OSoSwift

I also wonder if a DA dog is on leash AND muzzled and as you say PF cannot defend it's self at all (and they know it)will it make their behavior worse as they feel more defensless and therefore more likely to try and fight first/harder/earlier?

Very well done :D Isn't it great when it starts to come together, especially when it has been such a long road to get there.

Oh I love it - I am also a courdroy tragic! Yes I think it will help with coat shining on the Whippets prior to going into the ring :D Well that's my excuse anyway

Oh yes piccies please. I am quite sure WHippets would need a satin line coat wouldn't they Any excuse to make something doggy :D

Sorry to hear that winter paws. I haven't noticed that in mine, but will pay more attention to it.

In th past I have only used the choking off method, it is rather difficult if you have a very large dog or a very thick strong neck. Lifting up by the bag legs can work, but never never pull in any way. Glad your little guy is okay and I think you did the best thing by calmly supporting your puppy and avoiding extra pressure on delicate areas. It is very lucky it wasn't worse on such a little neck like his. Out of interest I had two Dobe bitches. They got to a point (eventually) where I could tell the young one was testing the waters a little but didn't not think it woule escalate as quickly and ferociously as it did. I think it started when they both tried to cock their legs on the same thing at the same time, but was a bit far away and it was dark - they had in the past has pissing competitions. The old bitch wore a basket muzzle as she had had three stomach surgeries for bloat/tortion and had gotten to a point where she gorged on anything she could find - rocks, sticks, cape weed you name it, so when she was out running aorund she wore the muzzle. This night the two got into a fight, one that wasn't stopped verbally, even when the F word was used which for some reason always brought them to a screaming halt??? The young one was grabbing the old one over her shoulders and was trying to throw her over but she couldn't as they were both wearing coats. There was multiple bite wounds to the older bitches face, ears and lips and teeth marks on her muzzle. I believe the only reason the old bitch was infact still alive and the young one did back off when I got close enough was the fact the old bitch could not retaliate and could not hurt the young bitch. She did try to fight back, but didn't actually inflict any pain. I believe if the old bitch had of fought back, and in her younger days she had had a serious scrap or two with her sister, then I think that would have fueled the young bitch and her attack would have been far more serious. I also think the fact she couldn't throw her as her coat was moving independantly of her also helped - as well as the coat having an extended neck helped shield the blows from her throat/neck a bit. I would be hesitant to walk a dog in a muzzle though.

A frame

Lewis had the same issue, we got there using "steady feet"

There are other brands of food mentioned and they have not been removed - seems a bit odd??????? I feed mine Black Hawk that is Aussie owned and ingredients and quite affordable

Yep this dog most certainly meant business and wasn't scared at all. I do rememebr doing two poodles, one had a lovely coat, the other a fine whispy easily matted coat. They liked them in a Lamb trim. It wasn't too bad with the better coat, but the softer coat matted if they didn't keep the brushing up. They did really well for ages, then started slacking off. I told them you want to scissor them you need to put the effort in, it is not fair on the dogs to have matts removed from the coat. The didn't listen so one day the went home and had been done with a number 7 blade?? I think from memory, not very long anyway. Well they were not happy so I told them once again you bring them in with knots this is how I will clip them, you brush them I will scissor them. After that they were always beautiful. Then there was the poodle who only got groomed when it came to me, no matter how many times I discussed it with them. The only way to clip the Poodle was with a short blade down to the skin. Everytime she voiced her displeasure at him not having any hair left, each time she got told you brush him I can make his fluffy and pretty. With that dog it was pure laziness as he was extremely easy to groom. Then there was Fudge, oh how I adored that little dog. He would lay upside down in the hydro if you were washing his tummy and fall asleep, same as clipping him, he would stand and then when you scratched his tum he would lay down roll over and shut his eyes like he was in total bliss. If they were all like him with a wonderful owner to match I would still be doing it. You get itchy, filthy and stink. removing dags and maggots is not much fun along with dogs trying to give you new piercings. Andisa I would buy tickets!

I had a dog who was a terrier X come in for grooming. His owner said he was fine to groom. I wasn't 100 percent sure about this dog from observing it's body language. He was in a grooming arm, not overtly aggressive but rather stiff and had shifty eye contact. Can't remember what sparked it, but he launched off the table literally at my face/throat. I managed to catch him and juggle him back to the table without getting badly bitten. I grabbed a plastic basket muzzle put it on, firmly placed him where I wanted him and when he went off again I held him firmly and didn't scream st him but stood over him and gave the growliest growl I could. He went quiet, he had two more episodes but each time they lessened. I got him groomed but used a rope muzzle to fo his face muzzle. Next time he came he tried once same reaction and gave up. Basically he pretended I didn't exist he didn't look at me - ever but I could groom him easily with no more attacks, although he was always muzzled. I did ask his owner about him and told them what he had done and how I had reacted. Basically they brushed him at home but on his terms, he walked away when he had had enough and they left him be, same with everything in his life. He tried to get me to back off I didn't he pushed it, still didn't work so he chose avoidence. It worked very happily for us for quite e few years. In this case firm handling and growling - no not yelling or screaming- worked very well as it did on many. I havealso had to hold muzzles and beards firmly so that they wouldn't get their eyes poked out or their faces cut . I would not shake a dog but a gruff growl, firm holding or firmly holding muzzles even if they are squeaking because their pride is being hurt is not abuse. I hope everyone who wants there dog never to have a firm hold or word has spent the time training their dog to be groomed. I had a few that were a complete pleasure to trim, wash and dry and I thoroughly enjoyed doing them. However they unfortunately were out weighed by the ones who bit lunged, jumped, pooped, peed and many other things. I no longer can groom due to ruining my back dealing with the dogs who did all of those things. Many people thing grooming is easy, it isn't it is very physical work. I would love my own coated breed to groom one day

very nice Sigi RS......hmmm might have to send you some photos for one for me

oh okay, will give that a try, maybe tomorrow now as I am about to retire to read my Kindle

very cool. So far I have done my plaits twisted as I think they look cool, but may ahve to try and figure out how to do them straight as well.

Got busy myself RS and this is what I came up with. I was quite happy for a first effort, can improve on a couple of things, but this is made with what I had in the cupboard

Kids in bed, husband at work and book work complete for the accountant visit so I thought I would have a little play at doing something I have been thinking about for a couple of days

Thank you Sheena much appreciated

thank you that will be great, the other one is really not user friendly at all!

Great news It can take them quite a while to get any sort of fitness back but each day she will improve My OH cat was completely paralysed for a week ( yep I know a bit different in cats) It started he would pull himself a few inches, then a while later could hold himself up to toilet but would collapse face first and you had to make sure you caught him. He ended up back to normal cat but it took months until he was back to normal naughty cat . I am sure she will be back to trouble very soon!

Could somebody please either give me a link to a page that has the WA Agility entry forms on it or email a copy of some. I have been on the CAWA site and they have the show entries 3 to a page and easy to use, their agility ones are one, stuck on the corner of the page and I can have a fiddle and get them three to a page and photocopy etc but was hoping to save some paper and time and borrow someones - please

I have had something similar and it was caused by stress. I was doing agility with Lewis and all was going fantastically until I accidentally trod on his toes hard. He continued but was not happy and didn't do an obstical and went to leave, I called him back and he didn't really want to as I had trod on hi foot. He went back thorugh the tunnel as it was somehitn he found fun and the easist of all thyen lifted his leg as he came out the other end. This is a dog who has never lifted his leg in an 'inappropriate' place in his life - ever! Next week at training we went to do some agility obsticles and he came out of his crate but didn't want to go near them and wanted to get back into his crate which had been shut. He wentaround it a couple of times ( I was calling him all sugar trying to get him to come away) and he then went to lift his leg on the crate which he got growled at for and didn't end up peeing. I knew than that he was much more unhappy than I had thought and it was going to take work to get him back out there, happy and trusting me. It has taken 8 weeks and we are not 100% past it yet. He has never pee'd inside, against crates or other chairs etc and only ever pee's on trees etc. He is peeing because he is highly stressed. This may be the case with this dog. I would efinately play very close attention to his body language and what he is saying.

Fantastically written and very heartbreaking.

Brilliant idea Ptolomy - how cute will she be awwwww

All dogs should be scanned - surrender or not and if the name isn't the same as the one on the form when it was surrended they should be contacted. That means anyone could steal my dogs, surrender them and I would not be notified because they were a surrender even if they name they were chipped in and the name on the form are different - that is not on! They like having purebreds as they can get more money for them and they sell quickly and easily compared to the generic cross breeds they are mostly filled with.

So sorry to hear of your loss. As for ringing the breeder and crying so they can't understand you - don't worry about it because there is a high possibilty they may just join you! Your breeder sounds lovely and I am quite sure she will be wonderful. As for thinking you may not have done enough....well hindsight is 20/20, it is normal to be wondering if you could have done something differently or something more or sooner. The thing you need to remember is that you guys did the best thing you could for your girl. You sought veterinary treatment as soon as you could, unfortunately sometimes things just cannot be fixed and it suxs. I hope the new dogs are helping to mend your hearts and we would love photos of them as well when you have gotten home and had a chance to meet them