Lollipup

When I grew up our family dogs were always chihuahuas or chihuahua crosses. I had friends with border collies and always wanted one but I wasn't allowed a bigger dog when living with my parents. When I met my husband a love of BCs is one of the first things we had in common. His family dog that he will always remember was a BC. When we first got married our circumstances only allowed a smaller dog but we still wanted a BC one day. We fostered one for a while and loved him but had to give him up. So after that we started the search and got our first BC. I don't think I will ever go without a BC now, although like you, there are a lot of other breeds I also really like. If only I was a billionaire... I call Chester my potato chip because he makes me want more! I can't though

well said! I feel the same! At the end of the day we should remember we are all here for the love of dogs That goes for me too.....well said Dogs are dogs & we love them all. I do wish though that somehow we could put an end to indiscriminate breeding of any dogs be they pures or crosses, then we wouldn't have so many of them ending up in shelters & having to be put to sleep, not to mention all those born withhereditary problems which will make the rest of their life a misery, not just for the dog but for the owner too. I agree also. I certainly do not approve of BYBs or pet shops, in fact I am very strongly against it. I was horrified when I found out about puppy mills and when I researched and realised how irresponsible BYBs are. But like many, I already had a dog from an uncertain origin and I love her. I found out through my own research after seeing an advertisement on the issue which lead to further research. But if I was finding out by being told from someone else, I would appreciate kind words that didn't make me feel criticised for something I hadn't learnt yet. I agree with PF that once people know its wrong, they would be foolish to buy a dog that way again. ETA: by the time I posted this you guys (PF & KTB) had added the other comments above which pretty much say what I'm getting at in a much better way LOL

This is a a rather sweeping blanket statement ... also somewhat unhelpful given the OP's original request for advice ... 1. DOL is set up as a forum for owners of pure bred dogs (as recognised by the ANKC), but discussion of non-ANKC recognised dogs is permitted so long as posters do not breach forum rules. I note that in your comment you've referred to a forum for cross-breed owners and then you've said that decent advice wasn't forthcoming because pure breed breeders are the ones putting in the hard yards. While a lot of valuable information here comes from conscientious and reputable breeders - a lot of good advice on this forum also comes from conscientious and responsible owners and in those circumstances, the dog's pedigree (or lack thereof) shouldn't really be a factor. 2. I'd agree that cross bred dogs raised in puppy farms in appalling conditions can be health-compromised (but that goes for any dog raised in a puppy farm). I'd also agree that indiscriminate backyard breeding can also lead to sub-optimal health in dogs but I don't think it's necessarily the case that cross-bred dogs are always or even mostly less healthy than their pedigree counterparts. A conversation with the various people working at my local veterinary office (all of whom are very experienced) has confirmed that while there is no 100% rule - there are many healthy cross breeds out there. I'm not going to talk about statistics comparing pure to non-pure, I just want to say that there are a lot of healthy cross breeds out there who are functional, fit and healthy. When I was having a discussion with the Working Kelpie Council, they mentioned that the border collie/Kelpie cross was a relatively popular cross that was quite successful for the function for which it was crossbred. I'm not endorsing the crossbreeding, I'm just disputing that crossbreeds are necessarily not as fit, healthy and "functional". 3. A "purebred" label alone does not equal quality of dog. You've just referred to a "pure bred breeder" and all this means is that the breeder breeds pure breeds purebred dogs, not that they are an ethical and conscientious and carry out basic testing. I'm not even going to say 'registered' because in my view, registration doesn't mean anything except that the breeder satisfied registration requirements. A purebred breeder could be a puppy farmer or a BYB so long as they're breeding purebred dogs. Nonetheless, I'm assuming by the context of your remark that you are referring to a reputable and ethical breeder. Even in those cases, while the likelihood of the dog being "fit, healthy and functional" should be higher, there can be no guarantees. Just look at this forum - the majority of dogs here will be pure bred dogs but there are the full range of health/temperament issues. Some of these can be chalked up to environment or owner, but some of these come down to the dogs themselves. At the end of the day, dogs are animals and not robots or clones so there is still an element of chance even though the odds should be slightly better if the breeder is ethical and conscientious. I'm not trying to push cross breeds or bash purebreds. I own one of each and both are lovely, healthy, have beautiful temperaments and I love them dearly. I owned my cross breed first and I think I put as much time, love, effort, money and thought into looking after my crossbreed as many purebred owners. I guess just think it's a bit unhelpful to be spouting messages that imply that it serves someone right because they got a cross breed after they've already got the dog. There are many, many people who only start learning about dogs after they get their dog - I'm one of these people. What was helpful to me was people who were willing to give me advice since I already had the mutt ... Yes, for my second dog we opted to go for a pure bred dog whose breeder was recommended by the appropriate registration authority because there was a lot of sense in getting a dog that had a more predictable temperament but that was because there were enough owners of pure bred dogs here who were kind, helpful and instructive ... Also, I know that this is the internet, this is a public form and I'm not the DOL police and that people can say whatever they like and people can be as rude as they like (given the faux-bravery given by Net Anonymity) and that people should consider themselves fair game when they post here BUT as this is an internet forum and I'm also entitled to express my view, I will say that I just wish (and yes this is just a vain wish with no mandatory force behind it) that people could be nicer and kinder when people are genuinely looking for advice ... Some threads are fair game for debate but other threads are a genuine plea for help. If you're not feeling helpful and you think that the person is unworthy of your time and knowledge because of the sort of dog they own, then it's just as easy to skip the thread and spend your time elsewhere rather than getting a kick in... Leave others to at least try to be helpful. :D well said! I feel the same! At the end of the day we should remember we are all here for the love of dogs

I want one of these super duper ones from Erny. Are they on her website or? PS my other half just said that me buying treat pouches is embarrassing. ETA: don't worry I found it after reading the other posts properly woops

Thank you. I hope it's just the same thing then!

I'm going to go to the vet about this but in the mean time would like to know if anyone has experienced this? I have a male 6 month old border collie named Chester. Ever since we brought him home at 8 weeks old o have noticed he seems to breathe more rapidly and drink more water than any other dog I have owned. I have only owned smaller and less hairy dogs in the past though. He is active, eats well and his heart rate seems to be fine. He was desexed four weeks ago and the vet didn't seem to notice anything unusual and I didn't think to ask about it at that time but now I am concerned. Of course he pants when he has been active or hot bit when he is resting and sleeping he is breathing very fast. I thought it might be the heat but now I'm not sure. He was born in a colder climate than where we are so since we got him, everything has been hotter. Has anyone experienced this in young dogs? Because I know it can mean serious conditions but I'm hoping it could also be something harmless. I will of course be to the vet either way. We're currently away at the inlaws or the weekend and both the dogs are with us and are having a ball but I can't get to a vet until next week. Thanks all. I really hope I'm stressing over nothing like I usually do.

I'll try my best

When you buy overseas made ones, do you have to worry whether they have been 'zapped' by customs when they arrive? I heard something like that on A Current Affair a while back.

Now of course I didnt think of that before I paid $30 plus for mine lol. thanks.

Can anyone please recommend a good practical treat pouch for training and include where I can buy from online? I have a Black Dog brand one and its really annoying me, the snap shut top is stiff and hard to open and then snaps shut with the slightest touch, quite forcefully. Its very distracting. Thanks in advance for any info.

Hi there, my almost 6 month old BC, Chester, is very calm and quiet around the house but also has the energy when he needs it. We can tell he has herding instinct by the way he acts towards fast moving objects. He crouches low and stalks our other dog as she runs towards him with the ball / frisbee, the other day my husband was flying a large kite and Chester was stalking it, looking into the air. He also looks at cars as though he wants to herd them but we're making it clear that this is a no go and he is pretty good with it now. I guess most people are worried about BCs herding children as they don't want a child getting nipped. I found this site quite good for a brief overview: http://www.bcrescue.org/bcwarning.html Enjoy your boy, he looks and sounds like a great dog

Maybe you could show her the websites with photos of the dogs kept in puppy farms. Just like images of chicken farms, you can't not be disturbed by it. ETA: Those sites should also have the statistics.

I don't know whether you wanted to keep her on the DAP or not but my vet recently gave me an article on the new DAP collars, which means the dog doesn't have to be near the wall diffuser. Just a thought. I haven't even read it all yet. It is on the dining room table with the rest of my 'to dos' Let me know if you want a copy though.

None of this is fact. yeah I would like to know where he is pulling this info from! probably same place the poop comes from ( ) you read my mind!!! :D :D nearl choked on my chocolate when I saw that :p

None of this is fact. yeah I would like to know where he is pulling this info from!

Well I agree and I'm glad to know it's not just me that thinks this person is so ignorant and way off the mark!

This is a letter to the editor in today's local paper here. As a pet owner, I am offended, especially at the closing sentence. I would like to hear your opinions on this and know if anyone else finds this offensive / stupid? I tried to scan it in but the file was too large, even when compressed. So I have typed it word for word, including his spelling below: "The Forgotten Form of Pollution CR --- and others making an issue of dumped cigarette butts and rubbish are to be applauded. So let's not hide a health-damaging pollution that none wishes to talk about, for fear of attracting outrage and wrath. The dumping into our waterways by way of runoff of thousands of tons of dog and pet excrement, daily dumped on to foreshores, public verges, riversides and thousands of backyards. After rain, all this poo dump ends up in our groundwater, rivers and oceans, contributing to algal blooms and deadly E coli contamination. Each pooch sqanders 0.84ha of land per year on grain and meat productions while world food supplies for humans struggle to keep pace with population increase demands. Already educated people are making a conscious choice not to have a pet, and so reduce a serious environmental pollution." ETA: I'd like to write in a reply but not quite sure how to go about it.

Yes I'm in Queensland. I will have to fix that up.

Do you think that just means that if you have a dog between the gate and the door, it just has to be a safe dog? Or that there can't be a dog there at all?

A certain someone I know, who knows a lot about a lot of things has often mentioned to people when I've been present that it is illegal to have a dog in the front yard of a property, even if there's signage, because the law apparently states that anyone must be able to have clear access to the front door (in case of emergencies etc.) Does anyone know if this one is true? Would this be a national type law or are most dog laws local or state laws? Where can I find laws about things like this so that I know whether or not it is reliable info? Thanks all

I get that impression with the ones I have seen as well. I'm sure they could still feel good about themselves for having their dogs walking on a loose leash by their side, that in itself is a beautiful thing.

haha! The treats you would be willing to try would probably be the ones of most value to the dogs

Wow, I actually think that's a really great idea for deciding whether you would want to use something on your dog. It also kind of reminds me of this video i saw ages ago -

The suggestion I make is that, at some point on your walk, you stop and clip the leash to the flat collar and spend some time practising disciplined, consistent loose leash walking. You would begin this with each dog separately at first. I would have to agree - teaching your dogs seperately to walk nicely should continue, however I see no reason why you can't also enjoy a lovely walk to the beach - without having your arms off. So investing in either a harness or gentle leader would be my advice. And like Aidan2 said try periods where one dog is given the opportunity to 'not pull' by putting on a regular lead for a period of time. If they misbehave, then straight back onto the harness/gentle leader. I did this with one of the dogs that I was looking after - he was shocking on the lead. Got soooo excited about going somewhere anywhere ) but HATED the gentle leader with a passion. Didn't take long for him to work it out, by the time he left he was walking beautifully on the lead. Good luck! Thank you, I am doing thise, got the gentle leader, which is helping for our walks. And meanwhile I have cut back on the group walks, using the older, dirtier car to take them to the beach all together, and doing my training sessions with one dog at a time. Its all helping

Funny you posted that link as Emily Larlham is my inspiration and I watch her videos all the time and they are the methods I want to use. I just need more practice really. She is so great though