sandra64

Oh and tip for the humans- practise riding on grass, soft grass as well. I was fine on the hard surfaces but when I did the test about 50% was on soft squishy grass which made it really hard to ride through since I hadnt done too much training on the grass!!

And with this; learn to use your gears, You will be thankful. Drop gears on grass.

Other tips with your bike.. buy a good seat and raise it so that you can hardly touch the ground - that way you are almost completely stretching your legs out, instead of keeping them bent and risking ache.

+1 for the comfy seat and using gears- it was the only thing that got me through in the end!!

I was kinda wondering though- I did it on a heavyish bike last time but now also have a cheapish light bike. Would using the lighter bike make any difference? I like training on my heavy bike because I like the stability (when owners allow random dogs to come up and play with my dogs while i am riding with them. GRRRR clearly when I am riding I also want my dog running all over the place with their mutt!! OK mini rant over) but should I use the lighter one of the actual test?

the lighter bike will save your energy on the day, if its hilly. if you fell better on the heavier bike and its more of stable for you use it.. Just test them both before the day and see how you feel. the heavier bike will get you down hills faster, but not really needed when you have a dog attatched, but harder to get up hills.

I did an Endurance Test last year and started training 3 months before, I gradually increased the distance to about 5/7 ks a day at a speed of 10ks per hour, Riley was taken swimming once a week and would swim for about 15/20 mins . He was trained on 3 surfaces and I also conditioned his pads daily. We also walked a minimum of 2.5ks daily.

He passed the test with flying colors.

Invest in a good comfy bike seat and bike shorts help you bum lots to.

Good luck

Alright that's it, I'm out, I refuse to wear bike shorts Other competitors would be thankful for that

just get a pair of bike knicks and put normal shorts over the top

Oh and tip for the humans- practise riding on grass, soft grass as well. I was fine on the hard surfaces but when I did the test about 50% was on soft squishy grass which made it really hard to ride through since I hadnt done too much training on the grass!!

And with this; learn to use your gears, You will be thankful. Drop gears on grass.

Other tips with your bike.. buy a good seat and raise it so that you can hardly touch the ground - that way you are almost completely stretching your legs out, instead of keeping them bent and risking ache.

+1 for the comfy seat and using gears- it was the only thing that got me through in the end!!

I was kinda wondering though- I did it on a heavyish bike last time but now also have a cheapish light bike. Would using the lighter bike make any difference? I like training on my heavy bike because I like the stability (when owners allow random dogs to come up and play with my dogs while i am riding with them. GRRRR clearly when I am riding I also want my dog running all over the place with their mutt!! OK mini rant over) but should I use the lighter one of the actual test?

Yep - the lighter bike would make a difference. If you want I can have a look at the bikes, but without even seeing them the light one is probably better (so long as it's not a road bike!)

to buy a lighter bike will cost quite a bit extra if your not into bikes that is. the lighter the bike the dearer they get, i have 2 mountain bikes that probably cost the same as a cheap new car. then i have my road bike which i hardly use since finding the dirt:-)

Any takers for 2011 in Queensland? I am hoping to complete the ET then as my boy will be old enough.

Please keep us all up to date with your training and experiences along the way. All information very welcome.

I am more expert in the world of bikes than I am in the world of dogs so if anyone wants any help bike wise I might be able to help you out.

i am bryan_mannix. im a taker for 2011. The bikes dont worry me as i have ridden them for 25years, i ride endurance mountain biking every week, so anyone want tips on keeping it together just let me know:-) i was thinking of running it as i used to do 1/2 marathons years ago.

Off topic a bit here councillor, sorry, but would it be beneficial to have it that all puppies be registered from ownership. Say for intstance with these poor lil pups that are overlooked in glass boxes at pet shops. Would it be much safer for the dogs well being that all pups sold have to have registration transfers done at time of buying. That way you can keep track of what they are churning out, and if by chance its not living in ipswich region, its transferred to their local coucil.I know for the average person that 3month thing is handy, but alot just dont do it. If they were registered from birth with say their 1st registration lasting 15months then they are on your books from word go.

I am sure Mr Antoniolli is a very busy man and i believe he has all intentions of getting to the bottom of this matter, but if in fact Ipswich has such a brilliant rego stat, why is it and i am not pointing fingers here, that when the Ipswich council came to our home last year to check my dogs registration and to see if we had greyhounds on our property, and to check our fences, which we passed all questions and no we dont have racing greyhounds on our property, but when he went next door and couldnt get near the front door of the home because at that point in time there were 2 dogs unregistered barking at him, 2 became 3 and then one went missing due to the fact it allegedly attacked one of our sheep, how come the council has NEVER come back to find out why those dogs are not in an enclosed yard and can wander wherever they feel and do not have registration. I even said to the animal control guy, these dogs wander all over the place, they chase the horses that are enclosed in paddocks, why are these problems being ignored and yet they are right on the ball when it comes to a beautiful obviously well bred pup. As for the dogs next door, its the owner who is at fault 100%, but if the council fails to act on this when pointed out to them in person what more can one do

May i add, i am from Ipswich and 25 years ago my purebred choc kelpie was taken from our backyard by the garbo. I was devistated as i didnt know how she got out. We searched and searched. We lived across from Queens park where the council had their nursery. We went down there and the white collar worker said no they hadnt seen her. As we were walking back to the car a man from the council came to us and said a garbo put her there till he finished his shift 3 days earlier. We noticed the white collar worker jump in a car and go straight to the depo where the trucks were my husband at the time walked straight up and said wheres my dog. He lived at peak crossing this man and he went and brought her back STILL WITH HER REGO TAG AROUND HER NECK. If there is anything i can do to help out i will do with pleasure. I do have a friend who is in animal control in Ipswich now. I will question her on this lil pup

Could you also please ask questions about laws and regulations which we cant do anything about at Ipswich level so we know what we can and cant change localy before we work out a plan to get them to wake up to themselves.

Will do. I will ask for a copy of it. It is pitiful what they have done. Can't imagine the pain for that family, as the outcome can't be changed.

May i add, i am from Ipswich and 25 years ago my purebred choc kelpie was taken from our backyard by the garbo. I was devistated as i didnt know how she got out. We searched and searched. We lived across from Queens park where the council had their nursery. We went down there and the white collar worker said no they hadnt seen her. As we were walking back to the car a man from the council came to us and said a garbo put her there till he finished his shift 3 days earlier. We noticed the white collar worker jump in a car and go straight to the depo where the trucks were my husband at the time walked straight up and said wheres my dog. He lived at peak crossing this man and he went and brought her back STILL WITH HER REGO TAG AROUND HER NECK. If there is anything i can do to help out i will do with pleasure. I do have a friend who is in animal control in Ipswich now. I will question her on this lil pup

Hi, does anyone know anything about the show classes they hold at durack on a thursday night, thats if my information is correct:-)

PIA here as well

i buy full blades for around $4 a kilo and chicken mince mixed with vegies and fruit pulp, kangaroo tails(which are very meaty bones) chicken necks, lamb necks, whatever i can get my hands on i suppose with a little fish content in there. i mix flaxseed oil, livamol, protexin,and cider vinegar in their drinking water.

about 5ml daily. I just put it in their fresh drinking water each day

list is getting long

Another case of ,"I'm a violent person and need a thrill kill" It will continue till the proper authorities adjust the law, to make it an actual crime to do this sort of shit.... Stand them on trial for killing ,not a slap on the wrist with a fine because its an animal....

Done was an absolute pleasure to do

My two are with pet insurance australia

Mine get ACV in their drinking water. Couldnt tell you if it helps fleas or not as they get commercial flea formula as well. I have to as we live in a tick area, and im afraid i am not taking that much of a risk . I use it mainly for everything else. Mine use to have trouble with their skin due to being wet all the time from jumping in the dam, but not one problem since using ACV

I know it's fairly normal for the scrotum to swell after surgery, but when can we expect it to start reducing in size? It's been two days since his surgery.

Also, as mentioned above, he is wearing an elizabethan collar which the vet advised to leave on him until the sutures are removed in ten days. Would it be ok to remove the collar in say another three or four days once he is pain free and less likely to lick/pick the sutures? He seems pretty uncomfortable in the collar and looks really silly

TYLER23, i brought a collar home with Jones just in case, but he's been pretty good...He's licked the area a little, but hasnt picked at the stitches. He went for a walk this morning up the road,he's been really good, until he jumped in the cow trough to swim, so i had to wash the area and sterilise it(was pretty clean water,but!!!!!!!!!!)...If your home, i would give him a go and see what he does, you may like to put it on him at night when you cant watch him, but i just told jones to " leave " when he'd lick it and after about ten times he wasnt interested too much

Poor baby girl doesnt deserve that outcome.......Hope one day someone can make a difference......trouble is such a beautiful powerful breed seems to attract the wrong type of person(money making) so while those people are out there nothing will ever change for these poor dogs....So until we can rid of that human scum i cant see any light for them unfortunately.............

I have had kelpies most of my life, and a stumpy blue girl for 15years...My stumpy has been the most beautiful treasure i could want, but very protective of her family....My 3 boys were all in primary school when my eldest son pleaded with me to have her...so of course she came home....Has never gone for anyone, but the boss of the yard no matter what dog came into her yard...Even at her age now, but when my older kelpie girl was alive, the stumpy new that girl was the boss, go figure....They are good judges of character though, my ex husband tried to pat her once when she was young and she didnt want any part of that, as he was outside the fence trying to get in.....good girl i say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thanks for that Kelpiekaye....The black coat seems to be naturally glossy, the girl you have to work with a bit...I find also the Aloveen conditioner i use when i bath them helps as well

Your girl looks very familar, whats her breeding? My girl Ruby is from Camila Allnuts line, Ballare. The girl I had before Ruby, Bo was from Oatland lines. I lost her to paralysis ticks despite vet treatment. She was chocolate and her coat was always shiny. I am going to get my hands on some Livamol and give that a go. I do think the sun has a fair bit to do with it and also she has recently had her first heat and is having a false pregnancy at the moment.

Yes Kaye, Megs is fromBallare Katya, she is a callicoma pup and looks just like her mum...and oatland lines on her dads side

Has anybody found that their dog just wont eat their food if Livamol is added? My dogs just don't seem that enthusiastic about their meal with that livamol in it and I do struggle to get them to eat more than a bite or two.

no problems here Jeanne....I think mine were so used to Vets All Natural floating through their food, it was just another taste to them...Mine have always had a varied diet. so taste at meal time could always be different.(not that they have a 4 course gourmet dinner each night with a menu planner beside it to tick for the following nights meal)

She is home. Very wobbly and staggers when she tries to get up, which she tries to do every time someone comes to the door. Tail wagging between sleeps so good sign. Already trying to lick stitches when she wakes, have collar but friend gave me some dimethyl will try that first. Me feeling very guilty too. ;) Can see a long night coming up.

We had a rough time with Sally when she was desexed, she is a bit of a sooky la la but other than that we went with a new vet that had been recommended by a family friend rather than our regular vet as this one was closer.

she was only at the vet for just over an hour before they called us to pick her up. she was so wonky still she couldnt even walk 2 steps. we werent given any pain meds or anti biotics. the wound seemed inflamed and we called 3 or 4 times and each time they said she was just being sooky and yto put cold tea on it or savlon and there was no need to come in.

ended up taking her to our regualr vet and discovered she had developed vaginitis and it was so bad they almost had to open her up again.

the guilt i felt was immeasureable.

suffice to say, bert is being done at our regular vet.

glad everyone's pups are doing well, fingers crossed for bert on monday!

GOOD LUCK BERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!hope all goes well. Don't you hate that when you think your doing the right thing by going to someone who you think maybe better, and its goes to pack.......

Our boy was done yesterday, he has a elizabethan collar as he was picking at the sutures and vet prescribed metacam for a week. He was pretty sleepy yesterday and whined on and off during the night, poor boy. He woke up full of beans this morning and launched himself off the pergola . He spent most of the day in the run in an attempt to keep him calm, but whenever i went in there, he went nuts and just wanted to play. Trying to keep him settled and not ripping off the collar is proving the most difficult part.

He's finally sound asleep in his crate

The kids were upset to see him in pain yesterday and made him get well cards ;)

naaaaaaaaaaawwwhhh how cute from the kids...My vet said knowing my boy, he will be looking for his lead 2moro arv to go for a walk:-)