ellz

OMG, don't talk to me about vocal Staffords! In all the years I have been involved with them, I thanked the LORD I didn't have one that made "monkey noises". I hadn't bred one, didn't own one and used to get REALLY shirty with the dogs at shows that made them! Until now.....I have one who not only makes monkey noises, but seems to have competitions with himself to make them better (or worse depending upon how you view them). NOTHING seems to work on him.....he plays with the spray bottle. He gets louder if you ignore him. He gets louder if you talk to him. I'm getting ready to throttle him and see if THAT works!!!!!!!!!!!

I had a dog ruined for the show ring because of a pushy judge. She was young and unsettled and suddenly, this very tall man wearing a hat appeared from out of the corner of her eye and she freaked. Then to make matters worse, he reefed the hat off and threw it down on the table behind her. From that time on, she had a table phobia AND a male judge phobia. The argument could of course be that she should have better temperament initially....but at 5 months of age, they're still learning where to put their feet, let alone where their brains should be in the ring. And then of course, if you search back in this forum, you can read about my battles with a young dog who had the wits scared out of him by an Indian judge at Brisbane Royal when he insisted upon judging the table dogs on the ground and loomed over, and scared the willy off my young dog to the point where he would wet himself when a (dark) male judge or anything resembling one tried to go near him. Thankfully, he came right and is not only a Royal BOB winner but is titled....but it took a LOT of work to get his confidence back. I really think that some of the problem is that many judges no longer exhibit and they have forgotten what it is like.

Really depends upon the dog. I talk to some because it reminds them where they are and what they are doing and is part of their correction and keeping them under control. Others just go out and do it and could probably even show themselves without me hanging onto the lead.

Only 3 days here, but I have 3 very Itchy dogs and one who's developed quite a large nasty hot spot on her face Looks like It's back to Dog Pro for my guys, with almost 20kgs of U/A now wasted Remember that U/A is higher in fat and protein than Great Barko, that could possibly be part of the issue as well. I have the opposite problem. A dog which itches on everything BUT U/A or G/B. I don't think It's so much the amount as the Dog Pro Is also high In protein, but more the source of protein that may be making them Itch Could be anything. But I have to say that U/A and G/B are the only thing that don't make my bitch scratch herself stupid. Personally I think it is the amount of oil in it. It was quite offputting initially to see the oily spots inside the bag. But, I repeat my mantra. You feed what your dogs do best on and what suits your pocket the best. Personally, I like what U/A and G/B does for most of my dogs and others who have seen them are quite amazed. BUT I also add other things to their diet, they aren't fed on a sole dry food diet. I estimate that dry food would only make up around 1/4 of their diet, if that.

Initially......neither. I found the puppies were spending more time trying to nurse from the vetbed than their mother in the first few days. And unless you're prepared to spend a heap of time washing and drying it......until they're a bit bigger I found polar fleece was much better. It is still super-absorbent and works as a wick, pulling the moisture from the top layer onto layers of newspaper below. Washes and dries quickly and still allows traction for little feet when they are moving around. I put the vetbed back into the pen when the puppies were up on their feet and eyes open and it was a lot better then. I also found that mum got VERY hot on the vetbed and wasn't as happy to stay with the puppies while it was in the box. And for background info, this was a litter of 9 Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppies and a first time mum who had had a c-section.

And for the OP. You may have to widen your search. I live in Tasmania and have recently sent puppies to Townsville and Cairns....both very dark black/brindles albeit they were on Limited Registration.

The same way you can have a dog which genetically carries tan points but doesn't actually show them (obviously anyway). For example.....there are many buff and red/white American Cocker Spaniels which are genetically tan pointed. Or a silver buff American Cocker which is genetically black but lacks the power to express the black colouration to its coat. It still has the genetic qualities of a black, just in a very pale wrapper. And MANY Staffords LOOK black to the naked eye, but either brindle out as they get older, or if you tip them upside down, you'll find stripes on their undersides or inside their legs. The stripes will be there....somewhere.

Nothing but Adult food right through together with all of the above! :D The gang of 9 were reared on Optimum. I'm just now starting to mix a handful of the other stuff in with their Optimum and they're loving it!

There is absolutely NO need to put bitches on puppy food any more. Dry dog foods are so much more sophisticated now and much better balanced so a good quality dry is all that is required. BTW....you've seen Woger and Flame.....and you know what I feed their mother. Nothing changed during her pregnancy!

I have a table breed as well and the same thing happens. It really annoys me when judges SWOOP down on a puppy on the table when you are trying to set it up and settle it.

Only 3 days here, but I have 3 very Itchy dogs and one who's developed quite a large nasty hot spot on her face Looks like It's back to Dog Pro for my guys, with almost 20kgs of U/A now wasted Remember that U/A is higher in fat and protein than Great Barko, that could possibly be part of the issue as well. I have the opposite problem. A dog which itches on everything BUT U/A or G/B.

Naturally sourced calcium from good quality calcium-rich foods is much better assimilated by the body during pregnancy. But given that any diet should be calcium-rich anyway (bones etc) this should be no different when NOT pregnant. Calcium can be given between puppies to help with labour, but I only do this if things slow down somewhat. My girls are routinely given a shot of calcium AFTER whelping to help in a couple of ways. Firstly, it can help to stimulate the uterus so that any products of conception are expelled easily and more gently than they are if a shot of oxytocin is given. Secondly, it can give the milk a boost so that it lets down more strongly. Lastly, many bitches have a dramatic drop in calcium during/immediately after whelping which can cause eclampsia and/or unexplained aggression towards their puppies....a shot of calcium often fixes this before it becomes a dangerous issue.

My first few litters maaaaany years ago I was able to borrow a heated whelping box. Then I changed to a simple setup of sides only placed on a tarp, layers of newspaper and the bedding. Now I just use my pen. One corner has a bed with raised sides, the rest is covered in newspaper. My heatpad goes on the bed, the heat lamp is suspended over the top in such a way that it can be raised or lowered according to where the heat is needed and how intense it needs to be. The bitch can still move off the heatpad when it is on, but the puppies (until they're bigger and are able to move around themselves) stay on the bed. The heatpad and lamp are only used together for the first week or so, or if the weather is especially cold here. Once the puppies are able to regulate their temps a bit better on their own, I will use either the heatpad or lamp, depending upon the weather during the day with the lamp on at night. It doesn't just provide warmth, it also gives a gentle light that I can see by should I need to do anything to the puppies or the pen in the dark. Pen by day.... Pen by night....

I don't even use one.....but certainly nothing wrong with homemade. It doesn't have to be heated, there are many ways of providing warmth for the puppies other than a heated whelping box. I use homemade heatpads underneath the puppies and a heat lamp on top and keep the pen itself enclosed and draught free. If I can do it living in the Central Highlands district of Tassie, I'm sure you can!!

I don't have kennels either. One large pen and 3 other areas where I can separate if need be on a temporary basis. But usually if there is one dog that persists in not getting along with ANYBODY, it doesn't stay. I won't have the harmony destroyed by one individual. It's not fair on all of the others....or the hoomans in residence. Walking on eggshells isn't my idea of fun.

Absolutely no from me!

Mine run together where possible when I am at home. If I need to separate one, then I will usually separate it into a male/female pair with whomever they co-exist happily with so that they aren't by themselves. When I'm not home, the same pairing applies, except for the Staffords who are usually crated singly. About the only time they are completely separated is when there is a girl in season or if there are puppies or somebody is ill.

Had this exact same thing happen to me some years ago. A puppy due to fly to the USA on 11th September 2001. Unfortunately he had already been sent over to Melbourne to have all of the quarantine work done in preparation for his flight out. Because there was no idea when flights would resume, the shipper suggested he stay there with them so that they could get him on a flight at a moments' notice. He was there for a month. If I'd known it would be that long, he would have come home again but we trusted the shipper.

I DID have black fluffy dogs....I've had American Cockers since 1986. Just in the process of placing my last one now and then that will be it for me with the Yanks.

Slippery floors can be detrimental to skeletal and muscular health of your dogs too so that might be something to take into account.

I think breed plays a part too. Obviously some breeds have a much more capacious area in which to "hide" puppies.

If you click on it to make it larger, you'll see that his head is upside down, jammed in beside the tyre....with his teef showing! He's a dag that puppy. Any more laidback and he'd be comatose! ;)

Me thinks this "quiet little voice" had better go hide under a rock from now on - didn't think it would cause such a stir!! I don't think so! You've "outed" yourself now.....it's all downhill from here!

Here is one, it's not the one I was thinking of though....

It's really not difficult. I taught myself. It is harder to get milk into the lungs than you would think if you are methodical about it. It is actually safer to tube feed than to bottle or drip feed. I have a good link somewhere for tube feeding. I'll see if I can find it.