governance (this is a very reasonable concern everywhere IMO), - many people have reported cruelty and neglect cases without any response from the organisation, or have tracked individual cases where dogs were exploited for their fund raising appeal but didn't have good outcomes, so they have a direct personal sense of disappointment in their effectiveness or level of care, - they are currently pushing an anti-pure breed anti-reg breeder attitude and jumping on the 'pedigree dogs exposed' media bandwagon, including pushing in various ways for very restrictive arrangements for reg breeders - they have been seen to go after a couple of breeders in ways that that look like they aren't prioritising real abuse but would rather get an easy win over trivia, no matter what the emotional cost to the person involved or the negative effects on the dogs, - they look to favour the high profile, high donor effect TV show type action for maximum fund raising effect, even when it includes misinformation or pure hype, - they appear to have significant finances but are always crying poor, so people think they spend to much on administration and empire building - they had an role in bringing in BSL, and while that has changed in some places some of their spokespeople still express a strong anti-apbt bias. Not all though.

It would depend on breed when we had afghans we found that you never left them at home at age as that is when you could lose them totally. Oh yes, it depends on the breed and the dog. Some dogs don't have that second fear period at all, or don't seem to. By spell her I don't necessarily mean leave her at home, but I wouldn't keep her in the ring scared, she just gets more opportunities to rehearse scared behaviours and embed the ring as a bad place in her mind. If she were mine I'd take her to places, let her be at shows but not shown for a few weekends, run her around empty rings with dogs she knows and trusts behind her so she has less reason to worry, then try unknown but non-threatening dogs, reinforce calmness etc. But they aren't instant fixes.

Some pups go through a second fear period somewhere between 8 and 16 months. If it's that, I'd spell her until her she comes out the other side of that.

Chicken meal is 'the dry rendered product from a combination of clean chicken flesh and skin with or without accompanying bone, derived from whole carcasses of chicken, exclusive of feathers, heads, feet and entrails'. It's dried meat and skin, may include bone, doesn't include feathers or guts. I have no problem with a product listing 'meal' from a named animal source. If it lists 'by-products' , or just meat or meat meal without a named animal, I run a mile.

I have the sort called, I think, Polar Pads. Gel filled but with a quilted effect so the gel stays evenly distributed. Dry, they are thin and you can feel the gel beads, wet the beads fill and swell. The mats stay cool to lie on. They should only take up 1/3 to a 1/2 of a crate floor so the dog can move on or off them as they feel hot or not. My dogs get them in their x pen at shows in hot weather and it's noticable how they actively use them. They move onto them as the day heats up, first their heads, then as the day gets hotter their whole body, then off again if it cools off etc. The mats are still as cool to the touch at the end of the day as at the start. I find mine great. Not sure those posted would be as effective, depends on the gel used I think.

How very sad for you. She looks like a lovely pup. Her best chance is to be at the vet and on a drip, I hope she pulls through.

Yep. It doesn't seem to work with her coat, she ends up with oily residue but it doesn't help the matting. Good idea.

I think you'd ask Domestic Animal Services (DAS) which comes under TAMS (Territory and Municipal Services). You can probably get to them through Canberra Connect. For info - extract from the ACT Domestic Animals Act 2000: (2) The keeper of a dog commits an offence if the dog attacks or harasses a person or animal when it is not with a carer. Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units. (3) In a prosecution for an offence against subsection (2), it is a defence if— (a) the defendant establishes that the person or animal provoked the dog; or (b) the person or animal was attacked or harassed because the dog came to the aid of its keeper, or another person or animal that the dog could reasonably be expected to protect; or © if the attack or harassment was on premises occupied by the defendant, the defendant establishes that— (i) the person was on the premises without reasonable excuse; or (ii) the person failed to take reasonable care for the person’s own safety.

Thanks ssm! I'd like to try the drape. She's a gorgeous girl. Never shown as she damaged a foot and carpal joint at 8 weeks, before she came to me.

Thanks. I can probably get a sample of LL Drape from a friend who uses it to try before I buy. The IOD stand turns up at some local shows so will check out the mist. I just ordered some pp coat revivia and also while on line spotted their coat rescue, so will try those on her first. Will also try stripping her while lathered up in the bath and pick up a slick and easy stone to use as per Showdogs suggestion. By the time we are finished she'll be looking like a supermodel again, LOL. I certainly won't be rushing out to get either of the others desexed, that's for sure!

I condition when I bath her, but try not to do that too often. Usually use Laserlites protein treatment on her but will check out those 2 products, thanks. Normally when I see a coat that dry I think diet, but supplements haven't helped and the other 2 on the same diet gleam. I have the same problem. How about Swishy Coat? Personally I don't think it's tremendous, but I know others who love it. Worth a try, thanks!

Yes. They were. Oh yes

Yep, I do pluck that bit in the middle of her head, I just hadn't recently when she posed herself for that shot - mine never look their best when there is a camera handy, LOL. I hand pluck the fluff behind her ears too, but I do that for all 3 as it is the coat most likely to knot. I haven't tried the the elastic band, I'll give that a go. Thanks for the suggestion.

Thanks Showdog, I can try doing it the bath. She has an old leg injury that means she tends to lie down in the bath if I take too long but we can work around that. I've not used a slick and easy stone but I've googled them and will give it a go too. She's a dear old chook, I'm quite happy to try a few different things over a few weeks to see if we can strike something that is more effective than what we do now. Edited: Thanks pf!

I'm using a long pin pinbrush (Chris C), a wide tooth comb, and a Plushpuppy 'porcupine' bristle brush. Also a small soft slicker for where the coat is shorter on legs etc. I have a mars but have only found it useful when she is carrying a lot of undercoat, this time of the year she doesn't seem to have much undercoat. I brush her, she looks great, the next day she looks like an old unloved rug. What would be the best tools Showdog? This is her - the photo is a couple of years old but it gives you an idea of her coat.

I am hoping some clever groomers can help with some advice please. I have an older female Borzoi whose coat lost condition and it's silky texture after desexing some years ago. The older she gets, the harder her coat is to keep in good condition. She is on the same diet as my 2 other female 'zoi, both of whom have coats in good condition. Their coats rarely knot, hers knots and matts in 24 hrs. I know the spay coat happens in several breeds (although I didn't when I had her desexed), are there any tips for preventing the matting? I only use a water spray when brushing the other two, but I wonder if a different grooming spray might help her. She spends most of her time indoors, so something that doesn't leave too much of an oily residue would be preferred. I don't mind cutting the knots out, but if I miss even a day of brushing she has a potentially uncomfortable matt or two. The older she gets the more onerous she finds the grooming, and it takes twice as long to maintain her as it does both the other two combined. I've tried adding various oils to her diet but it made no difference. Any ideas?

I certainly agree that breed matters a lot. I think everyone should understand the breed they have as well as they can so they can be aware of those likely characteristics. Indeed, the typical breed temperament is one of the reasons I stick with the breed I have and may never get anything else, it's pretty distinctive and it suits me. But you can't discount the individual variations that occur within a breed either. Just because a given breed is more likely to be predisposed to 'x' behaviour, doesn't mean that all individuals within a breed will be so predisposed, or at least not equally so. I wasn't sure about the statement about some breeds being harder to train - train for what and using what methods would be my question before I could answer that. The more a desired behaviour matches the characteristics a breed was bred for, the easier it should be to train for that sort of behaviour. Doesn't make the other breeds hard per se, just need to find what floats their boat.

Congratulations, great to hear of a rarer breed going through