Dogsfevr

Okay what you need o consider is showing & obedience on weekends will often clash.You will be resposnable for keeping the dog in peak show condition.Someone will have to train this baby.How far away do the breeders live in relation to organizing dogshows.Who will be taking the dog to the show & who will pay that cost. Weekend away shows or specialities in the east?? The showing part is the easiest part the breeding side is more technical.How many litters would they want if she turns out?? You may have to keep her entire for up to 6 yrs & then consider when shes in heat could be good trail weekends. When she whelps she wont be with you.You also need to understand that things can go wrong when whelping & very occasionally the bitch can die,where would you stand?? I guess the key is how committed do you want to be to this type of arrangement.For many it works well for others it doesnt & you would need to make sure the contract covered yourside aswell

Handstripping will cost alot more than a clip.The thing with handstripping is you still have to work on the coat .Once stripped you need to maintain that coat & work on the hairs that are growing faster etc etc. In some westies you can roll the coat but again that is weekly maintance. You could pay for someone to strip but it doesnt just stop there,if you want to show you still need to scissor feet,head,face etc etc. For us we charge $50 to clip a westie ,to hand strip i would charge double & with stripping the coat must be ready to be stripped Hand stripping is quite easy once your taught but it is time consuming . The main cost are the gear for stripping & each person uses different things to handstrip plus each dogs coat can mean a different product. If your breeder shows i would suggest contacting them again & discussing your pup & its needs for the show ring

Mine are washed for every show,they are also maintance bathed mid week & if its a 2-4 show circuit feathers in between. I also use human shampoo/conditioner.

No you cant have him clipped ,to get the correct coat(providing he has it as some westies do have ppor coat textures)in a show westie it must be handstripped .

Yes if you want to show then the dog needs to be handstripped,completely different to popping into a salon & dog is finished in 2 hrs. You cant clip a westies coat if you want to show it. Was the dog sold on main papers ??Was it sold as as show potential pup??

Murdoch would be my last port of call. We havent used Lark Hill but are well aware of one of the new vets there & he is very good & experienced in larger breeds(growth plates etc). Applecross vet is who we use & for surgery we use Ian Mcdowell There is Cottesloe,rivergum both who have ortho specialists if thats what you want I would go with Applecroos or Lark Hill for opinions

Twice a day here ,more if needed.

remove them the problem wont go away . We had a 10 month old with issues & had them removed asap.Some people havent & its affected the dogs enjoyment for the lead as it hurts

Im thinking her journey on the back of the ute has alot to do with her fear.

IMO you would be well within your rights to ask for a refund. this breeder was irresponsible to sell a puppy to such a young family Yes the breeder should have maybe thought twice but new owners also need to realize there capabilities & committment to a dog.Just because the plan is for it to be outside doesnt make training any less.I also believe a cocker isnt an outside dog any & they thrive on human contact & being part of the family & ofcourse need to be trained for grooming. I applaud this breeder for taking the pup back.They didnt have too although we all now its ethically correct. We to are very careful about selling to families with young children. Some we have refused as the parents didnt take any control when greeting our own mature dogs as a tester,others where able to cope well . I think the most important factor is what people expect a dog to be & how much work they feel they want to committ. In our opinion training the pup is the easy part but educating young children how to interact & treat a pup right is harrder & this also moulds a dogs temp for life. Well done for being honest & returning the pup early on. We refund the owners of our pups fully provided it is returned in the same condition it left in ,its in our puppy contract

We have had quite a few over the years(haematomas (SP).Its no big deal & it isnt harmful just annoys the dog.If left it will heal but leave the ear deformed so surgery is best & some are very low set in the ear canal. They simply slice the ear & then sew either x ray film/mesh to the ear so it drains.What a few weeks remove the stuff & easy peasy. If it isnt could be a grass seed,infection etc etc

You could also give ice cream.

It is never too late the key is though to do it correctly . When you arrive i wouldnt just turf Turtle outside with the others. I would do a nutral greet & meet with the JR first as there the ones to most likely react compared to the greys. Simply dont just presume be the one aware of his body language & gauge when you feel he needs time out. Ideally i would reward time out when he is being very good,so when he is either crated etc he is made to feel secure that his behaviour is good. Then make the most of the time you have in Melb.Even if you plan to get him spayed i would do so in melb alot cheaper & vets use to giant breeds.

Yep have clipped off chows due to being so matted it was the only option suitable for the dogs. We also no longer do them due to the aggression showen by the few we have clipped off. Should add we have Double K clippers which can do the job easily .i wouldnt do a chow clip off if i only had wahl,andis,oster just not enough power & to much time.

How does an undercoat grow thicker? Clipping means clipping the quality coat on top ie in Labs that water proof coat . A good breed for example mini schnauzers,cockers.setters,cavaliers. In schnauzers the pets which are clipped end up with a soft,velvety coat due to clipping.Some still retian there true harsh ,wirey coat but the greater number dont & thats becuase clipping removes the correct texture. There is a difference between a breed having undercoar but still retaining the correct outer coat.In Labs they blow there coat twice a year & look naked but they still retain the true top coat until the coat returns. When you use an undercoat rake on a lab the coat removed is dull,soft.It is the dead undercoat thats sheds & builds up.Simply place the removed coat against the area stripped through & you will the difference. Look at show setters & feel there kneck area that is clipped(cockers also) That area is soft & vevelty but the rest of the top coat is a different texture. Clipping isnt a theory its reality but many breeds arent meant to be clipped they have a coat for a set reason & when maintained correctly isnt an issue When you clip the top coat is whats removed not the undercoat,the top often doesnt grow back the same & results in the undercoat taken over. After clipping professionally for 16 years plus the other years of my own showdogs i see every year the long results of clipping.

For those people who say their coat would grow back dreadfully how do you know? Have you done it? Fom experience. It seems you have only had it done once ,each time the dog is clipped the texture is altered more & more . Great if its worked for you but many people are not informed of what can happen & the results it may achieve & a client should be told the facts & make a decision knowing that .A ruined coat takes even longer to dry as clipping enciurages the undercoat to grow thicker

I believe some Rottis can carry the long coat gene & have a different coat & length to a typical rotti so that could be the case. As for this lab & good rake through would do the job.The owners also need to remember it can take a good year or so for the coat to change season patterns this dogs coat would be getting ready for a UK winter so they need to use a good rake to help the dead coat shift. They could clip but if its a black it will regrow a red/choc colour

The goose down coat is normally dead coat that matts & that is the coat that needs to be stripped/combed through regularly if not it will matt over night or in change of weather. You can also use a soft slicker(cat ones are good) to also gently brush through then use the comb method. I agree uy a table or make one .You may also need to buya soft muzzle(this is for extreme use) but be prepared that removing knots hurts & not all dogs tolerate it well & sometimes a muzzle gets an area done way quicker. As said coat kings are great for top coats & can be use on the furnishings to remove dead coat when knot free,i wouldnt use thenmf or knot removeal .We use matt breakers if clients dogs are bad but the good old comb/slicker & patience work just aswell

I would seek the advice of a good groomer.Some knots cannot be removed or shouldnt be due to the pain it causes the dog. Long coats & water require work.After swimming they need to be brushed through

Personnally at that age i would also avoid surgery & just keep mthe home routine very normal & if anything start placing additional water bowls around,even use carpet runners so the dog can learn now whislt still some vision a roadmap.

The surgery for cataracts does have a high failure rate so dont be lead to believe it will be a great success.I know 3 dogs who have had the surgery with non success. How old is the dog??

Hot spots can be due to diet,stress,fleas anything abnormal,coat staying to moist after a wash etc etc Do you give her any treats.What about additional foods to her RC(ie beef,pasta etc etc) Are her feet swollen & red in between the pads & underneath?? She may have a Tinea type allergy(wash her feet in white vinegar) The reality is so many things could be an issue including the shampoo. What does the natural basd shampoo contain,many have tea tree oil which does can react too.

Personally i think you have created some issues with daycare .Weis are very much a routine breed & need to learn very early to be independant & cope on there own otherwise they can become obsesed with destroying anything or barking. A place that doesnt explain structure or what they do is the last place i would leave my dog. As for treats from a boarding kennel point of view we get many dogs that wont eat treats left by there owners,that isnt something i would consider an issue.The dog is in a different place,obviously crated alot & most likely very confused about what is routine. Weis are people dogs & thrive on there masters voice.They dot on there commands & live for them. I would suggest if your neighbours are at home inform them of the pups new routine so they can give you feedback & they wont be upset if things arent good.Give them your mobile neighbour if you are happy too. I would suggest doing the change sooner than latter especially with summer coming up & that there a breed prone to bloat .

When it comes to fleas we will happily tell clients they need to flea bomb there house,spray there yard etc etc.If they dont like it then they can go elsewhere.Whilst your grooming that dog those fleas are jumping off into your equipment,clothes etc etc.You then have to spray your business area to ensure they dont bred or you pass them on to the next client.There is no excuse for fleas in this day & age . We dont keep them on hand but will happily inform the client on what they should do & explain that if they dont the problems long term & the fact as a groomer i do not expect to have to deal with fleas on jmyself.We are lucky & the salon is on our premises but we then have to treat if a dog comes in & i run for the shower & wash the clothes.Those with major repipitive flea issues we refuse to do after awhile

I agree with what the others have said but also realize most breeders pups are pre booked,not all breeders have pups ready for xmas & it wont be that simple with only 6 weeks to go. Rushing doesnt mean the right combo works out. I do agree with others op sexes is way better & i totally agree that if the dog is for other half then he must have input & by the same token there is no guarantee the said pup will be your hubbies either.dogs attch themselves to some people more as its a breed trait to be more one persony & some people just have a better affinity with dogs. As a breeder we dont sell pups as gifts or surprises.If its being brought for someone then that someone must be involved with selectionof the pups.Having input for selecting stages means alot & what you may like doesnt mean its what hubby would pick