SparkyTansy

Very excited... our little weimaraner breed club (not yet affiliated) has offered and been accepted to sponsor a Neuter Class for the Gundog Club of WA show in August. it's not the first show to offer the Neuter class, but it is one of a few clubs that has offered the class in WA this year. We are hoping for at least 3 Neuter Weimaraners from our club to come along and see what it's all about and have ensured that all the paperwork for them has been done so that they can enter. I have a neuter boy English, but his coat is awful so not really worth entering him, but it'll be great to see some weis in there.

Ari had phantoms every season up til this time around when she was mated. I expected it each time with her. I know of someone who had a mating, didn't get an ultrasound as they were sure that the bitch was pregnant. Posted photos up close to the time she was due - she was huge - had people on FB guessing 10-12 pups. Due date came and went - went to the vet for ultrasound - no pups. Was the most convincing phantom ever. She was huge, producing milk and went through some of the whelping behaviours... in saying that IL, is there any chance that she could still have one hiding in there and the vet missed it?

hey guys I've decided that when the time comes I'll be putting updates into the Weimaraner thread in Breed Sub forums, so any of you that are interested in following Ari's litter progress when it all starts, i'll put a quick notice up here but from then on it'll be in the wei thread. I am not sure just how many updates i'll manage though, since I don't have a laptop and if Ari is all fit I'm hoping she'll spit out puppies quickly but i'll try. Faolmor and Blues&Boots will be with me hopefully if it's not at some ungodly hour! Mas as long as the docs are aware I am sure you'll be fine... don't stress too much and I hope it all runs smoothly for you

yep i have some time off - my boss is very understanding and relaxed about teh whole thing so my leave will start from next week.

RS Ari is due on the 11th. We'll be on high alert from this weekend.

Congrats to everyone on their passes this weekend Ptolomy that is fantastic about Scoota - good luck today with his appointment I hope none of this bad luck rubs off on my - I need a smooth whelping please... RV - that really sux that your car was broken into. I know how it feels - you feel so violated. bloody b@r$t@rds I hope they get caught!! Why on earth would they steal your glasses too - gosh that must be awful!! Felt first puppy movements today

Congrats Murmarstaffs!!! such cute little babies!! Geting close now for us!! saw and felt first movements of the puppies yesterday. We have one very active one moving around in particular!! AdoubleJ that belly shot is crazy... she does look like she swallowed a basketball! Piper you can definitely see the different from the last April shot to the May shot.

AdJ... O...M..G

oh my gosh they are gorgeous Kanati - what colour would you call the girl in the top right with the black mask? sorry i dont know a lot about whippet colours all mine come in one colour.

- What is the best airline to fly on when traveling with a dog? They all vary - I tend to fly Qantas when I am flying with a dog - if you fly with Qantas, you book your dogs flights through Australian Air Express, however if you don't have your own crate, then you might need to go through a transport company to hire the crate. As you are flying accompanied, the cost won't be as high and you'll need to quote them your flight booking. I haven't flown any of the other airlines with dogs so hopefully someone else can help you out on that one. Check out the Australian Air Express website which has a good section on flying your pets. - How do I go about hiring an airline crate, I don't want to buy one as I won't use it enough Qantas I think accept metal/wire crates - do you have one of these? Or can you borrow one? - If it's really cold when you are flying them, can you put them in a jumper or that not recommended/allowed? Not sure on this one - but the baggage area is apparently the same temperature as the cabin - not that it helps much, i always freeze my arse off when I fly - Assuming they fly without a collar on, do you take their collar and leash with you in your carry on luggage? Not necessarily in your carry on luggage. Your dog won't come out of their crate til you pick them up, and I am assuming you'd collect your luggage at the same time or before you pick your dog up. - When flying with your dog, what doggy things do you pack to take away with you? When i have flown with my dogs, it's been for shows, so I took all grooming equipment, shampoo, food and bowl. I was lucky enough to take a trolly/crate which had a table for the Old English which saved me needing to use a table. - If you are flying with your dog, is it correct that they are classed as excess baggage? Does this mean you can still take a suitcase with you? Yes you still take a suitcase - you still have to pay the extra for the dog, so it doesn't include the allowance for your luggage. - Can you bring bedding to put in the crate with them? I don't want her sitting in a hard crate with no softness to sit on Yes, however given the longer flights I tend to just use a crate mat or towel just in case. might not be such an issue for a shorter flight like yours.

Ptolomy I am glad that things are starting to move forward now... no thanks to your other practice... had you been going there for long? I hope you can get some answers on Monday... *hug* Ari saw and took chase of a Fox yesterday - she got about 20 m away from us and realised that she wasn't quite as fast as she thought, turned around and waddled back to us. Still I was very happy she came back when we called her. She still likes running up and down the sand dunes, but she only goes about 2 m up before turning around to run down now!

my dog stuff used to be everywhere... in every room of the house and outside, you'd find something dog related. I recently purchased a couple of large plastic containers and have some existing ones as well... i have a small one for all first aid/maintenance (ear cleaning etc). Next size up is for all grooming related products - shampoos, other grooming products which I mostly don't use now i dont show the setters Then I have two very large containers... one filled with special show catalogues, the last few canine news journals, ribbons, and a billion and one collars and leads. The other container isn't filled yet but its for all the whelping gear. I have a grooming box which has brushes, combs, scissors etc in it. again not that well used anymore as I don't show groom the setters. I have a regular show bag which has a couple of products in it for showing a weimaraner (showleads, number holder and enough room for food and other crap that ends up in there)

Banjo!!

come on piper get them up - don't be shy we know that there is lots in there (mwa ha ha ha) so it's just a bit of fun it doesn't matter if you can't see much

It is a pretty pathetic look it looks like she is trying to tell people I am the most evil person on the planet from getting her to pose while I take photos of her.

ah ha ha ha!! yes she is certainly pregnant... who knows how many though. She probably would and could eat a bag of advance though!! She's due on May 12... not long to go!! Day 49 today. I'm starting to get nervous and keep freaking out that i haven't got all i need to have for the litter!

I find it hard to be rude to people and even harder to tell people no... since I don't know how many i am having (although it's confirmed) and I have a lot of enquiries for boys, I tell people that although there may be some still for sale, puppies are matched to homes based on temperament and requirements and so there is never a guarantee that there will be a puppy for them. Most people seem to accept this and the keen ones email me occasionally with questions or asking about my bitch. People who don't want/understand that their puppy is selected for them aren't worth my time. I also have a blog on my website and so I tell people to visit this if they want updates.

Thanks guys - RS yes James' tail has pretty much returned to normal so i guess two weeks is an extreme case. the only thing i can think of that may have brought it on is that he had a bath under the hose on Saturday and that is said to affect them (but usually it's going for a swim in cold water!) he was in a heap of pain on Sunday (which scared the crap out of me) but a day later and he was wagging again so it's all good. Poor Emery i hope you are feeling a little more sane now!! you must have been feeling very frustrated!! Lab Rat i think I am at the show on Saturday - working dog club show. are you coming to that one? here are ari's belly shots for this week. she looks sad and fed up but that's because i'm taking more photos of her... not because she's feeling pregnant - quite the opposite she is still running around as normal and up and down sand dunes.

about time you joined us claire! Sabi looks like she could have quite a few did you get her ultrasounded? I have no idea with Ari now... it's just not worth me guessing... Here is Ari's weekly belly shots - She is day 49 today (7 weeks)

Piper I am in the middle of doing what you have just done... getting whelping room ready... because we just moved, it's making things a little more difficult... but the extra extra long weekend has helped I am also not sure what I'll do about my outside puppy area yet... i'll be sorting that out next weekend. Murmarstaffs I hope that everything is ok with your girl...

This, because I am too lazy this morning to type!! Plus Mirawee thanksfor posting that vid up - She was certainly a character but her dogs were pretty amazing. Not much news here, except that we've worked out that James has Cold Tail/Dead tail - which apparently is quite common in gundogs, and particularly labs, English Setters and pointers - who would have thought right?!anyway, apparently it'll get betteri n a couple of weeks, and I have some pain meds that will help in the meantime. Poor James is being more sooky than usual and wants constant cuddles and won't leave my side... poor baby.

Auto I'm sorry that your girl is going through a hard time... my thoughts are with you.

So sorry Tris

Agree with christina - experiement to see how handles it best... however I opted for the easy way out and sent James away each time... but that may not be an option for you.

Fingers crossed for a positive result tomorrow Tris!!!