cry123

They will heal themselves. We have working kelpies and BC's and have had them wear the pads of thier feet, sometimes it can happen really easily. We have found that they may be sore footed for a few days, but after that they will be fine. They tend to rest themseleves, and not do too much until they are right and it seriously will only be a few days.

Cosmolo has a point. From organising many horse riding clinics, I have found that you either have to get people to pay a deposit or get them to pay upfront. Money is not refundable unless they can find someone to take thier spot. You will find that the geniune people will not have a problem with this.

"The problem was not the redirects on the cast, nor was it the cast itself. She has a lovely and controlled cast and understands her positions. Again, the problem only occurred when she was working a small flock of say 5 sheep in a small round yard. Next door, there was a larger flock of say 20 sheep. She would be working the smaller flock for a little while without fault and would suddenly think to herself that this is boring and jump the fence to get to the larger flock. Sorry for my ignorance shortstep, but I fail to see how re-directs either on cast or whilst fetching is going to stop her from jumping the fence. Once she's off, she was off. Did she feel she needed to jump the fence because she knew better and her instinct was to gather the other sheep?? Who knows...the fact of the matter was she did it a number of times and even the herding trainer that we worked with (who is extremely well respected here in Victoria and around Australia) stated that she was doing this because it was self rewarding. "She is being a little shit" were his exact words." I personnally think that your dog needs a better recall and stop. i feel that if you spend time correcting this, you will have some more luck as well!!!! I would also recommend organising a school with Greg Prince. He is the man! Also, in three sheep trials, if a dog leaves the arena, but does so to continue working the same three sheep, but for a different spot, then they arent elimainated.

That is a great post 4kelpies. ;) I agree very much with all of what you say. Shock collars are used in trialling trainiing and with farmers. I got rattle of many people who use them off the top of my head and not even give it a second thought. Collars can not be worn in trials in Vic, it hasnt been inforced in NSW as yet. This has come about from people, like you said using "fake collars" to try to replicate electric collars. In saying that though there are many, many good triallers who dont use this method. I love our working dogs, both BC's and kelpies. We use our dogs as both working and trial dogs. I took part in the survey, but i can honestly say that i dont think anything will come about fom it.

sorry, i thought you had it has a negitive!! (which i couldnt understand why....) Actually i do agree with you that these situations all happen, it is just not restricted to working dogs. I feel that your original post generalised people with working dogs and the way they where treated, hene my defensiveness. I did take part in the survey and i also do hope that the results do do some good.

Ok, merijigs, i do agree with you that there are some people that could improve the way they look after thier working dogs, BUT like i said earlier this is not restricted to working dogs. We have working and trial dogs and they live a very good life. Our dogs actually live in "dogs housed in purpose built above ground slat floored runs", which you have mentioned as a negitive, I am not sure why?? I can list MANY positives. I do have to say that two of our pet hates are traveeling dogs unrestrained and electric collars. So we are in agreeance there.

Exactly Jess.

I just dont like generalisations. I know there are people out there who dont treat there dogs as they should be, but this isnt restricted to working dogs. We have working dogs, which are both working and trial dogs. They are our life. Forgive me, but still everytime I read your post it bugs me. Plus you cannot write comments like that and not expect people to be offended.

"I don't know enough to be too judgemental about all this" Then you obviously CANNNOT comment, as we have working dogs I find some of your comments VERY VERY offensive. I am sorry, but people like you that have no idea and make HUGE generalisations really annoy me.

My husband does three sheep trials (and is pretty good too!!) His first love is kelpies, and he is determined to be very successful with the kelpies over the BC's!!!! He trials both BC's and kelpies, but he defiantely loves his kelpies. My husband won at the National SHeep trials this year with a kelpie. we love beating the BC's at thier own game!! (and all of our kelpies he trials are now open dogs as well!)

Ptolomy is there somewhere in Australia that sells the vaccinations singly? When my girl failed the Distemper titre I was told that there wasn't anywhere in Australia that you could get the vaccinations singly so she would have to have C3 as a minimum. You can buy parvo singly, which i have brought. I ordered mine through vet products direct. I think parvo is the only one that you can by this way, as it isnt a live vaccine You can buy PARVAC but I think a single dose is not enough. My puppy was given PARVAC at about 9.5 weeks and still had no immunity. You still need to give either 2 or 3 doses (I cant think off hand, but it is on the site and packaging) of the Parvac to be effective. A one off needle in the beginning wont be effective.

Ptolomy is there somewhere in Australia that sells the vaccinations singly? When my girl failed the Distemper titre I was told that there wasn't anywhere in Australia that you could get the vaccinations singly so she would have to have C3 as a minimum. You can buy parvo singly, which i have brought. I ordered mine through vet products direct. I think parvo is the only one that you can by this way, as it isnt a live vaccine

Thanks guys, I was leaning towards joint gurad. :D

Hi everyone, I was just wondering what people have found to be the best joint supplements (if it is anything like horses it is how long is a piece of string!!!) I have one dog that is on Pentosan and it is working really well. I was just given another dog BC which i any going to start on something as well. I was just wondering what people have found the best? Also, if you where going to start a lot of dogs on it what would be the best/ most cost effective? My OH does dog trialling and has a few dogs, and present it is only the one older bitch that is on Pentosan, i would like to feed all the dogs something but i am looking at 10 dogs (maybe more at times). What would be the easiest and the best? Any info greatly appreciated!

Dova, If you are interested in having a look at 3 Sheep trialling the Supreme, which is a National competition is being held in SA this year. It is held at the end of September. on the Asutalian SHeep DOg workers site it will have all the details. Some of the best triallers in Australia will be there.