espinay2

If you contact the companies that do the testing (eg ASAP etc) I understand they are often happy to take samples from tested clear dogs to help them develop their testing.

Ezycoat. Last forever. Easy to maintain. Parts easily available if you need them (mine hasnt though I have just bought a new nozzle after 10 years!) The single motor (one I have) is reasonably powerful and has two speeds. Easily transportable. You should have no problem running it off a gennie. (Email or phone/text me if you are coming tonight and want me to bring it along for a look.)

Definitely not a business here. My website is to showcase my dogs and educate on the breed. I do respond to emails promptly. I do have a waiting list as I have a litter planned. However, I also refer to other breeders (even those on my waiting list get referred as litter isn't planned till end of the year! - some just prefer to wait). I also turn a lot of people away/suggest that the breed would not be suitable for them. In relation to profit though, where exactly does it say a breeder can't make one? I would suggest that in recent years it has been the 'mornal line' that breeders can't/shouldnt make a profit/shouldnt breed to often etc etc. If a good breeder can breed good dogs and place them in good homes and make a profit doing it I would suggest that there is nothing anywhere that says they can't. Just because it doesnt happen often doesnt mean it is not allowed.

I have used a shipper - I don't think I would want to try and do it myself. It was worth the approx $900 (not including collection costs) to have them do it - just for peace of mind. While it is nice to save money, it is not something I was willing to risk. They do it all the time and know the pitfalls/have a good working relationship with AQIS - I don't. If you are doing it yourself, will you have your own canister? With a shipper often the canister is shared which means costs are reduced. They will often quote the cost for just you using it to begin with, but will often arrange a 'bulk shipment' which means costs for that part at least are shared. Possible costs to factor in: import permit hire or purchase of canister (you may need it for a couple of weeks) insurance recharge of canister (likely necessary) freight charges (to airport from storage/flight/from airport to storage) AQIS clearance requirements handling and unpack into storage at destination

Gunna B Yasi ;-) Gunna Be a Big Bang Gunna Be a Tornado Gunna Be a Party Gunna Be Fireworks Gunna Be a New Year

Apart from the basics (registered breeder, registered dog etc)....in no particular order: A style of dog that suits (doesn't mean it has to be exactly what I would use, but it does need to be compelmentary) Structure is complementary and not doubling up on faults A plan for why the mating is taking place (what is the goal?) Health testing and suitable results Temperament A pedigree that is complementary and 'looks good on paper' from a range of aspects (health, dominant traits, type, temperament etc etc) A bit of knowledge about the breeder and where the pups would end up/how they in turn might be used. Personally not worried about titles - a dog or bitch can have all the titles in the world, but if it doesnt suit, it doesnt suit. Some very nice dogs and bitches in my breed have also never seen the show ring. IMO the owner of the dam and the sire are 'partners' in a mating. That is a whole lot more than 'pimping a dog out' so to speak. I agree too - it is about having the ability to say no.

IMO buying a can of sardines, mackeral or Salmon wuld be a better option for feeding fish. Or home brand sardine cat food - it is pretty much all sardines. You don't pay for the fancy labelling and marketing of 'dog food' (which is getting on the bandwagon of people feeding actual fish to their dogs) this way and you know you are actually buying all fish, not something that looks like it has some fish in it. JMHO.

I remember quite a few years ago someone I new in the US who had a dog door for their giant (guardian) breed dog had a sign over it for would-be burglars: THIS DOOR IS FOR A DOG THINK ABOUT IT They never had any burglars that I know of, and any burglar that was stupid enough to try would have got what they deserved IMO

Pucka (if he is in the Army he knows where that is!) Bravo Steyr Blaser (its is another weapon...) Hawk (short for Blackhawk)

Gunna B Stormy Gunna B Ova Gunna B A Hurracain (already mentioned I see! ) Gunna B Like A Son Gunna B A Cyclone Gunna B A Twister Gunna B A Wild One

I have to agree. Though I don't feed as much grain - just the occasional meal which has a bit of rice or porridge in it - not a regular thing though. For example, if you feed along the lines of the 'budget meal' I posted there is really no need to add to it for the majority of dogs. The meal is only 'budget' in price, not in quality (and is higher quality than what they put in the majority of commercial foods any way). I have fed it for a lot of years, so can't really compare. I feed quite a few large dogs though and find it very economical. Naturally it does depend on your sources, but there was a time in the past when it was me, two large dogs and one very small fridge top freezer and I still managed very well with a weekly shop (two days worth can stay in the fridge when you get home from shopping and 5 or so in the freezer - still room for my food too - it is all in how you pack it). It is just a matter of seeing what you can buy and where. Places like Lenards often have reasonably ok prices even in smaller amounts. For example, mixed chicken pieces were $5 for 2kg in a suburban Canberra shopping centre this week. The same shop sells chicken pet mince for $1 a kg. If you can buy in bulk it can sometimes just be a matter of asking a local supplier what price they will do for a case or 10kg lots etc. People in Canberra have lots of choice for example (Lachlan Valley Meats, High Country Meats, Mikes Meats etc etc or any of the chicken shops in the Markets (Fyshwick, Belconnen etc) can do bulk lots if asked. Don't forget your local butcher either as they can sometimes do good deals. I am sure it is the same in other cities etc. there are also suppliers like one offering fresh food for dogs that advertises on this site. Don't discount them as often the quality is the same as what you would be getting from your local butcher. In addition to 'cold foods', it is very easy to keep a couple of meals in the cupboard without it being dry food. A can of fish, an egg or two and maybe some rice etc makes a good 'oh dear I have forgotten to thaw/the freezer is empty' style meal. I feed this type of meal occasionally anyway even if I do have meat to feed. Some dogs find this sort of thing 'too rich' and prefer things simple. I rarely - if ever - feed anything that complicated. A few small pieces of heart with a chicken frame, just half a cup of the mince on its own with something else - either a bone or mixed with extra chicken mince etc (it may have too much organ meat in it - some butchers put too much in it to feed it in big lots), but probably never as a whole meal on its own.

The 'Budget diet' - it helps if you can buy bulk though: chicken frames Pet mince (Find a butcher that does an ok one for a reasonable price - meat offcuts and organ meats included in it) That is the bulk of your daily diet. Stuff a little of the pet mince into the chicken carcass and feed. Add if you can: *1 egg per week *A source of omega 3 like a can of sardines per week (or buy home brand cat food sardines which has nothing much else added - check the ingredients on the can). You could in a pinch add a bit of linseed oil designed for horses or discount chemists also have cheap big bottles of fish oil caps.about $20 for 400 (I recently bought 600 for $18.95 though that is not common). *veggie scraps etc. Any leftovers from your dinner. *the occasional spoon of yoghurt *When you can afford it throw in the odd different meaty bone such as lamb offcuts or necks etc. That is it. Most dogs will do fairly well on this type of diet and it wont cost you the earth.

If you want to teach the average person to buy from a responsible registered breeder, then responsible registered breeders have to advertise where the average person looks! Very much agree with Steve.

I used to volunteer quite a lot - on comittees, running shows, helping at trials etc. I still help out at the odd trial etc if asked but at this point it is time to concentrate on other things. I feel guilty sometimes, but after being told to 'slow down' I want to concentrate on things a bit higher up my personal 'to do' list for a while.

MY cousin did tell me the per metre price, but I must admit I have forgotten it Best bet would be to contact your local Spanline place and get a quote.

I don't really have enough detailed knowledge of them to comment. A good website for anyone interested in the LGD breeds is www.lgd.org I also highly recommend LGD-L which is the livestock guardian dog email list.

No, not psychotic at all and size is not really that big a deal (in fact most CO's from what I understand are not really that much bigger than a Pyrenean in height though in boning they may be a bit heavier - the extra large ones, like in any breed, are a bit of an anomaly). While they have all the standard LGD traits though, think of how intense and 'sharp' they are in your Maremma and ramp that up about ten fold. Sure, in the right hands they can be fantastic dogs and I know of a few people overseas that have them and adore them. They never underestimate them though. And would be horrofied to see them in inexperienced hands. It is in inexperienced hands that they become a loose cannon (and even in the hands of some who think they are experienced) simply because they are a whole lotta dog personality wise and need good leadership and management. If someone with experience with this type of dog wanted to import them here I would be applauding them. I would love to see them here. But there is no way I would recommend them to a novice. I am flat out recommending a Pyrenean to many people as they just dont suit the average dog owner - and they are one of the 'easier' LGD's to live with. Making the reasons very clear why a breed like this is not suitable for the average dog owner I think is important - particularly as most people tend to overestimate their abilities and romanticise what it would be like to live with a dog such as this.

If we are talking ideal, google 'Spanline' and have a look at climatec insulated roofing. These are insulated colorbond roofing panels. I think from memory (from talking to a cousin who just installed a deck with this as roofing) the panels are about 5.8 metres long and only need supports each end for that span. IMO this insulated roofing would be much better run cover than straight colorbond as it would keep the runs MUCH cooler - and less issues with condensation dripping underneath in winter. That is if you can afford it.

If they are, it would probably be better that they get some hands on experience a. by owning a dog first - perhaps another LGD breed so they begin to understand LGD ways and b. by going overseas and meeting the breed in the flesh in their home environment (not just at shows). To recommend 'why not' in this situation is IMO like saying 'sure, you can play with the chainsaw' to a five year old. Edited to add - a CO is also rather different from a Black Russian Terrier - think mega guarding instinct combined with strong independence (meaning they work totally on instinct and dont follow orders!) More than pretty much any other breed they 'co-habitate' with them - people dont own them.

All the breeds I mentioned (inlcuding my own Pyrs) have plenty of hair - just like the CO. You do need to make sure you brush them out well and pay particular attention when shedding to get rid of all dead undercoat. when they shed they shed LOTS. You have to get used to have hair on and in everything (all year round, but worse when shedding). In summer provided they are given a shady place to rest, plenty of fresh water and are not exercised in the heat of the day they do fine. In the garden they tend to dig large holes to sleep in to keep cool.

Nope. No hydrotherapy pool here unfortunately. A year or two I was on the lookout and had no luck. I did manage to get the use of a race horse pool, but that was a private arragnement and was not really ideal - just the best I could do at the time. It is a big gap in the market in the Canberra region so an ideal location should any enterprising person want to establish a canine hydro centre here. I am positive it would be well utilised!

Hi Mollie10 I hope you'll get a chance to travel to Finland next time. Finland is quite similar with the climate, but everything is more expensive There are many easier LGD breeds, for example Pyrenean Mountain Dog, do you have these in Australia? We have had those in Finland for ages as a very good pets. They are almost as big and furry, but much more easier by their temperament. Yes, DOL member Espinay breeds them. Just finished reading the thread and see my name Yes, I have Pyrenean Mountain Dogs. Elina, I have actually just imported semen from a dog living in Finland :D . Back to the subject of CO's. I will say that I love and have a great respect for them as a breed. I also understand the lure of 'something different'. But there is absolutely no way I could recommend them to even most dog owning people let alone someone that has never really owned a dog before. While I love them, I would think twice (make that three times) about taking on one myself. The reason no one has imported them? Firstly you need to have a handy ten thousand give or take to bring even one here. Second, they would need a seriously dedicated owner, willing to keep any dogs they produce. Finding suitable homes would not be easy. In the wrong or inexperienced hands they are like a loaded weapon in the hands of a baby. You like the look of a CO? Then look at the Leonberger to start with. Not overly common here, but MUCH easier to handle. Not an LGD, though they were used in its development. Then you have LGD breeds, such as the Pyrenean Mountain Dog. Also not common. More of the highly independent LGD personality that requires a very particular owner, but at the 'easier to handle' end of the LGD scale. They can still present quite a challenge though and still need a reasonably dog savvy owner (or rather an owner that has the temperament to be a good leader). Or maybe look at the Tibetan Mastiff. Again, a dominant and challenging dog to own and not overly common but way easier to handle than a CO would be.

Did you mean beet pulp? Its a fairly common additive for fibre content. Beet is also a different thing to beetroot - no red colouring. Beets are commonly used as livestock food (for cattle etc) overseas.

If asked for decorum, then ok fair enough, but of course you are going to check them out and ask questions about them. I would be doing that too. I must admit I have never understood the 'must keep it an absolute secret until the dog hits the ground' thing. If a few rumours are going to stop them buying a dog from overseas that they want....do they really want the dog?

Yes, ASAP is going to great pains to ensure they are fulfilling all the requirements the ANKC is asking for. I was very particular about this when I was investigating. The price is definitely excellent. Worth getting in touch with them (and if a test you need is not listed ask them about it - there are some they can't do I think due to licencing requirements, but they dont really list all the available tests for each breed under the breeds list, for example.