Isabel964

I agree with some play time an hour or so before bed.

I'll take one that will turn into chocolate!

I have a Kelpie and a Westie. How did I choose the breeds? One day we decided to get a dog and rescued a red cloud kelpie, we loved him, he was amazing. Many years after he was gone we were looking for a second dog for our existing dog, looked in the newspaper and found a litter of kelpies. There were no red cloud kelpies around. So we brought home a kelpie. Years later when we needed another second dog, I had always wanted a smaller dog but my hubby and son were believers in 'big dogs are real dogs' and they were against us getting a stupid little snappy yappy annoying dog (a teeny bit of generalisation me thinks). So I did research and found that the West Highland Terrier is a little white dog, intelligent, sturdy, has the stamina to climb mountains with you, not'yappy' - all in all, my research found that the Westie was a small dog an the furthest thing from a stupid little annoying yappy dog. Hubby and son were still opposed to me getting a 'little white dog', but hubby drive me to the breeder and he bought me my puppy and now he is completely in love with our little girl.

My 5yr old westie is a pure bred and can go back to her breeder, but if something happened to the breeder I'd need a back up plan. My kelpie is 10 already so she'd need loving retirement. She loves life and people and would prefer like to being PTS. I do understand that some people with sick pets may know its better under the circumstances to PTS. I want to cater for all and any circumstance for my pets so that even if my pets change over time, my 'will' will cater for them, regardless of age or origin or when I last updated my will.

Hi Guys, just wondering if something happened to me is there a retirement village I could pay to keep my dogs in a happy life? Do they only look after old dogs?

I think Hogwartzboxers has gotten themselves upset because they are trying to help, they are concerned and perceived some comments as unhelpful. Saying they had not heard anything does not mean they doubted what you were saying was true. Saying putting an angle on it doesn't either - but I think someone is a bit sensitive...we all love dogs and we all don't want a shelter to run out of funds. I will donate now. Thanks for letting us know Hogwartzboxers

Some very generous offers and great experiences outlined there. Having a kelpie myself I know how an otherwise perfectly behaved well trained kelpie can turn themselves inside out and completely freak out. Its hard to deal with, and so foreign to what a comfortable kelpie is like. Just one comment from me, if you don't get around this fear of crates, you can drive the kelpie to the other state. Not ideal but it may be the only way. Or you can call Jet Pets and see if they offer road transport option - without your kelpie being crated. But unless you have too little time, I think a kelpie that is naturally a smart dog and likes to please can be desensitised to the crate and then clicker trained into it. You just must take it slow because if you push the kelpie to far too soon, you will be taking massive steps backwards. Good luck with it

Gosh it looks fabulous. Please PM me if you find out where it came from and you remember me - I'd be interested in one myself.

Awe, I know how special these times are - sometimes the furry ones give us some special surprises like this - glad you had your camera handy

I'm sorry, very sorry to hear of your loss. Its not fair that we lose them - they should stay with us forever. I know the joy and love you had with her is worth the grief, but the grief is very hard to deal with at the time. I send you hugs.

My understanding is that a dog can not kill or threaten, even on its own property. That is why a dog that injures a child that wanders onto the dog owner's property is put down. I think its a bit tough for dog owners where the dog kills a cat on the dogs property - because its in the dog's nature to go for a cat. As a cat lover, I think its tragic that a cat gets killed by a dog if the dog is on its own property - but I would not sue the dog owner. I just can't blame a dog for killing a cat on its own property. Some dogs are so domesticated they would only chase the cat, but some would absolutely kill. I have wondered about what happens when a cat goes into your backyard and kills one of your pet chickens - But I don't know how that is treated.

I think is ok to have a colour preference - I think its only human. I doubt any of us would say a certain colour is a better dog, but certainly we might have a colour preference. Just as some others have said, I have a preference for a red cloud kelpie because we had an awesome red boy last decade. But I am also wary because I had a blue point ragdoll cat and I when she died I got another blue point ragdoll - I would not do that again, I would get a different ooluring, I think it prolonged my grief having a new kitten the exact same colour.

OK, so I can't tell if the dog and cat are going to stay where they are til September of go to foster care. If I can help financially, whether its transport to a foster carer or to pay for continued shelter and safety, please contact me by PM. I don't want this guy to lose his pets or the pets to lose their owner and I'll do what I can from Melbourne.

Nah, she won't fit into one of those. But also I would need something low for ease of her getting into it. Thanks for the idea though. yep, this is the sort of thing that would work. I found This and This I've sent them an email asking few questions. This is here in Australia, but the don't have the 3 wheel ones which I prefer. I walk fast and prefer something that is smooth and easy to manoeuvre. I'm so glad I have these options - I would never have thought these things exist!

Great idea but, she is bigger than a purebred kelpie - but not quite as big as Labrador. I don't think she will fit in a pram and I sure as hell aint pushing a shopping trolley on the footpath LOL. I like this idea....maybe a large wheelbarrow type thing....but she will not want to sit in there, she will want to walk - but I can work on that. This morning my heart broke. For the first time I took my westie out for a walk. Well my keplie turned herself inside out and my son thought she broke her leg or something she was carrying on so much. Meanwhile my westie yelped and carried on during the walk and I gave up after 10 minutes. It was all just so traumatic .... but the pram type thing would work....gotta find something big enough. I found THIS....it says it can fit in dogs up to 30kg - my kelpie is 20kg. But it doesn't look like it will fit her in it. I might call them. Its damn expensive though. And I found THIS ONE which is lower and seems better - but its in Japan and I can't work out if the handle bars come with it.

Thanks so much. I never heard of scent work - I'll research it. Nina Ottosson toys/puzzles - will need to look those up too - thanks heaps. They might be good to give her when I leave with our other dog for walks. Pity she is not chihuahua size - I could carry her on walks! As for rides the car, I found out today I can lift her. Never had to do it before and she is a bit bigger than a purebred kelpie as she has a little bit something else in her. So getting in and out of the car is going to be ok, but she stands and has to balance in the car - so I thought that is bad for her. Mind you, I could just take her to a park really close by and drive like an old woman and let people honk at me cos I go like a snail around the corners. Is there a way to get a dog to sit in the car...on a car seat? We used to have a wagon and the dogs would just jump up in the back and ride in there. Never use a seatbelt and made them sit.

Went to the vet again today. My Kelpie has soft tissue issue damage and a swollen wrist, and needs 4-8 weeks rest. I need more advice on how to keep her mentally well during this time. She is 10 years old, and one of two dogs, the other dogs will need to have exercise continued. She is used to doing the following, with me and our other dog; 1-1.5 hour walks a day 2-3 drives in the car a day A trip to a park 3 times a week for a run and play Occasional trips to the beach Now she has to stay at home for 1-2 months and rest. I have ordered a clicker and will do some clicker training. How else do I handle this to minimise her being unhappy and utterley miserable, and feeling left behind and left out. She is a very sensitive girl, very loving and highly active - she lives for the active times. This is a massive change to life as she knows it and I want to do the best for her. I am not working at the moment, so I can make the time for whatever I can do to help her through this. You help and your ideas is very much needed.

Yes, need to explore building a ramp - those rails are a good idea - would make it feel more secure for her. Thx. well took her to the vet and her right 'wrist' has inflammed muscle and is really sore. Now stupidly I did not notice this before I got to the vet. Last week when the lameness started, the vet thought it was soft tissue damage in her left shoulder. Now its the right wrist. well it is definitely the right wrist - you cans see it. But I am wondering if the initial vet misdiagnosed it as the left shoulder when it wss the right wrist, or if the right wrist is a new injury and there is still something wrong with the left shoulder. The vets were going to xray the left shoulder and the right wrist. I had to leave her all afternoon. Annoyingly the vets forgot to xray the left shoulder. So they said I could leave her there again on Monday and she will need a general (I think) and they will do the xray for no additional fee. But I don't want to put her through another day at the vet and a general unless I have to. The vet said that there is nothing really important that needs to be identified now in her left shoulder. She said worse case would be a tumour and there would be no treatment for that. So we decided to leave the xray off for now - and hopefully the rest and inflammatory/pain medication will help the swollen wrist AND the left shoulder - if the left shoulder has an issue. Vet said its going to take 1-2 months to recover - and no walks for my walking-addicted kelpie. Poor girl. She loves her walks, going to the park, going for drives to different parks, going to the beach...she is going to be so miserable without these activities On top of that she will see her sister being take out for walks and she will be left behind. I have ordered a clicker and that should come soon, and that will help a bit. I hope the next two months fly by and she recovers well.

Thanks so much for explaining all that. So for a lame kelpie - what ideas can you give me to teach her? She is a good obedient dog. I just want to do this to keep her mind active and her life fun. How long should beginner sessions be - 5 minutes? PS: Have now purchased a clicker from ebay - thanks for your advice

I'm going to get into clicker training for my 10yr old kelpie who is lame and needs some mental stimulation since our outdoor activities have been put on hold. I the Dog training kit the best one to get on this link http://www.dogtrainingproducts.com.au/14-clicker-training-kits. I thought a training kit would come with a dvd showing how to do it all. I wanted to order one in Australia so I get it soon, rather then the US. Also, since I also have a 5 yr old Westie, do I need to keep the Westie away from the kelpie and I when I train the kelpie? Or can she be tethered close by. My girls have been inseparable so all this is going to cause significant anxiety for them. just want to go about it the best way possible. I don't always have the best common sense when training dogs.

Thanks, very helpful. I have bought a ramp for the car so the kelpie doesn't have to jump up into the car and down again. But I worry that the work her legs have to do to balance in the car will harm her shoulder. I will walk my other dog - she and I both need the exercise. All your comments are helpful. My kelpie is a perfect dog - but she doesn't like the ramp and she hates me carrying her - she squirms, and quakes and squeals as if I am stabbing her (typical of her behaviour when she is unsure of things).

You are right about this helpful to other dog owners - when I saw the topic I clicked on it to learn, in case it happens to one of my dogs. So thank you for posting. Sometimes this forum just gets super busy and topics we'd normally respond to we don't even see. with busy lives and such an active forum, it happens. Sorry to hear its a malignant cancer. of course only your vet knows the prognosis though you can research it - google it, see if there is a yahoo group for that kind of cancer in dogs - those groups can be incredibly knowledgeable and supportive. No mater what anyone says, as with humans, you just never know what time you have. I bet we have all met people who were told they had 6 months to live and 10 year later they are still walking around and living life. I hope you have plenty more time with your special boy. I'll be sending good vibes for him.

Ok so Punni, my 10 yr old kelpie started a bit of a limp a week ago. Popped her right into the vets, they said its her left shoulder, probably soft tissue damage, rest her. Its getting worse, so next step is xrays on Monday to make sure it is only soft tissue damage and to determine next steps. Thank you to those who have given me help on threads or via PM My questions are; We have 5 steps down to the back yard and 3 down the 'unfenced' front. Of course she has to go to the toilet, so any ideas on what I can do because I worry about her using the steps. They don't seem to worry her, but it must be undoing 'rest' and not be good for recovery. We used to go for 1-1.5hr walks during the day and lots of car rides. I'm going to look into clicker training to see what I can do to keep her mind active. Any other ideas? We have two dogs. So for the past week, neither have had walks because I don't want one to feel left out and wonder why she can't go. But longer term, I think I need to take my westie for walks and leave the kelpie at home - poor kelpie! Is this what you would do? Any tips on how to handle it? This might be a stupid question but do you think the kelpie is intuitive enough to know she is lame and that's why she isn't coming for walks and car rides? Am I over thinking things?

OMG what an adorable little cutie! No wonder he already found a home. How unusual in regards to the ears, but they probably will right themselves, mostly anyway - and as you said, he is not a show pup so its ok. Did I say how cute he was? OMG I find Chihuahuas adorable. I used to think they were terrible little dogs until I met so many wonderful ones, well trained, well adjusted, affectionate...and I just melted. My husband would never agree to such a small dog. He likes 'real' dogs - the 'full' size ones :rolleyes:

My kelpie's limp is getting worse. It's been 5 days now, she is on anti- inflammatories. She is ten years old and never limped before. This week she has had mo walks, no car rides, just rest. It's her left shoulder, as if there is soft tissue damage but it's ten times worse today than a few days ago. I want the best help for her. I have looked through previous posts and found Barry Heywood well recommended. I have called for an appointment but they are not open Fri. Sat or Sun so I have to wait til Monday. Do you think its going to do slot more damage to wait til Monday for my kelpie to see a chiro?