Bindii

I'm just answering some of the questions that i think i know - some are assumptions but i make that clear in my answers. Do most breeders test for this? Pretty sure most ethical breeders in victoria do. How do you know breeders test for this? Do you go on face value or is there some paper proof? I got the gribbles pathology report when i picked Fletcher up as a puppy, his animal id on the report is his microchip number. It is dated 17/3/09, i picked him up at 8 weeks on the 21/3/09. Is it really all that common within the breed? I was told that there were a few cases over a period of about 10 years. (most breeders in victoria use the same Vet and all agreed that testing puppies would be a good idea) Is it hereditary? If it is, is there any proof, or is hereditary just something just to blame it on? If there were a few noted cases in the the one breed, in the one area (victoria, so a chance of similar lineage) and it is there from birth would that make it hereditary? (honest question, but i think it does so i'm going to continue answering as though it is hereditary) Can something else cause this problem? Generally portosystemic liver shunts become noticed at about 6 or before 12 months of age but have been there from birth. I'm not sure if liver shunts can be caused from anything else but the ones that they are testing for are congenital - aka, there from birth. How do you test for Liver Shunts? Bile acids are tested from two blood serum tests, a fasted test, then given food, and tested two hours after food. According to the gribbles report - bile acids must be <9 umol/L for the fasted test and <31 umol/L 2 hours after food. What age do you test? Fletcher was tested at 7.5 weeks old, but i guess it could be at any age. As close to 8 weeks old would be best, i assume, because pups need to be fasted (most fasted tests are for no food for 12 hours). Is there a Samoyed register that these dogs go onto? Not sure but it would be a good idea. I'm also curious as to what happens when they find a pup at 8 weeks that does have one, are parents continued to be bred from? Or would breeders only stop using the dam/sire when there is more than one case and risk passing on the (recessive) gene until they find another pup.

I should do these too! QUESTIONS 1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc) First time owner, newbie exhibitor, interested in breeding later on down the track.. Questions 2-4 see Icemist and Wolfsong answers 5. What is the general temperament/personality? I haven't met an agressive Samoyed. They should all been friendly and very welcoming. As far Fletcher goes - he is *very* relaxed and independent. Ridiculously easy going. Loves spending time with us on the couch, but equally appreciates his 'alone time'. Perhaps it's just the way i've brought him up but he has no little quirks, i can clip his nails, brush him, pick him up by his ears (i'm kidding!!) I'm just comparing to my pug Hugo - you can't leave him in a different room, you can't clip his nails, you can't look in his mouth, he was brought up the same way Fletcher was, they're both just a loyal and loving, but it's nice the Fletcher doesn't stress when he needs to be alone etc. Honesty if they're all like Fletcher (which the seem to be) i don't think there is any dog that can compare 6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult? We go for daily walks and zoomies around the house/small back yard occur frequently. 7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? I think so. Every dog is a big responsibility. I think the coat might new dog owners off, but grooming in my mind is just one of many, many factors of being a good dog owner. 8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? No experience here, sorry! But i think he would be fine on his own so long as he gets lots of attention from the humans of the house! 9. How much grooming is required? I brush Fletcher every day and i think a good comb a week would be adequate - but i do it probably more like every 4 days, because I love making him look pretty. I wash when i show which at the moment is about every 2 weeks. I'd probably wash every 3 weeks if i didn't show - because he's an inside dog, but we go to the lake and he swims and rolls in mud. Personally, i don't find the grooming a big deal, i find the time to watch TV for at least half an hour a day, so Fletcher can sit on my lap and have a brush at the same time for 10 minutes... big deal 10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)? Fletcher gets huge cuddles from kids, he loves it. I don't have kids, but from children we have met along the way he has had this immediate understanding to be gentle and calm around kids. 11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of? Icemist wrote: "In Australia, Hip Displayia is the most common hereditary problem. Sensible breeders are aware of this and take steps in reducing the problem." Fletcher, at 8 weeks, was tested for a portosystemic liver shunt. Most breeders in Victoria test for this. Do you know any more about it? 12. When buying a puppy, what are the things you should ask of the breeder? Registered breeder? Can I meet the parents? Do you hip score parents? Vaccinated? Microchipped? For me, getting along with my breeder was an important thing, i liked feeling comfortable in asking lots of questions about my new puppy and beyond.

Buster is gorgeous I've got a photo which might be nice to share. I was always interested in how my boy compared to others at the same age, so this might be a bit of an understanding of how a Samoyed pup might grow up. This is from 5 weeks old

Oh this is a fun thread! My favourite photo with the boys, certainly not the best shot of me, but i do love it anyway Also love this relatively new one of Fletcher and I

Oh. my. Gosh. LOVE LOVE LOVE this one of Alchemy - so girly with the flower too!! I WANT ONE! *gorgeous* little lady!!

Well done!! GO LEO!!! Really good to hear that it didn't look so scary after all!! You'll definitely have to give it a go, it's addictive! Wait till you're handling him and he wins something - they you *will* cry!! Latest news from me - i forgot to enter yesterday's show but wanted to get a practice in before this Friday (Royal Melb!) so we went along to the Bass Valley members comp on Thursday night. It was really nice to have such a relaxed show as a practice - and even better to go home with Best in Group It'd been 3 weeks since the last show, but luckily Fletcher remembered what to do! So proud of the young fella! So now it's just time to prepare for Friday - I'm so excited!!!

I heard 200 on the news.... and they all looked pretty healthy to me too. Will check out these links now.

I like the first one

Miss B, the first one if my favourite look forward to the new ones though

love the last one, Elkie

Me too! You will bring yours along too, yes?

Took this today, the little man's really growing up!

These are my favourite Fletcher photos: And my all time favourite, but Hugo's in it...

Gotcha!

So i'm looking through some photos, checking the sizing.... From what i can tell - that is HUGE. My camera makes them bigger than that, BUT i always make them smaller when putting them in photobucket etc... and they're heaps bigger than the ones everyone is posting on here. I'm confused? Also some of my gorgeous Fletcher photos have Hugo in them... does that rule those photos out? (but i still might share them because i love them)

Well if that's what fawns should be like then Hugo certainly meets that criteria!! Perhaps it's true! Breeders?

I've recently had clients come into work with pugs and of course i tell them about my own special little guy, they always ask "is he fawn or black? We've owned both and they're *completely* different" Are these people just inexperienced, bought one of each, they have different personalities so they decide it is because of the colour? Or is there actually some kind of genetic reason that follows both colour and temperament in pug lines? I've only got Hugo and met a few (stunning) black pugs briefly, so i have no idea.

Congrats on your first show, Two Spirit!! Glad you had fun!! Next week will be much better - getting that 'first show' out of the way you'll feel great next week Fletcher and I had a great day today!! Best Minor Puppy in show at the Samoyed Club of Victoria Champ show! Was a big long day, but we all had so much fun, it was great seeing so many Sammies, and this is the first show Fletcher's breeders have been at with us and it was great Fletcher is such a good boy, very focused, very obedient, and very happy. I'm proud of my young man!! Really making me want another already... uh-oh!! Also gunna chuck this photo in because i love it. Jess - Was it your first show this weekend?? How was it!? Cassie, Poocow, Angelsophie - How did my fellow newbie pals go this weekend?

Ohh good luck Jessm! How exciting! That's great that Leo's breeders will be there to help. It's okay, we've been in three shows now and i still don't really grasp the whole thing.. haha. Good luck

Weeee Fletcher and I had a good day! He was the only Minor Puppy Samoyed, so got that automatically and nothing for group. BUT The utility dog club had a member comp which i had forgotten about! Had to enter him in puppies, I think cos there were no other minor puppies, or maybe they were just combining them. I wasn't sure how we'd go cos he's only 6.5 months - but he won Best Puppy Dog and then got Runner-Up Puppy In Group (went to a very pretty black miniature schnauzer bitch) I was so proud of my young man! It's the most competition we've had - i think there were 8 puppy dogs all up, quite a shock! Here's a crappy phone photo How are all the other newbies going??

Yep yep that's what i'm doing! and she confirmed and everything so that's wonderful. I was just super worried that my entries hadn't been accepted or something, because i hadn't trimmed my entry forms on that one either

Ohh well there you go! Good to know it's okay to receive them later, but in this case she did say i should have already received it. ...but i wont stress too much if i haven't received them by this stage in future.

So because no one else could answer, i answered myself! I called the secretary today who says that my entry is in, and my envelope should have absoloutely arrived by now, so it must have gotten lost in the mail... Boo! anyway so i have to collect it on the day. So for newbies - yes, your number should have arrived by a week before the show.

Newbie question- should i have received my exhibitors number by now for a show that's next Saturday?

Fletcher had one of these at about the same age- would have definitely described it as a pimple! Vets said it was a pustule, but also said the reasons it was there could be endless. Because it was just one we decided to just leave it rather than put him on antibiotics for one pimple. It went away within a few days! Apparently they can get really bad though, and they can get many all over the tummy. I'd just watch it for now. If it gets worse/causes her problems or if she gets more of them then take her to the vet.