Tapua

Thanks everyone should be able to pick something out for this lot.

OMG how can people do that!

I would might use rasberry leaf with an older bitch a week or 2 before whelping but not on a fit youngester under 4yr old.

OK baby Labs - unexpecatntly born 11/5 (we thought she was having a phantom ) anyway three lively boys. This is a 'D' litter and despite only 3 boys we cant think of any names. SO any ideas would be appreciated. - OH is useful D4, Dog,Dozzer,Drive Belt,Detinator, & Diesel, Demolition - ah Sappers - ya gotta love them!

Well you can knock me over with a feather but Pete and I got an email last night to say we won $500 of Royal Canine of our choice - so we are getting 3 20kg bags of 4800 and 2 of rehydratable wooo hoo - we generally cant win a bloody chook rafle very happy.

OMG they are great these video's made my day!

Big congrats to you and Hunter - alwasy exciting when young one start to get a hold in the ring - I am dying to get my baby monster in there!

I remember those 4 legged critters very pretty little girl Lee-Anne almost as good as a Lab puppy :D

Here's my rising star - I hope - about to hit the ring in June. I think she looks like a stuffed toy in the first photo - she is a character though. Tapua Celtic Charm

I had the pleasure of attending a Steve Austin seminar in Bathurst at the beginning of April. I was long ago made aware of the difference between Delta pet dogs and service dogs. In both cases the limitation is the handler not the dog. I cant tell you how many dogs I have seen that in 'experinced hands' would make a great dog. But not my dog eh. For myself my girls first job is to be sound in temperament & type, socialised to both the house and kennel and fit in with the pack and our life style. Currently I have 5 labs lying on the floor waiting for us to chill out and watch TV with them.( which generally means sleeping) Whilst inspired to do more personally after being around people like Steve I doubt if I have the time or the interest to train past the CD level for obedience. Steve is great I admire his committment and quality of training. I would trust him with any of my dogs.

There is a $100 difference between Main & Limit for me - I breed the litters with the intention of keeping bitches at this point in time, of the 5 Lab litter I have bred in the last 3 year I have only kept 1 bitch the rest have been sold as pet or re-homed becasue I wasnt happy with them. I breed for my kennel first I am not particularly interested in males - later I might consider keeping a boy but to be honest there is plenty of sperm out there in my breed. It is easier for me to just keep bitches. If I am offering a MR male for sale then I place NO expectation on my part to control the owner to whom's bitch that dog must or must not cover. I just dont see the point in being that controlling. If I want a service from one of my dogs I bred I will offer them a fee or pick pup in return. Certainly colour is a factor and I have seen rediculous prices for chocolate Labs but they are the same attention as all the rest of the litter and I dont think the colour is all that relevant if the conformation of the litter is crap. Pet puppy buyers expect to pay much less for pets yet I treat all the pups the same, all get the same attention, same feed, same neurological stimulation, the sire and dam are all health checked with the relevant DNA tests, hips/elbows, all buyers are given info (once they have paid a deposit) and photos each week about feed, crates, vets, vaccination, puppy pre-schools and various do's & dont's so they are well prepared before the pup even arrive. So the price reflects not just the pup but the service which is on-going and available via email or facebook. At this time I will happily MR 1st & 2nd male if they are good enough - but after that I think I would be kidding myself. Any quality females stay with me at the moment.

I am about 100km from my nearest obedience club so going to a weekly session is not a regular opition. However I make sure the dogs are really keen and enthusiastic heelers during the first 12 months - all positive motivation stuff done in short sessions. Then quite separately I teach off lead, sit, stand drop come. Then marry it with the on lead healing. Generally its the last month before the trail I have entered that I pull the routine together, training for about 15 minutes each day focusing on what the dog doesnt know or isnt recognising. Its more about me recognising what I havent taught. I found the dogs love the routine and think its a challenge because its only happens for a couple of weeks - so they are not bored. On the day of the trial I will warm up in a spare ring if there is one using alot of food reward for good work. But no verbal praise till the end. The last two dogs I trained this way both went 3 trails with 3 passes. I was happy!

Voice control is really useful but I think they will sort it out - if your 5mo gets sick of it she will flatten him. I am guessing the dogs are Kelpies - its very typical 12 wo behaviour and the others will tolerate it until they dont so to speak - he just has to stop being a boof head around you. If she is going to him for the ruff up then she is not ticked off with him .... yet.

Wow Leanne I want one of your pups just for the gear I'll add a blanket I think with the smell of the family on it and I'll look into an ajustable collar.

Hi All I am just curious, I have a litter 6, I am keeping 1 and the rest are spoken for I am just getting together the stuff for my puppy buyers organised and I was wondering what you give your puppy buyers ie:bought or free-bees. As well as the obligatory paperwork they were emailed photos of the litter (saves on print!) each week, emailed info on diet and nutrition which they will also get in hard copy when they get the pups. Info and websites on crates, toilet training, dangerous/poisonous plants, indestructable toys, leads and collars - which they will get a list of in hard copy. Plus they will get feed samples of the dry feed (Nutro), Shampoo samples from Fido, a toy for each pup. They also get 6 weeks free pet insurance. Can anyone think of anything else I should add? Emails and free samples cost me nothing - the toys were $4 each onsale so I am not out of pocket IMO.

Her show name is Tapua Celtic Charm her pet name is 'Herbie' odd I know but my husband mother passed away the day the pups were born - and his pet name for his mum was herbie - so we have a Herbie now. Its special for us.

Thanks for your responses guys I am very impressed with this litter they are very very handsome IMO. This is the girl we are keeping - she is as bright as a button and had just finished her breaky - as evidenced by the food on her nose.

but wait there's more!!!!

These are some of my 5 week old kids will have to do a few shots sorry photos wont load

Couldnt get these on one post?

lab buggy

But wait there is more! Morning at the milkbar - the pup sitting up is a girl the othr one is a sleepy boy! Smoochy puppies 21 days old today

Thanks everyone I will pass this on.

Thankyou both - I will pass on the information.

Hi WA People I have a baby boy Lab from my current litter flying to Perth at the end of April. He will be living in Clarkson - Perth. Can anyone recommend a puppy pre-school near by? Also these guys are keen to show - they are newbies to the game - can you recommend where they can get show training in Perth?