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skycat

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Everything posted by skycat

  1. skycat
    Whilst Millet is correct in most details, it would be best to keep her away from male dogs for a month: some bitches have been known to stand at 21 days, and still be interesting to dogs even later. Don't take any chances! And some are ready to mate as early as a week after the first showing of blood, as I once found out to my cost!
  2. skycat
    Good to see a proper post at last but I'm still waiting for some rain before getting out on the bunnies. Ground is still like concrete here. Leveller: I'm sure you're not the only one working dogs at the moment, but being as what posts are restricted to rabbits, it makes it a bit difficult for some to write about what they are doing.
  3. skycat
    Pm me your email address and I'll send you a load of info.
  4. skycat
    I'll never forget a vet nurse who was the girlfriend of someone coming to buy a pup, looking at my 9 year old bitch's teeth and she wouldn't believe me when I told her that they'd never been de-scaled at the vets! Imagine that! I was explaining the benefits of feeding raw and bones ect, and she was tut-tutting and shaking her head about all the nasty bones my dogs could get stuck in their throats, and the dangers of a not properly balanced diet, etc etc. Vets make a lot of money from routine 'surgery' or treatments etc, many of which just are not needed for properly fed dogs. Even my own
  5. skycat
    I think you should make a book of photos of him: take it around childrens' hospital wards and hospices: guaranteed to brighten the lives of any who are sad or unwell.
  6. skycat
    In fairness they do look well reared.
  7. skycat
    Giro: are you saying you give half a pound of animal fat to a lurcher every day? Even when I was running the coursing dogs hard they never got that much. To be honest, I've noticed that dogs with a fair bit of Saluki in them do better on increased carbs rather than increased fat: carbs are slow release energy. But so much depends on a dog's make up, its breeding. Fast, sprint type dogs do better on increased fat and protein rather than carbs. Feed my little Collie lurcher too much fat and she turns into a lump of lard herself: she gets more veg, bone than some, and less fat. They are all d
  8. skycat
    Spot on lurche. All this talk of percentages fat, protein, this and that makes my head spin too Basic needs are protein, fat, fibre, vits and minerals and a few carbs. Know where to get them from and you're home dry. Protein: red and white meat, eggs, fish, yogurt. Fat: as it says: best sourced from lamb IMO, though chicken fat is also good. Vits/mins: found in the above, but also in veg, fruit. Fibre: mostly found in vegetable matter/cereals, though obviously whole carcase has some as well. Ditto fur/feather. Carbs: cereals: rice, porridge oats, brown bread (better than white
  9. skycat
    Start low, build up to bigger things. Start in the yard or garden: a plank, then some folded chicken wire, or a long net: chicken wire is great as you can fold it down easily, and gradually unfold it a bit at a time as the dog grows in confidence. It also has the advantage of the dog being able to see through it, which is where some dogs come unstuck when faced with wire fences.
  10. skycat
    :D Every time I see him it brings a smile to my face: that is one happy little dog I really must get mine to a beach some time! Thanks for putting the wee ginger critter on again: any more?
  11. skycat
    Dogs are pack animals. Being with other dogs, humans represents security. When you take a pup away from its dam and its littermates, the most scary thing in the world for the pup is to find itself alone. Spraying a little puppy with water is not only cruel, it damages the bond that you should be trying to develop with the pup. Some pups just accept their lot, others panic, scream, and generally drive you mad. It is NOT the pup's fault: it is only behaving like any baby would behave on finding itself alone in a big bad place. You have two options: bring the pup into the house and crate it
  12. skycat
    I'm not usually a fan of slide shows, but that was really well put together: some great shots there
  13. skycat
    Be very careful using insulating tape to wrap a leg. If you put it on with any stretch at all then each turn round the leg makes it tighter and tighter. The result is circulation cut off and a swollen foot. It's fine to fix bandages in place but make sure you don't stretch it as you put it on. For this reason I hate to see insulating tape used: problem is, insulating tape is dirt cheap, but Elastoplast is a lot more expensive. Only a couple of quid more, but too many people put too low a price on their dog's well being: including feeding.
  14. skycat
    Well, that's fine as long as you know what you are doing: my comments were more directed at those who might not be so well up on circulation. I've seen all sorts of things used to 'protect' stoppers, but I've also seen dogs' feet all swelled up and cold due to circulation cut off. There's a lot of idiots out there.
  15. skycat
    I would be very wary of recommending using anything with a fixed diameter on a dog's leg. Whilst an inner tube might suit some dogs, it would be way too tight on others, cutting off the circulation. Unless you have exact knowledge of how tight something should be, you could risk damaging your dog. Much better, in my humble opinion, to use stretchy tape. I use Elastoplast fabric strapping, fixed with a tiny dob of Superglue to seal the end: not stuck to the dog, but to the fabric beneath. Put a small piece of foam over the stopper under the strapping first. This has lasted all day even in wet
  16. skycat
    For those who aren't 'artists' with a camera, it is hard to get pups looking their best, especially when they're covered in food Also, puppies look much better if they are on the ground in photos: running about doing what pups do: playing/eating etc. If they are not used to being picked up, they tend to look a bit worried/nervous/confused when in someone's hands. Don't take a photo after they have eaten!
  17. skycat
    I wouldn't want to send a pup by public transport, of whatever kind, without it having had at least its first jab.
  18. skycat
    I'm sooo disappointed : they're not fuzzy any more
  19. skycat
    Scurf can sometimes be caused by cheyletiella mites, which live on the skin, not in the skin like mange mites. Cheytiella is very common in rabbits, and can be transmitted to dogs: easy to get rid of: Frontline Spray (NOT Spot-on) all over the dog. Repeat in two weeks. If you have ruled out a dietary deficiency or imbalance, then it could be cheyletiella. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheyletiella Dogs can also appear scurfy or dandruffy when stressed.
  20. skycat
    Andy: I'll only be there on the Saturday: can't make both days due to work commitments I'm afraid. See you on the Saturday anyway. Cheers Penny
  21. skycat
    Whilst I'd agree with the fact that most terriers wouldn't beat a good spaniel, I have seen terriers which would give any spaniel or purpose bred flushing dog a run for their money. My Airedale will also find anything anywhere, though it takes her a bit longer to get right into the middle of a bramble due to her size
  22. skycat
    Here's all the details: the law has recently been changed: much easier now without the 6 month wait before travelling. http://www.future-of-vaccination.co.uk/pet-travel-certificate.asp
  23. skycat
    Brilliant advice there And with superb diagrams: Love the rain flush system: do the dogs get a warning bell when a mini tidal wave sweeps through their run?
  24. skycat
    Rain? What's that? Oh, wait a minute, I've just remembered Yeah, it's that wet stuff that never stopped until end of June, and probably won't be seen again until after Christmas round my way
  25. skycat
    My hero: IMO, one of the first who truly learned to understand horses. Though I have to admit, various theorists and equine behaviourists are now casting doubts upon his techniques: stating that his training is fear based rather than a true ability to 'speak' a horse's language. Me? I really don't know: herd or pack animals are able to respond to humans as they would to others of their own kind. There is 'aversion training' in any wild pack or herd animal, whereby the individual learns to live within its society by obeying the 'rules' set down by the adult animals. Negative reinforcement
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