ness

Just to support this - I used my girls puppy PP40 overnight while she still fitted but at home when she outgrew that she went into a soft crate overnight. Not sure I'd have left a 4-5 month old BC in a soft crate at a trial for instance or while out but overnight she was fine. Having said that I did have to buy a new cover for one of my K9+ crates after she decided to chew the door off while it was just set up at home and she wasn't actually in it. Crazy puppy.

X-rays as far as I am aware are taken to rule out other potential causes of the lameness despite a clear cut cruciate. They can test for a cruciate rupture fairly easily. Conservative method of the dog building scar tissue can work ok with a small dog but with a dog a young dog who is highly active I would certainly be seeking specialist input and at an early stage.

I know ours does postage do you want me to check if there is any there - I think a friend is showing on Monday. Or you could ring them and see.

Bugger - if your close to your local canine show shop maybe see if they have any. I know they still had tubs of all of the supplements at our local canine last weekend.

I would try and get in to see Steve @ K9Pro or find a trainer. The earlier the better but I am sure he will have some advice as to what to do in the period before you see him. The earlier you can get onto any potential nervousness problem the better. I would definitely be scaling back on the dog park visits though. Here is the link for Steve - http://k9pro.com.au/

Having sat in on Jumabaar's workshop and a few consults the important part of puppy push ups from what I understand is the form not the speed. You want to engage the correct muscles so how they do the positions is the most important. eg you want to reinforce nice tight sits, proper balanced drops with even weight and square stands with nice straight top line. Your much better to do a few repetitions with each in perfect form then you are to do lots of repetitions in short succession. Once these have been mastered on the flat then you can also add stable and eventually unstable props to gain greater benefit.

We picked up a "westie" size door from Bunnings I think. Not overly expensive from memory either. ETA. https://www.bunnings...t-door_p3975727 They seem to have a fair range some are even cheaper then the link. The other option might be to consider putting it in a window and boarding up an area - especially if you have a low window next to any of the entrance ways. We replaced the glass which was located next to the door with a dog door.

All sounds fairly normal to me. I have had to sign a transfer form for one of my interstate puppies and another I had to sign paperwork which went back to breeder before the litter were registered. Having said that I wasn't required to pay a fee but each canine association seems to be a little different and its possible the breeder paid the fee. In relation to the date of registration being two months after your puppies date of birth - thats perfectly normal. Litters are not usually registered until the puppies go home (especially if letting puppy people pick registered names). Breeders don't necessarily settle on the puppy they are keeping until they are 7-8 weeks - so this is when the breeder will submit paperwork to the relevant canine association with the name of the puppies.

Bunnings works out heaps cheaper then any of the other places. Limited colour range though but the chip is effectively the same. Friend recently did all her home gear in the green bunnings pour in place product and is more then happy with it.

Bloody BCs is all I can say!!!!!! I swear they would be chirpy regardless so when they aren't you know its something really really really major.

All the best with her JulesP. Fingers crossed for a safe and successful operation.

Microchipping was not mandatory in SA for many years - I think that may have changed or is in the process of being changed.

The joke here is that when the "trained dog" discount came in lots of people who had dogs with high level obedience titles had to argue with their councils to get the discount me included. Mine don't do grades at a club but they do eventually trial and apparently that wasn't enough although some councils if you took a dog with a show champion title it was deemed to be "trained" and get the discount.

Depends where you train - I hate group sessions even for my perfectly rock solid new girl. We do lots of foundation stuff at the local park where there is nobody or at home. Agility is not obedience and I know plenty of timid dogs competing in agility.

I also don't agree you need a formal obedience trained dog to succeed in agility. There are plenty of top agility dogs who would have no idea of a stand for exam. The judge doesn't get close in agility so its quite possible to train a dog for agility who is nervy of strangers. I know Kenz was quite able to get around an agility course before she could come close to having a stranger actually touch her.

Inside or outside coats - I love my Back on Track coats. Kenz has horrible joint issues and lives in her mesh one inside and has a winter weight outdoor one for when its cold over winter and we are outside.

Trust is definitely important and the reason why predictability makes interaction easier in a formal context but may still cause anxiety in an informal context.

All I am suggesting JulesP is that actually being comfortable with having somebody walk up at pet them informally may be actually harder then teaching a dog to accept a SFE in a formal context. I don't think the dog sounds like it should be doing either right now to be honest. Approaching at a distance and then rewarding yes maybe but definitely not touching. But then what would I know either - you haven't met my dog just as I haven't met Thistles so I don't know how you can presume/assume any level of how bad she may or may not be. I couldn't have even contemplated having mine in a class situation because that was to much for her.

I am going to disagree with that JulesP. My super nervy dog who isn't great with strangers will do a perfect rock solid SFE because she is anticipating a release to her tug. To the outside world you would think she is super confident and happy with strangers approaching. Obviously this was not an overnight behavior but something we grew and developed incrementally under the guidance of a trainer. Its a bit of a party trick in a sense. What she learned in this context a person will approach and at some stage she will be released for her tug. I can tell you if the same person walked up to her and tried to pat her in an informal situation she certainly would not be happy and would look hesitant and unsure and would try and back off.

Are you on facebook there is a tracking dog club of SA page? I can tell you at this stage I am not even considering the May trial. Unless we get any substantial rain soon I suspect the May trial will be in doubt. I don't know what the decision is over money and refunds for cancelled trials. I suspect if they cancel them before putting any tracks out then they would have to refund but I would double check.

Honestly the conditions are far to dry and the risk of snakes far to great so very little tracking training is actually occurring in the state yet. At this stage trials will continue to be cancelled until we have had some decent rainfall so I wouldn't honestly be to concerned about waiting until May to see how he goes. There are a few Saturday training sessions. Maybe even see if you can catch up with a more experienced tracking person and have a practice and get them to advise you.

Ah fair enough Fetchingsticks wasn't sure if you had specifically asked. No doubt your in awesome hands with K9Pro - just had to wait patiently.

Could you consider board and train with K9Pro. Might be expensive in the short term but might help instill some manners and consistency in his behavior and handling.

Lisa a friend with Aussies bought the mesh model for both her guys. They are definitely useful for active dogs.The winter weight is probably an overkill although we have had -1 degree mornings when we are out at tracking trials.

I have coats for my BCs. My girl with ortho issues has both the light mesh back on track and the winter weight version. My youngster just has the light weight mesh version. Good for sitting around in the car at trials and overnight to keep joints warm. We don't have central heating in the house and it still gets cold overnight.