paddles

on the 18th of july, while at a race (i do sled dog racing) my dog had a sudden gush of feces and blood out his butt.. (very frightening) He at no stage acted lack luster or sick. A knowledgeable friend, advised that he did not need to be rushed to a vet, but to take him when we got home..( he thought it was a burst blood vessel in the bowel, something he'd seen before) I took him to the vet the following day, who diagnosed a combination of stress/worming/activity causing the problem (which was not reoccuring) and he did a course of antibiotics as a precaution, was put on rice and steamed chicken for a few days until his feces firmed up a little, then gradually put back on normal food (advance dried food) now last night, he once again has very very sloppy poo, with possible traces of blood. He does not act sick in any way. I will be taking him to a vet today, or at least speaking to the vet, but wondered what anybody else might have to say..... has anybody else seen things liek this??? suggestions ..... etc

whats wrong with the dogs you have now?

never mind the dog.... Love the cart!!!!! where did you find that pic? (pretty dogs too of course!)

go for it!! I'm thinking along the lines of a team of springers

I train in a patch of bush near by, I know people who train on ovals, I know people who only train in harness on weekends, by putting the dogs and scooter in the car, and driving somewhere to train. i also used to train on the footpaths, before the dogs ran so hard, but now, because they run hard and fast, I don't train on the footpaths. contact the siberian husky club of NSW for more info on races in that state. (there are races there) any dog can do it!!

we had a similar thing, time will fix it. the more you pay attention to his howling, the worse it will get. unless he is upsetting the nieghbours, let him cry out his grief, he's upset.

Please tell me more about your GSPs? can you let them off lead? or are they like a sibe, and say... good-bye... before running off into the sunset.... are they destructive (more so than any other dog... i mean,) I have English spingers, and they are pretty destructive, but hopefully will outgrow it... one day... I don't think I want to get a husky, if in doubt, don't sort of thing. I know nothing about gsp's never having had anything to do with any, and would appreaciate any info on temperment you can give me. I've read that they are an energetic dog, like many dogs, (desirable for sledding) but if they don't get out the yard for a couple of days, how are they? I walk my dogs most days, but sometimes due to various commitments, I don't get a lot of time for walks, but they generaly come inside with me on these days/ or out in the yard playing....

they are not too small..... there is a lady who is going to run with her westie.... in the pee wee races... there have been jack russels, and the dog that wins all the club races here is a whippet. soph, one of my dogs, is small for a springer, and she does fine. you might not make the fastest time, but then it's all about fitness. I've emailed the GSP club of vic to get information on that breed. I've never had much to do with them before.

Plenty of people do it with one dog... I have been running one dog in the actual races, since I'm new to this

English Springers...... I have been researching husky's, but at this stage, don't think that I would suit as a husky owner....

Hi, I do dog sledding with my 2 dogs, and we are thinking about getting another dog, being me, and all, I'm doing heaps of research and thinking before I do anything... I would like to know what everyone else out there uses, thinks, etc. All breed info appreciated.

what do you think of maybe rubbing something yummy on the object? like fish paste? she'll bump and paw with the best of them, but she just won't open her mouth. I think it might have something to do with her training as a pup against biteing. I got her as an 8 mth old. I've seen her in the yard carrying things in her mouth. I'm sure if I can teach her that it's ok, to grab the object (in this case a rope thingy) that she'll figure things out really quickly.

I have been trying for several weeks now to teach my English springer bitch to play fetch, my male dog does well, but she will not even mouth the object.. (various doggy toys) she will chase the ball/whatever, but not pick it up. I have tried various methods to get her to even mouth the object, but she will just shove the object away with a closed mouth to try to get the treat. So, can people please talk me through the basics again? thank you!

one of my dogs just poos in one spot with a shamed look on his face (if I m watching) the other is more interesting, sometimes she gets a skip in her stride, and we finally figured out, she's trying to poo and run at the same time.... Hmmmm, horses can poo on the run, can dogs??? lol (she sort of does, but little bits at a time) Why o' Why is this such a popular thread???

Sheesh!! Now Fred has it.... sigh... It never rains but it pours... I've had him up to the vet, $150- gone.....

I'm to just feed her small meals of steamed chicken, adding a little rice tomorrow if all looks good. something I tried today, and I'm assuming it won't hurt, is I put a little of the water I steamed the chicken over, into her drinking water. she drank the whole bowl down. so now I have no worries about her dehydrating.

current diagnosis is gastro. She has been put on 2 lots of antibiotics, and a very restricted diet for a week or more (dependant on what happens) if she gets worse, of course she'll go back, but since she is happy, not dehydrated, and still passing fecal matter (yes I took a sample to the vet, and stunk out the practice) the vet feels that she is not blocked. no temp etc either, not tenderness in the stomach either. Just gave her some steamed chicken, and she ate that happily enough.

She is passing increadibly smelly (oh my God!!! you would not believe the stench) black slime, with grass in it. I'll ring the vet this morning, and presumably take her in. I'm just terrified of her needing to have surgery Big bill and possibly still no dog at the end. (of course if she needs surgery, then she'll get surgery) she's still bouncy and happy. gums not quite right tho, dehidrated a little I think

so, if I can hear her stomach from across the room, not good, and buckle up for big vet bill? Oh, and friday evening, she was seen to vomit, so I would say 3 days? although she ate last night

I buy lamb flaps? these have the ribs inside them, and I get the butcher to cut them up into rib strips? you could give one at a time, and freeze the rest. they are very fatty tho, so you would have to watch the fat content of your dogs diet.

my English springer bitch, has not been eating the last couple of days (sat/sun) I have noticed too that she is eating grass and vomiting. (not bringing up much) she has always been a finiky eater. she is bright eyed and bushy tailed. jumping around and generally acting fine. I listened to her stomach with a stethescope, ndd can hear squishy? type sounds In comparison, I listened to our other dogs stomach, and could hear nothing. (whats a dogs stomach supposed to sound like?) quite frankly, if it can be avoided, i would prefer not to have to take her to the vet (money money money) but if I have to of course I will. any suggestions? Yes she could have got hold of something inappriate. (and eaten it)

Seeeeee!

Isn't it just typical, as soon as I get my harness's its been just too hot to try them out?

There is not a lot of dog sled clubs around that i can find. the best I can see to do, is to join the siberian husky club as an associate member, this means I get all the fun, but because I do not have huski's I am not eligable for any trophies (Like we'd have a chance anyway???) etc. Next year, (neearly there) I will go to the beginner days (Yippeee) and I shall continue I think as I am, (Slowly) and see how we go. As numerous people have pointed out to me, gun dogs are not sled dogs.... but I say, springers are versitile, and will learn lol. for all the others who want to try this sport, keep trying!! one of the things I did, is I always encourage the dogs to walk in front of me at all times, Even when we just go for a walk.... I'll post some photos of my babies in thier new windchill harness' as soon as we get a cooler day to try them out!!!

Hi, trying to think how to say, what sort of help I'm asking for. I recently went to visit a friend, (a sheep dog trialer of some renown) and I took my two English springers with me, in showing off my dogs (In amongst all the doggy bragging) I said how I have been training my dogs in dryland dog sledding, and ended up harnessing them up to show them off, to my dismay, my dogs who normaly jog along quite happily, refused to go forward, they kept turning to facce me, and when I got them straightened out, and asked them to go, they would not take up the slack on the gangline, and were moving quite reluctantly. the only reason for this behaviour that I can think off, was that they were not in thier usual area? trails? they would not pull at all, the moment the wieght of the scooter came onto the gangline, they just stopped. discussion occured (As you can imagine) and the conclusion reached on both our behalfs, was that I had not done any basic training really, and had just fluked it so far. his solution, was that I should use a method that they (he) uses on his sheep dogs, when he's teaching them to walk up, you attach a broomhandle to a collar, and you can control thier movement, forcing forward movement when you ask for it (without getting in front of the dog)etc. so I have tried it, but the dogs really don't like it, it is aggravating to me, because my dogs are cowering and confused (My fault) and I am concerned that I might hurt my dogs. So what I am asking I guess, is a more positive method of encouraging my dogs to move forward, in a positive manner, in the direction that I desire, not the way the dog wants to go. When we go out on the streets/trails around here, there are paths to follow, and if I am turning, I just talk to the dogs (Which they ignore) then turn the scooter, they then realise that I'm going a different way, and come around and get in front of me again. Next year, I would like to do social sledding with the siberian husky club, but don't want to look like an idiot if I get there and my dogs refuse to move, or want to go and sniff everyone elses dogs butt, rather than running and pulling the scooter. So I hope I don't sound too daft, but I need help!!