imported_Cassie

Report him. If it wasn't for nosey people (sorry, I'm not calling you nosey :oops: :lol: ) then there would be alot more abuse cases continueing with pets. My friend works for the SPCA, they will follow up on any ones call when it involves neglect. They will question the owners, the neighbors etc. She has confiscated more dogs and cats than you could imagine just from concerned neighbors or others who see some thing that just doesnt look right. If it wasn't for a concerned nosey neighbor I would never have gotten my wonderful Rottie Athena. She was left tied in a back yard while her owner was in jail, with just a couple of men down the road bringing an open bag of dog food for her every couple of days :cry: :evil: So, please report this.

[b]Beautiful border collie[/b], I meant to say that your dog & pups are beautiful. Lucky you :wink: [b]Hazelnutmeg, [/b] I meant to mention to you also, where you have such a keen interest in learning...and since you seem to have a deep affection for border collies :wink: a very good book I suggest you pick up is called. [b]Dogs, A startling new understanding of Canine origin, Behavior & Evolution. by, Raymond Coppinger and Lorna Coppinger[/b]. These biologist's have actually studied dogs and other wild Canines. They have raced sled dogs (Alaskan huskies) and have raised hundreds of border collies and live stock guardian dogs. They go into indepth detail about shaping behavior in dogs, distributing and mixing genes, behavioral conformation, motor patterns (these section I found VERY interesting, it explained alot to me regarding the predatory sequences of our dogs-it helped me understand my Rottie who has a very high prey drive) It also goes into detail regarding: behavioral conformation (shape of behavior, compulsive disorders) critical theory hypothesis crossbreeding They also discuss assistance dogs in great detail, very indepth. I could go on, there are some parts of the book I have a hard time comprehending...but on a whole it broadened my way of thinking when it comes to dogs and why they do the things they dog, and it also explained to me alot about genetics. I think the one thing I always think about when comparing true working dogs with show dogs is the difference in looks. With a working border collie you can line up 20 different border collies and have 20 dogs which look completely different from each other. Some may have their ears up, some down, some with long coats, medieum, short. etc. the same goes for true sled dogs (Alaskan huskys - they cross breed with border collies quite a bit) they can look alot different from each other. When you start showing dogs in conformation shows it turns into one big beauty contest. The dogs must look this way with a certain conformation, certain color, certain height etc. this further decreases the genes in our show dogs. The other thing is they start forgetting what they were breeding for in the first place.

[quote]I've never even THOUGHT about WHY show dogs have more problems then working dogs! But it makes sense that they are built for working not just in behavior, so that when you take away the behavior the dog "falls apart". It's like building a house sorta deal. If you take away the structure or some main beams or whatever, the house will fall[/quote] Exactly, I couldn't have said it better myself. :wink:

I have not seen the movie "best in show" I will be sure to watch it next time I get a movie in. A few of my "show" friends have rented the movie and did not find it funny at all...they probably thought it was just normal and don't see any humer in their actions. I have to say that I have to be forced to attend a dog show by my friends...I find them stressful and every one is on edge. Just a couple of weekends ago my friend invited me to go away with her to a dog show...I decided to go and entered one of my dogs in obedience. I am a pretty laid back person...but, by the end of the first day I was so stressed I thought I was going to slap some one. My friend was getting ready for the ring with her dog on the table, she asked me to run back to the van and get her show lead...I get there and there are 10 identical leather leads. I grab one and run back...she starts screaming at me saying that this was her exercise lead and not a show lead...now she was going to lose as she cannot possibly exhibit her dog with this lead. I was very embarressed and ran back to the van and grabbed the remaining 9 leads. She grabbed the proper lead and prompty took her dog off the grooming table. I never heard one word of sorry at all. There was not one bit of difference between any of those leads...they were all leather show leads...but, her exercise leads are just a little bit older than her show leads...and her show leads are black where her exercise leads are a dark brown (looked black to me) :niewiem: So, I'll pick up this movie...perhaps I can reminise on what I am not missing by not attending dog shows more often. :wink:

I have been known to share an ice cream cone with my dogs when out. One lick each, then I split the cone up for each one. If I go to Tim Hortons for my coffee, I always get my an every thing bagel to share. I always do a spot check before leaving the house, I have found big gobbers of slobber in my hair, on my bangs, on my butt, legs etc. so although I don't like looking at myself in a full length mirror....I have to. I have decided vacuuming should become an olympic sport, I have been in rigorous training for years, hey, they allowed sychronized swimming...its quite unfair not to recognize vacumming. :-? I have found myself having conversations with my dogs :o I also enjoy my meals with my dogs, I live alone with my dogs so they are my mates. If they could learn to prop themselves up in the chairs properly and develop table manners I would be all set. Lets see, they would not be considered working dogs, nor show dogs...I guess I am trying to develop a table top pleasure dog. I sleep with my dogs every night, even after a horrible rainy day when my dogs after their last walk for the evening have become soaked and or muddy. They still sleep with me and I don't object to having a muddy, soaked Newf's, Rottie and a dobie in bed with me. I have found I can change my bedding in the morning with no harm done. The coldest, most bitter Canadian day and I still take my dogs for their 3 daily hikes. I am sure the postal carriers could not keep up with us dog owners...come rain, nor shine nor sleet nor hail will keep me from walking my dog. I get up at 5:00 in the morning to start attending to my dogs. I only dream about sleeping in...some folks dream of winning the lottery...my goals are just a slight bit lower than that. :wink: I met a nice fellow a little while ago, when he came to my home and was introduced to my 6 dogs...he did a little flinch of sorts...I can't explain it, but, he was not thrilled to be in the company of my dogs. I ditched him very quickly. Years ago I would have put up with any thing to be with a good looking guy...now, my values have changed 360 degrees. My dogs come before people...you don't like my dogs, then I don't like you. It's no wonder other people tend to think of doggy people as being just a little wacko :oops: :wink:

Here is an interesting article: [quote]Border collie breeders are so sure that the behavioral profile is genetic that well bred puppies come iwth written guarantees that they will clap (show eye) as adulsts. Similarly, English pointers will show "point" and Chesapeake Bay retrievers will eagerly search and retrieve, or you get either your money back or a replacement dog. When I put a livestock-guarding dog pup out with a farmer, I cannot guarantee it will be trustworthy, attentive, and protective with sheep, because that adult behavior is variable, depending on the environment the dog is raised in. As a breeder I don't have any control over how a buyre raises the future guarding dog, and therefore I can't be sure the adult dog will direct proper behavior toward sheep. However, I should be willing to guarantee that the livvestock-guarding dog will not display the border collie clap as an adult. In other words, what is intrinsic behavior for livestock-guarding dogs is that they have no genetic predisposition to show eye stalk behavior, and cannot leearn to perform the clapping motor pattern. A behavioral conformation should not be more difficult to visualize than a physical conformation. "Eye", "point" and "retrieve" are actually physical characteristics. The dog standing in a show ring has a shape that is being judged. The border collie clapping (showing eye-stalk) in a sheep herding trial has a shape that is being judged. Pointing at a bird is a shape of a pointer. The show dog handler directs the shape of the dog for a judge just as the shephered directs the "eye" shape of a dog toward sheep, adn just as the sled dog driver directs the running shape of a team of dogs toward the finish line. I can't herd sheep with the show shape of a border collie. Sheep won't move away from the show shape of a dog, but they will run from the eye stalk shape. I can't teach a Chesapeake to assume the retriever shapes; what I do is direct the retriever towards objects I want it to retrieve. I picked border collies, pointers, and retirevers for this because each of them displays an unusual and unique set of predatory behaviors. In these breeds, the ancestral forms of the predatory behaviors have been exaggerated, hypertrophied, and ritualized. In each of the breeds a different motor pattern has been modified. What is unique to a breed is the form of the motor pattern and the sequence in which it appears. Thus, if I emphasize and rearrange the motor patterns, each breed becomes behaviorally unique-has its own behavioral conformation. The sequencing of these motor patterns is a product of artificial selection, that is, people adapting the breed to performing its task better than anyother breed or species. The concepts here can be complicated and are frequentely misunderstood. The field of dog behavior and behavior genetics in general is accompanied by an ambiguous and abused vocabulary, even among professionals. I shouldn't ever say that border collies have genes for herding, nor should I ever claim to be looking for genes for herding. In theory all motor patterns are internally motivated and internally rewarded. No border collie trialer or sled dog driver ever gives a food reward ffor performance. The dog already got its reward by performing the instinctual behavior.[/quote] [b]Quote by Raymond & Lorna Coppinger- biologists specializing in the domestic dog - wild canines. [/b] [quote]I think there are good things about all different kinds of Border Collies. If it's true that a Border Collie from showing lines is less high strung and energetic than a working dog, than I think that sort would be better as a pet. Why try to get a working Border Collie if you're not going to work it?[/quote] [b]Quote by Kendalyn[/b]. [quote]There is an even more severe problem occurring in the genetics of the household dog. The working dog was selected to behave in a certain way. the sled dog, for example, was selected to run fast in harness with other dogs. In being selected for that behavior, the dogs evolved a unique shape. This shape allows the dog to behave fast, with stamina. The relationship between shape and behavior is omnipresent. Therefore, if we want to chage the behavior of a dog-make it more peaceful and less vital-we must also change its shape. Herein lies the dilemma for the breeder. The audience wants household dogs that are historical representations of the working-breed shapes, and at the same time they do not want the them to display working-breed behaviors. Trying to select for an acceptable household behavior while holding the working shape constant cannot be done. The dog will come apart. It will show genetic diseases. Its hips won't fit together right. The joints will show weakness, and the each generation will become increasingly less healthy.[/quote] [b]Quote by Raymond Coppinger & Lorna Coppinger- biologists specializing in the domestic dog[/b].

I also perfer the working border collies, they are genetically more healthy. There is an article I was reading in one of my dogs books...this kinda explains it to a sense. [quote]A few years ago, people who work their sheep with border collies waged a campaign against the registration of their breed by the AKC. Because showing eye is a genetic trait, it can be selected against, and it border collies are going to be bred for shows and pets, breeders are going to have to get rid of the eye. [/quote] I think border collies are perhaps the most unique of all dog breeds. They are amazing to watch doing their job.

I have so many embarressing moments....where to begin :wink: Before I took Dilon in (one of my male Newf's) he was living at the kennel with the breeder. The breeder also owns the boarding facility I work at. During working hours I of course take care of all the dogs. I went in the kennel to feed Dilon & Rachel...they both used to get VERY excited when some one came in to see them. Dilon jumped up on me getting me covered in mud, then Rachel jumped up on me and tore my glasses off my face :o I can't see without my glasses. the dogs took off (the owner has about an acre fenced off for them...I was slipping in the mud trying to see where the dogs had gone to. I was finally able to get my glasses back minus the lenses :evil: I then tried to find my way to the gate (I can't see) and I came out to meet up with customers dropping off their dog. I must have looked like a drunken swamp monster. I'm sure Dilon still laughs at me behind my back to this day. :-? My next most embarressing moment was the day the were opening for the Canada Summer games at our local aquatic centre. The officials had asked to borrow one of my Newf's to head the parade around the pool. This is back when I had a Newf which actually liked water :lol: Any way, the parade began, there was a big crowd in the stadium, and all the olympic swimmers, mayor of the city etc. were all there. I was in the crowd as the parade marshall or what ever you call them was taking my Newf around the pool. Halfway around my Newf glanced at the pool, then decided to go for a swim...he almost drug the man in with him, luckily the man was smart enough to let go. So there is my Newf, on local TV swimming around in the pool having a grand time. Every one got a little crazy, and people being people they were trying to coax him out of the water. I had to amble down and call him out, which is was not easy for this particular Newf as once he was in swimming he never wanted to come out. I was very humilated. :oops: I could go on, but, I'll leave it at this. Every ones stories are hilarious. I almost fell off my chair laughing after reading these. :lol: :wink:

It sounds to me as if your dog is rgurgitating his food. Vomiting is a forceful ejection of the stomach contents and regurgitation is the backflow of undigested food (which has never reached the stomach). Vomiting can be a symptom of stomach, intestinal, kidney, liver, and other diseases. Regurgitation is a symptom of megaesophagus or other esophageal disease. I would certainly follow DivineOblivion19's suggestion of switching foods. You may also want to add digestive enzymes to your pups food and perhaps some dandelion root which helps add in digestion...and perhaps some probiotics to replinish the good bacteria in the gut...or you can feed yogurt (organic with beneficial bacteria). I would also elavate the pups food dishes. With my dogs they use regurgitation every once in awhile as a digestive cleanser. They go on wild grass eating binges and then vomit, I also grow grass for them (barley grass & wheat grass) This process is normal canine behavior to binge on grass and then regurgitate. :wink: I would be very concerned about the pup, as it is not normal to throw up as much as your pup is. I would watch what is happening to lead up to the regurgitation. Has the pup been eating grass , did your pup get into garbage, as crazy canine mentioned it could be allergies, problem with the esophagus...the list goes on. Get the pup to a vet who can look your pup over, to me it would be well worth the money invested in tests to ensure my pup is healthy. :wink: Good luck with your pup.

I don't see any thing wrong with giving a pup a marrow bone. As long as its fresh and thrown out after 12 hours (they dry out quickly). By letting your pup chew bones at an early age it will learn how to be a good chewer, I also would supervise your pup while chewing on the bone. It stimulates the mind, it enjoyable...and its good for puppies teeth. I wouldn't give too many marrow bones to your pup as the marrow can be quite rich and can cause diarrhea. You might want to try other fresh raw meaty bones once in awhile, I give all of my dogs a leg of lamb every so often with all the meat still on the leg...of course that may be a little too big for a small pup. By the way , Congrats on your puppy. :wink:

[quote]So, I had the little wonder dog out on Friday, and was walking him around. We walked by the food concession, and Elmo, always looking for a handout, tried to pull me over there. The people working there started talking to Elmo, so I let him pull me closer. [/quote] First impressions mean every thing. You let the dogs pull you over to the people and the impression they got was you had an out of control dog. Perhaps you thought it was cute that your dog wanted to see these people and look for hand outs. I think it was nice of them to give you some advice, these people probably have not been following your agility career and thought they were giving you helpful advice. :wink:

Congrat's on getting a new pup/dog. :D I was just wondering why you would want a prong collar? I currently own a Newf which the co-ower was using a prong collar on him as he was uncontrollable. When they gave him to me they told me I should take the prong as I would have a rough time with him. I have not, nor will I ever use one of those collars on my dogs. I used positive training and was able to show every one just how uncontrollable he was by getting his CD title on him :wink: it just shows how great positive training can be, I never used any corrections on him at all...I just redirected his bad behavior towards good behavior. I trained all of my dogs with positive only trianing. Works like a charm, and they are eager to please me, not frightened of doing some thing wrong.

Perhaps these articles will help you: Fear of Thunder storms: [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1551&articleid=2545[/url] Sumissive urination: [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1551&articleid=169[/url] Hope these help a little :wink:

Here is an interesting article on ticks. On the bottom of the page it lists the different diseases and breeds of ticks the diseases come from. Very interesting article...if you like to read up on ticks :lol: [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1588&articleid=603[/url] Shara, that is horrible that you were thrown into the water to learn how to swim :evil: that is horrible. I used to teach swimming years and years ago. We never let the children into the deep area of the pool until they had learned to use floatation devices and once they could float and tread water without them...then they could move to the deep end. What a shame for you. Well, I guess those creapy little leeches do have their uses. I don't think I would have wanted to live back in the day when they used leeches as a cure all be all. Yuk! I find them disgusting for the way they move through the water, and the fact they latch right onto your body. I can't describe it, its basically the same way I fear spiders...spiders are quite the good insects...but, once again its the way they move and all those legs. If they were put her for being a good insect why couldn't they have been made to look like lady bugs or butter flies...some thing pretty. :lol: :wink:

Hazelnutmeg, I also am freaked out by leeches and ticks. I think I'll start carrying around packages of table salt as Court suggested. They have these new pads you can buy for removing ticks. You just press it onto the tick and it kills it. You then can remove the tick with no worries. I believe Dr. Fosters and Smith sell them. It would probably be a good thing for some one such as your self who likes camping with your dog to have some of them :wink:

You won't learn about show trims from most dog groomers..alot of dog groomers have just learned pet trims and clips. I would suggest you go to the breeder you bought your pup from and have her teach you how to keep your Shih Tzu in proper show trims. If your breeder lives too far away find another breeder of Shih Tzu's who will show you how to keep that long coat. Unless you have a local groomer who specializes in show trims it would be best to seek the advice of a breeder who is showing. Most breed clubs are more than willing to help another up and coming show dog on its way to earning points. :wink: The groomer I work for is a national certified master groomer...even she will tell me that she learned how to groom for show trims from top breeders of their breed. We keep alot of kennels in show form including Standard Poodles, Lhasa Apso's, Shih Tzu's...and way too many Newfoundland dogs :wink: my boss studies under some of the top breeders in this country (Canada) and she is very much sought out in our area by breeders to keep their dogs in show shape. It's really sad in a way as my boss has a hard time showing her Newf's....when ever she gets to a show she finds herself running back and forth helping every one get their dogs ready for the ring...she comes back exhausted. :lol:

I meant to say that my old girl which is a Newf is 10 years old and doing well with the supplements I have her on. With older dogs it very important to give a good diet perferably a home made diet. I also give my old girl probiotics and digestive enzymes to help her get the goodness out of her food. My dogs also get all organic foods and organic yogert.

This burns me up. :evil: Mr. Rich movie star is trying to save money by killing strays. We could save alot more money by cutting back on the pay checks they give the pigs in government. I bet Mr Movie Star isn't suffering any or going without a huge bank roll paid by the people of California. I say we propose that we cut back on our paid officials...yes, we pay their pay checks to make these horrible decisions. Then we could take what we save from over paying them and put it into worth while causes such as our shelters. He has millions of dollars, its high way robbery that he is taking tax dollars and putting them into his bank account :evil: This would be a good subject to bring up to Sharon Osborne on her talk show. If any one on this board lives in California perhaps they should go to her site and let her be aware of this out rage...you can reach alot of people on a talk show, and Sharon has a BIG love for dogs...she would be out raged. She probably is outraged and just needs a little push to talk about this on her show. Probably wouldn't work, but, you know what those big time super stars are like...any thing for a just cause...and boy, I bet some of them would love to bring down the great Arnold. :wink:

Looks like the guy is going to get the help he needs. It certainly took alot of preparing to get the attention he sought, kinda sad in a way. I don't think the guy would have gone through with his plan any way. He wanted to get caught to get the help he needed. Its kinda sad when our jails have turned into resorts instead of punishment :-?

I have given my dogs horse supplements. There is nothing wrong with that :wink: I have not used the treats you are talking about but they sound alright. I give my Rottie (with HD) & my year old Newfoundland which has post arthritis form cruciate ligament surger. I give them daily: Glucosamine & Chondroitin & MSM Yucca root this I use as an anti inflammatory. With my Rottie she became lame with HD at about 2 years of age, she had a hard time getting up and was lame for days after a walk. When I started giving her the Yucca root it seems to have worked wonders on her...of course it took about 2 months to see any results. She is now a spy energetic dog who no longer has any bad mornings and does not seem to suffer from any stiffness at all any longer. She is now 5 years old and she has been pain free since I started the Yucca. I simply refused to put my poor Rottie on metacam or any of the anti inflammatories from the vet which would slowly ruin her liver...slow death. I also give them periodically alfalfa, licorice, turmeric and Boswellia. All of the above are great for arthritis relief. What else do these treats have in them? for Arthritis alfalfa is a very good addition to a dogs diet, so if these treats have alfalfa then that is a good thing. :wink: For my old girl I also give her a dandelion supplement a few times a week, and I give this to my other 5 dogs as well its great as a nutritive support. I also grow grass for my dogs to nibble on, I grow wheatgrass and barley grass. For building my old girls immunity I give her astragalus, and I also give her oat tops for mental clarity. For digestive support I give my dogs flaxseed which I grind myself at home (only organic seeds) and put in their food a few times a week. I also upgraded my dogs diet, I give them home cooked meals, some raw meats, I also give my dogs raw bones with lots of cartlidge still on them. I also give my dogs canned sardines a couple of times a week, plus wild canned pacific salmon (never farmed salmon-farmed salmon does not have the levels of omega 3's required, plus they are killing off wild salmon due to diseases infecting wild fish), my dogs have a variety to thier diet, I also feed them kibble which I switch every 3 months I go from solid gold to wellness...and I am trying to find another local good dog kibble. I also feed them the same brand canned dog food with every kibble meal, in my opinion canned dog food is much better for our dogs as they have less preservatives in them. Good luck with Jake, and let me know how you are making out. I just want to add that horse people are always way ahead of us dog people in the view of supplements etc. I first found out about Glucosamine & Chondroitin about 20 years ago from horse people and started giving it to my dogs. All the Vets where very sceptical of this supplement at this time and tried to talk me out of using it. It was unheard of at this time when I first started using it. It makes me laugh now when I go to my vet and they suggest using Glucosamine & Chondroitin :lol: especially since I was telling them about it first...now it seems to be their invention :lol: Horse people always seem to know about different supplements to give for joint pain etc. for their horses. An experienced horse person is a joy to talk with. :wink:

Kat, I understand that a leech could not get through the coat of a dog, and the coat protects the dog. I was just a little surprised that my Newf which I shaved her leg, and I mean shaved to the skin...and she did not get a leech. She had some work done to her leg (she is a post cruciate dog :wink: ) and we had to have some additional surgery done to her leg...her leg is bare, no fur at all, not even stubble. Her leg would make a waxing parlor envious :lol: and my Rottie has very little hair growth on her belly...just wispys here and there. I guess it was my Newf with the shaved to the skin leg which surprised me the most. She was wading through the same area I had gone into and did not have one leech on her. I just waded in for a couple of seconds and was covered with the horrid little creatures. Normally I would not be surprised due to the dogs coat, but, this did make me wonder.

[quote]I have to respectfully disagree with this. My last Rottie was always very well taken care of. Bathed frequently and in excellent health. She got fleas really badly one year (she was about 3 years old). I've also seen a lot of healthy/clean dogs get fleas and need to be treated. Although I have seen many more unhealthy dog/cats that were never bathed get fleas, I have seen well taken care of animals get fleas. I do think if they aren't healthy or well taken care of they most likely will get fleas but that isn't the reason they get them.[/quote] DivineOblivion19, I do realize that even healthy dogs get fleas...we deal with them all the time at the grooming shop and vet clinic. :wink: I guess I was just making an observation with my own dogs. For the past 40 years I have never taken any precations against fleas and I have never had any dogs with fleas. I have heard that some times insects which draw blood are not attracted to humans or animals with a higher level of B12 in the blood stream...but, then again I have talked to people who take B-50 complex and still suffer from bug bites. Any way, who knows, all I know is I am not having any problems and I havent with my dogs and if I don't have to treat them with any preventatives them I won't. Its a completely personal decision. I should not have worded myself so loosely as to say that only healthy dogs are immune to fleas :lol: :wink: perhaps it is some thing in their diet or higher amounts of certain B vitamins in their blood. I have even found with myself since taking a B50 complex vitamin I do not suffer from bug bites like every one else I know. Even when I was younger I used to have tons of bites on my ankles legs etc. now, I can be out and walk through a swam of mosquitos or black flies and rarely get bitten. But, then again I not only just started taking the B-50 complex, I completely changed my whole diet and only eat organic foods and ensure I am healthy...heck, I havent even had a cold or the flu for about 15 years and I live in the northern parts of Canada where our winters are harsh and the flue and cold run rampid in the winter. :lol: So don't mind me DivineOblivion19, I was just rambling.

I just found this so neat, I take my dogs for a walk down to the nearby lake daily. Yesterday it was soooo hot I decided to wade in and go for a swim with my dogs. I no sooner got in the water than I was covered with leeches :evil: and I will admit, I am a squeemish person when it comes to leeches and spiders...I just about freaked. I did manage to get all the suckers off my body, although gross they didn't have that good of a hold on my body. I went back up on the shore and continued watching my dogs in the water and really envyed them for not getting leeches. Even my Dobie Beau does not get any leeches on him...the thing which surprised me the most is the fact that I shaved off one of my female bitches legs for some medical treatment she was undergoing and she did not even get a leech on her leg. I was getting a little puzzled as I have never once had any of my dogs get a leech, even on the some what bare belly of my Rottie. Come to think of it, I have never heard of a dog actually getting a leech attached to it. I just find it weird. especially when the dog has an area which has been shaved off. Has any one here ever had a dog which had a run in with a leech which actually attached itself to the dog. I guess I am just curious...

I live in an area where there is no heart worm. I work at a vet clinic and of course we always keep in touch with the others in our area and we have not had any cases thus far. I too live in an area where we have tons of mosquitos, but, they are not carriers of heart worm...yet. Even if there were heart worm cases in my area I would probably still not medicate my dogs against heart worm. The only dog I would probably use heart worm med's on is my old girl who suffers allergies (poor immunity). In my way of thinking if your dog has a good immunity they can build up a resistance to heart worm. Our wild Canines have built up immunities against heart worm...if they can, why not our domestic canines? I just don't feel comfortable pumping all kinds of pesticides into my dogs. I have also found I have never had a problem with fleas with any of my dogs and I have never used any topical treatments or internal treatments. In my mind this is due to the fact my dogs are healthy and are not attractive to the fleas. I have always noticed that you can tell when an animal is really sick as they attract tons of fleas. This happened to me years ago when I had a cat which was just infested with fleas, I really didn't know she was sick...we all know what cats are like :roll: they can hide sickness pretty good. She was acting a little less affectionate was the only sign and the fleas...I took her to the vet and she was very very ill and ended up staying for over a week on IV. Any way, these are my reasons for not treating my animals. Did every one here know that there have been cases of man getting heartworm as well. :o

We actually have 3 (rare to our geographical location) breeds which come in for grooming. We have a Havanese which comes in to be groomed its the only one in our province. A Polish Lowland Sheepdog; also the only one of its kind in our area. And we have a Coton de Tulear which comes in for grooming. I also met a Fila Brasileiro which was just a pup and already quite aggressive. The owner had to put the dog down due to aggression problems. When I went to see it the owner had the pup in a crate and it was tearing & ripping at the front of the enclosure in quite a heightened aggressive state when it saw me...or anyone else for that matter. The owner lived by himself and the pup was good with him...but, he still had to have it euthanized. There went his $10,000.00 dollars down the drain. :-? I of course have met alot of rare to my area breeds at shows throughout Canada and the States. Its really neat how some breeds which are a dime a dozen in some areas such as Newf's and Nova Scotia Duck Tolling retrievers are very popular in my area are rare in other areas. The most common breeds in my area are of course Lab's, Golden Retrievers, Newfoundland dogs and NSDT's.