LizT

:laugh: We have cooch grass on the front lawn so Miss Emmie bounds along like a toddler on a trampoline! :) We've got the cooch grass too - love it! It's made my pups move like superstars as well! Hehe Very happy for you! Yeah, as if pups aren't bouncy enough! :laugh: At least your troupe don't have tiny legs that fall through the spongelike holes. Too comical to be a superstar but better now that she's 'big'. ;)

Yep and we're also renting so can't fix anything to the wall, there's also no door way into the kitchen so no where to attach the baby gates to :laugh: And we'd have to fence off the entire island bench as well, which is in the middle of the room. I'm not looking for a solution though - we have fixed food stealing as I mentioned above, I was just explaining why baby gates etc aren't an option for everyone. It also wouldn't actually stop the dog's desire to steal the food, so the behaviour isn't being altered and I know a dog like Daisy if managed would still steal food at any given opportunity she can find. Doesn't sound like the designer had kids. :laugh: It's the kind of home I've always loved but glad I didn't have. :) :laugh: Gotta love that "survival instinct!

So sorry to hear this.

Same, but unfortunately the dogs live in the family room which has a servery type window and breakfast nook with bar stools. While my eldest Cavalier can't get on the bar stool there is spare chair sitting beside them that she can jump onto and then if there is chicken (and only chicken, cooked or raw) she is up on the bar stool with her little face on the bench!! I've had to put one of the X-mats I keep on the couch on that chair as a deterrent! She's the only one that does it. I've always said I'm so lucky Daisy has never worked out to use chairs to get onto the table! She steals a lot more than chicken though :laugh: Rolls of raw pasty, an entire loaf of sourdough bread, a bag of raw chillis, a bag of six lamingtons, fruit, raw vegetables, anything edible really and yes all those things listed are thing she ate in entirety! Our house is open plan so no where to put up baby gates and I could crate her when we're in the kitchen but she can't be crated 24/7 :laugh: Even a big wide pet gate?

I find a deep guttral Uh-ah works well but if a child is playing with a puppy I usually put a rope toy or such in the childs hand to direct the biting onto it. I figure teething comes into it and kids should be enjoying playing with the puppy while teaching it not to bite the hand the feeds, strokes, brushes etc. it. :)

Same, but unfortunately the dogs live in the family room which has a servery type window and breakfast nook with bar stools. While my eldest Cavalier can't get on the bar stool there is spare chair sitting beside them that she can jump onto and then if there is chicken (and only chicken, cooked or raw) she is up on the bar stool with her little face on the bench!! I've had to put one of the X-mats I keep on the couch on that chair as a deterrent! She's the only one that does it.

Clearly you have a very hardy breed and to mess with that breed, which has managed for what is it, about 2000 years without a "Repo Specialist" would be arrogant to a fault. When my singleton was diagnosed via ultrasound I was told by those that know far better than me, (not being sarcastic, it's the truth :) ) that an elective C-section was imenent. I was well prepared to follow advice but my vet said that of course a natural birthing was always the better option and we would keep a close eye on my girl. Well she decided she would birth this pup herself and had no difficulty beyond the normal birth and Mother nature handled things brilliantly. By all means bring in the experts when required in an emergency or such. But for the simple mating of two dogs do we really need IVF type interferences? If we are to maintain hardy virile stock then we must first give them the opportunity to prove themselves. An AI followed by an elective c-section tells the breeder nothing about his stock. And yes, the OP is breeding a hardy working dog and should be fine doing so without resorting to AI, however this is her choice should she decide to do this. But in asking for advice, my personal opinion is, not necessary. Save your hard earned cash for the Veterninary emergencies, that like all of us, the fates will subject you to, someday. :)

I would like to think that given the time that has passed between the "incident" and now that something has already come into play regarding his "training and behaviour assessment".

I heard a celebrity on the radio talking about how his family had a donkey called "Pablo" that "went to live on a farm". He always assumed it meant PTS Until....one day a Christmas card and photo of an elderly Pablo arrived telling the family how very well old Pablo was! :laugh: He also was soooo happy. :D

Important for proper function of the thyroid. Kelp is also an anti inflammatory, anti tumour, anti rheumatic, cleans the digestive tract, absorbs toxic metals. Rich in vitamins and minerals.

LizT I am not trying to single you out from the others but I don't understand that viewpoint at all. Why wouldn't people want to know something about: Wasn't that the OP's question? Are veterinary courses done in vain? Is there no place in our own infrequent and amateur breeding for: Px What espinay2 said. :D But in seriousness science has it's place ...but..if it ain't broke don't fix it. I mean how would you even know if your dogs are "good natural producers" if you keep 'pfaffing around" with it's breeding?? As a example I will attempt to breed my bitch who produced a singleton on the first attempt again, but if she has another singleton litter, that's it for her, despite the pup being 100% healthy. And should her pup also produce a singleton that is where it will stop. Although, many would say it is the epitome of producing "only to continue". ;) But I do agree that there is merit in the work of the Repro Specialists and in what they do. Also that there is nothing wrong with learning as much as you can about reproduction as eventually one will be placed in a position where understanding what is happening is tantamount to a sucessful outcome.

Personally I don't see the point of AI, or any other form of interference or "Specialists" UNLESS there are difficulties or there is a problem, such as you are under a deadline timewise?? Just try the natural mating first. Give nature some credit. :)

I just hate it when families fight. Clearly you are the bigger person, and there are WAY more issues contributing here than should be discussed on a public forum. I do see your problem though and hope that some form of peace can be found. Good Luck.

My friend's boyfriend believed well into his late 20s that his family dog had "gone to live on a farm", until my friend heard him talking about it and went "surely you don't believe that your dog actually went to go and live on a farm? Did you ever see this farm?" - he seriously believe the dog was actually on a farm until they confronted his mum and she admitted she ran over the dog on the way to work one day I actually had a Border Collie that went to live on a farm when I was a kid. He was way too much dog for my dad (who was a dog novice migrant City boy from Europe) to handle so a workmate took him and gave him to his brother who ran sheep. He turned out to be the easiest dog to train that farmer ever encountered! Just goes to show if you don't know what you are doing then even the best of dogs isn't going to help.

Not that they don't but the first attempt would be to scale over the fence. :laugh: They LOVE to climb!

Hmmm...sounds like something could be in the wind then.

Actually when l found out it was my mother who lodged the complaint l tried to call her but got no answer, tried to call dad - from my mobile got no answer. Hubby suggested to call from the house phone which is a private number - he answered said he was busy and that he would call me back that night but l'm still waiting for the call. Christmas day my kids rang they are 7,9 and 12. We always have Christmas at home, no answer so they all left a message on the machine but no call back. l feel bad for the kids we were suppose to show at ADI tomorrow (naughty dog chewed the electrics on the trailer so we are staying home now) but my two youngest show their own dogs and instead of being excited about showing they were worried about what to do or say if they saw Nanna or what if she talked to them. Well they say hello and keep walking.;) Agree, be polite and just cruise on past :) That way none of you will stoop down to a level you do not need to be on. Well done on gaining your prefix - eventually, I really like it :) Would it be so bad if you stopped and had a chat??? :)

I'm so glad that's sorted! :)

Is that the Pony Club Grounds/Greyhound Race track area??

yeah I know we would be in for a hard time training wise, not because of unintelligence, just from plain stubborness!!! partner hates what he calls "push button" dogs (i.e. highly trainable dogs) prefers a challenge so I do think a basenji would be right up his alley in that aspect... destructiveness? well wouldnt be much different from what we deal with now! two amstaff girls that love to get into anything they can, one extra set of teeth wont make that much difference! ;) Yep, all these 'endearing' descriptions sum up "San". I loved him and he got on well with my dogs but, yeah he was very challenging. But I think as a dog trainer you're going in with your eyes open. :)

That is so unfair. How old are the puppies?

Oh Mita. :) Or 'Title" Doesn't like Vet visits. :)

I lived with a Basenji for a couple of years. It belong to a couple I shared a house with and I can tell you not the easiest of breeds to train. Beautiful natured animal, clean habits but this guy (entire male) was hell bent on racing out the front door EVERY chance he got and running off up the street. His owners were experienced dog owners and had owned gundogs before and since and found this fellow most frustrating in comparison. He was very destructive too. I guess it's because they are a primitive breed akin to the dingo and require a fair bit of patience and not a great expectation of their trainability. Or....it could just have been this particular dog was being a PITA. ;)

Enyolwon meaning : Any old one. ;)

When my GSD had a cough a couple of years ago he was ushered in through the side door straight to a consult room JIC it was KC, which it wasn't, it was suspected to be a bone irritation, and he was okay in a couple of days.