espinay2

Cars packed, arrangements made for animals here and ready to evacuate with all the dogs and cats this morning. very hot and windy.

Generally I would recommend the 'average small fluffy dog owner' to start getting their pup to a groomer from at least 3 months of age (and every month to 6 weeks depending on coat, owner skill and willingness to groom between appointments) for trims and tidy ups and nails, to get them used to being groomed from the beginning and to get them through the puppy coat change. If she is fully brushed and combed out out and free of matts, and you are maintaining her yourself by trimming around paws, sanitary areas and eyes etc then there may be no need to clip unless you want her in a shorter style. At least every three months to six months as mentioned though may be worthwhile as an absolute minimum unless you are fully skilled yourself. Be sure when you say you are brushing that you are not leaving matts underneath (heard that plenty of times from grooming clients and the dog is generally one matted mess underneath the top brushed bit). If you can not comb the coat out (rather than brushing over it) then you may find your dog will definitely need shaving off fully. If she is not being fully maintained then clipping may be necessary ASAP. Definitely not 'too early' to get toenails trimmed! I am not sure I am understanding you fully here - her nails are not being done? They do need to be done regularly and I generally trim my own dogs nails every two weeks from baby puppies to get them used to it, and no less than every month as they mature - particularly if they have dew claws.

Came across this article and thought it presented some interesting ideas. While it is aimed at larger US national specialities, the idea may work for smaller breed shows run here too where pooling resources could take the pressure off some small clubs. http://caninechronicle.com/current-articles/shared-services-for-parent-club-national-specialties/

If using the word 'shine', I just had to add this one, though would be best for a dog with 'specific' markings I guess :laugh: Sportin a Shiner

It really is all about attitude. An article from Finland that is worth reading: http://chicchoix.com/blog/?p=1834&fb_action_ids=4978156768173&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%224978156768173%22%3A425372384201395%7D&action_type_map=%7B%224978156768173%22%3A%22og.recommends%22%7D&action_ref_map=[]

http://www.whelpingsupplies.com.au/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=2

I thought I would share one of my all time favourite articles. Some great things here to keep in mind: http://ebookbrowse.com/seven-foundations-of-a-successful-dog-breeder-pdf-d368342692

Here comes the Sun Rising Sun Sunset Boulevade Sun King Summer Sun Chase the Sun Sun God Shine like the Sun The Sun at night Sunbeam Sunflower

IMO 'show' is about 'community'. A lot more happens (or should happen) outside the ring that in. It is a place to start (or continue) to make contacts (not just in your own breed) to help develop skills which allow the objective choice of breeding stock. It is about not breeding in a vaccum. The winning is just the 'side bar' really. In the end though the experience anyone gets out of it is what they make of it, the opportunities they seek out and who they choose to listen to or associate with along the way as well as how caught up they get in the 'compeition' side of the activity. JMHO.

From the point of view of another breeder - pedigree and health test info. Nothing worse than having to spend hours doing detective work just to find out the basics if something takes your fancy and you want to know a bit more. I am using breederoo.com . It is set up specifically for breeders and very easy to use.

White. 'nuff said :p

I so wanted to go to the one being held in Perth. Great for the folks over there to be getting it, but disappointed that it is a bit far for me right now.

Absolutely, I can still remember the day vividly, although there was cups of tea and biscuits provided, there was still an inquisition. I can remember even getting dressed that day and hoping that I'd chosen then right thing LOL Almost 20 years ago, and yes I clearly remember getting the third degree and having to answer LOTS of questions :laugh: . At that point I was just buying a pet too. Just wanted a purebred bitch and wasn't interested in papers as such (at that point is was main or nothing for pets and she came with none - just a handwritten copy of her pedigree). I got the same third degree from a different breeder about a year later when I was looking for a main register bitch. Once I 'passed the test' all was good and we became great friends. I have been patient and was prepared to wait for the right dog though. Some people aren't and want the dog right then. Unfortunately in some smaller numbered breeds, waiting is something that may have to be done. I do understand some people frustration with waiting though. But there is a fine line with some breeds that require a certain type of owner between too many pups to place and not enough to fill requirements. It can be boom or bust sometimes so breeding more to have one available for a few homes that want one now just doesn't really work well.

I think that owners generally find it harder to adapt and fret more than the dogs. When you leave your dog, try not to fuss too much and be like a mother on a child's first day of kindergarten. Hard I know, but leave him the same way you would if you were going to pop down the shops for a few minutes. I make it a habit of saying 'back soon!' whenever I leave no matter if it is half an hour, a day, a weekend or a few weeks. More to get ME in the right frame of mind so that I don't stress the dogs with MY stress. I save any displays of my stress for when I am away from the dog .

In the past when I had a phobic dog I found a couple of things that helped us get through things like fireworks: Close the windows, close the drapes and blinds, turn the lights on and have the TV up loud. This puts outside noise and lights more in the background. Bundle the dogs into the car and go for a drive while they are on. Nothing like a midnight trip through the McDonalds drive through :laugh:

Any time you have more than one or two dogs you get into a space where you often need to 'manage' dogs a bit differently as pack dynamics come into play a bit more readily and complexly (is that a word? Well you know what I mean lol!) this means knowing your dogs and being aware of how they interact and being proactive in how you manage that. Entire dogs do add another level as you have the influence of hormones. Truth is, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. what is important is that you are prepared to manage the relationships that develop. Being able to separate dogs is something that breeders generally need to be able to do. Puppies from adults, bitches in season or in whelp, dogs from bitches, adults that don't get on, young from old. There are lots of situations where separation becomes a good management tool. You may do fine and be able to have them all together most of the time. Right now I can do that (though do have separate runs for them when I am out - as a rule I leave no more than two adults together when unsupervised ) in the past I had bitches who couldn't be together and crates and baby gates as well as separate runs were helpful. It was stressful at times and you do have to develop a good routine and safety protocols but you can work it when it becomes a necessity. A good setup and system is paramount. Truth is, no one will tell you if your bitches will get on. You may never have a problem. But it is good you are thinking about it so you are prepared and can manage it if you do.

To start her off you could get some of the 'attractant' that you use on the indoor fake grass dog loos. Might help her get used to the fake grass being ok? Alternative is to get something like a car drip tray and a roll of turf. Put the turf in the tray.every now and then get a new roll.

This recent thread may help: http://www.dolforums...5-temperatures/ DogsVic states the following on their webpage (http://www.dogsvicto...DogShowing.aspx ), but I couldn't easily find anything more comprehensive than that: (I would also suggest their Facebook page if you are on FB as I have seen extreme weather announcements there) DogsNSW has the following which is rather more detailed: http://dogsnsw.org.a...y-at-shows.html

Just raw meat is low in calcium, she needs bone for calcium. We currently have a fussy new mother and she is given Divetelac as a calcium suppliment, easier than calcium liquid. As she is eating minced chicken carcasses, she is getting calcium from the bones in that so all good.

But they said you get the same effect with raspberry juice and did imply it was the berries themselves

Just had a look at the Cottee's product list and can't find any with 35% or greater raspberry? They have an apple and raspberry with 2% and a raspberry 'flavour' one (no raspberry content) but I can't find any others. Wondering if they still make one?

Here is a link to a video of the 2012 Nationale d'Elevage in Argeles-Gazost. Theis is the annual Pyrenean specialty held in France in the Pyrenees Mountains Some lovely examples of Pyreneans shown:

As we were talking a bit about Pyrs in the show ring as well as Maremma, I thought some may enjoy this video of the 2012 Nationale d'Elevage in Argeles-Gazost. This is the annual Pyrenean breeds show in France which is held in the Pyrenees Mountains. Some lovely examples of Pyrs shown:

Wouldn't a guard dog of a castle or fort be required to hold it's ground with physical force? ie: to step up unassisted and against the human as an adversary? I do not see this in the Pyreneans at shows :) And its probably a good thing, time and needs pass. Maybe 100 - 200 years of selective breeding has done a lot, maybe the less reactive Pyreneans were chosen because they were naturally more subordinate to people. So they could accept and be docile enough for Market Day and guarded with bark and intimidation not active confrontation. Maybe the dogs taken to Market Day in 1900 were not the 'best' guardian on the home front. ie the dog you call upon to be by your side if your life is at risk. What was the population of Pyreneans like after WWI and WWII? ETA: re bold part, just read your comment above - yes it makes sense and the Pyreneans at shows are behaving exactly as they should as their response is developed to have an on / off but also the Pyrenean response is not as combative :) Pyreneans have been known for centuries as being able to employ 'necessary force' which means they only engage if that is necessary. They warn first. Beleive me, when they engage, they DO engage (and I have some great footage of Pyrs taking on a rather determined bear 4 times their size in Norway - incidentally these are relations of my own dogs). But they don't engage generally unless it is called for. They have also been known through the centuries for being very discriminatory with travellers and others writing of their uncanny ability to detect those with bad intentions from 'travellers' to the daughters suitor! The castles at Foix and Lourdes also used Pyreneans and were known there for this ability to discriminate and 'hunt down' brigands and thieves. The reports of the Dauphin falling in love with a Patou and taking it back to live at the Louvre are from 1675. More dogs followed this one. So, a different history to your own LGD - no less working ability when it comes to protecting their charges, but just used differently. Re the population after and before the world wars - yes, they suffered greatly and with the help of some very determined fanciers and breeders, the breed underwent what is referred to as the 'reconstitution' (lots of history and detail to read on this that I can point you to but wont go into here) which was done in conjunction with the mountain shepherds and farmers.

Summers with the shepherds up in the mountains then winters in the lower villages and plains (with transhumance in between). So yes, they needed to be adaptable and go from isolation to the closer living of farm and village life when sheep were in barns or were grazing vineyards etc. Note they were also traditionally used to guard castles and forts (such as Carcasonne) and to discriminate between 'vagrant' and those who were 'ok', and were for a while the darlings of the French royal court after the Dauphin fell in love with a young dog he met near Lourdes. The World Winner at the World Show when it was held in France not long ago was a working bitch from the Pyrenees (the breeder is a traditional goat farmer high in the mountains). It is actually quite traditional for farmers and shepherds to show their Pyreneans in France and eve3n now a number of those that exhibit at the RACP Nationale in Argeles-Gazost pull dogs straight out of the fields to attend the shows. Here is a postcard from Cauterets in the Haute Pyrenees from around 1900 - Shepherds showing their dogs off on market day. Yes, there are sharper individuals (and have seen a few dustups at European shows though this tends to be dog to dog agression in mature males) but I would suggest, based on lilli's comments that the Pyrenean may have been bred with slightly different intent and to have that off territory off switch which it seems some of the other LGD breeds may not. A couple of videos too which show Pyreneans at work and the discrimination they also generally show in this context (there will always be exceptions of course, but this is the accepted temperament for the breed): http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=67ObjymUif8