FHRP

I knew you were going to say that poodlefan, but as you know I already have more than enough 'delightful photographic subjscts' thanks ;) However, if you want to guarantee continued shots of your 'delightful' subjects, then a financial contribution would be more appropriate Oh, and that photo above, although the subject is handsome, was taken on a point and shoot camera, my 350D isn't that dodgy just yet :D

Care to contribute to the worthy cause :D

Thanks kja. Stupid questions time ;) You're saying you have bought directly from the USA (B&H Photo)? So, for warranty purposes, you would have to send the camera back to the USA if something went wrong? What is Photo Continental? Are they different (other than price potentially) than my local Camera store? I have found them online.

I love my Canon 350D but have decided I really want to upgrade (I've wanted to for a couple of years now, but even more so lately). The 350D has done me well for the past 4 years, but it doesn't have all the options and flexibility that the more current models have. So, where to buy a new camera from? I have done some internet searches and places like DWI have the model I'm currenlty looking at heaps cheaper than local Camera shops or Digital Camera Warehouse. I'm assuming that the cheaper cameras are not in Australia and I may be looking at some duty or taxes when they come in and wonder how it affects warranty? Is the saving worth it? So, where do people recommend purchasing a new camera from?

Sounds good, the quail wing/s should do the trick! I look forward to puppy pointing pics

I use pigeon wings that I get from retrieving trials (you don't want to look in my freezer ). However, when I got my first Vizsla I wasn't yet involved in trials so didn't have any wings and I just used a piece of cloth on a rope. He was pointing it straight away, however his breeder had him pointing wings beforehand, so he knew the deal. Actually, it was his keeness to point the wing that made the final decision for me on which pup to get Maybe you can contact your local working gundog club and see if they can provide a wing? A quail wing may be too small?? but I'd still give it a go.

Awww, he is just gorgeous Keyarna!! You really must come and post pics in the GSP thread, hope I haven't missed them if you have already :D Have you had a wing on a string yet for him to point?? This should bring out a lovely point with him, most utility gundog babies are instantly on to this.

Thanks westielover!! Have looked on my google map and think I've foudn the place from your directions

We're going to Jenny D's place, so not far from you at all muffincav

Any more details of this location?? I don't know the area

Thanks Wilbur, my futhered google search found the park I think you're talking of "there is one leash free area in the Hawkesbury and that is a fenced area located at Pool Park, the corner of Ham and Cox Street, South Windsor." Might check it out

Just wondering if anyone knows of an easily accessable dog exercise area in the Richmond to Kurrajong region of Sydney? The boys and I are headed up there this afternoon and anticipate a little spare time that I'd love to give the dogs some exercise during, before getting to my friends place.

Oh, the Choc tri BC coming out of the tunnel is Styx, who gained her AgCh title at the Royal The other choc tri bc going over the A-frame is Tandookie

Would love them

Great photo's This is my boy flying over the A-frame

My old boy doing what he does best

I have four dogs and live in an inner suburb. However, a Canberra inner suburb isn't much different to a Canberra outer suburb! We have geen spaces throughout the city and it's not far to forests and the bush. I also live five minutes of my Dog Club that has free run paddocks that the boys visit often. I walk two dogs at a time around the 'burbs.

As I want my dogs to work in water at Retrieving trials I am pretty particular with introducing pups to swimming. I do not want their first experiences to be bad, as that can put a pup off for life. I am asking my lean, smooth coated dogs to enter water in the middle of Winter during trials, so they have to have some drive to get in! Water introductions will be done in as warm weather as possible (why do I always get pups in Winter!!) in calm water and preferably with me wading in. They will be encouraged to retrieve a favourite item in the water. I find with the dogs that do the vertical swimming, that having a something in their mouth encourages a better swimming style, but it doesn't work for all dogs! A pup may be gently carried out of their depth and encouraged to swim to shore, however I prefer the pup to make that first step out of their depth themseleves. With my youngest dog, he was introduced to swimming as a pup one morning and by that afternoon was launching in for the retrieves. He has gone on to be my best water dog and my "Dock Diving" dog However, he is also the dog most warey of waves at the beach which shocked me! The Spinone I took on as a 5 year old had little, if any, exposure to swimming before I got her. She loved water from the day I brought her home, but wouldn't go out of her depth, and I tried everything! After about 12 months we were down at the river and a water rat swam across, and that was a big enough temptation for Bella and she was in and swimming after it in a flash. She never looked back after that, was swimming like a fish at every opportunity

As already said, many breeds and crosses can have the odd pup born with dew claws on all four legs, and some even with doubles. A few breeds are meant to have rear dew claws including Italian Spinone and Bracco Italiano. I doubt your foster is a cross of those though

I saw the first pic and though wow, he's got some funky whiskers going on and then I scrolled down.

Wish itchy skin was rare over 5 years ago!! My Labrador that I had 15 years ago that was no doubt raised on the cheapest food around (pet store pup) had severe food allergies that left him itching like crazy, poor sod! He was put onto a raw roo and rice diet which helped immensely... The litter I raised 10 years ago completely on raw have not had any issues with food that I've heard of. The one I had direct regular contact with, showing her when young, went onto a commercial diet (not when with me ) and never had any issues. Persoanlly I think it's the individual dogs you've met.

I have three entire males that I trial/trialed. I have trained and trialed sparingly 1 entire bitch. I prefer to train boys, they just suit me better. I find them to be more honest, the girls aren't called bitches for no reason In the sports I trial in, the top local dogs really are a mix of both males and females. In agility nearly all are desexed, in retrieving nearly all are entire. Absolutely. I had a bitch that came into season every 4 months :p and had major phantom pregnancies. There was no use trying to trial her when she was in the later stages of a phantom as she just did not work. So, I probably lost 2 out of every 4 months :p Having said all that I am considering a bitch for my next agility dog as in my breed/s they are more physically suited. I don't intend to desex for a few years either.. am I mad!!!

I love Bokeh (well, what I think is bokeh ). Taken today with the nifty fifty :D Some more 'dramatic' bokeh. I think all taken with my 70-300

I assume you guys have found (or created!) this site http://www.agilitytrials.info/

My local vet has a resident cat that if it's in reception is sitting in his basket on top of the counter 99% of the time (I think I can recall one occasion when he may have been down). Although I can control my dogs fine around the cat, I personally do not like it. The vet is a place to take dogs for injuries, illness, vaccinations. It is not a training club where obedience is trained around tempting distractions, that's not why you visit the vet! There are plenty of dogs who are not exposed to cats at other times, and do not like them! If a dog has issues with cats, having a cat under it's nose at a vet clinic when the dog may not be feeling 100% is not the way to encourage good relations, but most likely the opposite!! Personally if I had a cat reactive dog like you describe ruthless I would be leaving the dog in the car or outside with someone and asking for the cat to be removed or contained before bringing the dog into reception, or asking to go into the clinic another way avoiding the cat. It's just not fair to have your dog get worked up while waiting to see a vet because of other unrestrained aminals IMO. All dogs must be on leads and all cats in a cage when going to our vet... except the resident cat!! As I said, my dogs don't have a problem with the cat, but the cockatiels in the cage grabs my gundogs attention pretty quick. I usually get a nice point which I have to drag them off on the way past Seeing as there's an avian specialist at my vet I can understand them having brids around, but is it fair on either the birds that are constantly lunged at or the dogs/cats that have to cope with them so close??