shellbyville

I answered no...I have 4 adult children and my dogs are not on the same level as my kids. Don't get me wrong I love my dogs, but not the same love as my human family. I call my dogs my 'friend, mate, best mate,' but never relate to them as my kids. It isn't that I don't think it is right or wrong necessarily to do so, I just don't see them the same as my children. To put it into perspective...if one of children died, my grief for them would not be any where near the same as losing one of my beautiful dogs, and in my 47 years on this planet I have lost a few of my 'best mates, and yes I am sad and I cry and I miss them a lot, but nothing like I would if I lost a child or family member. I have no problem with people referring to their dogs as their kids, but I don't and never have. It doesn't mean I don't love them, I do, but differently to how I love my kids.

Thanks Showdog, it is good to get all other opinions, although I am not doing this to "make life easier" necessarily! My next point of action was a bark collar on the boy, but would rather avoid that as he is not always a barker! Also I think going from his behaviour so far, he does not like any interference and shows very little interest in the girl when I am around, but is rather fixated on my attention, whereas when I put him in last night, he got on and did the job, pretty much as soon as I left and turned off the light! Just to add as well, the pen I have them in is very close to the house where I can hear what is going on! Will see how we go though! Thanks again.

I don't think I would try the belly band with a lab...but if it works for you, great! If I don't want to mate with him and have a girl in season it is fine, I can separate them enough and keep him away, so he doesn't bark too much as he hasn't had the contact with her. It is only when I do want him to mate and he has had contact with the girl, he then doesn't like to leave them alone and will bark pretty much constantly until I put him back in! At the moment they are both in together and he has shown no attempt at mating this morning after last nights mating...my other boy would not leave her alone, but this guy seems to know when is the right time and I think doesn't like having any activity around him, including other dogs around (outside their pen of course) or even me around. So I am thinking he only likes night time action when it is quiet and no distractions! I have never had a dog like this before. Normally I have to take my other boy away, just to give the girls a break, as he is big and heavy and they get sick of him mounting them! It is working with this new boy so hopefully we will have puppies in 9 weeks, and I can get some sleep as I have another litter due in a couple of days, so need to rest up before they arrive!

Thank you for your reply. They did manage well together and I am quite amazed at how sensible this young boy is as far as mating...the barking is another thing altogether. I try not to interfere too much, but usually separate them and then put them together for a while and let them get on with it, but have never just left them together all the time. I think he might be the type of dog who doesn't like any distractions and needs the quiet of night, he is a very exuberant, easily distracted fella! Thanks again, I am a bit of a worrier and because I have not needed to do this before, wasn't sure if it was the right thing or not!

I usually supervise all matings of my male & female and generally mate them every 48 hours and have had success doing this. However I would like to know does anyone let their dog & bitch run together for the time they will willingly mate? I am asking this question as I have a new stud dog, he has had natural ties with bitches before and although young seems very good at picking the right time for the bitch, however my problem is he is a chronic barker when I have a girl in season. Usually I can keep him separated if I am not planning on a mating and he is pretty good, but once he knows he is allowed to mate, he just barks pretty much constantly to be with her. Last night in desperation I put him in with the bitch at about midnight (the barking was just too much) and went to bed, as earlier when I put them together he didn't show any interest, she is day 12 in her cycle today. I got woken up by a little scream and looked out and they were tied. They are in a small pen about 4 metres square, I went down checked on them and they seemed fine and came apart as normal (it wasn't a long tie going from when she let out a little scream about 10 minutes I would say), so I left them together and went to bed. I separated them this morning though and he is barking again!!! Which is why I am asking the question does anyone just let them stay together for the time they will mate, especially knowing that they are both experienced and not silly? I can handle some barking through the day, but for the sake of the family who all have to get up and go to work, can't let it go on at night. Neighbours are not an issue as we live on property and don't have living too close!

Litter of labrador retrievers due on the 13th Feb. There was no need for an ultrasound as it is pretty obvious now! Very excited about this litter!

I have gone through something very similar with very sad results. A friend of my daughters told me she was thinking of getting 2 mini poodles, from a breeder (not registered)!!! I tried to talk her into buying from a registered breeder, but the price was her main issue. I also thought I had her convinced to only get 1 pup at this stage, however she went ahead and bought a litter brother & sister. I then found out via others that her female (not quite a year old) had just had a litter of pups, to the brother. Apparently she didn't even know she was in whelp until she started having the puppies. She didn't ask me for advice because she knew I would be upset about the whole affair. However I offered it to her. The bitch had 7, they lost 2. So 5 pups. I adviced about saving for vaccination/microchipping costs, but again found out after the fact that she sold the pups to a pet shop in QLD at 8 weeks, but not vaccinated or microchipped. She got $250 each for the pups. I then, when I saw her next said now you can desex your 2 poodles, but she has decided the money was very handy for Christmas so thinks she will do it again, except use a friends male poodle over her bitch next time I have given this girl all the advice, guidance and help I can, and no more. The first litter was an accident, she was an inexperienced dog owner, didn't even notice the dogs mating apparently, which I am still baffled by! Wondering how much time does she spend with these dogs. However I cannot offer any help if she deliberately goes ahead an breeds from her already poorly bred dog! So what can you do!!! I take breeding my dogs so seriously and am quite passionate about it, which makes it very difficult and find I waste far too much time, fuming over what this girl has done, but no amount of education is going to change her mind. She had smooth sailing with the first litter, except for the 2 that didn't make it, which frankly I would be devastated about, but she wasn't upset by that at all, so she thinks it is 'easy' to breed dogs, and quite profitable! I wipe my hands of the situation and walk away....sadly!

I can't believe yours was revoked for that reason. My prefix is Mannabred, I breed labrador retrievers. I have had my prefix about 10 years approximately. I recently noticed that there is a labrador breeder in Victoria who have a very similar prefix to mine, same beginning of "manna". I was disappointed when I saw it, and especially as it is the same breed, but didn't realise I could have put in a complaint about it. I am not sure if I would have, but do admit to feeling a quite disappointed that another so similar to mine was past.

If I got an email like your first one with all the questions. I would send back a polite email either asking for your phone number so we can talk over the phone, or could you ring me. I find when you have a conversation with a potential puppy buyer most of the questions you have would be answered and you could ask them and it wouldn't seem quite so intrusive in a conversation. As a breeder i appreciate people asking me the price first, because if they honestly cannot afford my price or just are not prepared to pay that amount, it saves a lot of time wasted on the phone or emailing back and forward. I find it very frustrating to answer a lot of questions and then when the question of price comes up they may say oh thank you...and goodbye. Where all the info I have just spent up to an hour on the phone talking about could have been avoided. My advice would be ring the breeder and just ask the questions (maybe not all at once) in a conversation, so they can get to know you a bit as well. I do applaud your effort in research and thought put into it though.

I have labs & Bernese Mountain Dogs. I feed my young growing pups on Pro Plan large breed puppy and find they do very well on it and grow beautifully. I feed my adults on Uncle Albers, I tried many different cheaper brands having quite a few dogs, but find they do very well on the Uncle Albers. They don't need much to maintain good weight and one that was itchy on other food isn't itchy on Uncle Albers. Very happy with both products!

In NSW the new owner needs to sign a limited Register Acknowledgement form when they go to transfer the pedigree registration certificate from the breeders name into their own name!

I had the same with my litter of lab pups, at exactly the same age. Took a faecal sample to vets and nothing showed up, so we assumed the mum had lovely rich milk and a lot of it! I gave them some scourban for a few days and then a few doses of protexin which did the trick. My pups were doing VERY well, no dehydration and not pooing a lot, just when they did it was rather loose and very smelly as well. All is good now though. Glad all is good with your little guys!

Hope your puppies all arrive with no dramas. I had a lab girl that had 11 and didn't supplement feed, just made sure that I rotated the pups each feed making sure they all got their fair share. I did have one little girl that for a few days didn't seem to be as strong as the others, so I did top her up with a bottle using Divetelact for a few days until she started thriving. I did introduce solids younger than I would have, they were just under 3 weeks and they took to solids very well and they were all well and truly weaned by 6 weeks.

I have a mac, but I also bought a program to run Windows on my Mac -Parallels Desktop, and then you need to buy the Windows program as well, I needed to do this to run an account keeping program. However for my show entries I use Show manager - www.showmanager.com.au - there is a small yearly fee but I find it excellent and it runs from the Mac using Safari.

How long ago did you apply it...if it wasn't too long ago and you are worried you could wash it off, as it is absorbed through the skin over 24 hours.

I have one, and it is great if I am showing one dogj! However I find if I have 2 to show (large breed dogs) and a grooming table etc there just isn't quite enough room. Great for setting up and packing on your own though!!

I use a Stanley hand tool carrier (soft, canvas type material). It has a long strap to carry over shoulder, a large bottom compartment with little side pockets for scissors, combs, nail clippers etc and the rest of the space for grooming products & brushes. It has also has a zippered top compartment, with 2 plastic zippered pockets which I use for my leads, number holders and bait bag etc. I bought it from a hardware store and am very happy with it.

Thank you it was.

I have entered a couple of pups in the Brisbane Royal show for the first time and would appreciate any information about how to make the experience better from anyone. I show a lot, but haven't done a Royal before, so would love some information on where is best to park etc. Pups will be 4 months old and not sure if I have done the right thing or not!

I consider all 6 of my dogs crate trained. They will happily sleep in the crate and stay in there when needed - at shows, when visiting, when in season or for whatever reason. They do not sleep in a crate permanently though as I have kennels and they happily, but have no choice, sleep in their kennels on their bed. I crate train my pups from the beginnning, by using the crate at night in the house, until they are totally toilet trained then they go into the kennels, where they sleep all night without accidents. I find crates the best thing ever and don't really understand why people don't crate train as they make life so much easier when you have to go places, or if for some reason such as an injury or illness they have to be confined.

I had a bitch who had huge front nipples, For the first week or so I made sure only the strongest of pups sucked off those, they didn't even look like they got their mouth entirely around the nipple, but were definitely getting milk from them and she had no mastitis problems. After a week or so, all pups were big enough and strong enough to suckle off any! I wouldn't worry too much.

From the photo i would say she is a great weight. She seems quite a fine boned lab, so you wouldn't want a lot of extra weight on her. She has most likely finished growing up, but at 14 months she will probably still continue to fill out and muscle up some more. If her mother & siblings are similar shape and condition then I wouldn't be concerned. If she is healthy, active and happy and you know she is eating properly and well then I would just ignore comments as to her being too thin.

Gorgeous pups Labs26. I don't think mine actually need the solids just yet, as mum is a very good producer. The little yellow girl looks gorgeous. I have a little yellow girl and a little black girl that I think are looking quite good at this stage, hopefully they will continue to grow nicely. I wasn't going to keep a boy, but one little black boy is standing out, so I am thinking he might be a keeper as well. So at the moment it looks like I might have 3 that are staying, although early days yet. They are so much fun at this age, watching their little personalities developing.

What beautiful babies everyone has. My guys are 3.5 weeks old. They are all going really well, although I did give them a taste of some solid food yesterday, and they had their first day outside and last night, we had some runny poos and one had a vomit. Mum has copious amounts of milk, so I think it was just too much for them. I will give them another feed of solid today, but think I will stick to just one feed and in the morning so they have time to poo it all out before they come inside at night to sleep.

So sorry to hear about your pup Ish! ADJ I have used nail polish and didn't seem to affect them in any way, I just made sure it was completely dry before putting them back in the box. I bought Sway's puppy ID collars this time and they are great. Although it makes you realise how quickly the puppies grow I have to adjust them at least once a day! My lot are doing very well, they were weighed and wormed yesterday (2 weeks old) and the smallest was 1.2kg & the biggest was just on 2 kg!!!! Big boofas!