Jed

Well said Shortstep, and absolutely correct. Bet Hargraves The government wont get to ban Cavaliers they will be extinct before that because no more are being bred. Unless of course, non registered breeders and puppy farms make up the shortfall, as they are in Aust. No pedigrees, no tests, pushed off to the pet shop, no responsibility for anything by the breeder. And sorry, a huge percentage of pet buyers expect all tests to have produced positive results and that the dog will not suffer from any health problem which the breeder may or may not have been able to avoid. And they do not understand if there is no definitive test, there is no guarantee of good health - as with SM. Since I first began breeding I have given a guarantee against hereditary health problems. And I would happily do that with SM - but I would not want to be responsible for producing a dog which suffered.

No Gretel I certainly couldn't claim he was an A - however, according to the research results, one of my dogs is an A, and as the only common denominator is the dog, it is most likely to be him.....but who knows? Every pup I've bred is over 2 years, and I have been in touch with 100% of the owners till 3 or 4 - many for longer. Your dog is probably an A too. And you have as much hope of not producing SM affected pups by using that method as any other :laugh In fact, probably more. We have both produced 100% unaffected pups with no tests. Shortstep, I believe it will be a long time before mode of inheritance of either SM or MVD is going to be found. If ever. All we are doing is keeping a lot of researchers employed, without them coming up with any concrete findings to guide breeders. I could have produced paper that said 3/4 of the pups from unaffected parents would not be affected - just by guessing!! I actually believe that the old pre-dna test method used to breeders which is "look at the ancestors", look at the uncles and aunts and cousins, and go from there is probably the best one. Provided you are diligent and honest with yourself. And you check the breeders you are dealing with. The reason more unregistered dogs develop MVD and SM is because those breeders have little idea about the ancestors. Bet, you are Carol Fowler are leading the way to the demise of the breed. Unfortunately, many people do things they believe are good, without investigating the wider or longer reaching implications of their actions. And if you want the breed to be banned, you are doing all the right things.

Steve Incorrect. A + A gives75% unaffected. No one has any idea what happens to the next generation. Or the one after that. You are correct there Every dog used in breeding should be mri'd, factor in at least $1000.oo. Even if they come up as A there is no guarantee that the pups will not be the 75% unaffected. I have never produced any affected pups, so going on what has been said, my dog at least is an A. Many responsible breeders will think twice about breeding. Some have stopped. but the unknowing and the uncaring will continue. It is more important than ever to proceed carefully with tested and pedigree dogs. I have noticed in a casual sort of way, that most of the cavs affected are not registered, or not from breeders who are proud of their stock and will stand up and be counted. Shortstep - widen your research to other researchers if you are interested. America is good, also Europe. IMHO, more balanced

Might be worth checking out the pallative care forum? People list the treatments they are using in there. Good luck.

Capanash was looking for someone to housesit in a Melb bayside suburb, Oct to Jan or Dec, I think. Might be worth pm-ing although she may have someone. There is a woman on bay island off Brisbane wanting someone in January too. 2 nice boxers, lovely relaxing spot. Good luck Wow, what a great response, i think I might do house sitting

Wow, Bow Wow is pretty cute too. Masquarading as a Husky!! Very unique. Georgea is a sweet girl, and certainly good enough to breed with, so the breeder sold you a good one at least....maybe there were problems, bu you didn' t buy them, which is the main thing. I bought my first Cav (pet) accidentally from the state's top kennel. She was fine, lived to be quite old. The second one I bought from a breeder EVERYONE warned me about - after I'd bought the pup. And she lived to be 14, no health problems, had a stroke. Just goes to show!! I don't think either of them was ever sick or needed the vet.

Ceramic tiles. They are non slip. If you are going for polished timber, don't go high gloss. Low gloss is better....scratches don't show as much. And hardwood timber is more difficult to scar than softwood (ie, pine)

Unfortunately, Bet, you can tell the public anything you like. It is quite apparent to anyone reading these pages that the public does not understand that testing will not give them a 100% healthy Cavalier. They expect testing to solve all health problems.

She's gorgeous, thank you for posting those and satisfying my curiosity. Lovely deep colour, beautiful expression, and good markings. What else could you want? She looks as if she is a pleasure to be around too, with a lovely personality. And so beautifully cared for :p ps -what breed is the other dog, which does look like a Husky pup? To me anyhow :p

Sibes and neonatal babies can be a fatal combination if unsupervised. There are no records of Sibes fatally attacking any human older than 4 months. There was an attack of this nature in WA a few years back and another in the USA last year. If you can get a copy of the book Fatal Dog Attacks you will find it an illuminating read on the issue. Of course if people didn't leave dog with access to kids, it wouldn't be an issue for ANY breed. Wasn't that a Siberian Husky which attacked a child (over 4 months) in the hairdressers in Melbourne? Last year? I think Huskies have been involved in other attacks, but not fatal ones.

I don't think it is a beat up. I've seen stuff like this. Far too often. And I don't think it is an isolated incidence. Just one of the few filmed. It has nothing to do with "tradition". It's about ignorant people with no feelings for any type of animal at all - unless it is making money for them.

Just wanted to say that after the not so good beginning, Georgea looks to have grown into a nice girl - as far as I can see of the half of her that is not inside the Husky How about some photos?

Hope he continues to be well, MM

I would say almost impossible when breeders are severely limited in the number of dogs they can keep or run on. They really need to keep several lines going each with slightly (or more) different genetics. Then they are able to select away from any lines that are linked back to any problems that may develop. If you only have a couple of dogs, you have no where to turn when problems arise. Now spread this same severe limitation of dogs across all the breeders in a breed, yikes! Everyone will be stuck with very limited directions to turn. Talk about decreasing genetic diversity and promoting the breeding of sick dogs! It is a McGreevy nightmare on steroids! Yep. Breeders breed so few litters now (because of the restriction in numbers) that problems from recessive genes are not likely to show up - but someone else probably gets them - most pups sold do not breed, so you can contact them all you like, but you wont be much further ahead most of the time. Everyone is limited in their direction. McGreevey wants to promote McGreevey and McGreevey's suppositions, whether they are right, or good for dogs or not. And as far as I can see, they are not right. The problems that purebred dogs have is that there were too many McGreevey's over the past 30 years, and too many people believed in them. They wore the suits of decency, but underneath was the attitude of predators, and they did get their own way.

It was funny at the time - I suppose at 3am the table drain looked as it was covered with nice grass - and so it was - over the mud!! Driver tried for a while to get it out - backwards and forwards, lots of revving (and swearing) before asking the firies - they weren't too impressed either. But no one believed me when I told them. Until we went back to the house and saw the wheel marks all through the table drain.

Here's an old thread - check what good old don was up to then!!! http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=5121&hl=

I've had a few litters of Cav pups. Some litters play and co-operate, and a nice sort of hum comes from the pups. Other litters fight and squabble and someone is always pulling someone else around by the ear, or the tail, and the pullee is screaming the place down. The house before this one was a genuine colonial, with a huge covered and screened verandah right near my bedroom. I remember one litter which kept me awake half the night bashing each other up and screaming. I will pick up either basher or bashee if there is serious screaming. And I have noticed that there is an appreciable difference between litters. My first stud dog tended to throw more bashers than the next stud dog, but I am happy to tell you that they all grew into normal, well loved cavaliers.

MM, what are you doing up at this hour? Checking that all the appliances are turned off?? Pretty well remembered it all from the beginning. When I first woke from the coma, it wasn't as clear - and I guess I didn't want to think about it too much. Some things were clear, and some not so clear. Thinking and talking about it clarified what actually happened. Looking at the house, and speaking to the firies afterwards confirmed my memory. I think, after the firies arrived, I was slipping in and out of consciousness because after I left the house for the last time, some things were confused. I wasn't found by the firies where I thought I was although I remember calling the firies, and telling them that the pups were still inside. Everyone tittered when I told them (when I woke up) about the ambulance getting bogged twice in the table drain, and the fire engine having to pull it out. The ambo driver knew some very old fashioned language . But the marks of something getting bogged and getting out are quite plain when you look at the table drain - and you can see them clearly in the news footage. Knowing I didn't imagine that made me feel a lot better. If you told me I would go into a burning house to save my dogs, I would say "no way". Too frightening. At the time, it wasn't frightening. I didn'think of it in those terms.

He was a tool, he is a tool, and he will forever be a tool. I am disgusted the ridiculous hairy rectal orifice has the boxer No 7 on his (totally invented) kissy list. They'll all be buying 'em now, and more pfs will be breedin' em, and they'll be stuffed up like the more popular breeds. Trust the man who made the designer dog popular to stuff something else up. And his list might be right, who knows?

People in some of those areas do not even recognize that feral goats feel pain, or have feelings of panic or fear at all. It is 99% sure that after the "goat races" the goats will be loaded on a ship headed for the middle east for Halal slaugher, so why should they receive humane treatment when they are for the chop anyhow? And their treatment will probably be worse than that shown on the TV program. Nothing will change until feral goats are recognized as sentient beings. The treatment they receive prior to shipment to the middle east, while they are being trapped and travelled in Australia is inhumane in the extreme and a complete disgrace to animal husbandry in this country. Right up there with shooting buffalo and brumbies from planes. There are goat races where the goats are broken to harness, and these are no difference to shetland, or trotters raciing. And feral goats can figure well in these, and make satisfactory pets. These goats are not mistreated. Plenty of people in the west keep goats as pets or for milk or meat - or both, with humane treatment.

Liath Unfortunately, it is not that easy. You might like to read some of the earlier threads on SM. I don't think Carol Fowler is doing much for the breed, personally, and people simply dont understand the mode of transmission of SM - and whether there is proof that Roley has SM is another disputed issue. Better to stay right away from it., I think. The only proper diagnosis is via MRI, and Sunnyflower has told us the costs. If you suspect your dog has it, find a vet who knows and understands it, and discuss an mRI with him.

Dyson here. DC19. I loved mine. What a great little sucker he was. When I have a house again I'm going to get another one. Bit of a worry about the parts not being as good as they were. And the only way to buy one is when the sales are on.

The fact that a couple of our most appalling "registered" puppy farms are some of the first to become accredited breeders does it for me. I would never join and be in their company. A look at their website rings big bells - long and loud. Health information copied off club websites. Bog ugly dogs. They probaby do health testing. But will the results make any difference to what they breed? I think not. And the way to find a good breeder is to ask someone who has one of the breed who is good. They will tell you. They might tell you to go to their breeder, or to go elsewhere. Not everyone bags other breeders. I send enquiries to people I would trust and would buy from. People who bought dogs from me over the years want another. I can't help, so I recommended a couple of breeders, and suggested they were the only ones to contact I have found pups for quite a few people on the forum .... without bagging anyone.

I believe it is breed based, providing the dogs all have good nerve. Retrievers and toy dogs have more hope of running together than bull or terriers. Most of rhe utility breeds wouldn't be too safe together. Just the nature of the beast. And there is always the odd one which proves the exception. And I personally don't think those really shocking s##t stirring bitches should be bred with. They seem to be the ones who produce nasty s##t stirring bitches themselves - not every pup in the litter, but enough to carry those genes into the future. I've been breeding for a long time - long enough to see 6 or 8 generations, and you do see it. I got sick of it and removed all the trouble makers from my breeding program. The dogs don't look any worse, and they are not off standard, but my life is easier.

I don't think your experience was "insignificant" MM. I've lived in bushfire areas, and in areas where the power would go off for a couple of days, and I've lived in areas where venomous snakes have visited, so knowing where the torches are is important The speed of the fire was the astounding thing. I looked, and it was 3 am or close to when I woke up, and I understand the firies were there in 15 minutes or under, which I believe. I really don't think I was in the house for 15 mintues, but it was hard to say. I couldn't have saved anything much I am not at my best at 3am - when I woke up, I thought - very calmly - "oh the house is on fire" - whether that was idiocy, or shock, I am not sure, but I got motoring straight away. There was no question of the dogs not following me outside, that is how they are. I carried the oldies out because they would have thought about it for 20 mins, one would have tottered off to the kitchen for leftovers .... I shall get some sort of a blocker for under the bedroom door so CO2 can't enter. I strill can't understand how it travelled down the hallway and did a sharp left turn to enter under the door. Bizarre! I didn't have time to find the cats - I didn't see them in my mad rushing around, and I am pleased they survived, although one was burned. We think the other rushed outside once the door was open so she was ok. The only way to save the cats would have been for them both to be in a carrier next to the door every night which wouldn't have been popular with them. I feel bad about BB and Georgie, my hand raised cockatiels who lived in a huge cage on wheels on the verandah. I moved the cage to the end where the fire began - and was fiercest - the week before, from a spot where the fire wasn't as fierce, and they would probably have survived, so they could get a bit more sun. Ah, to have a chrystal ball. But there was no opportunity to save them. A pet is a responsibility for life. You get him, he has no one else, you do your best because he is your responsibility. I don't think my dogs are people, but they are family. When we are in the dough, we all have roast duck, when hard times come, we all have more rice. No one complains. Families pull together, and never leave each other in the lurch. They wouldn't leave me, so why would I leave them? I have always been paranoid about fire. Never left any appliances on if I was out. Always checked the iron, blah blah. All dogs outside, just in case. Had the wiring checked, moved the possum out of the roof in case he nibbled the insulation off the electrical wiring. I would never have an electric heater - had a glass fronted fire - because the fire couldn't escape. So I am no more paranoid now. And yes, the casual way people treat electricity amazes me. It is a good servant, but a terrible master, like fire. Sometimes - no matter what you do - s##t happens. I remember reading of a family (of 7 I think) who were on a Sunday outing, driving down a nice country road in England, when a 747 fell on the car. That's when I decided if s##t was going to happen, nothing you did would change it. Here's Molly, who escaped unscathed and was found frightened, but unhurt in the house 5 days after the fire. No idea where she was, or how she escaped, or what she lived on for those 5 days, and really, who cares, she is ok. Her coat has 1/2 grown back - she was shaved because she was covered in soot. She is normally very fluffy