4Kelpies

Hi Lindainfa, I've known a few dogs who have had successful surgery to remove foreign objects and are active and healthy again. If the blockage is fairly new, the vet will only have to open the intestine to remove it, but if it has been there a while the intestine can be damaged and some of it will have to be removed. This is a larger and more serious operation. If the object can't be located by x ray, your vet will probably need to do some exploratory surgery. I hope you'll find out what is happening soon. Waiting is the hardest thing. Keeping my fingers crossed for Arnie.

I love mine. It's 5 years old now but has had no problems. I had to take it back for a recall and adjustment - I think that was something to do with the brakes, but it had no problems before or after this. I live in the country and don't do much city driving and find it doesn't use any more petrol than the average station wagon. If I drive in town with lots of stops at traffic lights, however it becomes a petrol guzzler. I've towed a horse float and a dog trailer in all kinds of weather and road conditions and it has been happy. It's very comfortable for long trips and I'm nowhere near as tired or stiff after long journeys as I have been with other cars. I had a cargo net fitted and the dogs are very happy in the back.

all that Jesomil and cry123 said Glad everyone liked the photos. It was a really interesting day. Most interesting parts for me were: 1. Complete lack of treats. Dogs worked for the pleasure of herding the sheep and also for pats at the end from handler. I only ever saw a dog lose focus once and that was when his handler basically took over and shut him out of the process. The dog seemed to say "screw this", leapt out of the yard and didn't want to come back. For the rest of the dogs, they were totally attentive and torn between staring at their handler and at the sheep. I use treats when teaching things like sit, drop, shake hands etc. but wouldn't dream of trying to give my dogs a treat when they're around sheep. They probably wouldn't see it if I did try to offer one, they would be far too focused on the sheep. Some dogs will jump out as a response to pressure - either from the handler, the sheep or both. 2. The distance work - I was impressed by how far away the dogs were when responding to commands. Once the dog accepts the handler as part of the team (as opposed to the person who opens gates and lets them play with sheep as Tia tends to think of me) distance isn't a great problem. In yard trials you are usually fairly close to the dog especially when compared with 3 sheep or field trials. 3. Some handlers used 'right' and 'left' and some used 'come by', 'over' and other commands to get their dogs to go certain places. You'll find a whole range of commands. It really doesn't matter what you say as long as you are consistent. It can get confusing if you get a dog that has already been trained with different commands. I use one different command to my dogs' breeder. He uses "here" for anti clockwise while I use "go back." I got Holly when she was 5 so I have to remember to use "here" with her. I usually use her name first and that helps me remember. It helps that she usually knows what she is doing and will put herself in the right place even if I use the wrong word. 4. I noticed that when the handlers said 'sit', very very rarely did the dog actually sit. Usually the dog would drop. I'm wondering if 'sit' is just a way to tell the dog to stop what it's doing and the handlers don't care if the dog sits or drops as long as it stops - but there was also the 'stop' command 5. One handler's 'speak' command seemed to be 'spooks' when he wanted the dog to bark and rush the last sheep into the pen so that he could close the gate. For the most part the dogs were not barky but did occasionally bark to get a sheep through the gate. I saw no nipping - there was one dog that got overexcited and accidentally slammed a sheep into the fence - he ended up being disqualified shortly after because he just wasn't making any progress with the sheep. You won't hear many nicely rounded vowels or clear enunciation during a sheep dog trial. When I went to my first 3 sheep trial it sounded as if the handlers were saying "Bjorn! Ear! Ear! Bjorn!" Translation "Behind! Here! Here! Behind!" I asked Greg Prince who this Swedish man was and what he had to do with the trial. He still calls me Bjorn whenever he sees me. 6. I wasn't sure if the sheep backing was always compulsory i.e. necessary to pass or if it's something that just happened every session. I got quite nervous for the dogs when they slipped from the sheep backs and ended up at the feet of the sheep :D Occasionally a judge will ask to see the dogs back, but usually if you can move the sheep without backing it's considered good work and unnecessary backing is considered overworking. I can remember once at a trial when the judge asked competitors to get their dogs to bark at the back of the race to show tail end force before they asked them to back. Backing looks scary but if the dogs know what they are doing, they will stay well to the side and won't get hurt. Young dogs can get excited and try to come back down the centre of the race or go under sheep and that's when they get stepped one. I used to have my heart in my mouth whenever one of my dogs disappeared but these days I trust them to do the right thing and don't worry so much. 7. For me, the divide between dog intitiative and handler instruction wasn't entirely clear. To be honest, for the good dogs - it looks as if the dog was doing almost all of the hard work with just a little bit of guidance from the handler. For some sessions, the handlers were calling out a lot of instructions and I couldn't tell if the dog was actually 'disobeying' the instructions of 'showing initative' because it thought that it knew better. For instance, often the handler would tell the dog to sit and it would keep going. You'll see more precise obedience at arena trials. In yard trials the dogs are working closer to the sheep and things can happen very quickly. You might ask a dog to go a certain way but if it knows that a sheep is about to break, or the sheep breaks quickly the dog will over ride the handler and use its own initiative. If the dog waited for the handler to react to the sheep breaking, give a command and then respond, the sheep would be long gone. Usually the handler is happy that the dog will disobey at times in order to do the right thing, especially if it works. Some dogs will be just plain arrogant and like to make their own decisions. They are often the best farm dogs but not always the best trial dogs. 8. Loved the Kelpies leaping over the yard fence to get in and out of the yard - so graceful and athletic. There were two sessions and we weren't entirely sure why they were different. The first was that the handler stood very far away and was not permitted to handle the dog or the sheep. In the second set of sessions, they actually walked around with the sheep, used their arms to push and shoo the sheep sometimes. Again they were probably different levels of competition, but the handler would be losing points if they tried to influence or handle the sheep. You start off with 100 point and then points are deducted for faults around the course. If you dog is having major problems you will keep on having points deducted to each break etc. so sometimes especially with an inexperienced dog, it is better to step in and handle a sheep to turn it the right way in the race and make things easier for the dog. You won't win any trials doing that but it can help a young dog's confidence. 4kelpies - you're right. I heard the names Karana and Capree thrown around a lot. This dog (which performed very well) was an Eveready Kelpie. I haven't heard that name before but doesn't it suit Kelpies. Can someone tell me how to use a number of quotes? I tried a few different things but gave up and just went with bold for my replies.

I'm glad you finally got to see a yard trial after waiting and trying for so long. Great photos. I wonder if any of them were Hoover's relatives. Unfortunately at trials a lot of secretaries only write up the dog's call name and leave off the prefix when writing up the program or scoreboard. It saves time but I really enjoy knowing the dogs' background and breeding. Around here you would probably see equal numbers of black and tans and red and tans. In NSW you have the very popular and successful Capree and Karana studs who produce mostly black and tans so their bloodlines might dominate around Goulburn. I'm only guessing here. If anyone is interested in seeing Kelpies trialling, the National Kelpie Field Dog Trial will be held at Euroa showgrounds on April 7-10 and the Australian Yard Dog Championships will be at Mansfield showgrounds on April 15-17. The best of the best from around Australia will be competing there.

Have sent you a pm. There are a number of good Kelpies in Canada and the US but also a lot who have been crossed with other breeds and registered as Kelpies in the US (not with the WKC.) As you've read in Tony Parson's book a lot of Americans have been breeding Kelpies for aggressive work on cattle and want more bite. Some of the comments on American Kelpie discussion group would make your hair curl. People claiming that their dogs are stock dogs so of course they don't expect them to be friendly with people and expecting them to bite people and be dog aggressive. Nothing like true Kelpie temperaments.

Hi KTB. ‘S/Bred’ before the dog's name indicates that the breeder does not hold membership or a prefix recorded with the WKC. It stands for Station bred but can mean that the breeder has kept track of the dogs' pedigree and they may be very well bred. Tony Parsons' Karrawarra dogs are S/bred but are considered very well bred and their bloodlines are sought after by people wanting paddock dogs with good casts. They're not so popular with people wanting stronger yard dogs. I think Tony Parsons had a falling out with the WKC some time ago and left (you'll probably find out as you keep reading the book.) I finally got my copy of the book. I was about the only Kelpie person I knew who didn't have a copy and was beginning to feel left out. I haven't got as far into it as you.

carebear have you joined the canine cancer list? http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/CanineC...?yguid=69740366 You will be able to talk to a lot of people who have had experience with Lucy's type of cancer and who will be able to tell you of their experiences with different kinds of treatment. When Ruff was diagnosed over 5 years ago, I was given wonderful support and advice from the people there, which really helped me make the decision to go with radical surgery. Ruff is now old and wobbly but cancer free at 15 years of age. Good luck and all my positive and healing thoughts to you and Lucy.

Hi Rebanne, I've been looking through Lew's newsletters and can't find anything like this. This was the closest :- "Mixing Kibble and Fresh Food Some people aren’t quite ready to go to home cooked or raw, but want to begin offering better quality foods with their commercial dog food. An easy start is to add fresh food to your dog’s commercial diet. Since dog food is already high in carbohydrates (for shelf life and inexpensive ingredients) I suggest only adding animal proteins and fat to commercial foods . You may feed up to 50% of the diet in fresh food without needing to add calcium. These foods can include meat (cooked or raw), eggs, plain yogurt or cottage and canned fish, such as mackerel, salmon or sardines. You may also feed raw meaty bones, but when starting, feed these separate in one meal, away from dry dog food. It is thought that these foods (raw bones and kibble) may compete for digestion in the gastric juices in the stomach. However, you can add any of the above foods in the first paragraph with kibble." http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/feedi...-december-2009/ Dry food would make up less than half of my dogs' diet so I don't think I need to worry. Most of my dealings with Lew have been through the CanineCancer list. I have been very impressed that someone who makes money through writing articles (and now a book ) and sells products and supplements was prepared to give so much advice and answer questions free of charge. Perhaps she is more involved with the cancer group. I know I asked a lot of questions when Ruff was first diagnosed and always got a reply.

I've never added calcium to my dogs' diet. I'm not a good enough scientist to work out calcium/ phosphorous ratios for myself so I trust the makers of quality dog foods to do that for me. Half of my dogs' diets are made up of meaty bones which have the correct ratio and a good proportion of their diet is dry food (in the past has been Eukanuba, Orijen, Eagle Pack and now Black Hawk.) I also feed yoghurt or cottage cheese and whole eggs several times a week. Again from Lew "The calcium balance is very important for puppies, as they need calcium to help with the development of bones and teeth. But equally important is not over supplementing with calcium. Never add calcium to a commercial dog food and do not feed more than the recommend amount of calcium (900 mg per pound of food served) in a homemade diet." http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/calci...your-dogs-diet/ She has several articles about calcium here http://www.b-naturals.com/index.php?main_page=newsletters

Mercedes you have my sympathy. Here you are trying to do the right thing but those "seeds of doubt" are growing. I think we've all known those seeds from time to time. No matter what you feed your dogs, there will always be someone fertilizing those seeds and telling you that you are doing the wrong thing. All you can do is do your research and find advice that makes sense to you and stick with it. These quotes are from web articles that make sense to me. "Recent studies have proved that high-protein diets do not cause orthopedic problems in puppies. What will cause problems is overnutrition (too many calories, causing excess weight and rapid growth), and improper amounts of calcium (either too much or too little). Protein does not accelerate growth. Protein and carbohydrates contain exactly the same number of calories (4 per gram), so replacing protein with carbohydrates will not reduce calories or slow growth. In fact, the opposite is generally true, since carbohydrates supply calories with less nutrition, so the puppy has to eat more to get the nutrients he needs. Carbs are more likely to contribute to fat, while protein contributes to lean muscle as well. Most raw-fed puppies (where the protein amount is very high) are leaner and slower-growing than puppies fed kibble, which is high in carbohydrates." Mary Straus http://www.dogaware.com/k9nfaq.html "So, what is the answer to the question of when to reduce proteins? Practically never! On occasion, it may be necessary to reduce phosphorus in chronic renal failure, or change protein types in liver shunt issues and in food allergies. But lowering protein amounts in the dog’s diet removes much needed nutrients for organ health, skin and coat, immune system and the ability to thrive." Lew Olson http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/is-it...in-in-the-diet/ "The need for high quality protein is also applicable for puppies. Too little protein will do more harm than good, and there is no research to show that too much protein is damaging to a growing puppy." Lew Olson http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/protein/ "The article referenced below does not show protein as a problem, but rather states the importance of it in a dog’s diet. The need for a high quality protein is explored in puppies and throughout all stages of a dog’s life. While the article admits that not everything is known about protein and dogs, excess protein is not a problem given in amounts greater than recommended, as long as the quality of the protein is good." Lew Olson http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/puppy-protein/ I first "met" Lew on the CanineCancer list some years ago and regularly read her articles. She is not a vet but has a PhD in animal nutrition.She has been very helpful to me when I've asked questions on that list or emailed her privately. All of her articles show references to other studies. Although an experienced breeder she is not just talking from her own experience but to me seems to have evidence to back up her beliefs. She has some excellent articles on feeding puppies.

There are quite a few websites around with ideas and gentle activities such as these. http://www.ehow.com/how_6145269_keep-crate...ng-surgery.html http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~may/activ The hardest part will keeping him calm when he is confined and you're not around to entertain him. Hopefully he will realize this is his "normal" routine now and wait calmly and let himself heal. Good luck. I hope the suspected ruptured ligament turns out to be something milder.

Happy birthday Elbie. I hope you share your presents with Hoover. :D

Happy birthday Charlie - you're a hero. And congratulations CW EW on the wonderful way you have cared for him and kept him healthy.

How could you think think this face was mean? Lofty looking? I thought I'd better put up some photos if I'm going to join in here - I usually just lurk.

That's good news. It's such a relief when those horrible symptoms ease. It must be so scary for dogs to lose their balance and not be able to control their legs and then to have the added feeling of seasickness as well. I kept wishing I could explain to Ruff that the world would stop tipping up and making him fall over and he would feel normal again soon.

Hi redangel. It's just about impossible to assess an unseen individual dog and give advice from information given over the internet. If you're worried you would be better off finding an experienced trainer whose opinion you respect and have them observe Luci's behaviour first hand. There could be subtle signals that Luci is giving that you're not recognizing. From the information you've given I'd be inclined to put this down to a startled reflex and forgive her (once) but if you notice any other behaviour that gives you concern I suggest you seek professional advice.

Try here http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?act=...=6&t=214472 I don't know how to do links. It is so scary to see your dog like this. I was sure that Ruff had had a stroke. He had a head tilt for some time and I still keep his food bowl elevated as his front feet still tend to slide apart, but apart from that he has recovered fully. I hope Jessie will be feeling better soon.

I know a few people who have gone through Kintala training and loved it. Are you looking at the one in Melbourne or the at Leopold? Ruth Weston (at Leopold) is excellent and one of the most experienced trainers around but they have many great trainers. I did the Ideal Dogs Course at Barwon Heads a few years ago With Kerry (can't remember her surname) and had some private lesson with Chris in Heidelberg (can't remember his surname either) with a fear aggressive dog even more years ago. I would recommend both instructors. Their methods are positive and excellent with puppies. I took one puppy to the Aberdeen St vet clinic in Geelong with Helen Read and I would also recommend her. My all time favourite puppy school is Scallywag in Ballarat where the Little Learners class has been taken by Kim who trained with Kintala. I have taken my last two puppies there and would go again. I have just tried to find their website and the link no longer works. I hope this just means they are updating their site and not that they have closed down. Good luck. There are some excellent puppy trainers around but also I've heard horror stories about some classes taken by vet nurses who spend most of the time trying to sell products from the surgery while puppies run amok and some with harsh corrections that have left puppies traumatized.

They look fine to me. They are young dogs and Hoover is still a puppy so I wouldn't expect to see a wasp waist on either of them. I agree that feeling their ribs is probably the best indicator. I've found my Kelpies have been lean and needed plenty of food until about two and a half and then overnight started putting on weight. Caleb is now getting about half the dry food he was getting six months ago.

Hi KTB. They look fine in the photos but it's really hard to tell without seeing the dogs in person. Can you take any photos of their waist from above? The waist should curve in behind the ribs when looking down at it. Generally if you can feel the ribs easily but not see them, they are are in good condition for pets. You want your dogs to be healthy but not necessarily in super fit condition - a bit like comparing a healthy person of moderate fitness with a marathon runner. If they were working dogs who had to travel long distances and do a lot of backing they would need to be leaner but still well muscled. A good indicator of condition is to make a fist, feel the back of your hand and if the dog's ribs feel like that it is too fat, feel the first knuckles (where your fingers join on to your hand - not sure if knuckles is the correct term) and if your dog's ribs feel like that it is too thin, feel the backs of your fingers and if that feels like the dog's ribs, it is just right. My Tia who isn't doing much work these days, never looks fat but at the moment her ribs are well covered and she really needs to lose weight. Holly is a shorter more thickset bitch and I often get told that she is too fat, when her ribs are just below the skin and she has a definite waist when looking from above. Of course my dogs are mainly pets who help out on a small number of sheep on a "hobby farm." The hardest work they ever do is 15 minutes at a time at a trial. They don't need to be in as hard condition as dogs on a large property who need to work thousands of sheep, .

Mine are nearly always clean too. They can work sheep through muddy yards and look a mess but then dry off, shake themselves and are sleek and shiny again. My Caleb who has just turned 3 has had two baths in his life, that I can remember, but has no doggy odour and always seems clean. My dogs don't seem to be interested in rolling in poo and dead things the way my terrier used to be. Yes culling usually means shooting. I don't like the idea and I'm sure lots of lovely dogs have been killed unnecessarily, but it has resulted in a breed which is extremely sound and healthy with very few temperament problems. Dogs that might have been a nuisance in any way, whether through lack of working ability, aggression or unstable temperament, lack of stamina, trouble giving giving birth or any unsoundness were culled from breeding programs and only the healthiest and best workers survived.

Met lots of people - one (that I know of) in person, others through private email or telephone call and hope to meet one when she is on her holiday. I often wonder how many others I have met but don't recognize their aliases. Changed to Orijen dog food after hearing about it here - not so good as it turned out, but I haven't noticed any ill effects for my dogs. I don't have cats. Changed to Black Hawk dog food and am very happy with this. Bought Breakaway collars after hearing about a DOLer's dog who died when his collar was caught. Have followed lots of links and have bought things and caught up with information that I wouldn't have found otherwise. Have changed my mind about the RSPCA and stopped supporting them. Have learnt lots about BSL and other current issues. Had a lovely signature made for me by Rach.... Not dog related but have enjoyed different opinions on a whole range of topics in off topic and kept up with latest information about events such as the floods. Improved my computer skills - learned how to upload pictures (still have occasional problems) use emoticons, quotes etc.

I'm glad to hear that James is home safe and sound. It must have been a worrying time for you when you couldn't contact the kennel. Hopefully he can relax now he's home and will look like himself again soon.

I'm jealous. I know a few people who have bought the book and all are very happy with it. Maybe one day.

Thank you aus_k9gsd Niques I don't imagine you will be able to relax until you have James back with you again.