SpikesPuppy

Try bathing in a VERY diluted tea-tree based shampoo. I use this with my Border Terriers and it works well. Also, I would let the dog dry naturally, just comb it through with a narrow-toothed comb every so often until totally dry. I am lucky that my guys have excellent coat textures and I can bath them the morning of a show if I need to (in any shampoo actually, except Aloveen or a conditioning version). BUT if I don't bathe them (I rarely do as they don't get particularly dirty), I use either water sprayed onto the coat then combed or brushed (with a stiff, nylon bristle brush- found boar bristle to cause frizzing of the undercoat) and then dryed off with a rough towel. OR I use a grooming chalk for harsh coats the night before and THOROUGHLY blowdryed/brushed out so not a trace left. I find this does not alter the texture at all, but does clean the coats and removes any odour they may have picked up (but like I said, they don't get overly dirty anyway). Some people will disagree with not bathing before a show but :raspberry: to them. I don't see it as necessary if they are otherwise clean. Stonebridge- how much experience have you had with wire coats? It's not just the texture but the overall feel of the coat... a wire coat usually doesn't settle overnight- some people bathe upto a week beforehand not because of poor texture, but because a harsh coat should not appear "fluffy" or "poofy", and that is something that is almost unavoidable, regardless of quality, immediately after bathing.

WAY TO GO!! That's an awesome result :D Congrats.

http://www.geelonghighlandgathering.org.au/index.php The Geelong Highland Gathering (incorporating Scottish Breeds dog match) has had the venue & date changed. It will now be held on Sunday, March 21st at Fyansford Common. We found this out tonight at our club committee meeting, as our club had planned a large attendance and have been promoting it to our 'pet' members as a great event (which it is!!), it was originally scheduled/advertised as being on Sunday the 14th of March, at Queens Park. This is also what it says in the DOGSVic gazette. However, by chance, we learnt of the date/venue change. So if you were planning to attend- please make a note and pass the information on!! Unfortunately, I wont be able to make it now

Aren't I glad I'm not trying to show in the USA LOL. Big business there However I'm trying to convince a NY friend of mine (non-doggy) to pop in and chat up some Border people dunno if she'll do it...

Early days yet but I think this is my hopeful OBS- They are all so gorgeous but I Secret!! Something about her Can't wait to meet them!

hehe - slightly OT - with Poodles it's 3 weeks! After this, they were moved to the laundry Here are mine (there is usually a dog bed (bottom of a PP40 crate) for them to sleep in but I was sitting there lol so took it out) Our adult dogs make a fuss when people come but usually settle down pretty quickly once they are let out of their crates to meet the visitors (and am hoping Mum will have Nessa at a show or obedience when puppy people come LOL)

But that's what you want, a breed club that caters for your un papered dog. And I didn't say full of non-reg pet owners either. Should a breed club only be about pedigree, papered animals or should it be about the breed and educating people on said breed ?????

I don't mind people using my dogs to get them to focus, but when they are loudly saying "gittheborder!!" and the Bully is literally on a VERY tight lead and would no doubt jump on my dog if loosened, as well as being very close proximity (I would hazard a guess and say we've got more dogs in the group line up than in the NT), it's very distracting and a little worrying - it's not about aggression either, it's the fact that a Bull Terrier is about 4 times the size of my dogs and can easily harm them through play, or frighten them etc. Caber actually LOVES Bullies, and he plays with those we know. Put it this way- I believe I should be able to concentrate on my own dog in the ring without having to wonder what the dog next door is doing

Of course. And I know this now but when I started out, I had no idea that people would actually stand on your dog or shove it out the way Now I'm like a bloody chameleon in the ring- eyes in seventeen directions at once

My pups were moved into a pen with bed at 2 weeks (they were escaping the box!), however Ziva has been able to exit the box since then (via a board in place of a wire panel). The pups aren't in the lounge room but the front room/study where I am most of the day anyway. The room is blocked off via a baby gate so Ziva has the entire room to stretch out and relax

My dogs are pretty proofed, but it still doesn't matter when they are literally stood on or nudged out of the way. I love how Caber stands rock solid no matter what's behind him (once had a Bully literally land on him and he flinched but didn't move. So proud of him but shouldn't have come to that). Also hate when other exhibitors come so close or stand infront of your dog. Mum had that happen once, okay she was a new exhibitor and moved too far into the corner of the ring, but IMO the exhibitor behind her should have left some space and not literally stood where mum should have..... was just rude IMO. ETA I also dislike it when other exhibitors use my dogs to bait theres/spar (as Borders should not be sparred and thank you but I don't appreciate you telling your Bully to "get the Border" and have it on it's tippy toes if it's a friend/friend's dog in the ring it's different, but if it's a stranger, I hate it.

Love Bloodhounds, just don't see enough of them! I think I've seen 2 in real life.

Cool, thank you - Curiosity satisfied

Can I ask how the registration appears in the Gazette? Is it under 2 separate litters or is it one litter with 2 sire's listed? I've been dying to know this for ages!! LOL.

So far, Ziva hasn't cared about people & her pups (and by 3 weeks have had several people over, the stud owner & young son, Z's breeder, other breeders and some other doggy friends & their kids), at first she kept watch but now she couldn't care less! In fact I think she wants them to go already When puppy people come to meet the pups (starting next weekend), Ziva will most likely do whatever she wants- she is a very soft & easy dog anyway. Caber will depend on how the people feel about him (as he can be very forward and if they have kids etc he could knock them over by accident). Nessa the Collie will most likely be put away or kept on leash as people are here to see Border Terriers, not collies. I think it depends on the situation, breeder's set up, dog breed and individual temperament of the dogs etc. And there is no right or wrong answer though IMO if you feel the breeder is *hiding* something by not having the dam around, then you need to tread carefully and re-think you decision about buying a pup from that breeder. One family I have coming over on the weekend have 2 young daughters, who are very gentle apparently but as Ziva has not had much positive experience with toddlers, I have warned them that she may disappear if she is uncomfortable (which is what she does as opposed to biting!! And what I am happy with). And they are fine with this.

:p She caught my eye as soon as she was born! There is just *something* about her ;) ;) Oh no...dont think so will just admire them from a far...LOL! I admire alot of the terriers and working dogs but dont think I could ever own one unless my lifestyle changes! Shame about Miss purples fault...I really like her! As for keeping two...surely you can just pretend that you only kept one...convince your mum shes just seeing double? Nah, Borders aren't too difficult :p Easy to amuse & easy to exercise ;) WAY easier than a working dog!! Oh well if you're ever in Melb give me a yell and you can have cuddles ;) hehehe I am trying to convince mum :D the problem with living in the city though

I'm keeping one (at this stage, Pink), but I really love Green too. Mum wont let me keep 2 Purple is turning out to be really really nice! But has a small fault so not suitable for showing/breeding. However she has a lovely home to go to with a Cairn and hopefully I will get to see her often She is a character- very cheeky. we call her The Angry Koala as she has an attitude!! But she is also very sweet. Orange has a great personality too- the most forward of the bunch, and the noisiest she is going to need a strong willed owner lol. I think she will be heaps of fun though :rofl: She will, I think, be similar to Caber in personality (very happy & friendly, super intelligent but needs to have boundaries lol). All are pretty cruisey though & take everything in their stride, I'm working really hard on socialisation and it's useful that I'm home with them!! Amypie- I know, I will miss them :p Only 5 weeks to go!!! But I probably wont miss the cleaning up SB- get one they get along great with other dogs etc.

If I'm trying to razz my dogs up (get them on their toes for the showring etc), I soft thump them on the head, pull their beards & slap them under the chins (all gently!). It sure get's 'em hyped up But they are my dogs and they don't seem to mind it??

For those that didn't see the thread in Breeders, here's them on day 1:

Here they are, at 3 and a half weeks old Mr Blue Mr Green Miss Orange Miss Pink Miss Purple Miss Yellow

Awwwwww they are lovely!! Well done

I did once talk to one of them about joining, but as I don't have papers for my 'pet' they conceeded there was limited appeal for me to do so as there were no real benefits for me. If I had a 'papered' pet it would be different. This is why I am suggesting a 2-tiered membership model - of course a breed club would not want to see people without registered dogs taking spots on a committee. But heck, I'll have another chat with them the next time they run an event (cos they do run ones and invite us pet owners, just there's only so many times one can enter a waggiest tail contest and not start to feel there should be more to this competition stuff I don't see much in the club right now that suits a pet owner. Although the day outs have been good and certain members have been very encouraging. Overall though there is not much benefit in joining. Maybe there should be a committee change KK- did your dog win the waggiest tail comp at Bayside last year? If so, she beat mum's girl The Collie Club has a LOT more to offer it's members than, say, the Border Terrier club. At least they have members comps and the thing like the Collies by the Bay etc as well as organising things like seminars and several breed/members comps throughout the year. The Border club has very little to offer it's pet members (although we have 3 fun days a year, though attendance is dropping off with each one, as is membership :D ), but the catch-22 with that is, if pet members don't join, we don't have the funds to offer anything else for them?? We wanted to have a terrier racing day or something but that costs money to hire equipment & venue, which we, as a club simply do not have Put it this way, the membership fee for the BT club does not even cover the cost of printing/posting the club's newsletter :D And repeatedly, we have asked for submissions of stories, photos of pets etc but no one participates and so the newsletter is often full of show brags. It's all we have!

Bullies are one of the most beautiful breeds I absolutely adore them and they are on my 'must have' list one day. Maybe NOT the brightest sparks but all Heart.

I think it's one of the more positive ideas I've seen so far Reading that article, and as little information as it offers- it seems like if someone wants to breed a litter they will actually have to think about it and apply for/obtain the permit, and spend the money to do it. It will take effort Not sure how it would be enforceable but the idea, I like

Wow, kinda glad I didn't bother going down today!! Will show next year though, if it's on, as it's a great opportunity to show the breed to the public (and I like the socialisation experiences for the dogs).