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skycat

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Everything posted by skycat

  1. skycat
    Can't set this in stone as no real scientific evidence, but I've noticed that mine have it if they need worming and once wormed it clears up. Also, if a dog is intolerant (slightly allergic) to something in the food then this happens too IMO. Again, no scientific evidence to back this up but it is a known fact that the body will produce mucous in an attempt to protect itself from whatever is irritating it: like sinus problems or throat problems producing mucous in heavy smokers. Similarly the gut produces mucous when irritated by a condition or certain food.
  2. skycat
    At 7 months a great big dog like that is way too young to be lamping. Deerhounds can take an age to train, but once you have the basics in there they never forget. They are very slow to mature both physically and mentally, and if you don't damage the dog physically by running it this young, you certainly won't get the best out of the dog mentally as it will be doing things for itself rather than for you. Spend the spring and summer concentrating on basic mooching round fields: get the recall up to scratch, without anything in its mouth, then get a rabbit skin dummy and drag it around o
  3. skycat
    There is also the question of temperament: a highly strung, very active, and possibly nervous dog will find it hard to put on weight. Not saying that your's is any of the above, but a lost of Spaniels are very hyper active. A friend of mine has one that looks as though she was crossed with a Whippet: until she was 4 years old she looked half starved, though in very good health and great running condition, if she'd been a lurcher! LOL she just did a lot of running and could never keep any weight on no matter how much she ate, and good food at that. If the dog scoured when fed raw food I
  4. skycat
    Homeopathic Sulphur tablets sometimes help with hot itchy skin, but I reckon that dust mites in the house are the cause of my lurcher's problems: very itchy skin, no spots, mainly scratching on sides, chest, armpits and base of tail. Done all the usual stuff, tried Nu-Stock: helped but messy to use. Cereals defo made her worse: spinach is also good for skin probs: to eat not to put on skin LOL. Often the immune system may be compromised in dogs with skin probs. Building up immune system with raw food, no cereals, fish oils etc all helps. Bloody needle in a haystack trying to sort ski
  5. skycat
    Better to have lived one day as a tiger than a lifetime as a mouse: can't remember where that quote comes from, but oh so true. Still rotten when they go though, especially when you aren't expecting it.
  6. skycat
    A few years ago they were relatively easy to get hold of, and not that expensive, but when mine died and I wanted to get some more I was told that they were so inbred in this country that their fertility is very low so numbers are dwindling: a fancy pheasant breeder told me this. Nice birds though: and easy to keep, alway used to have a pair in my aviary with the canaries. Why not Google breeders for these birds?
  7. skycat
    I've had dogs with too much drive and they've always managed to kill or damage themselves badly enough to be put down by the time they were 2 years old. Too much brain, as has already been said is almost as bad, minus the huge vet bills and heartache cos you don't catch a lot! Brainy, committed, but with a good sense of self preservation is what I like. When you see a dog run to the far end of an orchard which is being worked by spaniels and terriers cos it has winded a fox sneaking back through the line and stands waiting for the fox to show: that is brains. When the fox showed a bit f
  8. skycat
    Too much hard running in a dog that is not fully mature can stretch the ligaments (what holds the toes in place) irreversibly, which is why youngsters shouldn't do too much until they have finished growing and are hardened off with steady bike/road work before doing a lot of fast work. Of course they need to gallop and play about and maybe do a bit of light work (2 or 3 runs on the lamp on rabbits for example, or a bit of ferreting where there is not masses of galloping about.)but keep it in moderation and try and trot the dog on the road at least 3 times a week instead of mad running about n
  9. skycat
    -Anti inflammatories are OK and help to reduce inflammation but they don't cure the damage done: rest and massage is what is needed. A wrist can swell because it recieved a bang to the joint or it could be sprained, in which case it will take a lot longer to come right. Stand the foot in a bucket of cold water for 10 minutes twice a day or run cold water down the leg from a hose. And rest the dog, obviously! Once the initial swelling has gone down in a couple of days you'll see better what the problem is: flex the wrist gently and if it hurts the dog you've probably got a sprain: which
  10. skycat
    We all have to start learning somewhere: at least he has the sense to ask, unlike some who go blindly on year after year learning FA. Only knock ignorance when that person thinks they know it all and are too stupid/arrogant to ask! YOu can use a variety of things to stop a bitch coming in season: see a Greyhound vet, not a pet vet as they might overdose the bitch if you use Delvesteron, which is testosterone, but this isn't licensed for bitches and can damage the liver if used over a long period of time. The old fashioned methods which made the bitch's body think it was pregnant aren't an
  11. skycat
    Personally I doubt that they bring anything more to a lurcher than a good working Beardie type: actually the Picardy crosses that were advertised also have Beardie in them: he had a line of Beardie Greyhounds for many years before introducing Picardy into them. I too prefer a dog from a good long line of lurcher to lurcher: at the end of the day the Picardy crosses are just a variation on a theme IMO. Shepherding breed to Greyhound: yes, their feet seem to be fantastically strong and good, their skins thick, their desire to find all sorts of game well honed, and their desire to catch that gam
  12. skycat
    The main problems with leaving a young pup alone are a) totally unfair on a youngster to expect it to be quiet and clean for hours on end and there is no way you can house train a pup if you aren't there, so house training could take quite a long time; months and months sometimes! Do you really want to come home at the end of the day to find crap and pee everywhere, a stressed out puppy that has been bawling and howling all day because it feels it has been abandoned? Not trying to have a go at you, but young pups and young dogs really don't do very well if left alone for long periods of
  13. skycat
    My OH has 2: very good hunters, great noses, endless drive and stamina to work all day. Not the stamina you need for fen hares though, just good old fashioned grafters. There does seem to be a big difference in size and weight between dogs and bitches though: with most of the bitches coming up a lot smaller and lighter: some of the dogs are massive and quite heavily built. I've only known 3 but they are quite full on and need steady and sensible training: they're intelligent but can be stubborn: the sort of dog that thinks it knows best, and they do need a lot of work on a regular basi
  14. skycat
    I've seen dogs lose their eyes if they weren't cleaned out properly. Not my dogs I hasten to add. I use a plastic syringe minus the needle to clean their eyes: just using lukewarm water once home: if they're really bad I'll use cold water in the field. Tip for beginners: you need to pull the lower and upper eyelids away from the eye (gently) to flush out the suasages of mud etc from right back under the eyelids: at first glance you may think there's no muck in there but by pulling the eyelids away from the eyeball you can often see a load of muck far back. Only once had to put a dog
  15. skycat
    At 5 months old she is still very much a puppy, and so, as you know, easily distracted. The other reason that she won't come right to you is that she maybe associates coming to you with the end of her fun and freedom. Try calling her right to you several times during your walk, give her loads of praise whilst restraining her so she can't run off again until you tell her she can go. Keep a hand on her collar whilst stroking and praising her: then get her to sit, focussing her attention on you. Teach her the 'wait' command, which means that she must wait by you until you tell her to go: I
  16. skycat
    Spayed females do tend to moult more than entire females and the coat often changes texture as well becoming more soft and fluffy: this is across the board regardless of breed so it could well be that which causes her to shed as well.
  17. skycat
    Please don't give your dog anything which interferes with its natural processes: are these tablets tested and if so on what? Dogs can moult at the wrong time of year usually because they live in a centrally heated house: my terriers are kenneled with no heat in the winter in snug straw filled boxes. Dogs may also moult continuously if they are ill or being fed incorrectly. What is your dog's situation, living arrangements and food? Bitches also moult once they have done their post season phantom pregnancy thing, usually about 3-4 months after they have been in season.
  18. skycat

    has not set their status

  19. skycat
    Interesting you should say that about your Collie cross's feet: the hind feet. I've got a small lurcher whose sire was Collie Grey and she seems to have problems with her hind feet too: her dam came from a long line of lurcher to lurcher and they don't have too many problems: could it be the whole hindleg assembly that is causing problems? the way the foot hits the ground when running? My preferred foot is one with say, about a quarter Saluki in it, and some Deerhound too: can't beat good Saluki and Deerhound feet IMO, though of course Collies are supposed to be the best for good feet: m
  20. skycat
    I've only just seen this thread and I just wanted to say that I haven't met Chipper, but he offered me a pup off his last litter, which at the time I wasn't in a postition to take: oh regrets!! Wish I'd been able to, but we spoke at length on several ocassions about working dogs of all sorts and Chipper never once bigged his dogs up or tried to make out they were perfect. To be honest, I've never spoken to anyone who is more enthusiastic about his dogs and their work: and I truly look forward to making the trip oop north some day to continue the craic. All the best with your dogs Chipper.
  21. skycat
    Only just found this bloody fantastic thread: no jealousy from this hunter: (and that is just what the negative comments are: plain jealousy from wannabees) just wish I was over there doing it with you: well, bit too old for some of the stuff, but the dogs are awesome when you consider the size of the big boars to that of the dogs. And something else; if some of the so called hunters over here had as much respect for their dogs as you obviously do then the UK would be a better place for dogs. Not saying there aren't plenty of decent dog men and woman about, its just that THL seems to at
  22. skycat
    Whatever you do keep the dog warm and quiet and don't try to run it until at least a fortnight has passed after the dog has STOPPED coughing. I know someone who didn't allow enough time for the dog to get better and f*cked its lungs up forever: meanwhile feed the dog warm, mushy food that can't irritate its throat and give it warm, not cold water to drink. Keeping the dog warm, dry and quiet is the most important though. Hope it gets well soon.
  23. skycat
    For some reason I can't reply to posts now without using the reply box with the quote attached thingy: anyone else got this problem? Just wanted to say good on you for saving this poor dog: I've rescued abused dogs in the past: had one which screamed and pissed itself when it saw the dog lead: FFS that should be a pleasure to a dog, not an instrument of torture. He came right and is a really nice happy dog now: found him a brilliant home and still get to see him once a year at a local show, and he still goes nuts when he sees me: its a great feeling knowing that you have got a dog right a
  24. skycat
    Great for dogs: very bloody meat is full of iron and B vitamins; the only thing I add is a bit of lamb or beef fat if the dogs are working very hard, as venison isn't that fatty.
  25. skycat
    Is the dog eating now: I've used mshed up sardines or pilchards in the past to tempt starving dogs: just a teaspoon full at a time: add a bit of hot water to make the smell stronger. I hope that it is just starvation and that there isn't something more serious wrong with him. Do keep us updated.
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