The Spotted Devil

Could be a flurry of excitement! I'm going to try for a natural mating tomorrow - see if the young lad has figured it out yet. Might try for another fresh AI just in case. Although it looked great under the microscope. Really want to do my utmost to make this happen.

Yes, fingers and paws crossed here too. Fresh AI yesterday as my Em wouldn't tolerate the inexperienced young stud dog fluffing around any longer

This question is difficult to answer - you need to talk to your breeder about their vaccination protocol. Just because they've had their last needle doesn't mean that it takes immediate effect. You should also talk to your vet about risk in your area - if they see parvo cases a lot I would err on the side of caution. If they very rarely see issues relating to unvaccinated dogs then I would take more risks. Not socialising your puppy for months is a huge risk in my eye.

Ok so that's a great start. I would use the same tricks as for puppies. Firstly make sure the dog is well exercised and done some brain work. So physically and mentally tired. Then pop him in the crate with something to chew and only let him out when he's quiet. Just as you did. You might need to build this up over time. At night I would simply put the crate near your bed. Once he's sleeping through the night gradually shift it further from your bed until it's where you want him to sleep. A cover over the crate at night might help too. Mine all sleep in my room anyway - unless someone is in season and then I leave her crated in the lounge room. They ALWAYS get a big biscuit for bed time which tells them where they are sleeping. In a crate, in my room, in the car, at a friend's house, in the tent...

Is he scared of the crate? Or will he go in ok?

I have not seen one comment on social media - showing circles - thinking that's ok. As Diva said it's been widely condemned. Just because it happened doesn't mean the entire dog world is complicit.

I was out with my crazy dogs working them in the field on the weekend. Not trialling, not showing. But doing what they were bred to do. That's my ultimate judgement of whether they are worth breeding. But I can't even share photos or videos here because it's too politically incorrect! So perhaps I'm just making it up lol

I don't use anything for doors, gates, cars or food. I expect my lot to offer and hold a sit...the bowl of food or my hand on the door (or gate to chook yard) is the cue to sit. Then I release them one by one on their name...anyone who makes an error (including one paw up, that's you Em!) goes to the back of the cue

Photos please!!!

Well I did of course! Haha

Mine have JRG blood in them @DogsAndTheMob

How fabulous. Those dogs would have no idea of their impact, just doing what they do best. Wow. I hope that I have the privilege to breed such a dog one day.

First things first....when I'm teaching my pups a "give" or an "out" from tug etc this is what I do: Initiate a game of tug with lots of verbal encouragement and interaction from my other hand (gentle pushing on the shoulder for example), keeping the pup in fairly low arousal (as in not a WILD game of tug - it might only be for a few seconds) Freeze. Don't pull the tug away, touch, talk or do anything. As soon as they lose interest and release the tug, I mark "yes", say "get it" and reward with another game of tug. Rinse and repeat. Pretty quickly I switch it up. When they release the tug I continue to freeze. Most puppies will quickly default to a sit. "Yes! Get it!" and play again. Over time I will increase the duration of the sit Time to add a cue - "give" or "out" then freeze, dog lets go, sits, "get it" Time to increase complexity - when the dog is holding a sit, introduce distractions such as movement of the tug BEFORE you say "get it". Pup will almost certainly move. Just an "oops!" is all that's necessary and freeze again. Very soon, my babies are holding a sit without command whilst I whack the tug on the floor. It's great for impulse control! Leaving something on the ground or the bench - well I'm a great fan of Susan Garrett's It's Yer Choice games - no commands but teaching the dog about permissions. The problem with using a cue is that the dog will unlikely "leave it" 100% of the time. You say "leave it", they pick it up and suddenly the cue "Leave it" becomes a cue to "Pick it up"! Trust me when I say this is absolutely true. It's simple learning theory.

Because variability is normal and natural. You can't breed clones no matter how much you try and, in fact, I think the attempt to do so is the source of some of our problems. As a working dog owner/breeder I really value variability in physical traits - as long as they are balanced and structurally sound and the "crazy work" ethic is there. Some are certainly more crazy than others

I will also add that ANKC dog breeders cop a lot of flack. And they deserve some of it. But they are easy targets. They supply something like 12% of the pet dog population. If you think laying it all at the door of ANKC Breeders is going to solve the problem I think you're barking up the wrong tree. DV have recently expelled several Breeders but that won't stop them breeding. Or the public buying. Not our problem now though!

@moosmum Sure. But I'm not sure you expect a bunch of over worked volunteers to solve this in one clean sweep. There's a shit load of other pressures on us too

Well said. As a breeder of aforementioned crazy dogs I think you nailed it. Yes there is a choice. There are also lots of "misnomers" around which are perpetuated by both some pedigree dog owners and some in rescue... eg if you don't show, you shouldn't breed; if you don't rescue you shouldn't breed; responsible dog ownership means not contributing to the shelter population or puppy farmers - so desex everything; the number of dogs people can own should be limited; pedigree dogs are inbred (ok so we've just established that you will be judged if you don't desex everything OR if you have "too many" dogs) etc etc. It's very prescriptive and you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. I'm not into sweeping statements or generalisations. There are some breeders doing a great job, some doing an average job and some who are terrible.

Nothing. I feed the same food (mix of dry and raw) throughout pregnancy and lactation, just slightly more a few weeks before whelping and about 4 x as much during lactation. My girl literally runs herself ragged through all stages - she is crazy fit - and also pours every ounce of energy into her babies. It's all I can do to keep her ribs covered. Lots of yoghurt, RMBs etc for calcium during lactation. No supplements.

Oh nasty! That poor man! Yes, I fell on a metal star picket last August and I'm still healing...off to see my hand OT tomorrow.

Well I've had every type! My Dally would just stand in the middle of the room and look miserable. My first working Springer was tapping on the door to go out by 9 weeks. Her daughter took until 9 months!!! She was so BUSY (and I was injured) that she would completely forget to pee outside for all her running around. Vet check for UTI (common) Confine to crate, pen or leash indoors when you can't DIRECTLY supervise Take pup outside on leash Don't walk around. Stand in one spot. Be boring. When pup pees feed HIGH value treats (Beagle so cardboard will be fine ) Let the pup run around the yard as another reward Let pup have SUPERVISED access to the house as another reward If pup refuses to pee outside then back in the crate.

To be honest, no-one buys a puppy from me without meeting me and my dogs first. In the flesh. Not negotiable. That was the requirement of my Dally breeder 10 years ago and I have taken their advice. It's about building a life long relationship between breeder and puppy buyer. Flights are cheap and it is easy to make a visit part of a work trip or holiday. I have a prospective couple coming to visit me from WA in August. Because they like my philosophy and my dogs.

Just a quick update - I met this boy and he is a real sweetie but yes needed a stable home and training. We have since placed him in a lovely home and his entire fee is being held in trust for training with a trainer of our choice. I've had one very positive update from the trainer and am looking forward to the next one. Thank you for all your responses.

I'm someone who leaves my dogs indoors when I'm out so if I was in your position I would have 2 large pens (with a crate as a bed)....I would vary where the pens were, which puppy was in which pen, how close they are, swap toys, food enrichment etc. However, I've been able to limit my dogs' alone time to 4-6 hours as, although we can both work long hours, there's often a lot of cross over. My adult dogs also have full access to the house before getting another pup. I often would get up at 5am, train and exercise puppy (plus do emails and tidy up) so that by the time I left at 7-7.30am she'd be ready for sleep. It was hard work but so worth it. All my dogs will sleep until 11am given half a chance