JRG

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!

I do know that they are used in the States for tracking pointing dogs that get out too far!!!!!!! I have seen the traces but not sure if they were from a mobile phone or a computer. I also heard that they are being used on Macquarrie Island for the rabbit eradication project to mark the spot where the dogs indicate there are rabbit signs so that the exact tussock can be known and revisited.

There are no "new laws" as yet. There is a proposal for a new code for the keeping and breeding of animals in Victoria which was up for consultation a few weeks ago. I understand that it is now back with the department for review and will be out again for further consultation in the not too distant future. The proposed requirements for people who have more than 3 dogs and who are not members of approved organisations were horrendous and these requirements also applied to members of approved organisations who have 10 or more dogs. One of the criticisms was the the authorities do not police the old regulations so why make new ones? - maybe they have been "stung" into action!

Had one - hopeless! Spent hours digging the hole only to find that the liquid did not drain away very well. I am on an acreage so it was not a huge problem but it would be horrendous if you had close neighbours!

I use hay bales all the time in the winter as it is very cold round here. stack them in a hollow square or other arrangement to suit the shed. Great insulation. Straw or hay + an oil filled heater + old horse blanket over the top = very cosy!

I make a haybale "L" or "T" shape two bales high so that no matter which way the wind is blowing they can all get out of the draft. Got the idea from my Yorkshire farming roots where we used to make X shaped "hides" for the ewes with their young lambs - they were cosy even in the snow.

Jo. . . . In the Regulatory Impact Statement there are references (footnotes) at the end of each section. The one I read is at the end of section 3 Identification of Viable Options - Kustritz,M.V.R. 2012 recommendations for management of breed dogs: a review [i]Clinical Theriogenoogy, 4;25:37.[/i][/i] Kustritz in turn cites 127 references going back to 1948 PM me if you want more info.

I have read the reference they cite and it is a review of literature not hard "evidence" backed up by good research

I had a young spaniel survive this in the mid 1990's. At the time he was one of the top Field Trial performers and very fit - which probably stood him in good stead as we realised immediately that he was not well and got good diagnosis and treatment early. I seem to remember that he was on cortisone for quite some time but he went on to win more Field Trials later in his life and died of a stroke aged 13/14.

".....The one reasonably good thing I can see out of this new proposed code is the clear differentiation it makes between Large Business and Small Breeding Businesses where for housing dogs in Small Business you are allowed to have your dogs indoors, which must be a relief to most small scale breeders knowing they won't have to build pens....." Then have your carpet shampooed every six months!!!!!

As a breeder of working gundogs, I would point out that not all of us chase titles for our dogs and some of us actually go to great lengths to seek out stud dogs from among the non titled population because such dogs can and do work hard and long for their living and can also improve the range and breadth of the gene pool. When selecting a stud or bitch, titles are "extras" as far as I am concerned and often not desireable extras.

Try a bit of plain yoghurt on the end of your finger(about as much as would cover a five cent piece)or a few drops of Yokult. Puppies get the runs for a number of reasons so you are right to take them to your vet.

I am sorry to read about your girl. It is not good to alter the dosage of cortisone really quickly - so you could try cutting it down very slowly. ie cut the tablets in quarters (yes I know it is a pain as they are so small) and give her one & three quarters, then drop that to one and a half and so on until you find the minimum dose that will control her condition. I have done this with a young boy with auto-immune gastric problems and eventually got him down to a quarter every third day - it took ages (about three months) but it was worth the effort.

There is a herb called Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis) It is an annual and quite difficult to grow.

I agree with Piper - don't let her go over I have had singleton pups a few times over the years with mixed results. If you can get your girl to settle and not lick the baby all the time she should be OK but I had one bitch that stressed the baby to such an extent that it died. Interestingly, she did go on to have some big litters and did have another singleton later in her life that survived. When your pup arrives pm me and I will help you as best I can

That's right. The dogs run in pairs. The "draw" for brace mates and position on the card ie order of running, takes place before the trial begins and (sometimes) at the beginning of each subsequent round - rather depends on the Judge and what/who he wants to see again after the first round is completed.

Briefly for Utility Field Trials, she has to be able to: Range and quarter the ground in front of you at a distance of up to about 100 meters and not get put off by her brace mate. Stop and hold point on locating game. Not to flush unless told to do so by you. Stop to flush. Stop to shot. Retrieve (to hand) when directed to do so by you. Not "crunch" the game Stop and honour her brace mate when he finds game and goes on point Perform a water retrieve (similar to a retrieving trial retrieve) That's about all I can remember and, since I do not have a Utility Gundog, I think that's not too bad! The Rules are on the ANKC web site

C Crates are good and strong. I have a number of crates of different makes and the C crates are by far the strongest.

I expect you all think this is a silly question, but why must a rescue dog sleep inside? If it has a warm kennel in a secure yard in a secure garden, what's the problem with it sleeping in that kennel?

I hope people take this really seriously. Don't just think about it DO SOMETHING. Sacrifice is NOT the name of the game. We have evacuated five times now and the plan runs like clockwork because it is done early and not in a rush at the last minute.

she is a working/field type spaniel, Becks

you can make one for yourself by getting a large collar and threading it through a sheepskin girth (used for a horse's saddle). Put round the dogs waist and attach a lead. For the head end you can use a harness and, if necessary, use sheepskin on that as well. I used this system for a bitch that was almost totally paralysed having tried an assortment of contraptions specially made for dogs that are handicapped. I found that I could control both her head and front legs with one lead and her back end with the other lead and, as she progressed, give her as little or as much help as she needed until she could manage on her own (should say she was 18 months old at the time and is now nearly 12 and is still unsteady on her feet, so I can say from experience that the system works!)

Start to teach them to lap rather than suck. You can use slightly thickened Puppy Milk (from the Supermarket) thickened with a tiny amount of baby cereal (to the thickness of cream). Just a small teaspoonful to start with and feed it SLOWLY from the spoon just a drop at a time. Don't pour it in or they will choke. Remember, the 'secret" is to get them to use their tongues differently to lap rather than suck. Try the action yourself and you will see the difference I am talking about.