JRG

Grated raw carrot is good for increasing milk (can cook and mash the carrots if your bitch won't eat it raw). I mix it in raw with her food. Plenty of meat - I feed raw minced ox cheek if I can get it - and ofcourse, give her plenty of water.

A lot depends on the size of your available gene pool. What you have to loose by rejecting her against what you have to gain by using her. Are there any others of like or similar breeding etc etc Not as straight forward as one might think.

What a saga this is! Feel like I should be asking for a rundown of the "cast" eg Mark - would be politician and wild life keeper RSPCA - the villains Local Council inspector - the meat in the sandwich Lola - heroine DT - imported mouth As Jo said, it would be hilarious if it was not so serious. sorry my formatting skills leave a lot to be desired

Shall I bring Alice?

First I stress that I am speaking about working dogs I know nothing about choosing show pups. I believe that one of the most important things when choosing a puppy is to go for one you LIKE. You need one that says to you "pick me up and buy me" because, in the working world, you will never do well with a dog you do not like. You are going to look at it, train it, trial it 24/7 and it is just like choosing a partner, you have to live with that pup every day. So make sure you like it from the start If I am choosing a puppy for myself I go with the one that appeals to me most - for whatever reason. It is probably not the one that appeals to you because we are all different.

I find it is very difficult to pick a puppy at 7/8 weeks in spite of having been a breeder for 37 years. If possible, I get as much input as I can from the buyer and much prefer them to come and choose for themselves although I also like the buyer to take into account what I think of the various babies. As i always say "I can be as wrong as anybody else" - and that has been proven quite a few times!!

Maybe a little bran mixed in with the food - I find it works wonders BUT not too much! start with a teaspoon full and increase a little at a time

Try John Lawton at <http://www.specdog.com.au> and/or John Hodson <www.sportingoutbacksupplies.com.au> and see who is offering the best service. John Hodson has an online store, John Lawton does not. Do not buy blaze orange or black dummies - start with white ones as your dog will find them easier to see. I suggest before you buy any you find out which type RATG are using and for that you will need to ask someone who knows! because it could vary from State to State Initially you can make your own - stuff a sock with tennis balls and tie the top. You can also make them from canvas fire hose.

FHRP has given you a good exercise, here's another: Put a post/witches hat or some very visible marker a short way into your training area. Walk the dog at heel and as you get to the post, throw down a bumper and say "dead bird" or something to mark the object. Throw another bumper in the same place and repeat the phrase and a third if you have one. Walk your dog a short distance (still at heel) then turn, remove the lead, point at the post and say "Dead bird" (or whatever your marker phrase is) "Fetch". He should head straight back to the post to get the bumper he knows is there. When he gets back reward him. Walk a bit further and repeat . . . . . . Hope that makes sense. You can do this until he will go the distance you want back to the post because he knows there is a bumper there. He is not only learning to go the distance, but also learning to go where you point and to trust that when you say "dead bird" there will be something to find!

Paddles What breed and how old? Does he have any informal retrieving experience? eg playing ball or finding lost items?

Val Bonney has a new book out called "Hey Baby: who's the boss" or something like that Can't find my copy at the moment, but remember it is full of sensible advice about rearing animals with children Google her web site for details

24/25 months. Cycling every 12/13 months after that. Had puppies with no problems. Active (working) bred girl

I currently have a bitch with pups. She had one season at 24 months, I mated her on her 2nd season which was nearly 13 months later. No problems with the mating, pregnancy or whelping. Trouble is, the bitches do not read the books!

Has anyone tried a light spray of cooking oil before going out? I have heard (from the US where they call it PAM) that it stops the burrs from sticking to the coat, but I have never tried it myself.

well done. To have one of the dogs you breed do well, is always a great achievement. Congratulations Break out the champagne!

A bit of bleach or disinfectant in water and a good deck scrubber* will do the trick every time! * for those not nautically minded a deck scrubber is a scrubbing brush with a long handle

I second "Winter Dance" by Gary Paulsen also "Shadow" by Michael Morpurgo Training books? - especially for gundog owners I can't go passed "Dog Training with Mr Perks" - a book of cartoons by Bryn Parry

I agree with dragon woman Probably very uncomfortable - lots of milk and one baby does not take very much. You could try bathing her boobs with warm vinegar and water which is supposed to be good for soothing the breasts when trying to wean babies whose mother has too much milk. She should not need too much extra food when she only has one baby to feed.

Have you tried old car tyres? (fabric rather than steel belted) They can make super beds and double as play things. Get one the right size and your dog will fit into it like ice cream in a cone -the tighter the fit the more they seem to like them

If he really is a chewer -give up now and get him something you do not mind him chewing up! It could be a phase he is going through and will give up eventually although I have had chewers who enjoyed a chew all their lives (14+)

I agree with Diva. One mating is all that is necessary for her to conceive. Get her to the vet and have the abortion injections. IMO she is much too young to have a litter regardless of the size issue. Over the years I have had a couple of bitches injected (and know of others) no problems have eventuated except in the timing of the bitch's next season. I am not in favour of emergency speys.

Agree. This is how I have used cabbage leaves and also cold compresses. Have not tried massage.

In my experience, dogs LOVE the snow (used to live in Europe above the snowline) I think you will find that they will play in it and with it - just dance about yourself like a clown and let them join in. I would not get boots or anything, just dry them off and put warm coats on them when your play session is finished so they don't get cold.

no need to buy anything special just cut the foot and top off a pair of old tights or socks -something that will stretch to fit over his head. The snugger the fit the better

Not so funny - put on a snood. You can use a piece of nylon tight or the leg part of an old sock. Pull it over his head and on to his neck, "arrange" his ears where you want them, then pull it back to cover his ears and it will keep them in place. Looks funny but very effective!