SkySoaringMagpie

Once for a local show where I was only showing a smooth saluki, I rocked up at the grounds with a water bowl, his ordinary lead and collar and a show lead. I may have had a rubber brush in the car to buff up his coat. He won a class in group that day. That is my personal best on packing light, if OH is there with an Afghan, it's a whole other story and for a weekend away I tend to plan for weather issues and a range of other things that really work against packing light. In your shoes I would buddy up with a local who likes you enough to let you share their set up! EFS

Hound Club of ACT Results - 26 February 2011 General Specials Judge Dr Tamas Jakkel (Hungary). Breed Judge for Borzoi, Afghan Hound & Rhodesian Ridgeback, Mrs Candy Way (USA). BIS: Borzoi, Gr Ch Kenibea Th Chosen One (Nott) RUBIS: Whippet, Ch Byerley Longines (More/Griffiths) Baby: Whippet, Beauroi This Diamond Sparkles (McNeill) Puppy: Rhodesian Ridgeback, Ozrhode Try And Keep Up (Comerford) Junior: Afghan Hound, Stonecrest Paco Rabanne (Bray) Intermediate: Whippet, Byerley Diesel (More/Griffiths) Australian Bred: As for BIS Open: As for RUBIS Total Entry 171

Two more ads with Afghan Hounds: Audi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3snyXTNmFm8...player_embedded Phillips Sonic Hair Straightener:

I want a like button for LOTG's posts! Thanks for posting Horace's pic

Yep, they come up in rescue occasionally, these days usually because people can't cope with the coat. Last one we sprang from the pound had a dodgy coat clip, what coat he had was full of seeds and he REEKED. We cleaned him up and he looked and smelled a lot nicer, but I could see why the coat had been causing problems - it was like fine, fine fairy floss - very dry and would mat up if you just looked at it the wrong way. When we cleaned him up we had the benefit of using our own hydrobath, products, grooming stand, brushes and dryer. Much harder if you just adopt one without knowing what you are in for.

Yes, people respond differently to ads, and some are going to realise that you don't get an impeccably groomed dog at the RSPCA and some, like Lhok's friend, are more easily led. Regardless of how the average punter sees it, the RSPCA are still using a pure bred Afghan (and Pug) in an ad for their dogs, when their support for pure breeds could be described as lukewarm at best. And ultimately, they choose the ad agency and they approve the ad. I find it irritating on a number of levels. We are worth using when there is a product to be flogged, but otherwise we are fair game. Edit: Can't see a pug in the ad, I could have sworn there was one when I looked this morning but I can't see it now. There is a boxer.

The breed 101 thread here on DOL is a good start - the chat threads for Afghans and Sighthounds are also good Edit - Breed 101 thread here: http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=172998

I think LizT is right tho', the old chestnut about the Afghan being mistaken for an attractive blonde is an attention grabber but I think the product itself gets rather lost. I'd be interested to know what your average punter would take away from that ad in terms of recall.

Now I want the Gruen Transfer to analyse this ad! It does seem to have piqued buyer interest in Afghan Hounds. By the way, who are you calling tragic? Once I've finished doing the judges' books for the show, groomed three dogs for the Royal, cleaned up the guest bathroom for our Afghan's breeder who is staying with us for the weekend and packed the dog trailer then you just watch out!

I gather it's been generating some inquiries for reputable breeders. Perhaps not quite what they had in mind

Agree, tho' the RSPCA would have had to approve it?

I assume because the purebreds are more attractive than the poor old generic brown heinz dog who is more representative of the dogs you find looking for homes in shelters and pounds. Personally I thought it was opportunistic, I know people with rescue Afghans and have sprung one from a pound and they did not leave the shelters looking like that. Your average Joe has no hope of making the transformation from matted/clipped off scruffy looking Afghan Hound to what you see in that ad without a ton of help from an experienced mentor.

The idea is far from a new one btw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5DHi791XY0...feature=related

Have to agree with this, my breed has done a good job of pushing away and bullying some promising newbies. I came to the breed in my early 30's and had some life experience under my belt that meant that I was better placed to deal with it. There have been times tho' when you really have to wonder - and I'm no threat to anyone. There have also been some great people in the breed, but tellingly two of the most helpful to me are now out of the breed. Also, it's a bit tricky for breeds where you really can't do a lot of "great family pet!" PR. Salukis are a great family pet, for the right family headed by cluey, calm adults who are prepared to take on a higher level of responsibility than your average dog owner. They are not very doggy tho', if your idea of a great family pet is a cheerful cocker or a friendly lab, they just aren't going to cut it and it would not be fair to do a PP style bullshit sell with them. I do think there is a future for them in the homes of physically active DINKs. The "not that doggy" thing is an advantage as well. Will I still be around? Don't know to be honest, I can see a lot of forces working against ethical dog breeding both external and internal to the fancy. However, I will always have a Saluki (and probably an Afghan too) and it may come to it at some point that the only person I trust to breed the Saluki is myself.

;)

I find it hard to find a source I'm happy with. Anything made in China or Thailand etc is a no no. They are also very fatty so not good for dogs you are trying to get weight off. So we usually don't, and stick with RMBs for chewing. If I could find a source of fresh ears and dry them myself I'd be more keen to give it a go.

I have been asked to advise that Canberra Royal was informed at 10.30pm on Sunday 20 February that Ms Maria Dekaristou is seriously ill & has had to cancel her appointments in Canberra and Perth. Arrangements are in place for Mr. P Kersey (NZ) to replace her. It is likely that Best in Show and Ms Dekaristou's in Show assignment will be assigned to one of the other European Judges. Any inconvenience to exhibitors is regretted. It would be appreciated if you could pass this information on to any contacts you may have, particularly in the Hound and Non-Sporting Groups.

I agree to an extent, in my breed there are top winners who just flat out will not allow anyone in Australia to use their stuff, end of story. That might be good for their own career in dogs but it's not good for the breed. I think tho', like health problems, part of the problem is dog world generally. Any stuff ups where pet owners put dogs in shelters, where buyers use dogs unwisely in their breeding programs, where problems emerge out of a litter and the finger pointing starts, etc, mean that people become feral about protecting their reputations, and become extremely risk averse. I can think of one breeder in our breed who had problems a few years ago that were well publicised in dog world, now she ties the whole lot down so tight that no dog - as she puts it - takes a shit without her say so. It's hard to fault her for that given the bollocking she got for selling to someone who ended up BYBing. If we want people to be reasonable, we have to be reasonable as well.

Glad to hear you have her back home. Get well soon Daisy!

Agree with Kirty, but for the reverse reason. My experience has been that regular vets tend to overdiagnose. I have sighthounds, and a fit sighthound can give a false read. I now take my guys to a vet who was a greyhound track vet for all their fitness related conditions because he is very familiar with how sighthound hearts sound, and does a lot of pulse point testing in addition to listening to the heart. I've also taken them to a cardiologist for a formal screen. I would trust either of those opinions over a regular vet any day. It's also cheaper to get it done at a Cav clinic.

Like thryoid testing you can get a clear test one year and then a year later detect a problem. That is why most cardiologists who do clinics make people sign a bit of paper saying they won't use the result in advertising. So you do need to test at least once, and thereafter on the advice of the cardiologist. If you were planning to breed, I would also test both dogs before the mating along with the other health tests, particularly with a Cav.

Hound Club of the ACT numbers were posted yesterday. Breed breakdown is as follows: Mrs Way Afghan Hound 18 Basset Hound 6 Beagle 10 Bloodhound 2 Borzoi 10 Irish Wolfhound 6 Rhodesian Ridgeback 18 Saluki 12 Dr Jakkel Basenji 8 BFDB 2 Dachshund Long 3 Dachshund Std Smth 4 Dachshund Mini Smth 2 Deerhound 2 Finnish Spitz 1 Norwegian Elkhound 24 Pharaoh Hound 5 PBGV 2 Whippet 36 Total for Show 171

Depends a bit on the level of drive in the sighthound and the experience of the owner. You can end up with a problem cat chaser if you don't raise them correctly, and the job is harder if you have a very drivey dog. Yes it can be done, but it's not just a matter of raising them with the cat.