FHRP

I go to my local vets - Inner South, for most things and am extremely happy with them. After trying a few vets on peoples recommendations and then put off them by other peoples horror stories I decided to go to my local and try them out. They were Alta then and different vets, but suited me perfectly. Since taken over and made into a larger practice, I have again been very happy with the service. although there are two out of the four vets I will always ask to see. For anything movement/muscle/bone/sports related I go to Sandra Hassett at Phillip Animal Medical Centre, have just been there this morning with my older boy who decided to have a run in with a tree stump yesterday ;) Neither vets are the cheapest, but worth what they cost. I've said it before, finding a vet that you like can be a personal thing IMO. I have been to a number of other practices in Canberra & Queanbyan that I personally have not liked or have not found a vet that I clicked with at the practice. Other people will swear by these very vets.

Vehs, I started tracking through CDC, sort of. A few years ago when a member was tracking their newest dog (now a TCh), they organised a training day and ran a tracking trial. Since then I have gone up to Sydney for a few training days with the NSW search and rescue club. I basically go out by myself now in a few areas around Canberra. There are a couple of members at CDC still doing some tracking. Due to drought and fires, there hasn't been much cover to track in for the past few years here.

I have no experience with these clubs, but they were taken from the CCCQ website. http://www.cccq.org.au/documents/Affiliate...Spreadsheet.pdf All Breeds Tracking Club Miss S Tolich PO Box 1878 Sunnybank Hills 4109 (07) 5546 9936 Evergreen Tracking Club - Gympie Ms D Sunners 24 Cremin St Upper Mt Gravatt The costs involved in tracking? You will need to purchase a harness for your dog and a 10m suitable lead (cotton webbing my prefernce). Harnesses can cost anywhere from $10 up! A good leather one will be more expensive, but I wouldn't rush out an buy one just yet. You will need smelly socks, treats and toys, although you probably have most of these. Costs may be more involved in joining a club and any training fees, travelling to and entering trials. Not what I regard as an expensive sport (apart from petrol prices at the moment), but it is VERY tijme consuming. Oh, and good fun

For the rare occasions I bath my dogs I actually like the Fido shampoo. It's not expensive, but for some reason I just love the smell! When preparing a Spinone to show I had to steer clear of any conditioning shampoo or ones that soften the coat, it's the last thing you want on a wire coated dog...

Raw broad beans are bad for dogs, don't include them in their raw vegie mix...

And me crying "stop the music!!!! stop the singing!!!!!" Can't wait to go, looking forward to watching the action (dogless this time) :rolleyes: Have I scared you Paula?? You can always travel back with me... I promise my music/singing is much better.. the boys rarely howl anymore!!

myszka, what sort of muzzle do you use? I would suggest a greyhound type basket muzzle rather than the closed cloth ones, much better for a heavy breathing dog and yours won't be the only one wearing one probably. Hopefully your boy will be so fixated on the lure that it won't be necessary anyway Like poodlefan said, look for the screaming Vizsla.. the woman trying to control him will be me :rolleyes: Or poodlefan if I can hand him off I will also have my little red van there, which should stand out well

Sidoney, I am very sorry that Amy has passed. You were both lucky to have each other for 13 years, and the memories will last much longer. I feel privileged to have met Amy and to have seen her just a few weeks ago where she was happy and active. Myself an the boys send hugs to your two and four legged family who must miss her so much

I am very sorry to hear of the loss of your little angel

If you were intending on giving worming regularly with a heartworm prevention in it, I certianly wouldn't give the annual injection also. My dogs used to get the injection. My young boy has a lump where he was given it 2 years ago and I was advised for him not to get it again. I put all the boys back on monthly tablets. Like poodlefan said, the jury is out. I've heard good things and bad things about it.

I answered 'more than one of the above'. I put coats on my dogs because of their breeds (Vizslas & Whippet - short coated, very lean) and because it gets so bleedin cold here My guys wear coats when it's cool and they are inactive. That does not limit it to Winter. The younger boy wears a coat overnight in Winter because he's the only one not on the bed and I don't have heating overnight (and minimal at any other time). When I had the old Whippet she wore a coat nearly 24/7 in Winter. I'm afraid I'm a bit of a 'coat freak' and my dogs have several coats each. They each have a waterproof one and several cloth ones. I do not pay large amounts for coats though and have found some great bargains, as well as made some myself.

Sending good thoughts for Amy, I hope she is better soon.

My Flynn has eaten chocolate at various times with no apparent ill effects. His recent effort was a week ago where he managed to get a pack of small foil covered eggs off my mothers side table, gobbled all but one, foil and all before we caught him! He's polished off three large choc chip chocolate muffins before he ran agility at the Canberra Royal one year too. However, he's only eaten milk chocolate and he is a largish sized dog. If he ate any decent quantity of dark chocloate I would be worried.. and I do try to discourage any chocolate eating!!! But no, I don't know of personally of any dog that has become seriously ill or died from eating chocolate.

Smart creatures aren't they! When I had my old computer Flynn used to jump up off the couch and get excitied about going to bed and getting his bed time treat when he heard the modem disconnect at night.

Good luck and have fun! I won't bother saying don't be nervous either, it doesn't work But, remember you and your dog are there to have a nice time. Let us know how you go!

I have also been told genetics play a big role in dogs (and humans) going grey. My 7 year old Vizsla is very white faced and his feet are going white also. I like to think he's looking distinguished, rather than grey His mother was going quite grey at 6 when I got Flynn, so I can see where he gets it from. He did grey a lot faster when I got Rogan as a pup though.... and I think I have too

This is an interesting one. When I am working my dogs for obedience, I do it one at a time. I want the dogs attention and I want them interacting with me. For that reason I have no need to use their name in obedience exercises as part of a command... BUT... I do use my younger boys name on the recall, with a definite pause between the name and call. When I release my dogs from the c-crate they are all in together at trials I will say their name and then their release word (which is the same for all of them). I think for this reason my youger boy was getting 'sticky' on the recalls. No other exercise seems to be affected. At home, I will use their name before a command if I have multiple dogs around. Sometimes it is not so succesful and more than one dog wants to do the task, but it is always informal if I have multiple dogs around so I will restain one. The difference may be between training dogs to live with and training for trials. I certainly wouldn't be teaching each of my dogs a different command for everything!! No way I would remember :D If it works for what you want, use the dogs names!!

You can use a different command for the retrieve over solid from retrieve on the flat, and it can be taught to the dog that it means take the jump and retrieve. You may choose 'fetch' for a straight retrieve and 'over' for a retrieve over a jump. You then may choose to use 'jump' for a dog to take a jump without having to fetch something. Personally I use the same command for both retrieves, which I guess means to my dog take a straight line there and back (which for the retrieve over the obstacle means take the jump!!) OK, to maybe help some confusion with the exercise. Straight forward retrieves are done in OPEN. A retrieve on the flat where you heel forward, halt, throw the dumbell then send the dog, there will be no obstacle between them and the dumbell (unless you have done a very bad throw ;) ). The retrieve over solid, you set your dog up directly in front of the obstacle, throw the dumbell and send the dog. In UD, you have directed jumping, but there is no retrieve to it. You send the dog to a box (running between two jumps) and the dog sits facing you. You then recall the dog back via a jump. Two commands are given in this exercise, one to send the dog, and one to recall the dog. I use a hand signal and a different command from retrieve over solid for the directed jump. If in your example of getting a dog to take a different line other than straight, over a jump and retrieve, I would have to train that as a seperate exercise, it certainly isn't something our dogs are expected to do in the trial ring here. I would start with a directional and then the retrieve, however I would hope to reduce it like every other exercise to a hand signal and single command. I am not trying to justify why everything in the obedience ring has one command, I think your reasoning is very practical! In everyday life, I do use more than one command and see no reason why people can't, if it's not confusing the dog. In agility you can say things as much as you like!! Although I am using less and less different words in agility now.

You can only use one command. Fetch or over (or whatever word you choose), but not both :D Oh, and my 'UD dog' (we are trialing, but not very succesfully) was also a dog that didn't fetch.... and it's not retrieving he blows at trials....

Congrats! The first is always special. On to the fun stuff in Open!

Got back late last night.. had a great time and I think my brain is full.. would love to go to the obedience one also.

I hope I last the five days, I'm in more doubt than the dog Rogan also gets quite feral when he's tired... Did you get the recent emails with more information and schedule? Daily Schedule 9.00 am to 12.30 pm Morning Session (incl a short tea/smoko break) 12.30 pm to 1.00 pm Lunch 1.00 pm to 4.30 pm Afternoon Session (incl a short tea/smoko break) Question time 4.30 pm to 5.00 pm

yeah, that's Rogies sister! The boys would love if Misty attends Not that we'd get much agility done though Have stocked up on cabanossi and sandwhich meat here.. oh and squeaky rats, why can't my dog be mad on a toy that doesn't get disgustingly slimey?? Am looknig forward to a week off work as much as the seminar I think!! BUSY day.

The boys are looking forward to seeing your red girls again Rogans sister will be there too so we'll be out in numbers!!

Nope, but I'm going to the Susan Garrett, Greg Derrett Agility seminar in Sydney