Miss Danni

Banning, or making anything illegal, never works. Prohibition anyone? And isn't heroin banned and illegal? German Shepherds were a banned breed in this country for 50 years because farmers (a powerful lobby group at the time) promulgated the view that they were super killers that would kill sheep and people. This was despite the actual facts that of course, GSDs are a HERDING breed. Never let the facts get in the way of a good story. "Pit bulls" are not the problem. Overseas research and experience cited by PF proves this to be the case. Instead of knee-jerk reactions, politicians need to sit down and look at why dogs bite, and what has been proven to prevent this (or mitigate it at least). BSL has been proven NOT to work. Fines for speeding do NOT work. New laws will not make unworkable senseless laws suddenly work. Banning "Pit bulls" will adversely affect the hundreds of families with loving, trained, reliable "pit bull" members. The morons with unsocialised, mean, aggressive "pit bulls" will just dump them and move onto another breed, or keep them even more underground since having something illegal will give them even greater "social status" amongst their peers. This poor family has suffered a tragic loss and I feel for them, but banning Pit Bulls will not bring back their daughter and it wont prevent future tragedies unfortunately. If only it were that simple. I am very surprised to hear Steve Austin take this point of view, I thought that he had more sense! RIP little girl.

We feed 9 GSDs on Pro Plan Performance and have had no issues to date. I have fed Pro Plan exclusively for the past 6 years and had fed it for 10 years before that. We were feeding another brand for a while, but it gave one of my dogs bad ear problems, so we switched back to Pro Plan exclusively. The formulas definitely changed when the product started to be manufactured in Australia and that was quite some time ago. Is this the first bag of the new formula/packaging that you have had? If so, (and I understand you were away) it should have been mixed gradually into the feed with the old formula to allow the gut flora time to adapt. What might have happened (and we had this happen with another premium food that changed formula and kept it secret), is that the microscopic mucosa in the digestive tract have been killed off and that is what is causing the diarrhoea, as the digestive system is not processing the food correctly. Much as I hate to say it, putting her on Science Diet ID for a while may assist until she is back to normal and then you can gradually wean her back onto "normal" food. For us, this process took about 3 months with a puppy that got sick from the food change at about 4 months old.

You might find that an overbite in a medium to large breed will self correct. I have found them to be more common in males than females and I think it is because the male puppy skull grows so quickly and sometimes the lower jaw does not grow at the same rate. Once the skull stops galloping away, the jaw should have a chance to catch up. So if the overbite is mild, dont panic but keep a close eye on it. In regards to the surgery, if you have read through the other threads, you will have seen my posts. My advice is speak to the practice manager and if this is the policy of the practice, change vets pronto!

We have had a number of ours stung and suffer from mild to severe allergic reactions. Two of our pups were stung by wasps at the same time, one had a mild reaction with swelling and the other went into shock and had to have an adrenaline injection. The problem with wasps is that, unlike bees that can sting only once, wasps are capable of multiple stings, making things much worse. Just recently, 2 of our pups living in different States were stung or bitten by something on the same day, with the same reaction - swollen face, closed up eyes etc! Very spooky indeed! We now carry 2 different types of anti-histamines with us in the car and in the first aid kit at home, in case we have another issue.

We have 4 entire males, 2 of them aged 3 (10 weeks apart), a 12 month old and a 6 month old. The oldest 2 have both sired litters and the 12 month old is the son of one of these adults. We dont have any serious issues. Sometimes the 3 year olds will have a grumble at each other over something trivial, but that's as far as it gets and they shut up when they are told to. They eat right next to each other without issue, sleep next to each other and are both house dogs so they are inside together from the time that I get home from work. They are also together when we have bitches in season and even then, we dont get any problems (touch wood). We dont run them outside together, but that's more from the fact that they each head up a "group" of dogs that run outside together for toilet breaks, (we have 9 dogs), rather than for the fact that I dont trust them together. I wont say that they love each other, but I dont ask that of them, I demand that they behave and they do so. The 2 young ones get on well with everyone and run with either adult male without issue. These 2 really like each other and I cant see that changing, they enjoy each other's company. I used to worry about 2 adult stud dogs being together, but after a trip to Germany, where it is common and they think we are strange to be separating our stud males, I realised that it was only a matter of training, leadership and sensible management. Having said that, if I was to buy an adult male now to bring into the pack, the dynamic might well be completely different. In the long run, it comes down to the dog's temperament and training.

We have a Puppy Enquiry Form on our website that asks all of the pertinent questions. If I get a form, I'll ring the people and have a talk with them - it's amazing to me that some people lie on the form and then cant even keep their lies straight when I ring them! I think that the form helps to separate some of the chaff from the wheat. I ask the same questions if someone rings me and I always ask them to complete the form too for my records. Dont feel bad that you have asked a prospective buyer questions that will help you decide the fate of your puppies. That's your responsibility and obligation as a breeder. If a prospective objects to that due diligence, maybe they have something to hide? You are better off without them.

If your brother was anything like mine growing up, I think you just answered your own question! Weasels, I did consider that, but the GSD that bit me also bit him on more than one occasion! Mind you, he did tease it through the fence, which was OK so long as the fence was there. But when it wasn't .............. oh dear!

I grew up with a Labrador, he was a fantastic dog. When he passed at age 13, my brother asked for a dog for his 17th birthday and for some reason, decided he wanted a GSD. I've never really explored why. I wasn't at all happy, the only dog that I'd ever been bitten by was a GSD, I wanted a Lab puppy. But as always, he got his way and so a very poorly bred, completely unsocialised GSD puppy joined us at 6 weeks from some nelly nobody backyard breeder, only 1 generation after the import ban was lifted. Within months, like a typical 17 year old, the puppy became a nuisance and impediment to my brother's social and surfing life and he ignored her. I took her over just to go to training and because she was already a nut case as a puppy (DA and HA ). And I fell in love with the breed despite living with one of the worst representatives I've ever come across. That was in 1982 and I've had GSDs since. I'll have GSDs till the day I die. :D My brother's kids have grown up with GSDs that I bred. They also love the breed.

Yep. Canine garbage disposals, one of doG's gift to mankind

I had a Siberian Husky who had 2 testicles when I selected him from the litter at 6 weeks. When I picked him up from the breeder at 8 weeks, I never even thought to check him again and it wasn't until I bathed him the next day that I found only one testicle. I could find the other one in the groin and sometimes manipulate it down to the inguinal ring, but it did not stay down. We showed him until he was 6 months but kept training him and hoping. At 9 months, the other testicle came down and stayed down and we started showing him again a month later. We had been told that giving him a zinc supplement would assist with this problem and I think that it did help. However, if I had not known for sure that he had had 2 testicles down at 6 weeks, I think that I would not have bothered and would probably have desexed him. But in the long run, I was glad that I was patient! Good luck with your puppy.

We do whatever we can to support our puppy buyers, many of whom are novices or may not have had a puppy for many, many years. I have made home visits to deal with all sorts of issues (minor to me maybe but major to the puppy owner). My last home visit was to look at my 6 month old pup and determine why he was scratching so much. When I got there, I was not happy at all with his condition (underweight and absolutely no coat) or the diet that he had been put on, so we spent about 2 hours going over things with his carers (he is "owned" by a very rich person that has his staff care for the dog) and I was pleased to hear that he had improved immeasurably. We try to provide email and phone support for those people that we cant visit - I've had some very strange late night phone calls from puppy buyers! My theory is that if there is a problem and I can help the family deal with it, that's one dog that will be staying with his family, not rehomed or send to the pound or back to me! I want my puppies to be with their families for life and that means being available as much as people want me to be.

One of our litters just turned 1 year old, so I sent out my obligatory Happy Birthday message to my babies and requested new photos of the now "adult" pups. I got one response straight away with pics and I am seeing one of the other girls next Friday when she is hip and elbow xrayed and spayed. I hope to get a response from the owners of the third girl soon. Any pics I get I put up onto the gallery on my website (so long as the are clear). We try to keep in contact with our puppies but understand that people are busy and sending us updates is long on their priority list. From our last litter, whoa re now only 21 weeks, we have one family that rings us about every 3 week just to thank us for selling them their puppy! :D

We dont accept deposits until we have met the prospective family when the pup is around 6-7 weeks or so. Even then we take only about $200 but it is non-refundable. Having said that, I have refunded the deposit in one case. Just bear in mind that if you accept deposits, you are legally bound to provide that purchaser with a puppy - YOU cannot change your mind, it is a legal contract of sale once the deposit is taken. That's why we wont accept deposits from anyone until we meet and vet them.

I like the German SV system where you basically have to serve an "apprenticeship" with an established Breeder before you can get your own kennel prefix. You "hold" the Breeders dogs (but dont legally own them - it's a bit like our Breeders terms), show and train them and under the Breeder's prefix and guidance, you will whelp a litter(s) and raise it. That way, the Breeder is still responsible for their animals and their pups but the new person gains mentoring and experience. GSD litters are also assessed while with the "holder" by a Breed Warden who is available for mentoring and assistance, in addition to the Breeder. I think that it is too easy here to get a prefix. I'd like to see at least that you have to pass some kind of short education course, not just an open book exam, which is a joke. If you cant commit to some learning, maybe you should not be breeding dogs.

One of our girls has had very large litters - 10, 13, 11 - and it looks like she has passed this fecundity onto her daughters The way that I manage them as little bubs is firstly to mark them as soon as they are clean and dry (we use a white marker pen because I dont like collars on them), weigh them then and every 12 hours. That way you can quickly identify anyone that is having an issue and can concentrate on them. I also let Mum eat as many placentas as she wants, I just make sure that I know how many are out and if any are retained and give her a shot of Oxy when she is finished. I dont split the litter or seperate them from Mum, except for when I am changing the bedding in the box and she gets kicked outside for a wee and some Vitamin D, as she gets too upset. I will supplement feed where required, but because I am with the litter 24/7, if she has enough milk, it is just as easy to make sure that the littlies get the teats that are the fullest, while the pups doing the best get moved onto the more difficult teats (or when they are a few days older, on the other side of the box so that the little ones get a head start). Most pups will drop a little bit of weight in the first 12 hours, but I want to see that they are robust and feeding and putting weight back on after that, otherwise they are on my intervention list. Of course any pup struggling to feed will get intervention straight away. I ensure that Mum gets lots of fluids and eats very well, small meals often. Lots of goats milk eggflips with Nutragel, yogurt, Biolac and of course, fresh water! I also put her on Protexin, which she will eat straight from the syringe and the pups get some from the end of my finger once they are a few days old. They will also get Nutrigel off my finger once they are about 3 days old, or earlier if necessary to give them a boost. Once the pups are 3 weeks old, I start weaning them to give Mum a hand and they are off her by the time they are in their 5-6th week. The most "fun" for me is trying to start toilet and obedience training 10 or so pups - not much fun really! When they are vaccinated, I have a built-in crate in my car that has a centre divider, or they go into 2 compartments in the dog trailer and as they are done, they are moved into the empty compartments. Microchipping and tattooing are usually done at home, so no issues there. I need a holiday when these large litters have gone to their new homes!

Well done Julie Steve mentioned this to me when I saw him a couple of weeks ago, I hope that he is also doing a seminar for the GSDL at some point.

Yoplait Vanilla here. Not because of the dogs, but because it's the only yoghurt that my husband will eat and I cant be bothered buying 2 different ones! :D

Stonecutter, when we go to Luci's and the classes are large, we do our own thing (within reason). I might practice some out and backs while Luci is helping someone else down the line, or I might play Puppy Pushups with a baby while we are waiting. Or I might pull out a tug toy and play tug with my dog for a minute or two. Or I might run a stick along the ground and get her to chase it. Keep mixing it up so your pup does not have a chance to get bored. If the pup is getting tired, leave the ring and get a coffee or go home, Luci wont mind. With pups, going to Luci's for us is about 50% for training and about 50% for socialisation. So if we sit around for 30 minutes having a coffee and the pup lays down quietly, that's training AND socialisation. We always finish class before the pup gets tired and is still happy to keep going. Above all, whatever you do must be lots of fun for your pup. Our pups go to training sometimes twice a week - Luci's and at the GSDL, but they dont get burned out or bored, they love it and bust their necks to get into the car on training night. :D

Ours are born and raised in the house too Becks, makes life a lot easier. They just get their own room!

Leave it on as long as necessary. Use a thermometer to check the temperature at floor level in the puppy room and then set your heater's thermostat to the temp that you want to maintain, so that it only comes on if the temp falls below what you want. I had a litter in November 2009 that had the heater on for the first 3 weeks and then the weather went insanely hot and I had to run out and buy an airconditioner! You can't pick it, you have to do whatever suits, forget the age of the pups.

Tell your friend to have a look at the German Shepherd Dog League website - www.gsdl.info and the National Council website - http://www.gsdcouncilaustralia.org/ Plenty of registered breeders advertise their litters on DOL - I dont think that you would have any trouble sourcing a puppy ready for a new home in July or August - they would probably already be advertised. The main health testing is for Hips and Elbows (you want parents that hold the A and Z stamps for Hips and Elbows) and also Breed Survey, while not a health test per se, it is the main breed improvement scheme and tests temperament as well as looking at the conformation of the dog.

You poor things, and poor baby Yellow. Run free little happy baby. Sometimes breeding just sucks.

I'm with Ish. We bought the Rat Zapper and have pretty much eradicated the mice in our house, I've only had one mouse in the Zapper in the past 10 days and no sign of mice in the usual areas It's about to get relocated to the horse shed as my hubby saw a rat in there the other day ...... but it may have been the rat that was eaten by the dogs on Saturday . I guess he'll have had friends though!

My girl Kara held on for over 17 hours once. She was a house dog and never peed inside. On this occasion, a bushfire prevented us from getting home and eventually my Dad was able to get to my house from the other side of the valley. With the aid of the police, he put all of the dogs into his 3 day old company car and then drove to safety. They sat at the side of the road with the airconditioning running for more than 6 hours before it was safe to return to our house. Dad couldn't risk letting the dogs out of his car for a wee, it was miraculous as it was that 2 of them didn't kill each other, they were always separated. So poor Kara held on all of that time. Yet she still didn't rush to do a wee when she was able to! And we were told that our German import Lilli had not peed or defecated in her crate when she arrived at Quarantine. :D I guess that was well over 24 hours.

We have xrayed quite a few litters now and our vet has either been spot on, or under by 1 puppy. Of course, counting 5 or 6 on xray is a completely different proposition to trying to count 13 pups. We usually have a few people count (vet nurses love to have a go too) and then take the general concensus! In our litter of 13, we knew there were 11 for sure, more likely 12, but a few had counted 13, so we were prepared for 13. We also had to take more than one view as they were so crammed in. But I consider it a worthwhile expense and it never bothers the girls, they enjoy the car trip