Carolk9s

$135 for 6 weeks is high to me. Same price for an 8 week class is still a bit high but it does depend on some factors. Before signing up, I would ask what is the size limit of the class, how many instructors/helpers will be present. Ideal class size for just one instructor with no helpers would be 6-8, with a helper, 8-10. You don't want to be in a class that is so large that each dog/handler gets just one or two chances to work each class. Beginner classes here do cost a bit more than the next level but not by that much. $100 for an 8 week class is more reasonable to me.

I'm sorry about Joe Pawpaw. The pain of your loss is a testament to your love for him.

Mine get their marrow bones raw and love them! I would caution against letting a dog have too much marrow at one sitting, might give them a touch of diarrhea.

oops, way my day is going I thought subject line meant our employers. 8) Mine-meaning the dogs now-still get the wild hair up their butts now and then and destroy a newspaper left on the table or an ENTIRE BOX of kleenex that has sat in the same spot for weeks.

Of course the good news is that folks won't be rushing out to buy and breed Belgian Sheepdogs based on the dog that won. 8)

I watched it last night, I am VERY disappointed in the Belgian Sheepdog that had won breed and was in the herding group. Not criticizing cause I've never been in those shoes, just disappointed. He was as skittish as a newborn foal. I know Westminster is big and noisy and strange and hot and and and....but THAT dog was the representative of the Belgian Sheepdog to millions of viewers. THAT dog seemed afraid of his own shadow. Via the Belgian list I have heard that he was just as skittish in the breed judging. I don't care how well put together a dog is physically, if their temperament is not proper, does not hold up under pressure, they should NOT be top dog on that day. Yes the BSD is not quite two years old yet, but again the best dog both physically AND mentally should be put up. On the other hand I was VERY impressed with Gus, the Belgian Malinios. He had a nice air of calm competence about him. Brig the Terv looked very nice also.

I sure hope Courtnek is kidding. If you want a short haired yellow lab like dog, get a lab. If you want a longer haired yellow dog, get a retriever. Or adopt a dog from the shelter that may indeed be a mix of the two. Sick of designer breeding and mixing of breeds to fill a percieved niche that is already adequately filled.

Brittany has had a ringworm type infection, she would get it on a yearly basis. I found that if I caught it early, I could control it with alcohol to clean the skin and neosporin. She went a few years without an outbreak but had one again recently. I had stopped giving the dogs The Missing Link supplement for a while, they are all back on it, her skin is clean and clear.

the star crate looks pretty nice, I considered buying one some time ago but had a bit of a money crunch at the time and never did.

I am SO jealous, how lovely to be trailside watching the northern lights play across the sky. sigh....woe is me. Glad you and your pack had a great time out there Pumpkin

Now if you are looking for a very STRONG STURDY crate, this one looks good at sitstay.com I have ordered from sitstay before, not a crate but various things. Their shipping is fairly quick and I've never had reason to complain about the stuff I've gotten. [url]http://www.sitstay.com/store/equip/cratepp1.shtml[/url] The nylabone folding crate looks nice too, just depends on what you want, plastic or metal. I have always had metal wire crates until I got Candy, she has a plastic vari kennel. It does not fold down but makes a right handy end table with a cloth draped over it. I took the door of, she goes in and out of it on her own. I don't know which is considered 'better', metal wire or plastic, I know each has it's pros and cons. Is Humby a chewer? A hard chewer? A hard dedicated chewer? 8) If so I think a wire crate would be better but again I really don't know if either is overall superior.

General Cage makes good ones, Midwest makes good ones. I recently bought a HUGE crate from Concepts for Pets, their site is [url]http://www.conceptsforpets.com/[/url] It is an EZ-Crate, the large is 42"L X 28"W X 32"H Pretty sturdy but I did have to adjust the fit of the side door once I got the crate. This crate is really big and fairly heavy. Their site says they only have a few left as they have been popular. I saw in an earlier thread that Humby might top out anywhere between 50 and 90 lbs. If she was going to stay closer to 50, I'd say you could probably use the medium sized crate, that one is selling for $38.99. If she will get closer to the 90 lb mark, I'd suggest the larger crate, it is $48.99 I think shipping for each is about $14.

Hey Corgilady! Heard about Echo joining your family, congrats! Cannot wait to meet Echo and get reaqquainted with you!

The tent style or fabric crates would be easy for a destructive dog to ruin and escape from. I personally would NOT recommend using a soft sided crate if the dog will be alone in the house even for a short time. I personally would ONLY use them if the dogs are at least somewhat supervised. Even a dog that is not normally destructive might find a thread sticking out, a weak spot, an opportunity, and in their boredom eat their way out of the crate and perhaps into the vets office. Just MHO, I think their best use is at shows, lightweight, easily portable, good airflow. Lots of people nearby to catch dog should dog escape.

[quote]they look like a really good idea for travelling as with the solid crates it is foldable [/quote] weeeelll yes and no. They are very lightweight, fold down and allow air flow for the dogs. But they will offer about zero protection in a car crash except for perhaps a minor fender bender. Now they might contain the dog in a moderate accident but if anything were to crush downward on the crates, they would not offer as much resistance as a good gauge wire or well made plastic kennel. They are also not for the dog that is not perfectly trained to respect a crate. Any dog that has separation anxiety issues or gets antsy and chews or paws hard can rip their way out. I have seen them in use at the agility trials, again for a dog that is well trained regarding crates, this use is perfect.

I know I know! :multi: :multi: sitstay has the cabana soft sided crates, their link is [url]http://www.sitstay.com/store/equip/cabana.shtml[/url] Clean Run also has them at [url]http://www.cleanrun.com/category.cfm?Category=156[/url] JB Pets has soft sided tent crates [url]http://preview.jbpet.com/Shopping/category.asp?catalog%5Fname=JBWholesale&category%5Fname=CratesSoft&Page=2[/url]

Bensam I am so sorry to hear that Ben is gone. My heart aches for you. A dogs only flaw is that their time on earth is just too short.

Daisysmom, My thoughts are with you, I know how difficult this is. I remember all too well just sitting on the floor at the vets crying like I would never stop when I let my Dawna go. I think it's wonderful that your vet will come out to you so Trixie will be at home with those who love her while she is helped over the rainbow bridge. I think the idea of having her cremated and keeping the ashes is a good idea, if later you decide to bury her ashes in one of her favorite spots, that will be an option for you. This most painful decision is made from the love you have shared with Trixie for so many years, bless her and you.

Thats very sad, my heart goes out to them. Losing their precious pal this way, how terrible.

So funny! Thanks for sharing the giggles!

Lets see, clicker training and not begging. One way is to teach the down/stay. First teach it away from dinner time and the table. Teach her to lie down using the clicker to mark the correct behaviour as soon as it happens. Then expand on that and teach her to stay using the clicker. Again your initial training is in a fairly quiet place with not a bunch of distractions, like a savory steamy pot roast sitting on the table. 8) Remember, the clicker is to mark her correct behaviour, I would not suggest using it as the release signal, I would have a word for that such as OK or whatever you like. At first, be right near her, only ask her to stay for 30 seconds or even 15 if she's too antsy waiting longer, and gradually increase your distance from where she is supposed to stay. Do not click until she has stayed the time you are asking her for. After you click and treat, give the release word. Advanced training is to delay giving the release word a few seconds after click/treat. Also work on the stay command when she is in a sitting position. At dinner time, put Isabelle in her down/stay. At first maybe wait just a minute or two, while you are at the table, repeat her stay command, get up and walk to her with the clicker and a treat, click and treat IF SHE HOLDS HER STAY. Remember, at the very second you click, you are reinforcing her current behaviour. If she moves from her stay, do NOT click and treat, even if she held it while you were sitting and only broke as you approached. She must hold the stay until you give her a release word such as OK or DONE or whatever you like. Again build up the time you expect her to stay over time. If you do not want her to beg, NEVER allow it. Be consistant in your expectations.

Any possibility you can put a wood privacy fence along that one side of the yard? Even if it's just 4 ft tall. I believe even with the strips there will be enough gaps that the dogs can still see each other.

NO ONE MADE NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT YOUR PITS! Take a step back and reread any post you found 'negative' with an open mind, take it in spirit it was intended which would simply be to educate you and give you forewarning. Have you heard the saying, 'forewarned is forearmed'? In other words, when you KNOW what signals, actions, attributes to be on the lookout for, you will be far better prepared to deal with any potential problems that may arise. Pits are not spaniels or setters or hounds. Pits are wonderful dogs but as the owner of two, YOU must be fully aware of their patterns, their mindsets, their thought processes, their 'hot' spots etc. What might trigger a response? You have been given some advice and some warning info, you would be very wise indeed to take it to heart.

There is a Staffy or pit mix female that is brought to the park I take mine to. The man who owns her said she is a Staffy, then said he adopted her from the SPCA so she might be a mix. The first time she and my dogs met, she and Candy did quite a bit of run and bump with just a few minor grumbles. I was there this past weekend with my dogs, the other dog was too. There were a couple of Schnauzers there, twice the bully girl went after one of them with much flashing of teeth and snarls but did no harm. I asked the guy how old his girl is, just about 2. While not wanting to be biased against this bully girl, I will be watching her closely for any more sharp behaviour, my dogs are not angels either and I know if she snaps, especially at Candy, there WILL be a fight. Jesse would just think she is cute, Brittany might look horrified but Candy will drop the gloves and wade right in.

Yes I saw Skidboot and his owner perform. Simply stunning, amazing, etc. I was really impressed with how tight their performance was.