alpha bet

I do agree with this tread that it can be very difficult for families to find a pup thru breeders. But like everything it works both ways - I might get 20 emails (often just like "we see you have a litter due and we are after a puppy" Not much to go on. Leading up to the pups birth and I always send a short reply even if just to ask for more information (family details, location, what sex of pup). Families also have to realise that getting a registered pup could take 6-12 months or even longer with some breeds. It is always difficult tho when you get people who ask for " i want a blue bitch with a tail and lots of white on her chest" Sometimes family need to be more flexible in their needs. the best way to make initial contact is email - advantage of emails is that you can create a listing of interested parties and then send them all updates of where things are at with mum or babies. Much easier for breeders to keep organised during the planning stages. Once pups are born tho I prefer to start having phone chats or even visits. Have to say my priority is usually to people who have been up even before litters are born and met some of the different adult dogs - this gives us a chance to get to know each other and also can feel more confident that this breed is what they really want. there is a big worry tho that families might try to get a pedigree dog and if they feel it is all too hard, they have no choice but to go to petshops or online puppy farms.

Isadorable was scanned and looks like we have 7-8 babies brewing..... Looks promising for the Alfoxton 'L' litter. Fingers crossed, always a bit nervous when a bitch is having her first litter. Dad is also very excited

Ahhhhhh I so wish there was a guaranteed formula for picking that show pup......

When I was a kid that was the biggest club we had in the city/area. What I was meaning that group schools should be more about the benefit of the wider community and dogs then lining peoples pockets :p Don't worry I'm not that old Well Nekhbet, I am that old - back in the early 70's (sheese I am old) we went to clubs out the back of council parks, volunteers were all we had. But we also had access to take our dogs out and about to sooo many different venues. The expectation back then was different. Now the community expect more and as Trainers we have to try and provide the training to suit the 'modern' world. Unfortunately it will mean it will cost more but I agree some of the prices clients have been quoted astound me. Even the cost of many a vet puppy school or in one of the Pet Suppliers pup program is outrageous and for very little effect. Back in the 'old days' it was purely obedience style of training, heel, sit, stay etc. Nowdays that stuff doesnt do it. Families need to be taught how dogs can live and work within the family and how they interact with other dogs so when they do go out in public the owners know how to handle different situations. 95% of your Training should be for the 5% of time when things go wrong. I breed dogs, train dogs/families, board dogs, groom dogs - and working with families has taught me that as a breeder and trainer I have a responsibility to make sure that my product (my pups) are as ready for the big bad world but I also have to prepare my new families for the responsibility they take on. that means providing them with common sense reading material as well as hours of consultation over the phone to discuss any concerns. the new puppy owners have loads of questions, most are nervous and then confused, they access sooooo much info from books and the internet and often it comes across in conflict to something else they have read. Common sense might seem obvious to some but not to others.

I live in a country area near bush and own and run a boarding and training kennel and my husband has his own cyclone wire fencing company..... LUCKY ME..... It might be more expensive but there is nothing better than a 180cm high cyclone fence (with a ground skirt) - keeps dogs in, other dogs out, doesn't hurt kangaroos because they cant go thru or over. We have many clients asking for fencing ideas and one thing we say for people on acreage is that you should consider the idea of cyclone fencing a backyard quarter acre or so and then just add ringlock to your existing strand farm fence. This gives your dogs a great safe area to run around and when you are out and about with the dogs they can have access to the rest which the ringlock fence acts as a block to the dog racing off. The advantages: 1. If you have a large area dog fenced it is hard to maintain, dogs will also have lots time to find weak spots for digging out etc. 2. More risk of having a tree collapse and either the uplifted roots or a big branch come down and damage your dog fence. 3. A quarter acrea area is easier to keep mowed and maintained to reduce the risk of snakes. 4. Allows access to the front of the home for yourself and other people to drive in without having to open and shut gates therefore no risk of dogs getting out or being knocked by cars. 5. Keeps dogs backyard away from annoying neighbours where perhaps they have livestock who rub against the fence, or they might have dogs who charge your boundry. 6. Safer for the dogs to have access to the home when there is the risk of thunderstorms. Some dogs panic in big open areas. 7. Provides a place for dogs to go where it is safe for them when you have visitors around who might have horror kids - you only have to ban these kids from the dog yard. 8. Better to spend the money on having a good smaller area than a part way measure on a big area. Couple of points you might want to consider - Cyclone fencing is hard to put up if you dont know what you are doing - you can use pine posts but it is about getting the wire strained that is hardest - cyclone comes in 10m lengths and they have a single link that creates a seamless join to make any length you wish. The electronic fencing doesnt keep other dogs out and one big problem is some dogs can run thru if excited but then later cannot get back. Hope this gives food for thought.

Last year we had a singleton litter. First time it has happened to me. Pup gained huge amount of weight which did amuse us when we would sit him up on our hands he had rolls of fat forming on his belly, we ended up registering this pup as 'Jabba the Mutt' From birth we tended to pick this pup up and give him loads of time resting on different peoples chests and neck when we were watching tv. Mind you we do this with all pups in our litters. This does help to give the pup the feeling of body warmth and our heatbeats and voice help to keep them stimulated and prevent the single pup becoming dull. We also had our other dogs around so once Jabba started moving around he had them to climb over. By the time he was 5 weeks he was moving around so much that although he was a big pup he wasnt terribly overweight. He went to his home at 8 weeks at a good weight and he is now coming up 12 months old but he is much the same size as previous dogs from the same bitch.

Work experience kids should not be left alone with dogs in a professional business. 1. These kids are meant to be learning, which means they should be supervised. Walking a dog out on the road is just not on, they do not have the knowledge or ability. The day care centre should be contacted by the school and advised of this. I have had work experience kids with us and they are never left in charge of a clients dog. 2. There is a responsibility to the client. They do not expect that their dog will be out on the road with a kid. If the business cannot provide adequate supervision then they shouldnt take the kids on. There is nothing wrong with a well run day care. This would actually be my preference to any dog walker. It is better for the dog to be in an enclosed area than out on the road. Some of the dog walkers can have 4-5 dogs with them... how can they possibly be expected to cope with that.

Socialising your pup with 100 is easy. I always set the challenge for my puppy buyers to get their pups out to meet 100 new people before they are 4 months old. I start litters off when the pups are about 4 weeks old meeting people - by the time they go home they would easy have met with 50-60 different people as well as different dogs, chickens, cats, goats and anything else that visits our farm. That way the new families are half way there already. The pups live in our house full time and we have different little garden areas penned off to play depending on weather. Every Sunday when I have a litter we kinda have open house, friends often bring their kids or sometimes even the neighbours kids over to visit. This is also the time to have anyone who is interested in future pups come up and meet the pups and the adult dogs. We sit around the garden and have the pups and adults charging around under the trees having a ball just loving all the attention. When pups go home they have already been to two puppy classes and also have a strong understanding of going outside to the toilet. We also take pups out to visit - that way they get used to new places and travelling in the car. The idea of setting the challenge to meet 100 new people is more about getting the family committed to the pup at the beginning - get them out and about when the pup is small is easier for the family and starts to set habits for the family of taking the dog with them. If you add it up you might be surprised how many people your dog has actually met - try it sometime you will be surprised at the number.

Alfoxton Kennels - Australian Shepherds - due around 16th February. 'Alfoxton Isa Dorable' came into season a bit earlier than expected but we got a very good AI as well as a live mating so fingers crossed we will have success. This is her first litter so it is very exciting.

We do lots of work fairly silent. In fact when starting people off with new dogs in the classes we do a great deal of work in having them not using voice except to give praise. We also use another excercise where they can only use their voice to get the dogs attention and not able to pull on the lead. When we run agility nights - the first thing we talk about is restricting the use of voice. Nothing I hate worse than listening to people yelling except perhaps listening to dogs barking as they work.

One of the big reasons showing has fallen away that many would not even think of..... From my experience, back in the 70's and 80's (in Victoria) - many dog shows and trials where held in local public parks - Box Hill, Lilydale, Croydon, Heidelberg, Whittlesea were some of the metro venues that I remember watching the dogs. The general public were used to seeing the dogs on display and would wander over after the kids footy match and chat to showies about the different breeds. Then we had the KCC park and to help finance this venue all metro shows had to be held at KCC Park or at the Showgrounds. We have therefore cut off a regular avenue to the general public - it is unlikely that many will travel to KCC Park or Bulla Grounds. Nowdays the only metropolitan venue where the public can see dog is at the Royal Show.

Dogs love having another dog however you only need another dog if you want one and can deal with the added expense. Always try to encourage clients to wait until their dogs are 2.5 to 3 years before getting another dog. Partly because it allows them to bond well with each dog. Personally, I usually have 3-5 dogs and we generally have about 3 years between each dog (However we get our dogs as pups). This allows us to have and enjoy each dog thru puppyhood and into adulthood before the next pup arrives and the process continues. My youngest dog is an entire male who is now 2.5 years and I now feel he is getting to a stage where he would be relaxed and happy to share his space. I also like our human family members to have a chance to bond individually with each of the dogs before adding another - This also allows the olders dogs to have a great influence over the new pup.

Pups born on 5th 4 blue boys 1 blue girl 1 black boy Mum fit and well with very happy

Rare breeds wanting to restrict who owns and shows or breeds = breed remaining rare and in danger of disappearing. Surely we should be trying to encourage more people into the show and breeding scene, not discourage. Back in the 80's the only choice a stud dog owner really had was to decide to either allow the bitch to be mated to his dog and what fee or puppy would be paid - why does this need to change?

The following is now the accepted from the AVA (Australian Veterinary Association - This has come about because of the problems of overvaccinating - bitches used for breeding was recommended every two years during their breeding life. They also believe that vaccinations are not required after 11 years of age. Vaccination Guidelines For Small Animals The Vaccination Guideline Group of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association announced its international guidelines for canine and feline vaccinations at the WSAVA congress which was held in Sydney in August. The VGG categorised vaccinations into core vaccines, non-core vaccines and not recommended vaccines. DOGS Core vaccines: Parvovirus, Distemper and Adenovirus. Non-core vaccines: Parainfluenza, Bordetella and Leptospirosis The group does not recommend vaccination for giardia or coronavirus Vaccinate puppies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks with a booster 12months after the last vaccination. After that dogs should be vaccinated with core vaccines not more often than every 3 years. Annual vaccinations for Kennel Cough (Bordetella & Leptospirosis) for dogs that are in contact with other dogs are a good idea. CATS Core vaccines: Panleucopaenia (FPV or feline parvovirus) herpesvivus (FHV) and calicivirus (FCV). Non-core vaccines: Leukaemia virus (FeLV) and Chlamydia. The group does not recommend vaccination for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), Feline infectious peritonitis (FIV) or giardia. Vaccinate kittens at 8,12 and 16 weeks with a booster 12 months after the last vaccination. After that cats should be vaccinated with core vaccines not more often than every 3 years. The question of socialising - there is a great amount of research that indicates that pups should be out mixing from 8 weeks. However it is also worth considering whether the mother was vaccinated. Before 8 weeks of age there are still a large number of maternally derived antibodies (MDA) in the circulation from mum to protect the newborn. These natural immune proteins override the effect of the vaccine, so vaccination is wasted and will only add extra stress to an already overwhelmed puppy (being weaned, taken from mum, new owner, new home, new diet with worming and flea/tick treatment pesticide cascade).

I wouldnt be too suspicious, dogs kept on hard surfaces can end up taking on a mix of smells - urine has a similar after smell to some cleaning agents. Many kennels wash dogs prior to going home - however if a dog is in for just a weekend then a bath shouldnt be necessary. You can actually be suspicious about dogs who come home smelling so sweet - what are the kennels trying to cover up..... hmmmmmmm

Sorry but you where judgemental. It is difficult online to try to educate - perhaps you should have ignored the initial email or perhaps a polite reply and suggested that if they wished to discuss details re breeding etc it would be better if they arranged a time where they could ring and give you a chance to chat more with them.

Can't imagine why you are that interested in training at the Logan Allbreeds, it seems to be more standard family and obedience whereas you seem to be more experienced than the average pet owner. Their website states that all new members must attend an Induction Night - surely this was your chance to raise this issue.... would have been simple to ask then what equipment you can use. Remember too that clubs cannot always anticipate the concept of new gear - in the horse world there are new bits and other equipment appearing all the time. Basically unless the equipment has been approved it cannot be used at associated activities. Remember to that sometimes things don't have to be written in to be legal - after all there is a thing called Common Law - which is often just common sense.

I've ridden horses up until about 3 weeks or so before they drop and back in the saddle when foals are a few weeks old. Mares were often in harness right up until foaling and I rode when I was pregnant until about a month before babies were born. The best thing a doctor said - being pregnant doesn't change things - do what you would normally do but be careful about activities your body isn't used to. I'm sure your dog wont find anything stressful camping that is any different to your normal life.

Would like to add a litter of Australian Shepherds Alfoxton Kennels expecting a litter (confirmed thru scan) due around 4th October. Last litter was only one pup - my kids were sooo disappointed they had the xmas school holidays planned around the litter and and no puppies to play with. Hopefully we have lots of little babies this time.

Absolutely no reason why these two dogs cant learn to live together (They don't have to become the best of friends). Often have to deal with clients who have this situation and 90% of the time this can be sorted quickly. However it is important that you introduce them in a neutral environment and then have someone with you and take both dogs for a good long walk. The fact that your older JRT didn't like having a puppy around may indicate that the JRT is a bit spoilt and used to getting their own way. You must be the one in charge and it is your decision as to what behaviour is acceptable from either dog. If you don't like how the dogs reacts then block the behaviour that is unacceptable and then let them try again. You must forget about what happened in the past and be calm and confident to make this work or otherwise it would be best to have someone more experienced and confident on hand to help this work.

Never particularly noticed in my own dogs - but then I am used to their scent and probably don't notice. Also I have aussie shepherds and they seem to have less odour than lots of other breeds. In the boarding kennels we dont have many entire males stay but when we do there does seem to be a definite odour. Not sure if this is because they have a stronger odour or because they are more inclined to lift there leg and pee everywhere even against the inside walls, whereas most dogs seem to be happy to move to the outside sand area to toilet. There are some breeds that do seem to have more odour than others and one in particular is the female dingo (I've had a few stay with me and these were dna tested dingo's) owners told me that they are usually in season in Autumn and they have a real musty smell. We definately noticed.

Just had our oldest client pass away just before xmas. maltese mix breed she was just over 25. The lady got her as a wedding present so it was always easy to know how old she was. Blind and deaf but we would stand in front of her and she would sniff my leg and follow me out to the garden where she was happy to wander around by scent. We also had a GSD who was just over 18 when she died, a few border collies who were 16 plus. xmas 2009 I had 6 veterans staying for the xmas break and the youngest was 15 and the oldest was 23 they would all wander out to a garden together and had a lovely time wandering around and snoozing under the trees - so lovely to watch them all together - we called them 'the knitting club'.

Now I'm in my 50's I've had the chance to see lots of different dogs, horses and kids. My own and others. Attend any horse show and you will see some really interesting situations. Have always found that as a general rule of thumb, parents who have badly behaved horses will have badly behaved dogs and badly behaved kids. So be warned - if you are having trouble with controlling your dog you will find it harder with any kids when they come along.

Went to a dog trainers conference in California earlier this year and Cesar was one of the speakers. He put on a good show, entertaining and seemed a very genuine guy, but that was all. Considering he was speaking with professionals you would have thought he would have offered something more. However felt it was a bit of a waste of time nothing you wouldnt see on his shows. He even finished 45 minutes earlier than scheduled. I was a bit surprised at that but then discovered it was to allow everyone to line up to have their photos taken with him. In future, will always be sceptical about websites with trainers standing with their arm around Cesar.