sandgrubber

I breed purebreed Labs but also run a boarding kennel, so observe crossbreeds. I find some crosses are more successful than others (in terms of how well the pups and dogs work in to living with a family). I look after several ShihTzu X Maltese in boarding kennels. I don't care what label is put on them. In general, they seem to be a good cross (maybe not as good as Labrador X Kelpie, which doesn't even merit a DD nickname). I also find I get a lot of successful 'spoodles'. SBT crosses tend to be more problematic as adults, as do sibe, GSD, Rotti X dogs. Note, the dog rescues I know are flooded with little fluffie crosses, so I may be observing only the successful dogs . . . and cute little fluffies may, in general, be problems waiting to happen.

To my understanding, there are is test for epilepsy. It is idiopathic. Diagnosis involves ruling out other possible causes. Prognosis is usually inconclusive unless seizures re-occur in a pattern that fits the disease description. The symptoms you describe don't fit the excited state associated with EIC . . . could also be atypical epilepsy. Hopefully the U. Minn mob will succeed in finding the gene for this and we will end up being able to test.

Brush her daily, slowly increasing the time. Get her used to being calm while being groomed. I doubt that taking her to obedience training will help with staying calm whilst being groomed. Agreed. I have six Labs, ranging from 4 months to 9 years. All love being brushed. But it's part of daily routines and general pattern of hands on living with a dog. We spend ~15 minutes a day on the bed, first thing in the morning, doing touchy things. They compete for what they see as affection. Grooming needs to be worked into a pattern of living with a dog . . . not treated as 'obedience'. We also do daily walkies . . . and they have a couple acres to run on so they can work off steam. I think a lot of naughty Labbies are pressure cookers who have no way to vent excess energy.

Not speaking for Sylvia, but she typed 60% carrier, which should mathematically translate to 8% affected, but the latest figures showa higher total in Australia. Sylvia's numbers: (700 affected +2595 carriers) /6959 total =47% affected or carriers . . . but 40% or 60%, the point is the gene is widespread and the decision to breed it out will mean dropping a lot of dogs from the gene pool.

Just curious, have you ever seen a dog with EIC? I haven't. With -- based on the statistics Sylvia posted -- 50% of dogs being carriers or affected, you may have to do some serious culling to end out with entirely clear stock. Personally, I think most of us have other faults to work on that are higher on list of priorities than a condition most of us have never seen manifested -- even if our dogs are affected. I hope the day comes when we can submit one swab and get the whole battery of genetic tests . . . hopefully to include HD/OCD factors, epilepsy factors, overshot jaw, colours, and mismark genes along with PRA. Until there's a good, reasonably priced, integrated genetic testing program, I don't want to get sucked into doing every new test that comes along.

Great to have some statistics, Sylvia. I'm amazed that prevalence is so high; and on that basis, it looks like testing is a good idea. I'm uncertain, re seriousness. It's a strange condition. My stock are calm-tempered and rarely get worked up into an intensely excited state. Thus, even if they were affected, I doubt I would have seen manifestations of the condition. I haven't sold a single pup into a family that does hunting: there are few places where you can hunt waterfowl or game birds in WA. Nor have I ever had a report of one of my pups collapsing. I think there was suspicion that one of my girl's sire was affected, but this was never confirmed and I've heard nothing suggesting that any of my pups has ever collapsed. As more and more genetic conditions are identified and more tests become available, we're going to have to make more decisions about what to require, and what to do voluntarily. For the time being, I think I'll give EIC a miss . . . On the other hand, given the relatively high frequency of epilepsy identified in Danish Labradors (3.1%, 70% of which were partial seizures: see http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=13669562 or do Google on epilepsy Danish Labrador) I would say epilepsy is a greater concern . . . and hope genetic tests become available for it in the near future.

I'm no expert, but as I understand it, the key with pancreatitis is low fat. Cooked grain -- I think oatmeal or rice are preferable, combined with a low fat meat -- roo is great -- and some veggies, plus supplements such as flax seed, fish oil, and kelp, to make sure the trace elements and omega 3/6 etc are covered -- would do. I think this has been discussed before on this forum. You might want to do a search for +diet +pancreatitis.

Does anyone have any idea how many dogs have been found to be carriers? In the US, or in Australia? I'm happy to do tests for genetic diseases that are a real possibility, but don't want to end up in a regime where breeders are required to test for everything they've been able to develop a test for, even if there's been no evidence of the diseases being present. (Eg, I've been told there's never been a reported case of narcolepsy in Australian Labs and many vets are recommending against testing. Would be interested to know if that's true).

If I have long term bed destroyers in kennels they get a pallet with carpet nailed over the surface. Hard to destroy. Cheap to replace.

Deed not breed. Lab pups . . . and pups of most breeds . . . tend to be submissive and generally get along with older dogs. . . but there are exceptions. Cattle dogs vary greatly in how they get along with puppies and other dogs. If the vaccinations are ok, I'd say it comes down to knowing the individual behaviour of both dogs . . . and having time to supervise during the first few days (and ability to separate the dogs if problems show up).

No, I think there are two of us now. ;) Try google on dog foot smell. It isn't just labs and it isn't just you. eg http://www.oes.org/page2/1797~My_dogs_feet...corn_chips.html Someone told me that this was a smell that was released through the feet, and indicated good mood. Jeez I wish I could remember the details.

What is called 'crittering' with an e-collar would work if you want to establish a 'leave the cats alone' as an absolute rule. see http://www.loucastle.com/critter.htm You might try something like squirting her with a squirt gun or spray bottle (perhaps using a scented water that she doesn't like, eg perfume or citronella) when she goes for the cat. I think that would get across the concept of 'leave the cat alone when I'm in the room'.

We get loads of bobtail lizards in early summer. The dogs have always barked at them and harassed them, but usually I've been able to rescue them before they are harmed. This year I have two puppies (Labrador) aged 3 and 5 months, who have taken to catching them and eating them alive. I have a Dogtra e-collar and have no problem with doing aversion training on the older dogs. They've done e-collar for recall, and I don't expect any real problems. I don't like the idea of using an e-collar on a young pup. Does anyone have any suggestions? p.s. Just tried aversion training on the adult dogs. Of course they weren't interested in the game and showed no interest in the lizard while we were watching. Put the lizard on the ground and let the puppies out to try just telling them off. The 3 mo old had a go . . . as she approached the lizard and he managed to bite her good on the face (very quick . . . we think he got her eyelid). She screeched and ran away and wouldn't come back out. Lucky outcome. Don't think she'll be bothering lizards again. Back to the adults. A friend came up to the dog wearing the e-collar carrying the lizard. When they showed interest they got zapped. If approached by someone carrying a lizard they now back off.

Imagine what chaos would be unleashed if they started doing titre testing on children for measles, mumps and polio!!!!

I'm a breeder who lives next door to a rescue organisation, and KC of various forms seems to hang overhead all the time. I have one of my own pups (12 weeks) who has it now . . . a rather nasty, persistent strain. Another pup from the litter came down with KC two weeks after going to a new home . . . no way to know where it came from . . . whether it was picked up here and had a long incubation period or was picked up in the new home environment. I offered to pay some vet consult fees, but they haven't taken me up on the offer. My general experience with KC in puppies is that it passes . . . . sometimes rapidly, sometimes very slowly. In a slow case, there are no magic bullets. It tugs at your heart strings to see a puppy miserable with a cough, etc. You want to do something. It would be easy to run up a very large vet bill going from vet to vet, and create a lot of bad karma looking for who to blame. But it does generally pass naturally. When it's simply a virus (KC) there's not much you can do other than keep the pup warm and give it nutritional support plus cough meds of some sort. If there are bacterial infections on top of the virus ('pneumonia'), antibiotics. Of course you need to monitor. If your vet doesn't give you a list of danger signs, and doesn't explain the virus vs bacteria question to you, I would change vets.

I was talking with a local vet who said that the theory about human allergies . .. that over-hygenic upbringing can result in an ill-equipped immune system . . . is also valid with respect to domestic animals. Ie, eating dirt of various forms, chewing well aged bones, coping with fleas, rolling in yuck, etc. are natural for puppies, and leave their immune systems better prepared to cope with what the world throws at them. None of my mob have skin problems or allergies: could just be luck. It would be interesting to know if letting them grow up, relatively 'free range' in a two acre paddock has contributed . . . and whether it might be a bad thing to start using flea control measures from early on. Anyone have anyone has stories that either support or contradict the idea that 'too clean' results in allergies and sentitivities.

The fila was bred to chase runaway slaves and adapted to hunt jaguars and cattle rustlers . . . in a frontier environment where GBH to trespassers is widely accepted. They are expected to be aggressive to strangers, and it's taken as true to breed if they bite the judge at a dog show. They may be graded for proper aggressive behaviour while their age is counted in weeks, with the 'friendly' pups being rejected. If this is a 'real dog', then I think 'real dogs' are too dangerous to be kept as pets. If working rottis, shephards and dobes were this extreme, I think there would be a basis for banning them from built-up areas -- or requiring the owner to have a license to keep them. If people and dogs are to live together in urban and suburban areas, I think that restrictions on breeds selected for extremely aggressive temperament are warranted: particularly given the volume of evidence that there are a lot of idiots out there who think it's cool to have a vicious dog and see it draw blood.

Don't know Vic at all . . . why not call the nearest decent pet store and ask them if they can order it. All of them get goods from Troy. It's not a big deal to add something to the order . . . alternatively, try online purchase .. . . if the mark ups are high in your local store that may be cheaper.

?? According to the label on the bottle the Troy product has 22 mg/mL calcium in the form of Calcium Glubionate and Calcium Lactobionate. I don't have a Sandoz bottle handy, but I compared them in the store and I'm pretty sure the active ingredients were the same.

I've been training a ~16 wk Labrador pup on lead. She is a strong show prospect, so I decided to try her on a lovely snake chain I have for show . . . just to get her used to a different collar. She immediately clicked into line . .. no need to use the thing for corrections, she kept the line extended but a little bit slack, just as I like it. If I do want to give a correction, eg to say "time to turn now", a tiny very mild tug seems to make her understand. She shows no sign of fearing the thing . . . comes to have it put on . . . I thought snake chains were a no no on pups. Curious as to why. I think the smooth surface allows instant transmission of signals given by the lead. Seems to me that so long as you're gentle, this is good and not harmful. Interested to know if others have different opinions. . . or have had similar experiences.

There's a bloke in Perth NOR who refits human ones (second hand, good condition) for dogs. I think they cost around $180. They aren't as good as the dog ones . . . eg, they're too narrow to let you walk side by side with the dog for training. But given the $1000+ price difference, who cares. There may be similar options in other places. [i found this guy through the Quokka . . . he still advertises there].

Tracking is wonderful fun for the dogs, and the feel is great. But the set-up of tracks is very time consuming, especially when you get past the beginner stage and tracks need to be laid several hours in advance. The need for the track layer to be at the end of the track when the search begins further adds to the time required. The way scent behaves makes some hours better than others. Early morning is often the preferred time cause tracks can be set the evening before and they're still pretty strong the next morning. If you want to do tracking, be prepared to do early morning work . . . and, in time, to help set up tracks for others.

If you have a couple dogs, I'd say do the ear thing on both. If one feels warmer than the other, then it's worth getting out the thermometer. I once owned a dog who deeply resented the 'rectal' approach . . . temperature taking was the only time she ever bit anyone. Guess what, the vet got it. If you have a similar dog, a muzzle may be a useful prelude to the thermometer.

TROY is now putting out a calcium syrup that is chemically very similar to the Sandoz product . . . half the price at our local pets and gardens shop (~$30/litre).

Asbestos is dangerous to the lungs, not the digestive system. The time required for asbestos diseaseas to appear is generally long in comparison with a dog's lifetime. So I wouldn't panic. I would, however, look for informed advice . . . and get rid of the worry cause it's better to have a worry-free environment.