JulesP

The OP was looking for a puppy. Then the thread was bumped by someone asking about breeding.

To buy a MR bitch from a breeder suitable to be a mentor demands a certain amount of knowledge in the first place. A newbie is unlikely to have that. The more likely scenario is that they buy from one of the not so good breeders and are not mentored in anyway. The breeder suitable to be a mentor is also unlikely to sell a MR pup to a newbie. It might not even occur to a newbie to contact the breeder as they might not realise that is the done thing. Or they have a totally unregistered bitch. Or they have a bitch on LR and not realise they can't breed it. Anyway we have lost the chance to educate this person as some of the responses were IMO too harsh. I had 3 people in my last puppy class that thought it would be nice be breed their oodles. After a descriptive narration from me of what happened when I nearly lost my beloved bitch having pups they all went and got their dogs desexed.

At some stage they would have had no mentor and had done no research. :) I would have thought that a question like this is the first step in being properly educated.

Even the experts had to have a first litter :) I imagine that they weren't experts then.

I prefer Nature's Gift to the expensive tins. It isn't just sloppy mush stuff.

You have had the dog for 3 weeks? And he was sick a week after you got him? Have you spoken to pet rescue?

Poppy likes to greet me with a stick or pebble. It is rather cute. Got a flower one day

Glad he is home :) I am going to sell my dog run if you are interested.

If you can find out what is causing the allergy you can look at desensitizing the dog to the allergen, usually via injections. This is not going to be cheap though. Apart from that or avoiding the allergen, allergies can't be fixed.

In my experience an allergic reaction happens very quickly. Also goes fairly quickly unless the skin gets damaged. Same with tummy allergies - happens quickly. Intolerances seem to take a little while longer to build up. I find fasting quite helpful to settle a flare up.

Super cute :)

UTIs are actually common with liver shunts :) Most of the dogs on my liver group have crystals of some sort. But I wouldn't expect a vet to immediately jump to liver shunt if the dog has a UTI. The symptoms of liver disease can be fairly vague. It took over a year for Amber to be diagnosed and then it was really by accident as the vet was xraying her heart and noticed the liver wasn't normal. I don't think there is a malpractice/negligence issue here.

BH made my border collies mildly itchy. I had a similar reaction to Great Barko. Every other food they had been fine on.

The day was all about them as per usual. Up early and out in the rain to do their sporting stuff :laugh:

That is great news

I would like to know what happens if the OH takes Sonny away and you stay home with Stella. Interesting to see if it is Sonny going or you and Sonny going together. My dogs are always together btw and I don't have too many dramas with them. Poppy cracks it if I am out at training and try and leave her in a crate. Herding is the worst. All my BC girls have been 'keener' than the boys. They are pretty alert and not much gets past them. I guess I've always viewed this in a positive light rather than saying they were anxious etc.

Long time that I've been in here. I kind of lost the plot a bit when I Brock died and then Amber got sick. For some reason I can't face doing normal obedience. But have just started Poppy in Rally and that is going well so far. Would like to do it with Amber too but I can't do it with her at Croydon as she hasn't passed her Basic 2 obedience there. She is stacks better at it then Poppy so it is a bit annoying.

I would be getting full bloods done on him. I had a itchy dog that was super fussy. I tried every brand of expensive dog food, raw etc etc. Turns out she has a liver condition and the high protein foods were making her sicker. Now is is on a food that suits her she scoffs her food down.

What a nightmare! I would be up shit creek if Hills stopped importing the food I use. Is the California Natural any good for Grumpy?

Rally-O classes started at Croydon this week :)

Very sorry RIP Dante

They probably just meant that you join Vicherding so that you get the list of trials. It seems the best place of info. You can join the Yahoo list (that Superminty put up) without joining the club though.

It isn't just the protein level that is the issue in dogs with a liver condition it is how the liver processes the protein. Veggie protein is easier for the liver to process. Egg whites are ok too. I can't feed my girl any meat at all. However I would suggest getting a blood test and a then a bile test from a vet before changing the diet so drastically.

Oh dear I was just standing outside asking the dogs if I had given them lunch as I couldn't remember. Amber licked her lips so I assume that meant 'no'. :rofl:

I don't like children, I do like my dogs so no my dogs aren't children. What does it mean anyhow 'to treat you dogs like children'????