chevorne

Thanks for making me laugh on a 'bad day'. However as a child we always dressed the Kelpies in our old clothes and took them in the pram.

Yes the jackets were for winning Best of Breed at several Royals. Even funnier when you attend a dog funeral, wedding or social event, they are all wearing them. Does this mean the coats are kept in the car for inopportune moments, or simply that dog people have no normal clothes?

With 4 kids, it needs to be robust, medium sized and short coated, as the parents would not have time for a lot of grooming. It needs to be friendly and agile and happy to go for walks. It needs to tolerate being dressed up and put in a pram. It needs to be friendly will friends of the family who visit. I recommend the Australian Kelpie.

I understand that if you are suspended or want to become a member in another name for some reason. But is DV going to go through all their photos every time a new member photo arrives, to verify it is not the same person?

As so many have said on here, any that disagree with these ideas can only be guilty and have something to hide (I bet they are witches and do not believe in a world carbon economy too). I guess we will know if this plan works if we see a sudden drop off of breeders next year. If the numbers do not drop off then I am sure ANKC Vic will come up with more ideas to drive off their breeders who must have something to hide. Perhaps they could try requiring breeders to come in to the building each year to pay for membership? Then hang garlic and oleander around the door, which will repel and drive off all evil. What a terrible state of affairs in the ANKC Vic, good luck with it and do let us know when we can again, if ever, trust the ANKC breeders in Vic. Yep things are looking up! LOL So at least someone has not lost their sense of humour!

Some very heated responses here! Not really worth discussing as most of these people will NEVER change their minds. We are all different and should be thankful we are able to express ourselves. And lucky we live in a country that does not feel the need for Fila dogs.

I remember when my Husband was sick in Hospital 1 of our dogs used to escape the yard, go through the automatic doors of the Hospital and lay under his bed. After 3 days the staff gave up chasing her home and left her there. It was a great comfort to all.

I work in health, and can advise that with people almost the single most important factor is keeping the weight down. Animals are the same, so you can fix that one easily. Feed them separate or stand with them while they eat. Cut his in 1/2 also.

I had a LP in a dog many years ago. my vet (my father) advise me to do medium speed walking for 5km a day on a flat hard surface to tighten the muscles. I did this on the road. It helped a lot. I stopped as it was raining and in the tropics very hot to be walking like that every day. I guess I took the easy option. He then operated and it did not fix the problem. The dog can walk straight after the operation with a limp, and several others done at the same time were perfect within a short time, mine never was. My father was not a specialist in the LP field but had done many with great success. At the time my Collie and a friend's Great Dane were done, both not successful. But can you walk the dog 5km a day with the other issues?

The import of them is banned, approx 15 years ago. So really how many 'pure bred' Pit Bulls are left? As even then many were not the real thing.

I once had someone pull up in a car and ask to use one of my males for a mating. He then proceeded to tell me my dogs 'were a funny colour, and had different/wrong heads to his.' HELLO, who has the kennel of pedigree champion show dogs? The General Public are very ignorant! Another reason I do not breed anymore.

Is this person a registered breeder?

Love your work Poodlefan!

Well problem is everyone thinks you are talking about someone else and not them. Look, I have no idea what your labs are like, but I have not seen a lab in the kennel club in years that was not over done, too big boned too heavy. I look at pics from 50 years ago and they were as I remember them in my childhood, which was not what they look like today. Then I read their OCD, elbow and hip rates. So where you see yourself and where those who are going to hang you out to dry if the see what you do as 'wrong' may be a very different places. Anyway I think what you want is what is happening and is going to happen even more. It really is going to boil down every man and his dog for himself? Will is be a case of the Last dog standing?? I for one have given up trying to convince all dog owners and breeders that the gun is pointing directly at them! BTW I have heard there is soon going to be a call for banning the breeding of all Neo Mastiffs in the UK. Welfare and cruelty related to extreme loose skin, bone and joint disorders, eye disorders, high rates of cnacer and very low life expectency. If I had to bet, I think they will be featured on PDE 2 and it is not going to be pretty. Are those breeders doing anything now while they still have a chance to be seen as proactive? Not that I have heard of. Well that sentence made me sit back and look! How correct you are.

Im sure thats why so many "working kelpies" end up in rescue. they dont have the desire to work so they are disgarded....My last rescue kelpie that i fostered was quite content to lay on the lounge with my 2. I was actually hesitant about getting a Kelpie since they have that reputation as working dogs, but my partner was keen for an active dog. Have to say, my Neo has been a bit of each which I'm happy about - active in the mornings, goes through a major afternoon slump and sleeps for hours, then a bit of bounce around before dinner, then gradually slows down into the evening. Definitely suits our lifestyle! The Kelpie is a great dog to have, it can be active and funny and a great friend. All breeds are different and suit different pupposes. It is one of the best for agility. I am not a believer that a working breed cannot live in town, it just needs a bit of attention and a daily walk. If only I had discovered the Kelpie years ago

I just noted where you are based, interestingly I was sent a dog when I lived in Darwin who had a bad mouth on arrival. The airfreight up and back if I had of returned the puppy was more than the cost of the dog!

I have had some have a perfect bite as babies, then when the adult teeth come through become undershot. I also had a puppy arrive undershot and it never changed, regardless of all the treatments I was advised to try. SEND THE PUPPY BACK! What are you going to do with it for the 2 years it might take to correct, you cannot show the puppy like that. Look in the mouth every day? And feel hope or despair every day? And do you have room for another pet? If you are at your Council limit for number of dogs, you cannot buy yourself another show dog. I have been there and done that.

I trying not to be negative but if I got an email with the above spelling you would just about be an automtic no from me. By not being able to spell a breed's name correctly, that you owned and loved, would really annoy me. I would wonder just how much you knew and cared if you couldn't get the breed right. Maybe it annoyed some of the breeders you contacted. No doubt I will now be jumped on for judging someone for their spelling but you wanted honest feedback. FWIW Poodlefan's post have been spot on. Yes I noticed that too! Though she would not be spelling over the phone!

There are a couple of things which jump out at me from your post but the most telling is the fact breeders have heard about you before you phone them. Which normally means there is something not desirable (to the breeders) in the male you have or you yourself. I have been guilty of that myself, as I am sure others are of phoning my breeder friends to warn them of someone. Most breeders are very approachable and love to talk about their dogs, but we must ensure that other breeders are not discussed. Really how do you know who is on the other end of the phone? How would I feel if I was bad mouthing another breeder to discover it was them! In saying all this I am sure you will find someone to help you, and I wish you the best! Keep us posted. PS, wish I had seen the breed noted.

Great advice poodlefan!

A beautiful Eulogy

It is good to have a dog around the house. I have always thought that if any house in the street was to be burgled, it would not be mine with all the dogs!