poodlefan

My friend's BCs weigh between 16 and 18 kilos. Unless he's a giant, I'd say some hard arsed dietng may be called for.

The testimonials all sound good. Results are what matter. If he shows people how to provide effective leadership and trains their dogs, more power to him. It's the "mystical" theme of his training I'm having difficulty swallowing. Like Diva, I'm no fan of marketting ploys.

Call me cynical..

Judging by other reports, I'd say a black and white dog was seen and I'd not assume anything more.

I'd be starting the search in the yards of friends and relatives of the owners. What sort of CAS would let a complete stranger handle him?

Yes. Even if he does contract it, chances are he'll get a less severe dose. It's like a flu jab for dogs.

How often does she get to leave the yard? For how long? You've got yourself a working breed mix capable of running 80km a day - EVERY day. No yard is going to amuse her for long. She needs physical and mental stimulation outside that yard. Now she's learned to escape, I'd be building her a secure run to stay in when you aren't home.

How much exercise does he get? Upping that will speed up the process. My vet recommends halving food intake for weight loss - no mucking about.

Exercise seems to help too.

Thankyou for that article PF, it is very interesting. Does it also apply to puppies? I am afraid Mindy is overweight if it does. If I am totally honest, she could stand to lose a few kgs (in my opinion). Although we often get comments about how slim she is and what good condition she is in (for a lab), she is a tall lab girl and has naturally longer legs and a deep chest, so probably looks thinner than she really is. I acutally can't feel her ribs at all unless you press really hard maybe its just skin??? She does have a decent waist though. Guide dogs have said she is a perfect weight (one week ago) but personally I don't think it would harm her to lose a little weight. BC Crazy- is your border a working line or show border? I find a huge variation in weights of working and show borders. In my opinion? Yes. There is absolutely no need for pups to be chubby and IMO any breed with a history of growth/joint issues would benefit from being kept lean as a youngster. Labradors should have waists and obvious tucks like any other breed. The fact that a goodly percentage of them have neither doesn't mean they shouldn't. Use the flat of your hand - no rib at all means she could benefit from trimming down.

thanks for the link Poodlefan (or is it Poddlefan) I've filed that linky away to investigate! You'll keep. I expect I'll end up laying more of the vinyl floorboarding this time around. Stuff bounces on it and its warm for someone who spends summers inside with bare feet a lot of the time.

Psyllium husk is a good option. So is dry baked, boiled or mashed (no butter) pumpkin.

If I could not feel his ribs without a lot of pressure, he'd have failed agility intake on weight.

I think I just found my dream flooring - porcelain tile that looks like wood. I bet its $$$$ And its even called Doga

You can bulk out his meals with veggies - largely undigestible fibre will fill him up. Boiled, dry baked or mashed (no butter) pumpkin is excellent for this. I'd be less interested in what he weights and way more interested in how he feels. This article gives excellent guidance on how to test your dog's weight and what his ideal "feel" should be.

I have that vinyl fake floorboarding in some areas - pretty hard wearing, warm, quiet and fairly non-slip. The ancient carpeting is trashed and will be replaced by hard flooring. I'm currently tossing up between more of the vinyl, having the boards polished or some kind of tile or slate. I'm currently leaning towards more of the vinyl and if you damage a piece it can be removed and replaced and most visitors think its real wood anyway. I'm very interested in this question too!

My thoughts also - if the coat is sparse to the point you can see skin, I'd be wondering about thyroid levels.

I'd have to argue for the ACT or surrounding areas of NSW. Close enough to Eskine Park to day run for events, heaps of aggie shows within day range and plenty of two to three day shows if you want to stay away PLUS all the local shows. I average two show weekends a month and I could do more quite easily if I chose to. The Newcastle area of NSW also seems to have a fair bit locally or close by.

Early dog breeders tended to have large kennels - lots of kennel hands, lots of ability to run on, select and cull from lines. There wouldn't be a modern breed in existence that probably hasn't been developed in this manner. Numbers alone are not an indicator of good or bad breeding ethics. There are kennels O/S that continue that large size tradition and continue to reap the benefits. Their dogs are not "pets" in the sense that many of us have pets. However they are well cared for, well exercised and valued as individuals in a way no puppy farmer ever values dogs. Conversely, a small set up does not guarantee a higher standard of ethics or care. You have to judge these cases individually.

I feel sorry for the breeds on that list - now they'll be targetted by buyers who think that getting the right breed means they don't have to supervise or control their kiddies That in turn will lead to BYBers cashing in on the breeds to sell as "ideal family pets" regardless of the temperament of their breeding dogs. That's how the Golden Retriever has made it up to top of the list of dog bite stats in Canada. For the record, I not rate a Toy Poodle as a good pick for someone with kids under school age. As pups they are too frail for the rough and tumble of life with young kids. i'd think chi's would be a bit small for very young kids too. Only the long coats - according to this list the Smooth Coats are fine. I wonder if the team of statisticians at BBY considered that: * Many dogs aren't bred by registered breeders * About 50% of dogs bred aren't purebred * Some of the breeds in the "least likely to bite" list probably aren't chosen by families with kids anyway. Somehow I doubt it. ;)

It will help her not have pups. I honestly can't see how it would help with anything else. What issues are you having with her? ETA: Just checked your other posts and this is the bitch that's been attacking your older dogs. Have you seen a behaviourist yet?

I feel sorry for the breeds on that list - now they'll be targetted by buyers who think that getting the right breed means they don't have to supervise or control their kiddies That in turn will lead to BYBers cashing in on the breeds to sell as "ideal family pets" regardless of the temperament of their breeding dogs. That's how the Golden Retriever has made it up to top of the list of dog bite stats in Canada. For the record, I not rate a Toy Poodle as a good pick for someone with kids under school age. As pups they are too frail for the rough and tumble of life with young kids.

Sibes and neonatal babies can be a fatal combination if unsupervised. There are no records of Sibes fatally attacking any human older than 4 months. There was an attack of this nature in WA a few years back and another in the USA last year. If you can get a copy of the book Fatal Dog Attacks you will find it an illuminating read on the issue. Of course if people didn't leave dog with access to kids, it wouldn't be an issue for ANY breed.

I taught both. Never had an issue with sitting in the ring.

Glad you found this place and that you've been set straight about this kind of advice. I'd not be taking any further training tips from these folk either. She's a baby, she's not got a big bladder nor much control. Getting up to let her out is the biggest slingshot to effective toilet training you can get. It doesn't last forever. My guess is she'll be sleeping through within a few weeks. Sure beats teaching her to pee in her crate - that's what your friends were setting her up for.