bridgie_cat

I am in Geelong TSD. Thanks for the recommendation of the Fenzi blog! Good reading. I think we need to train focus in the face of the judge + ring distractions. If she were focusing at all then duration would be fine - but at the moment it is like she is getting more and more sensitive to going inside the ring so going to stop going in and go back to training with joy and working on these specific challenges!

Hello, I am looking for suggestions or article recommendations for training a dog to be happy and focused in the trial ring. This is something I have taken for granted with several dogs and just plunged them all straight from training into a trial ring and expected nice work - but am having trouble with one of our girls being "ring savy" and really switching off in the ring. I am sure it is a nervous issue and confidence thing when she is out there. She will sometimes do a bit of work, but more and more is starting to sniff and wander and ignore commands when in the ring. She is of course great at training! And in watching her switch off, I am thinking more and more that this is something I should be doing specific training toward - I think it would help my other dogs fire up for competition work too! I recall reading an article about training the specific behaviours involved in competing at one point... but now cannot remember where I found it! Any advice or links would be much appreciated! Bridget

Is the answer to be able to PROVE to each of these groups (govt, animal rights etc) where the pound dogs are coming from? Can we not just add "breeder contact details" to the microchip information? I think dog breeding is already heading toward smaller and smaller numbers in each individual kennel, but I see it as a great loss to breeds... and it comes down to what you wrote about needing numbers to allow for adequate selection pressure and improvement. Many breeders would now have 1-4 bitches - and if one of them has a less than ideal nature, average health results, lacks breed type, or has issues breeding and whelping naturally... well - we probably still work with what we have! Because there is little to no fall back with such small numbers. The kennel of a previous generation had enough dogs that if there were any of the above issues, that bitch could simply be excluded without it being a huge loss to the plans and genetic pool for that breeder. AND there was a larger number of litters and generations all being bred with a single mind and set of goals - where that kennel will develop a "type" and be known for specific qualities/strengths.

TCI and surgical are both intrauterine deposition so comparable re where the semen is going. TCI is more technically difficult so limited places will perform, but otherwise less invasive, doesnt have the same risk of creating antibody recognition of semen for subsequent breedings etc etc... all thinks you probably know. I would have thought a normal AI would probably be OK given fresh chilled is still going to swim a lot better than frozen... Will be interested to hear if we have breeders on the forum who have done much with fresh chilled and either vaginal or intrauterine AI. edit typo

there is a wonderful resource in Sweden (and I think some of the surrounding countries?) where they register the relevant health testing results in a breed (for shelties it is eye test results for CEA and PRA and also hip scores). It is an automatic registration of all dogs tested, so does not rely on the breeders displaying these or sharing the pedigree. Even MORE than that - there is a tab which displays the litter statistics for each dog!! Number of puppies born, number tested, results as a base number, and as a percentage of tested puppies for each health trait.... This does not mean that they don't breed from CEA affected dogs there - it just means there is a very honest and well documented record for all the dogs that EVERYONE can see so they can make informed and smart decisions re the risk of using various dogs or lines. I would LOVE to see this type of record keeping and sharing come into Australia... I just dont know who to ask...

I wonder if this will include decisions to not desex, or desex at a later age, based on study findings relating to health benefits of remaining entire? Or perhaps those owners wishing to keep such benefits will need to look at hormone sparing options like vasectomy? (or OSS for girls - although I dont know that the benefit is so clear in girls for entire vs spey and overall health...) I think this (blanket desexing) is going to be very hard to police, and I am not sure if it is in the best interest of all pets. I would really rather see smart changes coming in regarding information which is recorded on microchips. Compulsory microchiping prior to sale has been in place for some time in many states. If we were to add a section on the chip which was "breeder - name, contact, +/- registration details where they have one" - then we can track where the pound dogs are coming from. Once you can track where these dogs originate, we could look at having fines, or breeding limitations/suspensions, or some other form of control/negative feedback for breeders whose puppies end up in the pound system, if they are not willing to take some sort of appropriate responsibility for those dogs. This would be a particularly direct/targeted measure for dealing with dogs ending up in pounds - and aside from compliance around microchips, and changing contact details, it would I think be a much more manageable thing to police - as you are able to focus on a problem area rather than the whole of society...... and uses a system which is already largely in place. I think many breeders would want to know if one of their dogs ended up in the pound. And I think those that do not care that their dogs are ending up in pounds should not be breeding said dogs, or in a situation where they are selecting homes for dogs. Just my thoughts.

certainly done this - same situation being in a small town with 1 club where old methods are still used. I think it is still nice if it is a well run class re the exercises done and the proofing ideas and opportunities it presents - as long as you are happy using shaping and luring for the various exercises you will need to teach (obviously if you need help teaching exercises you are likely to be given the correction method of doing so!). I find I really need to still have that regular class to keep me training and giving me ideas of what to train next etc. I found it best to quietly excel with an enthusiastic food trained dog in this situation, rather than offer too much in the way of advice or correcting the instructors... bound to lead to conflict or annoyance. If asked - then yes - say what you are doing. Otherwise quietly train your own way and do the same exercises the class does, but better ;) . Should be fine :) You will have to decide yourself if you are happy to be around others training with the old method. It probably depends how severe the corrections are for me personally, and whether the class is otherwise well run, as to how happy I am to stay in said situation. Good luck with it all - it's a tough one if that is all that's on offer!

THIS I would and have taken deposits (after 6 weeks - if I have decided that a puppy is definitely available etc) so that you dont end up holding a puppy until 10+ wks, turning away other interested and good homes, only to find out they were not as genuine as they seemed (yes, you try to vet a home as best you can, but I feel a deposit after this stage is a good show that they are intending to go through with it etc). BUT - if for any reason the person decided they didnt want the pup, or were no longer able to take it due to a change in circumstances... then I certainly dont want them to feel obliged to go through with the sale because they have already put money towards it!! I just want the puppy to be in a home where it is genuinely wanted and cherished. So perhaps the deposit is pointless? But I feel it at least says they are at least at that stage fully intending on getting the puppy...

I have found raw hide type treats to work best. long lasting and keep teeth really clean but not hard enough or fatty enough to cause issues with broken teeth or upset tummies.. We use schmakos chew strips, blackdog pork twists, various other raw hide things... I have also used and recommend chicken necks and wings - although have not been doing that as much of late. my dogs have excellent teeth - the only issue we have had was my older girl who fractured her carnassials when we used to give marrow bones!!

in my experience it depends on how easily the placenta comes away. Occasionally they are not ready and cause a lot of bleeding if pulled away... and in those cases they may be best left behind. I do know some vets who will routinely leave them, but my preference is to take them out with the pups if its possible...

the exercise book sounds like it is largely about age appropriate physical exercise?

where do you recommend they order if from out of interest Starkehre? Colour me intrigued :)

A series of DVDs on raising/socialising/training with puppies from 0-12 weeks. https://www.puppyculture.com/index.html anyone heard anything about this? good or bad?

How is your puppy GordonDaSheltie?

What we have ended up with at this stage, based on what we want to name the puppies for pet names, is: Irish Rose (Rosie) and Barely Irish (or Bearly Irish?) (Teddy) Went over all the clever names but couldnt agree on one that had a good name attached :laugh: Thanks for the help guys!

sorry - double post. Please delete

Hey! Struggling to find some good names for my current litter. I have 2 pups (shelties) - 1 boy, 1 girl. The theme is "Irish" - so whether it is a well known irish phrase or drink or character or just contains the word "Irish" I dont mind. Have been considering things like "Irish Clover" "Luck O The Irish" "Murphys Law" etc. If there is a pet name hidden in there then all the better! (I had even been thinking of doing something simple and silly like "absolutely irish" and calling the girl Abby :) ). Kennel name is 8 letters. I know you guys are great at coming up with inventive reg names so thanks in advance for any ideas!! Bridget

and right on time we have sheltie babies - the clever girl :) - we have 1 boy 1 girl born 16/12

Litter of Shelties due 16th Dec (tomorrow... in theory :D )

I ended up going to http://www.pvcpipesuperstore.com.au/ agree re bunnings joins being very expensive. particularly if doing more than just a couple of jumps! and doing these wings takes a LOT of joins! I have received my order from the above online store - about 1/2 the price of anything at bunnings? the pipe is the lower pressure stuff. I havnt tried putting anything together yet but the fittings look great. the pipe is a bit thinner thus a couple of areas have been flattened in transport but for the most part I think it looks like it will be just fine :)

Just sad seeing so many discussions along these lines. Breeders terms should be a good opportunity for both parties - O gets a top quality dog at a reduced cost, one that would not have otherwise been available, dog lives the spoilt life of being one of probably only 1 or 2 dogs, breeder still has access to lines and breedings they have been planning for generations. The dogs get to live in their forever home from puppyhood, where they may otherwise have been rehomed as young adults to afford the breeders the same opportunity to continue with that particular individual without long term keeping as many dogs (and in my mind that is the big challenge - how to continue improving and planning breedings without having so many dogs that you can no longer enjoy them as pets and family members). It should be a win win win. I would have expected that the number of times a stud in this situation will actually get used would be fairly limited... unless the breeder truly is cranking out litters without any aim for continuing improvement. Perhaps that is an unfair assumption? But I cannot imagine a situation in which a single dog could be useful more than a few times in a breeding program (obviously dependent on the number of bitches available and the quality of the dog, but even then, surely there is a limit to how many litters and puppies one would run on from a single dog, presumably one that is also related to at least a portion of your breeding stock).

Ness - I dont see why it wouldnt work with the 20mm. It may be getting a bit narrow to get the slats into? But probably would still work. I use the 25mm because that is what the nicer jump cups fit onto (I like the ones that are made from snap on Ts - ie the deeper ones that dont flick off at the slightest knock).

these are the measures I ended up using but they were arrived at by cutting what was required and then retrospectively measuring it :) I was working on the basis of having a total wing width close to 40cm (and height of the short side of the wing approx 40 also). requires: 4 T pieces, 2 45deg bends, 4 end caps, perhaps 2.5 lengths of 25mm PVC pole. this is per wing. (you could replace the top T piece and 45deg bend with one Y piece if you can source them). Join the Ts and 45deg angle and also the T down to the foot using an inch of pipe so they join without any pole left over (just enough to fit the together) and then the foot on the short side you need to make tall enough so that the central upright is straight (check against a wall - correct any lean). Then evenly space the slats, mark where the will enter on the upper and lower, and create the slits. I burnt lines into the PVC using a big tent peg in a fire they obv have to be cut on a 45deg angle to fit into the top - and the top slits must be much longer than the lower to fit them in etc. I am looking to add the finishing touch by painting the frame - so will pop the slats out to finish them off :D *eta - in the first post I have shown it with a T piece finishing the leg on the "short side" - but since then I have changed that to a short pole and end cap to make it neater.

Thanks guys :) The panels are a plastic slat I found in Bunnings... it was $15/2.4m - I dont honestly know what it is called! But very easy to cut, 6mm thickness, 5cm width - perfect lightweight stuff for the slats. Melted holes into the PVC to insert slats - but a cleverer person may have a tool to cut the correct slots... :p

Hello, Wonder if any of you lovely agility DIY equip builders have some words of wisdom. I have worked out a good model for building wings using PVC pipe and some plastic skirting stuff - but bunnings prices for all the fittings are quite steep! (better than buying them made - but still around $75/wing set) Anyone know a good shop around geelong/melb to buy fittings (25mm T's, 45 deg bends, caps... Y pieces etc) at better prices? Or the best online stores to look at? Thanks in advance :D Bridget