sandgrubber

In choosing a smaller gun dog, I suspect the individual dog may be at least as important as the breed. I'd suggest chatting with breeders with emphasis on temperament. Better to ask what temperament is found in their lines and what they aim for. Also probe about how they match pups to homes before telling them what you are looking for. Like most people, breeders tend to tell you what they think you want to hear.

If you can find one that is healthy and not inbred

I have long observed that in 'what breed' discussion, everyone tends to recommend their favorites and dismiss others. I'd ignore anti gun dog stuff. My mother's dog, when I was an infant, was an English Springer. She was a great family dog (though inclined to chewing and to retrieving the neighbor's chooks, unharmed). My labs have all had good on/off switches. My 12 mo Springer (hunting lines) spends a lot of time relaxed. It doesn't take much to arouse her to barking excitement, though her arousal level has decreased. She's extremely affectionate and playful and loves children. I'm an oldie who lives with a few dogs, but I think she would have been an excellent family pet.

How about either Springer? Close to whippet size but more robust and a gun dog. I've been a Labrador person, on my first Springer. She's remarkably quick, absurdly interested in animals, brave, and despite feathers, doesn't shed much or require much grooming.

See previous discussion on DOL

There's no best dog (or for that matter, human) food. Dogs, like humans, are omnivores and do well on a variety of diets. And like humans, dogs tend to be healthier if they're kept slim.

I have a working line Springer pup (12 mo). If yours is anything like mine, a harness may work better than a collar. It's far from a complete solution, and a big yes to, training and exercise.

I've killed half a dozen vacuums with Labrador hair and puppy chewing fragments. I've found two things that work. First, get a shop vac. They are designed to pick up heavy mess and don't clog up on pet hair. Alternatively, get one of those 'miracle brooms' and sweep the bulk of it before vacuuming.

I don't think it's cruel. If he's used to an outside routine and isn't bothering anything (neighbors?) outside, what's the problem. I would consider it as cruel to subject an older, peaceful dog to agro ruckus.

So glad I'm in NZ. I don't understand why Oz is so stupid about dog matters.

Possibly. Kelpies are strong minded and like to be in charge. If you're bred to herd sheep and all you have is dogs, what do you do?

I've been around a lot of dogs. I wouldn't want to advise on this without seeing the problem first hand. There's aggression and there's Aggression. Sometimes the owner can inadvertently be a trigger, sometimes a damper, sometimes it's entirely between the dogs. I'm not a big fan of behavioralists, but I do think it's a good idea to go over this with an outside person who has a lot of experience with dogs.

You can purchase DNA test kits that don't go through a veterinarian... you deal directly with the company. I'd say that's risk free so far as getting reported goes. No guarantee the results are accurate or meaningful. There's so much confusion about pits as breed vs type, and AmStaff vs APBT that it gets quite muddled. If I remember correctly, in some parts of California (Santa Rosa County for one) a Staffy is considered a pit bull!

Annoying that national standards aren't free to access online. A bit like the Middle Ages when the Bible was considered God's law, only elites could access it.

Confused. Sounds like you know parentage. What DNA test?

"recent scientific data?". It's been known for YEARS! But good on the ABC for spreading the word

Better underweight than overweight. Can't judge from photos. It's how it feels when you move your hand over the bony parts that counts. Best to avoid rapid growth on big dogs.

Yoli kept returning to my big Echium, sticking her nose in and wagging vigorously. When I let her out, she'd run directly over to check out the bush. I was surprised to look in and see a nest with 3 baby birds, maybe 200 mm above where her nose is in the photo. Yoli loves to chase birds. I groaned, thinking "this is not going to end well". To my amazement, the nestlings haven't been abandoned, and Yoli hasn't made any effort to get at them (she could, easily). They are starting to get their pin feathers now. So I think they may survive the puppy's interest.

Soon full of b.s. it would take hours to rebut. Not worth the effort. What next... arrest people for yelling at their dogs to shut up or tugging on a leash ? That's punishment too, and for some dogs, more distressing than a light tap with an e-device. Even better, why not go after people whose dogs suffer loneliness and boredom. If they want to avoid cruel use of e-device, and it does happen (though nowhere near so often as other forms of cruelty) , they should restrict maximum settings so that the dog can't get more than an unpleasant tap.

If that's plastic mesh, it's very easy to believe.

If it's that far along, xrays will work... most vets can do it

You might try putting a notice at your vets, or calling her breeder, or if she's dog friendly, hanging out at a local dog park and talking with people who like her. The ideal solution would be to find someone who is happy to have a second dog around for awhile... perhaps in an arrangement where you look after their dog when they go on holiday. $1700 is cheap for 4 mo boarding... I would check out the kennel thoroughly.

BBC News - Corgi comeback? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49695950

The US origin hound breeds, like black and tan and blue tick are worth considering. Catahoula as well.

Have others found some breeds are thriftier eaters than others? I've had Labradors for decades and now have a young Springer. She eats more than the Labs do, at around half the weight. No surprise, in one way. I've known for a long time that my Labbies will get very fat if I feed them the amount recommended on the bag (or the raw diet recipes). But it is a surprise to find that a dog of another breed can consume so much and stay slim.