Inevitablue

Haha, does 'Straylin Cattle Dog count as a mispronunciated name

If anyone is interested in reping the best person to talk to is Shannon Wood at Gemteq. He always knows which companies have roles to fill in all states, and what they are looking for. His direct number is (02) 8243 1918. As for the workmates, it can be a bit lonely. I do miss having lunch with work friends, Friday night drinks etc. I have made many cool friends from many vet clinics but it's not as easy as working with someone 40+ hours a week. Lol, you do have to like the products your working with. If your a raw fan it's a bit hard to work for Hills, or if you dont believe in yearly vaccines don't go working for Fort Dodge! Lol. Wholesaler reps get to talk about all products on the market and there is much more opportunity to only work with the people who want to deal with you. Drug companies get a bad rap, and it is all about dollars, but next time your dog gets sick you can thank them for their R & D and investment dollars to help facilitate the recovery of your pet

Lol, thanks for that! My girl leans against the side of her current soft crate. I could imagine her rolling the crate along like a giant ball! Might give them a miss (but they look so light to carry )

One of my Kewlcoats arrived. Very impressed with the quality and cut, now just have to test the functionality of it The rest of my order is just waiting for me to push the 'order now' button. I spotted the pop up crates, how cool are they! http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=482 Anyone have feedback for these?

If I can be any help.... I did Zoology, then worked directly with dogs for a number of years. I had a friend who worked for Pfizer as a rep. It really seemed to fit in nicely with her horses and dogs. I was mainly working weekends and I started to resent it. I took the first rep job I got offered and quickly realized it was a bad company to work for. But the base pay for all reps, regardless of age or experience was $55K plus comms, bonuses, car etc. I planned to stick it out for a year, work out who I wanted to work for and then almost to the day I saw a job with one of those companies. With them my base jumped to $70k plus company car etc. They were great to work for, drive the car anywhere I wanted, it was considered a reward. I'd tow a trailer from Sydney to Phillip Island in Victoria several times a year and they said 'please, use your fuel card'. I enjoy it, as I'm still well and truly involved in the pet industry, I work Monday to Friday, definately not micro managed, and can plan my week around things I might need to do. No more artificial lighting, but maybe just a bit more road rage! Then I was asked to join something really exciting, which is with Monash Uni and their stem cells. A different pay structure than normal, but my work is FAR from boring. It's a good lifestyle. The conferences can be FUN! I believe the ultimate multinational to work for is Bayer. Vet reping pays more than retail reping (think dog toys etc to pet shops) and wholesale vet reping can be quite diverse. Even with no experience, you can walk into minimum $55K (and don't accept anything less, they all know that's the minimum) and the average for experienced reps in $70k ( I knew that figure and that's what I stated when I went for the 2nd job). If the money gets addictive you then have the experience to jump to human. My girlfriend sells equipment for gyno/ urology to hospitals and specialists. After comms and bonuses are added she brings home about $120k. She is what we call a 'killer rep' though! The vets and nurses on here can confirm that you don't have to be a pushy sales person, the best ones are the friendly ones, who cut through the crap, provide the info requested and follow up on requests

Im exposed to lots of vet clinics through my work, and it seems if you want to get a bit better pay and responsibility then also completing a small business admin course will help. Pay gets upped quite a bit if you look for Practice Managers positions. Learn how to do pay rolls, basic book keeping, have a good understanding of OH&S. You might not walk into the role, but have the addition qualifications, work your butt off and you might be the first person in line for that position when it next comes up. I think many vets like the additional skills, as it often means you are looking for a career and just might hang around for a number of years. I've met practice managers on $50k +

For me a high drive dog is one that wants to do its job over most other things and gives 100% focus and energy to the task at hand every time. A top sledding dog is extremely high drive, he wants to run and gives his all every time. A top ratting Jack Russell is high drive. He'd rather be doing that than anything else, and he never gives up. Selecting the right high drive dog for dog sports is choosing one who adapts its 'job' readily to working for its human/human provided reward. She gets no greater pleasure, and gives 100% every time she is asked to work. From my observations the ANKC dog sport people have in the past decade really embraced the term and the desire for a 'high drive' dog, but the working dog/IPO/Shutzhund people have long recognized the need for high drive coupled with a stable temperament and few character flaws. I see many dogs in ANKC circles that have weak nerves (no inner confidence, self assurance). Perhaps a symptom of people focusing too heavily on conformation and genetic screening and not enough on temperament. My last paragraph is also very skewed to observations from within my own breed!

Lol, ME ME!! My gorgeous 11mo ACD girl got her first BCC and BOB at the Dalwood Charity Show at Erskine Park last night. I was so happy, she has been switching off so much in the ring of late (she thinks herding is so much more fun) but the last few shows Ive been over the top with her toy in the ring and it paid off last night. She just oozed presence and her cheeky personality was on full display

I just posted some details on easier titre testing in another health thread here. I've been looking around for an easier, more effective $ solution. Link at all? Very interested in learning more about this topic. http://www.biogal.co.il/biogal/Biogals-e-News/71/ There is an Australian distributor and as I ask around more, there are a number of vets in Australia who are using the kits. My vet didn't know the kits were available, and loves the idea. I think he has ordered quite a few and is going to make it a standard offering to owners. I'm waiting to hear back from a vet in Vic that is doing his own calibration test. Comparing the results from the WA lab, to what the kit shows. (damn, wish I was the distributor for the kits Potentially the use of them in Australia, with the right marketing, could be huge!)

Have you guys tried Protexin? So many people swear by it. It's fantastic on sick horses with scours or stomach issues. Luckily I've never had to use it on a dog. http://www.iahp.com.au/datasheets/Protexin.pdf Edit: I shouldn't skim read! Your already going to try it. There is also Enzyplex, that I've heard is good for IBS.

Who would have thunk it huh. I'm only new to showing (woohoo, first BOB last night :D ) but I've seen numerous dogs around the rings debarked. Not easy to hide if the dog was a barker, now making minimal noise with the distinctive sound. Is it one of those things that isn't really enforced? If they sign the stat dec are they covered?

So you can't show debarked dogs? Learn something new every day!

The biggest lesson I learnt from my first boy was don't waste the best years of your dogs life trying to manage and avoid situations. I had to stop doing agility training at my club because I couldn't control my dog. By the time I worked out how to change his attitude he was getting past his physical prime. Spend some time and money on having someone show you how to change his behaviour, you will learn so much and your dog will be more at peace too. It will be some of the best money you've ever spent. Just do some research and find credible help. He doesn't sound like a lost cause at all.

Ooohh yes, this is so applicable to ACD's too. Good nerves seem to be lacking in some lines. Edit: I so hate Apples word self correct!

1) Quite drivey 2) Confident 3) Medium sized and 'wash and wear' 4) Intelligent 5) Resilient and tough Yep, found it in my ACD's. When I got my first one, I was after a dog that could hang around the horse paddocks and come on rides etc. not get burs and 'farmers friends/pitchforks', think for themselves with snakes etc and be very loyal. If have a 6th! 6) Non Breakable! (structurally functional for speed, endurance, strength and agility)

I had aggression problems with my first ACD. Very similar to your story. He was heavily socialized, lived with some staffie's, we went to an obedience club. I thought i was doing everything right. He was attacked by two dogs when he was only young, and it made him have the attitude 'get them before they get me'. Not dogs who didnt threaten him, so small dogs he was fine with, but large dogs.....painful. Definately get some help from someone recommended on here. I hear Jane Harper is excellent (and she has ACD's too). Edit: I just want to add that ACD's have been bred to be decision makers, but he needs to learn to look to you for direction. Even if he thinks another dog is suspect he has to have enough respect/ trust in you to let you make the call. You also have a breed that people don't 'cut some slack' with, so it's even more incentive to make him as cool, calm and collected as possible when in public. Call Jane and she can show you how to untap all his potential too, make him a SuperDog

I just posted some details on easier titre testing in another health thread here. I've been looking around for an easier, more effective $ solution.

I've been talking to my vet about titre testing and there appears to be a kit vets can use in house to determine immunity levels. http://www.biogal.co.il/ There is an Australian distributer listed on the website. I've found a couple of vets using it interstate. One told me it works out the same price as vaccinating. Results take 20 minutes. I'm off to research more! :D

Well said. This thread shouldn't be about how people threaten to kick other people's dogs. I highly doubt people just go around randomly kicking or hitting dogs, it would be all situational. Yelling at the approaching dog, why not, if that teaches the dog to THINK before it rushes random people and dogs. Doesn't require sounding like a banshee, a ''go on, get away" growled at them I'm sure would be effective for the exuberant, overfriendly dog. Why is it ok for this dog to continue on with this behaviour? Kids aren't allowed to accost others in the playground, why should dogs? I'm a dog lover, but the world isnt all about warm and fuzzy. Why do I have to tolerate a dogs rudeness? So I don't hurt it's feelings? Please.... My gripe is the people who think I'm there with my dog to provide interaction for their dog. I'm astounded that people think its ok to allow their dogs to run up to others. It pretty darn obvious when people are happy to let the dogs interact, they continue walking in your direction, they smile, they obviously try to show no avoidance. Great! Everyone is happy. On the flip side, it's obvious when people want to do their own thing, so people with no offlead control, please learn to read the body language of PEOPLE!

Yep. Write off. 5 broken ribs and a dislocated AC. My fault, just made a mistake. Eeek! At least your ok. Hope you had the Chinese fairings on. Originals would sell for $1000+ :D

I trialled a deaf dog in agility. Sometimes I think she had an advantage! I was calmer and wasn't saying muddled up words. Lol, too many obstacles start with 'T' Table, no tyre, no tunnel! Argh!

I'm going to be a bit embarassed about the condition of Barkly's coat. A motorcycle injury, a couple of weeks of minimal brushing and a coat full of burs...I hacked into him I will be bringing camera. You didn't crash the R1 did you?

No one expects to have the park all to themselves, and certainly dogs will be dogs. However if I am obviously training or enjoying some play time with my dog in the far corner, and another person arrives at the park thinking its ok to do nothing to try and prevent their dog from running over to 'just say hi', then that is rude and ignorant. Just because I'm in the dog park with my dog doesn't mean I went there seeking playmates for my dog. Legally it's the only place I can exercise my dog offlead in public. Perhaps that's the reason I went to the dog park. I'm sure my dog really appreciated the two larger pitty types (an entire dog and a bitch) standing over her, not allowing her out of a submissive position. But hey! they ran up all happy and excited because they knew they would get some canine interaction. Doesn't mean it's going to be good interaction for my dog. Yay for the owner who finally comes over and pulls his dogs off mine. Was there a fight? No. Did my dog benefit from the interaction? Not really. Did that owner think it was ok to allow his dogs to race up to mine? Yes. My dogs get enough interaction at training, at shows, at herding, with my friends dogs. I don't need to tolerate strangers dogs.

Oh yay, every dog that comes bounding up to me with a lolling tongue and a happy expression is not going to be a concern for me. Probably true for 95% of dogs, but I care enough about my dogs, ESPECIALLY while they are only puppies, to not risk the 5%. That dog might be a big happy bundle of friendliness until it realizes mine is an entire male. Plenty of dogs are cool, until something doesn't go their way.

Since when did people start thinking an offlead dog park means doggy playgroup? Sure,if its busy then you are not going to get left alone, but if you cant keep your dog from running the full length of the dog park to get to the only other dog there, then keep it on a long line, get some help training it, or at the very least don't be offended if your dog is hunted away! My dog's are friendly, but I might not always go to the park with the intent to have them play with other dogs, sometimes I like to go with the intent to have my dogs play offlead with me.