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WreckitWhippet

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Everything posted by WreckitWhippet

  1. I can determine that the market requires more ethical breeders producing pups, I know this because we turn away fantastic potential homes and they eventually source elsewhere if the wait is too long. As a collective across most breeds, the ANKC breeders do not produce enough puppies to meet the demand for even the most discerning of homes. Great homes purchase pups from BYBers and dare I say it pet shops, because they simply cannot obtain one from a registered breeder. I seriously think a 6 months - 5 year wait for a pup is crazy and I can't blame them for going elsewhere.
  2. The dogs are dried using a dryer to get the coats straight for clipping and finishing. Don't dry it and the dog looks like it's been dragged through a hedge backwards and no self respecting groomer would allow a dog to walk out of the salon looking that way. You don't need to turn the heat on.
  3. There's no regulation of the grooming industry, any fool can pick up a pair of clippers and scissors, announce themselves to be a "groomer" and set up shop. This man has a long history of poor treatment of animals and clients alike from the early days of "Jims" to the Macquarie premises.
  4. I do think owners have significant influence, but I think it's a long bow to say they are usually the cause. They may usually be ineffective at spotting and dealing with an issue, but that's not the same thing. I know what caused our last dust up and it happened when I was away on business. I think it's likely that it happened because I wasn't present and actively "interfering". Combine that with a change in dynamic resulting from a dog reaching maturity and realising that he doesn't have to put up with shit from one of the second tier males any more and it's dust up time. C'est la vie in a pack of 10, you have to pay attention if dogs are not under other management arrangements and one should not, in my view, just let them sort it out. My pack subject one of the others to some poor treatment when I went away in October. I wasn't there to maintain the usual routine,including exercise , discipline and feeding and it basically went pear shaped while I was gone. Whilst there wasn't a "fight" as such, there was significant picking on one of the pack, resulting in squealing and that dog being frighetened. The others now see him as a weak animal, where once he was confident. It's a slow road to recovery and I'm not sure we are going to get back to the way it was,I think they dynamics have shifted. I've only had two dog "fights" over the years and sometimes the pack has included as many as 13. Apart from my boundaries,I believe that pack harmony can also be attributed to a couple of great bitches that lead with a firm but kind hand. The two fights we have had were male on male. The first was an attack on an older dog by a younger one, over resources. The second was a male on male, the instigator had been attacked some weeks before and became quite reactive. I've not had to deal with a bicth on bitch but know they can be deadly. I've seen it first hand.
  5. I believe that remembering what they were bred to do and why breeds have certain characteristics , drive and temperament (according to their breed standards) is very important. Retrieving instinct and a soft mouth in a Gundog I believe contributes to them being great pets. Being bold , fearless and totally reliable as a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, makes them steady and dependable around children. Start messing with that and watering it down and I believe it's a recipe for trouble.
  6. Red's have black pigment, Duns have a liverish coloured pigment.
  7. Pretty much sums it up for me too. My Whippets have been tested in the field over the years and all have a high level of prey drive and conformation that has enabled them to perform as they were bred to do. Recently mine have taken up coursing. Sadly for my old bitch I don't think she will see a title due to the number of years it will take and she's already a veteran. My young dog looks to be a natural, he courses a couple of meters off the drag and is anticipating the next move. Hopefully in the new year we will breed our first litter of coursing Whippets. If they inherit their parents drive and conformation they should be interesting to watch. Lure coursing isn't a sport where you can drag a dog off the lounge or under prepare a dog and expect it to perform. They need to be fit, athletic, have the drive , spatial awareness and of course the natural ability.
  8. vinyl planking http://www.carpetcourt.com.au/vinyl.html?gclid=CjwKEAiA7MWyBRDpi5TFqqmm6hMSJAD6GLeAVXSiEdWSngNsZnpmNv4cdmpf66bn6MQMMuNQnt8gAxoCwWjw_wcB I've had all sorts of floors and this is pretty good with the dogs. It's scratch resistant and quite non slip compared to tile and floor boards. It's super easy to clean. It's got a bit of texture to the surface.
  9. Normal. One of mine will mate any desexed dog that looks like he might be willing and she flags dogs, bitches and even the hedge out the back.
  10. If the dog is otherwise healthy, why do people feel the need to "fatten" them up. Dogs are better off being leaner than fatter and providing the dog is not emaciated, there's nothing to worry about. Provide a quality dry and some raw meaty bones and leave the dog to it.
  11. I usually give inter a miss unless it's for a specialty. I go straight from Junior to AB or Open. You may as well play with the big boys and girls
  12. The ATO doesn't want to know about us. I wish they did so I could claim back all of those expenses.
  13. I was doing it all wrong. :laugh: Profit would be nice but when you take unpaid leave to raise a litter in the house and give someone else's pet the best possible start, any dreams if $$ quickly evaporate.
  14. Have always fed meaty bones. I avoid the heavy weight bearing bones as they can cause issues and fracture teeth, other than that I feed everything from chicken, rabbit, duck, turkey and roo to the usual beef and lamb
  15. Dogs don't have to be old to feel the effects that a change in exercise levels can have on the digestive system. Dogs travelling or dogs that normally get a lot of exercise or free running can experience issues with constipation.
  16. I think there's enough in that to sucker in your average sucker and make someone feels super special about adopting the dog. I think it's time for some of these rescue people to get real and state the facts about where the dog has come from, the amount of work the new owner is going to need to put in to enable this animal to become well adjusted and happy. Clearly state the dog is not suitable for a home with cats or young children. Provide decent advice on diet and maintenance if they really feel the need to go down that road at all in an ad. The dog is going to need a firm but kind hand, not some numpty who laments over its past and fails the dogs.
  17. Does your dog have any red or staining around his mouth ?
  18. I don't change a thing, the bitches exercise just as they always do, they dictate how much they want to do. It's only in the last couple of weeks that they slow up . A fit active bitch is more likely to whelp easily and without complications. There's no point wrapping them up in cotton wool.
  19. I didn't apologise for anything. I remember the discussion and my memory tells me the owner of BH said that their food had always been called BH. The other food was someone elses even when you insisted otherwise. The thread that I posted has owner of BH saying that it isn't branded. Which is why I posted it. I insisted that it was made in a certain place and the owner insisted it wasn't. Funnily the place I said it was made now lists it on their site as BH. Don't worry Jules, we all know they were one in the same.
  20. A "runt" is a small animal that has failed to thrive, why anyone would want it is beyond me. Fortunately there are not that many true runts born but lots of small but vigorous pups that thrive and do well, perhaps it's these little tackers full of attitude that average joe thinks of as a "runt"
  21. At three weeks I would expect that the bitch is starting to spend more time out of the whelping box. She should still be feeding them, the pups should have full bellies and be content when not awake and interacting with one another. So many people are in a rush to introduce solids and get the pups weaned. Personally I think they bitch and the pups should dictate when and how it happens. I introduce some premium mince into the box when the pups are over 3 weeks, I also chuck a chicken carcass with plenty of meat in and see how they react to it. Most times the pups will suck and gummy the carcass and I let the bitches in to show them how it's done. I allow the bitches to regurgitate for the pups ( as a bitch should )and for the bitches to lead the weaning process. I slowly introduce food over the next few weeks, whilst the bitches continue to feed the pups. I also give them a shallow water bowl and they begin to drink for themselves. Sometimes at 8 weeks the girls are still allowing the pups an occasional suckle, eventually they will shut up the milk bar and turn the tap off. By this time the pups are eating and drinking on their own and are ready to leave home at 10ish weeks. There's no point in rushing what nature will do for itself.
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