Kavik

I also do back yard with hose, so chose backyard with buckets of water as closest. I try to choose warm days to wash them. When living with my parents, they had an outdoor shower, so I used to use that, but where I am now, there is no hot water outside.

Do you have/will you have one of those blowers? They help immensely to dry the dogs (especially heavy coated dogs) and means you don't have to use as many towels. The groomer I worked for had one - they are great! I borrowed it once to give my GSD a bath and it lowered drying time a lot.

My local vet charges $70 for vaccination including consult and general check up.

I've talked to one vet where I worked about this and she said that to get titres done they have to be sent to USA and so are VERY expensive to do. She wasn't aware of anyone who did them in Aus. She didn't think it was worth doing and said annual vacc was easier. I am also stumped about the obedience club problem - most you have to show the certificate when you join/renew membership.

We are having an itchy episode at the moment too. No fleas. Itchy around genitals and abdomen - vet suspects conctact allergy (environment - probably the hardest to fix). The mozzies are really bad where I live and I think that could be contributing. First it was mainly Diesel, but now Zoe is scratching too. They are both on Frontline and no sign of fleas. Off for a bath soon - was going to do it today as I have the day off but trust it to be the first overcast and cool day! If only I'd had yesterday off instead . . .

I'm tempted to see if you can have a look at my Kelpie cross. Is it worth trying to fix dog aggression in a 5 year old dog? The problem is I have tried various methods (which probably makes your job harder). Some have helped improve the problem and some haven't, but the problem is definitely still there. She is a reactive, hyper and somewhat skittish dog, but eager to please and learns new things quickly. Loves food rewards. Has good obedience, loves agility and tricks. At the very least I am thinking to get more ideas for my toolbox if I have the problem in another dog.

Thanks for that, made for interesting reading. I'm sure that if I had gotten a proper handle on my Kelpie crosses dog aggression earlier, we would have had much better results than currently. It is good to read of success stories with dog aggression because owners of dog aggressive dogs often feel like a pariah in classes and it is very stressful for both dog and owner.

When Diesel was a pup the local vet kept saying how big he was going to be. I saw his brother at training, and he was always smaller than his brother. He is now 10 months and only 25kg! Some people say he is still going to be big, but I think he is going to be on the small side for a GSD! Diesel gained quite a bit of weight at first, but the rate dropped off. I was feeding kibble, but now feed BARF. Don't know if there is a connection as this is my first attempt at feeding BARF. I keep Diesel pretty lean. Actually trying to put a bit of weight on him at the moment. Will weigh him on the weekend. He spends most of the day running around the yard with Zoe. If he is in proportion and his lines are big and he is lean, I wouldn't have a problem with it. One of Diesel's uncles is around 50kg, although he is a bit on the heavy side.

Two of my friends' GSD have died from bloat in the last few years. They had gotten out of their kennels and into the food room and gorged themselves on dry food. Having a GSD myself, I am equally paranoid about bload, especially as I have studied it at TAFE. I feed a raw diet and two meals a day, which I think probably helps reduce the problem. I looked after a GSD who wolfed her food and I was worried she would bload in my care (she was on dry and chicken wings). I have read that temperament may also have something to do with it (if they are nervous - more likely). Glad Tay is feeling better. My routine varies with my work schedule since I am on shift work at the vet. Most mornings it it: 4:45 Get up 5:30 Walk dogs 6:15 leave out meat for Diesel 6:20 eat breakfast (me!) 6:30 leave for work (dogs back in crates) OH feeds Diesel before he leaves for work at 7:30 5:30 get home, play with dogs 7:00 dinner 8:30 feed dogs 9:30 dogs to bed 10:00 bed (me) Zoe only gets one meal (kelpie cross)

I have one of each. I think they are both good for different things. Zoe (5 yr kelpie cross) is hyper and has issues with other dogs. Everything she does is 110% and at 110 speed! When she focuses she is brilliant, but if distracted or scared she will not do anything. She is fantastic at agility. It is more difficult from a handling point of view (I would always get confused and then we were in trouble! and she was my first agility dog) but it was mad fun, and my next agility dog is going to be a fast, hyper dog, probably a Kelpie or a Koolie. The speed and exhileration and how much fun we both had was worth the confusion! Luckily she learns really fast too. Diesel (10 month old GSD) is laid back and sweet. Great with people and other dogs, so much better for social outings, easier to relax. At training in between exercises he will lie down and chill, Zoe is wound up most of the time at training. Much easier when you are trying to figure out how to do something and how to teach it as he could be slowed down without losing focus. His focus is not as intense as Zoe's but it is more consistant and easier to maintain. I have great plans with him and obedience!

I've heard of Optimum but not seen it. How much does it cost and where can you get it? Zoe is on Supercoat at the moment, doing well but occasionally a bit runny poos, they are fairly big ones. Never had a problem with her eating it - she will eat anything!

I think it is rather insensitive for the vet to insist you pay at the time if you are distressed. I am studying to be a vet nurse, so we cover how to deal with euthanasia in class, and we are always told if the owner seems really upset to send a bill later (or have the bill settled before the animal is euthanased so the owner doesn't have to think of money when they are upset). Very tricky topic. Personally I have not yet had to deal with it with my pets - although my old dog is now nearly 14.

My dog loves this one! So easy and it looks really flash to show off to friends!

Well, that's it! I'm doing some serious work with Zoe to work on her dog aggression problem so that hopefully (cross fingers) I can control it enough to do agility (have been working on it for a while - some progress!). I don't expect her to be one of those dogs that loves other dogs (or that I will ever be able to let her off lead at a dog park), but enough so that we can participate without dramas. It would be a pity to waste all her talent and enthusiasm because of her dog aggression. (she LOVES jumping, tunnels, A-frame and now likes teeter-totter - at the obedience club they have some equipment). If it doesn't work, at least I tried! She is definitely a high maintenance dog.

Most agility clubs have a minimum age of of 12 months and the only maximum is when your dog is too old to handle it. I have a 12 year old dog who would probably love to do agility (she loves jumping, and I have a tunnel and tire set up at home) but I have not done classes with her. Your Springer sounds like he should enjoy it, have fun!

Thanks for the advice. I had her boarded at a training centre where I know the trainers and she is now fine with them around other dogs, but still plays up with me. I don't think the problem will ever be totally fixed, she is never going to be 100% friendly (also no off lead parks for her - unfortunately, she'd love to run! She does come back, though, it's only other dogs I'm worried about). At the moment I can walk her up to another dog, and might get a growl out of her, but she stops after a verbal correction most of the time, and if not she stops after a physical correction, and has a sniff and leaves. Some dogs she likes and wants to play with, but others she growls at. Her recall is really good, so I'm hoping that will be the saving grace in any offlead stuff I do - so if she takes off after another dog I can call her back. I'm still a bit nervous about it though, especially what the club will think of me because my dog is aggressive towards other dogs. Will they allow me to compete?

I own a Kelpie x Border Collie and am interested in agility - one of the clubs I train at has some equipment and she loves it! The only thing holding me back from joining an agility club is that I am still fixing a dog aggression problem with her and she sometimes still flares up at other dogs. Would that be a problem in agility? Should I wait until I have totally fixed it (as much as possible?) Since they compete off lead I have been unsure as I am worried she would decide that instead of listening she would pick a fight.