sandgrubber

Every litter my girls have had follows the same pattern. They get huge and do well until a few days before the due date. Then, along with the temperature drop and a mad urge to dig....and sometimes a mad urge to hide away in some place, like under the house, that is not where I want a litter born, they pant and pant and pant. This makes it hard for me to sleep. So by the time the first pup is born, I'm dead tired. My girls like nines and tens, so the full Whelping usually takes 12 hrs or more, by which time I'm far from peak performance. I feel bad complaining about lack of sleep, when the bitch is panting and contracting and pushing and generally having a heavy time. But on the other hand, it would be good to be clear headed and not in a sleep deprived haze when the time comes. Does everyone have the same problem? Are there ways to make things work better?

I hope lots of DOLers from NSW will share their opinions with their representatives on this. Change is long overdue...not just in NSW.

Congratulations. Like Brintey's Leo girl - another litter of 8 born ont the 8th of the 8th :) Oh wow I hadn't clicked to that!!!! That is fabulous! Congrads! What big uniform looking pups, and what a tired looking mum! Here's hoping they will soon be in a whelping box and mum perked up a bit. At least it looks like she's accepting them with no problem. So I presume one will be named Octavia?

Agree'd 100%! Regardless of what the child did ..if the kid needed hundreds of stitches then..."this was a mauling"... it wasnt just a quick snap to say stop standing on my Paw !! Kids can be pretty awful. I've often retold a story that a vet told me. Family comes in to pts the family Labrador cause it bit a kid. After the green dream is administered, they find several staples through the poor dog's ear. PTS may be appropriate, but it would be good to hear the full story before forming an opinion.

Blackjaq: The thing I find horrifying about the Fila is the fact that the breed standard (CAFIB) prescribes unprovoked aggression toward strangers, and the pick of the litter, for a CAFIB breeder, will be a pup that snarls at strangers by 12 weeks. In my opinion this justifies an import ban, particularly given that we're talking about 50+ kg dogs. I wish there were a simple way to identify and restrict breeders, in any breed or of X-breeds, who deliberately breed HA dogs. This could happen in many breeds. BSL is a clumsy and ineffective way to go because aggression can be heightened or dampened in any breed by selective breeding...and may occur unpredictably in many breeds through non-selective breeding. As for why there aren't many reports of Fila attacks. I can think of a few reasons: 1. In many of the countries where Filas are allowed, a rich person's dog attacking a poor person is not considered headline material. 2. In countries such as the US or Finland, where Filas are permitted, they are still quite rare. I suspect they haven't become popular because they are just too hard to handle, they are expensive, and for someone who wants a macho dog, it costs a lot more to maintain a Fila that a pit bull. There may also be a class thing. The Fila has traditionally belonged to rich land owners and used as a weapon to control the poor. That doesn't have a good feel in many sub-cultures. Getting back to the main topic . . . it would be interesting to know more about the origins and temperament of the attacking dog.

Do some searching on Fila brasiliero CAFIB temperament test. You will find that biting the judge is expected, and accepted behavior. Judges generally know better than to touch a fila, and avoid getting bitten. But no penalty points are assigned for doing so. "The temperament-test of the CAFIB for Filas shows us the following: the at least one year, but preferably older dog, will be put on a long lead provided with a tether. The owner has to step aside a few metres. Then, a person will energetically approach and threaten the dog with a stick and protection pad. The ideal Fila will, while absolutely still, focus on the attacker until he exceeds the distance of about 1 or 2 metres, then the Fila will attack while he jumps straight up to the person directly and wholly. The fila doesn't step back, never looks back to his owner and is not influenced by the protection pad, but attacks the person from above. Usually the person and the dog don't have contact. Therefore there is no biting involved - except when the person involved has come too near and will hold out his sleeve for his own protection. The whole exercise called "attacking" is therefore for a very short time. Only the reaction of the dog is wanted. The reaction ought to be hard, ought not to show any hesitation and has to be focused on the attacker as such. A good sort of Fila has this behaviour inbred in him. This is his character and doesn't need to be trained." from http://www.mindspring.com/~anableps/Image%20Pages%20folder/TTBR.html or The feature that perhaps is at first sight the most apparent in a Fila's temperament is the "ojeriza" to strangers (ojeriza - sharp aversion). On the contrary to other puppies, a Fila Puppy is not inclined to relaxed playing with anyone. He attaches himself quickly to those with whom he lives but is, however, from his earliest youth suspicious of persons he does not know. Suspicion may make him irritated and annoyed and to some extent even make him growl with a certain amount of aggression, but yet without sufficient self-confidence to attack. In the course of his development the aversion against strangers will become more and more apparent. Already as a puppy the Fila will clearly show his displeasure if a stranger would try to touch him. At about the age of one year the Fila would attack any person unknown to him who would try to touch him. http://www.fila-brasileiro.org/fila-brasileiro-temperament.html Both of these are from dedicated pro-Fila sites. You can also find some U-tube videos of dogs going through the Fila temperament test.

You think Qantas is bad....try DeltaDelta no longer accepts snub-nosed or pug-nosed dogs and cats as checked baggage. Certain breeds may be acceptable for transport as cargo via Pets First. Snub- or Pug-nosed Dogs American Bulldog American Staffordshire Terrier American Pit Bull Terrier Boston Terrier Boxer Brussels Griffin Bulldog* Chinese Pug Chow Chow Dutch Pug English Bulldog English Toy Spaniel French Bulldog Lhasa Apso Japanese Boxer Japanese Pug Japanese Spaniel (Chin) Mastiff (all breeds) Pekinese Pit Bull Pug Shar Pei Shih Tzu Staffordshire Bull Terrier Tibetan Spaniel Snub-Nosed Cats Burmese Exotic Himalayan Persian

I'll probably get roasted for this, but my impression is that the cocker spaniel is one of those breeds where temperament has suffered mightily as the breed went from working to show as a dominant mode of selection. My mum, born in 1923, was brought up with clockers who were used as hunting dogs and pets in Minnesota. She much lamented changes in the breed brought about by showing. I seem to remember reading a few studies out of the University of Cordoba showing some really ugly temperament faults in the breed. http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/05/25/2579884.htm So...it may not be the breeder in particular but a general slackness with regard to breeding for temperament within the breed.

The most critical stage for exercise is before the plates close, usually before 7 months. Gradual increase of exercise thereafter is generally beneficial.All the researcher result I've seen say that quality of exercise is more important than quantity. Twists and turns at high velocity can be damaging. Lots of running on pavement can be bad. Straight moderate walking on soft surfaces can do little harm. So...where possible run on grass or sand, and be aware that playing ball may be more of a hazard than walking/running.

I'd strongly recommend the three books by Myra Savant Harris. She is an RN by trade but was brought up in a dog breeding family and breeds dogs herself. Can't agree with everything she says...eg, her version of pack structure is full of mythology....and I wish she gave more references. However you can't do better for hands on experience in both the canine and human reproduction fields...and for transporting ideas from human to canine repro. She is firmly anti-Caesarian, and gives good advice on techniques solve problems such as the stuck puppy, that often drive people into the vet for an emergency C-section. If your local library doesn't have the books you want, PUT IN REQUESTS!!!!!! It's the squeaky wheel that gets greased. While previous generations had more hands on experience, they also accepted much higher rates of puppy, and bitch, mortality.

That would be the Fila Brasiliero, originally bred for hunting big game and recapturing run-away slaves. There are two registries. One has tried to tone down the aggressiveness. The other tries to retain it. In the latter registry, dogs are not faulted for biting the judge at specialty shows. And, yes, there are many people who think this ban should be lifted.

Nostalgia isn't so helpful. Breeds came out of land races, and there was selection for type when the registries were created and closed. Before that, there were no prohibitions on crossing types and creating new types. I would imagine that before, say, 1850, dog types, shapes, and conformation were in constant flux. Dogs are not precious antiques, to be maintained in original condition. Original condition is a myth. Most dog occupations have dwindled to near nothing. Pulling carts, baiting bulls, and catching fish that slipped a barbless hook (for the St. John's dog) are no longer employing many dogs. Small herds of sheep and cattle are scarce. A sight hound used for game would soon be shot. Hunting of upland birds or waterfowl is hard to find in Australia. The derived dog sports: retrieving trials, sled races, herding trials, require a big commitment on the owners' part, and will never be widespread. Even ratting and hunting of small vermin are largely displaced. Pig and rabbit hunting, and perhaps livestock guardian functions, are alive and well. We need to work more at seeing that the dogs we breed are good for the functions they will serve. In most cases, the goal should be producing healthy, well-adjusted pets (companion animals, if you prefer).

I've not been posting here as US litters aren't so interesting if you live in Australia. But WTH. Bonza is due on 10 August. Xrays show 8 to 10 pups. Not expecting a milk shortage, she's dripping a bit already.

misplaced post....moved to Litters due in Ausust

Anyone want ammunition for the discussion of why to buy from a legit breeder. I came across three good articles in Forbes Magazine, written from the perspective of someone who started with a rescue dog and had problems, and then got a pup from a good breeder, with great results. See http://www.forbes.com/sites/allenstjohn/2012/02/17/how-much-is-that-doggie-in-the-window-the-surprising-economics-of-purchasing-a-purebred-puppy/ The first article links to two other articles, both good material.

I,ve been reading Myea Savant Harris' bok, Advanced Canine Whelping and Puppy Care. She recommends use or something called Fertile Focus as an alternative to program testing. It allows monitoring estrogen levels using saliva and a microscope http://www.amazon.co...e/dp/B000S2O1CI This is marketed for women monitoring their cycles. People reviewing it in Amazon say it also works for checking sperm motility. Has anyone used this approach? There also seems to be an option for monitoring LH based on strips in urine. Would this work for dogs? http://www.amazon.co...ef=pd_sim_hpc_2

I sense a pattern. In this case, like the 2 yr old who was killed a few years ago, and the Ayen Chol death, the owner wasn't around and dog care was left in the hands of someone else. Advice on management of large, potentially dangerous dogs doesn't usually include advice on how to care for them when you leave town. Pet sitters or leaving with a relative seems to be a dangerous option.

If those factors were 'secondary', then every big dog would 'kill' or seriously attack. The evidence is that most don't. Go look at the scientific studies. Studies looking into aggressive behaviours in dogs of all sizes & breeds & mixed breeds at the University of Cordoba found that human factors in what people did or did not do, in managing and training their dogs, was the key factor. Their conclusion was that people need to socialize & train their dogs. But they acknowledged some could have issues like neurological problems. One factor that came out as more linked with development of aggression... was small size. Yes, small size. Because owners didn't see the necessity to train them & also because they are more likely to be pampered & spoiled. Yet small size dogs can do serious harm to the statistically most vulnerable age bracket.... babies, toddlers & young children. Because the child's face is on a level with the dog & their finer skin is very easily injured. Mita, could you please provide a fuller reference for this study. I tried looking it up, but it's pretty hopeless to find a paper just knowing the University name. The closest I came was a paper based on an owner survey using an opportunistic sampling strategy. This came out putting breed very high in the list of factors correlated with aggression. See http://www.medwelljo...aa.2009.336.342 If this is the study you're citing, its methods are weak. It has been widely picked up by media, but I don't think the results have been accurately reported.

Don't know if you can buy these in Oz, but a company called Little City Dogs has started selling the generic equivalent of Capstar (and Revolution) for much lower prices than the brand name. See http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_19?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=little+city+dogs+capstar&sprefix=little+city+dogs+ca%2Caps%2C1004 < $1/capsule if you get a bottle of 100.

Most breeders would eliminate a dog or bitch with a high hip score, even with no clinical manifestation, even if the bloodlines ran good hip scores. What you describe is much worse than a radiographic only case of moderate HD.I would not breed or use such a dog. If I did so it would only be a test litter, to be carefully monitored. You can, presumably, rule out environmental factors, because you don't have other dogs with the same condition...so there's a strong possibility that the condition is genetic.

Here's the rationale (which I don't believe, but the GSD people take seriously). "The gait, which describes movement, is called the flying trot. The German shepherd is supposed to have a far front reach as well as great rear end extension. This produces a dog that glides across the ground, covering a large area in few moves, which is the right movement for a dog keeping a flock of sheep together. In fact, the whole visual picture illustrates the qualities necessary to do their intended work. Large, strong and fast might simply state the breed's physical attributes." from www.stevediller.com/articles/german_shepherd.pdf‎ Seems to me that kelpies do a great job of keeping a flock of sheep together without resorting to a strange gait that seems to be gliding.

The official standard for GSD quality comes out of Germany, where they have selected heavily for the 'flying trot', and accept the sloping back that goes with it. Loose hocks are not supposed to be part of the picture, but they often seem to be introduced when breeding to meet the show standard. See, eg., the example video clip at http://www.caninetrainingsystems.com/product/V-GSD-5/The-German-Shepherd-Dog-the-German-Way-Set Fortunately, there are many GSD breeders who aim for a squarer, more normal-looking dog. They just aren't winning in the show ring.

Good questions.I Having spent some years managing a boarding kennel and seeing dog after dog with skin problems, I wish more breeders considered skin problems in their breeding programs. Chronic skin problems can be as much discomfort and expense as HD or epilepsy! I haven't had to deal with this one as the dogs I've owned personally have had no allergies...not even flea allergy...and I've never had a report-back from a puppy buyer reporting allergy problems. In theory, the genetics of allergies are tied up in the MHC/DLA and problems are more likely if there is a lot of homozygosity in this region. Ie, inbreeding (including line breeding) is likely to result in more allergy problems. I've seen no hard evidence saying this is true.

I'd like to see evidence that they work first. Notice there were 0 reviews with the posted add. If a dog can get its elbows over, or hits with enough forward momentum and the right angle, it's over and out.

Reasonable request. Looks like you got what you asked for. For me, the bottom line is it doesn't hurt to ask.