jr_inoz

grass allergy? often a dog with a grass or weed allergy is itchy on tummy, chest, hind quarters (where sit) and feet. (mine was).

Could be an allergy to grass or a weed that is in your grass. My dog is allergic to kikuyu. She scratches and bites her feet after obedience training (where the grass is full of kikuyu and weeds at present) - especially is we have had to do a few 'down stays'. Apparently it is quite common in dogs, but under diagnosed. (I went to the expense of ripping out kikuyu at home and putting down santa ana couch (small yard) - she is much better and we only generally have issues after training etc.) She has had the odd cortisone injection at the vets when things get really bad. Helps no end. Fish oil tablets are helping too.

interested too - vet recommended phenergan when my dog gets bad - but would also like to try something natural. garlic tablets are used for humans but assume, being like onion, that this would be really bad and harmful in dogs?

my girl hates having her toe-nails clipped. It is now a two person job. (She has all black nails and they've been cut a little short a couple of times). I need to get them trimmed every week almost - cos even though i have hard floors at home, and walk her on pavement - they dont wear down fast enough at all.

mine certainly wasn't out of control energetic. definitely playful though. She was a smart girl and learnt very quickly. She loved 'fetch' as a puppy. We had a routine - especially when i was home from work: play... time in crate..... toilet..... play (3/4 hour or so), time in crate.... toilet.... play and so on. She loved running around (still does) but also liked long periods of resting and sleep. eta - adorable when little - how could you resist this face?

this was my try from last night. I need to get a smaller torch - have been using a dolphin (with a battery that is getting flat). I am loving people's photos. Very inspiring. Wish my dog would sit still enough for me to use her as a subject. She wont.

my girl is fine around small children. My friends with kids aged 10, 8, 6, 3 have been coming over to play with rommy from when she was small and getting socialised. She does love to chase running children. My rule with children is that they arent allowed to chase rommy but rommy is allowed to chase them. It's one of her favourite games. I dont let them do this for a long time. If they want to pat her, they have to sit quietly. They also start quietly with her when they first arrive - sitting and patting. They play chasey latter.

yep - did the water squirting from when she was small. Rommy spends each day by herself when I am at work. I have a good security door with a dog door in it - so she can choose to be out or in. She amuses herself quite well - plays with some of her toys. I have some pebbles in the garden which she loves to push around - i come home to having a couple near the back door each day. I suspect that she sleeps alot though when i am not there though - now that she is a bit older and not quite a puppy anymore. Neighbours tell me that she doesnt bark alot - just when there are strangers around - so maybe once in a day, maybe twice - maybe not at all. Always to greet me when i come home though - that starts as two or three quick barks, then into the house and cry a little with excitement until i come in the door. She is my shadow when I first get home - she will follow me everywhere - i learnt to do the 'sheltie shuffle' (not lifting feet very high) when she was a puppy - she was often underfoot. Now, she follows me around until I am settled on a task, then she will often go off and do her own thing and then come back. Once I am settled in the evening, she will come and sit next to me - making sure some part of her is touching me. I love that part of the day. I worried about separation anxiety - but she is fine. I throw some treats around the backyard when I go out - and she doesnt even bother to watch me leave - too interested in finding the treats. Rommy is actually only worried about separation when I am at home and she cant get to me - actually only when i am in a part of the backyard that she isnt allowed in - she doesnt like that.

I've been interested in shelties for a long time, my husband has wanted one for years, but everything I've read about points to how noisy and yappy they are. I've seen people say they've trained the dog not to bark, how exactly to you do that? I will admit I'm not very experienced with dogs, but when we get a dog/pup it will go to obedience as I want a well-behaved family member and feel I don't have enough knowledge on my own. If we got one I'd be more than happy to have it as an inside pet, but I would expect it to spend sometime during the day outside having a run and play, no more than 2 hours, would a sheltie be accepting of that, if he was taught from a young age or do you think he would bark the whole time. On a side note, I saw two shelties yesterday out and about with their owners, its was at a market and both of them appeared to have temperments which I think is ideal. They were not scared or timid, but weren't jumping up on anyone either. They both appeared to be friendly and confident, thats what I love in a dog, it really sparked my interest in the breed again. i trained my girl by squirting her with a spray bottle every time she barked. She hated that. she was soon quiet. She will bark at strangers walking past my back fence (I back onto a creek) - and I dont have a problem with that. Sometimes she wants to bark at something but knows she shouldnt - she is so funny - she gives these little quiet growly gruffs - just to let me know she thinks there could be something she should be barking at. There are a couple of people on here for whom the spray bottle technique wouldn't have worked cos their dogs love the water. Mine doesn't like water at all - unless it is coming out of the garden hose and she can chase it. I dont think a sheltie would bark the whole time they were outside when you put them out. My experience is that they bark at things, not nothing. trick is getting them to not bark at everything. I have possums and the odd koala in the trees behind my backyard - she used to bark at them - not anymore - she is used to them being there - even when they growl and carry on at night. There is a park the other side of the creek that people play and walk their dogs in all the time - she doesnt bark at them - only if they cross the creek and approach my back fence. (Good thing - it deters the 'graffers' in the area - my fence and my neighbours hasnt been hit yet). Please note - other people on here have way more experience than me - my girl is my first sheltie - but my aunts did own them for 30 or more years.

my first attempt. My composition sucks. Should also dust the thing first! I think i like this one best

Dont think they are - still the same variety in sizes around in the breed. Saw a HUGE sheltie that had gone to a pet home because he was too big - he looked like a small collie. Was around the same size as a labrador!. As far as I am aware there are no ear problems with the breed. He needs to get that checked by a vet. Shelties can be reserved - mine definitely isnt - loves meeting new people - like Owned by SHelties dogs. I think these days a lot depends on how well they are socialised when they are puppies. Mine got to meet lots of different people and dogs at a very young age. She is fine. The two boys that went best of breed and runnerup best of breed at a show here today are really friendly toward people wanting to jump up and greet them, not reserved at all. (good thing that wasnt shown in the ring - could be considered a fault).

not in australia, as actual working dogs, but there are still many who are participating in herding trials. would love to hear if there are any used as working dogs. would also love to hear if there are any still used as working dogs in the country of origin. Anyone know? I am sure my girl could with training - she herds children so very well.

Is this breed compatible with larger breeds? Does the breed need to be housed with similar sized breeds? my girl plays with a bernese mountain dog regularly, very happily. Havent left her alone with the bernese yet. Is The Shetland Sheepdog a generally loud breed? Are they very vocal? Shelties can be, but can also be trained not to be. My dog was trained at a very young age not to bark for no reason. She is pretty good. QUESTIONS 1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc) I am a first time owner of a sheltand sheepdog. Have researched though. 7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? Yep! 8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? Mine copes with being alone - and according to neighbours, doesnt bark all day when i am out. 9. How much grooming is required? Mine gets a weekly brush.

i tried long exposure shots at night for the first time. I had a tripod - a very old one. I still am not good with my shutter skills - i still manage some camera shake even with the tripod. Guess that is what practise is for... here are the best two from last night's attempts. excuse the billboard in the background. didnt think that would show up - forgot that it would in a long exposure shot. Friend and I took our girls down to the beach tonight. I am cranky that i didnt take my camera - apart from not having tried any paning shots yet or frozen motion of my girl, the lighting down there at sunset tonight was absolutely amazing!

love that

ok - havent done much motion photography - well at least have no idea how to do it (thanks for the challenge ash, the instructions are great). Guys across the road were pouring concrete this afternoon - so decided to try and capture some of it. All happening very quickly - didnt have time to set up camera properly, nor get out the tripod. First one shutter speed 1/125 second shutter speed 0.3 (how long exactly is that?) would love to have been able to have had a better play with this. Will just have to hang around construction sites i guess.

I take my girl to Chris Ayres at Reynella Veterinary Hospital on South Rd. He is really good. (Breeder recommended). I have taken her to Marion Animal Hospital - but have had mixed feelings. Went there when I first got Rommy as they are close to home - shouldn't name the guy, but the vet who did my girl's microchip was very rough with her and stuffed up his first attempt to put a chip in. I've been back once when Rommy was ill and i couldn't get down to Reynella in time - was happy with that Vet - that was Peter Hammond.

yep - currently watching this one.... thank you both...

I love this shot! Looking at a macro now on ebay... About what price should i expect to pay? - canon 100mm...

might explain why the website I have been trying to contact wont get back to me. thanks for the suggestions everyone. will try the tuf-foot

How far away is Dover from Woodcroft area?? I was looking at entering a trial there. 15 minutes max - maybe less.

bumping this thread... does anyone have either a place where I might be able to get Pad Aid, or another remedy that will help me toughen my girls paw pads? Any racing greyhound people in here?

Dover Kennel and Obedience Club at Mitchell Park is actually closest to you. I am a member there and like it. Nice positive training. I havent felt at all pressured to do competitive things there. Holdfast is great but expensive. Dover has a yearly fee and no weekly class fees. Training Wed night and Sunday morning. http://www.doverdog.org.au/

she's one year old. Should have definitely been toughened up - we walk on ashphalt, 'bout 1 km or so each or every other day. She has hard floor (lino strip on concrete slab) inside, concrete and grass outside. Dont know why they are so soft at present. Could be because too much walking and she is wearing them down too much? They do have worn spots on them.

My girl has soft pads at the moment - unusual considering where we walk and that i have hard floors at home. She was limping on her left hind leg yesterday. - Can see no damage to her foot or leg (no stones caught, damage, cuts nothing) but breeder thinks maybe pads are soft and a bit worn - so may be sore. Breeder has suggest Padaid to harden them up a bit and to help heal whatever may be wrong with them Anyone know where i can get it? I found an old thread on here about the topic (from google would you believe) but cant post in it - too old. The only other google link was from a farm supplier - i would have to order it online. Would like to find a store, vet or somewhere where i could pick it up. I am in Adelaide - and the Complete Canine Company doesnt have it...