neatz

I'm not sure of the bone cancer finding Steve... of the male Rotties I've known that developed it, all were intact... including my own boy Connor... I've not known any desexed female Rotties that have developed bone cancer either...

T.

There were studies to show there was a protective effect in males if left entire (against a variety of illnesses but bone cancer topped the list for the Rott's). I have read the referenced article in a veterinary book we have at work (it has an online version). A lot of large breeds were mentioned including my own Dobermann (although they seem to get mentioned quite a bit in veterinary books, seems they're prone to everything :p ).

Also in answer to the original question it is due to the delayed closure of the growth plates and early desexing may cause your dog to grow slightly taller than it normally would have.

We had a pup come in to my work for a check up over the weekend and they are the CUTEST puppies. That's all I know about em ;)

A customer came in to work today and said she lost a pup to Distemper (confirmed by her vet) recently (in the past month)?

She purchased the dog from west of Melbourne and she lives in the north of Melbourne and the dog was a confirmed Distemper victim.

Anyone else know of Canine Distemper around the burbs?

I like the smell of Fidos Hydrobath Flush.

The tests are cancelled if the temperature reaches 24 degrees or over, the chances of Sept or Nov are slim to none! It's a winter trial.

Have confirmed Rotti Club is group 6 only, sorry I had thought it was open to all breeds.

I always assumed they held them at the crack of dawn when the air was still cool.

Looks like next year it is!

I was looking at one later in the year say Sep to Early Nov? :D

May have to look in NSW for one or wait until next year.

Thanks

Thanks for the link

Wanting to enter a ET test but can't find any?

We do service that area too

Cool I'll add you to the list of contacts I have sent her. She seems keen to work on the dog which is promising, she just need some professional guidance.

Thank you

The lady said she lived in Montmorency. I gave her 4paws website but I didn't know if you covered that area. I was looking at your website earlier.

Can anyone help with a couple of questions please?

1. What does track on mean. Ie if people are willing, you can track on.

2. From those that have tried it both ways: My dog stops at each article enough to show an atual detection of the article but I have noticed other people train their dog to sit or drop at the article. Does anyone have an opinion as to wether the stoping to sit could possibly make the dog loose focus or the scent at all. I prefer to just let the dog pause and then move on but don't want have have to re-train later if one method is better than the other or is more likely to end in a pass.

Feel free to add any other advice regarding the first test and what NOT to do.

Thanks Neatz

1. As people have answered, track on, means that you get to do your next level track and the competition.

2. Getting your dogs to sit or drop means that the judge can definitely see the indication. Sometimes, if you just traing the dog to just pause, in the excitement of a competition, when the dog might get faster (dogs also pick up on your nerves) the dog might not really give an indication of a full pause, so the judge will not award it. Personally I feel it is better to train a sit or drop and hope for the best at the trial.

I have trained a Tracking Champion, another with a TD title and another who just passed her TD2. I am training them to pick them up, sit and wait for me to take the article from them. In the 3 years, I've been tracking, not once as this affected their focus when resent - you do have to train for it though. The times, people say that if the dog picks it up and carries it, in can affect their smelling of the track, but I never let the dog continue when they still have the article in their mouth. If they pick it up and you take it off them, it does not affect their rescenting of the track.

I personally just feel better to be safe than sorry so would train for the better indication so a judge can never say "I'm unsure whether that was an indication or not".

Good luck with it.

That's what I was thinking along the lines of. It would be upsetting to fail a test for this reason, particularly if your dog walks right up to the article.

Thanks for your advice, I must admit I do like watching the dogs that drop at the article.

Hi if anybody knows of a good trainer/behaviouralist that can help a person that lives in the northern suburbs of melbourne can you please pass me on the details.

They own a female Rotti that is having issue's with aggression (towards other dogs mainly) and is very strong on the lead which has caused the owner to fall over.

Thanks Neatz

The only Nobivac we use at my clinic is the intranasal vaccine that only covers Kennel Cough. We don't keep it on hand really it's more at clients request and can have it ordered and in the clinic within a couple of days.

It was a TD2 and really the long grass makes it easier - more things to hold the smell - and it's so hard for clubs to find places to trial, they can only do the best they can. The club I train with has twice this year had tracks ruined by a hot air balloon company coming in with bus loads of people to use the field to take off. from. :cool:

Why? Mostly Murphy! But sometimes it can be because the handler is no longer tense (at the possible pass) and is more like they are in training. :D

That's just rude.

Hope you have better luck at your next trial :D

I have an allergic dog, who was allergic since a puppy. I don't vaccinate him anymore, and give him a combined heartworm/monthly treatment. I only treat for fleas when I need to.

Personally, I think the major contributing factor to the high incidence of allergies, is the fact that allergic dogs keep being bred with. The dog who 'just gets itchy from couch grass' still has an allergy, and whilst it doesn't seem that bad, has the potential to pass it on to it's offspring, and potentially create ultra allergic offspring. Most commonly, allergies develop later in life and worsen as the they get older. It's easy to then point the finger at treatments, as they''ve usually been used often up to that point.

Another thing to keep in mind, is that a high percentage of the dog population, or in particular, those with owners who care enough to take their itchy dog to the vet and get an allergy diagnosis, probably treat worm/heartworm their dogs. So it's easy to point the finger at those things because it's something they all have in common. Unless you took the same dog, and never gave it those treatments, you could never really be sure it was those things that caused the problem.

I'm not saying this is wrong, but just that there's a whole lot more to allergies than meets the eye. I am all for minimal treatment.

I agree.

I have also noticed at my clinic that itching seems to be very common in specific breeds. Don't see how you could link that to worming etc. You would expect to see it spread evenly across the varying breeds presuming they are all on similar vacc, flea,worming treatment.

Having said that I avoid any product that I don't feel is essential for the well being of my dogs. I don't treat for fleas and don't combine treatments if I can avoid it.

look at the incidents of children with asthma and peanut/nut/food allergies. all immune hyperresponses.

Could this be because the vaccination protocols for children have been dramatically increased in the last 20 years, overloading their immune systems?

Just a thought... :D

I sometimes wonder if people that use those 99.9% anti-bacterial, anti-viral etc cleaning solutions on their floors, as washing liquid for their hands/dishes, as soap etc... are being overly paranoid about their kids getting sick so avoid exposing them to bacteria/germs/virus and then when finally they are in contact with this their body just can't cope in a normal way.

1st fail - track was certainly "legal" but a tough one as it was through chest high grass the whole time. We got half-way along, were still exactly on the track but my dog was exhausted and just couldn't keep working. So his fitness needed improving.

2nd fail - I let him start too fast and he rushed the first corner - went in the opposite direction and got too far before I read his signal he'd lost the track. He couldn't find the track as we'd gotten too far away. He of course, tracked beautifully after we were put back on to finish. :D We're doing some training on being able to back track when we're completely lost when we start again (it's too cold for this wuss right now).

That first fail sounds like a nightmare test. At my level I am not entirely sure I would even allow my dog to do that track.

Why do they always do it perfectly afterwards?

I read the words 'track on' in theVCA gazette. " If tracks become available and time permits, a ballot will be held for those who may wish to track on at this trial". :D

...

In that context,'track on' means that having passed one test at a particular trial, you may be able to attempt the next test at the same trial - as it says, if there are tracks. time and tracklayers available. If there are more requests for track ons than there are tracks/time available, then there can be a ballot.

Ahh, thanks for the clarification. That's what I thought it meant but wasn't quite sure.

I read the words 'track on' in theVCA gazette. " If tracks become available and time permits, a ballot will be held for those who may wish to track on at this trial". :D

I haven't taught both ways - my dogs pause and sniff and I'd like them to pick the article up if possible, though I've heard others say this is a no no. The only thing to be careful of with a dog that just pauses is if the pause is too short. Some judges can be hard on dogs that pause and expect a really really long pause but I've yet to encounter anyone like that.

That's why I wondered about the pause because it would really annoy me if my dog stopped at the article but the judge deemed it too quick. My dog is very eager and moves pretty fast but when she gets to the article she definately stops at it. I guess these things get tweeked as you go.

What did you feel was the reason for the fails with your dog? Was it much more difficult than you expected?

Can anyone help with a couple of questions please?

1. What does track on mean. Ie if people are willing, you can track on.

2. From those that have tried it both ways: My dog stops at each article enough to show an atual detection of the article but I have noticed other people train their dog to sit or drop at the article. Does anyone have an opinion as to wether the stoping to sit could possibly make the dog loose focus or the scent at all. I prefer to just let the dog pause and then move on but don't want have have to re-train later if one method is better than the other or is more likely to end in a pass.

Feel free to add any other advice regarding the first test and what NOT to do. :D

Thanks Neatz

Doh! I missed the reply before it was "edited".

We used the nasal vaccine with no ill effects but did not end up using any kennels on the trip but I will probably use the nasal vaccine again in future years.

You need to be careful about using the nasal vaccine. I'm not a fan.

Why?

I would recommend to see your vet in order to rule out any obvious cause such as mites, flea allergy, etc

Once everything else has been ruled out then maybe the vet can advise you on an elimination diet.

If it's his bottom that is itchy maybe his anal glands are full and after he does a poo it gives him some relief.

Where is he itching and have you had a close look to see if there is redness etc?

Speak to the vet you trust the most and discuss your concerns. All medications have possible side effects and some work better than others at controlling pain. I chose quality of life over quantity for my dog too. In the end you will do what is best for you and your dog.

What is that?

agnus castus (chaste tree) a herbal preparation used for PMT and other hormonal things, I believe.

pulsatilla- I think it is a homeopathic remedy for colds???

Right.

I would take the dog to the vet to eliminate an actual pregnancy (or other condition). The false pregnancy usually resolves on it's own . Don't try and squeeze milk out of the nipples because this will only stimulate more milk production.