OSoSwift

Hey Jed good to see you are back and making sure no-one steps out of line or gets too big for their boots! Always thinking of you

Oi you - I live on a hill!! Well okay its a little one and nothing like NZ mountains - but I do live on a hill!

This may be true of some people and I know of a breeder that did have warped ideas of the standard and was still showing with mixed success. If you show often enough, and chase points you can still title animals. Yes people who do not show can have warped ideas, but maybe that is because they are still breeding for what they believe is the prefect interpretation of the standard and not following the current trends in the ring? Then their stock becomes far removed from what is being shown today as such. Why couldn't somone like me who has to travel vasts distances to show, so therefore isn't at this pint in my life, not as capable of breeding a very good dog as a person that shows?? I keep myslef up to date with what is happening and what dogs are winning, just don't get in the ring myself. Either a person has an eye for a dog or they don't regardless of wether they show!

Mine is 30.5kg today. I'm adding a bit of food because I think 31kg is about right for her. She has papers but I have NO IDEA whether or not she is fron "show" or "working" lines. And I don't actually care either way. But now I'm curious. How does one know which is which? Working line Dobes - as such- tend to have lots of Shutzhund titles behind them. As a general rule, the show lines not so much, although there are some very successful DObes with plenty of working titles behind them. I was told my Dobe wouldn't guard as she was from show lines and they are wooses and back of at the first sign of someone serious. They didn't repeat the remark after trying to sneak up on my tent at around midnight rather a bit tipsy!

Dobes were never meant to be a huge dog??? So not sure why people want a huge Dobe? Oh and my Whippets are midgets, especially Rommi as she is a bit finer and more feminine, because all the "Whippets" around here are about 3 to 5 inches easily taller than her. Funnily enough she is at the top of the bitch height standard??????

I am one who thinks that people can produce exceptionally good dogs and have never set foot in the showring. I live 750kms away from perth and 475kms from a small country show. With two young kids I am not travelling at the moment and will not be for a while yet. I don't think that if I was breeding that would make me any lesser of a breeder. it would just mean I live in an out of the way place. Some people have an eye for a dog some don't. I am sure there are people that show that are not necessarily good at getting breeding combinations right. I think if you are doing all the right things regarding your breeding animals and litter and finding homes then there is no difference to someone who can get to shows.

No hesitation on the first one Recall - I believe it is they most important thing anyone can teach their dog bar nothing. It is the difference between a dead dog and an alive one. Number two -hmmmm there are so many things......... For me I think, leave it - We live on acerage and we have lots of snakes, so it is very important for my dogs to leave it when they are told and not a second after. If they stick their nose in long grass because they hear something moving it could we be a snake, so an instant response to leave it can be a life saver at my house. These are trained all the time from day one, and still trained and rewarded almost daily in all my adult dogs. All of my dogs are taught and reminded of these things daily throught their whole life. However there are quite a few things that could also be in second spot. Most things are important to do with doggy manners and training as far as I am concerned. Picking just two is quite hard!

Well done, the dogs will be much happier and warmer due to their snazzy little coats.

Everyone is an expert hey I actually at this because I have yet to meet a calm 'Oodle' of any kind! I have to agree there, the only two I have had anything to do with have been completely over the top Hypo, and rather large! It is a very small number though ;)

Rommi roo-roos and does a grumbly growly thing, especially when she is very happy. SHe does a bark/yip thing as well. Lewis has only barked twice when he got very excited/frustraed and the first time he stopped dead because I think he suprised himself. The next time he did it he was very happy with himslef. Rommi is very noisy, especially fro a Whippet. Lewis whinges when he is in a crate or I am working Rommi and he is locked up. Other than that he is very quiet.

MIne are together for all walks and cruising around. Obedience training is seperate and that may be a 10 minute session or a half hour session, or three short sessions spread throughout the day. Both of my Whippets sit on my lap on the lounge, I make sure that I give them outside individual pat/cuddle time when I am out and about. The Stafford lays on the floor and has never got up ont eh lounge. Pat him with your foot he is happy.

I have three, an old boy and two younger Whippets. Originally we were going to have Rommi and Brutus, until Brutus went to the bridge. Then.......along came Lewis! Brutus is hapy as he only has to play when he feels like it, Rommi has someone to do zoomies with. I wondered if they would bond to each other more when Lewis came along as Lewis was 8 months old and I thought he wouldn't bond with us as much as Rommi who we got at 8 weeks. I was wrong!!!!Lewis is my dog without a doubt, Rommi loves both of us and Brutus is OH's dog. However I now have two dogs walking at my heels following me everywhere, two snouts around the toilet door and two dogs trying to get pats. They do love each other, but given the choice they would pass up canine company to be with a human. They both do obedience and agility and are trained seperately, are walked together. When I am out they are generally seperated, but side by side.

Abs kicking in now, got three hours straight sleep - yippee Lit another candle for you Jed

I just get people thinking I am a pedigree dog snob because I have registered pedigree dogs. If I had a cross breed then I would be considered more normal around here. Oh and did I know you can get a puppy out of the pound for $50 here, much cheaper than those fancy pedigree dogs with all the hereditary problems that will drop dead by the time they are 5!

Wassa matta . Not good, we want you well. I've lit a candle for you too. I have just got some random infected tonsil bug! NAsty little bugger, but I'm all good really, just very sore. I have lit another one

Oh Jed - really don't know what to say........ damn eyes are leaking again! I send you all of the healing vibes I can and I know one day you will get a beautiful girl who reminds you of the one you lost. I also know that you are a VERY strong lady and you will eventually get to a place where the good memories of the ones you lost will begin to be the first you remember. I wish with all my heart, as I am sure many others do, that I could take on some of your hurt to help you on your journey. I can't, but I can send you healing vibes every single day as I do and will continue to do for a long time into the future. My heart breaks for you.

Added mine, been a bit slack as I have been a bit unwell, but I have kicked myself firmly up the bum and will get my act together.

My OH sated last night we will ALWAYS have a Whippet - ALWAYS. Then went on to say well why wouldn't ypu? Our old Stafford is his dog through and through and he loves him but he has had very bad skin for a long time and he doesn't want another one incase he gets a similar problem. He also doesn't like doggy smell, so the Whippets are perfect. We were even talking about Whippet number three last night. OH has always been a have one dog at a time person, now if it's three Whippets he's in!

HI Jed, Glad your doctor is on the same wavelength, and it is good she thinks you are healing well. I am quite sure that all our collective good wishes and candles have helped. The power of though and love can be amazing sometimes. It would have been great to see you cat, your other one sounds extrememly lucky to have made it at all. Animals are tough buggers sometimes. Also good news about your house. Yes it will take some time, but at least it is all moving in the right direction. Still thinking of you every day. Loves and hugs from all of us.

Hey Jed, Been absent a few days, but still thinking of you. Hope you are getting much better each day. It has been freezing and raining here, hope your weather is a bit nicer over there. Good to see you still have your sense of humour. Hugs and Whippet kisses from us

I have two Whippets and 2 kids under 5. My Whippets are what I was looking for and more! As with any dog, supervision and kids is the key, I am ususally correcting the child and rarely ever the dog. They are great inside and i have have the two inside. They are quite often found on the lounge, but them and our old Stafford can be found all snuggled up together on the dog bed. Whippets tend to "stack" when they sleep. As long as they got a walk and an off lead run at least a few times a week (in a fenced area) that would meet their exercise needs quite easily. I have my WHippets around cats, kids, Guinea Pigs, Cattle, Sheep and Horses with no dramas what so ever.

I think I will double check to see if they are dried or smoked??? It is mainly for my boy who cannot tolerate many raw bones, I do give him some but have to be careful what type, how often and limit any fat.

My bitch had a phantom every season and all I did was wait for her to "give birth" to her fluffy toys, take them away, give her a valium if she got too upset and then within a short time she was over it. It only took a few days after that for her to start getting back to normal. But the sookiness when she was having the pregnancy bit was a bit wearing. Her phantoms were so bad that when she was sent home from the breeders as being not pregnant, she gave birth to one pup and I found her and the baby next morning!! Freaked me out! SHe could have easily fed a littler of babies when she was phantoming.

I have/have had two dogs with it. The first one was my Dobe bitch. She was training for agility and obedience and we had been away for a weekend of trials. SHe had seemed a bit quiet and had actually refused a jump so I was watching her to see if something showed up. TWo days later I went to get her out of bed and she couldn't stand up. I got her back end up and she fell over. I freaked as you can imagine! I took her straight in andshe was xrayed. She had Sponalosis. She had a course of Prednisolone and was weaned off that and was fine. I managed her by retiring her immediately from training and certainly no jumping. She had always worn a coat and had a warm bed, but I made her a warmer coat for winter. She had as much free exercise as she wated (our house yard is 5 acres) and lead walks as well. She would go to the beach and we just made sure she didn't go mad chasing birds or anything like that. She was on Glucosamine, Fish oil and Evening primrose and regular acupuncture. She maintained that really well and died from DCM at 8 and a half. The second one is my old Stafford. His is more an old age thing and he has nerve damage due to Spinal Arthritis that is encroaching on his spinal cord His has gone past maintenece things -which he still gets- and is once4 every second day Prednisolone. He has Tramal incase he has a painful episode. He also had a bad heart and is on medication for that. He also gets Fish oil tabs, evening primrose, Ester C, Glucosamine, Vit E. He wears two coats when it is cold and has a 9volt pet bed that stays on all nihgt and in the day if it is cold. He has free exercise but we no longer take him for walks as he is unable to go to far due to his heart, and his legs get a bit wobbly as well. He is however looking better than he was 12 months ago, so who knows, we may have him for another 12 months! I agree keeping them off hard cold floors is half your battle. MAkes sure their back stays warm, put two coats on them if you need too. Acupuncture worked well for all my oldies, and we now due Bowen as well. Lots of low impact exercise is the go as well, keep them supple, but don't pound their back. Good luck and hopefully he is under control very soon it is so hard to see them in pain.

I have seen a couple of very petitie adult female greys and they curl up as above, so space wise don't take up much.