Alyosha

'Tis a shame. Sometimes they thrive and sometimes they don't, no matter what. Hugs Wilderblu, just like the wild bubs - they break our hearts when we just can't fix something inside them.

That is NSW. Each state has it's own rules, and there are no more restrictions on keeping or breeding them in the ACT or the NT than there are any breed of dogs. I've met plenty of them in the ACT, can't remember meeting an unpleasant one.

From your list of options on the right side of the screen (after signing in) you will have one for Puppy Notices. If you click on that it should begin the process for you.

How'd you go Wilderblu?

There are some good tube feeding videos on youtube which can give you the idea, but it is something that you feel more comfortable with if someone takes you through it. It can be handy if pups are getting a little weak as they can't aspirate milk if the sucking reflex is depressed at all. Hopefully you should need minimal supplementing. If you do get really stuck needing to do lots, and don't have enough hours in the day to bottle feed you can try contacting your local Wildlife group and see if they have any carers trained in tube feeding. Worth a try. I learned it through wildlife rehab. Or your vet of course. But these things usually come up in the middle of the night don't they?? The Impact is great stuff. We got pretty ordinary upset stomachs too when mum had to have ABs for mastitis. Protexin etc wasn't helping, but the Impact did.

This is the site that will help you search for vet products that are registered for supply and use in Australia: APVMA Pubcris If you want to import something that is not registered (ie. it doesn't come up on that site) you will need to contact the APVMA and apply for consent to import it. It's illegal to import unregistered vet products or active constituents into Australia. Best of luck with your boy, it's a difficult time for you.

Oh good. I don't feel quite so dumb now!! I put Chi but wasn't happy about it. I wondered too if some of the pure/mixed breed ones were just BYB or badly bred SBTs as they looked like odd Staffords (long legs etc) rather than crosses? Very odd. Would be interesting to see the results.

We have just had a litter of 12 - now seven weeks old. We had to supplement for the first five or so days before mum's milk came in. I used Divetelac and added Impact Colostrum Supplement by Wombaroo. I had to tube feed as bottle feeding that many is just so time consuming. As it was I was lucky to have more than an hour's sleep at a time for that first week... But after the milk really arrived we didn't. What we did do though, to ensure everyone fed equally, was split the litter into two feeding shifts of six. So six would be in a heated box, while six were on mum. They were swapped every 2 hours, for most of the first two weeks. Intensive, yes. But much less intensive than hand raising. I actually found that the pups did really well. I think the two hours off mum means they get solid, warm and undisturbed sleep, which helps their development along as well. We did have a thread going as there were a few big litters around at the time: Management of Large Litters thread There's also another about increasing milk supply. We used Fenugreek with our bitch - and she had more than enough milk for the 12 pups. Increasing Milk Supply Thread Best of luck for your whelping and puppy raising. Photos are required... :D

Can someone fill me in on the weird looking black with white dog in the purebred section?? That looked like either an obese Chi with round batty ears, a very badly marked (and bred!) Boston, of a really bizarre Frenchie?? Is it just me? Or was that one strange purebred??

Pure Dingos come in black and tan or tricolour Spudd.

Collie - rough or smooth

Do you have any Impact? If you do, you can try that - a good big bit too. Sometimes it works better on tinies than other probiotics, and can give the digestion the kickstart it needs.

We did five days of little to no milk with our current litter (now 7 weeks) we had to supplement or we would've lost them. It didn't detract for her eventual supply as they still went on her first, every two hours, then topped up with a tube feed. Has your girl retained any placentas? Sometimes a subcut shot of oxytoxin (which is slower acting than IM) can help with any tissue left behind. Sometimes if something is retained, it affects the milk coming in. In simple terms, the body still thinks it pregnant. We only had fenugreek seeds, so steeped them in boiling water like tea, then strained and used the tea to mix with milk formula. We used Palastart Lamb & Kid millk, but anything like Biolac or Divetelac would be good. Our bitch couldn't get enough of it.

I'm with Pixie Meg and wouldn't recommend Saluki to first time dog owners, nor Ibizan or Pharaoh. Afghans are eaiser - if you're happy to groom - pet ones can be clipped right off every few months like a poodle which makes grooming easy they are charming and fun but can be very independent. But Greyhound, Borzoi Deerhound and Whippet would all be suitable. I think with any breed it comes down to individual dog - and picking a soft natured, non-challenging type of pup is always important for novice owners.

I would wonder too - just the extra strain on a small immune system would make me want to keep them fairly quiet for a few more days afterwards at least. No big stresses like travelling, shows etc.

Gorgeous pics!! Looks like everyone had a great day!

I was going to do ours at 8 weeks and then 12. But have brought it forward to 7 and 11 so as to fit in with one of them needing to travel overseas at 12 weeks. This way I know he's had his second one before leaving! I also thought that getting it that week earlier would make me feel a little more comfortable taking babies to shows at 12 weeks.

I'm so very pleased for you both. So well deserved. Give the big guy a hug from me.

If you are in a relationship more than 6 months then all property is lawfully co-owned. Just like a car which may be registered on one person's name, they are still joint owned. So he has as much claim to the dogs as she does, regardless of whose name is on the chip.

It's funny, the three boys I really liked at birth are still the three I really like. But the girl I had my eye on at the start I have changed my mind quite distinctly about. I have some friends who are very long term breeders (one a long term judge) coming to visit and go over them so I can pick their brains about what I might have got right and wrong in my assessments. Which will be fantastic. Can't wait. :D

Apart from colour I can't see any RR resemblance at all?? And lots of breeds come in red.

It won't matter what he's registered as. If he's spotted by a ranger he's in danger of being declared a restricted breed. Councils are well aware that people register dogs as something else to avoid restricted breed rules. I would hazard a guess that a RR cross registration could well be flagged as a possible pitbull and still come under attention. I would encourage people who own dogs like this to register as what they believe they are - ie Amstaff or Amstaff x and seek a formal breed assessment if required. Fraught with danger yes, but so is trying to fly under the radar.

Are you familiar with the Amstaff standard? It is here: http://www.ankc.org.au/Breed_Details.aspx?bid=46 If you have a look at the top of the page as well there is a link to the extension to the breed standard which is more detailed and may help answer some of your questions.

Keep it simple - Hip/elbow displaysia = lots and lots (and lots!) of expense. Most people listen most if you talk to them via their wallet.

I've had my boy picked from birth and haven't wavered yet - we're at seven weeks. But would love to leave it as late as possible but have had to make some decisions around four and five weeks. My girl was easy anyway as we have only three, I had a fantastic show home available for one so it was pretty narrowed down.