BittyMooPeeb

Well, doesn't the media love a good dog bite story! Masters (another large hardware store) has never had a ban on pets. Same as lots of other stores. The only difference is that Bunnings used to ban pets and now they have lifted that ban. All those that think this is so terrible should have been petitioning Masters, Lincraft, pet supply stores etc long ago. People are responsible for far more attacks on children than dogs. Perhaps the answer is to ban people from Bunnings?

Is there Keeshond or Spitz rescue around the ACT area? (or do any rescue groups in Sydney recognise this dog? A colleague has a "Keeshond" (looks more like a (large?) German spitz to me). She obtained the dog from someone who claimed to have gotten him from rescue, but she was not provided with any more information than this. It is not working out :-/ - the dog wont enter the house, and wont let them touch him on the body. He sounds biddable, and is OK with smaller dogs. He sleeps outside (as he wont come inside) and has started barking at times during the night. I suspect he needs a more experienced home, or someone familiar with Spitz. I have suggested that my colleague surrender him to a suitable rescue group to find a home that suits him, and said I would see if I could locate a group to take him. No owner-flaming please :-). This family was trying to do the right thing by getting a 'rescue' dog (and no, he wasn't a rescue at the time, he was an owner-rehome, but they did not realise the difference) Gail

Can anyone help with advice on how to make the right size hole in a bottle teat to feed a new born pup? I have gone through five already and not got one that works. If I use a plain needle the hole closes up again and no milk will come out. If I use a heated needle the hole stays open but is too big. At the moment I am getting the pup to suck on my finger and squirting milk in the side of her mouth with a syringe because I can't get any of the bottle teats to work. Feeling frustrated!

Congratulations BB and BBJ!!!! I have good news too from Havanese judging. Gr Ch Cubet Abracadabra (Magic) - Best of Breed, Ch Karyme Ab Inito (Rose)- Res CC!!!

Bahaha. No blade of grass is disturbed when a Pointer is in the ring eh?

Love this thread! We Havanese exhibitors get "I've got one of those at home" and "We had one of those when we were kids" all the time. We explain that it is unlikely/not possible very kindly. They usually INSIST that they have the exact duplicate of one of our dogs at home, and produce a photo of a boogle eyed, undershot, short muzzled, chondrodysplastic, round headed shih-tzu x (or similar) and hold it next to my beloved Magic (Ch Cubet Abracadabra) and exclaim "see - they are IDENTICAL". Pass me the tissues and a sedative Another gem I have heard: - A pup feeding off a bitch of a different breed will forever be a crossbreed. ( I ask the same people, holding their latte, when they expect to turn into a cow, and they just look at me blankly LOL)

I haven't been able to find any photos of Toy judging / Havanese judging. There seems to have been lots of photographers but few photos! I thought the extra photographers would take ring photos, but maybe there were there only for paid shots? I certainly saw them more with cameras down than in action, and I cant think of another reason why.

Good stewards are nice but firm and efficient :-) I had a show recently where the steward was friendly, accommodating, but very efficient - it was a lovely experience! Oh and apparently a good strong voice is needed too ;)

1. Practice! I am much more confident when I know I can do what I am supposed to do, and that the dog will also. I practice everything because I am so uncoordinated. For the week before I royal I practice getting up from a kneeling position with a skirt on LOLOL. 2. Winning. Sucks eh? You need to win in order to gain confidence to win. 3. Feedback. I think 'OMG I am such a crap handler', but when I look at the video I think 'OMG I didn't do a half bad job'. Friends can give the same feedback. We used to practice at lunch breaks as a group giving feedback and practicing one thing until we got it right. 4. Good venue. I am much more nervous at the pot-holed, bur filled, wind blown country show than at a nice indoor venue. 5. A routine. I had some show training, and the trainer pointed out that each time I was makign it up as I went along. Very true! Now I have a routine I stick to, and fall back positions for situations that fall outside the routine. 6. Fake it. I have heard this a lot in regards to my own showing ability "Fake it until you can make it" LOL. Faking it is easier than you think. Stand up tall - shoulders back; well dressed; don't let yourself be rushed; take confident steps; check visually back in with the judge regularly (I am terrible at this one); right wrongs (politely request that the exhibitor behind you give you more room, re-do a triangle that fell apart the first time etc) 7. Refine your technique. Get someone to review your technique - is there a more efficient, or more snazzy way of doing something?

We've had experiences with GTG too that make me think their processes and QA/QC are poor. The huge number of clerical errors alone is cause for concern, plus we have had incorrect parentage results from them (with the same excuse given - a contaminated swab), and results attributed to the wrong dog. I thought that, as we provide two swabs, both were tested. However this does not seem to be the case. It would seem an obvious process to alert to a contaminated swab. It also concerns me that when I ring GTG to ask about (say) the progress of a profile or test, no-one knows! There doesn't seem to be any centralised recording or management :-(.

Hi Kaffy Magee The chests of swimmers can take up to 6 months to right themselves. I did lots of reading on this and most information says this, and that most cases do right themselves. I would suggest trying to discourage him from lying flat on his chest. You could spend time with him lying him on his side, put soft toys and cushions in his crate so he lies on an uneven surface, etc

Bumpity bump. I would love to hear feedback too.

Interesting - the 2011 results are still up!

Havanese - litter due 10 Oct (3 pups seen on ultrasound)

Hugs to you Jed. RIP doggies who will always be remembered