imported_Kat

I petsit occasionally for a few people and one particular couple insist that I stay at their home to sit their 2 wolfhounds, so yeah negotiate and get someone that you can trust to stay at your home if thats the best option.

Total wow! Being a wolf fanatic and seeing as Mals are the closest breed to wolves, I think she is totally beautiful and mega mega congrats :D

Ha on that note Kendalyn we had a Puli type at our club a few years back called Kamir (come here :lol: ) Also a great show name that my friend had for her dog was Miss tess-tickle! You can imagine how entertaining that was when the commentator got a hold of a microphone!

HF, I had a wee quick look at their site and they look good. The things that a good club have are experience with experienced handlers, and not people who teach classes out of a book! Also it is AKC registered and teaches the GCDS which is good. I would certainly say they would be worth going to, and even watch some of their lessons to see what sort of training methods they use. Good luck! :D

Umm does Bin Laden count for a cat? Mandela for an Iguana? Salvador for a treefrog? :lol: :lol:

I just have to say you are fantastic and I wish there were more kind-hearted souls like yourself to take in a pregnant wee pup. Please ask us if you have anything you specifically need to know and browse over the forums here as there should be a fair few topics on whelping, which you might find helpful :)

My opinion: i hate chokes. prongs and shock collars and all are banned from our dog club. I do a demo with new classes with a large choke chain around my neck (disclaimer:don't try it at home!!) and pull it with the same pressure as a correction. They see for themselves the marks that it leaves on my neck... you don't see those marks on a dog as the dog's neck is concealed with fur. Also a dog's trachea and venous system has many more sense receptors than we have and as a result, dogs are so much more receptive to sensory stimulation than us humans. Research has also shown dogs that are subjected to chokes/prongs are more susceptible to coughing bouts and damaged trachea leading to food intolerances. What I do do is allow any doubters in my class to put the chain on their wrist to try the effect. Anyone who doesn't comply with a flat collar and non-chain lead is asked to leave the floor. We don't allow chain leads as the chain slapping across a dogs face is extremely painful and sore and we don't tolerate it. I train by motivation and positive training using food/toy/mostly voice and this is what I also instil into my classes.

leads, flashing collar for when I take Meg to the park at night, the all essential poo-bags, and usually training bag with assortment of treats, dumbells, sendaway markers etc!

wheeee sounds great! Congrats :D

I'm so sorry to hear this Aonir *hugs*

why butcher a dog for [i]YOUR [/i]own pleasure and ego :roll:

aww Mega congrats and definitely looking forward to pics :D

Well everyone has pretty much said about how our attitude differs when we are placed in a more competitive situation, other than down at the park/back garden. Keep his sessions short Nea, 10 mins every day is enough proper training. You want to keep training like a novelty to him, as Flatties can switch off easily if they are faced with the same task time and time again. He is still only a very young pup and you will both learn as you go along. Things sometimes don't go right both in training and in the ring. Every single person that has handled a dog can testify to that! :P Keep it fun for both you and him with lots of play breaks and time to bond with just the pair of you. Even taking him away from the rest of the class and sitting with him talking to him, paying him quiet time attention will help you both to bond, the same way that you will bond using a tuggy ball. Good luck :wink:

As promised folks, I have posted a variety of pics in the picture forum of Crufts 2004! :D

It will take about a week to recover I reckon, but what a time we had! Most of you will know that N.Ireland were placed 3rd in the Obedience world cup!!! :D It is such an achievment and all of our dogs tried so very hard for all of us. Under the lights in that main ring with thousands of people watching is awesome. It really is amazing. I had so many calls last night and texts to say that Meg and I were shown on TV, and I haven't even got to see it yet! It will also be shown by animal planet, so keep a watch on your tv guides! The competition however was judged rather inconsistently, but I won't say too much more on that one! On an individual note, Meg really did try so hard for me. On her send away, she cocked it up, and spied one of the white KC oval signs and thought thats where she should be going, but on everything else she did well. She was over-awed as was I in that sort of atmosphere, but she tried and thats all i can ask for. I'm so proud of my girly :wink: In the other competitions we got 6th in senior agility and 4th in the triathlon, so again she did well. I have a multitude of photos that I will try to get uploaded later on to let you all see :D Thank you everyone for all the support and good wishes and heres to a successful Crufts 2004! :beerchug:

Hey folks, just in case I don't get a chance tomorrow to say bye bye, I'll say it now! Totally hyped and Sander flies in tomorow :D , then we are off on wednesday morn to Crufts! Anyone who is going, please do come say hi. I will be around the main ring most of sunday and you will be able to spot me in my team colours: navy and green rugby shirt in the Northern Ireland obedience team with my freshly bathed and groomed black and white Border Collie Meg! I'll try check in tomorrow if I get a chance, but if not see yas soon! *bounces off!* :multi:

Teaspoon of salt in a pint of lukewarm water and keep it at room temp, then dip a tissue in and wash hs eyes from tear duct to tip of upper eyelid over the day when needed. If that doesn't clear it, or his eyes are really red or bothering him, then get something like optimune eye ointment :wink:

Bentley I feel your pain! :D My own knees do that too, with the right being the worst with a torn posterior ligament, after I came a cropper at an agility show :P Keep him supple, but not bounding exercise and get him on vitamin E along with a good joint supplement :wink:

Thanks indeed for posting. I used British airways any time that I flew Meg from Belfast to Birmingham and apart from a delay with flights one time, we found them good.

oh poor Ellie :( Its possible that it is a coloform injection, caused by migrating birds flying over and the bacterial infection is carried in the bird's excrement. When the dog comes in after a walk and licks its feet , it ingests the bacteria into its system and causes a multitude of problems, including most commonly an irritated colon, causing diarrhoea and vomitting, lethargy and a raging temperature. With the birds coming back to the country now, this time of year is rife for dogs contracting the infection. Keep giving her the electrolyte rehydrating mix in her water, and little and often water, not a full gorge at one time, and of course please keep us updated :wink:

Meg has flown from Belfast to Birmingham a few times and has always been fine and happy enough. Flying will depend on the individual dog itself and its disposition but most airlines will not carry a sedated dog.

Glad to hear that Sid is doing well. He is on the best of antibiotics so he should be improving day by day :wink:

brill news! :D

Another name for the Akbash or Anatolian shepherd.

Ok the Dobe ear cropping is bull. I worked at a vets for 11 and a half years and all Dobes here are natural and look wonderful, and we certainly didn't have a whole stream of dobes coming in with ear infections. Dogs prone to ear infections that we saw were westies first and foremost (which have erect ears) and GSD's which again have naturally semi erect ears. Personally I hate ear cropping even more than tail cropping and dogs with cropped ears here do rubbish in the ring, because cropped ears are not in the breed standard, and have no reason to be either. Cropping ears? There is no legitimate reason for it and anyone can spout about ear infections until the cows come home. Dogs ears should be cleaned out weekly as routine and have hairs trimmed from the inside flap of the ear to keep the weight of the ear minimal.