kiwifeathers

Hi all. My little Italian Greyhound Breeze is now just over 2 and a half, and still has not had her first season. While I'm aware the breed are often "late-bloomers" I am starting to get a little worried about it. Could there be an underlying health concern, that sort of thing. I spoke in passing to a vet at a dog show when Breeze was 2 about it and they just said wait a bit longer and see. I'm not sure if theres anything that could be done or looked into, just wanting to see if anyone else had very late first seasons from their girls and could share their experience, or if theres anything health wise I should be concerned about. This is the first time I've owned an entire girl so I'm new to this whole season business.

Breeze my Italian Greyhound is oblivious to just about everything, but Toby the Border Terrier has been a mess ever since all the earthquakes we have had here. Never used to mind thunder or fireworks now he turns into a shaking drooling mess every time. Sometimes even noises that sound earthquake-ish will set him off poor guy.

Really interesting topic, as one of our dogs has just had the annual letter from the vet to go in for vaccinations and my IG's should be due soon too. The border terrier is mums dog, so I have no control over what she does with him, but as far as Breeze goes I'm reluctant to get her done again without titre testing her first, assuming NZ vets are doing it. She had an incident with her puppy vaccinations. When I got her it said on her vet book she was due another one, so took her in and got it done, emailed the breeder (who is a vet) the same day and she said "oh I just got her done two days before I sent her down, I guess I put the wrong date down on her card". So poor wee Breeze got a double dose within a few days of each other, luckily there was no adverse reactions. Had her last puppy vac and the first booster at around a year as well. Sometimes I wonder if that double dose caused her meningitis but I have no idea really. Anyway with her having had meningitis spells twice I'm not too keen on having another booster done so soon, since its supposedly an immune thing. What do you guys think? I'm really hoping that the vets won't charge too much for it.

I know the GSD specialites here often have rings around the rings, for the double handlers to run around in! Haven't been to one myself but my parents showed and bred GSDs before the had children and they said its a very different ball game to normal all breeds shows. Dogs and handlers have to be very fit. ...Apparently there is a lot of drinking involved too at ringside :laugh:

Breeze being one of two Italians in town, and the fact there are very few Italians in the country we get stopped a lot out walking and at public events like the A&P show, and I get asked the usual "is that a whippet, is that a puppy greyhound etc". Once when Breeze was a baby I had an old couple that were very insistent she was a mini foxi puppy! Most people say how cute or pretty she is, though some say rude things as they pass instead and I get a lot of kids say "look how skinny that dog is" when they walk past, which is funny to me because she's actually a tad overweight atm. Breeze is fairly outgoing for an IG, and as long as people don't go straight for the top of her head out of nowhere she is fine with adults patting her after she gets a sniff in. She's gotten much better with kids over time but still not as keen on them, so I pick and choose what kids I let touch her. I don't mind talking to people about the breed at all, its only when you get stopped every few meters it gets annoying :laugh:

We see a lot of labs, staffords, German shepherds, jack russels, fox terriers, paps and border collies around here, pure bred wise (though most are not from registered breders) and lots of big mixes, your staffie x, lab x etc, with plenty of mini foxies and small fluffies mixed in. There are also a decent amount of heading dogs and huntaways living as pets here. It's a fairly small town that's very close to being rural. I think the only reason we see lots of German Shepherds is because we have several breeders living here, and they also outnumber any other breed that comes to ribbon parades 4 to 1, because everywhere else in the country I've lived I rarely see the breed around. Breeds absolutely seem to come and go with the times, particularly with show folk it seems. My mother and father bred and showed GSD's before I was born, so about 22 years ago and she said there used to easily be 15-20 Old English Sheepdogs at a show every time, now you'd be lucky to see one. Since I've been showing I've noticed a huge boom in French Bulldogs, from 3-6 to 20 -30 plus at big shows and that's only in the last 5 years. Frenchies seem to be a much more popular pet choice now too, particularly in cities. Haven't seen them so much in my town yet but there are a few around. I've noticed far fewer boxers and golden retrievers around as pets than I used to as a child too.

So after a fairly long process from my understanding the NZ Huntaway has a breed standard and has been recognised by the NZKC, making it the first NZ breed to be recognised by a kennel club. There hasn't been any kind of press release or obvious statement of this yet but it was mentioned in the NZKC magazine and the breed standard has appeared on the website. Breed Standard: http://www.nzkc.org.nz/breed_info/br535.html I think the most interesting thing about this is the breed can't be shown in conformation shows, to preserve its state as a working dog. Is this a first? I wouldn't have a clue. Also interesting to see the Sheepdog Trial people don't recommend them to be kept solely as pets, considering there are many out there kept just as pets and perfectly happy (they do need a lot of exercise and have to be kept entertained in general though).

I'm still trying to find my "one true breed (or two)". I love my little Italian Greyhound but I'm never having another one, as I've just had a lot of problems with her (legs, general health, safety when taking her out) and it's been quite stressful. I also liked my lab I grew up with but now I'm older they just aren't my thing, and I am never having a breed that requires hand stripping ever again after the current family Border Terrier, who is lovely but my hands have poor circulation and stripping just hurts too much. I have a 5 or 6 breed shortlist for next time (perhaps next year) and I just need to make a choice!

All results are posted now, btw!

Hi all, thought I might just post a link to the results of the NZKC Nationals, for anyone across the ditch who might be interested. Show is still ongoing so the results get added to as they go. The best of breed results have a photo of the winner and same goes for group/in-show. So far Utility group is completely done, and most of the toy, non-sporting and all of the gundog breeds save goldens and labs are done with group later today. Breed Resulits: http://nds2013.nzkc.org.nz/View%20Results/Breed%20Results Group Results: http://nds2013.nzkc.org.nz/View%20Results/Group%20Results Sevens Challenge (A prelude show) Results: http://nds2013.nzkc.org.nz/View%20Results/Sevens%20Challenge%20Results

I can tell you that they definitely still do elbow scoring here, it is listed here on the accredited breeders scheme tests list: http://accreditedbreeders.nzkc.org.nz/Health/Health%20Tests I don't know much about that vets other than its on a polytec's grounds and vet nursing students etc do work experience in it.

Hi thanks for the offer, might PM you sometime.

Yes I did, and they are beautiful dogs but unfortunately all those I have met have had shocking temperaments. Very very fearful. I imagine they aren't normally like that but it made me discount them at the time and haven't given them a second thought since. Perhaps worth re-evaluating them?

Her one is apparently VERY laid back in the house - just sleeps all day, but she does get lots of exercise :) If you're in CHCH I think CaseyKay will be at the agility this weekend, at the RDA building. There are quite a few American line ones doing agility too, I think there are 3 entered this weekend. Ah well that's okay then, exercise wise my dogs get as much as they need (the current and the family dog get two 30-40min walks a day plus lots of zoomies and play in the big garden usually, anything less and they are nutcases!), so I'm happy to give it plenty (would help me get a bit fitter too :laugh:) Not in CHCH unfortunately, I'll have to keep an eye out for them next time I go to shows out of town I guess.

Thanks for that, first hand accounts from people with the breeds is just what I was after. Any other info you can give is much appreciated, everyday life stuff that you don't tend to find in books and on the Internet especially is very helpful.

Ah awesome, that's good to know thanks. I read they can be quite high energy, again I was told repeatedly to have a good long look at them hence why they are on the list, I guess as the "wildcard" haha. I wouldn't have a problem with high energy as long as with plenty of exercise the dog wasn't still going mental in the house. If Brittany's are that loopy then perhaps I might take them off the shortlist and put one of my other near miss breeds on it. The Brittany's temperament sounds lovely, they sound like sweet dogs. I'd probably give obedience and agility a go with both the Lagatto and Brittany, maybe even the Pharaoh if it was one of those that was into that sort of thing, I know some are more than others.

Hi all, thanks for all the suggestions, were certainly some breeds I hadn't thought about, and it was good to have a look at a few more. I have a shortlist now, and hopefully in another few months will be able to pick a breed! I still have a long time to go before I can get a new dog, I think, I'll have to save a bit, but I like getting in touch with breeders early, and these are all rarer breeds anyway. So after much deliberation to get a shortlist of only five (which was so hard omg!) my list is; Borzoi Greyhound Pharaoh Hound Lagotto Romagnolo Brittany The only reason Silken Windhounds aren't on this list is purely that they aren't recognised yet, even if they had AKC recognition and not NZKC I'd probably consider them, stunning dogs! Made myself choose one of either the Pharaoh or the Ibizan which was tough. I think appearance wise Ibizans I like slightly more but Pharoahs won out on other factors. Borzoi were always going to be on this shortlist, but there are some things that are keeping me from saying Borzoi are my choice outright, still have to do some weighing up of pros and cons for all these shortlist dogs and go from there. Greyhounds I umm'd and ahh'd about because I don't know if I like the look of some of the show line greys. Some of them look weirdly proportioned but IDK maybe its just some lines, or maybe its the photos... I love the temperament though so that's why they are on the list. Lagatto are there because I've always liked them, but the grooming requirements have put me off, but got a chance to talk to a breeder last big show I was at and clearly she is eager to have more people in the breed, because she offered to let me take one of her lesser priority young dogs in the ring when we are at the same shows, and teach me grooming, as well as give me a make pup for nothing and groom him for me before shows till I learned how as long as I showed him, and allowed her to use him at stud. I'm hesitant about the whole thing, I'm not sure if its a good idea or not. Can't help being suspicious its in my nature haha. Perhaps someone on here can tell me whether I should head for the hills or not. Everyone I know at shows keeps recommending a Brittany. Everyone. Never met one, most here are working dogs. Seem nice from what research I have done. Like the French types colour variety but the American Types build. So basically from here on out, I'd love personal experiences with these breeds, and any breeder recommendations (Grey's and Pharoahs would been imports no question and I think to get a show Brittany as well. Borzoi and Lagatto breeders are here in small numbers and I have spoken to both but wouldn't mind aussie breeder recommendations for these breeds either). If you have a good list of pros and cons for these breeds that would be really helpful too thanks. Will keep up my own research but there is only so much that can help before you need first hand stuff. Thanks again all.

Haha, she only has two, her pretty show of bead collar and her normal one. Although her normal one is pretty too. I love the some of the collars people have for their sighthounds.

Coat like a Border is the reason I don't want one :laugh:. I'm done with wire coats that require hand stripping! They do sound like nice dogs though, so its a shame. I think I saw Ace at a show once, very handsome boy!

I've had some good Newfie cuddles at shows, they seem like very nice steady dogs. I'll look into them as well, thanks for the suggestion. I do love the look of 'zoi and they seem pretty cool in temperament, but I want to make sure that they are absolutely the right choice before I just decide that's what I'm going to get, and miss out on another breed that's actually a better fit for me. I made this thread for suggestions and for people with first hand experience with some of these breeds to share what these dogs are actually like to live with. I'm looking for my heart/forever breed, so I'm going to take time with my choice. I've got a long time to decide. :)

I've only really shown in toy and terrier, apart from very brief forays with a dane and some Dalmatians in Non-sporting and that was literaly take the dog in the ring and get back to my own straight after. I always sit with the Stafford people because we know several of them very well, one of them is my doggie mentor haha. As much as I like terriers in some ways in others I know they just are not for me. I love staffords in particular but they are just a lot of dog to handle. I haven't really hung with any of the other groups before.

She sure is, and much loved and very spoiled by mum and me

Haha big tough guard dogs huh? I suppose like a few breeds there are breeders breeding for different temperaments, I guess there are working people and show people in the breed who want different things? I'll pay a bit more attention than usual to them at the local CH shows this weekend and see what I think. I'm not sure if they are what I'm looking for, but I'll look into them more. Thanks :)

Ask and thy shall receive! In spades!

Only seen one here at a show, but there might be more up north, so I can't say I've ever even thought about them. I'll add it to my rather long and ever growing list to look into more deeply.