sheena

Same here...my vet only charges me $18. I let it known when I make the appointment that it is for her anal glands. I would be shopping around :)

Pure white BCs should be avoided at all cost as they are most likely deaf

He's beautiful :) I thought I read somewhere that there is something you can supplement them with to help increase the pigment. Not sure but it might have been Kelp. Maybe someone else here can clarify that. Welcome to the wonderful world of Border Collies

Put a couple of border collies together with a flooded dam & you have this

I have only used ACV to relieve my own very itchy scalp. A solution of about 1;5 ACV/water sooths my scalp by about 95%, but not sure about dogs :)

If you want some ideas for yummy healthy treats, I am more than happy to share These Yummy Ideas with you :)

Hi Sheena, Yes this is the same as the 'Doggone' one… I really like the look of it, very functional? Does it stay open like the hinge ones do? I like the idea of magnetic closure as long as it stays open and closed or is easy to use... It stays open until you give it a tap with your finger then it closes...not like the BD one that kept snapping my fingers. I line mine with a sandwich bag & keep it in place with two very small bull dog clips. It is a good generous size too & has places for poo bags & clicker.

I have a Rapid Rewards one from Clean Run. It has a magnetic closure & I find it really good. I also have a BlackDog one but the hinges really annoyed me ..wouldn't stay open, & kept snapping shut on my fingers. The hinges soon wore out as well. Here's the link to Rapid Rewards Pouch I bought it when it was on free shipping, but I am sure you could get them somewhere in Oz.

So, on the limit register any colour can be listed? But on the main register you have to choose from a select few allowed colours? (I have no idea, I just get the dogs that are right for me!!) And what happens if colour shows up as the dog matures? Eg. a friend of mine bought a dog as a black and white, but we think she is actually tri as she has had some markings show up as she has matured that lead us to believe she is actually tri. Hmm, so that would mean if someone is breeding with a colour that isn't allowed then that dogs colour has not been recorded accurately on it's pedigree? I guess if that is happening then that makes it difficult to know what is behind dogs and what might come up. Tricky, tricky! And to add to the confusion some colours of BC's used to be allowed on the Mains Register, but are now not allowed, like chocolate Tri's & Chocolate Merles. So those dogs that were originally allowed are still able to be bred from. It's so ridiculous...all the colours should be allowed, except too much white, just as they are overseas. Pricked ears in BC's should also be allowed & encouraged IMO also, as there are some lovely coloured, pricked eared BC's overseas. It's a shame we lag so far behind the rest of the world, when it comes to my chosen breed. Some breeders do get around the colour bit, by registering them as the next best colour allowed on the list, as far as I know. so this is going to make it very confusing generations to come Far better that the correct colour be allowed to be registered in the first place.

I don't have any dogs with skin problems, but I do suffer from itchy scalp myself. It gets so bad, that sometimes it feels like it is burning. I have only just discovered the relief I can get from rinsing in a fairly strong apple cider vinigar/water solution. The relief is almost instant. Not sure if anyone has tried ACV on their dogs, but could be worth a try :) I tried the calendula tea on myself & it did help, but the ACV was almost 100% relief.

For anyone who is interested The Skincare Store has 20 % off Mason Pearson brushes at the moment & free delivery. I just bought the large Popular one for $150.00....couldn't help myself after that good wrap that DancinBCs gave it.

Just a question....I have often seen people mention these pin brushes...would they be better for a BC's tail & pants than a LePooch ????

This. And for this reason I'm very wary of 100% dry food diets. Historically dogs ate non-processed wet foods. On the rare occasions my guys get dry food it's always floating in a good dose of water. Never on its own. Like us, dogs get a lot of their moisture and hydration from their food - so IMO unless it contains moisture then you are potentially setting yourself up for problems down the track. And before anyone screams, I know others disagree - and you're welcome to. :) I happen to believe that this is THE sleeper issue in dog nutrition and I'd prefer we don't look back with great regret later on. Water doesn't hurt! My young guy swims every day in the family pool & "eats" the water...it's part of his game, but he ends up with a real belly full & you can hear it sloshing around in his belly. He later vomits it back up & wees like a horse for the rest of the day. I asked my vet about it, as there is nothing I can do, except not allow him to go swimming, & the vet said there was no problem, that it will do him no harm. Not sure I am convinced of this not because of the small amount of chlorine he is swallowing, but the amount of water he is swallowing. Hope I havn't sidetracked the thread

In my grooming box I have two rakes, one wide tooth, the other narrow, a Mars Coat King which I use a few times a year on the pants & under the tail, a LePooch wire brush which is good for doing the pants & tail, a human pure bristle brush for polishing & just because they like it :) a pair of nail clippers & scissors for trimming feet. Remember to handle the feet often & not just when you want to cut his nails :) Before I start to groom & for detangling, I spray on some human leave-in conditioner by Schwarzkopf. I have tried a few different pet sprays, but keep coming back to this one. My favourite shampoo at the moment, is Fidos Emu Oil, Soap Free & I keep a bottle of Plush Puppy Wonderwash for spot treatments & emergencies. I also have a packet of baby wipes. I still don't feel I have it right & am always asking for ideas on doing the pants & a very, very full fluffy tail. Oh...& most of the above is for my girl :laugh: My boy has a teflon coat, has only been shampood twice in 22 months & I mostly only use the two rakes & the pure bristle brush on him. They both swim everyday.

When we taught our girl, we knew very little about weave pole training & so we trained her our own way, by putting wings on all the poles till she got it right, & then proofed it by getting her do it for the ball. Then we gradually removed the wings. It worked well with her. With Cricket, we taught him 2 x 2 method. Then after reading about the "channel method" which is different to the slanted poles, we retrained them both using the channel method & it worked great.

I used to feed VAN & the grain is meant to pass through...something to do with anal glands or something. But to me, that picture of the poo, looks like NOTHING has been digested properly. It looks more like something the dog has vomited up, except it is obviously poo because of the mucous covering. But I wouldn't be too concerned about the whole grains, that is the way they should be, I would be more concerned that the rest doesn't look right.

Double post

We stay at lots of caravan parks with our dogs & with the odd exception it is usually pretty quite. I think its because, the type of people who love their dogs enough to take them on holidays with them, also love them enough to train them not to bark. :)

My two BC's are fed Black Hawk & poo, on average, only twice a day & nice & firm & small. What else is your dog being fed including what treats ?? Any table scraps, vegetables or dried liver treats??

Have you tried potato flour or Plush Puppies Wonder Wash which is a shampoo you spray on, lather up, towel dry & leave it (no rinsing). I use the Wonder Wash on my BC girls white bits when I want to give them a lift. I have also heard of using Sards Soap on the white bits, but havn't tried it.

When a dog is fed completly raw...correct me if I am wrong...the raw will contain about 70% moisture. When he is being fed 100% dry food, there is very little moisture in the food, so just make sure he drinks plenty of water or he will dehydrate & if in doubt add some water to his kibble. My BC girl does not drink enough water, & she is only on about 50% dry with the rest being raw, so I have to add water to her kibble & also give her a couple of drinks a day containing home made stock if I think she is not drinking enough.

I found it didn't work that well, if the dog got in a straight line between me & the treat station. Maybe I didn't give mine enough of a chance

I have one of each. The plasticoat one was about $200 & the one from ADAA was about $400 (can't remember exactly), but if I could afford it, in hindsight, I should have bought another one from ADAA...they are far superior. The Plasticoat one I have had for about a year & it is losing it's shape & starting to shread. The ADAA one I have had for over three years & it is just as good as the day I bought it & they are both out in the field at all times.

:D Thanks ness. And no - not tempted :laugh: I was tempted when it was free shipping - now at $38 for postage alone, no thanks!! I bought one of those & it was a waste of money. You still have to manually load each treat & it is so noisy when it opens that it startles the dogs. I have chucked it into the bottom of the cupboard I find the treat pouches much better. You can throw them ahead & when the dog reaches it, open it up & give a treat and/or tug.

Our car has leather seats, but on the carpets I use a rubber, electrostatic hand broom from Bunnings :)