Weasels

CC of course What else would it be about? :p

This is how Weez acts when he is scared, but he has an established history of fear. Doesn't sound like your dog does. In addition to checking eyes, gums, I would try 2 more things : - run your hands over every part of your dog to look for a reaction to touching a specific spot. - take him away from your house, by car if needs be. If he is then back to normal and taking food, he's probly had a fright. If he's still the same way, to the vet at TOP speed.

Oooh Kavik I hope you get a go soon, I really loved watching the finessed adjustments Weez made to control the ducks, just placing a paw a bit wider in some cases. It really showed up his instincts We had to be 'approved' as safe enough based on sheep work first too. Slightly more on-topic - one of the kelpies at our herding training lives with chickens, by all reports she attempts to herd them rather than chase them

I love herding ducks! It's like watching a finely choreographed dance. We've been promised 'duck days' this year, hoping we might even get their HSAd :D

Love ridgies. If the one I know was any more laid back she'd be in a coma

I was thinking if you trained them in herding they could actually be an asset, and see the animals as stock to be worked rather than prey to be chased. Of course chickens will never be easily herdable I swear my 2 were trying to herd a lizard the other day :rolleyes: But they didn't pounce or chase.

Thanks Poochmad! He was being very 'kelpie' that day, hopping from foot to foot staring at the ball until I kicked it again RV did a great job of capturing him in all his craziness!

Aw poor Mason Fox used to always go full-tilt for her ball until she had a head-on collision with another (bigger) kelpie Now she's more cautious, but will still bring a ball back to us all day if we let her!

I'd like to be pencilled in I think my ball-obsessed kelpie girl might actually fit right in with the retrievers! (she even freezes to 'point' at things sometimes. I think she's very confused about what breed she's supposed to be )

Amazing photos! Really captured all the doggy enthusiasm :D I have trouble photographing the foxdog, because she's so intense she comes out in a lot of photos with 'crazy eyes' Next time I crash a DOL meet I might have to throw her in front of CC's or RV's camera and let them work their magic

They are both shelter dogs so I'll never really be sure, but I have found pure kelpies the spitting image of each of them so I just call them kelpies

He cracked me up the way he stared at his ball He's a strange character that boy :p that's only the second time I've been able to get him to engage with a toy outside the house though, so I'm encouraging it because it will make agility so much easier if he'll work for a toy instead of food

Louis was a champ CC! If you hadn't said anything beforehand I would've had no idea he was reactive I am up for a beach trip at any point, i normally take them out to a nearby beach 4 times a week anyway I actually think the Foxdog would be OK with that group, some dogs get a bit insistent when she is ignoring them to play fetch but all the dogs today seemed happy doing their own thing Also Weez is far less lost with her around, and I wouldn't have to keep running off in the middle of conversations to stop him being so OCD

Was great to meet you both Dxenion! (and everyone else!). I believe the 'scary' man was ncarter I was a little disappointed that Weez didn't play, but it was still good for him to spend some time away from the Foxdog, and we got to do some training under high distraction at least :D Hope everyone had a great time, all the doggies were just gorgeous - and so happy!!

Poochmad I feed holistic select for breakfast most mornings - I've been happy with it. I alternate between the seafood and the duck usually. My only gripe is that the pieces are so small it's too easy for the dogs to get them out of most treat dispensers

Exactly. Individual dogs and breeds have very different responses to food. I give mine a bit of everything over the course of a week - some dry food, some tinned food, some RMBs, some harder bones, some people food, some raw meat offcuts and some whole fish with yoghurt. They're quite happy with all of it, and on only a vaguely consistent time schedule. I know there are many people out there who need to be much more consistent with their feeding and gradually introduce new foods. I know there are some breeds that are prone to sensitive stomachs or allergies (I know of a few boxers like this in particular). Researching ingredients etc. is great, but I think at some point is just comes down to trial and error with your own dogs.

Nawww that's irresistable Dxenion! I think he's been giving Weez tips!

I dunno, I think it's because it's so compressed :p

Mine get Nature's Gift tinned too on nights when there are no chicken frames or appropriate leftovers. It's the only canned food I'll give them. For some reason dog rolls freak me out.

Love the photos! Weez will put his front paws on the top of the back of my chair (if that makes sense) so he's standing at full height. Fox will just poke me with toys. If I ignore one toy long enough, she will just try a different one. But the extreme cuteness comes when I am on my ipad, Weez will just trot across me, put a paw on the top of the ipad and push it flat against my chest, replacing my view of the screen with a view of an unimpressed kelpie I let him do it because it's preferable to barking or gnawing on my feet :p

I haven't seen any creams 'in person' yet But they are really stunning dogs.

Thanks Kavik, I guess it's just me then Perhaps my 'fawn kelpie radar' is just more attuned because I am so smitten by the foxdog and I've failed to notice some blues.

I was thinking crossbreed with that amount of white too The base colours are definitely fawn and tan, but in my (certainly not extensive) experience I've not seen that much white on a kelpie. Beautiful dog either way! I never get sick of seeing pictures of Jimmy & Smooch either :D It's funny I've seen a few pictures of fawn kelpies in DOL signatures but I can't recall seeing a dilute black around except in the link Kavik posted. If the colour and dilution genes are unlinked there should be the same proportion of 'blue' kelpies around as there are fawns

I always thought they were as you described Oso - so much so they are my planned retirement dog! :D

Don't overlook the value of training a dog where their fenceline is I grew up on10 acres all sheep fencing except for the dog yard. The family heeler x kelpie would often have the run of the place while everyone was working outside, but stayed on the property because my mum had spent ages walking the boundary and giving a verbal correction when she stuck any part of herself through the fence. I'm not saying to rely on it by any means, but it's a good (and free!) way to provide a back-up to the fencing.