bridgie_cat

Thanks for the replies :) re the shempoos specific for colours - do you not use these on the whites of the dog? will they discolour them? I assume the black ones might?

I have been looking to try a new shampoo for my Shelties - and wondered if anyone has tried the E-Z groom crystal shampoos? I am looking at the Crystal Gold shampoo as I have "brown dogs"... but would be interested to hear any reviews on this product in general. Or indeed any recommendations of other shampoos! We have Plush Puppy right now which is quite nice. Bridget

great topic :) some really good points to think on for those of us looking at importing bloodlines in one form or another

Hello, I am looking for a good book aimed at starting clicker training/one that explains the concept well in a concise and fun way. Really hoping for easy reading… This is particularly with the aim of finding something I can include in a puppy pack for new owners to offer encouragement/a good source of info on positive reinforcement :) I have read parts of "Quick Clicks: 40 fast and fun behaviours to train with a clicker. By Mandy Book and Cheryl Smith" and thought this one quite good - although perhaps a bit long… Also loved Shaping Success by SG - which was very easy reading!! But perhaps too geared toward agility type behaviours and not enough specific direction for getting started with a clicker… Any recommendations or links appreciated! Bridget

I should add that in my situation the new owner really wanted to have a litter, without prompting, and was very happy for it to be part of my breeding plan/under my prefix etc when I offered that option. This being the case, they are happily taking on the risk that anyone breeding a litter takes on re costs of c-sections and other vet bills etc (and we discussed this). I am sure I would feel differently if I had talked them into a litter…. I must say that if I was covering all costs of a litter I would be very inclined to have the bitch when she was whelping and probably the first few weeks of puppies (when things could be more complicated) - whether or not she and the pups stayed until 8-12wks or for too much of the pregnancy etc that could be worked around - but if I was taking responsibility of c-sections etc I would want to be the one supervising, making the call, using my vet etc. I would feel awkward myself and also like I was putting the owner in a tricker decision making position to have them hand off all the bills after the fact… At least if I make the call and I am paying for X Y Z (sections, sick puppies, general checks etc) then I would not feel the added pressure of justifying spending someone else's money - a layer of complication I would not want to get into.

I have a girl out, who we are not sure if we will breed, but we sorted terms with the new owners before they bought her. Charged normal purchase price (in Shelties there is often no difference between pet and show price), they are raising the litter and are responsible for all costs associated (stud fee, eye testing which is mandatory in the breed, vet fees) and receive all moneys from puppies. If I want to do additional testing I will pay for that (DNA etc). i have said I will pay for registration of the pups (largely because they are being bred in my kennel name and this would simplify any paperwork etc - it is not a big part of the cost). I have the option of purchasing pick puppy for the same price as they paid for their girl - as I would be picking the stud and it would be part of my ongoing breeding plans etc (if I had arranged this with someone wanting to start up with a foundation etc then I would need to have considered whether I was taking first pick in the first litter then signing her over or ?? but this family really wanted to breed a litter with support but not much more from there so it is simple). It was what seemed most fair and simple to me - but it is very situation specific I think…

hmmm… amacin? ABs and antiinflams combined? doesn't necessarily work but this would be my assumption for one to try…. eta - what Kirty said below - and the longer it is out the more likely it will stay out (if trying to treat medically) and they often need surgery to actually fix them.

39.3 is the upper end of normal. I would be worried about 39.5+ too? although normal behaviour etc is a good sign. endometritis and mastitis being the big ones to watch for….. did the vets give you antibiotics or are you just monitoring for now? edit typo

if you have a definite due date, that helps. you can safely elect to do a c-section 63 days post LH or 61 days post ovulation. just from mating dates it is very easy for your "due date" to be out by a factor of 7 days or more in some cases. otherwise you are waiting for: progesterone <2ng/mL (around 6.5nmol/L) and/or foetal heart rate <200bpm (indicates foetal distress and imminent parturition) - can be assessed via ultrasound. radiographs can be a fairly accurate assessment of foetal age depending on what bones are visible according to one review paper I have read - seems to have been reasonably true in practice? But I would not be keen to base a c-section date solely on this method when compared to the above options which are the accepted guidelines.

yes - definitely some breeds are more likely to be barkers ... and yes I think all the breeds discussed here are in that category.... perhaps I should rephrase that: the rest can be best dealt with and improved by management and training.

I would just aim for the dog you really would love to own, and then be choosey about the kennel/parents you get it from - the rest is about management and training. Any dog will bark if they are bored and left in the yard with nothing better to do. And many breeds will bark when people ring the door bell etc. All comes down to training and realistic expectations. Best of luck with whatever you decide

are there any nice individuals at the club you can cosy up to? even if you have a hard time with the people in power, can you play their game, tick whatever boxes they want ticked, then just train with someone nice? clubs can be their own little dictatorship at times - and it is terrible when it is to the detriment of peoples enjoyment and participation in classes

another vote for sheltie given your preference for a trainable dog that is not interested in strangers :) shelties are very trainable and soft natured. correct temperament is aloof or reserved with strangers and intensely loyal to family. some shelties are nervous/flighty around strangers (incorrect temperament) so it is worth meeting parents and cousins of the line you are looking at - naturally it comes down to good socialising too with all these things. from what I understand spitz breeds are much more head strong and thus less biddable. I am sure they would still be very fun to train and good at what they do - but if you are comparing the two I think shelties will win that particular race. I may or may not be just a little biased in my preference ;)

some of the are :laugh: ... still depends on the individual

Agree re shelties - some great ones around, some nervy ones, and yes some downright lazy/switch off ones (training vs temperament? who knows!).... Most of the competitive ones are still "soft" in regard to training however (very responsive, easily corrected) so if that is not what you are into then perhaps not a sheltie :)

interestingly the first section of their FAQ is whether they will register dogs that are otherwise placed on the limited register with normal ANKC. and yes - yes they do. so whatever reason the breeder had for placing them on limit is ignored... so long as they pass a vet check. if the registry meant anything then I am certain this would be very upsetting for actual reg breeders selling their pups on limited reg.

it is great that you are doing some research into health issues early and lots of these ARE preventable so good things to know. As far as understanding what may happen with your own dog - many things are breed specific or size specific so starting more in that direction may help. This is also a great conversation to have with your vet as they will often be able to tell you things to watch out for with your chosen breed AND will be able to give good advice on how to avoid some of those general problems (eg dental disease, weight issues, how to reduce your risks of HD or arthritis where possible)...

I have used 22 and 18G needles to put holes in. The other method that works very well is to chew a bit of a hole in using the corner of your tooth - tends to smoosh it/make a ragged hole that will just drip instead of gush etc. Definitely takes a couple of goes so I also have spare teats on hand when I am playing these games

thanks sway

Saw mention of new rules coming in at the end of 2014 for frozen semen importing and wonder if anyone could shed some light on what is going to be different? Thanks in advance :)

you have to be a member - or friends with a member as you can take in a guest - its $60 per year and you can get 2 cards for your household. I'd have to say you don't need to buy very much to get your moneys worth. but it does tend to be very random things.... I have 1L of maple syrup, 2 huge things of instant coffee... enough cinnamon to last me a lifetime, 2kg of chocolate chips... etc etc. actually for cooking supplies they are excellent.

Re it being a heart issue - dogs can have ascites from right sided failure or pericardial effusion but still be quite happy and seemingly normal. Subtle signs of exercise intolerance or restlessness and increased respiratory rate would be likely, but may not be obvious.

can I say, found AMAZING beds in Costco in melbourne for between $50-65 with thick memory foam mattresses, really nice thick filling on the others, good designs and thick sturdy material covers that can be taken off and washed... I will just go find a photo of the one I picked up....... Naturally, Lana is not sharing :laugh: Could not find anything of this quality in the cheap stores and would not pay any less than $100-$150 to get this sort of thing from a pet supplier from what I have seen.

we had a talk on this food at work the other day. it sounds excellent to me - the delicate is both hypoallergenic and has the omega fatty acids in the correct concentration and ratio for skin which is excellent. mine ate it happily but given the option Royal Canin hypoallergenic (and the skin support for that matter) were still preferable for taste.

we had 3 girls and 1 boy via c section monday night!! EASTER BABIES!! all doing very well, gaining weight, worryingly fast for a day old, very hard to get mum into position without multiple puppies zooming to wherever she was trying to sit :laugh: this is 2 of the girls :)