Miss B

1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc) owner/exhibitor 2. Where and why was the breed first developed? There are several theories regarding the true origin of this breed. The following is a quote from the website of Almarvens Kennel in Italy - the author, Marco Piasentin, has conducted extensive research into the history of the Japanese Spitz and wrote a book which is considered by many to be the 'bible' of the breed. 3. How common is it in Australia? Still fairly rare, but the popularity of this lovely little dog is certainly growing! DogzOnline currently has 35 breeders listed. 4. What is the average lifespan? Approx 12-14 years. 5. What is the general temperament/personality? They are very happy, lively little dogs and bond very closely with their family. This quote from Marco Piasentin sums the breed up very well: 6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult? They do not require a lot of exercise, however they are an active breed and enjoy daily walks. Their intelligent nature makes them well-suited to both obedience and agility. If bored, they can be mischievous and are not a breed to be left in the backyard and forgotten. 7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? I believe so, but due to their dominant nature a firm approach is required when raising and training a JS. 9. How much grooming is required? For a dog with a long white coat, they are actually surprisingly low maintenance! Although they love to play and get dirty, the non-stick 'teflon' nature of their coat ensures that any mud or dirt simply dries up and falls out. They are a fastidious breed and, like a cat, will lick themselves clean. They do shed (regular brushing will keep this to a minimum) and should never be clipped. 10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)? A bouncy and energetic Japanese Spitz puppy can be quite 'full-on' for young children without adult supervision. 11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of? The Japanese Spitz is a very healthy breed, however they can suffer from patella luxation. Breeders should strive to eliminate this fault from their breeding programs. Some JS also suffer from tear-staining.

Glad to hear Asher is doing well after his op, keep the updates coming! :p

I don't have much in the way of advice, but I just wanted to say I'm sorry you are having to go through this

I don't know how on earth I missed your original thread, HH!!! Sounds like you have done an amazing job in preparing for his surgery, well done!! BIG hugs to beautiful Asher. I wish him all the very best for surgery tomorrow and look forward to reading your updates :p ;)

I got this one from Bunnings for around $36, it works brilliantly on my Japanese Spitz and gets through his coat and right down to the skin. It has a little flick thing on top so you can adjust the water pressure or turn it right off, and you can choose either a circular spray or a single stream. It screws straight onto the thread on the bath faucet, I give it two thumbs up

Is she having extractions, or just a scale and polish?

The vets I work with drive old station wagons, banged-up 4wd's, Toyota Corolla's and the like

I don't know any vets that drive BMWs

Unusual name for a female Wilson is not the puppy, he's the older male that she mentioned earlier.

Wilson is very cute

They can be desexed whilst in season, or pregnant. Yes it is more risky and usually more expensive too. But it can be done. And yes, if she is desexed now then the pups will be aborted as the entire uterus is removed. Another option is the Alizin (abortion) injection. The bitch requires two injections exactly 24 hours apart, and the litter will be aborted. It can be done any time up to day 45 of pregnancy but if done earlier the success rate is higher. There can be side-effects. I think it would be best for her to discuss these options with her vet

Oh well, I guess I can call and ask. If it's considered impolite to bug them about such a trivial matter I'm sure they will inform me.

I think I've heard of some shows in NSW doing it also, but not 100% sure on that Does anyone know the answer to my original question?

I wish we had that up here in QLD.

Etiquette question: is it acceptable to ring a show secretary in the days leading up to the show and ask how many dogs of your breed are entered? Or is that considered totally unacceptable and rude? It's something that I only just thought of today, and I have been wondering about it...

Naw, he's always naughty

Fletcher is such a well-behaved boy!!! Let's swap

Another newb here, just thought I'd pop my head in and say hi I have been showing my Jap Spitz in Baby Puppy for the last 3 months, and we are about to move up into Minor

Good lord I remember a couple years ago the mobile hydrobath places were charging $16 for a bath.

Holy crap... just for a bath? At our local Petwise store they have their own grooming salon with 3 baths (Conmurra), 4 dryers (Oldfield), and a grooming table - unlimited DIY use of their grooming facilities is just $5 per dog. I picked up a 2nd hand Conmurra bath for $750. Unheated, single tank - exactly what I wanted.

Another thumbs up for Dr Tim at Greencross Woolloongabba :D I had to see him recently for an a/h emergency when I couldn't get to my own clinic. He was great.

He's pretty good at keeping himself white, one of the joys of owning a self-cleaning breed The dirt just dries up and falls out, and he will lick himself clean like a cat. I use a whitening shampoo before shows to get him really sparkling, sometimes with a squirt or two of Bluo added in. My boy is indoors 24/7, which helps to avoid yellowing of the coat in the sun. When he starts spending more time outside I will use a spray-on sunscreen in his coat. Add a little Apple Cider Vinegar to your boys food each day, it may help with the stains on his legs (worked for my boy). A little trick I learnt from a fellow DOL'er (thanks AM ).

My boy gets washed weekly for shows. I add a tin of sardines in oil to his food a couple times per week, and I also supplement with Megaderm. I try to alternate shampoos and use something mild (eg Aloveen) every other bath.

RIP Portia, what a tragic way to lose your little girl. Run free

Except for the little warning on the packet that says "DO NOT USE ON CATS" People are just too lazy to check these things, and assume everything will be fine. I agree about the Advantix packaging Crisovar, very similar to Advantage and some people do pick it up by accident.