SkySoaringMagpie

Agree with Diva and Espinay - great posts.

I notice it's in the DogsNSW show calendar but isn't in the January Gazette....

With bitches squaring off, or fighting, it's not enough to follow the "paint by numbers" leadership stuff about doorways and eating first etc. If it were that simple, life would be a lot easier! I think it's great you're considering professional help, because nothing you read here will replace someone looking at both bitches and at you interacting and then giving some well thought out EXPERIENCED advice. You mention the GSD bitch, be aware that sometimes the problem is not coming from the place you first think it might be. Until you've had that appointment I would not leave them alone unsupervised - including while you're in another room or distracted. I would also keep them apart during "high arousal" times like you getting home, feeding, etc etc. I don't want to alarm you, but a read of the threads in general about bitches fighting and killing each other is extremely sobering reading. You are right that you don't want to let them get to that first fight before help arrives, so make sure you manage them so that can't happen. Do you live alone? I have broken up a fight by myself between two medium sized dogs and it wasn't easy - I would not like to try it by myself with a Rottie and GSD tho' I know what I would do. So if this was me, I would completely separate until I had some pro help.

As it is Junior I would stick with Junior unless she is really big or mature for her breed. I think this is more of a question in Intermediate, where you sometimes get dogs who are by then nearly 3, and already BIS winners. Then I think people should consider putting them into Open to compete with what is supposed to be the best. One Spec I went to had a hugely competitive and very large Intermediate Class full of BIS/Group/Spec Challenge winners but only 4 dogs in Open. I know it puzzled the international specialist judge, because they remarked on it. Edited to say I know 3/5ths of bugger all about Beagles, and they are a more early maturing breed, so take my comments with a sack of salt

We're on acres and I think there are two issues with the "on acres" thing. First issue is whether it's cruel never to go for a walk; providing the dog gets safe free running and exercise on the acres, I'd say not it's not cruel. Second issue is that not leaving the property is also not ideal for socialisation and confidence purposes and if the dog then has to leave its safe haven it often doesn't have the mental tools it needs to navigate life confidently. I think calling that cruelty dilutes the reasons we need the word cruelty to describe things that are heinous. It's not good tho'. It's one of the reasons we were getting together with some of the other locals with sighthounds to walk at markets and the lakes etc. Not because they needed the physical exercise but because they need the mental exercise.

I know there are more than a few that go the chemical castration/delay seasons route, but there are also those who have had them desexed. As for drugs, as I've said here before, I would LOVE to see proper random drug testing at shows. For caffeine, alcohol, sedatives and anything else that affects the presentation in the ring*. i know it's too expensive; too hard for dog world to really get the kind of regulatory framework you would need in place; and I know it brings out the calls of "it's only a hobby, don't obsess over it!" but a girl can dream anyway. :p *just for the dogs, tho' the results for humans could be a giggle.

I wouldn't rely on the desexing to do it alone. Weirdly enough our desexed dog has started cocking his leg (outside) in the last few years, perhaps the influence of living with two other entire males? It's behaviour as much as it is hormones and hormones take a while to wash out of the dog's system. I see your situation as being similar to those who take on spraying male tom cats (which we have been nuts enough to do in the past). It's the Olympics of house training :p As another poster said long term house soiling problems take a lot of time to overcome, it's not like training a labrador puppy who was bred and raised by a trainer breeder. The hard core remedial stuff is the kind of training that needs to be done over a series of months by a dedicated and experienced house trainer. I wouldn't rehome with a belly band unless you were rehoming to a very experienced house with a track record of fixing difficult house soiling problems. Living full time with a belly banded dog is not a lot of fun and a bit risky for the dog too IMO unless the person doing it is super fussy about hygiene.

I think it happens more frequently than people realise, especially in some coated breeds. That is one reason why I object, to answer Oakway's question. It gives those bitches an advantage over bitches who drop coat with each season. Plus, it's against the rules. Also agree with RallyValley tho' that it would be tricky to know whether you were dealing with malicious gossip or not unless you personally worked in the vet surgery where it was done, or lived with the dog, or whatever.

Love the name Here's mine: "Floyd" - Farousi al Battal (Gr Ch Farousi Bedazzling x Ch Farousi Shimmer) Everyone is giving me stick about the fact that this time I've gone all normal (ie, he's not an unpopular colour, not a smooth and not a desert bred). I think he's a little stunner anyway

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/seru...9-1225976415971 VETS are pooling paralysis tick drugs to cope with a shortage of antiserum. Dog owners are being urged to take preventative measures as Sydney deals with a tick plague. Acute shortages of the antiserum needed to save the lives of tick-affected dogs have forced many Sydney veterinarians to pool stocks at emergency veterinary clinics to ensure supply during the Christmas-New Year period. Seaforth Veterinary Clinic principal partner Dr Terry Collins said he had came close to running out of antiserum because he had loaned supplies to emergency clinics. "They're the ones who are going to see a lot more tick cases over the holidays, and they're going to need it," Dr Collins said. Heavy rainfall across Australia in recent months has led to more than 1300 tick cases being reported. Vets have described it as the worst paralysis-tick season in decades. Buddy, a cavalier king charles spaniel from Sydney's Northern Beaches, was at risk of dying after he was bitten by a paralysis tick. "Buddy survived, but only because we were to able get him the antiserum quickly," Dr Collins said. Australian Veterinary Association NSW president Dr Geoff Tomkins said that in recent months, many clinics had run low on antiserum. "Demand this year has considerably outstripped supply," he said. Antiserum wholesalers say a dry winter, followed by a wet summer, has made it difficult for suppliers to keep up with deman

For NSW most people will recommend K9Pro: http://www.k9pro.com.au/

Continuous or including "recreated breeds"?

Thanks for another year's hard work Troy. All the best for 2011.

I know one Japanese Chin Borzoi Saluki Good question Diva, much harder to Google the answer!!

You Lowenhart Lady of the Ghans. I know Picasso had one, but that's as far as I can get without Google.

I can't believe people have forgotten Barney so quickly!! Barney, George Bush's Scottish Terrier.

Diva is correct on the first two, we must have some fans of Republican presidents dogs here to make up that last one?

I think we are waiting for Onsntillnflash to confirm if Ruralpug's answers about the kelpies and coolies are correct and then it would be Ruralpug's go. In the meantime, we could keep going with this question: Name three pure bred inhabitants of the White House, their breeds and the Presidents who owned them. Edited to fix a plural

I think the most surprising to many people would be the Border Collie.

that you didn't mention Tenties, but over to you!

Ok, to get things moving, name three breeds where the country of development is Australia.

1.Labrador 2.Basenji 3. No idea 3 I do know from putting together quizes for the hound club - Foxhound. RallyValley, I think you should take the next turn.

Out geeked! Nifty link, thank you!

You're right on the Salukis and Florence Amherst but this is the best picture I have for Lady Aberdeen: