Tassie

No experience with Gabapentin, but just a thought .. do you have access to a vet acupuncturist? Or a holistic vet with a variety of modalities. My old girl was limited in what she could take because she already had early stage kidney disease, but she did seem to benefit from acupuncture treatments, as well as from PEMF and massage mat treatments. She also did have a herbal arthritis pain relief made up by our holistic vet. (One of his vet techs took it for her rheumatoid arthritis and found it helpful.) Not sure if that can be taken with Carprofen though. Oh and she had Rosehip Vital Canine as well. But yes, as they get older, comfort and effectiveness trumps habit forming. Hard to see them getting older, isn't it.

A couple of extra thoughts. I think you said you've moved into a new area. Have you sourced a good vet yet. One of the first things I do with a new pup is take them in for a meet the vet/well puppy visit ,.. especially when they're at that totally cute and adorable stage. Well worth the consult fee for the puppy (and you) to have a wonderful happy experience. The vet and particularly the vet staff may well have some good suggestions about reliable dog walkers/feeders/sitters. Also might be worth checking if there are force free dog training clubs in the area .. they may also be a good source of information about good, reliable dog walking service.

Kudos to you @JimmyTheHuman for making a decision based on the dog you see in front of you right now. From what I've read when I thought my boy was going to have to have a cruciate tear dealt with surgically, you'll be busy enough with your lovely lad over the next few months. In case you haven't already discovered it, there is an incredibly helpful and supportive Facebook group called Canine Cruciate Recovery ...has members from all over the world, and an amazing amount of information in the files, plus tips from experience from people with all sorts of dogs https://www.facebook.com/groups/13131148758 should get you there.

Totally agree the OP should contact the breeder and clarify the situation. I have to say I found the heading of the post a bit off putting and confrontational. The breeder hasn't "taken back" anything at this stage, given the pup in question is still with the litter, and most breeders would not be making decisions on indicidual pups until the pups were older .. they change so much. It's possible the breeder is busy (as you would be) and/or not really thinking that an explanation would have been good. Just to add an extra reason why a breeder might decide to retain a particular pup at least in the short term, rather than send to a new home at 8 weeks … a good breeder will do that if there is a potential health problem with the pup .. a good breeder may keep that pup until the exact nature and extent of the problem is resolved .. I'm thinking of things like mild heart murmur, umbilical hernia, etc. Absolutely not saying that's the case here .. just suggesting that there may well be more than one reason for the situation having arisen. I do hope the OP can have a good, amicable conversation with the breeder and get a suitable puppy.

Hey … congratulations!!! A pass is always good, and to be celebrated. That first one is a biggy. (It took me 7 goes with one of my dogs to get his first pass … That was the last trial of the season, wasn't it … so plenty of time to get ready for next year (in non-snakey places.)

Just as an FYI, the wormers with Praziquantel are the ones required to deal with hydatid tapeworms, and that's what is required for dogs to enter Tasmania. Apparently it's the only chemical that will deal with the hydatid tapeworm.. .

I may be wrong, but I had a feeling that ANKC breeders were not permitted to offer registration on a different registry. I'd certainly be doing your homework on this one, Both about the registration, but as has been said, as importantly about the health testing requirements for the breed you're interested in .. not only the minimum requirements.

If you do a search on Welsh Corgi Club Australia you should get a number of the State breed clubs. It would be worth contacting those clubs, I would think.

I can see arguments both ways, but I think if a breeder really found that question offensive, that should have been made clear at the time of the original phone call. I think it was a little rough to leave the potential buyer waiting for a week, expecting they'd been approved To the OP . .. depending on the breed and the size of the litter, your phone call would have caught the breeder at a particularly busy time. I think alarm bells would have been ringing for me as a buyer if there had not been any contact between the two of you during that week. There's a lot to arrange in an interstate puppy purchase after all. Maybe next time, see if you can use the resources of breed clubs, DOL, etc to see if you can find out more information about a breeder you're interested in.

I'm happy with frozen Big Dog Barf patties .. my young BC girl is doing well on them .. 13.8 kg .. less than 1 patty a day (she does get a lot of training treats, and some other stuff in her Kong. Down here in Hobart .. $21.50 for 3 kg box of Combo up to $25 for Sensitive Skin ( 12 patties) . You can get different proteins .. fish rabbit etc.

A lot of dogs, mine included (on different diets) will eat a bit of dirt, but "pooing mud" doesn't sound normal. I he were mine, I would be collecting a faecal sample and organising a vet check.

Not answering you primary question, as I have no idea .. but just wanted to clarify in case there are people reading who don't know …. LR just means not for conformation showing, breeding or export. LR dogs have the full range of ANKC performance sports available to them (with a couple of exceptions like some of the gundog work. ) So my LR BC bitch had titles in tracking, track and search, Rally O, Agility, Dances with Dogs, Endurance Test and preliminary Herding. Not Obedience .. she didn't believe in that .. humoured me in Rally O as she thought it was some perverted form of agility.). But of course, she was also my pet.

Agree .. lead outside is fine for as long as you need. Even when the fence is done, you can leave the lead on while you're there, and just let it trail, while you're practising recalls. (I live on an acre backing onto bush, with somewhat porous fencing, and lots of pademelons in the area, so my BC girl was several months before she was leash free. or even leash trailing, outside .. I did have a longish lead on … and we did, and still do, massive numbers of recall games. These can include her chasing you as you run away, and finding you when you're hidden and call her .. massive party when she gets to you. Especially while she's eating random stuff, the leash is going to save you a lot of trouble. If you haven't already, teach her to swap/trade what she has in her mouth for what you have .. if necessary, throw treats on the ground near her so she spits what she has, then hand feed her more treats while you remove the forbidden "treasure" .. and be thankful it's not a decaying wallaby carcass . For the nipping in crazy time, just freeze all the action on your part, look away from her, maybe give a big sigh, and wait till she takes a breath or two … then maybe sit on the floor and give her some calming handling. It could take quite a while for her baby brain to get this … I still have to remind my crazy BC at 15 months,, that although I want excitement and energy from her, OTT arousal and careless teeth means the game totally stops for the time being.

Love that Zara's settling in so well. I particularly loved it when you said you think you're learning to read her …. Yay!! Puppy zoomies/crazy time … yep definitely normal with an active pup of a working breed. My BC girl still does them occasionally at 15 months. You just have to be careful the she doesn't hurt herself (or someone else) … and be ready to take her out to toilet when she's finished zooming. I personally like to feed a little bit after zoomie time .. don't really want zoomies on a full stomach. For toileting … they vary in their preferences. Mine tend to like different places for wee and poo .. so I'd go with that if that's what Zara wants. And don't just go by the clock .. tailor the toilet outings to her activities,

OK TSD … now colour me officially green with envy about summer camp.

Oh I hear you about the emergency teaching. I did that for a couple of years after I retired … but was very picky! There is the same sort of generosity about the Say Yes courses as there is about Fenzi courses .. well probably more. The team keep having good ideas and they can't help adding more "stuff"

I don't have water in my dogs' crates overnight. They have the chance to have a drink in the evening, and then seem fine to go all night .. no rushing to get water in the morning. I do give them a reasonable size treat when they go to bed .. they like getting it, and I think it helps settle them. That's good about the crate. Makes pick up easy.

I think so. But then I've been in Recallers for some years .. and I'm an online course junkie. (Fenzi and all the Susan Garrett ones.) You will know some of the stuff, and may have done a lot of it .. but the way it is organised is really good (former teacher speaking), there is a super FB Member's Community, there are significant bonuses like coaching calls from time to time. How much value you get out of it, kind of depends on how much you put in. I love that it's all about the dog, the relationship, and they joy that comes from building strong foundations and confidence.

I'm sorry for your situation, but I join the others in saying your situation is just not suitable for a dog .. any dog .. at the moment. And you really do need to be following up with support organisations who can help and guide you in working with your child, so that maybe, some day, your situation might be suitable for a suitably trained dog, with back up from trainers. In the meantime, in answer to your question about cat scratch fever .. heres some information about that from the US. It seems like fleas and interactions with other cats are the things which may give the cat the infection. With good husbandry and an inside cat maybe with access to a cat enclosure, you could keep that risk to a mimimum.

Your breeder will probably be organizing all the transport, since most freight companies give a breeder's discount - which makes it cheaper for you. Just don't do what I did with my pup flying from WA .. I was so excited to get him, that I forgot to pick up and take the towel which the breeder had put in the crate with him. Although it's a bit of a risk, I usually give the pup a chance to toilet before we leave the airport .. on lead of course. (Bearing in mind my two most recent arrivals have had long travel times.) Your breeder will no doubt give you feeding instructions, so maybe ask for those ahead of time, so that you have some of the food that the puppy is used to, already on hand.

Newbie questions are awesome .. especially when someone has already done the research and preparation you have!!! As far as the pen location for daytime goes .. that's probably trial and error. Just see what you think would work best for the pup and the family. Crate available in an x pen is probably the way to go .. and remember a small pup will need frequent toilet opportunities .. immediately after waking up, after playing (and watch for signs while playing), after eating ... Airport pick up ... assuming Adelaide .. I think it's likely to be the airline freight area. Probably easier if you can take a friend, or if everyone goes, as long as the children are capable of being nice and quiet .. that could be a game. Like the just in case list that Dogsfevr suggests .. Take a lead and harness as well, and make sure that is on pup before pup gets out of the crate. The freight guys are usually super helpful .. I've only met one who wasn't. Check Flighttracker to see how your pup's flight is going .. especially if there are connections. My current youngster was delayed by late arrival of a plane into Melbourne for her second leg. Most pups seem to be totally unfazed by the experience ... I've flown 8 week old ones .. single leg, and my current two were 10 weeks ... one flew the redeye Perth to Melbourne then A 2 hour stopover, then and hour onward flight ... perfectly happy when he arrived. The young one .. 3 hour car trip, then Adelaide/Melbourne, delay, Melb Hobart .. all day travelling ... one happy puppy on arrival .. dry crate, no problems. I wouldn't put a crate in the front of the car .. airbags could be dangerous. I love the sound of your breeder's preparations, and I really like the sound of your puppy preschool ... perfect!!!!

Hi there ... good for you with what you've achieved so far .. they're a lively breed, not always very easy to train as they're so .. umm .. full on .. For nap time, I'd suggest making sure the crate is covered, and also starting the session with something like a frozen stuffed Kong (make sure it's one with a small hole at the bottom, so his tongue can't get stuck) .... very useful when he's teething. While he's working on that, he will settle down and get a bit tired, and so more likely to just go to sleep. There may be protests, but you just ignore them .. you'll tell the difference between genuine distress and a toddler tantrum. I also have a radio on the whole time .. talk/music mix. Hope that helps. (Oh and we do like to see cure puppy pics .

Apart from being careful that he doesn't worry at stitches, or later where he was shaved, as the hair grows back, I'd treat him as normal. I'd keep tuggie very low key .. and I wouldn't be doing ball throwing .. but on leash walks would be fine I'd think. And here's a great opportunity to have him work with his brain .. that will tire him out .. so teaching physically safe tricks, and other caneine enrichment stuff.

Love the thinking and planning you've done already. First day/night depends a bit on what time you pick pup up from the airport, and what time you get home. But definitely, crate beside your bed is a great option. I usually wait till pup is getting a bit sleepy, then out to toilet, back inside, straight to bed - you can start introducing the word bedtime, though it won't mean anything at first, and pop into crate, with some treats. Cover crate at least partly, and then you head for bed. I certainly do respond if my pup less, even now .. just stick my fingers through the crate .. it's quite sweet, she will suck on them for a little while I talk soothing talk., then she settles. You'll likely need to take her out to toilet after a while .. but I'd wait till she lets you know .. then she will learn that letting you know she needs to go will get a response. Again, pop a light lead on her and be ready to tell her how wonderful she is when she toilets ... then back inside and calmly back to bed, with a treat again. Setting up a nice routine. My two gallop through the house and dive into their bed crates as soon as they hear "Bedtime". My 9 year old boy's crate hasn't had a door on it for years .. but it's still his bedtime place. Mine are on lead for toileting outside right from the start .. can save a lot of problems. Otherwise they can get precious and decide they can't possibly toilet on lead. That can be a pain if you travel a bit as I do. My 14.5 month old BC is still on lead for toilet trips from dusk onwards, because of pademelons in my place. Talk to your breeder about whether the pup can be crate apart from the litter for a night or two before she comes. That can often be useful. And also ask if either the breeder can send an old blanket or towel with the litter smell on it over with the pup, or whether you can send something over to be put in with them for a day or so, and then have it come back,. I would be taking the pup, in a small crate maybe, with you on short car trips - so school drop off, and similar things. It's really good to get them out and about and seeing the world they're going to be living in ... just not on the ground in places where a lot of unknown dogs have been, but in your arms is fine .. or in a carry pack. I particularly like to take pups to say hi to the vet officer .. when the office isn't busy of course. Sets them up for lovely experiences ... and it can sometimes make a really hard day for the staff much happier. I actually also take youngsters in for a well puppy consult with my main vet within the first week ... again .. sets up a happy association between puppy and vet. (With pup in car, just bear in mind the air bag weight rules apply to animals as well as kids. Puppy pre-schools can be fine, but make sure they don't have puppy free for alls which can frighten a small pup. If you have friends or family with well trained friendly fully vaccinated dogs, puppy play dates can be great after the first few settling in days. Just make sure that the interactions are monitored .. on lead is best if there's an age/size difference. And quite while everything is still happy. A lovely game for the family to play once pup has had a quiet day to settle in, is a round robin recall game. Family sits in a circle. each person a little bit apart. Each one has treats. One person starts .. holding the puppy gently .. says "Go see X" at which X starts calling puppy's name excitedly. Person holding puppy releases, and X encourages pup to run to get the treats s/he has. Then X holds puppy, says "Go see Y" ... and so it goes on. Fun game .. everyone gets a turn, and really cement s puppy's understanding of name, and the idea of running to someone calling that name. Oh .. and photos of puppy are obligatory!

Apparently the van has been located and all the dogs are safe. Thank goodness.