pebbles

Would love to know the Min Pin BIG on Saturday, please.

Or perhaps the dog/bitch has sustained an injury which keeps it out of the ring?

I've been using retractable leads for years, Affies, Gordon Setters, Min Pins, Border Terriers. Noisymina is right. Like any equipment you have to know how to use them. All my dogs have always been shown on loose light check chains and know when they are put on, it's show time so when fun walking I use the retractables and a flat collar. Our walks are always in the bush etc. If I happen to have them in town or at the Vets I use the check chains.

Years ago when we had the race horses the OH got a nasty gash on his arm. Doctor friend called in that day and insisted OH go in for a tetanus shot. So then he spends about 10 days in hospital as it turned out he was allergic to the tetanus serum. Family reckon it was the horses getting their own back :laugh: Scared me off so never had a tetanus shot, me chicken lol.

My Vet has a resident cat which sits on the counter and surveys everything. Had Abby there one day and was at the counter paying with Abby under my arm. She leant out a bit and was sniffing the cat's back. Cat suddenly moved and poor Abby nearly had a heart attack :laugh:

This can happen! Years ago a breeder who had some lovely dogs and did a lot of winning, imported a stud dog. He threw pups with an exaggeration which affected their movement. The breeder showed some of these pups, they were stunning in appearance but movement never improved. They, along with pups from other breeders who had used the import, were winning frequently and this movement flooded the ring. You could pick the sire straight away and Judges got used to seeing this movement.

Thanks everyone, the good dry with vege fillers sounds good.

Do these weight control dry foods work? Would someone be able to let me know a good brand, where's best to get on line. Will only be needed a small bag to start. Thanks for any help.

Oh crap!! You mention people needing pictures? You need a dose of reality and facts. Will leave you to your ramblings!

My first pure bred dog was an Aussie Terrier back in about 1946, I was about 10 years old. Never knew about shows then. First dog I showed was a Rough Collie in 1955 and I've been showing from then until the last couple of years. I've never found all this 'bitchiness' you speak of but I guess it depends on your attitude. Over the years I've bred a few litters. Depending on which State you live in, I think Registration papers have always been compulsary, at least in Victoria. It's only been recent years I've heard the term BYB used. The big majority of breeders bred in their backyard way back, very few had the luxury of kennels. My first litter was born at a suburban block then I moved to acres. Future litters were still born at the house block, so what did that make me and a lot of others in simular circumstances? Only dogs which had proved their worth in the showring and I was totally happy with were ever mated. From what I've read here, you weren't happy with the breed club and weren't in the show scene for very long and are now just breeding? I'm surprised at all the knowledge you appear to have of the reasons for the demise of clubs and registered dogs in general.

asal, don't know what gives you the impression that I need pictures to understand this thread, particularly some of the crap which I've read. I wish you idealists the best of luck with all the theorising being done but, let me tell you, the show dog world is on the way out. A lot of older members have been trying to get this through for some time but the ANKC, State bodies and particularly the younger generation just wouldn't have a bar of it - and now the time is here! I'm well past showing, breeding now but have put in years of work for the organisations, clubs, exhibitors, etc. and have seen the decline everywhere. I've seen the people who established breed and all breed clubs pushed aside by newcomers who 'knew better'. Good Luck!!

My first 'breeder' dog was a Rough Collie about 60 years ago, phoned the breeder, went and got the pup, no questions asked. No limited reg back then and I showed him a few times. Wasn't the best specimen so I later got another Collie, same deal. This was followed by an Afghan, again no questions. By then I showing quite a bit and usually got dogs from other showies who knew me. I didn't question buyers of pups that much until one Affie I sold ended up in a bad home. Got pretty choosy after that. This was all quite a number of years ago before the DD's were flavour of the month. Glad I'm not breeding now.

I like being in the van too. Camping in the middle of the Northern Territory, just me and my dog. Woke up and we were surrounded by those BIG Brahma cattle, was so pleased I could just slide into the driver's seat and drive off, lol.

Very nice BC4ME.

Oh for heaven's sake - this is what's wrong with the dog scene - bloody arguments.

Years ago I was Secretary for 3 AB Clubs and 2 Ag Soc. for over 20 years. The AB Clubs were friendly places and we had a number of pet people in each Club. Those people loved helping out at shows, catering, selling raffle tickets, writing CCs etc. Our meetings went through the usual business then supper and general dog chat after. About 8 years ago I went down to Gippsland and attended one of those meetings. Not many there and the bitchiness!!!! Don't reckon I'd want to be involved again. I know of 2 Breed Clubs which had the same great atmosphere years ago but one has folded and the other isn't far off it due to the attitude of some, dare I say, new people coming in, taking over and getting rid of the older folk with their years of knowledge. I remember sitting with my breed exhibitors at shows and discussing dogs, getting advise on what was throwing what to which bitches, what wasn't desirable, where the breed was going, etc. Those days have long gone, the judging is a mess, overall so many breeds have declined in quality along with show entries. i realise costs and time can be a problem but once I started to hear "Got this one through now I'll bring out the next one to get his/her title", where could the quality go but down? It's 'sheep stations'now and I really can't see much future for the show world.

And something you will find after a few trips - you really don't need half the stuff you packed those first few times :laugh:

I've spent years travelling to dog shows and just travelling with 2/3/4 dogs. I've always had vans, the current one is a Nissan Urvan, did make a mistake with one van, it was short wheel base and nothing fitted lol. My dogs (small ones now) have all travelled in crates. Years ago I did have a van catch on fire and I could just sling the dogs out in the crates so crates have always been essential for me. All back seats were taken out and I had a portable bed set along the right side, a small cupboard for food, coffee sugar, cups etc. in front of that behind the front seats. Between front seats and cupboard a space to put small folding table and folding chairs. Under the bed stored the gas stove, light, dog stuff, (blankets, leads, dishes etc) in boxes. On the left side from the back to the sliding door I had a rail installed for hanging clothes etc. Crates were between the bed and left side. When I had 4 dogs, one crate was on the bed, must say 2 dogs were easier lol. Right at the back there was room at the foot of the bed for water carriers and folded dog pens. Amazing what can be fitted in a van! When I wanted to use the whole back area, just used to unpack the lot into the garage for next time. As you can see it gets a bit messy inside after a few days lol.

mixeduppup, I live in sheep country and see many different looks in the working Kelpies. My point is the standards are very much the same and I imagine the WKC have those standards to stress the importance of correct conformation for working ability and type. The show Kelpies should have the same conformation and type, not talking instinct here just the overall type.

Kelpies are one of the working breeds where the standard of the WKC and the show standard are very similar, the wording exactly the same in most sections so wouldn't this follow that they should be the same conformation wise? Rebanne - years ago knew a racing grey breeder. He kept a pup from a litter but she was very timid. I showed for about 10 months, won puppy class at Melbourne Royal against competition (Dear Kate's pups if you knew them). She then went back to the breeder and became a successful racer.

I have a friend who breeds Kelpies. There are some of her breeding who excell in both areas. I was at an Ag Show a couple of years ago where one Kelpie Ch was shown on the Saturday and competed successfully in the trials on the Sunday.

Watch for any cloudy spot on the eye, you have to get it in the right light to see, it can be very small. Trip to the Vet if there's any sign of that, probably an ulcer forming.

I got involved in an argument about this topic on an American dog site. Looked up the standards of some working breeds on their sites and conformation wise they are nearly identical so under the show coat they should be the same. Even with this there was no way the Americans would be convinced lol.

Perhaps in the meantime you could try Erny's Tea remedy. I've used it on a dog with a seasonal contact allergy and it works. There's lots of recommendations for it in the Forum. You're probably better than me at doing searches - below is an " Erny quote" from a previous post just to get you started (can't do quote thingy either lol). "I use Calendula Tea on the skin to soothe and heal. Treatment usually works inside 24 hours (or sooner) and at least some if not all relief is generally immediate. Cheap (around $9.00 for 50g) and kind on the dog. Get from your health food store - make sure you go for an organic brand that is also free of colour enhancement."

Ummm I was hoping the poor dog would suddenly get up and tip the kid on the floor. How stupid of anyone to encourage that treatment to the dog. My kids never got any sympathy if they got a nip from our dog/s, just asked what they did to deserve it (and there was always something!).