imported_Cassie

As far as I know there is no working purpose for the lamb clip on the Bedlington Terrier...once it was adopted by the "elite" they developed it into the stylish pet we see in the show rings today. This breed was orginally known as the "Gypsy Dog" and became the poachers greatest assest due to the breeds gameness and talents...this breed was known as the terrier of all work which could swim down an otter, draw a badger, dispatch vermin, run down a rabbit and hold its own in a fight...:

Here is some interesting information... Researchers at the University of Wisconsin College of Veterinary Medicine are attempting to develop a reliable method to detect hip dysplasia in puppies as young as 8 weeks. The researchers are using an ultrasound method to diagnose hip dysplasia. One of the big advantages with this technique is that it can evaluate non-bone portions of the joint such as cartilage. The current methods: interpretation of hip radiographs (x-rays) by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA), and the Penn-Hip method of interpreting the radiographs obtained through the use of a special technique are not considered accurate for dogs less than 2 years or 6-12 months, respectively. The new technique is showing promise, but further study needs to be done before it can be used for puppies as young as 8 weeks. Comments from our Veterinary Staff: Early detection of hip dysplasia would be an extremely valuable tool. Owners would know prior to purchase whether the puppy they are buying is affected by the disease. There are few things sadder than telling the owner of a 6-month old puppy that it has hip dysplasia. Breeders would know early on which puppies are affected and thus which sires and dams should not be bred again. In addition, early detection would allow for early treatment.

Court & Ellie...sorry to hear about your rough times....what a shame...I'm sorry for you that these events happened. As promised here is the recipe for a great X-mas drink..this is called Port to starboard... build in a brandi snifter glass -crushed ice, fill glass 2/3 full -1 ounce light Rum -2 ounce lemon juice -2 ounc orange juice -1/2 ounce grenedine...pour down one side of glass. -1/2 ounce green creame de menthe down the other side of glass. garnish with whole slice of pine apple, lemon, orange, cherry and serve with 2 small straws. Enjoy! :wink: Kat, sorry to hear of your bad experience with creame de menthe...guess this will not be a drink served on your X-mas eve festivaties... :lol:

I have 2 intact male dogs...they are big time lickers...one of my males Gil licks my male Dilon on the legs while they are laying down and Dilon licks Gil's ears and flews...they like to clean each other...my female Rottie licks all the dogs flews constantly...she loves the drool....she is also the most dominant dog I have in my group...my 2 female Newf's are not much for licking at all. Dogs lick for a number of reasons. They lick to groom themselves and others. Mothers lick their puppies to clean them and stimulate their urination and defecation. Older puppies and the young of wild canids (relatives of the dog such as wolves) lick the mouths of the adults as a greeting to stimulate them to regurgitate. The puppies eat this regurgitated food as they are weaned from their mother and begin to eat solid food. As the puppies grow older, the licking becomes a way of welcoming others back into the pack and increasing the bonds between the pack members. The last reason for licking (greeting and begging) is probably the one that has developed into the licking tendency of pet dogs. Licking is a way our pet dogs can greet us, say 'glad you're back!' and strengthen their relationship with us. I was reading an interesting article as well regarding dogs which lick their feet...this can be related to a poor diet...some dog foods add Sugar Beet pulp which is used to hold toxic waste such as animal fats which are essentially toxic waste ....slows down the transition of the fat going rancid....interesting....the feet of the dog actually swell which makes the dog lick at them.

I have alsways loved Christmas!!! I love Christmas eve...I usually get a few close friends to come over and we have really nice christmas drinks & decorate the tree...my favorite is a port to starboard...I'll dig out my recipe book and share this with every one...it is an alcoholic drink and you pour creame de menthe down one side of the glass into the vodka and lemon mixture I think...then the other side pour in grenadine which is red...these 2 liquors are heavy and make one side of the drink green the other red..great christmas drink! I will get the recipe for every one....I also make an alcohol based slushie drink in a punch bowl and we have spiced egg nog....makes for an interesting tree! I find it is such a warm time..spending with friends and family. The next morning I go help my boss at the boarding kennel take care of all the boarders and pooper scoop...then I join my family at my mothers house. All of my dogs come with me for X-mas dinner at my mothers as well...I am so glad I have well behaved dogs....and with 5 of them at that...and I still am able to take them every where with me. They get caught up in the excitment of Christmas as well...and I allow my Rottie to open her own gifts...my Newf's couldn't be bothered with opening gifts.

sheltielover, Isn't it funny how we can spend a small fortune on great toys for our dogs...and what do they want...the garbage you normally throw away! :lol: My Rottie gets so excited when I throw down a platic bottle! I even take them to the lake and throw them in the water for her...they float! (for this I leave on the cap) I always recycle when she is finished...I wonder if they use the used bottles for bottleing pop??? if so there must be alot of people walking around with pop squirting from their bottle...leaking from Rottie teeth puncture marks! :o :lol: :lol: :lol:

They are pretty amazing....when one of my Newf's started limping etc. my other dogs started ignoring him...my Rottie especially would not even play with him any longer even though he really wanted to play...I thought it was just a sprain so I let it go for a couple of days..when I took him to the Vet the x-rays showed he had bone cancer!!!! my other dogs seemed to know he was sick and would not have any thing to do with him any longer... Here are some other interesting things about our companions and how they help us humans. Dogs icrease longevity in humans after heart attacks Dog ownership increases the odds for survival in people who have had a heart attack from 1 in 15 to 1 in 87. Pet ownership also has increased the percent of people who survived at least one year after hospitalization for heart problems. Only 6% of nonpet owners survived versus 28% of persons with pets. Pet ownership may be only one of several variables that influenced this improved survival, but even a 2-3% difference is significant. In addition, pets may actually lessen the risk of heart attacks. Lower cholesterol and triglycerides People with pets have been found to have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels when compared to people who did not have pets, even when matched for weight, diet, and smoking habits. Decrease blood pressure and reduce stress Dogs have been shown to reduce blood pressure in a number of populations. Studies in women undergoing stress tests, have demonstrated that the presence of a dog had more of an effect on lowering blood pressure than the presence of friends. Similarly, children who had a dog present during their physical examination showed lower heart rate, blood pressure, and behavioral distress than when the dog was not present. Stockbrokers who had dogs or cats in their offices when they had to carry out stressful tasks had smaller increases in blood pressure than those who did not have a pet present. Increase physical activity and functioning People who own pets often have better physical health due to the need to exercise and care for their pets. Reduce medical appointments and minor health problems The use of prescription drugs and the overall cost of caring for patients in nursing homes dropped in those facilities where companion animals became part of the therapy. A study also found that for people living at home, those with pets had fewer medical appointments and minor health problems. Predict seizures Some people who have periodic seizures have reported that their dogs can sense the onset of a seizure before they can. Now it has been found that dogs can be specially trained to recognize some type of change prior to a seizure, and signal the owner of the imminent seizure. This gives the owner sufficient time to prepare, such as moving away from a hot stove. These dogs are called 'seizure-alert' or 'seizure-response' dogs, and can be trained to signal their owners from 15 to 45 minutes prior to a seizure. Control 'freezing' in Parkinson's Disease In addition to the tremors and stiffness that Parkinson's patients experience, they also face a problem called 'freezing.' Their feet freeze in place while the rest of their body keeps moving, causing the person to fall. As a result, some people with Parkinson

I have: 4 Newfoundland dogs 1 Rottweiler I wish I knew how to post pictures...I have some lovely shots of all my dogs. I have tried following the instructions that K has given...but, I still can't seem to do it.

My Newfoundland dogs don't play with toys at all....I bought them alot of toys including these neat giggle balls....none of them know what to do with them and look horrified that I would even think they would want to chase them! my Rottwieler on the other hand loves to play with balls and tries to intice my Newf's to play by taking the ball and trying to shove in their mouths!!! :lol: the only thing all my Newf's and Rottie will play with are rope toys and they all join in a game of tug-of-war together...very cute. My Rottie also gets hours of entertainment out of discarded pop bottles (plastic ones) I take off the cap and she swats this around and plays for hours.

What are you asking...for some one to take your dog into their private home??? I work at a boarding facility, we are trained to look after dogs and have taken first aid courses for dogs and we also have taken courses on dog behavior etc. Most boarding facilities insure they provide a clean sterile environment for your dog...and we have proper facitities which a dog cannot escape from. I have found that alot of dogs enjoy the company of the other dogs...dogs which do not eat at home eat like crazy at the kennel due to the other dogs in the next run watching them and wanting the food...intices alot of dogs to eat. If you are worried about leaving your dog at a boarding facility...go around and visit the different boarding places in your area and ask questions...stop by unannouced so you can see if the place is kept clean all the time, also make sure the dogs have access to their own out door area during the day, I don't like places that just walk the dogs twice daily, some dogs are not given enough time to do their duties especially if the kennel is full and the kennel attendant has alot of dogs to walk... Perhaps ask your Vet to refer you to a professional dog sitter or ask their opinion on a boarding facility...they will either come to your home and care for your dog or will keep your dog....they will have training with dogs, in our area alot of Vet tech's and kennel hands do this on the side to earn extra cash.

I just took a look to insure I sent the right page...I can only send the directory of breeds...go to the alphabet on top and hit on for Retriever ...then scroll down to Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever....view the page to the bottom to get the list of breeders by province. Not all breeders advertise with Dogs in Canada...but, even if they don't and you call one of them they can direct you to a breeder close to you.

The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is a very popular breed where I live. Here is a web page with a directory of breeders for the NSDT in Canada...scroll down, the top of the page has the picture and a description of the breed...then it lists the breeders. A few of my friends have them and have had a wonderful time doing agility with them...they are smart little dogs. We also groom quite a few of them. [url]http://www.dogs-in-canada.com/breeds/index.html[/url]

Thanks Roo, I won't bother using the image...although they are really cool :wink: You find the neatest things.

[url]http://www.bellcrest.net/photoimpact/xmas2000/gifttags/gifttags2.html[/url]

Thanks newfiemom, its hard to be orginal...that sounds great the gift tags on E-bay...I'll check that out tonight. This year for x-mas cards I got the ones you insert your own photo....I inserted my favorites pictures of my dogs and give them to all my doggy buddies and the Vet's who look after my babies...I groom them, so no need to send one to the groomer! :lol:

They are great Roo, I think I will forward the drafting picture on to the Newfoundland dog club I belong to...is it alright to use one for a topping on a Newfie newsletters? we send out e-mails to all members to announce up coming events...we have a drafting event coming up with our Newfie club and the one where the Newf is pulling the cart would be perfect! :wink: Roo, do you know where you can find gift tags for X-mas with Newf's and other breeds...I found one with boxers...it makes for really unique gift giving when you can put your breed on the gift tags.

Gastritis describes an inflammation or infection of the stomach. As in humans, viruses and bacteria can irritate the stomach and cause gastritis. Additionally, the ingestion of spoiled food, garbage, etc., can irritate the stomach lining. A dog with gastritis will generally vomit, not eat, and be lethargic. The temperature is usually elevated above the normal 101.5 degrees. If a virus or bacteria is involved, the gastritis may eventually progress to the intestines and cause diarrhea. Infectious canine parvovirus is a classic example of a viral infection, which occasionally begins as gastritis. Most instances of gastritis are not serious. However, if the vomiting becomes severe, or if signs persist for more than twenty-four hours, then veterinary attention should be sought. A dog with a mild upset stomach can benefit from a gastric coating of soothing preparations such as Pepto-Bismol. Generally, it is best to withhold food, but not water. Withholding food will allow the stomach to rest. Bland diets such as chicken and rice can be fed once the stomach has settled down. Rather than allowing the animal to drink a lot at one time, water should be given often and in small amounts. If vomiting persists, diarrhea develops, or if the body temperature is excessively high (greater than 103 degrees), veterinary attention should be sought. A veterinarian will observe the dog for dehydration resulting from lack of fluid intake, or through diarrhea and vomiting. Intravenous fluids can be used to replace lost fluids. Antibiotics are used to kill bacteria if necessary. Various medications are available to decrease vomiting.

This is a great discussion...I have enjoyed every ones post's. I think another behavior often misunderstood is the prey drive...a "pack" will go after the easiest prey to kill...if a wolf pack where going after a herd of...lets use Cariboo, they will go for the young off spring by getting the young away from the mother...or they will go for the slower older, possibly sicker animals...this is also mother natures way of taking care of the sick, old and unfortunately young in large herd of prey animals. With the prey drive it can be triggered by a screaming, yelling, running child...this brings out the eye stalk (staring at a running moving object) chase (run after object) grab-bite ( close enough bite it) then kill-bite then dissect the latter being maul. This is the basic ancestral motor pattern of alot of dog breeds...so when you think about it...a person hobbling down the street, a person who stops in fright looking at a Rottweiler or APBT, a child which is very young and is starting to walk, a child which is playing with other children and are screaming, a child who runs away from a dog, some one running away and falling etc....if a dog is not socialized properly around all these stimulas then when first seeing some of above..it can be thought of as prey items. Not a horrible thing....its just a part of survival. I have also seen with my dogs I currently have 5...but, before this young heathy group I had 2 older Newfoundlands...one of my girls was 14 years old and at the end was having a hard time getting around....at that time I had only 4 dogs including my Rottweiler...when she fell my Rottie would attack her vicously and my 2 other Newf's would join in....I was horrified! as long as the old girl was walking along she would receive kisses and licks of encouragement from me Rottie....at night my Rottie would sloop with her and lick her ears and face and curl up with her....but, the moment she fell, the Rottie was attacking her! not an abnormal behavior for a dog. I think it is wonderful that humans are starting to realize that there is more to our dogs than just wonderful watchdogs and best friends. If societys start to realize this...then banning breeds will be no longer done. I mentioned before that New Brunswick, Canada realizes the different motor patterns of dogs after the inquest into the death of that little boy killed by the 3 Rottweilers...the attack was not blamed on the breed...or even that those particular dogs were bad, they were not bad...they were very nice dogs....but, this province is using education in the schools to help children understand dogs and behavior..a police officer with the K-9 unit will be taking his dog to schools to teach children. They are not banning breeds as they realize this is not going to help and would be too difficult to enforce...and as one Vet mentioned during the inquest....any dog can be dangerous, it doesnt really matter the breed.

I thought this was a very interesting read...finally an article that actually explains a little bit about dog behavior. Dogs are wonderful, but, they still do have alot of their natural instincts...we as humans are expecting our lovable canine companions to be little four legged humans...when a tradegy like this attack by the APBT's and the attack of the 3 Rotties on that poor little 4 year old Waddell boy...people act as if the dogs have suddenly turned on people...when in actual fact dogs have different motor patterns and instincts which will enable them to react differently to out side stimulas...such as a screaming child, a person walking funny or handicapped etc. Any dog can attack a human it doesnt matter the breed, any human can attack another human...it doesnt matter their breeding either...

Oh, it was hilarious after I realized what was going on!!! took me awhile...the joys of working at a boarding kennel...the scary part is the responsibility of other peoples dogs and when some thing like this happens its a real BIG releif that nothing horrible happened...the owner of the facility has the entire kennel surrounded by fencing...so even if a dog did escape it would have to climb 3 series of fences before it reaches the out side world...I guess this has happened before to the owner of the kennel...I was talking to her today about it...she said she has had things like this happen mainly with Boxers, Doberman Pinschers, American Stafforshire Terriers they can climb really really well and they can squeeze though small spaces! :o

I thought I was losing my marbles this weekend...I went into work Saturday morning and found dog poop all the way down the aisle of the boarding facility... :o I checked all the dogs and every one was ok...they were all safe and sound in their kennels (these are runs which are on the inside 6ft X 8ft and the outside runs for each dog is 6ft wide by 12ft long, the outside runs all have chain link on the top of the kennel as well)...I was puzzled as to how the poop got in the aisle as I had been the last person in Friday night??? I went about my business and let all the dogs out. I came in Sunday morning to find poop once again in the aisle leading down between the kennels, I checked all the dogs once again every one was safe and snug in their kennel....I was really getting freaked out...and I also noticed that in the front of the kennel the reception area, we keep a container of dog treats....the lid was off...I know I always place the lid firmly back in place after giving out treats. This morning I come in to find the same thing...by this time I am thinking the owners husband is playing a trick on me...but why would someone leave piles of poop...that is a disgusting joke...and the lid was off the treat container again!!! at this point I am seriously thinking I am going crazy and I start cleaning the kennel...I bring all the dogs in and shut their outside doors so I can hose out their outdoor runs...while outside I hear a big commotion...thinking their may be a customer I came back in...I find that a Pit bull mix we have in for boarding running around the inside of the kennel loose...I took it back to its kennel thinking perhaps I had not latched and clipped the dogs run properly...the kennel door is securely closed and latched...puzzled I put the Pit mix back in its kennel thinking perhaps I had not latched it properly and some how I wasn't seeing correctly...meanewhile I am in the front reception area of the kennel...I can see the top of the runs...I am just standing there thinking of some thing else, and up near the ceiling I see the Pit mix.... :o I came running over to the dogs kennel and there it had climbed up the 10 foot chain link panel to get to the top and was ready to jump to freedom in the inside of the kennel...there is only enough space between the top of the fence to the ceiling for the dog to tightly squeeze itself through!!! What gets me the most on this whole ordeal is the fact the pit mix was getting out at night and had free range of the inside of the kennel...popping the lid off the treat container and having a feast and running around pooping in the aisle...party time....and yet, the dog was climbing back into its own kennel before I got in in the morning!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: can you imagine, I am still getting over the shock of this...most dogs would not go back in! I think the dog was trying to send me to the funny farm.

What a shame for Chaos...this can be such a tramatic experience for a dog...by being attacked by another dog this can make the dog which was attacked offensive...basically..."I'll get you before you get me!" some training excercises I was taught at the aggression seminar I attended was to redirect your dogs attention back to you when you meet other dogs which your dog may become offensive towards. Have really good treats ready, when you see another dog and Chaos starts to get offensive...call Chaos, when Chaos looks at you reward with a treat... I also would insure that Chaos never has to meet another dog by front to front posturing...make sure its always side by side and let them sniff each others rears to check each other out. I just have a few questions...you mentioned Chaos and the Bullmastiff have been playing since they were puppies....is Nova a female as well as Chaos...how old is Nova? how old is Chaos?....the reason I ask is perhaps they have reached maturity and the playing has now turned into a demonstration of dominance...Nova had to "show" Chaos that she cannot take a toy from her/him... I found with my Rottweiler also (she is the reason I attended an Aggression seminar)....the same thing happened to her at 1 year of age, she was attacked by another dog and then became offensive..but, only to submissive dogs as well...when she meets a dog which is easy going and is dog smart she is pretty mild mannered...but, bring in a submissive dog which may roll over and expose its belly....she is ready to attack...dominant dogs don't always back off...and especially if the submissive dog tries to run away...that is worse. Now, for me....I never found the re-directing attention worked for me...my Rottie is very dominant! I found that good obedience training has worked wonders...if in doubt I can always ward off any embarrassing behavior with a good sit or down command...I am very firm with her as well...I never talk softly to her or even talk normally to her when she gets into one of her screeching sessions....I start with standard obedience commands and walk the other way..away from the dog which brought on this behavior...I have also found dogs that my girl loves and plays well with...we meet a few times a week and go for walks in the country where no one else goes with their dogs...this may not be possible for you. My Newfoundland dogs have also been a great assest...they are so calm and gentle they tend to calm her down a little. I would definately suggest you go to obedience classes, at least that way you have an instructor who can actually see the problems and help you to get Chaos over her offensive behavior....and by being in a group class with other dogs it will help you desensitize Chaos by being around other dogs in a class environment. Hopefully some one will have a better suggestion than mine. Good luck, and hang in there....

I am just going to go over what is being implemented in New Brunswick, Canada regarding dangerous dogs and attacks. This came up after a child was mauled to death by 3 Rottweilers...they recently had an inquest into the death of the little boy. The Vet who had been looking after these dogs for vaccines etc. explained it best...I can't quote as I do not have the paper... :oops: she stated that this attack was brought on by the dogs high prey drive...a dogs natural prey drive can be directed at a child who may be screaming, flailing arms...trying to run away. Dogs with a high prey drive can kill/maul...it does not mean they are human aggressive...its just that a child which may be frightened, screaming, flailing arms etc can trigger this motor pattern...a running child etc. it is no longer a child...it is now prey. ANY dog breed can have a high prey drive...and it is the most commonly misunderstood behavior of dogs...it is not necessary a form of aggression...just a natural instinct. The Rottweilers which killed/mauled the little boy were described as being very friendly, easy going dogs prior to the incident. Any way, what she has suggested and I beleive what they are going to try to lean towards is education. Vets will be strongly suggesting all clients; with pups even adult dogs.... well behaved or not; to attend obedience...not only to train the dog, but, to go as a family to learn together about their dog. They also strongly advised that a child should NEVER be left alone with ANY dog...ever. They also have a Police officer with the K-9 unit going to schools around the province to educate children...he is armed with videos and his K-9 partner a German Shepherd...he will show children what to do in the case of an attack and how to act accordingly...he has demonstations with his Shepherd to show what a dog is capable of...he is also very familiar with prey drives and motor patterns of dogs and will explain to them so children understand. He is also going to go over how to act accordingly around any dog...body language etc. He is also going over with children how to act appropriately with their own family pet. They already have laws in place of being able to report dogs which people may feel pose a threat to neighbors. The SPCA in this area is very good and will confiscate dogs which need to be taken...usually due to neglect. In some areas a dog which has been reported as being suspected of being dangerous...the owners are asked to have a muzzle on the dog in public places....not by breed, but, by indivdual dog...they are also having trained animal control officers go to schools to discuss Canine behavior etc. They feel that banning breeds is not going to solve any dog bite/mauling problems...any breed can be dangerous and they realize that. Any way, this is some thing which is taking place and the way this province is working towards a solution...I think they have made the right decisions...the Vet who was asked her opinion on this problem has a Pit bull herself and other dogs including German Shepherds. As far as controlling puppies etc going into homes by screening new owners...this would be impossible..the only people who would go through such a process would be good dog owners... :lol: as long as there are intact males and female dogs out there....there will be people breeding..and alot of times it is not for profit, not because they love their dogs and think they would have perfect puppies...most of the puppies born are from people who just don't care and are too lazy to have their dog spayed or neutered... In my opinion this province is doing the right thing...there are so many different types of aggression and any dog can display them at any time...how can you control dog bites by banning a few breeds???? :roll: you have Springer Spaniels which are famous for rage syndrome, any breed can be a fear biter, any breed of dog can bite due to dominance..some people are not even aware they have a dominant dog...and the person most likely to be bitten would be the child living in the house hold...I don't think any place is going to have 100% control over dog issues...but, with education for all people even non dog owners there may be fewer incidents.

:o :o :o I guess I am very naive and uninformed...I have heard about PETA before....but, I have never really given the organization a second thought ! they sound absolutely horrible...

Oh my!!! :o People are so rude! I have heard it all as well....here are some of my personal favorites... first one when I rescued my Rottweiler a friend told me that Rottweilers turn on their owners at the age of 2...that is weird she is now 5 years of age.... When I had my Doberman Pinscher I was told by a few people that their skulls are so narrow their brains out grow the skull and they go mad...I guess many Collie owners are told the same thing by these so called dog experts...bring on the scientific proof!!!! she lived to be 14 and I was waiting for her head to explode! When I got my Newfoundland dogs I was told I would never be able to get them out of the water...heck, I can't even get them to wade...I'm sure I could be drowning and they would sit on shore watching... Makes ya wonder huh.... :roll: