brightonrock

I have to agree on this one ... The stories about horrible animal cruelty are very upsetting but they are factual and it is important to know about them to see what the law does etc but I'm usually very disconcerted by the responses that advocate some form of gruesome, physical retaliation. I know it's rhetoric and the posters don't actually mean they want to go and kick people and gouge out their eyes etec but sometimes the strength of language describing what should be done to the perpetrators is as upsetting as the original article. I'm not a believer in eye for an eye. We hopefully don't live in that kind of poor, nasty, brutish, and short-lived society (to borrow from Hobbes) any more ... I completely agree. The replies to the earlier posts have scared me as much as the news articles. Violence is aggressive and verbal violence is what I object to. Oh, and completely off topic, koalathebear I love your Elbie, what a sweetheart !!!

Why are there so many gory topics in this section ? Whenever I look in this section I am struck by how gory and horrific the news items are. Is this necessary ? I am as sad and distressed about the cruelty cases talked about here as the people who respond but why is there a big lack of other news ? I think if you read all the topics in this section you would be frightened to leave your pets alone for a minute and a bit paranoid about strangers and walking your dogs alone as well. In general people are good, the majority do love animals or are at least interested in them and mean them no harm. I think focussing on animal cruelty is sick. It should be dealt with by the authorities and justice served, but a forum is a strange place for it.

THANKS SWAY !! Congratulations to the ones at the top

The Cavvie !!!!!

Hi, yes I have found the umbrella is really handy and have used it once and it works ! Gave the hopeless owner something to think about while her great big dog stopped in his tracks on the way to rushing my smaller dog.

EXACTLY ! Go ahead and let your dog be himself. As long as he isn't aggressive etc. let him vocalise. Being vocal won't put off the well trained dogs in the ring and it won't make your dog win if he doesn't have everything else he needs. There is nothing worse than a "statue", these are living breathing DOGS remember ? How very rude of the other exhibitors to try and psyche you out.

A puppy with a heart murmur is not a good choice for Breeding.........

Sounds good to me.

I'm looking for collars that are ok to put on show dogs so their coats are not affected too much. Mine are all microchipped but a collar id sounds like a good thing with these laws. Can anyone recommend any collars, small dog ones Thank You

I've just read the dog, Coco has died.

The day I decided to retire my best show dog, I felt so happy for him as he is now a REAL dog. He never gave a hoot what people thought of his movement or teeth or coat, he just wanted that cookie ;) I don't need anyone to classify him, never did really, I always knew his strengths and weaknesses. I just stopped showing him so we could enjoy him to the full and get away from the weekly shows and enjoy doing things dogs love like runs on the beach, long muddy walks and sleep ins :p He still "shows". Those years of training in the ring mean a perfect stand for every meal. The vet loves him because he is so easy to "mouth". We don't need anyone to clap for him or give him a ribbon.

I think Sp that Black & Tan is a fault in your breed as it would lead to very dark pups over time, if Black & Tans were used and the adult coat would not have that bluish tone. The ticking ( light hairs ) on the Border coat are on the topcoat not the undercoat.

My first litter was my very best !!!! If I knew then what I know know I would have kept all but one. All the puppy people knew it was out first litter, didn't matter in the slightest. Looking back we did silly things, fussed too much but it was nice that everything we used, whelping box, puppy room, run etc was brand new. We were also a little too serious, and listened too much to every bit of advice when commonsense was enough. It doesn't matter where you are with the number of litters, what is most important is that you are not dollar driven. There are a lot of breeders who use a litter to pay for a holiday to Crufts or an import with little thought to what they are doing to the pup when they sell no questions asked. If you start to think that way, it's wrong.

Fairly small breed community worldwide - if we want to have a breed specialist judge- they are going to know people and dogs. Hang on, SP, there are thousands of Borders in the UK alone, more than 8000 registered with the KC and a popular breed in Sweden, not a small breed community worldwide surely ? Over here, it's evident what the Breed Judge will like if you are familiar with their breeding.eg if the Judge likes to breed big then they won't look at a correct size if they should be small.

Makes winning at shows a bit irrelevant doesn't it ? In so very cynical I know the dodgy judges are less common so I probably should have worded it the other way around lol. Overall I enjoy showing and have done well so I know it's possible but there are times when the decision is suspicious (such as a lame dog going up for group!!). When you are paying for another human beings opinion, you're taking a risk. There ate no clear rules about showing, as opposed to say obedience or agility), and like I aid, I believe committee showing or not is the least of my worries!!! What I meant is it is very hard to prove face judging etc. I would put up a lame dog who is an excellent typey example of the breed against a dreadful, untypical, better mover on the day if there was a choice of just two. Or not award at all. Winning relies on one or two people's opinions ( breed, then in show judging ) only. Winning never means you have the best dog or bitch there is in your breed, just in that combination of entries under that judge on that day. What keeps people showing, I think, is when you encounter a really good judge who is only interested in the dogs and has the experience and knowledge to know what is good and doesn't give a damn about making people happy. Sadly they are in short supply.

Makes winning at shows a bit irrelevant doesn't it ?

Don't know what looks worse, the poor dogs or the tragic handlers......... Hang on. Yes I do, the tragic handlers.

HOORAY ;)

What do you do if you have found a really good example of your breed on main register, a pet dog who is entire, but the dog's Breeder no longer breeds and is not a registered breeder anymore ? The owner of the dog is a pet owner and not a VCA member.

If you have ever wasted years of your life living next to neighbours from hell, or neighbour's kids from hell, believe me it is not a silly suggestion. Life's too short to try and sort out crap like this.

Move.

Yes, completely agree.

:D :D ;) :thumbsup: :rofl:

I've been through this. The mastiff should be put down immediatedly. The mastiff's owner's should be made to pay all vet costs and be fined for the suffering caused. AND they should be made to watch the mastiff being pts. I hate these stories.