gspx3

This shouldn't affect any othr pups (unless they have the same temperament). My old girl was terrified of thunder and fireworks (however I could shoot a shotgun right over her head without any worries) but this did not transfer to the two I have now who were both raised as puppies (7 years apart) with the old girl in the house. She had a nervous disposition and I think this was what caused it. The best news is as they get older and more deaf they have less problems with these noises.

Exactly, Ceilidh, I didn't get any sleep that night so it was like spending a day with her. She couldn't walk or get herself up so I carried her out to the yard a couple of times and she did what she had to do. That was another indication of the faith she had in me as she hated being carried - was always so independent but accepted that what she couldn't do I would help her with. Gawd, I still cry when I think of her. I miss her so much.

Ceilidh, I understand how you feel as I was there just a year ago. I lost my heart dog and thought I couldn't ever live without her. Like yours, she had a major stroke and all I could do was lay on the floor with her all night (she was on a well padded bed) with her in my arms. Next morning I had to take her for the final vet trip. She was no world beater but she taught me the meaning of absolute trust. She was a very timid girl but ended up competing in obedience, agility, gundog working test (at which she was very, very good) and retrieving. Anything I asked her to do she would do without question (the exception being that she wouldn't jump into a river or dam from the bank - she had to wade in and that's why she retired from retrieving very early in her career). The two GSPs I still have are absolutely loved and adored by me but they will never be as far into my heart as she was.

OK, this is cheating (a bit) but: This little man has the best smile on earth and I love him to bits

Choke Just discovered I have 3 choke chains - and I haven't used them for more than 15 years. Why do we hang on to things we never use???

Two slants of the same word (it's all in the way you say it)!! or

OK still not as sharp as I would like but at least this time it loaded in. Stamp

Too late, JS, I have already deleted them. They were all JPEG files but I have no idea what was wrong. Can only conclude that the settings I had on the camera were totally wrong. I could see them in thumbnails but could not enlarge them. They were fracturing all over the place. Bit busy this week but will try again next week. Wish my pics were half as good as yours.

My guys get sardines, mackerel and tuna chunks (all in oil not springwater). Being shortcoated the oil is good for their skins. Aldi have cans of mackerel in a similar can to the sardines and they love them. Maybe you need to only give your dog the sardines and not mix up the flavours so much. I haven't heard of a dog which didn't just love sardines (well, any fish and particularly those lovely ones that wash up on the beach and lay in the sun for a few days).

Well, I haven't pulled out of the challenge YET!! Made the mistake of reading my manual, fiddled with the bits and took some great shots (IMO), uploaded them into the computer but then couldn't load them into Flickr and couldn't get enlargements of them on the computer. Don't know what I did wrong but have deleted them all and have to start again. It's a steep learning curve.

Hope this is OK - I took it last Saturday night at an agility trial. Subtle Blue Moon

Well, I have decided to take the big step. My photography skills are non existent and my DSLR skills are worse. Be gentle with me please. I have a Canon 350D which only has the 18-55 lens as I was given the camera and they kept the other lens to use on their new camera. Hopefully I will either get better or will withdraw from this challenge. Wash(day)

Maybe we go to the same vet, Ruthless. Mine has a cat basket up on the counter (usually with resident cat - However if it doesn't move my guys don't notice it) and several other cats that wander around the surgery and sunbake outside. Very hard to convince my guys that they are not rabbits and do not need to be chased. I have got to the stage that I only take them in one at a time. Not easy if you have a dog which is really unwell trying to scrabble and get the cats.

Shazza, there are a few patterns in the Kwik Sew range. I have several of them and (with my own minor adjustments) they are quite good. Have made many of them for my own guys and also for others.

What a line up. Looks like an ACT agility trial.

Longwhitecloud, I currently have a white cockatoo sitting in my tree like that. They just love the seed pods - come in every year and gorge themselves on them and look like candles on a Christmas tree as they sit on the edges of the branches. If I was clever enough I could take a picture of them but I am definitely not clever.

My male GSP will be 10 later this month and he has always drunk his water this way. He even sends up air bubbles. It looks like he is actually trying to eat the water instead of lapping it. He drinks out of his other water bowls quite normally just at home with the buckets he shoves his whole head into the water. My old girl who died a year ago also used to do this. The young one has never done it.

I bought some from them last year - service was great and got here in just over a week. Can't beat that. I have a sloppy with "Caution Senior Handler what I lack in speed I make up for in attitude" (very true words). Quality of shirts was excellent. Also got a GSP polo shirt the year before last - it's great too.

Skip, the reason it is starting in the afternoon is because Little Athletics take place on the adjoining oval in the morning. Many people were not entering because of this as their dogs were afraid of the starting pistol (I have gundogs so they are fine but many dogs are not). Hopefully, now more people can enter because of this.

Sandgrubber, as DA stated, noble refers to their carriage and the fact that they hold their heads high all the time giving them a really 'noble' look. They step out with beautiful gait and with that head high they can only be described as noble in look. This is not a breed which 'slinks' along. If you have a problem with these words then you had best get on to the ANKC and have them change the wording of breed standards. They all have some strange ones in them but everyone seems to know just what is meant by them. I still have to disagree about the colour black being a source of aggression. It is not possible for the colour to project aggression in any dog it is mainly in the nurturing of said dog. Very occasionally, there will be a dog with an aggressive nature but that is so rare as to almost not be possible to register. Now I'll slip back to my pleasant little hidey hole with my liver and white and very, very socialised black and white.

He is supposed to have a height card before he performs. However, this is not always the case. Generally, it is a bit chaotic trying to get someone to measure a dog when they are putting up runs, etc. Can you go to an agility trial/club before the one you have entered. That way you may be able to organise the measuring when the judges are not so busy.

You're not silly Mrsdog you just have too many of those little woolly dogs. The D2D is advertised in the January journal. The January journal is up on the Dogs NSW site. Go there and you will find the schedule. We may be lucky enough to receive our journals some time next week.

My 13 year old is just recovering from weeks of the "squitters". She has sent me broke buying her chicken breasts to cook up for her with rice, some rolled oats and a small quantity of oat bran. Add some water and microwave the lot. Small amounts and more often is the key. She is now back on her 'normal' diet (today is the first day in 5 weeks). With an older dog it seems to take longer to get them back on to their regular food but it is better to take a little longer and do it slowly than to overload their tummy and give them the runs again. Good luck.

I just use a normal hiker's whistle - my dogs all respond well to it - as well as every other dog in the off lead park. I also do a sort of rrrrrrrrrrrrr with my tongue and roof of mouth which works well to get my dogs attention. I don't believe it matters which whistle you use (contrary to many old time retrieving types) as my dogs respond to my friend's whistle and hers to mine - even though they were taught on very different ones.

He did move to Queensland some time back - don't know if he's back in Sydney now or not. Oops, Tangwyn, you beat me to it.