Salukifan

Dogs do get hives. It does sound like an allergic reaction but your vet is in the best position to advise. Just out of idle curiosity, what colour is she?

Where do you want him to sleep as an adult? You really don't want to be forcing him to pee where he sleeps - bad long term ramifications for toilet training. You'll know if he's happy outside soon enough if you put him out there but he'd need an insulated kennel with appropriate bedding, not a crate. The best recipe for a sound night's sleep is probably to give him company - ie put the crate beside your bed and talk to him if he's unhappy. You'll need to get up through the night if he stirs because he'll probably need to pee. BUT if you want an outside dog, then train him from the get go to be outside.. and hope like hell he doesn't howl. However, if you want him to sleep in the laundry (generally a bad choice IMO) then set your alarm for half way through the night, toilet him and ignore all the other crying. He's a social animal and he's been socially isolated so if you want him to get used to it then you need to tough it out.

I'm hearing you on that one!! I'm only taking 2. But will have a few at the Hound Club show if anyone wants to pop by and say hello. :) They don't even show blue masked fawn dogs in the USA. Clearly judges know about the difference in the standard but I reckon you're still up against it.

I'm not doing the Royal (American judge + English style dogs = nope) But I am doing the Hound Show on Saturday arvo. Just went and tried on my new show suit and it fits perfectly :) Looking forward to catching up with some out of state Houndees there. :)

I have been on more than one breeder's waiting list. And I've done that twice now. As has been pointed out, things don't always go according to plan, particularly in terms of gender. However I was up front about it and made it quite clear about who I would go with if things DID go to plan. Breeder A's pups were a month older than Breeder B's and they were both cool about it. I honestly don't know why breeders have to treat puppy buyers with kid gloves. If you are open about what you do why you things in a puppy selling context than that's all to the good as far as I'm concerned. The fact that buyers may not expect it doesn't mean it all has to be doom and gloom because you have standards. I agree that every enquiry should be treated respectfully. I don't see the big deal about people asking price. But what differentiates responsible breeders from those who'll shove a puppy at you as soon as they see the colour of your money IS the vetting process. How do you sugar coat that???? Maybe the secret is to prepare buyers to deal with breeders to whom each and every pup they sell is more than "just a dog". That's the aim of that blog and I think its a good one. I tell prospective buyers to expect the Spanish Inquisition and explain why they'll be asked so many questions. So far they've all survived the process. There has been one highly respected breeder who was nothing short of rude. She is now struck from my list which is a pity because she breeds great dogs.

One more thing. Were member of the public permitted to bring their dogs? I don't think they usually are but if they were permitted, I can see some breed clubs preferring not to be there.

Do you mean run the stand or bring your dog to the stand ect? For both i would think you would have to be a member of your breed's club and yes i assume they won't want an unpapered dog rep'ing a breed. Happy to be corrected if i am wrong. I'd agree with that but you don't have to have a dog present on the day to help out.

Depends on the club but generally? Yes. You don't even have to own one most of the time. If you are a breed fancier or aspire to own a member of the breed, I think most clubs will be happy to have you. Of course if you don't aspire to own a papered dog at some stage, you might not be as welcome.

I wonder how many people complaining about the absence of breed clubs are members of one. Such clubs are often run by a handful of people who run shows, puppy listings, do a news letter and a raft of other activities including rescue. Yes, it would be ideal if all breeds were represented at such events. But the reality is that people have lives, not everyone has a dog that's up to the task of being grabbed by kids, bashed on the head by folk who think that's how you pat a dog etc. They might be dealing with litters, bitches in season etc too. Or maybe they have no problem placing pups bred within the club and don't want to make the breed any more popular than it is because they know many of the tyre kickers will simply soak up the advice given, head for the Trading Post and create yet another dog that's going to need rescue down the track because folk heard what they wanted to hear and ignored all the cautionary advice about what the breed needs to thrive. There are plenty of breed fanciers who see popularity as the fast track to disaster for their breed and they have good justification for doing so. Cynical? Definitely but anyone who's staffed a breed stand at one of these events will tell you what it's like and not everyone can gather the numbers to keep a stand staffed all weekend. Want to see it change? Join a breed club. Join your breed club. An extra pair of hands will never go unwanted.

Unless his ears are grotty, I'd not bother. Does the groomer pluck his ears? Ditto with the frontline. Are you in a tick area and/or do you have a flea problem? If the answers are no, I'd not be doing that either

And folk are doing their best, and the OP's friend is already reconsidering the "only outside" stipulation. What folk are doing in this thread is no different to what breeders of many breeds would do. And believe me, there are plenty of breeders of people focused, easily trained breeds that won't sell to outside family homes and/or that would have hard questions about how much time a family with a new baby and a toddler will really have to devote to a dog that spends most of its time in the backyard.

I switched Charlie to the canine country from barf about 2 years ago and he's been fine. I'm sure it has no preservatives. Charlie has a very sensitive tummy. Chicken necks are still a tad too big for jasper so I chop a small amount and mix with canine country and dry food. Mind you when he arrived he was on pedigree puppy chicken and rice slop. His anal glands were done last visit when I got him desexed. And I haven't seen him drag his bum since. A mallet will solve that problem for you. Just put them in a plastic bag and bash them flat. :) Already desexed? How old was he?

For some dogs it is. Some breeds are physically unsuited to the extremes of weather in this country. Personally I'm at a loss to figure out how people can shut themselves in doors in air conditioning on really hot days and expect a dog to get buy comfortably with a bowl of tepid water. That aside, for a dog that's going to live with children, a couple of hours exposure a day, especially when the child and dog will need to be separated for the child to play unsupervised (which will come), then its difficult to raise a dog to bond well with kids and treat them as just part of every day life., particularly as a pup. Dogs are social animals - and some dog breeds more so than others. Deprive them of a pack and some dogs don't cope. Or at least they don't thrive. I have only to listen to the dogs that bark their heads off in this neighbourhood to know that. The expression "barking mad" didn't come out of nowhere.

I'd be starting with a visit to the vet to eliminate any issues with teeth, ears, anal glands and skin. Then I'd be bathing him between grooming visits in a good quality shampoo that's got some skin conditioning/soothing agents. If the Canine Country stuff has preservatives in it, then I'd be discontinuing feeding it and upping the chicken necks and wings.

Simple - because it's not true, ESPECIALLY if you are choosing a pup, not an adult dog. We developed dog breeds to improve the likelihood of certain characteristics in a dog. Many people seem to think that those characteristics are mostly physical and that all dogs are similar but in different gift wrapping. NOTHING could be further than the truth and I have lost track of the number of people who've lived to regret a choice of dog based on looks, a movie's inaccurate portrayal of a dog or other lack of knowledge. We also manipulated and selected for degrees of independence, people focus, bite inhibiition and bite threshold. Those last two are particularly important in a family dog. A dog with a high degree of trainability usually has a high degree of people focus (and need for) people. Some of us aren't interested in recommending a dog that will merely survive in this situation. I'd like to to see the family (who've done better than picking a cute pup from a pet shop or the trading post) with a really good match. Socialisation and training can take you so far but you cannot undo the characteristics that are genetically hard wired into a dog... as people keep finding out the hard way. If you want a dog that gets on famously with kids, you need genetics, and socialisation and training and TIME with those children. The pounds are full of adolescent pups (often working mixes) that ended up there because they chased, jumped on and even nipped young kids because every time they went in the backyard, an understimulated pup went mad with excitement. And as for a Husky in a family with a baby on the way? Not a breed I"d recommend unless it was to a family committed to that breed in particular and not wanting a more generic 'family' dog. Yes, there are always exceptional dogs. But the odds of finding something outside what the breed has been developed for aren't fabulous. This family will not end up the the same kind of dog, regardless of what breed they pick.

Nope but I'm basing my advice on my knowledge of your dog ownership and my assessment of the odds of you resolving this issue before Missy gets the boot outside. If you can point to a problem you've posted about that you've received advice on and ACTED on it, I might feel differently. But your parents have put you on notice, you don't seem to have much of a grasp of how to handle a Whippet and the clock is ticking. Harsh? Probably, but its this pups interests that are driving my advice, not yours. I honestly don't think you are capable of "working through it".

Ah, no. Still the same breed. Still the same prey drive and still the same sighthound temperament. My guess is that time has dimmed your parents memory. Seriously, I think you should do right by this pup and rehome her before she ends up spending her life outside. You were told this wasn't a suitable situation for a whippet and perhaps now you might realise that folk weren't simply being "mean" by saying so. She deserves better than to be shunted outside before she's 12 months old because you can't train her. God I can only hope you LEARN from this and don't get another dog in a hurry.

Easy to train, good with very limited interaction and outside only? A really challenging combination for a family with very young children. A beagle is not an easy to train dog for many folk. If bored they can be fearsome barkers and escape artists. They can be great family dogs but they need to be part of a family, not viewing life through a back door or a window. Can't think readily of a WORSE breed for this situation than a BC or an ACD.

Guess what, SAYING NO ISN'T WORKING. You need to up the ante and NOW. She's had 3.5 months to learn that she can do what she wants to the cats because the consequences don't matter to her. You need to step in EARLIER. This is predatory behaviour and the cats hate it. Given that you told us your parents were well versed in Whippets, I'm amazed they've not got the problem under control. Seriously, ring her breeders and tell them you want to give her back. If they are the Whippet lovers you told us they were, they'll do it. But prepare for disappointment. If you want her taken into Whippet rescue, I can probably organise it. But you need to either get this under control or rehome her BEFORE she injures a cat.

Here we go again..... You've had this pup for 3.5 months. You were counselled against getting her and when you did, you were advised to stop her annoying the cats IMMEDIATELY. So now we're here. You have two choices: * step up and discipline her sternly for doing this. If she's got a collar on, EVERY time she goes to molest a cat, grab her by the collar. Roar "NOOOOO" at her and put her outside. You might also try a spray bottle and squirt her every time she bugs a cat. How about a few baby gates to stop Missy following the cats everywhere?? Or a tall cat tree so the cats CAN get some peace? * rehome her now. Given that you've never shown the slightest indication that you're capable of following any of the advice given to you here, I suggest this is the better option for this pup before she actually injures one of the cats. You have no idea how infuriated I am that your failure to think this through and to train your pup is now placing her future at risk. And you wonder why I told you NOT to get a Whippet. This is an "I told you so" moment I could seriously have lived without. (and for those who have no idea what I'm talking about, a read of the relevant posts in the Whippet thread will be illuminating) I wish you luck getting her breeder to take her back. But then you didn't follow any advice about sourcing her from a responsible breeder either. Maybe your sister will bail her out. For Missy's sake, I hope so.

The decision was an easy one for me. If you get to the stage where continuing agility will have a negative health or soundness impact on your dog, then its time to give it away.

It generally gets a very good write up but my dogs weren't crazy about it. Still you have sample packs so you'll find out quickly enough if yours does!

I would speak to the steward and ask if an adult can lift the dog on and off the table. It pays to remember that this is not Junior Handlers and that the dog must be judged on the table if it is a tabled breed - as must all others. If no concession about lifting is given, then someone else must show the dog. Technically, a person assisting could be considered double handling and I can understand why you might be denied a second handler for the dog. If the word from the steward is 'no' then someone capable of physically lifting the dog must show it in its class. However, once judged in its class, if it wins, it will not be tabled for challenge or for Class in Group. So your son could handle that. I hope your son has had plenty of intruction and practice. A Royal isn't what I'd call a low pressure start to a showing experience and he will need to remember that its the dog being judged, not his handling.

1. Focus 2. Interactive play - that doing things with you is fun. 3. Recall As far as I'm concerned everything else can wait. I'm not into hot housing puppies with the equivalent of flash cards. In the early months my focus is socialisation, not skill teaching beyond what they need for safety and for development.

I would suggest that if they want the dog to bond with their daughter and not to terrorise her with excitement every time she goes into the back yard, that they give the dog limited access inside - even if that's only in a crate or mat. Great family dogs need access to their families. They thrive on human attention because they've been specifically bred over a very long time to want to focus on people. A dog that's going to be content on its own for at least 20 hours a day is hard one to recommend in this situation.