BC Crazy

Another one here with new wooden, very badly scratched floors. As soon as your dog move quickly or runs, thats when the damage is done. We will repair ours early spring time as we are putting our home on the market. Thats just what happens I guess with having your dogs as they should be, part of the family. I don't like it but I choose to call it "giving the house character" :)

DiscoDobe, thanks for letting me know where I can get one of those lovely leather collars for my girl. Will look into them but am not a member of face book. See how I go. I don't think that amount of exercise for Elsie sounds excessive. I think that is about what my girl got at that age, maybe even a little more walking. Elsie isn't made to run or jump up & I think that is where the damage is done. With all the jarring on the joints of a young dog.Off-lead stuff is all at their own pace. Sounds like Elsie have a lovely full,stimulating & healthy life actually

I have a 2 year age difference with my 2 BC's & I am so glad I waited until Sonny matured before I brought Stella home. Certainly don't think I could have managed otherwise. I am exhausted by 9 pm most nights as it is LOL

Thinking of you at this very difficult time.

Disco Dobe, may I ask where you got little Elsie's black collar with the love hearts from, just love it & it would so suit my girl, thank's :)

:) :D +1

Hi Sheena, this Ultra Sonic gadget from ebay sounds like something which would be handy to carry with you if you were out walking & came across an aggressive, loose dog. Thought it may just deter them. It is my worst fear.

Hell yes !! Where's the matches. I would have no hesitation in lighting them up.

Thank's Skye GSD. Your so right when you say they are all a 'work in progress'. I sometimes think Stella is, in the scheme of things so far behind with her training when I see how well some other dogs her age are going but then again they are all individuals & she is not the type of dog you can rush or push as she will just 'shut down', so we move to the next thing only when she is comfortable. So even the smallest achievements are milestones aren't they? Skye has come such a long way, you must be over the moon, well done Had to edit this post as I was asking you about where you purchased the Flirt pole from but I found them on the K9 Pro web site. I am going to buy 2. Nice video of Skye & yourself. OMG Skye is beautiful & she loves that Flirt pole. Don't know whether to get the cloth rag ended one or the coloured one. They look like lots of fun though.

Well, if it helps any, my vet would say that your vet is absolutely wrong in prescribing gaiting beside a bike as good exercise for such a young pup. That goes double if the bike and dog are on hard surfaces. Gaiting a dog with growing bones and joints is the fastest recipe for exercise induced OCD that I can think of... and I've seen a Border Collie that's had precisely that issue. If you wouldn't expect a GP to know everything there is to know about fitness conditioning and training of young athletes, I wonder why you'd expect it of a small animal vet. Free exercise means offlead exercise - walks etc. Personally I think ball or frisbee for such young dog needs to be undertaken in moderation also. Slamming stops and landings after leaping can cause damage if done to excess. Play with your dog offlead, find places where he can swim or walk offlead and exercise his brain as much or more than his body. :) And just as importantly, teach him that he can learn to live with a bit of boredom. Its all part of teaching a dog self control, and they all have to learn it. Totally agree & very well said Haredown Whippets. There is a guy is our local area that has 2 BC's & from a very young age I used to see him running on the roadside with these 2 poor pups on leashes beside him. Now at about 18 months of age both of these dogs have exercise induced OCD I did suggest to him one day early in the peace that he maybe shouldn't be doing this with ones so young as it is not good for their joint but he wouldn't have a bar of it. Now both of these poor dogs have injured leg joints & are quite nutty to be honest. They have no 'off button' & it's just such a bloody shame

Thats really exciting & we were exactly the same, awake from very early morning. We were suppose to pick up Sonny in the afternoon but ended up picking him up at 10 am, poor breeder must of thought we were nuts but I just couldn't wait any longer :laugh:

I think Esky is awesome, just gorgeous I am really enjoying this thread :)

We have been using Showstopper for about 3 weeks now & although I don't have the photo's to prove it & both of mine did already have healthy coats but now they simply look wonderful. Very radiant & as CBD has also said their coats now feel 'plush'. I am only using about half the recommended dose too. I will continue to use it

Poor little kitten Just beyond me how any could or for that matter want to hurt or abuse an animal in any way. I just don't understand it & now do I want to. Wonder how this Bastard would like it done to him. You can only live in hope I just heard on the radio that little Stoic has made a remarkable recovery & has been fostered out to the kind of loving home he deserves. Apparently he is quite the character & is very partial to dogs,any dogs, he just loves them so his new family is off to the animal rescue to find him a new BF & another welcomed new addition to their growing family. So nice to hear a happy ending for this poor terribly abused little fella.

As we don't have a large backyard so I walk my 2 Border's each day for up to 3 hours each morning. My girl is 18 months & I have a male who is 4. Within that time there are some shoer training sessions & general good manners learnt while on lead. With some off leash time to go & explore in both beach & bush locations. Lots of play,tug games & fetch. Also a swim each day. They both settle very well in the afternoon & then they come indoors around 4 ish pm for the evening where they settle in the lounge room with OH & myself. We play & interact with both of them during the evening & then it's light's out by 9.30pm in there crates. This routine is what seems to work for us. The dogs seem to be content & happy. It may not work for everyone. I totally agree with dancinbcs, I would never run/bike ride with a young dog who is under 2 years at all. Even then I just think the impact & stress on their joints is far to great & just IMO an unnecessary thing to have them do. You can't see the damage that it is doing till it is done. There are so many other ways to interact with them that are far more healthier option for your Border. I think it is also important to have them learn that they need to have an on/off button. There is time to exercise/play & then they must have some settle time when they are asked & this has to be taught by conditioning them. I NEVER wake a sleeping puppy or dog, nor do I agree with NOT allowing them to nap during the day.That's just me. Mine sleep when they want to. I also don't think you need to be giving a young dog Jointguard as a preventitive. Never heard it used like that. If there isn't an medical problem, why medicate would be my question. Calvin sounds like he is a very smart boy who knows more tricks than my girl :laugh: with 2 acres to self exercise & roam on, lucky boy.

I have been following this thread with great interest & I too have found that this method you use with Skye is really working for Stella & myself. I am seeing real improvement with her using the "leave it" command when approaching/passing other dogs. She used to go off her nut, lunging, growling & barking but now she is much more settled usually. If she does happen to get upset, she settles much more quickly than she used to. I used to avoid anything that I thought would set her off but when I thought about it all I was doing was feeding her fear so I had to get more confident & tackle some of these situations as her reactions used to really unnerve me & I think in turn making her panic more.So we have been off walking & see an approaching dog on a lead, I just act like it's all o.k. & keep going at a steady pace & I actually find she is looking up at me for direction,I ask her to "leave it" I then treat / praise if she is behaving & the dog has passed us & then we continue on. I am also making sure I take a deep breath, walk confidently & be calm. We aren't ready for any class training just yet but I am hoping some day we may be :)

He is young to be on Jointguard IMO. I could exercise my girl all day & she would still be up for a game as soon as we got home :laugh: She is my little energizer bunny, she just doesn't stop. Sounds like Calvin is all over those obedience skills & some tricks too, clever boy. Well done Calvin

Hello caindO1 & welcome, That sounds like tonnes of exercise for a 7 month who by the way is just gorgeous. I personally wouldn't be jogging or running him, especially on any hard surface as he is much too young. Same goes for the frizbee. Too much jarring on young joints IMHO. Playing ball on a soft surface is O.K. but I always like to keep the ball bouncing low so as he is not jumping in the air to high, again it's taking care of those very young joints. I would be making him brain tired more. Teach him trick's, simple obedience & things like that to make him think as their mind needs just about as much exercise as their body. 10 min obedience lesson. Maybe teach him some simple tricks like roll over, hi 5 or whatever but learning is very tiring stuff you know :laugh: When you feed in maybe put one meal inside a Kong, makes him work for it. As for the antic's of a night, that's typical puppy play. I see he has a very snazzy dog kennel but is their any reason he can't sleep inside as he would probably settle a lot better if he was. Hope I was of some help & enjoy your beautiful Calvin :)

Oh how cute is Dasha :) Looks like he has settled in perfectly.

Stella loves just about any sort of poo. She either has a quick nibble till I rouse at her or if she has just been washed or had her Advantix put on her she will very quickly roll in it. Wonderful stuff !! :laugh:

Oh fantasic news. Ever so pleased for all concerned. Love happy ending :)

PaddleDuck, I just brought a battery opperated pair by Shear Magic from Clipper World for doing my 2 BC's feet. Very impressed with them & they were only $28 or something like that. Tried them out yesterday & worked very well just for doing paws e.t.c. :)

No news yet Hope she is found soon

OMG !!! That little pony is just getting more cute by the day Loved the video. Adorable More please :laugh:

I use Eartborn Holistic Coastal Catch as a 2nd choice to TOTW. My guys do well on it too :)