alpha bet

Not all dogs suit all families.... and sometimes dogs suit families at different times in their life. Consider the blue heeler that might have suited a young guy who later married and had a family, the older dog is a wonderful family pet, however at 15yo passes away and the family get another blue heeler because the first guy was so good. However the lifestyle the family have NOW doesnt suit an active young heeler. Whereas perhaps the smaller lazier dog would suit a busy family. If you honestly feel detached from this dog then find a home with people who will love her.... perhaps an older couple without kids who would love a little bright dog to take on walks and visits to friends. Otherwise spend some time and build a relationship with her and help her become a great family member. You have to assess your own life and be realistic to what suits you now. There is no point living in the past and understand the difference between whether you feel love or feel obligated..... Make a decision and act on it just remember this dog is your responsibility. You must either commit and love her or pass to someone who is going to be happy to take the responsibility of loving her.

We did Northern Territory in the 80's with our GSD and just trapsed around and camped wherever. However went to Ayers Rock three years ago and suspect you can't take your dog there now - National Park - the same would apply to Kings Canyon and the Olgas (although you don't really encounter any Rangers. Best to ring ahead as otherwise you would be best to board the dog in Alice Springs before visiting the National Parks.

The best way to go is invest in a heated whelping box.... money well spent. I place the heated whelping box under the dining room table and place a heavy quilt over the table, makes a nice cave for the litter in the first few weeks..... Makes a more consistant temp.... mum has a bed next to the box so she can hop in and out when she likes. I just check the pups, keep the temp about where the pups will just still snuggle against each other not too hot or mum doesnt like it..... The vet mat is brilliant.... never had a problem - bitches seem to love it as stays dry and soft.... not to hot....

Why not consider having the collar which has name and phone number engraved on it.... no tags to fall off. I have them for our dogs - and a couple spare with my number if I take any friends dogs out with me. look up the website: personalisedpet.com.au

Can highly recommend the Bunnings Composit Panels for puppies - I have about 8 sets and have used them for litters over the last couple of years for creating temporary pens inside or outside..... very sturdy and I can extend the pen size as the puppies get bigger. Outside I just place a couple of star pickets in the ground to give a few strong points, they cope very well with aussies till about 12 weeks of age. also good for blocking off areas you don't want the pup to go. Very simple to pack up and put away until next time i need them.

Heres a basket of puppies - is that what you mean!

You need to shop around with vets... medications can have a huge markup - Frontline costs about $18 over the counter at the vet, where as I paid online $5.50...... Another time a friends horse had an accident and the leg had to be treated regularly, they did the initial bandaging and then left cream to be applied for further care - I was looking after the horse while friends away went back to pick up the cream in 100gm tube costs $48.00 each.... sheese... leg had to be re-bandaged twice a week for six week so that meant near $600 just for the cream, so went to local chemist... bought the same cream, same brand in an 85gm tube for $6.50...... We queried this with the vet and they reduced the cream we had already purchased to cost of $22.00 each. Vet said in future she would buy the cream at the local chemist instead.... You can take any tube into a chemist and probably find a cream with the same composition for less. Shop around.

Obviously I seemed to have a watched a different video to some of you here - Seems people love to judge without even really considering what we are shown. Why judge the man who filmed - for a start there is only a few minutes of filming and although the man was calling for help he wasn't screaming nor were the dogs in a fenzy of attack - they were baiting him - same as when you see dogs go after sheep or goats. The person filming was in a car and stopped... probably scared to get out (who would blame him).... reporter says he was tried to call the man over to the car - probably filmed to at least get some record and perhaps he did call police. Reporter says 5 dogs only really see 4 in shot and there were two who appeared to be the main problem. Mr Tat was sensible enough to get into a bit of a corner to protect himself as best as possible and stay fairly still which meant he probably minimalised the damage these dogs could have done. He tried very bravely to keep some semblance of calm - this may have had the effect of keeping people back a bit as they were not sure how to help. As far as any judgement of his son - In the video Dad wasnt 'screaming' just yelling so consider how long before his son (15 floors up - approx 50 metres) would realise something is going on other than perhaps two drunks having an argument - Even after say 4-5 minutes and then looking out the window would he even see that distance IN THE DARK and realise there is a serious problem let alone that it was his dad in trouble..... Sheese people be a bit sympathetic. Truth be said they are big friggin dogs - I'm not at all surprised that people were hesitant to step in.... there would be many people scared to intercept with these dogs - including 90% of us dog owners - I don't know how I would react in that situation, those dogs were friggin scary. Careful how you judge someone without walking in their shoes first. Hope those dogs are dealt with .... they are a danger to the community and although obviously the owners are the problem.... some breeds are more of a problem and our dog community needs to be prepared for the fallout .... could you imagine a pack of corgies doing the same thing.

talking about spirit - this dog can look into your soul...... you might have to click on the photo to bring up to size to see.

Have had many, many GSD's in the training classes and boarding kennels who have trouble keeping their weight and also with poor coats - at times very itchy. It has been a problem with the GSD ever since I first got into them during the early 80's. Have seen very dramatic improvements when switched over to Royal Canin - Marked improvements within 3 weeks.

Jack, sent a private message with my phone number - we are not far from Bulla Showgrounds. You may find many of the show people are very busy with their dogs and may find it difficult to chat. However and if you wanted to meet some Aussie Shepherds in the flesh I am around on the weekend and you would be welcome to come and see my dudes - give you a good idea as to the energy level and see if that suits you. Plus mine are running around the farm and you might get a good idea of the difference grooming for a show as to grooming for lifestyle is. Aussies also make good teddy bears.

The only way to have the dingo saved long term is to have them classified as Native Animal - in which case it comes under the same rules as all other native animals. She has tried to defraud, not only the customs department, but to some extent the purchaser at the other end. If the dogs are going to a licensed zoo there is protocol in place to send the pups legitimately as zoos all over the world run 'stud books' to preserve different species. We all know she did not call them shibu inu by mistake, she did it to defraud customs... She stated they were going to a childrens zoo - what bullshit - more likely a private company and likely to be a front for a puppy mill. If she was legit she would have had the dogs blood tested and classified and then gone thru proper channels. Dingos are bred and cross bred in the states and sold as pets - they love the novelty aspect of a dingo.

Agree with you Inez.... I joined Dogs Vic in 1979 as a 19yo and breeders really encouraged people to get involved in the dog scene - friendly and helpful was my intro and when I wanted to get a bitch there were breeders who helped me choose and she came to me (no fee) on breeders terms for the first litter which helped me learn - those same people were there to help me with further litters. They exchanged info on bloodlines and also problems that were experienced. Nowdays it seems such a closed shop..... (however I still try to follow the example of those who helped me and I am sure or hope there are others who do the same). We should look on the positive - Dogzonline is a great site as it acts as a communication between the existing dog fraternity and the general public.... it is often the first port of call when the public is looking for information on getting a dog... not just about buying a pup but also about options of different breeds, care and requirements. There is also the chance for public to view and enter into discussions (for good or bad) on the forum. Perhaps for many of the public it gives them the chance to seek a pure breed over an 'oodle' and hopefully it gives access for the public to be able to decide what makes a good breeder. What I like as a breeder - it makes my advertising easier and feels much more professional as it is reserved for pure breds only - it provides access to the interested public who have had a chance to review the breed and start to make more informed choices, they also have a chance to see what litters are forthcoming - not necessarily a pup ready to go home now - they have to wait and this makes me feel they have more commitment to their decision. It is good that the owners of the Site consider a review of their format and perhaps we are lucky as members to actually have a chance to give some input - something that would be good to see Dogs Victoria attempt - their site offers little for us members and even less for the public.

There is no guarantee that a puppy school at a vet is any safer or cleaner than any other - after all where do sick dogs go, including those with parvo..... The vet and staff can easily say they bleach everything but that is nigh on impossible - do they remove all the furniture, pamphlets and noticeboards and then wash down the walls and even then many problems can be airborne as well as the fact that when everyone arrives into puppy school there is dirt and germs being tracked in from the street. You just have to go with the odds and hope you have a pup who is bright and robust - hence having a strong immune system. Socialising does not end at 12 weeks of age... it is ongoing for the dogs life.... so getting out and about but being sensible about where you go - visiting friends especially if they have well mannered dogs is a great way to help your dog learn new things and gain new experiences to help them cope with our human world. Don't overthink it, just enjoy your puppy.

Mine also love the BonoFido beds.... even the baby puppies and they seem really tough and take all the jumping and rolling around.... we have four in the house and they have lasted so much better than anything we used prior. We never use the bean bags - too much mess. We had to stop people wanting to bring these into the boarding kennels - nowdays we ask people just to bring an old blanket or jumper from home for their dogs - sick of going up to the kennels and having to clean up what looks like a snow storm.

Think the idea of offering only 4 litters adds per year has merit, and this should apply to ALL members regardless of what activitiies they are involved in - this would certainly restrict the ability of big volume breeders to flood dogzonline. Also like the idea of all ads showing the Sire and Dam and the health testing - if you want to advertise on here then perhaps having details open for all to see keeps things as an open book policy. If someone chooses to use a dog who is unavailable for general use and the stud dog owner doesnt want people to know, or if you feel other breeders are judging you for any reason and you are not comfortable about that, then don't advertise the litter thru these channels. I like being able to peruse the litters for my breed and see what stud dog are being used and who is using them. I like to wander down to the speciality show see whats around but at the local shows often all you see are the same breeders with the same dogs.... I can't get interstate yet the Puppy Lists help me keep an eye on what dogs and bitches are being used around the country. I do take objection to the notion that if a breeder is not competing in ANKC activities they are not a 'priority'. After all with so many commitments placed on families today it is not surprising to see that many might choose to specialise in their own areas. Competing is not the be all and end all. Showing and Agility is a huge time and money commitment. Costs for fuel, show gear for dogs, grooming equipment and the time to get all this done is immense and great for the people who choose to do this. However Breeding takes on a whole new commitment.... raising a litter of pups for 8-10 weeks... ensuring a good social structure for pups as well as spending time to vet the public and educate new owners on top of the time spent checking out stud dogs and then organising matings and caring for a pregnant bitch. Having success in the ring with your dog or bitch does not automatically mean you have the time or experience to spend breeding and raising puppies. If a breeder makes a commitment to 2-3 litters per year then for approx 5 months of the year the whole family has to compromise their lifestyle to have their babies in their home and strangers sitting around their loungeroom drinking coffee and talking dog. I choose to breed, I run two dog businesses and deal with the usual family commitments - I don't have the time nor the inclination to show or compete at agility - does this make me or my dogs less worthy.... after all my expertise is in training and socialising... building strong skills and teaching owners how to live and grow with their dogs.... Myself and other breeders in my position bring something different to the table - perhaps even more than the current fashionable showie... After all I don't race off to a show every weekend and leave pups home.

It is great to keep in touch with your new puppy families, however it is important not to push yourself on the family but just remind them that you are there if they need you. I always send an email out when pups have been home after about 5-6 days, then again at about 5 months. However one thing I find very effective for long term is (have done for the last 5 years) is send the DOG a Xmas Card - at the end of November - this is usually received with amusement and affection and often a follow up card comes back with an update photo of the grownup dog. This is a great friendly way to remind them that I am here if they want but also the chance for them to notify me of any change of address or phone numbers etc, even on one occassion the card comes back unknown at this address and I followed up on the mobile and got a new address. Last year we started a new thing and was so much fun that we repeated so now we have - An Annual Picnic - 40+ humans - 17 and 19 dogs (approx 60% turnout) for both years with the oldest pups now being over 5 years old and my original foundation bitch could play and swim in the dam with children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Huge advantage for me as a breeder to see different dogs as they grow, we take class photos of each litter and a group photo - This year we even had two families visit who are getting pups from the next litter - so they already feel very much part of the family. The first example is an easy exercise for any breeder - even if you end up sending out 30-50 cards (cost of perhaps $25 for postage and everyone knows how to find cheap xmas cards) The second example may be a bit harder (I live on a small farm) but it is always possible to consider a park or a dog beach...... perhaps even arrange a group walk around a local lake ending with a bbq in the park. A great way to promote your breed as you walk with 20 or so matching dogs you draw a lot of attention. Remember its the thought that counts........

My biggest concern with any of the Animal Rights movements (such as Oscar's Law group) - is that it is aimed at putting more government control over breeding and selling of animals. There are already laws in every council and shire (at least in Victoria not sure about other states) for: - all dogs must be microchipped and registered with council. - restriction of the number of dogs allowed to be housed on a given property - you need a permit to house any greater number of dogs than permitted (for example a family with a few extra dogs or a VCA breeder with less than 9 fertile bitches)- this requires placing an application which is then processed and then gaining council approval which council may add conditions - - if you wish to run a business such as commercial dog breeding you must apply for a permit as an animal business this must go thru approval again with public scrutiny and if granted, then conditions applied - one of these conditions on all animal business' is that council can come onto the premises to inspect (although reasonable notice might be needed). Many conditions imposed on commercial animal business cover similar to boarding kennels with regard to space per dog, amount of exercise, disposal of faeces etc. So it would appear that there is already plenty of rules and regulations in place that allow the authorities to control puppy farms - the big problem is ( it would appear ) that the current laws are not being policed by anyone - if council have a report made about a person housing too many dogs then they should check to see if they have a permit, perhaps be inspected - if council is given an address for someone who is breeding masses of litters each year then surely they can go and check. After all our council charges $140 per annum fee for every entire dog or bitch, so surely councils are missing out on revenue for these dogs if permits are not held..... So back to my concern.... more laws will only affect the breeders who are already trying to do the right thing.... the breeders who have been microchipping for years.... the breeders who have started a program of health testing and recording.....the breeders who vet the families in an attempt to educate the new owners on the responsibility of owning a dog.

Wasn't able to get down to KCC park on the Wednesday evening. Just wondering if there was anything interesting.... Surely someone here went!

Have bred GSD in the past and nowdays Aussie Sheps all in all 18 litters. Never had any not tuck up - however we have them active during pregnancy and whilst whelping including running and even swimming in the dam, we just clean and let them dry - not locked away in a whelping room. I know that many breeders tend to pamper their pregnant bitches but dogs love to have fun and I have not had problems with them giving birth or having issues with their pups. Currently have an 8yo aussie who just had her fourth and last litter 12 weeks ago and she is just about fully tucked up already - my other girl has just had her 3rd litter 9x3 week old pups and very little drag on her teats. The only problem we have is about a month or so after pups go home the bitches loose their coat and look pretty tatty, but we push plenty of food into them to get their weight back to normal and then their coats always come back and look fabulous again. We start feeding pups at 3 weeks and by 3.5 weeks they will get 3 meals a day, which means the mum starts to reduce the amount of time they are feeding on her. She will continue to feed lightly till about 7 weeks as this keeps the pups immune system up and running. She is a border collie so an active breed - Perhaps you need to make sure she is getting plenty of free running time... a chance to run and stretch out naturally.... up and down hills to help her strengthen her muscles - she may still tuck up even now. My advice is that for your next litter ensure you keep her exercising regular during pregnancy and make sure you suppliment feed plenty as well as making sure your girl has lots of time away from pups. Keeda when pups were 7 weeks old - pups now 12 weeks old and she has dropped her coat and some weight. This is giget (the one with the basketball in her mouth) she had her pups 5 days after this photo.

Sounds like you are over reacting. Why are you even bothering taking 'some other breeders' advice on your puppy. All puppies can have slightly wonky kind of movement, which may well firm up in time. Your pup is obviously on full registration to consider showing therefore chances are your puppies parents may have been hip scored so this would start to give you a picture of what is going on. Talk to your breeder first, don't listen to some 'unknown expert' who might just be trying to show off their knowledge and frighten you. There is so much bullshit out there even in the dog fraternity..... or perhaps we should say especially in the dog fraternity. 4 months of age is very young to see signs of hip displaysia and definately too young to consider doing any hip xray.... wait till dog is over 12 months and then get it done properly and assessed thru the xray scheme In the meantime enjoy your pup.

My understanding is that the legislation in Victoria is open now for imput.... shouldnt all us breeders and fanciers bombard the DPI with all these concerns...... as well as giving Dogs Vic a hard time for their apparent backbone to stand up to this legislation.

Just reading another thread and people started to talk about what they spend on their dogs..... made me ponder as for me as I changed my dogs over to the VAN diet in Dec '12 and have raised the last litter on VAN and will also with the current puppies. So have just costed out what I spend on this diet and can then give new families a proposed budget to help them thru the first year or two. Here are my calculations which could probably be done cheaper with a Supermarket diet but this is actually my choice. VAN Diet Cost Per Dog Approx: $67.00/month or $2.34/day (Australian Shepherd). Monthly Calculation VAN Muesli approx 2 kg per month $ 21.00 Roo Meat @ 250gm per day @ $4/kg $ 30.00 Marrow Bones approx 2 packs @ $5.00 ea $ 10.00 Eggs & Yoghurt 1 doz eggs & 1 tub yoghurt $ 6.00 Living Conditions: We live on 16 acres with a large dam - dogs are rarely in pens and live in an acre house paddock for most of the day but also have regular chances throughout the day to charge over a larger area and also to swim on most days - therefore due to the high level of activity our dogs are fed twice a day to compensate. I suspect most adult Aussies living in a backyard environment would only cost two thirds of my costs. However for puppy buyers I suspect they would be spending this amount on feeding for the first 12 months before the costs would ease. Therefore my puppy buyers can expect to spend in the first year: $1,300 and that doesn't allow for all the spur of the moment toys purchased. ( $800 on food - $120 on puppy vaccinations - $40 on worming - $100 initial bed (till destroyed) - $200 Puppy School - $20 treats - $20 brushes ) So that is my story - how do others find the costs and what different situations do you allow for with your dogs.... I think it would be a useful exercise for all of us to consider what we are spending.

Yes we said that and its working well. It won't work as well until its official shown on the pedigree certificate..... then it is open for everyone to see and not the ability of the breeder to pick and choose if they are going to advertise the results. At the moment the hip/elbow scores are sent to the Assoc before the dog or bitch can be used however the result is not added to the certificate.... It is on our [MDBA] pedigree certificates and why many breeders are now dual registering their dogs. Not only are their scores and results added but also if they do specific work such as assistance or search and rescue etc so the breeder has it all on one document when they profile their pedigrees. And we don't just rely on breeders to enter the details either -the good and the bad stuff is entered by people who own pet puppies as well as breeders so it builds info of all of the relos. So where do you get the breeders info from..... the breeders or the schemes etc.

There is also a big question mark over referencing to hybrid vigor in cattle, sheep etc...... These breeding programs are not taking into account the life span of the animal..... most cows are slaughtered at 18 months or so..... sheep even less.... breeding stock are only used for a limited time before they end up at the factory for processing. We wish our pets to live for 15 years or even more..... and healthy in that time... As stated earlier there is much more than breeding to achieve this, the diet and environment plays a strong role and also the diet and environment of the parents and grandparents etc can also be a factor.