Steph M

So you lose the right to use your own trusted vet if a problem arises when you buy a dog from you as a breeder? Seems slightly unfair to me and I hope that's made known at time of purchase... It would certainly impact my decision. You cant expect to have a right to have the breeder pay when they have no say over who does the work and certainly before they give approval for you to go ahead and clock up the bill that they will pay for . You don't loose your right to use your own vet but if the breeder says they wont pay for your vet and you continue to use them you cant come back and hand them the bill either. Sorry I should have been clearer! I wouldn't expect them to pay the extra, if I wanted to use my more expensive vet then so be it. My choice. I took the comment to say if the owner decided to use another vet in this instance they had no claim to keep the dog.

I would say that comes more down to the class than the dog. People come to training for issues just like this? Seems that if the trainer can't handle the dog they need to suggest other options rather than just letting it happen and disrupt the class. Having said that IME it seems to be fairly normal puppy behavior. Things are still new and exciting and that's how they express that excitement or frustration when they haven't yet been shown another way to behave in class.

So you lose the right to use your own trusted vet if a problem arises when you buy a dog from you as a breeder? Seems slightly unfair to me and I hope that's made known at time of purchase... It would certainly impact my decision.

They truly are gorgeous photos. You can feel love radiate from them. I'm so so sorry.

Yucko. Gus had a similar, albeit more snot-green discharge from his willy, was an easy fix in the end. I guess you don't know if you're not prodding around down there! Good luck at the vets!

Oh yeah, not looking at even thinking about starting to do anything much physical for another 6 months off leash. Currently he has about an hour of free running and swimming at the park, which is mostly spent duck diving at waist height or sitting by me waiting for treats or running about with other dogs or going to the beach for much of the same. We don't do much road work, or much of anything. I'm thinking loooooooong into the future! Haha. He's a 7 month old Flat Coat, so a large breed we're super wary of growth plates so as I said, very very long into the future at this stage, just struck me as something fun to do we can both prepare together eventually!

Maybe time to lay off a little, you're coming off pretty hard on someone who has a sickly dog and would like to avoid the same pain next time.

I don't think you did, and in all honesty I would probably be inclined to believe my vet too, they're the experts. They study for a long time then see a handful of animals a day. I would expect they know their stuff. It's the vets that have full schedules every day that aren't writing papers I guess. Not negating either theory, but if my vet had seen 20 of the same breed with the same ailment, that would seem a pattern to me too. Don't let it get you down, I don't think anyone thinks you're lying or making things up!

We just had morning baths because today we're off to get Christmas photos done! (Ignore the muddy reclaimed sofa bed behind them, it at least gives me somewhere to look for things they've stolen) Master Gus (and Madam Rosie) started on VAN today, much slower to finish than dry food, which is a win in itself. The dry we had them on stopped agreeing with his belly, so thought we'd give this a go. Other than that he's going well, starting to swim more, rather than just paddle but is still working on his confidence when he's out of his depth. The drive to retrieve is certainly there though, if we throw a ball too far out he whines and tries every angle of the creek to hop in and get it and gets visibly frustrated while we wait for it to wash in closer, haha.

Yay for a speedy, easy resolution!

I will have to bath them, they reek of creek...Haha. They do love a BBQ though!

Have my JumboPets order waiting at home for me tonight. How exciting!

That's something we will definitely discuss - I don't expect youngsters to be able to focus for too long. Quality not quantity :) In all likelihood I will be taking the raw beginners so look forward to meeting you all! I'm really excited! I've been faffing around looking for somewhere to start with it all. I'm really looking forward to it. I will see you then, with the clown puppy...

Does he do the vacuuming? Haha!

Yes please!

I really ummed and ahhed with our current dog, Gus. Being a Flat Coat he’s prone to eeeveryhing. Osteosarcoma, bloat, assorted cancers in high prevalence and a sea of other baddies. I debated and debated and tried to talk myself into something longer lived and more sound but the absolute joy that is owning him is worth every ounce of pain his (likely untimely) demise. Every day he cracks me up and makes me smile and I hope I make his life just as rapturously happy. I know I sound gushy but he’s just such a cool dog, just the picture of everything I wanted in the breed. I do wish he’d stop waking me up at 5am for breakfast though…. I guess what I’m saying is it totally sucks a billion fiery balls they don’t live as long as we do, but the love in the meantime is payment in advance for the ultimate ass-kicking pain that’s inevitable. And something’s gotta get us all, right? 

Hooray! We've been down the creek practicing The will is there, but the focus wanes...

I'm determined to do this in a year or so. Would love to train up to run it but who am I kidding? It just looks like such fun! Better start riding more, I've been meaning to anyway. Our poor bike is so neglected! Anyone have any handy hints for getting a teenage pup used to the idea without exerting him too much?

How exciting!!!!! And welcome! We only ask for plentiful photos here! Frank is a great name, we almost had a Frank too!

Our flat coat frequently has a 'high tide' mark from anything remotely wet. The other one will just hover like a starved seagull sneaking nibbles from his bowl. Feeding time at the zoo at ours too!

Cool beans, one less thing in a myriad to worry over. Haha. We tend to avoid most mince anyway, we have scoffers and it just goes too fast. Haha.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Now that I think about it that might be in inaccurate diagnosis. I've seen him eat the most disgusting things (including, but not limited to): rabbit poop, possum poop, bird poop, Odie's poop... and of course he always ends up fine :laugh: Maybe poop is his ideal protein source Haha. Gus ate a handful of rotting fruit from the compost bin when it blew over the other week and was fine but if you give him a different kibble it's explosive. Go figure.

Interesting about the chicken. So raw with chicken as a protein source < raw with beef or lamb? My pups love chicken and often have it for a week or so at a time on the back of a bulk buy with VAN. I hope I'm not doing them a disservice, but both appear in good nick? Eek! Moment of worry there. Haha.

Second this! The hound haberdashery on Etsy has some nice patterned ones too.

There is a high possibility (read, certain, booked and paid) that the dogs will be having Christmas photos done at their daycare this Friday. I'm so excited. I might just get back a sheet of black and mottled blurs but at least in that case it'll be an accurate representation.