LisaCC

Sorry about the split I agree with what Perse has said. I had two weeks holiday when I bought my pup home, and from day one we started leaving him alone for short periods and extending it, by the time the two weeks were up, he was by himself most of the day, except I had the option of coming home for lunch and having a quick play. I always stick to this routine, even when I am at home and not at work/ uni he stays outside at the times I would normally be away. Puppies are resilient little things and I think he should cope fine if you just make it a routine from the get go

I have my first show coming up on the long weekend, and just wondering what would be the best colours to wear with a blue merle (with white and tan) Aussie? Any suggestions would be great :)

Name = Turn around and look at me Here = Come closer Come = Straight to me and wait to be released. I don't use this much at the moment unless we are on a long lead or at home in a distraction free environment as we are still learning.

Thanks all, I picked up some Vetbasix sunscreen this morning. Great stuff! It's so thick! Made his Muzzle look super clean and white!

Oh Cassie I'm so sorry. Crossing fingers for good news

Urgh, met the biggest bogan today. A friend and I took our dogs for a walk, then stopped at a cafe for an iced coffee. Some bogan lady was walking around the square with her spawn and way too young off leash puppy. We were very proud that both dogs were calmly laying under us while we talked/drank, and her puppy started walking up to us, I politely called out and asked her to please call her dog away. "Why would I do that? She's not going to bite". She didn't even get up, she's about 20m away I said "Please, we would prefer our dogs not to play under us while we are eating", I'm already getting annoyed that I have to say this, and everyone else outside at the cafe is now looking at this play out. She comes up grab her pup, and mutters something as she walks away to back where she was. As we were leaving we hear her say "Bitches, you aren't even allowed dogs at a cafe". Urgh, the cafe owners offered us water for our dogs!!! Pretty sure it's illegal to let your dog wander around off leash.

Definitely, I'm too scared of normal collars catching on things so my boy is naked at home, but I'm going to invest in an embroided safety release collar for when we visit other people.

Do they seem shocked when you tell them she is a Rottie? I know people that still expect to see Rotties docked so perhaps that confuses them a bit? I'm seriously thinking of getting one of those little pocket encyclopaedias just so next time people don't believe me I can go LOOK AT IT! LOOK AT IT!! I don't understand the people that have crosses, like the guy I met with the 'puggle' who tried to convince me that his dog is a real breed but mine is a cross?? He also tried to use his 'puggle' as a wing man, oops lol.

Sam was super sneaky, he didn't mind all tablets just could not stand those tiny blue steroids. (I don't remember what they were called now) At one stage he needed 10 tablets a day, and he was so good and would gobble them down with bits of roo in my hand... but somehow swallow the rest but 5 minutes later spit the little blue ones up!! Sneaky boy!

I got my Foundation DVD! Yay!

The more people that try to convince me that my own dog is a koolie x german shepherd the more I want to hit them in the face with a dog encyclopaedia.

Certainly did :) Although i'm sure Petbarn would sell it too. Thanks, Petstock tomorrow it will be. I've spent WAY to much money there The petbarn here only had the same brand as the wipes, they can be a bit lacking at times. I have tried human sunscreen before, but for some reason thats the only one he licked off!

Dotdashdot, did you get yours from Petstock?

Great thank you both!

Nova still has parts of his nose unpigmented, mostly on the top, it is filling in quickly though. I have been using Sunscreen wipes that I bought from Petbarn on him, and he is pretty good and has never even tried to lick it off, but this afternoon he got quite sunburnt after only an hour playing with another dog even though I applied it. Can anyone recommend a stronger puppy safe sunscreen? This photo is from earlier today before he got burnt, he was burnt on the very top part of his nose, not the pink bits near the nostrils.

Congratulations Steph! Dory, if thats Willow's Vogue look what is Dory doing?

Oh how beautiful Made my day!

Just because I put up that embarressing photo, here is one of him practising his "blue steel" look

I've been trying to take a photo of this for a while but kept forgetting and this turned out perfectly This is what Nova does when I put on the training belt and clicker

What about collie breeds and MDR1? Yes there is a test for it but a lot of people still breed carriers together and even affected dogs.

Thanks Raineth :) I like those ones too. We will probably go for a walk around campus some time tomorrow if you are around and want to meet him :)

Ohh Rangermad, today I just saw some really light chain leashes in Kmart if you are looking, most the ones I find are really heavy for a pup, but these ones were all different thicknesses :)

No actually I don't! I was obviously in a really deep sleep though if I didn't hear him.

SNAP Perse!!

Check out the new thread in general about puppy training gear Here I would not use a check on a puppy, if he chokes himself on a flat collar I'd try a martingale :)