~*Shell*~

The way it was explained to me was that Swedish lappies are more high drive and go go go all the time whereas the Finnish Lappies have an off button and are more laid back. There are also differences in their conformation but I'm sure someone who knows more about both breeds can give you more information! If you want to know what the differences are from someone who lives with both breeds, get in contact with Wayne and Sue from Janoby kennels - they have both breeds. I was lucky enough to meet their swedish lappies last year at the royal and they're beautiful but quite different to finnish lappies. ETA: Snap Nik!

That's exactly what should happen, that is progress through the use of a type of tool, to another tool that uses less persuasion for lack of a better term. This is the true way to use a pinch collar.... Yep - when Steve explained them to me, it was always with the idea that we would wean Zero off it and onto a flat collar. He doesn't need it any more but it's sitting in my laundry with the other dog stuff I don't use!

I never thought about using paper! What a great idea. I use sheets too but with the white sheets, they always have creases in them. I can get the creases out of the black fabric by bringing up the black levels but the white takes forever! I can see a shot of Zero on white and a shot of Mow on a pastel colour coming on....

How about Hornsby vet? I've only heard good things about Dr Penny Mead - she gave us a lecture a couple of months ago and she certainly knew her stuff in an area that would baffle some of the vets at the practice I take Zero to. Dr Angus Martin was great too (another lecture) - he knew all about BARF diets and wasn't horrorfied by the people who feed them either I know Terranik takes Jedi to see Penny. She wasn't afraid to refer Jedi to a dermatologist instead of trying to handle it herself like some other vets did. She's definitely a fan - Nik would be able to tell you more. Here's their info: 6 Leonard Street, Hornsby Phone: (02) 9477 1233 Fax: (02) 9477 2777 Email: [email protected] http://www.hornsbyvet.com.au/

Does his kennel have a flap on the front of it over the door? Having a place where he can completely get out of the wind will help and that way his natural body heat will help warm the air in there up. You could probably get something to cover it for next to nothing at bunnings. I have a doona that I bought at the salvos for Zero - I think it only cost me about $5 or $10. He's not a demolition expert though and would never rip it up. Have you thought about some carpet for inside his kennel? Offcuts are generally pretty cheap and they're pretty hardy. It might help him keep a little warmer. A friend of mine uses shadecloth for her dog's kennel. Her dog will rip anything up - she's eaten an entire couch nearly - but the shadecloth seems to survive.

Here you go, the leonberger breed thread: http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=173197 A DOL member i know (brintey) has one named singe (her photo is in the breed thread) who is lovely but who isn't the quietest of dogs. She is still only a puppy though and even laid back breeds can be hyperactive as puppies!

5 months seems very young to me though! Could it have something to do with just having been desexed? Zero's been desexed for more than 3 years and he still acts like a total idiot when there's a bitch in season around him. He was 2 when he was desexed though so he had plenty of time to get some raging hormones!

Obedience is a dog sport! If you join a club that has a trialling class, you can actually compete in it and earn titles for your dog!

as long as you go through a reputable greyhound adoption group they can find you one that is safe with cats There is usually a waiting list for cat-safe greys though. I should have quoted this before but I have met several (absolutely gorgeous) very cat-friendly greys. They're massive counch potatoes too and definitely don't have to be walked every day (at least the ones I know).

Cross off Siberians and most of the Spitz breeds off your list (if you were considering any others). They are energetic, active dogs that require a dog savvy owner who is prepared to have a dog who can be aloof and not necessarily interested in being with you all the time and having lots of cuddles. Beagles again can be quite active dogs, and both breeds must go to homes with good fencing as they can be escape artists. Both Sibes and Beags can be stubborn and strong willed and can require a fair bit of mental and physical exercise. Neither my Beagle nor my Siberian escape out of my yard but that's only because I have excellent fencing and make sure I don't give them opportunities to escape like leaving gates open (they are all padlocked) or leaving the front door open. I agree with this! My siberian isn't an escape from your yard kind of dog but sibes are a special needs breed - they're not a border collie in a wolf's body like a lot of people think! Also, they shed a whole lot more than a lot of people expect. This is less than 2 minutes off Zero towards the end of his coat blow - not even in the middle of it which it about 10 times worse! You can't see the rest of it which is to the right of camera. If you're not into high energy dogs, I would research very carefully before getting a dobe too. My girl Danika was a bundle of black and tan energy! She was a lovely dog but definitely not the kind you could only walk for 20 minutes a day and expect her to be fine around the house. She tore up the grass doing zoomies around our pool when we were away for a week - it was the perfect running track. Our neighbour didn't have the energy to take her for a run like my family did! That being said, siberians can be the same. Zero came and demanded a walk today - he's a very low energy sibe but last night we had a big game of chase/zoomies after he'd done an hour of obedience and tonight he went and got his leash and stood at the door barking. Not low energy when it comes to winter, right when you want to stay indoors too!

Gorgeous Ruth! Frenchies are on the list for one day! They're insanely cute, especially as pups!

He's not "just a dog" He's Zero - my heart dog.

I was at a talk the other night about canine diet and this came up - apparently the surgery was very commonplace in the US a couple of years ago but it's losing popularity now because many dogs who get the torsion part of bloat have pulled the tackings out of stomach or abdominal wall as it's twisted and it hasn't prevented anything. He wasn't sure of the success rate when it was done properly, i don't think those kind of figures are available but he did say that he believed in some dogs it does prevent the stomach from twisting.

Disney owns a siberian husky named DJ - he starred as Max in 8 Below and Demon in snow dogs. Here he is in 8 below (3rd from the right with the huge smile on his face) And in snow dogs (2nd from the top on the left) I also love Shasta from snow buddies (my niece's favourite movie) but I hate that he introduces himself as an alaskan husky. He's obviously a purebred siberian, not an alaskan which is a cross breed. ETA: A shot of Shasta with the buddies

Hi, my name's Shell and I'm a DOLaholic.

You can use the old canon EOS lenses on the new bodies... And I must admit Rappie - I'm a Data fan too. I cried in nemesis. I'm a bigger Riker/Troi fan though. I'm a nerd.

How gorgeous!!

Congratulations to you both! You definitely deserve it - your photos are amazing!

Pfft - the cool kids all like captain kirk again....

No problem - there were a lot of photographers there but like me, alot of them missed photo opportunities because people kept walking in front of the camera!

*strokes her canon* My precious... Canon is what all the cool kids are using nowadays.

Here guys, some photos from yesterday and the finnish lapphund breed judging from last thursday: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shell_shocked...57623669242015/

I don't think I got too many terrier photos - people were crowded around the ring and kept walking in front of the camera. I know I have a couple of the bedlington though!

I didn't know you were there today Steph! I would have come and said hi otherwise! I'm editing some photos from today if anyone's interested. I was lucky enough to see the terrier group, utility group and working grour being judged as well as best in show.

How about something I tried to formally teach but that turned into something else? Ruthless asked me to get a shot of Zero's gorgeous new collar and leash that she made - me thinking that I was so awesome decided to try and teach Zero to hold the leash and sit down so I could take a photo of it. I teach with a clicker and Zero has problems with his back end so sometimes it hurts when he sits down so instead he backs up instead of sitting. When I was teaching him, I accidently clicked when he was backing up instead of sitting - he's a smart dog and it only takes 1 click for him to get something usually. Instead of teaching him to hold the leash and sit, I taught him to back up and throw the leash over his shoulder. Whoops!! One of the things that Zero does that I didn't teach is saying hello - we encouraged him to wooo when we walk through the gate so now he really says hello to us. He will say hi to me, run around the back and get a toy for me to throw for him. He'll go and get it twice and then tries to get me to throw it a third time but if I throw it a third time, he won't get it. It's his quirky little thing.