DogsAndTheMob

If you draw a line from the highest point of the shoulder to the chest and from there to the elbow, it should form a right angle at the chest, with the sternum forward of the front of the forelegs. In theory, a dog which is straight in shoulder has a shorter stride and may be vulnerable to jarring impacts as it runs and jumps. Here’s an article which discusses shoulder angulation much better than I can. https://gordonsetterexpert.org/2015/07/30/straight-shoulders-dont-reach-heres-why/ To my eye, the pup in the photos above doesn’t have much forechest and looks straight in the shoulders. I’m not sure what’s typical of this breed at this age, but I found some lovely photos of a youngster on this breeder’s website for comparison. http://anthonyclare.weebly.com/conghal-irish-wolfhounds.html I’m guessing that one’s a pick-of-the-litter pup which has had the best of nutrition and appropriate exercise for muscular development.

I’ve seen a few around the show ring but I’m not an expert on the breed and it’s hard to judge from photos of a half-grown pup. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was a purebred Irish Wolfhound. At six months old, I wouldn’t expect him to have the coat characteristics of an adult dog and, from what I’ve read, white hairs on the chest tend to occur as a fairly random consequence of in-utero development of pigmentation. He seems a bit narrow in the chest, which may also be just due to his age, and a bit straight in the shoulders, which is a fairly common conformation fault in many breeds.

Honestly? I have internal fences to keep my dogs away from the front fence. Access to the front fence would make my dogs vulnerable to people harassing them or throwing baits over the fence. I also don’t want them developing the anxieties and bad habits they’d get from fence running. My neighbours across the road let their dogs run and bark along their front fence. When those neighbours had an emergency I didn’t know to go to their aid, because their dogs’ barking was just a routine occurrence.

I’m delighted to see him looking so happy.

Sorry, I just re-read your post and realised that the logistics of setting up in a new place with a dog may be a problem. Would it possible to leave her with your ex when you move, then reassess once you have settled in?

In the late 1980s, I flew to NZ with two 5 year old dogs (BC and GSD). I returned 5 years later with both dogs. I didn’t expect or encounter any difficulties. The dogs were transported on the planes I traveled on, and I collected them after clearing quarantine and picking up my luggage.

Actually, there are fairly onerous and expensive legal requirements with which dog breeders in NSW must comply. https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/299803/Breeding-dogs-and-cats-code-of-practice.pdf https://ablis.business.gov.au/service/nsw/animal-welfare-code-of-practice-breeding-of-dogs-and-cats/16905

I haven’t had this problem, but here are a few suggestions... Get a vet check in case the combination of moving quickly and curving to the right is aggravating arthritis, hips or elbows. Split the figure 8 into elements ... focus on the clockwise circle with the dog on the outside. Make it fun and rewarding. If I’m not satisfied with some aspect of my dog’s heeling, I like to do lots of short sessions inside the house, rewarding with food “planted” on convenient surfaces. When practicing the clockwise circles, use an excited voice and demeanour to energise your dog. Once your dog is responding to your enthusiasm, increase your speed on the clockwise circles. Work on your dog’s understanding of the heel position. This may be weak because she’s been forging. I like to do call-to-heel drills, calling my dog to heel from all points of the clock. For these, initially I’m stationary but later I’m moving. Be very wary of using the leash to position your dog. Doing so often exacerbates lagging problems, because the dog learns that it’s more difficult for you to apply collar-pressure when she’s lagging. Video your training. You may notice something you’re doing which is making the problems worse.

It sounds as if Clive has a near-perfect life. As for Bobbin, the time may come when you need to set boundaries on her behaviour. I remember being delighted when my tiny, very timid Birman cat copied my larger cat’s behaviour in asserting authority over my large dogs. But her behaviour escalated until she greeted my German Shepherd at the front door with hisses and posturing then, when I called the dog round to the side door, chased her around the house and through the living room. I intervened with a foot stamp and “that’s enough”. She understood (cats are much smarter than dogs IMO) and after that, the only time she reacted to a dog was when she backed a newcomer into a corner, glared at him, then turned and stalked away.

I’m not sure about breeds, although I’d add Miniature Schnauzers and Clumber Spaniels to the list of possibilities. However, if I had such specific requirements I’d see if I could find a breeder who was looking to rehome a retired show dog, rather than gambling that a pup would grow up to be suitable for the job.

I agree with the OP to some extent. There’s a risk of losing capabilities if there’s no selection for them. Routine use of AI doesn’t worry me; if a breed or line of dogs loses the ability to achieve natural matings, that’s an inconvenience for breeders more than a issue that affects dogs. Routine use of Caesarean sections is different, because the breeder has no way of knowing whether that bitch could have delivered those puppies naturally. The day may come when that breeder or a breeder of subsequent puppies cannot access the vet when necessary. In that circumstance, what would happen to the bitch and puppies? COVID has shown us that we can’t take the status quo for granted. Imagine trying to organise a Caesar during lockdown or when your vet is sick - particularly in rural and regional areas where there is a shortage of vets who provide after hours and emergency services.

I use layers of VetBed as bedding. I usually buy it from stalls at dog shows but it looks like you can order it here, https://www.petnetwork.com.au/collections/premium-quality-vet-bed-dry-bed I’ve found it to be chew-proof. I recently saw a piece that had been purchased more than 30 years ago and it was almost unmarked.

I agree with Scratch. I’d also add leash-free backyard games and independent exploration of the backyard if possible. Leash-free exploration lets him choose his own pace and direction, which is good for development of muscle and coordination. Games are good for mental and physical development and will make him more attuned to you. Hide and seek games are excellent. Hide a toy or part of his dinner in the backyard and send him to “go find”. Substitute backyard activities for much of his formal walks until you have addressed the pulling issue. He shouldn’t be given too many opportunities to rehearse problematic behaviour. Teaching a dog to heel does not teach it not to pull (when not heeling). I know, because my successful obedience competition dog is naturally a puller. To stop her pulling, I needed to make the tightening leash a cue for stopping or turning back to me. I stopped as soon as the lead tightened and gradually backed up until she turned towards me. Then we went forward again. If she lunged or pulled too hard, we went straight home with her in formal heel position. That’s probably impractical for a dog as large as a Newfie, so I’d suggest working on it as an exercise indoors. Tighten the lead and at the same time use a treat to lure him back towards towards you. As soon as he loosens the lead by stepping towards you, say “Yes!” and give him the treat. Gradually fade the use of the lure until he’s turning towards you when the lead tightens without the lure. Then practice loose-lead walking around the house and yard, firstly without distractions and temptations, and later with increasing distractions and temptations. Don’t forget to practice with differing lead lengths before testing this training on walks.

Yes, I was surprised to see the Bolognese on the list because. I thought I’d seen them on show catalogues. I’ve checked the site again and it is the Australian National Kennel Council FaceBook page. The notification was posted by Tracey Barry.

I just noticed this on the ANKC FaceBook page: “Please note the following FCI recognised breeds have been added to the ANKC business system and their breed standards are available from our website. Yakutian Laika Cirneco DellÉtna Tornjak Bolognese Beauceron (Berger de Beauce)” I’m curious. Does this mean that applications have been lodged by people wanting to import these breeds?

Definitely. I have no wish to own a Merle dog but I find the science of coat colour very interesting. I’d heard of cryptic Merle’s but the one “cryptic Merle” I’ve seen was actually much more like the M81m (M32) dog, but with Irish spotting superimposed. I I think (hope!) most ANKC breeders are aware of the risks of Merle-to-Merle breeding. I’ve never seen an obviously double-Merle purebred dog. I’ve seen a few farm-style short-coated collies or koolies with markings that made me wonder, and I’ve also seen an almost-certain double Merle “pig-dog” type dog on the back of a truck; it had one micropthalmic eye. i also wonder if any dilute Merle collie rough puppies have been misdiagnosed as having cyclic neutropenia.

This is a fascinating explanation of different expressions of the Merle gene. http://blogs.biomedcentral.com/on-biology/2018/08/03/the-genetics-of-merle-coat-patterns-in-dogs/

I was able to see full text and supplementary data by clicking on the Present Study Referenced link at the bottom of the original post.

There are several adult German Shepherds available from kennels on the Dogzonline German Shepherd breed pages at the moment. An adult dog might be a safer bet than a puppy for a few of the breeds you’ve mentioned, including GSDs. I’ve owned several lovely GSDs but when I was training my last GSD I saw some highly overexcitable GSDs come to the GSD club for training.

Be ready to line up for puppy in group. That’s where I found the catalogue most helpful - I checked the numbers in the breeds later in the group, so I knew whether I had time for a coffee break and when to take my dog for a toilet break.

Chase looks wonderful. I’m sure you’ll do brilliantly.

Wishing you good luck and good fun. is it the Dogs Qld show.? If so, there are five Airedale’s in your Group before the American Staffordshire Terriers. My girl was always early in her group - often the first breed - so I know how much it helps if you can arrive early and have everything set up in plenty of time. Have you downloaded the catalogue?

Finding the right breeder is even more important than finding the right breed. Both breeds cover the spectrum from active to very, very active, depending in part on the breeders’ goals - show, sheepdog or gundog work, agility or other dog sports. Both BCs and labs should have enough energy to work all day, balanced by an “off-switch” for the quiet days. I’ve owned 3 young BCs plus 2 I took on in their senior years. They were all active dogs that needs mental stimulation, but they got much of their physical and mental exercise from participating in family activities. They all had piercing barks and strong herding drives. Herding drive is something that needs to be managed in many border collies and particularly those from working lines; in the absence of sheep they may herd chooks, children or other dogs. I’ve spoken to enthusiasts of gun dog work, who told me that labradors are the pick of gun dogs because of their drive and indomitable spirit - they’ll charge through briars and into water that’s so cold they have to break the ice. These are admirable traits, but I suspect there’s a downside for pet owners. Even closely related dogs can be very different from each other, but good breeders should tell you if your home wouldn’t suit their dogs, or match you to the puppy that’s the best fit for your home. Finally, even the best puppy won’t grow into a good dog without careful, considerate, consistent and persistent training. It’s up to you. (PS. Dog training is fun and can become a lifelong interest that bridges generations. Have a look at some of the YouTube’s on agility, Rally, obedience and noseworks.)

Here’s one more thing to consider: Who is responsible for costs if the puppy develops parvovirus or another infection after you take it home? An initial vet check might not pick up an incubating infection.

The current shortage of small dogs may not continue. In fact, I worry that a lot of dogs will need to be rehomed in the next year or so, because people who’ve bought dogs during lockdown can’t manage them when they return to work, and because other people are struggling to care for themselves and their families under the stress of longer working hours and/or less pay.