cowanbree

That is exactly how I feel. Instead of just saying I don't know irritable bowel covers just about everything, very frustrating. I really feel for the poor dog and often consider having him pts but I keep thinking there must be a solution to this

I have a 13yr old sheltie who for the past 18mths has had bowel issues. He had had every test under the moon and they are all negative so the vet has decided he simply has an irritable bowel which is incurable but can be controlled to a certain degree via food and steroids. Through a lot of trial and error I have found a food which he is markedly better on but he still goes to the toilet about 10 plus times a day if not more which must be miserable for him. I was wondering if anyone has any homeopathic suggestions which may help settle his bowel. As far as I can tell every time there is something in his bowel it irritates and he gets the urge to toilet. I don't want to trial any different foods as we have tried so many and they just make things worse but I wondered if there was an alternative to conventional medicine which isn't working for him

I breed shelties and as a norm the tris are sharper and naughtier in temperament than any of the other colours. I love it personally

Each to their own but personally I couldn't do them justice. I currently exhibit 2 breeds with the possibility of adding a 3rd some time in the future but I only breed 1 of those breeds. The other 2 I buy in when required which is much easier. In my chosen breed for every dog I have in the ring I have another 2 or 3 at home by the time you consider broods, studs dogs, upcoming puppies and of course my gorgeous oldies. That said I would hesitate to call someone who can do it a puppy farmer. As long as they have the best interest of the breed at heart, heath test as appropriate and take responsibility for their puppies who am I to judge. Some breeders aren't able to do that with even one breed

Mine eat as if they have never been fed before and are starving. Bree has eaten most of hers before the plate hits the ground. They used to carry on like loonies while I was getting their tea ready but I decided it was over the top and have stopped that. They now have to wait quietly in their crates, some nights that is more successful than others.

I just use the powder baby goats milk formula for my puppies. Works out quite reasonable price wise and is in the baby section of supermarkets

Love the black babies, they look to be doing very well

We recently had a code of welfare started over here which is very similar and to be honest it scares me silly. I can see what they are doing but suddenly my 1 or 2 litters a year which are born in my bedroom and raised in my kitchen have to be outside in set sized pens with minimum requirements for ease of cleaning etc which can not be met by having a home raised litter. I know they are trying to stop unethical breeders but they are also disadvantaging breeders such as myself who want to raise my puppies as part of the family. My dogs are not kennel dogs and the financial implications of not only paying license fees but also meeting all these minimum standards would be huge. The public would have to expect a huge increase in the cost of puppies.

If a dog is injured rather than killed the local SPCA picks them up and yes they are scanned even if they die in their care but council will only make an effort to contact owners if they are wearing a collar with tags on it.

Just pondering this more for the future . I generally run my shelties in compatible groups of 3-4 in big runs when unsupervised. Shelties aren't fighters and I have never had any issues doing this. Would an American be able to go into one of these groups? I know a lot of breeds wouldn't suit this type of arrangement but other than when I have girls in season all of my dogs get on and even if I do get a squabble it is more just noise and hair pulling than anything serious. Shelties generally aren't aggressive or dominant dogs

Sigh, I have wanted an American for nearly 20yrs now. I love their gorgeous heads, one day I will own one. They sound more like shelties who love chasey games rather than the wrestling Nova wants to do. Other than aussies and americans the only other breed I have seriously considered is a goldie. Plenty of time to think on it

I am contemplating another breed later this year but am a little uncertain about if it would fit into my house as I want it to. I currently breed/show shelties and have 1 aussie shepherd. I usually have 2 aussies so they have someone to romp and play with and can be kennelled together but recently lost one. I have always wanted a American cocker strictly as a pet as the show scene over here for that breed is too difficult and I am thinking perhaps I might consider one now instead of another aussie. Nova is a very small aussie, currently 19 inches and not overly solid (perhaps 15kg mature?) but is rough, way too much for a sheltie to be with unsupervised so she is currently kennelled alone. Would an American be big enough and solid enough to play her rough and tumble games and be kennelled with her unsupervised once mature obviously?

They don't here and much to my horror the body goes straight to the dump without even a picture taken. They do keep a descritpion

I think it is amazing so many have lived to such great ages esp some of the larger breeds. Lovely to see.

I personally wouldn't use a bark collar on a sheltie unless there was no other option and if I had to I think I would try the air jets one that send out a hiss of compressed air. Personally I have great success with my spray bottle. I don't aim to stop barking as such as that is unrealistic with a sheltie but rather that they should stop when told quiet and barking such as at a neighbour who comes and goes 100 times a day is unacceptable.

Most recent would be Reeve who was an Australian Shepherd. He died last mth at 3yrs of age and we still don't know why. Last May I lost Quest who was also an Australian Shepherd. She was only 6yr and died of pneumonia. Prior to that I have lost 3 shelties. Brody at 16 1/2yrs, Kellie at 15yrs and Kayla at 13 yrs to age related things. Pays to be a sheltie in this house

I have always wanted a Newfoundland but the short life span and I must admit the drooling means I am unlikely to ever own one,

As a breeder I have had a number of dogs and come to realise that sometimes through no fault of either party you just don't click. In the past I have always kept these dogs and they were loved but just not as special to me as some of the other ones but I have now decided if I ever get another it will be rehomed. In both my cases they were lovely dogs that would have fitted in anywhere and it is a shame they weren't given that opportunity to find their special someone. I

I'll second this. After reading Erny's advice in other threads on using Calendular Tea I gave it a try. I had to search a few health food shops before I found it. It's very soothing on itchy skin. I use it as a final rinse after washing my dog and keep a spray bottle of it on hand too. When my dog was chewing his feet until they bled he was prescribed 'Elocon' cream. In Bruno's case, I honestly think that changing his diet and using Calendula tea made more of a difference. Did you use it to clear up his feet? Payton is not what I call a itchy dog but his feet are a mess currently and nothing is helping

The kennel I have used has big dogs and small and elderly dogs in totally different buildings. In the past when I have used one without that I have found my shelties were overwhelmed by the noise and level of activity. I have also used kennels that had small blocks of 4-6 kennels with an attached exercise yard but separate from each other which would also help minimise noise

The main thing that is important to me is security. I have a breed renown for being runners and most kennel setups don't really allow for that. I would want 2 fences or gates between my dog and the outside world at all times. Eg if they are in the exercise area it shouldn't be the perimeter fence. I like to see hard springs on doors and gates so they can't be accidentally left open. I also love kennels that separate by type. Not necessarily by size as some of the smaller terriers are very full on but in general smaller and older dogs don't enjoy stays beside big bouncy noisy dogs. I prefer smaller kennels and I am prepared to pay more for them and I sometimes think kennel owners do too much for free. I have boarded one of mine that is very special needs and his care would required perhaps 2-3 times what any other dogs would, I wasn't charged for that even though I was quite happy to pay.

You wouldn't be alone. Sounds like we had a similar experience, my boy was 9years old. I had to give permission for him to be pts on the table 3 times and then just as he was recovering he went on to have throat issues from the stomach acid that had burnt his throat during the long operations. Glad to hear Nova is on the mend, fingers crossed

I have had a partial obstruction with Cowan. Took over 2mth of mucking round before they finally decided that was what it was and operated. Being partial there were periods where he was ok and eating normally but he also had periods where he wouldn't eat and had diarrhea. He got a lot worse one weekend and started vomiting and they finally operated. Unfortunately mine isn't the one operation and he was fine story. The next 6mths were not great with multiple operations, peritonitis and throat ulcerations requiring a feeding tube but the good news is that while he will never eat a normal meal again he is sitting at my feet as I type. Good luck, hope Nova manages to pass it.

This is not an issue restricted to Greyhounds. In short there are good and bad dog owners. I have personally rescued 2 animals from the vet. One was a sheltie I met in the waiting room. Being a sheltie breeder I naturally started chatting to her and she told me she was here to have nuisance (as she called her) pts. I offered to take her but she said I wouldn't want her as she was so demanding and barked all the time. What sheltie wouldn't stuck outside in a kennel all alone. No trouble finding her a great home and they adore her. Also just last week rehomed a 10yr old cat left to get pts because she wasn't getting on with the new kittens. I find it unbelievable that someone woudl choose kittens over a dearly loved older pet but the vets tell me it happenes all the time. I don't think banning any industry is going to change things. Instead make the greyhound industry responsible for ensuring that the dogs where possible are rehome and that they campaign how great Greyhounds are as pets

I don't think all breeders are like that but I personally do get a little fed up with puppy people at times. I very seldom get an enquiry that has actually done their research and is considering the entire dog (temperament, health clearances and colour and gender) rather than just what the dog looks like. Only once have I ever been asked what health clearances my dogs have and the vast majority of buyers just ring every breeder until they find a puppy available. Not all puppies are bred alike and if you do decide to buy one elsewhere as theirs are ready a mth earlier please don't ring me complaining about health or temperament issues. It is very frustrating to think you have all your puppies sold and have spent countless hours interviewing and communicating with them only to have them pull out at the last minute and this happens all the time, On the plus side some of my best homes have come from 1 line e-mails. Not everyone is great with e-mails.