Trisven13

So with a breed like mine (Basset Fauve De Bretagne) where there are currently less than 10 being shown reasonably regularly between Townsville and Melbourne our challenges shouldn't count UNTIL we compete against others of our breed? I've travelled for competition and LOVE competition (even when my girls lose) but at the moment unless I travel the only competition my girls get is each other. ETA or should they count only when they also win a class in group? Or only when they win group? There IS no perfect answer to any of these problems. No matter which way the ANKC goes people are going to be pissed off.

Oh I'm so sorry. Was it dislocated or had she been born with a structural problem with that leg that would have prevented her walking/running etc? Not meaning to be nosy - just interested in what was wrong for my own knowledge bank. How heartbreaking. ETA to explain what I was asking.

I won't lie Poms - I'm hoping that, like Hilaryo, the vet got the count wrong

I have to share - I've always wanted to be able to do this and have loved watching those dogs I knew personally get fatter (thinking specifically of Fern here, Rebanne :D ) But here are some comparison photos to share: Normal Marie 5 weeks pregnant Marie 6 weeks pregnant Marie

Oooh I'm excited for you! Can't believe that in 3 weeks time I should have puppies myself!

Oh that is so sad....

Completely!

We have owned many, many dogs over the course of our lives and currently have 6 dogs. Never thought I would de-bark a dog but we de-barked my husband's Deerhound as he barked all the time and LOUDLY. We had tried many, many things beforehand without success - the bastard has since taught himself to bark differently and still barks but it is not as loud AND we no longer live in suburbia. I've since spoken with deerhound breeders who have told me that there are a small number of deerhounds who are really bad barkers and we just got unlucky enough to get one. He recovered from the debarking quicker than the desexing.

Yeah, it can get a bit silly, someone around the corner from us had a ranger visit from complaints of her dog barking and banging at the gate which backs onto a walk way. The dog is a Rottweiler and people feared he may break down the gate and "get em" I guess, she's like WTF he can't get out no way, but she was read the "fear factor" routine that her dog could be declared dangerous rushing at a gate and you can't see the dog from the walk way at all, don't know how the complainants knew the dog was a Rotty? I have to confess that I find a dog charging at a fence and barking aggressively intimidating and I too worry that the fence will hold it - don't care what breed but I think that is intimidating. FWIW I also hate it when dogs, of all sizes, go ballistic in their crates when people go past so I can see where non-doggy people might find it intimidating charges a fence every time people walk on a footpath past their house.

That was very nice thing for you to do - and quite typical even though you're an uncaring, heartless breeder . The Holbrook Show people are also lovely.

Okay - thats easy. Its all just screwed together so easily unscrewed - will show Steve this when he gets home. Thanks again guys

Why no floor for everyone? Also if you don't have a floor and it is on carpet how do you prevent the carpet being ruined? Our house is tiny so if the whelping box is in the loungeroom or our bedroom it is going to be on carpet. As mentioned before, the house is tiny and our bedroom is also tiny so I don't have the space to put a piece of lino down and the whelping box on top in such a way that there wouldn't be a risk of it slipping off the lino and then possibly ruining the carpet.

I wasn't going to do a floor but then read a horror story of the whelping box moving and crushing puppies . Shouldn't read so much but thats okay - we've made the whelping box so that we can unscrew it all when we're finished and pack it away until the next litter. Will paint the bottom of the box tomorrow and I'll probably buy both lots of vet bed so that I can compare lol. How many lots of it do I need - it says that it dries quickly. I'm so excited that I need to buy all this stuff

This is a very timely subject. I'm planning on buying some this week BUT I didn't know which one to get as I didn't know which was best so please people, tell me pros & cons of both types. We have built a timber whelping box that will be in our bedroom, there is a base that is ply. We have painted with a non-toxic paint to help make it easier to clean but haven't painted the bottom and aren't sure whether or not to. We've always had our rescue dogs in crates with their puppies but of course want it to be different with Marie.

That is awesome!!!!!! You must be soooo excited to have had 4.

If I had breed specific I'd be proudest of that I think. Its not really yet an option for us - there has been one time where we had a specialist Judge and all the Fauves that are shown in Australia were there and it was fabulous.

As I said on Facebook Lyndsay, I'm so terribly sorry to hear about this. To think I was just talking about her a week and a half ago at Holbrook Show. You must be devastated.

You must all be so worried.

I really think it is him crying about being alone. He is currently curled up with Daphne - I think being blind he needs that "touch" more than he has previously.

What I do: * When people tell me that dog shows are full of weird people I laugh and say that of course it is because I do it. I then tell them that there are actually loads of really great people and we have a blast. * I have brochures about my breed and happily will talk to anyone about them, have them out for people to interact with and enjoy. * I welcome newbies - I think you can probably confirm that I'm a pretty friendly kinda person *read "way too chatty"* What I don't do (but would do): * Not a member of my local Kennel Club but this has prompted me to become one again - I have been previously. * Not a member of a breed club as we don't have one but will probably be instrumental in setting one up. * Haven't yet helped a newbie to show BUT was going to with my first litter but a change in her circumstances has meant that she can't. I would LOVE to give a newbie the same opportunity that I was given and plan on it in the future. I have encouraged a local friend who is looking into getting another Great Dane to consider showing and to come along with me or let me show it for her. Good questions because they made me think about some of the additional things I can and should do.

Excellent Love the profiles too - very well written!

Awww really??? They are very cute puppies! I'm so excited that we're going to have another one (or two) in our household and in the ring. Its going to be great too watching my son show and enjoy his very own dog as whichever pup we keep will be not only our first pup under our prefix but also his first show dog.

I have a nearly 12 year old Jack Russell Terrier, a 4 year old Deerhound, an 18 month old Bloodhound X Foxhound and 2 Basset Fauve De Bretagnes with at least one more coming in the next few weeks. I can't imagine that I'll ever have anything other than Fauves now as I just love them but my husband will probably always want a big stupid. I also can't imagine ever only having one dog as I grew up in a family that rarely had just one dog - I'm so used to a multiple dog family now that it would feel weird to have just the one.

Isn't it funny how, once you get to this point, they seem to get fatter every day? I couldn't possibly miss that she was pregnant now

Rebanne is so correct - he is a very lucky boy to have you. Not only has he got the best chance possible to learn how to be a nice dog BUT he is getting the very best of care.