OSoSwift

The CofE needs looking at for sure

My dogs are on rain water and ground water. Treated town water stinks and they either won't drink or don't drink enough so I do always take our water. If I have to I will buy them bottled water. Can't blame them I won't drink the putrid stuff either!

All puppies must be registered in a litter but they can be sold without papers. Ie the breeder would retain the certificate of pedigree and registration.

At this stage they are. just about all breeders do sell with papers but there is the ability to sell without. I am hoping that changes soon.

Mine get fed what they do well on. If I find something new I try it, if it works they get that one until I find something to try. They don't seem to have any issues. They do get other things but not heaps of other things.

Exactly

Before we all jump in sometimes the confusion starts with a misunderstanding the breeder may mean not main register papers not no papers at all. Its common for breeders to charge much more for breeding dogs . I also understood it to mean NO papers.. " $2800 with papers or is willing to sell the pup for $1600 without papers but with a copy of both parents papers." Ah well then they are breaching their code and if they do this because they think they can get away with imagine what else they may be doing - go elsewhere. Unfortunately in WA you can still sell a puppy "without papers" and not be breaching any CoE. Having said that I would go elsewhere.

If you ran your dogs like a business and it had its own bank account, all profits going in, all costs going out there is pretty much going to be a big red figure at the end. If you take into account everything from initial purchase of the dog/s, feeding, vet care, training and club fees, travel, vet costs and health testing you would be well into a loss. Then you get to breeding. Vet fees, stud fees, travel/flights/accomodation, registrations, chipping, vaccinations, feeding pups, whelping boxes/bedding, extra heating/cooling/water/gas/electricity, puppy packs, travel to airports if applicable etc. I am quite sure there is stuff I have forgotten. But you would definitely not make a profit. Most breeders either look to bring in dogs from other breeders at times, import semen or dogs/bitches. I will go for the breeder who does the best by their breed. If they make a profit? Great it goes back into the dogs. People cannot believe breeders would breed for the betterment of the breed and not for making money. How many hobbies do people have that makes them money? Most cost money and some a lot of money. I for one wished my horses would make a profit, they are expensive little buggers! Dog breeding is a hobby and done right is expensive. If a breeder makes a profit and delivers me a well bred, healthy, well adjusted puppy, well good on them!!!

http://arrogantafghan.blog.com/2014/01/31/when-you-buy-shelter-dogs-die-is-a-boldfaced-lie/ This?

Exactly!

Yes we do birthdays, they wear party hats, the kids sing happy birthday then dole out doggy icecreams

I have two kids and 5 dogs along with lots of other creatures. I had my dogs and still wanted kids - no more than two as that is the limit my mental health allows. The dogs are easier than the kids, but the kids are getting a bit older now so are getting easier and easier.....until they hit their teens.............

It helps me to know who is who out of the corner of my eye as a couple of mine look very alike. And especially when I am outside at night time in 5 acres :)

I haven't ever seen chicken feet for sale here - we are a small rural town.

She is the most awesome dog. Loves the cats, is great with our other dogs and livestock. She never goes far, we are on a farm and she hangs wherever we are, never goes more than around the corner to toilet. She does have some separation anxiety which manifests as escaping or barking if escaping isn't possible. This of course does not surprise me in the slightest. She gets attached to people over places or the other dogs, and in our family it's me she is most keen to find. She comes immediately when called, is the quietest dog to have around, just flops on her bed or the floor and you don't hear from her. She is great with our kids. The second previous owners "had to get rid of her" as she was "too big and their children were at risk" from a good face cleaning I think would have been the worst of it. My youngest has taken it upon himself to be the Big Red Dog feeder. She sits quietly while he dishes up her food, he places the bowl at her feet and she sits perfectly still until told okay, often twice as she double checks before eating. You are in danger of a tail lashing from a happy dog but yeh other than that is a cruisy dog. She plays with our working dog and runs and twists and bounces with pure abandon. I love to watch them, then tries to race the Whippets. She hasn't won yet but keeps trying. I really cannot get how such a nice dog has ended up with a series of such shitty owners.

Yes I can fully understand what you are saying and it is something I think/am thinking. She is 3 in December and is a lean 47kgs. We have had her 5 months and before we got her we know a bit about her past, but not huge amounts. She was locked in a small back yard as a lawn ornament for 18mths plus. No exercise, hardly any attention and fed Chum. She had crap itchy black skin and was a little over weight with no muscle tone or fitness when we got her. She didn't know how to run. She did this funny puppy bouncy un-co thing. I am considering it as the chances are her formative years may ot have been very good. Two people back picked her up off a FB page from a couple who were "going through a messy divorce" I guess at around 10 to 12 months of age. Someone has put some effort into training her at some stage so I am guessing itvwas them. I know the the neighbour to her second last home and her life there wasn't good. Her last home she was only in for a month before coming here.

Wow that is a super long time!!!! Glad it finally did though

Lewis Blue Wilson Green Rommi orange Abby Red.

Vet asap

She has no pain or issues andgood muscle - now she is getting exercise. So I guess I am looking for something to help the integrity of her joints. Not painkiller or anti inflams needed at this point

I have recently acquired a foster failure Great Dane/Ridgy/Goodness knows dog. She is now fit and lean at 48kgs. I am looking for a supplement of some sort to give her to try and keep her joints as healthy as I can for as long as I can. She is 3 in December and prior to that had been in a back yard with no exercise for at least 18months. Not sure prior to that. She has had 3 other owners that we know of. So what suggestions and if a product like Glucosamine, dose rates, would you recommend.

Oh my Ozito has an extension cable so the nose is well away and you just hold the flexible extension bit to do the nails

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Sooooooo I have been reading up this thread and reading linkies. I have a BRD who is a lean 47kgs. She is nearly 3 years old and has an essentially little known history. When I got her she was in well covered condition but had no muscle condition had been locked in a years for at least 18 months and didn't know how to run. She has no joint issues at this point and is now a fit girl with good muscle tone. I would like to give her every chance I can of being pain free and having healthy joints for as long as I can. So I ma after something to ensure she has the healthiest joints possible. What supplements would you recommend for that? TSD's supplement or something else? I looked at Tuffrock but it really doesn't say what is in it that I can see????

I use an Ozito grinder thingy. Looks much like that one