cowanbree

My friend has had a case of parvo and we were wondering how best to clean her kennels? She has grass runs and concrete kennels which does make it more difficult

Thanks Hilaryo, unfortunately despite our best efforts we lost Quest on Friday night.

At 7 weeks with everything confirmed I ask for them to be fully paid for usually

I don't because I don't want to be obligated but have been tempted. People are unbelievable sometimes. I had one person order a puppy well before they were born and appeared quite interested as they grew although only had time to visit once even though they were local and when 9 weeks rolled round she never mentioned when she was picking him up. I finally got hold of her and she told me she had to think what weekend would be most suitable to get him and would get back to me. I had to ring her back only to be told she had changed her mind. The puppy was 12 weeks old by then and I had passed on really good homes to other breeders. I also find most people just keep ringing or e-mail breeders until they find one with puppies they can have now with no regard to health testing or even the temperament of the parents. They just want instant gratification.

I think they do. My neighbours tell me that my dogs are generally very quiet until around the time I am normally home and then every single car going past sets them off as they think it is me home. He says the same car can go past all day with no noise but let it drive past at 5.30 and everyone knows about it..

Thanks everyone. I propped Quest up between pillows last night and she seemed to rest a little easier. This morning she isn't coughing as much, just breathing very heavily and resting quietly. Not sure if that is an improvement or not but I have dropped her off at the vet where she will be getting fluids and more iv antibiotics today.

She has been in at the vet all day. I picked her up after work as the clinic is unmanned overnight. How high did your girls temp get?

He has x-rayed her and done bloods but we won't get the results until tomorrow. One lung is all cloudy while the other one doesn't look too bad. I am not sure what exactly he has given her, he told me she had had iv antibiotics all day today and tonight I have brought her home as the clinic is unmanned and we have Baytril and Vetamox until she can go back in the morning. Her breathing is laboured and her temperature is soaring past anything I have ever had. It is a bit grim, she is just laying there panting and looks so sick.

My gorgeous Quest, a full of life 7yr old aussie has pneumonia and is very very ill. She has been to the vet and had IV antibiotics and a host of pills but doesn't seem to be improving. in fact she is getting worse. It has been 36hours now and I was really hoping for some improvement but her temperature is soaring and I am very concerned. Has anyone else had this and how quickly did they improve?

I leased a sheltie and was told no pups by scan. Very nearly sent her back home but for some reason didn't. She had 6 puppies which si a huge litter sheltie wise

Personally I think it is a lot to ask to put a baby of that age outside esp at night. Is there a reason he can't stay in the kitchen or something similar

After being a sceptic for some time I was talked into trying a magnetic collar for one of my dogs who is a chronic foot licker. Must say 3 days in and zero licking which is unheard of. They apparently promote healing and also help with arthritis. I am not a convert yet as it is early days but might be worth doing some research as some people do swear by them and they are cheap as chips.

If you take his temperature I would almost bet he is chilled and hypoglycaemic. Never feed any puppy with a temperature of below 34.4, is a death sentence. Give drops of glucose and water and slowly warm the puppy. Brandy helps as it numbs the brain which stops the seizures and gives you time to warm the puppy and get some glucose into him. Good luck, had it a few times and have about a 50/50 survival rate.

I have and will always have shelties. Also presently have 2 Aussies shepherds. Other than that my next big dog will most likely be a Golden retriever, one day I will have an American Cocker and if they didn't drool and die so young I would have a Newfoundland.

This is a really interesting point, and one that other people have also talked about. I guess the question in my mind is are these 'faults' only relevant to the show ring, or are they the kinds of things that are relevant to the dog's health/temperament/suitability as a companion or sports prospect? They are relevant for any dog that is being considered for breeding. Only the best to the best should be bred. I strongly oppose people breeding solely for the pet market and believe every single litter bred should be with a view to improving, not just because you own the dog and want to have babies. I personally wish they would bring stricter requirements in for new breeders as I hate people who buy in a bitch and then next thing are breeding. What is the rush? I think they should have to show for 3-4 years and title at least one dog. It took me years to appreciate what I really wanted to breed and even now if I am not excited about the litter I won't do it. If you approached me looking for a pet/obedience dog I would pick the most suitable puppy for that. To be really successful at obedience you have to have a drivey puppy that may perhaps not be as suitable for a pet home that wants a dog to cuddle on the couch and walk once a day If you wanted to do agility I would be looking for something sound but perhaps it might not have the best head. If a breeder doesn't have the right puppy for you I would hope they would be honest enough to say

When I first started showing I had what to my mind were very nice dogs. I would have had no hesitation in saying they were show quality and worthy of breeding. Showing and losing made me be more critical and opened my eyes to my dogs faults in a way nothing else would have.

I travel to shows a bit and they usually mean a weekend away so I use a dog sitter quite a lot. It took me a few disasters to find a decent one but a good one makes life a lot easier. That said it is really hard to find the right one. I have one dog that is not trustworthy with children and another that I would say is man aggressive. Found men's clothing left behind once and a child pair of sandals another time. Obviously nothing happened but they were taking risks I wouldn't without my permission. Also found they weren't there the hours i wanted them to be, going out at night and leaving barking dogs. I have 2 really great ones now but still don't know if I would leave them in charge for a mth and I wouldn't allow them to walk the dogs of the property.

I lost my gorgeous Kayla to lung cancer. As soon as she was diagnosed we started her on prednisone and I believe that help stop the growth of the tumour and gave her quality of life. She was meant to have 6mths tops but we had a great 18mths followed by a mth of not so great. That is my only regret. Because it gradually got worse I found it difficult to assess quality of life and I think I left her too long. On the day I pts she was still eating well but was coughing everytime she moved.

My Kayla who grew up in a heavy smokers house died of lung cancer. I don't allow smoking in my car or house anyhow so not an issue anymore

I never planned to and would prefer not to but I can't buy the quality of dog I want to own. It is extremely difficult to breed a decent sheltie so when you do it is almost never for sale.

It would be more likely to be sarcoptic mites as demodex isn't itchy or contagious. Is the scratching confined to the tummy legs and head?

Not sure about other breeds but in mine sales are very slow at the moment. For the first time ever I have had unsold puppies past 12 weeks as have a lot of other breeders. I tried several different avenues and it really didn't generate a lot of interest. I don't think it is a price thing, the homes just aren't there. Are there any other breeders in other areas that would take a couple of pups and advertise them in their area? That way they would also get more individual attention and be split from their littermates. I have found the longer the pups run as a pack the harder it is for them to adjust to pet homes esp if they are going to be only dogs

You can still build a secure run even if you are renting. They sell ready made panels that are easy to dismantle and the bottom can be pavers which are also easy to pick up and take with you but quite secure.

I would x-ray her, then you will know for sure. My bitch was scanned not preg and had 6 puppies in a breed where 3-4 is normal

Bettering the breed is not just about improving them against a standard it is also about making sure the breeds future is in good hands going forward. When you have fellow breeders that will give studs to pets with no health testing and will sell a puppy to basically anyone who asks you bet I care if they get hold of a puppy sired by my dog. And yes they will usually do it by approaching someone who has used your stud dog. I never want to see those dogs in puppy mills or owned by back yard breeders who pump litters out with no thought to the health of those puppies and wonder if they are sired by my dog.