ellz

Koda Stafford at 28 days (and VERY unhappy at being stacked by Mr Ellz whilst I did the clicking! )

Aw shucks!

If I've got time I do. It just seems to make them yummier. Soak them overnight and then almost wring them out to remove the excess!

Rest means rest. I personally wouldn't be masking activity with anything, herbal or otherwise. Sometimes "quietening" them down can also help to kill a little bit of pain which means that they have the potential to aggravate the condition more. Vicious cycle really. I'd be going for crate rest and kongs or big, interesting meaty bones.

Did you know that most of the "Lambs Fry" sold at Woolworths and Coles is not in fact Lamb liver, it is Beef Liver? Beef Liver is a lot larger and darker. Lamb Livers tend to be smaller and a slightly "greyer" colour. I only ever buy Liver from a human butcher. If it is for me (Lambs Fry and Bacon - nom nom) then they look out the better shaped ones, if for the dogs, they'll just give me whatever comes to hand. Sometimes they've been cut accidentally or are misshapen but are still perfectly good. I like to soak them overnight in milk, for myself OR the dogs too, it makes the flavour more uniform and nicer.

Grass seeds are pretty much designed for one-way travel and it is a lucky dog (or person) indeed who manages to have one successfully removed once it has started moving through the body. I had a dog which picked one up just beside her vulva during a pee stop and it ended up inside her stomach cavity, making a nice gooey little channel for itself along the way and causing her to open up a 50 cent piece sized hole next to her vulva trying to get at it.....literally OVERNIGHT! The best you can do is keep the grass down so that it can't go to seed and keep the foot hair trimmed.

Yes....as posted....all I'm doing is bolding a couple of existing words. There are FIVE to SIX brand spanking new Staffordshire Bull Terrorists due IN November (my previously listed unconfirmed litter for the 26th is now confirmed). ;) I read it as 5-6th of November. ;) Dag!

Yes....as posted....all I'm doing is bolding a couple of existing words. There are FIVE to SIX brand spanking new Staffordshire Bull Terrorists due IN November (my previously listed unconfirmed litter for the 26th is now confirmed).

Just noticed you've put my girl in on the 5th.....it's actually the unconfirmed litter for the 26th that is now confirmed! :D

Not many I don't think....maybe 3 or 4 maximum. But it only takes one doesn't it? :D

Rather "inflated" at the moment. She could safely go any time now but I don't think she will for a few more days. She's still buzzing around like a funny little bee in a bottle. :D

I have my Liberty Ultraforce for blasting and my Beacon MkII for straightening and heat. This is my second Beacon. I love it.

I couldn't resist. I was in town today and decided to drop in and see if they could squeeze her in on our way home. And luckily the nice (and UBER-CUTE) vet was on duty and said he'd do her straight away. I even saw their little hearts flickering....it was soooooooo cute!! They actually LOOK like puppies and not just little blobs! :D Koda was an angel. Stood like a rock and spent most of her time smooching the vet while he probed underneath her. He commented that she is SO fit that she is to continue doing whatever she has been doing for exercise until now because she'll just pop 'em out like peas! :D

Confirmed via ultrasound today, the pending arrival in November of 5 - 6 brand spanking new Staffordshire Bull Terrorists! :D

Cheap here too......just a shame I wouldn't feed it to my worst enemy's dog!

You don't need to purchase a brand name Dremel. I have a Rok unit from Mitre 10 which cost me under $40 and it has already paid for itself.

Any particular reason why?

As the Poll says. I've always used Canex for my litters, but it has recently been suggested that Drontal might be better. Which do you prefer for your puppies and why? Or do you have other suggestions?

Ashanali, drop Paula Bockman-Chato a line. She has done it recently and would know the DNA and registration procedures.

Congrats to all of the October mums and bubbas thus far! I've pretty much cleared my calendar after Tuesday of this week so BRING IT ON!!!!

Don't LET her be fussy! Dogs don't eat to live, they live to eat. A fussy dog is the result of an owner who has given in. If she won't eat what you put down, when you put it down....take the food away and do not offer anything else until next meal. As for the eye staining...did the vet do any testing other than just looking at the eyes? Did they use an opthalmoscope or do anything to specifically address the question or did they just take a cursory glance at it. Eyes don't just weep. Think about it. If your eyes were teary all the time and making your face wet, wouldn't you think it strange?

1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc) I have been a breeder/exhibitor since 1986. I have lost count of how many champions I have owned or handled but it would have to be around the 50 mark. I have bred champions in black, buff and particolour. I also bred Australia's first undocked All Breeds Best Exhibit In Show winning American Cocker Spaniel. 2. Where and why was the breed first developed? The American Cocker Spaniel as a breed first originated in the USA in 1946. However prior to that it traces back to the land and water Spaniels of the United Kingdom waaaaay back to the 1800's. The actual name "Cocker Spaniel" came about because the breed was originally developed, as the smallest breed in the Gundog Group and the smallest Spaniel breed, to retrieve woodcock. 3. How common is it in Australia? Not as common as it used to be. In my opinion, the "heyday" of the breed in Australia was the 90's. There were usually very large breed entries at major shows. Sadly, that isn't the case today. I could probably count on less than two hands the number of reputable and responsible breeders involved in the breed at the present time. 4. What is the average lifespan? 10 - 14 years 5. What is the general temperament/personality? Sweet and loving generally but that will depend upon the socialisation given to them as youngsters. Their temperament can vary considerably from colour to colour and overall they can range from being very laid back to quite highly strung. Some can be difficult to train and a person who likes a "thinking dog" may find them frustrating to work with. It isn't that they are stupid, they just tend to have their own agenda. Many can be persuaded quite nicely with food! 6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult? Depends upon the individual but I don't think my dogs would survive with anything less than 2 - 3 hours per day of some kind of madness. They enjoy playing games and they are generally quite good at obedience and agility. 7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? I would like to say yes, but I believe it would depend a lot upon the individual owner (and dog) and the time they are prepared to put into the dog and therefore what they expect to get from the dog. 8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? No. They have the attention span of a flea in many cases and need to be constantly supervised or they can get into no end of mischief. 9. How much grooming is required? They are a high maintenance breed if you wish to keep them looking and smelling nice. Ears require regular attention to keep them smelling clean. Regular bathing is essential. Regular brushing is essential due to the long coat. They have a double coat and do shed a lot of hair. This matts easily and can become uncomfortable, unhygenic and unsightly and will create health issues if left unattended. They also require regular clipping and trimming to keep the hair length under control. If you don't intend to do the grooming yourself, you should budget for a complete grooming every 6 - 8 weeks and depending upon your expectations of your groomer, your groomer themselves, your dog's coat and behaviour and how much work you do between grooming sessions, you could be up for anything from $40 - 100 per session. 10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)? That would depend entirely upon the dog. Many are too full-on. Some are total sponges and exist to be lapdogs. I would say that because they are smaller, they can find themselves underfoot a fair bit so this may be a problem for somebody with mobility or sight issues. 11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of? Most common are the inherited eye disorders; hereditary cataracts, PRA (progressive retinal atrophy), Entropion, Distichiasis, Cherry Eye. Less common but certainly appearing from time to time are luxating patellas, hip dysplasia, thyroid issues, kidney and liver problems and skin disorders. 12. When buying a puppy, what are the things you should ask of the breeder? (eg what health tests have been done (if applicable) and what is an acceptable result to those tests so the buyer has an idea of what the result should be) The very minimum a purchaser should expect is that the dogs have at least a clinical eye clearance from a practicing veterinarian. This should clear the dog of the more common of the eye disorders mentioned above. Some parts of Australia do not have regular or easy access to a specialist veterinary opthalmologist unfortunately so whilst it isn't ideal, a vet clearance is better than nothing. It isn't common to xray for hip dysplasia in Australia so whilst some breeders will do it, there are not sufficient numbers scored to get a good idea of a National Breed Average. Equally as important as health testing in my opinion is ensuring that puppies have been reared properly to have good temperament. They should be exposed to grooming, which includes clipping, bathing and drying from a VERY early age. Many will argue but I maintain that they are a breed which should be socialised properly from the beginning. If left at home unsocialised they can become timid and sadly, many that become timid become fear biters or submissive piddlers.

on other dogs oh my I hope he doesnt start doing that :p :p She doesn't do it often because I can usually read her mind, but from her it is definitely a "screw you" type gesture to the other dog!

Yep....sounds like somebody is trying to assert himself! One of my bitches (a REALLY butch bitch!!!) actually cocks her leg in other dogs' bowls (and on other dogs) if given half the opportunity. :p

Paying her attention, even chastising her when she is being vocal or over-the-top is also reinforcing the negative behaviour. If she is chewing something she shouldn't be doing, take it away and replace it with something she is allowed to chew. If she is barking at you, ignore her, even if you have to walk away from her. If you make any response, including telling her no, you are giving her the attention she is seeking and she will quickly learn that she only has to bark for you to respond. Or alternatively, if she won't be quiet no matter what, use reverse psychology and teach her how to "speak" on command. Believe it or not, that works to help shut them up when they shouldn't be talking too! And yes, some Staffords are just talkers. My 2yo bitch is a mouthy tart. Very opinionated and lets you know promptly when she has something to say about a subject. They can also sound like they're killing something when in fact it's just good old-fashioned play. I remember a few years back, I had a litter in the puppy pen and a friend who breeds Collies came around for a "girls' night in". It was getting close to sleep time for the puppies and they were having their last play and were going at it like a pen full of Tasmanian Devils (and that's what they sound like too!). My friend was getting very concerned at the noises and asked was I REALLY going to let them kill each other like that. She had to watch them for herself for ages to be satisfied that it was in fact very energetic play with very little actual "puff" behind the "blow" before she would relax!