OSoSwift

I have trained a dog with no desire to go get anything and bring it back and one who brings anything back. Even though it took longer the non-retrieving dog was rock solid in her retrieves as she had learned each microstep of the way. The oh yep no problmes I will get anything dog can be a little hit and miss sometimes but we are working on it :D

I wouldn't regard any of those behaviours a problem, although I would be on the look out for any escalation of behavior to modify it before it got to a point the dog would harm it's self or others I think a normal reaction is to not care. I believe mine don't care as they carry on regardless.

Oh Oh I have it already, got it today!!!! Bondi is famous :D

Well done. I wish her many happy poodling years in the future.

I have insurance and so far have not claimed a heap but have pretty much got back my premiums each year. My main concerns were orthapedic surgery (High speed crashing whippets which does happen with some degree or regularity!) snake bites and major stitch ups seeing as their skin is fairly thin. So far my claims have been for sprained, strained toes and knees and one unrinary tract issue. My way of thinking is that if I get one snake bite (and there are lots of snakes around here) then I have covered at least 8 to 10 years of premiums. I prefer that I have the safety of not having to suddenly come up with money if my dogs are injured or bitten by a snake. I can walk in and say treat it! I have 2 dogs insured and the third one when it finally comes will be insured also.

Dogs do not HAVE to eat the amounts recommended on a dog food bag. Dogs need to eat the amount of food that keeps them in lean fit condition. You should be able to see the last rib or two, they should have an easily discernable waist and tuck up and you should be able to feel the ribs by lightly running your hands along their rib cage. Put the food down for 15 -20 minutes if it is not eaten remove it an offer the same food for the next meal. All day grazing can lead to either fussy eaters or obese dogs. Feed your dog to what it needs to be healthy not what a label says. 6 -10 cups of food in a large breed barrel chested dog is a recipe for bloat in my opinion and I am yet to hear of many dogs who require that sort of amount. My Dobe bitch ate 6 cups of food a day but she was extremely active and was trained and exercised for 5 to 6 hours a day everyday. Not many dogs do that.

I agree with this, I like to train and compete (when I can get way) with all of mine so I just would not have the time to have more than 4 dogs at this point. Exercise isn't an issue it would be me being happy with the training and one on one quality time I could give them as well as having Beef Cattle and young kids. If I didn't do dog sports and need that time for each one seperately I could possible go more. Feeding time is never an issue they are all fed seperately.

More than 4 a hoarder - that's a bit stupid, Anyway I have three, one very old, 2 young. I could comfortably have 4, OH has a limlit of 3 to 4 depending on how old they are. For example he would have 4 young dogs but would have a older dog or two and the rest younger dogs. I am not sure I would be happy having more than 4 and have never tried it. I quite often seem to end up with three and for the 8 months we had one it just didn't seem right.

I guess the way I look at it is Training issue no to much of a biggie Behaviour problem - something hard/very hard to fix. Be it called a problem behaviour or behaviour problem. Which side the problem or behaviour is put I don't really care, means much the same thing to me.

A problem behaviour to me is something that is dangerous - either to the dog or humans. It may be aggression, escaping, incessant barking. Things like toilet training, leash pulling etc are training issues and would not phase me too much. I cannot stand dogs that bark a lot and I would have to have a dog debarked if I couldn't scontrol it via other means as I would end up severly disliking the dog. I have had Dobes who can be DA to a point and I trained my dog to leave and not react however it is something that is ALWAYS in the back of your mind. To me it wasn't an issue if I didn't like it I would have a Dobe, I managed it. Same with small furries and the Whippets I manage my animals so they do not come together. Human aggression would be something that to me would be a problem - as in unprovoked not in a guarding capacity - I couldn't live with that. Seperation anxiety to me is an issue and while you can train it I would try to avoid taking on a dog with this issue. I have had a dog with some seperation anxiety and it has improved. I have never had it arise in a pup I have had from a young age. Having said that most and many behaviours can be managed safely so I guess to a point I would be happy to manage many, but I would not manage unprovoked human aggression.

MIne love it as well and I am now converting people around me

I haven't had that happen with Bowen but who knows she may have different effects due to he spinal issue????? Hope it's all okay but yes a vet visit to rule out a UTI would be a good idea.

We can't all have people who will drop their plans to look after a bitch in season for us, and how can you know that your bitch is safe in boarding kennels, just ridiculous. There is absolutely nothing wrong with showing a bitch in season. It's allowed in the rules so all the show dogs have to cope, poor things ! For the handler it's just something you have to deal with not "bitch" about There is absolutely no way I would trust a pet sitter or boarding kennel with my in season bitch!

Great news Mira, glad to hear they are all going well. I wish I was closer so I could go to Show n go's and training nights, Kelari is looking very grown up and lovely.

My understanding is markings on the head - that are even and cover eye and ear- and a white body is acceptable even sought after for a show dog. I may be wrong though

Thank you, not sure we were brilliant but we had fun ;) I have things to work on and Rommi stressed quite a bit in the heeling so I have been thinking that through and am coming up with a plan to improve that. Next trial I think will be somewhere a lot less windy!!! Just had a text from my friend with the Goldie asking when our next trial is - me thinks I have created another addict!

I would probably feed Cobber or Bonnie before Supercoat, but given a choice I would feed none of them.

The should be no "maybe charges laid against the owner" it should be definately there will be charges laid against the owner. Those poor people that would have terrifying. One very brave dad and quick thinking mum and 8yo. I too hope the identification is correct.

I have seen two who had this issue often. They had surgery where the opening to the sheath was enlarged, not heaps but enough to help stop the problem. They had a few sutures when all was healed up they did not have a reoccurane of the issue. I do know of a lady who owned a dog who required his penis to be amputated because of the same problem.

Yeah, but there 's something very frustrating in stupidity in the intellectual! But that's a whole other "thread" LOL Yep I fully understand. Sometimes highly intellegent people have no common sense.

Yep there were 3 Rotti's all Carla's a Baby bitch - Gelderland Lots Of Whispers, and Open bitch - Gelderland Grand Slam and of course the Statebred Dog - Gelderland Endless Rumours. We were still laughing about the Stafford baby Whippet comment all the way home yesterday

You can't reason with stupid.

They are gorgeous. Interestingly my Whippets got called Iggy's all weekend. I think they would be shocked if they met a real one!

Happy birthday Charlie I hope you had a great day. You are an amazing little dog who has amazing humans. I am quite sure we will see you here as an old man. Loved the pictures.

Thanks I still have a large grin on my face One comment that made me giggle was after Lewis got Reserve Challenge a lady walked past congratulated me and said yep they did really well for obedience dogs! I laughed. Oh and the average public experts. My friend had her little Stafford girl (black brindle) crated next to the Whippets. Jo Public came along and said oh look Whippets (mine were crated together) then looked to the smaller crate with the Stafford and said oh and look there is a baby one. The Stafford owner couldn't stop laughing (she didn't correct them due to lack of oxygen). She commented that Lizzie had been called a few breeds over time but NEVER a baby Whippet! The only result I know for the Rotti's is Gelderland Endless rumours was RUBIS in Saturday. Sorry I don't know more than that. I got to meet Xolo's and pat them and I met a DOLer I hadn't met before! They feel lovely to the touch. I also got to catch up with some people I haven't seen for years which was great.