ellz

There are a couple who are trying, I would say that some of their blues are as good (if not better than) many BYB dogs of other colours (even if I don't particularly like them and would never register a blue that appeared in my breeding program). But the reality is that if a judge is going to judge TO THE STANDARD (as all should if they are worth their salt), a blue simply CANNOT win because it does not FIT the standard. The standard calls for "nose black". A blue Stafford cannot have a black nose.

Adding an interesting link... http://abnormality.purpleflowers.net/genetics/noses.htm

This should be pinned somewhere for future reference. No doubt the same questions will be asked again.....this isn't the first time they have been asked and won't be the last.

This is correct. Editing to add a link. http://abnormality.purpleflowers.net/genetics/noses.htm

You'll probably find that there are no difficulties whatsoever with a complete frame. Because they are such an irregular shape, it is difficult for a dog to just sit down and chomp through one without at least pausing a few times to consider the next mode of attack. I find that gulpers have no problems literally inhaling chicken necks, and not much more of a problem with wings. I can slow this down marginally by freezing them and puppies get necks crushed.

I had a steel one which was purchased when I was pregnant with #1 son (he's 18 next month) and it has only JUST started to fall apart. But it is very heavy. I purchased one of the Horse At Home trolleys from ebay and it is STRICTLY a USE at Home trolley because it would probably fall apart if it moved from where it now lives in the loungeroom. I also have an OKS and would definitely go another. Lightweight and easy to move around. Only criticism is that you cannot lock the swivel wheels into place so I have to remember to take chocks or the trolley goes walkabout on a slope. Found out recently that the OKS manufacturer (now that Ozzie himself has passed) is Hilary Pederson's (All Breeds Judge) son and he lives at St Helens in Tasmania. Which could be REALLY handy because my parents live there too! ;)

Definitely tube him. Even with a strong sucking reflex, at that weight he will use up a good part of his caloric intake in energy expended by sucking. If he is basically healthy, then don't worry so much about "remedies", just get good amounts, regularly of a good quality milk replacement into him. And I'd be thinking probably 3 or 4 hourly around the clock wouldn't be inappropriate. Wombaroo and Animalac are my two supplements of choice. They are higher in solid contents which results in slower absorbtion and slightly longer between feeds than Divetelac. You can purchase everything you need from Sway and she is prompt and easy to deal with. Cannot recommend her services highly enough.

Staffordz, are you who I think you are? ;) :D

Not for one minute did I think it would hurt a dog. I just query the value in paying for an expensive human product that may, or may not do anything for a species for which it isn't actually "intended". I still won't offer an opinion either way though because I've not tried it and really have no intentions of doing so.

I had one bitch who went 3 years between her first and second litters with no seasons in between. Came into season 12 months after her second litter, was mated but didn't have a litter. She's now desexed.

The long, heavy bones are what Billinghurst calls "recreational bones". They don't have a huge nutritional value but are excellent for calcium and teeth cleaning and keeping the mind occupied. Any of the long bone should be sawn in half lengthwise by your butcher to make them more safe and easier to get at for the dog. I've actually seen older people purchasing the lamb offcut bags at Coles and when listening in on a conversation I heard one say that the offcuts and chop-like bits make a really meaty stew with veges. I have a feeling, they were talking about using them for human consumption (which is sad in a way) but the bags are THAT good and have such a fabulous variety of meat, bone and fat in them.

Definitely from the first day of blood....and I would say "true" blood not the brownish discharge that some bitches can get at the start of a season. I've had girls get puffy and narky for weeks prior to first blood arriving.

I've never tried it. Actually, have never considered trying it. Dogs are dogs. Humans are humans. They require different balances of hormones to attain the same result. I'd have to investigate a LOT further before I would feel comfortable offering an opinion. Sorry.

Most butchers do two different types of bones. What they sell as dog bones have generally had most of the meat stripped from them and are essentiall just bone. On the other hand, what they sell as "soup bones" generally have a lot of meat left on them and are the softer bones that aren't classed as "recreational bones" by Billinghurst. I usually go for the soup bones. Oh and most Coles supermarkets sell fabulous bags of lamb offcuts. I ALWAYS grab a couple of bags of these before "away" shows. They tend to have lots of meaty bones as well as some fatty offcuts and odds and sods of meat that are too small to sell for human consumption. These are well worth keeping an eye out for.

It's a procedural issue, not a club "domestic" issue. You'd be better off contacting the CC and advising them what happened. It may be that the steward needs a refresher course in ring management.

I would say if its costing that much they are being ripped off big time or there telling porkies. +1 Last dog I sent to the USA, the actual freight + AQIS work was not much more than the price of the puppy. Even sending Bad Alice to Japan is still just over the $1k mark.

Things have changed with the Pet Passport system. It is a lot easier to bring dogs back to Australia within a shortish period of time, provided Australia was their country of origin. The worst thing about this is that it can make preparing to go a bit of a headache, but makes the return simpler. Otherwise, returning to Australia will entail a MINIMUM of 30 days quarantine, more if you don't follow the strict timeline required to prep a dog for entry to Oz. Also...be careful in the USA. If you are required to routinely vaccinated your dogs for leptospirosis, there is an almost certainty that they will not pass the lepto titre tests to come back into Australia. I have imported 3 dogs from the USA and was told to ensure each time that NO lepto shots were given because they boost the numbers and take forever to pass from the system.

If it were just plumbers crack, I could deal with it. It was the WHOLE thing......and that's never a pretty sight!

Yes, I give calcium between puppies, but only if everything is progressing "normally" otherwise. If there is the slightest inclination that things are going pear-shaped then I'm off to the vets before you can say umbilical cord. I'm considering another litter for Koda, despite her first litter that resulted in a c-section, but only because my vet feels that the first time was a non-event due to the number of puppies (9) and the placement of the uterine horns internally. BUT...if she has issues with a second whelping, then she won't make it off the operating table intact.

Lovely social weekend this weekend again! We went out specifically to play with Mr and Mrs Rajacadoo-doo-doo and the Misses O & I Rajacadoo-doo-doo and had a lovely time (as usual). We caught up with Hounder, Maxbox, Quoll (and her new little Bubbles) and the usual crowd and it was also lovely to meet Huganewf too! I see you lurkin' lovey! I discovered what gives the Rajacadoo-doo-doo doggies their energy.......red cordi doesn't just work for skinkids apparently! We had a great weekend.....Woger beat Flame for Baby both days and was Baby In Group both days and their mum Koda went to her 3rd and 4th shows and yesterday was Bitch CC, RUBOB to the ultimate RUBIS winner. Colour Ellz a very happy girl! Woger NORTY Fwame....photograph taken by Mrs Rajacadoo-doo-doo amidst MUCH hilarity!! Note the gritting of the teeth? ;) It seems that I have bred a broken Stafford. Little toad seems to have some kind of anatomical attachment between her front and back feet. Place a front foot, the corresponding back foot moves with it. Place a back foot, the corresponding front foot leaves the ground. AND then just when you get the feet right and try to lift the head......the whole damned thing collapses in the middle!

This is a definite example of what NOT to wear! Mr Ellz and I were staying in a motel on Saturday night and I was asking him what he thought I should wear to the show yesterday. He went a tad quiet and then said, I can tell you what NOT to wear. And I walked right into it...."what?" says Ellz. "THIS!!!" says Mr Ellz!! And people wonder why I don't take him anywhere!

:laugh: That would be perfect for me! Nobody else in Tas buy one! Sorry lovey, beat you to it ages ago. I have a red one which I am still summing up the courage to wear because it is VERY VERY VERY bright!!!!!!!!! I also have another "oriental" type jacket that I wore yesterday. Mr Ellz called me a Kungfu Fighter. It's pink cotton brocade with a small chinese style stand up collar and the front is done up with toggles. [

Message from Michael....only doing Sydney and Adelaide Royals at this stage.

OK, from the extra information I would say that you are dealing with TWO situations. Yes, definitely a winter nose situation, but if you are talking a difference in overall pigmentation (not just the nose) in siblings then I'd say that looking at maintaining dark pigment should be a priority with the winter nose a secondary issue. I don't know how the colour genetics work in labs but in American Cockers, if you breed buff to buff, unless there are black parents behind both, you generally get an overall lightening of the pigmentation (unless both parents carry the recessive chocolate gene, in which case you're more likely to get liver pigmentation which isn't incorrect but also isn't as attractive as black/dark brown pigmentation on the lighter coloured coat). If you breed recessive to recessive, you will almost certainly achieve a "washing out" of pigmentation, maybe not in the first generation but subsequent generations. It is for this reason that some of the best buffs in American Cockerdom come from hybrid black x buff breedings. And many don't quite understand it, but a "true" silver is a black which lacks the ability to extend the black pigmentation to the hair whilst maintaining overall black characteristics such as pigmentation. Very complicated stuff genetics, but I'd definitely look at the pedigrees to see where the washing out of pigment is coming from and try to breed away from it. And then, at the same time, take extra pains to try for a good balance of A, D and E vitamins together with plenty of sunlight for the winter nose. Also, if you have plastic feed bowls or use plastic buckets for water, anecdotal evidence says that these can be detrimental to pigmentation too.

Multi Best In Specialty Show You might also so SBIS = Specialty Best In Show