Shaar

I have trouble telling these 2 apart... Hehe, seriously though, mum has 2 poodles that I have trouble telling apart sometimes if they haven't had a clip for a while. Same height, same weight, and all that hair makes it near impossible, it's only if you get a good look at their faces you can tell the difference.

WOW, I just read this whole thread.... how ridiculous. I'm not buying the whole "I'm a vet" story... no-one can be that ignorant surely? ETA - I was a Vego for quite a few years.... guess what my dogs eat. And it doesn't come off an abattoir floor either, I feed human grade meat only.

Our Royal isn't for months, but I think I'll go with my newest acquisition, a baby pink jacket with gold embroidery and a black skirt. Can't really match the lead to the jacket seeing as how he's a boy!

It's a good way to familiarize yourself. I wouldn't recommend googling Lab pictures, lord only knows what you would end up with, but browsing though the breed pages on DOL should give you a feel for the breed.

Can't help you with Labs lol, I only know Danes, Poodles and Cresteds but if you study the breed standard you will probably notice that both types are true to standard. If they aren't... well, you can draw your own conclusions. Here's the Lab standard: ANKC Labrador Breed Standard

Generally the pups would be the same yes. My 8 month old is the spitting image of his sister, it is quite scary! I sent the photo to my mother with no title on it and she thought it WAS him. The breeder I got mine from has a very distinct type she breeds for.

Excellent, thank you. Could you give me a bit of information around the difference between breed standard and breed type as I am not 100% sure what that means. Does this mean you can have a breed type that does not necessarily meet the breed standard? A dog can conform to the standard perfectly, but look different than the others. There are some small things that the standard doesn't state or is broad that can be changed by the individual breeder. I'll use Chinese Cresteds as an example, the standard states that they should be medium to fine boned. Some are bred medium boned, some are bred fine boned. They will look different, but they are both still right by the standard. Standard also states that angulation is only severe enough as to produce a level back. Meaning some dogs will have more angle than others, but yet again, neither is wrong.

Perfect example would be the poodle. There aren't many other breeds that require as much grooming and cosmetic perfection, yet every aspect of a poodles trim was designed for a specific purpose. The back legs are shaved to allow for ease of movement in the water, the bracelets are left on the keep the joints warm, the balls on the hips to keep the kidneys warm etc etc etc Some breeds require a sturdier structure to do heavy jobs (Rotties pulling carts) While others are bred taller and leaner for speed (Greyhounds for example) Others like the Great Dane should be neither too heavy, nor too fine. They require the strength to hold down a Boar, but the speed to be able to catch one. There is also a big difference between breed standard and breed type. I believe that a dog should look like it could go out and do the job it was bred for, but that is just my opinion.

If you don't mind buying from the UK these bling leads are gorgeous, custom colors and crystals as well. Tallulah Couture Dog Collars

He tried to redeem himself on the 7PM project tonight by making a point that the puppy he was holding was from a rescue. Still bloody disgusting IMO as a vet he would see first hand the work of puppy farmers. When was/is the episode they have been advertising with the young dog needing a c-section on? Will be interesting to hear his thoughts on that one.

2 words: kennel blindness Sometimes you can think your dogs are the bees knees... until put them in the show ring and they compete against other dogs. I'm not saying that you have to show to be able to tell a good dog from a bad one, but it can be easy to slip into the thought that your dogs are 'wonderful' because you haven't been placed last in the line or refused at every show you go to.

My pup has a slate colored body and a white flash on his neck and chest. I use a black lead most of the time, but sometimes I match the lead to my clothing (ie: bright blue shirt = bright blue lead) Don't have any bling-bling at the moment but wouldn't mind a few flashy beads for a change.

Great thread. The one and only time I have worn jeans in the ring was when someone was desperate for a handler, and I was only there to watch... I ran in with the dog. I think jeans look like you just couldn't be bothered dressing up to be honest. As for bright colors, it depends.... I will often wear a bright colored shirt underneath a black suit, I would never wear a full lime green-in-your-face suit though! lol And skirts or pants... doesn't matter really, as long as the skirt is knee length and not above.... and you remember that when you bend over, the people behind you might not like what they see.

Hmmm, I know this would be referring to cropping, but wouldn't ear taping fall under this category as well? (just curious) Technically no, because it is non-invasive, ethically....well that depends upon which part of the fence you sit on. Thanks Ellz

Hmmm, I know this would be referring to cropping, but wouldn't ear taping fall under this category as well? (just curious)

Full on bleaching, as in changing a dog from cream to white is not good. Stain removing or color 'enhancing' products are fine though. They aren't altering the true color of the dog, just adding an extra 'zing'. Color enhancing shampoos don't actually contain any dyes. And stain removing products are just removing something that wouldn't normally be there (ie: if you have a little bugger of a chinese crested who wees on his front legs!!!)

For me doping is pretty close to surgery in the heinous stakes because temperament is a serious issue for the future of any breed. It's mostly doping them to adjust for excessive shyness or aggression I have concerns with. Giving them some caffeine for extra show ring zip and sparkle isn't something I'd do but it's not as disturbing. Wow, this thread certainly took a turn for the worst over the past day. I completely agree with you Magpie. While some people may just dope their dog up for shows and have no intention of breeding it (still wrong though IMO), there are an alarming number of people who do breed from known timid/aggressive dogs. They do it because they think it's not that bad because the drugs will 'manage' it. A few generations of 'managing' it and it will spiral out of control until you have a litter of drug resistant fear biters who need to be PTS. A bit of extra 'zip' is ok, that has nothing to do with their temperament, but drugging them to take away an actual fault is not good.

I have heard the 3 teste story as well... not sure if it is rumor or fact, but still a timely reminder that cheating doesn't pay. I have no problem with hairspray or chalk either, just stating that 'technically' it is cheating... just not something that people really worry about. Heck I have seen Shih Tzus whos topknots you could hit with a sledgehammer. I was guilty of over spraying my own because the little blighter would shake as soon as you put him on the ground it it would fall to pieces. There are varying degrees of cheating... surgery is on the top end of the scale... painting nails or using copious amounts of hairspray are at the bottom end.

Exactly right! They are a wonderful breed, but you have to be fully prepared before you buy one.

Problem with doing this (although I agree with you on principle!) is the vacc card then only lasts for the 12 months and thus is useless for things like obedience clubs, groomers etc. Wyndham vet in Werribee will do the 'off label' which is the regular 'annual' vaccine signed off for 3 years (the only thing is you will need to have the Kennel Cough vaccine updated at least 2 weeks before putting the dog in a kennel, but IMO if you aren't going to use a kennel facility- don't bother with the KC vaccine). Agreed, mine will get done if/when being boarded. And if you enter comps then you need to... but just for house pets, in my opinion, it is not needed.

Gorgeous The collar is a nice touch

When the breeder registers the pups on limited register, they get a copy of the pedigree regardless. Charging extra just to hand over a piece of paper is dodgy beyond belief. When mum sold pups on limit register, the new owners got a copy of the pedigree/papers. They weren't interested in dog sports like you, they just wanted the piece of paper to show that their dog was from a good breeder and was registered with the kennel club (even pets have 'show' names) Plus it's always nice to show your friends your dogs family tree.

You are the vets EMPLOYER. You pay HIM to do a service. He will do what you bloody well want. If you don't want yearly vaccinations that is your decision, not his. There are plenty of articles online written by vets stating that yearly vaccs are unnecessary, just print some out and shove them down his throat show him.

Sometimes that's the only way to avoid an all-out dog war.

In cases like that there just needs to be a bit of policing as the whether or not any committee members are 'friendly' with the judge. If someone knows them quite well, then scrap that judge and move onto the next one on the list. I know someone who isn't even on a committee and a judge came down here who she had bought a dog off many, many years ago. She didn't show under him on the chance that if she did win something, it would be the talk of the show that "she owned one of his dogs"