angelsun

How can you stop people from using others details? If that person agrees to sign on the dotted line, produce their licence when needed, but other than that, doesn't want anything to do with the breeding or use of a prefix, you still can potentially have unethical people that want to get the 'higher price for registered pups'. Unfortunately it's not as simple as often thought....there are many loopholes in this game, and those that really want to find them, usually do.

The dog doesn't always drop froma sit, there is a moving down exercise for example. The station that reads "left about turn" has the handler doing an about turn to the left, and the dog going behind the handler and to the right, to end up back on the handlers left to heel. It doesn't confuse the dogs beleive it or not, because another command is used such as 'around'. There are many other exercises that are not done in traditional obedience, but I have found that instead of confusing dogs, the tend to work better. Want to say that the Shepparton bunch were fantastic this weekend and we had a great time both in class and on the field!! The dogs worked great and the weather was very cooperative. I think a bunch of people had information overload, but generally everyone did VERY well today at the practical portion of the seminar and I think we had a high score of 96 or 97 at one point on a tough course...so WELL DONE!!

My first thought was Dutch Shepherd however because of the era of that photo, it could be old style GSD as well from working lines. Even thirty years ago, the breed had a very different look to it.

I had a couple litters of Manchesters totally on raw from prior to breeding to weaning and I can say they were awesome. I saw a noticable difference in the quality of coats and activity on these pups compared to their commercial kibble fed siblings (from the same mother a litter before) I'm a big fan of feeding offal and doing up veggies properly to add to the diet, so have never found that my girls are lacking anything. I"m looking forward to my next litter here which will also be totally raw fed. It's been a pleasure to not have to search high and low here for raw food for the dogs compared to where I used to live!

Showing ID may benefit, but what stops someone from getting a spouse or parent or friend to sign up with a prefix for the shifty breeder? Absolutely nothing...we can't prove that we that have memberships or breeder prefixes are actually the ones that really do the breeding unless we get back into 'breedmasters' and that simply wouldn't go over well in this society I don't think!

Just a reminder that many of the videos on youtube or DVD's found on various book sites are not exactly what will be utilized under the ANKC rules when this sport is recognized, so although they can be a useful tool, don't study them so much that you follow either rules or signs as this won't be what really is used. There are some video's uploaded and can be found through the Rally Obedience Down Under forum located at: http://z3.invisionfree.com/RallyODownUnder/

I believe now Dogs Vic is requiring a residential address and will not accept just a post office box. Mind you, liars will find a way around just about anything give half a chance.

I totally agree

Tony and I want to send best wishes and hearty party to those attending this years awards. We are unable to make it this year and hope that if the rumours are true and it's in Melbourne next time, we'll be there with bells on. I even have the dress to wear as I finally got the last of my clothes and things from Canada! Congratulations to all that have been nominated...win or not in the end, you should all be proud of your nominations! Steve is it possible to drop Tony a note privately re: the Dianne Gunn-Scarcella award recipient? (our lips are sealed as to who won...lets face it...YOU never knew last year and we had that info about a month ahead of the awards! ) The anniversary of Diannes passing is that weekend and as such, he is regretful he can't present it this year but hopes to be invited to do so next time.

Before I had my detached garage which I built a kennel run in, I had to use crates and rotate dogs. that's not tough but it was the singing that got to me by the boys! We have four large yards here and the front yard which are all fenced properly, however we still use crates and the trailer if needed (as all the darn girls come into season at the same time so separating 4 isnt' as easy as just one!) The key to preventing unwanted matings is simply do not rush anything being done with the dogs and never assume that someone else has secured one of them. We always yell out to each other to ask if Bitch A or B is where she should be before letting anyone else out or moving anyone around. If no one answers, nothing is touched til we know for sure that the situation is under control. It only takes a moment of a lapse of concentration in moving dogs around for an unwanted mating to occur.

I had a line of Manchesters that was horrific when it came to mothering. (didn't know it at the time I aquired the bitch) She had a litter previous to when I bred her, and smothered the pups...yes that's right...pulled them into her neck and pushed down on them and killed them for lack of a better description to explain it. When I bred her and not knowing her history (funny how the breeder failed to share this info) she had seven pups....I spent the next three weeks laying on the floor by the whelping box pulling pups out from under her neck and uncurling her to allow them to nurse. When it was all done, three pups remained, one of which had been bullied by her and lost an eye prior to them opening. She had been removed from pups and was put in to feed them and clean them up only. She was rough with them and growly and hated the job and by 3 weeks, pups were fully weaned off her. I will add, that without a litter, she was one of the sweetest girls imaginable. I found out not long after that her mother behaved the same way....diligent supervision when litters born but fatalities none the less as they smothered pups and would pick on one and toss it around without fail. The grandmother was the same....great dogs without pups, lovely structured dogs with solid pedigrees and horrible mothers. No amount of training to nurture was going to change that, nor do I for a minute believe that you can anyway! (I've just seen and had too many litters and watched generations of parenting to know that this sort of behaviour is hereditary!) I was thankful that the surviving pups were male and that no one, including myself would have to deal with this sort of litter/mothering behaviour again...in the end, those males were all neutered anyway, so the line ended as there were no others that had that pedigree or even similar....I think that's why I attempted the litter, to protect the line, but since then, I've realized that I was just dragging on a problem that should have been stopped generations before. I have had girls that simply didn't know what to do, but were not as described above....gentle guidance and supervision got them over it and future litters were fine...but when it comes down to being straight up a 'shitty' mother....it's not going to matter.

I totally agree....if we haven't evolved and learned during out time in this game, shame on us. Many of us will admit that we had one train of thought when we started and down the track a few years, think a different way. It's not about being tough, it's about accepting that we have a sport which ebbs and flows and is not black and white in many ways like other sports. We don't simply put a little white ball into a hole in a paddock and count the number of times we hit it as whether we succeed or not. Those with a true passion and genuine reason for showing/breeding, will endure regardless of the challenges presented to us...those that are doing this for the wrong reasons won't last long, and honestly, shouldn't be in the game in the first place.

Tolerant is another word I like to use in this game...tolerant of the politics, tolerant of both winners and losers (cause bad winners are just as annoying as bad losers IMO!) tolerant of the conditions that sometimes we get thrown at us and tolerant of the attitude that non dog/show folks tend to have when we explain our weekend events. Thick skinned is a good term as well. I totally agree with those that have said to not take this game too seriously...that's probably the biggest tip a person can give or listen to!

That is the difference with the US/canadian show world,they do congratulate & it would be rude not too,here its always rude to congratulate I"m not sure I understand this...considered rude to say 'congratulations'? Is it rude to also ask if a fellow exhibitor is ready to proceed around the ring when the judge says 'take them around'? Because I'm not getting much of that consideration either. Is it rude when exhibitors crowd in a line up and they are asked not to, or to back up a bit? Because I got that impression when I've had to request someone not allow their dog to stand on top of mine. I was taught to say please and thank you.....perhaps I"m being rude to do that in shows here then?

I was trained years ago and maintain it to this day, to look a person in the eye and congratulate them on their win. It doesn't matter if I agree with the win or not, or if I like the dog or not, or if I get along with the person or not. It is the polite/sportsmanlike thing to do. What I find disappointing is that very infrequently at the shows I attend does this happen at any level unless the gang involved are best buddies. I recently congratulated someone for a win and never even got a 'thank you' Not on if you ask me! No one likes to lose, but lets face it, it happens all the time in dogs and often not justified, but we did pay for one persons opinion so suck it up and deal with that choice. What we must remember is simply that for all the times you don't offer a simple "well done" or "congratulations" remember that you may not get that when it's your turn, and how will YOU feel then?

Well done!!! (from the other colour GSD's in the North East!)

It only takes one tie for a pregnancy, and even a slip tie will do that job nicely...if you got a tie, you probably are fine....I would give it a go again, and if you aren't restraining the bitch, I would do that to keep the bouncing around (foreplay) down to a minimum. This might help as well. Don't worry about getting in there and helping and getting sprayed on....a bit of sperm between folks over a mating isn't a big deal and it will wash off! Besides...I'd be more worried about getting the job done than if I got a bit sticky....or I should say, be pissed off that what hit my arm or pantleg could have been my next Best in Show puppy!!

anyone in the Myrtleford area: The Ovens Valley Canine Club is holding a fun day in association with the Myrtleford Festival this coming Sunday (March 7th) at the show grounds beginning at 9am. We will be having a rally course set up for those wanting to give it a go, as well as some agility equipment and flyball. I beleive there is to be a sausage sizzle as well. Come on out if you are in the area and have some fun with your dog and give Rally a try. (yes I'll be there putting on of the GSD's through it as well as offering help to those interested) eta: This is in Victoria...sorry, forgot to put the state! Don't forget that the OVCC shows are coming up soon and the show secretary will be there to take entries!

It's not my outfits that would get the looks when having to nip in for a bottle of milk on the way home, but the many muddy pawprints and coating of assorted dog hair that came along for the errand!

I agree in part with what you're saying Ellz regarding using brother of the dog you used etc...if you've got that opportunity, go for it! I was amazed at the quality and consistancy of my X3 repeat outcross, and wasn't in your position as there was no intact brother of my male, and his father had landed in a puppy mill home! Genetically, I was stuck and although I'd never done something like this before, I chose to do a repeat. Once the second litter was on the ground and the first grown up a bit, I realized what I had and bit the bullet and did it again. To have two very compatible dogs that would consistantly produce what they did and not, would have been a detriment to my breed and it's small genetic population. I don't regret doing it, but not sure if I'll ever be in that spot to HAVE to do it again. I actually hope not, as although I've done this, I don't believe that it's all that great in the long run, but depends on your situation. I've used these sisters in many different ways, linebreeding back to various dogs on the dams side. Now that the sire is passed on, I can only go back to his sons or grandsons and there aren't many of those out there intact. I have semen on him, but it isn't permitted in Australia due to quarantine rules Repeating twice...maybe...but three times..probably never again.

The only thing I keep seeing is the references to crossbred dogs....I can see this being used to promote yet more mixed breeds by saying that they are 'genetically compatible (superior) to purebreds...great marketing tool.... (I am amazed at how a bunch of pencil pushing IT people suddenly feel they are qualified to tell long time and successful breeders that we're doing it wrong because X doesn't add up to Y)

I did one combination three times because it was so successful. Out of all three breedings, I obtained the same basic looking offspring. Of the dogs that went into show homes, they all were successful and some were amazing. This was an outcross mating and three most of what I thought I knew to the wind as for the results, but clearly, the combination was good and worked. I'm breeding back to all these girls now, and am consistantly pleased with what they as foundations, have done. These girls have also provided outstanding starting points for the others that have chosen my dogs and generations later, are continuing to show the quality. Smart breeders have taken these girls and linebred them, which I think is the key to holding what I got out of those matings. Would I do it again? I doubt I'll have two dogs that would provide to me the genes I need, but if I saw a litter like I did that first time, yes I would and take my chances that it was consistant. I find that even in no repeat matings, where there is inconsistancy, it has meant that the initial intent of linebreeding or phenotype matching just wasn't there in the first place. One or two outstanding pups in a litter of 8, isn't in my opinion, an outstanding overall litter.

Just did a mating so am hoping for German Pinscher babies around April 27th. Am very excited about this upcoming litter as the mother has given me only one pup (but a darn good one!) and she is such an outstanding girl, it has been disappointing to not see anything from her much.

Hey you...dump some of your messages....got some info for you but not sure it's the right stuff you were looking for. ;)

I have plans in about two years to do a dual sired litter. I too have limited gene pool and both sires will be frozen semen brought in from my lines that I had in Canada. Because importing dogs is costly and stressful for both humans and beasties..I'd rather bring in the semen, however I don't like breeding my girls more than one or two times, so this way I can have the best of all worlds by getting my lines back and not stressing out a bitch by forcing her to have more litters than needed.