angelsun

Mine always double if not more in a week, but if they havent, it's by ten days for sure.

The phrase that should be remembered, by everyone, not just vets, but us as owners is : PAINFREE QUALITY OF LIFE, something often not mentioned.....the word painfree I mean....we probably all know someone out there that has kept an animal alive, on meds....with the belief that because the animal was not crying in pain, it was painfree. The cat that purrs, can't be in pain....but they can purr as they die and yes, they purr in pain. This sort of Vet is amazing...but I look at it not just from the medical point of view but him as an engineer with the ability to see the structure needed to fix a problem, when he's got boxes of bits and wires and arcs. To combine an engineering mind with that of a vet, is astounding to me. As for the woman with the black lab...it wasn't the dog that should be drugged, it was her that should have been.....and what ever happened about putting him in a crate to transport?

What a shame for those competing against the one who won....had the dog been ineligible, and thus not in competition, another would have been thrilled with a BIS or RUBIS. It's easy to say, 'pull awards/points etc' but at that level, six other dogs that were group winners, were cheated out of a chance to win, because a dog was entered against the rules. When I imported, I read up on what I had to do and how, so that when I entered their first shows, I knew that I would not lose any points or wins because I didn't do things correctly.

I'm hoping to move some semen from QLD to VIC and within VIC (lilydale)to my own vet in the NE for storage, within the next few months. On this same thought...I have semen to come from Spain probably in March or april...if anyone knows anyone else wanting to share a shipper (Barcelona) contact me and we can try to coordinate and save some $$

I"ll have more on this after my trip to Tassie the beginning of April. I"m doing an intense one day seminar on advance and excellant and it should be a blast as the folks there are SO keen. I"m hoping to have some news on how the proposal to the ANKC went and will pass the news along when I get it. As for having votes from ALL states...I"m not totally sure on that as I'm still trying to convince some here in Vic about the merits of this sport. I've actually had some judges tell me they don't like Rally and don't think it has any value, and yet when asked if they KNOW anything about the sport, admit they don't... I wouldn't say definately we have the VIC vote, but I do have a few working on it, within the VCA and hope by the time of the meeting, we are a bit more towards this.

I've never whelped and had a bitch in my room. They are always in another area with a pen around the box to keep her contained, but not force her to remain IN the pen if she doesn't want to be. Depending on the bitch, I toss a cot by the pen for a couple nights, but more often as I"m fortunate to have good moms, once whelping is done, I go to bed. Yes I sleep with an ear open, but more times than not, I get plenty of sleep AFTER the whelping is done....my problem is that my girls seem to want to whelp through the night (as many do) and they aren't quick whelpers, taking up to twelve hours in many cases to get the job done. Funny how that twelve hours isn't a big deal if it starts at 8am....different story when it starts at 8pm!!

I recieved a massive letter of apology from George at ASAP, an offer of free testing etc, but as of yet, still no results....I will be using GT as I contacted them and got swabs three days later. A collegue of mine used them for her entire litter, and got results back in less than fourteen days.

Fresh chilled is way easier than frozen for both collection, preparation and shipping as well as insertion. Collect the dog...that's easy....depending on the method of chilling, combine the semen with the chilled suspension. Most times (in the methods I used to use) it was equal parts, so if you got ten mil semen, you added ten mil suspension. Fluid is nicely sealed in a tube and placed in the transport shipper, which is most often a simple styrofoam box with a chill/ice pack inside. Most shippers have a groove or separate area so that the ice pack doesn't come into contact with the vial. Seal up and air freight or courier to destination. Upon arrival, do NOT warm up the fluid. Get bitch on the table if you're doing the AI yourself or off to the vet. Basically what they do is insert a tube (I use aquarium air tubing) into the vulva. Insertion needs to be at a forty five degree angle til you feel a firmness and can't insert more. Lifting the tube to the horizontal, it can be inserted quite a bit further and continue til it no longer moves forward with light pressure. Take the chilled fluid and load into a non spermicidal syringe (don't use the ones with the black plungers, they can drastically kill semen) Attach syringe to tube and slowly plunge, touching the vulva to entice the bitch to contract around the tube. Detach syringe and open to fill with air. Reattach and slowly push that syringe of air into the bitch. This pushes any fluid that is left in the tube, into the bitch. As you are finishing the syringe of air, slowly pull the tube out, continuing to tickle the vulva. Another trick upon removal of the tube is to touch the vulva lightly with an icecube....she will 'suck' in and it helps hold everything where it needs to be. Many at this point will elevate her back end using phone books or the like and hold her there about five to ten minutes. it's not totally necessary but what is important is that regardless of the breed, you don't lift or restrain with your hands/arms under the belly as you can force the liquid backwards and your next best in show pup will land on the floor with a splash! Take the bitch and confine her to a crate (not permitting her to pee) for ten or fifteen minutes. Depending on the amount of fluid, you can split the shipment and insert half and then the remaining 6 to 12 hours later. Be sure that the semen remains chilled. The bitches body heat warms everything up properly and there is no risk of killing sperm by sitting at the wrong temp too long, because it's where it needs to be anyway. many suspensions are out now that allow semen that is chilled to last between three and fourteen days, depending on the company and suspension. Remember that it's also the quality/motility of the semen that matters as well as to how long it will remain viable. Proper timing is always essential and a chilled semen AI can be as effective when it comes to numbers of pups as a natural mating.

We don't have a state breed club or national breed club and to my knowledge no breeder in Victoria in my breed was consulted about selecting an age suitable for mating. What annoys me as well as no consultation is that there is no mention of the males and ages. Many have no issues using them at a year, but personally I don't agree with it. I am also curious about which date will apply..May past, or May future? This will probably impact my breeding plans as the bitch I plan on mating will be probably about three weeks earlier than her eighteen month birthday. I personally wouldn't even blink normally as it's close enough for me, but where will this actually leave me in the eyes of VCA? She will be hip/elbow tested and have had three seasons...

or having a smoke......

I've used the vicks trick on males when there are bitches in season around. I dont' have an issue with that trick.

I had more of a problem with the owners: The purchase of a staffy for an apartment couple as a PRESENT and watching it rule the roost and end up in bed. Knew first up the owner of the mutt would be odd as she put makeup on and wondered because she left the pup alone, if others would consider her a 'bad mother' The mother with the GSD who clearly bit off more than she could chew....had no issues with the airhorn, but it was her "I can't listen to that more than one meal" attitude made me choke..had she not let the dog begin the behaviour (thanks to her kids) in the first place, she wouldn't need to listen to that now would she? I am consistantly amazed by the lack of non crate training advice, be it on shows like this or many threads on this forum. Toss the pup outside, or lock it in a laundry room, seem to be the advice often given. I wondered about the black westie too, but in the age of cavoodles, doodles and puggles....you just never know!

http://www.pinscheraleman.com/ There isn't much in the UK at the moment in this breed..they've struggled for a long time to get it going, but breeders are getting older and getting out of them and no new breeders are coming up the ranks and being guided. This link above is in Spain where my boy Blade now lives. Two daughters out of my male are there as well. Many breeders in Sweden www.beebronx.com They are in fact schnauzer bodies (standards) without the work! Blade looks a lovely boy and has been doing well!! If he is at the World show this year, I will have a look out for him as they are the same group as my breeds. There is a very nice red over here who has done very well over the years (must be 7 years old now as he was out the same year as my younger giant). It's a shame the breed don't qualify for CCs - I think that puts off some people getting involved with a breed if they can't get a champion title. I think Blade is entered well as some of his offspring. His owner Esther doesn't speak English but I"m pretty sure that her Hubby will be there with her and he is pretty good. There may be others of my lines going too, from Sweden, not sure on that yet.

I think it used to quite a few years ago didn't it? I know that Kinrha kennels (Frank and Gloria Cuthbert) were instrumental in the breed about twenty five years ago and worked very hard to get it recognized by The Kennel Club. I don't have stud records after 2005 but I know litters dropped WAY off there and the introduction and allowance of dilutes didn't do the breed any favours :D

My GP's live with sables as well.

http://www.pinscheraleman.com/ There isn't much in the UK at the moment in this breed..they've struggled for a long time to get it going, but breeders are getting older and getting out of them and no new breeders are coming up the ranks and being guided. This link above is in Spain where my boy Blade now lives. Two daughters out of my male are there as well. Many breeders in Sweden www.beebronx.com They are in fact schnauzer bodies (standards) without the work!

Do you have any photos of an Adult GP with an Adult GSD? I would just like to compare. GPs are on my "own one day" list I have video on you tube with the gang together, not so many pictures. Try: or

It's not halfway but about a third into it, there is a motel in Wangaratta that accepts dogs on the fringes of town. Can't recall the name but can find out for you if you like

Wonderful news....I think QLD is on board and I know Tassie is....victoria has been a problem, but I"m doing my best to work on things here. I have had no news on anything from ACT and I was told by some, that SA pretty much follows if it looks like it's a go. (someone elses words, not mine!) I can only hope they see the positives in this, hence why it's so important to talk to your clubs/reps!

Yes, edit where necessary but please pass the word along...without the support of the clubs and the reps, this won't happen, and I'd hate to think all my jetting around and hard work has been for naught! Come on everyone...we can do this!

Welcome to the breed. I currently have three GP girls here and we live with 6 shepherds. I"m not sure what everyone is feeding their GP's (rocket fuel?) but I"m always amazed when I keep hearing about how they are 'over the top', 'non stop' etc....my girls play of course, but generally are couch slugs. They are no more annoying than the Shepherds when it comes to being under foot. There are of course differences in personality between the breeds as Shepherds are wired to please us no matter what, but GP's ask you to take a number and they'll get back to you later!

Rally will be presented to the ANKC meeting in March for the proposed accreditation January 1 2012. For those of you currently doing Rally or interested in this sport...PLEASE contact your state obedience representatives and express your desire to have this go through as a titled sport here in Australia. The more you pester your reps about this, the more likely they will vote YES. Remember, MANY reps don't know about Rally and many don't care...they are stuck in the Obedience rut and see no advantage to this sport and therefore will vote against it coming in. (as well, I think many realize it's a lot more work to judge this sport and they simply can't be bothered) If we don't rally (pardon the pun) together, this won't happen. For those of you that enjoy the sport, it's up to you to contact your rep through your club where possible and speak your mind! As for future seminars....Tassie was to be March 13th but I have to have some surgery the Monday before and have had to rebook...we're looking at first week in April or May at this point in time. As for WA, I"m waiting to hear back from the organizers as to when/if I'm needed. The Tassie seminar will be focusing on Advanced and Excellant from both a trialer and judging point of view...my hope in WA is to do something similar as I"m getting a lot of feedback from folks that they are being instructed incorrectly on some stations in the higher levels. (won't even go into the problems I"m hearing about fast/slow pace and where it is located in the course!) Still hoping to hear something from SA as well for the basic two day seminar....we ARE working on this, but I know sometimes it probably feels frustrating for some that it is taking so long.

Yes you can reinforce the command as often as you feel you need to, however it's better to have proofed the dog before this, because you can fall into a bad habit of reissuing commands and the dog gets selective hearing.

The first time I was made aware of this rule was when we were beginning to work on putting Rally O rules together and most of the obedience rules from the ANKC are used to keep confusion at a minimum. In Rally, there are no double commands, so the handler speaking in the ring isn't an issue to those of us that judge, however because the rule is there, we've had to sit and figure this out more. Coming from a bilingual country (French/english) and with strong populations of other languages in areas where obedience is strong, I never had to deal with that issue of 'english only' for commands. I do understand the theory behind extra commands in a language a judge doesn't know, so how can they mark properly. What language are hand signals? I've seen my share of CD participants not speak at all but opt for the higher level of command in visual signal....they aren't english.....would this sort of thing be penalized? I teach my dogs to return to heel (from the front recall position) with a wave of my hand....would this be considered 'non english' at the novice level and penalized? (still trying to figure out some of the rules here that are very different than what I am used to)

You are probably SO right!