Salukifan

Starting a new thread here, lest I be accused of raining on a puppy buyer's parade. So, you've had a purebred dog before, decided this is the breed for you and that the show ring is where you'd like to go next. If you can't show the dog you have (wrong register or other issues) and you're ready to take the plunge and buy a show prospect, how do you go about it. In a word? Carefully. I'm hoping other exhibitors will contribute to this thread and that prospective exhibitors will also contribute but its a roller coaster ride sometimes with show dogs and I'd like to help iron out some of the bumps for people. Maybe folk can share thoughts about the following issues: How do you get to know the breed standard and different lines to figure out what you want Breeders - sorting the wheat from the chaff How to convince a breeder you are "safe hands" for a show prospect What does "show prospect" mean and dealing with pups that don't turn out as well as expected. Dealing with disappointment - no litter, no gender you were after, no testicles etc, no pup for you. Why am I doing this - to stop heartbreak. There are too many new exhibitors IMO sold less than quality pups as show dogs and a lot of ways your plans for your pup can go south through no one's fault. It can be a very challenging endeavour and you should be prepared. You can get very very lucky, but sometimes it runs against you too.

So, apparently is people's propensity to think the worst of cautionary posts and paraphrase them to suit their purposes. Matings do miss. Bitches do not produce to order. For those who've never been on a wait list fot a mating that may not even happen, "be prepared" is hardly "things might be terrible" is it?

The earlier you become involved in the breeding process for a pup, the greater the chance of disappointment. Missed matings, no pups of the gender you wanted, singleton litters, no show quality... Something all breeders experience and if you are on a wait list for a breeding, something you might too. Be prepared.

I sincerely hope that poor dog has not been in the RSPCA's kennels since Dec 2012

Fixed equipment is a crash hazard and people using it with no understanding of agility are often not doing their dogs any favours. These are the reasons the consultative group to the ACT Government dog parks recommended against it being installed.

According to the the M4M website, the pet shop at Fyshwick markets sell it. I have yet to visit to check though. Day 4 and MFB still happily chowed down on it

If "doesn't like" may translate to "may react aggressively towards", I'd counsel against using other people's large fluffy dogs as lab rats in your socialisation exercises UNLESS you do so under qualifed supervision. In such circumstances, the LAST dog your dog needs to meet is a very friendly fluffy - a non-reactive dog is a far better bet.

The Whippet Club of NSW has assisted all Whippets that have been identified as needing care, including ones advertised on the rescue forum here. The rescue organizer is a breeder. Foster carers are breeders. Fund raisers are breeders. The skinny black girl from Gundagai that MUP posted about? Whippet Club peeps fostered and successfully rehomed her. One of the most frequent posts in the whippet forum I run is people alerting others to dogs in need or homes looking for a rescue. We take care of our own. That said, we are not dealing with the numbers confronting some breed rescues. The local sibe rescue (also breeders) are saints IMO.

I think you are overly pessimistic. Many breeders assist dogs of their own breeding and/or with breed rescue. Many, just not all. Breed rescue would still be my starting point if one exists for a breed.

If they are the one's I was thinking of, several club members including myself had offered to foster them in a home environment and get the best out of those two. They bounced backwards and forwards and you were right, they were there for months. They could have been successfully integrated into a household, trained and made a smooth transition to their forever homes, but nup Those are they.

Breed Clubs for each state are listed on the breed pages on this website. :)

Most dog PJ's aren't really cut for sighthounds. You need something breed specific IMO. I buy most of my Whippet's PJ's off Ebay! Option B is find a greyhound supplies store - they often have coats too

I recall 2 Whippets spending months in a rescue kennel while the Whippet club had a wait list for rescues. Shits me to tears to see some purebred dogs in all breeds rescue, especially with people who have little idea about suitable homes. x 2 for those rescues who see the purebreds primarily as a good earner. The frustration cuts both ways.

I think I found a local stockist too!

This is definitely breeders of their own dogs you're talking about Leema? Or should they "help" their own breed generally?

Day 3 - and MFB ate the M4M!! I have some RC to finish and then I'm going the full 6 week road test.

And you've got it. You need to proof that stay under distraction - people.

Why do they need to have breakfast together - what's the practical issue that prevents you from separating them?

Rule 1: Pup does NOT get to interact with strangers unless her bottom is on the ground. If it lifts, get them to step back out of range and only approach if she is sitting. If you use a clicker this can be trained remarkably quickly - her reward is the pats! Be insistent about this with the humans. This is something taught at my dog club obedience classes.

Yep, put her on lead and control her interactions so she can't do it. Either that or separate her. Not fair on your visitors.

Why? Feed separately regardless of what is on the menu and you'll soon have one issue sorted. I feed six dogs every day. No dog is allowed to go near another's bowl. The one who cannot resist pushing that is fed in a crate because he finishes first and wants to hassle the others. Not allowed. All dogs get to eat what is theirs (and only theirs) in peace.

Nope - opportunistic resource acquistion. :) Why eat biscuits when something better is on offer? A very good reason to feed your dogs in a way that ensures that this can't happen. This dog may not have a lot of boundaries but that doesn't make him "dominant".

And you'd be wrong. Even very low ranking pack members will resource guard - its a natural reaction to perceptions of threat to resources. The bigger the sense of threat, the greater the reaction. Feed him in a crate so you can all relax. This dog sounds like he has considerable social anxiety. Frankly I wonder if you'd be better off not walking him at all.

Day 3 seems to be "reject" day if MFB doesn't like something. So far only one kibble has EVER passed Day 3. I haven't tried the other two sorry and I won't rate this one fully until I've fed it for 6 weeks. I'd want to know what it did for coat and muscle condition.

Ring the local Canine Control and ask. Here you pay a fee for a replacement and that's it. Dog has to be in your name though.