Jed

Yep, September. FFAK, if owners take their dogs, are they expected to explain conformation features to the aspiring judges, or does the dog attend, and the features are explained by those doing the training? Is there sherry?

What everyone else says - full vet testing. I'd discuss thyroid tests with your vet too. Thyroid problems can present like this. Good luck.

Was this another raid on the pf which was raided a month or two ago, when labs, spaniels etc were seized by Biosecurity and RSPCA? Or a different one?

Councils really are a minefield. Someone wanted to put a pet crematorium in a rural area, in my shire, same deal as this one. Council wouldn't give permission. Wouldn't tell him where it should be either. Next shire has one in a rural residential development. No one except those who need it, know about it.

Oh, nasty. Maybe the council can explain how paying a registration fee will prevent dogs attacking? Will they know they are registered, and think "oh, I'd better not bite anyone, I'm registered". Lillysmum Are you in BCC? If so, I suggest you check the local laws again.

Malabsorption is fairy uncommon, and always characterised by quite smelly diarrohea or very loose stools. Re his behaviour on arriving home - sounds a bit like heat stress to me, caused by heat and stress, and not drinking, and because of the heat/stress, him being slightly hypoglycaemic. If he does it again, syringe glucodin and water into him immediately. Also cool him down, run the hose on his stomach (not iced water) or put wet towels on him. Wet his head too, there is info on getting temps down all over the place, that's all I can remember, and too lazy to go and look.

Inguinal hernias? Possible, but not probable. One under the front leg? Naw. Who related this to you, the owner, or the vet? I would want to speak to the vet. One at the spey site - could happen, particularly if speyed recently, as was mentioned earlier in the thread, or it is simply swelling.

He's not really, we just made you all think that. He is someone FAR more important than Chuck Norris, better looking too, and stronger. Chuck Norris breaks out in hives when he hears "Troy" mentioned. Oops, forgot the cone of silence. Congratulations, charleswentworth :D Hope you have enough $$ for your tin foil dress? If not, Warley has one you can borrow, will it fit?

Anne I do too, and I think following up puppy purchasers with the occasional email, phone call etc and keeping in touch helps buyers feel that they can send the dog back without judgement being made. When I ask them to sign the rehoming agreement, I always tell them about one of the dogs I took back, what happened, where he went etc, in the hope they will remember if they ever need to rehome the dog. Sometimes things go pear shaped for the best buyers in the world, and the dog does need a new home.

Yep they certainly do, save the life, rake in the money and the destroy the dog. Show me the stats. I have heard so much bad press about the RSPCA, please show me the statistics so I can make up my mind. What stats do you actually want? They don't actually keep files on dogs they got lots of publicity = lots of donations, and then, when they couldn't use them any more, knocked them off. Strange how dogs make the paper as having loverly temperaments blah blah, and once the publicity is finished, get the chop because they were actually in bad health, or "didn't pass the temperament test". Why not google RSPCA on the forum, and see what you find. why not write to them and ask what happened to this dog? Ask about Clifford too.

ooo la la Poor dog.

The cats were injured. The cats went outside. No one knows how the cats were injured. the owners were fined? the RSPCA spent 2 years and $13,000 on the case? Huh

And if you wondered where PDE's negative ideas about line and in breeding came from, look no further. Same loonies who want to abolish line breeding in registered dogs - and dogs.

I've only had a couple back, over a very long time, and both were for good reasons. They went to lovely new homes. A couple have returned temporarily for a bit of training, or owners have been helped at home. I've had a couple back short term - one pup was sold, and 4 weeks later, a grandparent in another state died and the owners had to go for a couple of weeks, so I took the pup back for that time - easier on him than boarding. Another owner of a half grown pup broke her shoulder, I think he was here for a few months, while she recuperated, he was a good boy. I don't choose people who subscribe to "disposable" dogs. I like my pups, none of them have ever done me any harm, and I wouldn't knowingly place them in anything but the best home.

Becks I basically agree with that. Britian is a much smaller country, and it would, I think, be practical to travel your bitch to the sire. Yes? I've driven 600k to do a mating. And I think dogs should mate naturally, I certainly wouldn't be using a dog which is not "dog friendly" to produce pups. I suppose the rules do keep beeds with the ability to breed naturally. What would happen if you asked if you could AI for geographical reasons? Or some other "good" reason? Are you allowed to use dual sires?

I agree with PomzNZ on this, it worries me that it could be mandatory, and something like that could be the result. I am still waiting for a decent scientific study with proof that "inbreeding" - to the degree dog breeders do it - causes smaller litters, lack of vigour etc. I haven't been able to find one. EBV probably works for meat animals, but I have to wonder if it would work with what are essentially pets. And surely, anyone who is serious about breeding has done the research before they began, looked at dogs, spoken to people, have a good handle on the whole thing? A program like this is not necessarily going to provide proof of nasty recessive genes which dogs are carrying - and those are the ones which worry me. I don't think we can breed solely for "genetic diversity" and I would still like proof of some of the claims being bandied about so freely.

Pups only leave here when the new owner has signed an agreement which states they will not rehome, sell, send to the pound or give away the dog without offering me the dog back. I also explain that the reason for the agreement is that I want the dog to have a lifetime home, and if it is not with them, I want to ensure that it is with someone else suitable. So, basically, if they can't keep it, I am the first port of call. I will also mind dogs I bred if the owners have problems -- ie, sick, moving etc. I would rather do this, and know they can keep the dog if someone helps, than have them rehome the dog. Savane Because most breeders are limited by council regulations to the number of dogs they can keep. Some are only allowed 4. If you have a few dogs and you breed a bitch a couple of times, she might be 4 or 5 - she will live to 12 - 16, so while you keep her, you cannot own or breed with another bitch, because the council will not allow you to have one. If you have 3 bitches and a dog, you are only breeding for 4 or 5 years, and then you have middle aged to old dogs, and you are no longer a breeder. Retired show and breeding dogs are healthy, well trained, and most breeders have queues of excellent homes, where the dog will sleep on the bed etc, waiting for them. This is the only way for some exhibitors and breeders to continue with their hobby. No matter how badly they feel about it, they need to do it. And rehomed dogs always get excellent homes, where they are happy. They aren't rehomed unless they will be happy.

How were the other owners encouraging Rottylover's dog? I'd offer to pay half, and maybe give them a box of chocs - for the sake of neighbourhood peace. Edited to say, if they went to W/Chermside, I'd offer to pay some of it!! Sounds as if the pup was pawing through the fence, and yours grabbed him. He may have been playing with him - foot comes through, paw at it, or grab it - and it may have been twisted by the fence. I'd also talk to them about both of you boarding up under the fence so it can't happen again, and maybe organising for both dogs to meet a few times, so your dog knows who lives next door, and the dog next door knows too.

Turn the dog away, and stare the kid down. You can do it!!

Hi Andrew, and welcome to the forum. How nice to see a representative of Local Government here. Will read the links later, and come back. thank you for the opportunity for us all.

Yes, I know, and some cavs are little princesses! A range of soft easily digested food a few times a day does it here. And the old bbq chicken never fails, in my experience. I find if it is a big fancy - scrambled eggs, cooked stew, they are more likely to go for it, but a lot of bitches don't really want to eat. Don't stress. (I do, which is why I know about many tempting foods!!)/ None of mine will touch dry when preg. Oh, dog sausage often works. Cut up fine, of course, and sauteed in butter often helps. (really)

I grew up in the 'burbs. Dogs were mostly fenced - some roamed sometimes, but not so many cars then, and they lived to roam another day. No one bothered too much, they didn't do any damage. They were family dogs, having a run, rather than stray dogs. And you could generally pat one if you wanted to. They never bothered our dogs when we walked - but we didn't see lots of them, just the occasional one. And our dogs trotted along behind us, off leash. The dogs which didn't have fences seemed to stay inside their yard. I remember the GSD down the street always swore at us when we went by, but never ventured out of the yard, despite not having a front fence. I can't remember seeing a dead dog on the side of the road, or having any near misses. None of my friends had pups, coz they mostly had boy dogs. Boy dogs were more popular. If the girls came into season, they were locked under the house or inside. We kids used to run around the neighbourhood with a few dogs - we did kid things, sledded down the big hill, swam in the creek, explored the wilds (about 10 ha of bush!! ) climbed up people's trees and ate mulberries, mangoes, nuts, and the dogs didn't seem to cause any problems. I can't remember anyone much having litters. If you wanted a crossbred pup, you asked around - the produce might know, or there might be a sign in the shop - or the vet might know, but he mostly did large animals. And you went around, and the people gave you a pup. All my friends with dogs seemed to have them for a long time - most of my childhood. I remember the dog two doors up died (old age?) and a pup appeared some time later. the first was foxy size, black and tan (probably kelpie x), he was a nice dog. His successor was like a foxy - tricolour - but not purebred. Purebreds and crossbreds seemed to be about even in my street - 2 collie roughs down the back, corgi next door, cross bred two doors up, 2 x GSD further down the street, and a nearly border collie further down, lab over the road, pom in the next street. If you wanted a purebred, some breeders advertised in the yellow pages, otherwise you contacted the canine control and they gave you a list of breeders of the breed you wanted. If you didn't know where to get one, you asked someone with one, and they told you, or you phoned someone in the yellow pages, and they told you. I remember there were quite a few breeders in the yellow pages. And, of course, they advertised in Saturday's paper. The give aways were sometimes advertised there too. Cats seemed to be neutered. People then seemed to have more idea about dogs, how to treat them, and a lot more tolerance. I guess a lot of people in the city had been raised on farms and understood dogs. Dogs in the country just ran around, and the bitches were locked up when in season. Most farms had a lot of cats, which lived in sheds, caught mice, were fed, and had kittens. The RSPCA was a proper charity then, the pound had stray dogs looking for homes, and you thought highly of the RSPCA. They helped cats stuck up trees, and homeless dogs, and did good stuff. *hisses at Sandra for having no taste in dogs*

It will be interesting to see how it works in practice, and I guess, whether using it is optional or compulsory.

I have nothing against repeat matings. If the matings are complete outcrosses, and results from litter to litter and pup to pup will probably vary more than if they are line bred. Congratulations MM!! good result.

I don't think not eating is normal at all. When they reach 5 - 6 weeks, there isn't much room for food, so they need 2 - 3 smaller feeds per day. They usually prefer softer foods, which rules out most of the dry food (except as CL says, if soaked in hot water to soften). I agree with SBT, raw food, and necks and wings, it's a lot for a cavvy to eat a frame, specially when pregnant. Think "small and easy to eat". Scrambled eggs with a bit of cheese are a hit here. When the system is busy with something - ie, pregnancy - it often doesn't do too well with other things, such as digestion. So you need to take that into account. Bitches often know what they need to eat, but we have to offer it to them, and if it is right, they will eat. You don't want the bitch coming up to whelping as fat as a pig, but you want her in good condition so she whelps normally, and the milk comes down as it should. If she comes up to whelping in poor condition, she'll be as skinny as a rail in a few days, particularly if she wont eat post whelping, and some of them are so concerned about their pups, they don't eat well. Sometimes they appreciate a little stew - meat, maybe a sliver of liver, and a few veges, stewed up nice and soft with just a little water. I give mine cows milk occasionally, so they retain the ability to digest it. Pre and post whelping, if they are going to be difficult about eating I have never found one yet which rejected cooked rolled oats, milk, an egg and honey. They wolf it down, and the oats has been proven to help produce milk. And that's enough to keep a lactating bitch in good order for a few days until she will accept "normal" food And of course, there's the old "never fail" - warm bbq chicken!!