**Super_Dogs**

I just fed my bitch good quality puppy kibble while pregnant and feeding and she stayed in great condition! She was happy with this as her normal diet is dry. The amount I fed her just changed ALOT!!

Good questions. I train and compete in Agility, but I am not sure if I am going to be able to go down this path with my pup. So if I can't this would mean Agility and Obedience. I have been thinking - how would I fit this in. It is easy if you have mutiple dogs in the same dicipline, but mutiple diciplines is alot of time with training and competitions. I think you would have to break up the year. Too hard otherwise!!!

5 in one day would be hard. Mine left over about 9 days, most being 2 in one day. I think it is alot harder to put them on a plane!! I think it is because when the owner comes you can see how excited they are and this gives peace of mind. Me and my OH both thought I was going to be a mess when the puppies left (I am a bit of a sook). But I only cried when we put one on a plane.

The joy of a puppy inside alone!!! I have had my pup inside alot longer than I wanted because she is in with another of my dogs that is escaping and cannot be outside until the fence is fixed (my OH is taking his sweet time!!!). Everyday when I come come I look around to see what mischief they have been up to. Everything is put up and away in the morning before we leave, yet they still manage to find something to destroy. I can't wait until they can be outside!!

Is it maybe where the crate is? For example no air flow? Can you move the crate to a cooler room? My pup is downstairs in the rumpus - which is the coolest room in the house. My girl is going to start sleeping outside soon. My dogs prefer to sleep outside in summer. In a crate, inside, would be way too hot. Unless you have aircon of course!!

Good luck! I had my first litter this year, so I am also a newby. I brought new toys for the puppies. I did this because I have large dogs, so adult toys are way to big for the little one. However their mum loves toys, so she would pinch them. Also, I sent a toy the puppies had been playing with to their new home with each of the puppies. I agree with the others - by the time they are 8 weeks you will be pleased to get your life back to normal. I had 8 puppies, and 8 x 8 weeks old puppies means alot of poo!!! The older they get the more work they become. I also have other dogs. It was not until they where 5 plus weeks (can't remeber exactly) that I would let them be with the other dogs. My boy is a giant softy, so he was alittle scared of then and would only like to be with then for a very short time. By the way, I read alot about nesting and I was not really sure what this would look like. My girl ripped apart my couch So just be aware of where you leave her close to whelping. ;)

I am glad to hear I am not the only one! Hey I am not complaining - I would much rather crying with the crate door open that closed That is a good point about the trigger/signal. When she goes to sleep she is so tied and she probably does not realise the door is open. She would wake up during the night and see the door open and think it must be time to get up. Maybe I should teach her to read a clock Persephone - I am not 100% sure she will not cry when outside, but whenever she is locked outside she relaxes and does not fuss. Such a good girl.

I have the opposite problem to most. My pup is 7 months old and slept in her crate all night since she 13 weeks old. I let my dogs sleep inside in winter but as the weather is getting warmer soon she will sleep outside with the other dogs. So to prepare her for this I have started leaving her crate door open at night. During the night she wakes up and cries at the child gate at the door. My guess is she is crying as she want to come upstairs to us. I am not too concerned about is as she wont cry when she is outside and I have not helped with stopping it by ignoring her as my sleep is far too precious!!! I am just interested if this has happened to anyone else?

Thanks so much. I did not know this. I have been naughty and let her nails get too long, so I will have to slowly work at getting back to a better length. Yes, the quick grows with the nail. To avoid cutting it look at the shape of the end of the nail as you trim each little bit and you will work out when you are getting close to it. If the dog has white nails then you can see the quick but with black nails you need to look at the nail shape right on the tip. Very frequent trimming will eventually get the quick to recede but if the nails are really long and the dog will not tolerate a lot of trimming, the only solution is to put them under a general and have the vet cut and cauterisr the nails. This makes the quick recede a long way and you can start again, keeping them shorter. With the quick so short it is less painful for the dog in future. They would need to be really bad to knock a dog out just for nails but if they need to be out for any other procedure, get the nails done at the same time. Thanks. Her nails are dark - so it is hard to see. I really cannot tell at all if I am getting close to the Quick. I am lucky as my dogs let me do anything to them, so regular trimming to get the quick to recede is not a problem. A few of her nails are very long (go figure why just some!!!). How frequent should I trim?

Thanks so much. I did not know this. I have been naughty and let her nails get too long, so I will have to slowly work at getting back to a better length.

Anyone got any advice for rotties? On the weekend I clipped my rotties nails. We where going along no probs and I was trimming a very long nail and then she had a little growel. I looked at her nail and there was a little bit of blood. It did not flow, so I must have just got the quick. What I don't understand it this nail was really long and she had several nails shorter. So how would I have got the quick? I am now feeling very nervous about timming her nails again.

Thanks everyone. I think I have it......if not I will soon find out.

Thanks FHRP. This will be my first ANKC comp - so I am not sure how refusals work in any level I am most interested in how rufusals work for weaves as weave entry is the one thing we are very inconsistent.

The new weave rules can be a little confusing. A dog can not reattempt a gap they missed, but they can continue to weave past a missed gap. So if your dog goes in but misses a pole and continues to weave, or is put back in further on it will be a fault. If it misses a pole and you put it back in the missed gap it is a DQ. Hope that helps! Make sure you go to the judges briefing where they should also go through their start line procedure which can differ a little between judges. If you have any questions, ask at the briefing!! Good luck and have fun! Thanks for this! So is there any benefit of putting the dogs back in if they pop out instead of just moving on to the next obstacles, in terms of faults of DQ? How do refusual works for weavers in Open?

Thanks Krustie22 :D Good Luck

Thanks AD. Do you get one run like ADAA or 2? I read something about 2 - but what I read was old. I have heard something about exclusion areas in Open. I am presumming this is an area marked off where the handler cannot go? What happens if you go into the exlusion area - fault or eliminated? If you go get eliminated - can you keep running the course?

Thanks Kavik. That is intresting about the weaves. I suppose it is good as you can only get one fault but does help wit reinforcing the dog must complete all weaves. Does the lead have to be on when you enter/exit the ring?

I have competed with ADAA but have registered for my first ANKC comp. I am competing in Novice and Open. I have read the ANKC rules, but it has not really enlightened me! Can someone tell me if there are any difference with the comp stucture? I have heard something about 2 runs?? Are there are any rule difference on the obstacles? I have heard the weave rules are different?? Is there any other difference? For example ADAA no collar on dog or food/toys visable in ring. Thanks in advance for your responses.

I agree it would be annoying. It sounds like they did not realise. I have to admit the above did make me laugh as I can just picture it in a Brisbane dog park, which are fenced off and are not intended for a 'picnic'.

This is funny stuff You should record her. My 6 month old also thinks she can get up on everything. Unfortunetly she has been doing this since she was very young. Instead of walking around the coffee table - she does over.

Very true I sometimes forget that some people do not have a suitable yard for their dogs to run and play.

Sorry - was not clear as I totally agree dogs must run and play. IMO this does not have to be at a dog park - It can be at home, a park or wherever. I did not say that. The OP was talking about her dogs running and playing with other dogs. The problem with dog parks, like others have mentioned, is those who are not with their dogs like you are, they are not even paying attention to what there dog is doing. Do if something happens the owners are not there to quickly react. People like dog parks, others don't. It is what best suits you and your dog. IMO there are ways to soclialise your dog other than dog parks.

Me too! My lot seems to grow out of it, so like to enjoy it while they are young.

I am having the exact same problem with weaving. At home she is fantastic! We have been working really hard on weaves as this has been her weakest point in competions. However at training it is a different storey. She will run straight past them or pop out. I am thinking it may have something to do with me. At home I am more confident and am at a distance and run to the end before her. At training I am babysitter her alot more. My weaves are also blue and yellow (the ones with the platic base that fold up). So I too am wondering it the colour has anything to do with it. Could it be she is not recognising it is the weaves? Maybe I should spary paint them white? Kavik - that is also a good point about them moving, as the plastic base ones are not as rigid as the ones at training with the metal base. So I thought I would give an update on the weaves. We where having problems transitioning what we had learnt at home to training and competitions. So one night at training I decided to get out a set of 6 weave poles and go off and practice like we would at home. Wow what a difference!! It is like the penny dropped that even know the poles are different I want her to do the same job. We are now working on consistency of the entry. Which is also going good and improving ever week. :D On the weekend at a comp we did a perfect entry and perfect weave. I was so excited. I have had to pay close attention to what I am doing, and make sure I am consistent with where I stand, move and what I say. This is why I love training - the instructure was telling me what I was doing wrong to confuse her . No as we have consistency, she is picking up the speed.

Look good to me! :D