cowanbree

I was trying to do my Xmas shots today. Here is the puppies helping. It didn't improve much so I gave up

A partial obstruction will allow the barium to pass. Cowan had it 3 times and his obstruction was only found when we opened him up. I would be taking this dog to an internal specialist

As a breeder I have had more dogs than most pet people and have come to realise that if you don't bond with a dog you are not doing that dog any favours keeping it. One of my very first shelties was like that. She was a lovely dog and would have been adored in any home but for some unknown reason we just never clicked. She stayed here for 16yrs and was a loved member of the family but if I ever strike that again I will rehome the dog.

Honestly it could be anything. Your symptoms also match my boys Cowan's partial bowel obstruction which went on for mths before getting properly diagnosed. If I could go back again I would push to do a scope right at the start. That way you know exactly what is happening and it can take biopsies as well. The scope if only 1 1/2 cms wide and will go right through taking a video and biopsy's along the way. I spent thousands with all the other tests that showed nothing.

I think unless you have had your back to the wall and had to make this decision it is difficult to know what decision you would make. My 10yr old Cowan was a very ill dog earlier this year and racked up thousands of dollars in vets bill. I seriously considered having him pts but my decision was based more on his well being than any financial aspect. It also helped that the bills were just $1,000 here, $1,000 there over 3mths and it wasn't until after that I really realised just how much it had cost. My decision may also had been different if I had other people to consider but I struggle with saying no Cowan I need that new car more than I need you in my life. Hardly the same as if I was taking food out of my families mouth. Choosing to pts doesn't make you a bad owner, leaving them in pain does.

The puppy needs fed every 2 hrs at that age. What are you using?

I too would have saved the dog and can understand the dog in a panic biting. I guess this gets reported and the dog classified as menacing? NZ posties and meter men obviously went to a different school to aussies posties. My dogs are only out the front when I am home and all the postie would have to do is toot and I would come out but no he wanders through the dogs with no apparent concern. Fortunately it is only when I have parcels to be delivered so I can usually avoid it. My meter man is also brave to the point of stupidity. The meter is out the back in the dog yard. My account clearly reads do not read, gate is locked from the inside and fences are nearly 6 foot and yet I still get read meters.

I have found calendula tea sprayed on the affected areas to be a great help

He may lead a normal life for many years yet. I personally would keep him, treat him as a normal dog except perhaps not over do the exercise and when he no longer has quality of life let him go.

I am not suggesting it is a miracle cure but given I have tried everything else for Dash including a skin specialist with minimal improvement I felt I had nothing to lose. I have tried just about every diet possible with Dash and none have ever made any difference. I would consider him to be on a balanced high quality diet. It is early days yet obviously but I am hopeful. Her theory was that the soil that grows the grass in different areas is deficient in zinc which means the life stock that is used to make the dry food or fed directly to the dogs in the form of raw is also deficient. Diva, how often did you give it to the dog? The breeder wasn't overly specific. She just said treat for a week, then decrease the frequency and only increase if there is a flare up

Has anyone supplemented zinc for skin disorders with any success? I have a dog who I have had a few issues with and was talking to a breeder at shows a few mths backs. She was of the opinion that a lot of skin disorders are due to a deficiency of zinc in their diet. I was a bit sceptical (and still am) but I came home and put Dash on it, a week in and we have had zero scratching. Could she be right? Has anyone else tried this?

As long as she is happy within herself and not straining up to 24hrs is not unusal. Helps to take her out for a trot round the yard

What about a tibbie?

Some excellent names. Love Tri'd N True for the lad as this litter is going back into my old lines. Could also call him True. I have already used a couple of them for my very first litters, Limited edition because I was never doing this breeding thing again and then Special Edition for my second litter because I did do it again quite a few years later. Any more suggestions, particularly for the girls? Perhaps something with Nice in it which is after Nana Millie who is Nice N Precoshus

I have a litter of tri sheltie babies, dog and bitchs and could do with some help with their names. It is a very special litter for me as I very nearly lost the sire earlier this year so I would like the name to be some play on his name. He is Tri a Nice Reprint and the dam of this litter is Black Chilli Pepper. So far all I have come up with is Tri a Nice Copy. Here is a picture of one of the wee cuties at 3 weeks

Rough Coat Collie if they don't mind the grooming

25 years of dealing with puppy buyers would have me refunding any deposit and homing the puppy elsewhere. Once the puppy leaves home there is very little you can really do to stop them breeding. And personally I don't believe in breeding for pets. If it is not to better the breed it shouldn't happen. I have never bred a litter without the intention if keeping something if it was good enough

Might help if I spell it right Tectonic, animal tonic by Virbac. I only used this after extensive medical tests including bloods to confirm nothign was wrong and it was sourced via my vet. he said it is just a supplement but can be helpful in cases such as Cowan, he has throat issues which sometimes make eating unpleasant. This just gives him that much more of an incentive. I must admit to also falling foul of not being tough enough on him. I never thought i would fall for something like that after all my years in dogs but I was so desperate for him to eat I had little bits of everything for him to taste. I brought the tectonic and went back to only offering him normal meals . If he didn't eat he got the tectronic instead and nothing until the next meal ( he is fed 3 times a days)

Yes I have unfortunately. He has never really been a food dog and not eating become a habit. After checking him out medically I brought some tectronic which is a supplement and appetite stimulant and problem over.

Over the years I have tried just about everything including hair straightners. Only think I have found to work is the plush puppy mousse, drying it straight and then a drying coat. In my case his coat texture isn't the best so I am just trying to breed away from it

Drying coat is the best thing I have ever used

Desex her quickly before it gets worse and you may be fine. Desexing does help

Interesting. I can't say I agree with any of it. How many people have had a dog/bitch fight? I can't say in all my years I have had any serious issues between dogs of different sexes

The old type vs soundness agreement has supporters for both sides. Personally if the dogs is not typey, I don't care how sound it is I am not keeping it. I couldn't bear looking at really bad head faults for example as to me that sweet expression is the essence of our breed. That said as a breeder you have to look at what you need to improve. I currently have a litter which has a bitch with the sweetest expression and exactly the presence I always look for but I am leaning towards keeping the 2nd pick bitch as she is better structurally. She is still a nice type but doesn't catch my eye the way the pick does. That said I will be running both on to see what happens

I have many bitchs desexed and entire who have lived happily together without any huge issues but when they do fight bitchs bear grudges and can't be trusted again, they also tend to be nastier. I find the males can have a bit of a scrap and apart from a little grumbling can be running together a couple of minutes later. This is not the case with the bitchs