espinay2

Yes. Started on turkey necks and chicken thighs/marylands at 3.5 - 4 weeks of age. to 'play' with Little vultures catch on fast and have the bones stripped bare after getting them for a day or two. By 6 - 8 weeks they are eating chicken frames, thighs, marylands and turkey necks bones and all without issue.

But when we only had the main register you didn't need to register every pup in a litter. Many breeders would sell pets unregistered and only register a few. My first pyr was like this. I was buying a pet so she was unregistered (I was given a hand written 10 generation pedigree). It was only with the intro of the limited register that the requirement to register all pups was introduced.

We had lots of dogs growing up, but my first dog as an adult was Halley, A Pyrenean Mountain Dog: http://www.espinay.com/halley And there my lifetime love of the breed began.

I don't decorate my bench. Check the rules as there are some guidelines you need to follow. Decorated benches are not as common as they are for Melbourne. There are several bench sizes. Not sure what yours will be. Generally a crate style mat is sufficient. You will need a benching chain. Basically a chain about a metre or so long with a clip at each end. You can get chain and clips from bunnings. Get a chain where you can move the clip to different links so you can lengthen or shorten as needed. I prefer to attach to a flat or martingale collar. Try to travel light if you can. It will make it easier. Bring water and a bowl of course. Some people bring chairs but I usually sit on the bench with the dog. One of those grocery trolley bags on wheels for example will make your life easier rather than carrying lots of bags and bits. I pack most things into my grooming box which is a big toolbox on wheels. If you are travelling with another person, you can go to the drop off point to unload, leave them with the dog then go park (the parking is a good distance away). If just you and you have no one to watch the dog suggest either unloading gear and then walking the dog back from the car park, or if you are travelling light enough, go park first and walk back with dog and gear. Travelling light helps with a quick getaway at the end of the day too.

Every year we complain about the bottom gates and every year the same excuse. At least they opened it for a short time on Sunday afternoon this year which is a start. But yes, it is a safety issue with that slope and also not good to have people trying to move gear along that one path. Particularly as many need to do it while group or general specials judging is happening. I know a few people that won't show at Canberra any more due to them getting heatstroke in the afternoon trying to get all their gear back to the car from the bottom rings. It is a great show, but the issues getting in and out always make me think twice. I only entered one dog this year as I didn't want to cart the extra gear down the hill.

I have been impressed by some of the work of Dr Melanie Rockman who is a Veterinary Behaviourist located at Melbourne University (you may need a referral). Her behaviour modification plans, from what I have seen, are very comprehensive. She also has the benefit of being able to combine any plan with the careful use of drug therapy if this is recommended. Not sure she does house calls, but for serious issues I would not hesitate to recommend her based on what I have seen of her work to date.

Here is a little bit of the Gala - just for Bjelkier :-)

You definitely see sportswear at the GSD specialties - those exhibitors are doing a lot of running. I guess its because suits are dressier. At some O/S shows, you see exhibitors in evening wear! I saw photos from some big show in Finland recently and the girl in the full ball gown with the Pyr looked amazing but even I wondered how she ran. That is their champion of champions gala. I think there is pre judging. They are more or less just presented on stage though the do run a bit :). There is a video of the pyr (Fago - my puppies sire) at the gala a few years ago if you wNt to see it (and yes they look stunning in those ball gowns!

Biggest probelm with damaged dewclaws when you wrap them is that they get 'damp' and infection sets in from there. General recommendation if you can is to leave it uncovered to allow better airflow. If you need to cover it to stop licking, try putting a sock over it (so is only loosely covered so air can get in) and tape or bandage the sock to the leg above it (tip from my vet many moons ago) Oh yes, and if the nail is hanging loose, clip/rip it off quick. Will be what the vet will likely do.

My first thought was French Bulldog.

Woohoo!! Pyrenean Breed Specialist!!!! Melbourne will definitely be on my list this year :)

A great blog I came across on Dog Show Fashion :-) : http://dress4bis.blogspot.com.au/ She also has a facebook page.

Desert Dobes this dog may be a good start and intro to the breed. Find out if you really love and can live with the breed before the expense of importing.

Herpes virus (CHV-1) perhaps Vaccinating a pregnant bitch with anything is not generally recommended So sorry to hear your mentor went through this. Heartbreaking.

Some of the attire in the horse breed rings does rival dog shows. Particularly the hats! And of course western bling outshines any you will see at dog shows lol! I too love suits. For years I did show in basic black pants and a nice top and even now a black skirt or pants with top and jacket is reasonably standard for me particularly for smaller shows, but I love to be able to dress in something nice that complements the dog and shows how proud I am of them. Besides, it's fun! What girl doesn't like pretty things ;-).

Some of the attire in the horse breed rings does rival dog shows. Particularly the hats! And of course western bling outshines any you will see at dog shows lol! I too love suits. For years I did show in basic black pants and a nice top and even now a black skirt or pants with top and jacket is reasonably standard for me particularly for smaller shows, but I love to be able to dress in something nice that complements the dog and shows how proud I am of them. Besides, it's fun! What girl doesn't like pretty things ;-).

Whe states like NSW and VIC regulate the age at which pups can be sold and specify not before 8 weeks of age, I don't believe there is any State legislation/regulation in Qld in this regard. Therefore reporting is not likely to have the same effect as it might elsewhere as there is nothing concrete in terms of rules to report against.

Agree with everyone. This is not a breeder to be getting a pup from. Many responsible breeders sometimes have to deal with situations where mum can't feed the pups. Even bottle feeding babies around the clock from birth. Absolutely no excuse for letting pups go before 8 weeks of age. This person does sound inexperienced and misinformed and perhaps the vet is too. But there is so much information out there that any breeder willing to spend a little time researching what they are doing could not fail to come across info about the benefits of the litter being together until at least 8 weeks and the documented difficulties experienced by the owners of pups who went to their homes at a younger age. My concern is too that because of this lack of knowledge, the breeder is not going to be in a place to provide any support to a puppy owner. Waiting and buying from a more knowledgable breeder will be well worth it IMO. I know you may be disappointed, but patience pays off. As mentioned, let people know the breed and perhps they can direct you to better options.

Would love to get the list when done. Could be very handy. Thing to note about vaccines in the US and breeders giving them themselves. A lot of breeders seem to have problems when they do this. Many vets wont accept that they have been done by the breeder (even with info provided by the breeder including vaccine label) and insist puppy owner revaccinate their puppies. Many boarding kennels and obedience clubs/training schools also wont accept them. Main concerns appear to be concern that vaccines have not been shipped or stored properly or that they have been administered properly. Many breeders are finding this to be extremely frustrating especially when puppies are compromised when pushy vets convince pet owners that they MUST be revaccinated. Unfortunately this problem seems to come up far too frequently. As a result some breeders prefer to have vets administer the vaccines, despite the added expense, as it is way less hassle and stress for puppy owners and potentially less damaging for pups. In the interview with Dr Shultz (I posted the link earlier) he mentions that if a dog has a low titre or did not sero-convert, they are generally this way for either parvo or distemper but never for both. Apparently the dogs that are non-responders to one will generally always respond to the other. Interesting. I also found his information about titreing the Dam to determine exactly when maternal antibodies in the pups will sink to a level where a first vaccination will be effective was interesting. With this method pups need only one vaccination rather than a series. Interesting that this was the method used before the 'easier' scattergun approach of a series of shots was introduced into general practice.

I have used cryogenes multiple times now and have been happy with them.

Just so you know, the heartworm injection is not a 'vaccination', nor is it a 'preventative' - it is rather the injection of a poison (similar to what is in the tablets) designed to last in the body over the twelve months to kill heartworm if/after your dog gets them at any stage during that period. There are two other threads currently in the 'health/nutrition/grooming' section which discuss Titres and how much they cost, so you may want to go read that info there.

Just read some of the posts that arrived when I was writing mine and this was a good point. Noting how the barking has increased while he has been more confined, perhaps some work on providing mental stimulation for him may help? Training, tricks, treat balls and kongs, other interactive toys are all things that can be done indoors and even with you sitting down for the most part. It may help give him some of the stimulation he needs which he is currently getting by barking.

Makes you wonder if it was barking excessivly in the first place... and what measures were taken before the de-barking to try and stop it... With a Pyrenean - stopping them barking can be VERY difficult and most measures tend to not be successful if they are a chronic barker. It is a breed bred to bark to warn predators away and some take this role more seriously than others. Generally anti barking collars (of ANY kind) have minimal impact and they tend to bark straight through any discomfort/pain. Bringing inside generally helps, but they cant be inside 24 hours a day. They can actually get quite stressed sometimes if prevented from barking as they feel they are being prevented from doing their job. Sure you can say 'don't own a Pyrenean' but in a large number of situations this can be managed with minimal complaints. But some do draw the short straw with a barker (and generally breeders will make this trait well known to prospective owners!). In reality, Bark softening for this breed at least can be a real option and I have met several bark soften Pyrs over the years. They are happy and less stressed because they can now bark when they want and the owners are happy and less stressed as they are not dealing with worry over complaints and stressed neighbours.Do I think other methods of management should be tried first? Yes I do, and there are some management techniques that can be used with this breed that when started as a puppy may help reduce barking issues. But IMO it should not be discounted as an option that can be beneficial for both the dog and the owner. BUT Dog owners considering bark softening should make themselves well aware of the laws and regulations that exist regarding this procedure. For example in Victoria where dogs which have been debarked can not be exhibited (eg such as in a show or obedience trial or even perhaps at some other type of event that you want to take part in with your dog). We should all remember the case not so long ago of the breeder (Judy Garde) who had her dogs confiscated and was charged/taken to court and put through no end of stress and hurt simply because she had had some of ther dogs debarked (some in NSW if I remember correctly), and they had attended a dog show. So any recommendation for the procedure must be made with extreme care. To the OP, if you have not had complaints yet, I would think very seriously about whether bark sofening is a positive move or not at this point in time given your whole situation.

Here is some quality reading/viewing material for you to help you with your decision: 4 part video of interview with Dr Ronald Schultz, one of the foremost researchers on vaccines (link to first video - BTW you will see his name on a lot of the vaccine research used to develop the guidelines): The guidelines issued by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA). This provides the most comprehensive reading: http://www.wsava.org...tion-guidelines The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) position statement (which is based on the WSAVA guidelines): http://www.ava.com.a...n-dogs-and-cats The Australian Government's Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) position statement (which are again based largley on the WSAVA guidelines): http://www.apvma.gov...vaccination.php In a nutshell though, in relation to the 'core' vaccines (the C3 of parvovirus, distemper and adenovirus) - recommendations are for first series of puppy vaccinations followed by re-vaccination one year later. Then re-vaccination every three years. Alternately, owners may decide to titre test and if the dog has sufficient immunity already, not re-vaccinate. (note that if a dog already has sufficient immunity, re-vaccinating will not 'boost' or give it more immunity - this factor is often misunderstood.)

They have exported dogs to Australia and know what is involved, so would be a good place to start.