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skycat

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Everything posted by skycat

  1. Where did you learn that one, you crafty Madam? That was Dave Sleight told me, oh, must have been over 15 years ago I should think: never fails.
  2. I take it this is a young bitch just learning her trade? Whatever you do don't get cross with her as that may stop her retrieving. When she comes to you, take the rabbit's hind legs in one hand, don't try and pull it away from her, praise her and as you do use your other hand, finger and thumb to just pinch the web of skin at the front of her hind leg where it joins her body: do it very quickly so she doesn't realise what you've done and she'll immediately open her mouth to whip round at the thing she thought 'stung' her. Praise her immediately for letting go of the rabbit: this has n
  3. One thing you need to remember is that even when the weather is roasting hot, the water temperature will be quite cool in comparison, especially in running or deep water. Puppies chill very easily as they don't have the body mass to retain core temperature like an adult dog does. Just a few moments for a young pup is enough to begin with: feel the pup's ears and if they feel cold then you've over done it, even if the sun is hot. Don't leave puppies wet once you get home, and if your'e a long way from home then you'll need to dry them off and warm them up thoroughly if they do get cold: a
  4. Its all good fun LOL Let us know when the DVD comes out! So we can have a good old laugh. The most boring week of my life was spent when one of my dogs was in a short film about a boy and his dog who lived on the fens. Endless waiting around, then waking the dog up every now and again for a 2 second sequence that was cut down to a milli second in the final version: no more luvvies for this one.
  5. One of the older dog's That is a beautful photo.
  6. Moonshine is still available as sadly the potential home wasn't quite right for her. She is a very sensitive bitch and needs to go somewhere where any other dogs in the household won't have issues with her arrival. Could the people that pmed me before about her please get in touch again as I've wiped the pms prematurely
  7. and more to the point: once it comes home covered in whatever it has rolled in or killed she won't be wanting to spoil it any more LOL
  8. I know that it is not your responsibility but even if your dogs killed the neighbour's dog in YOUR garden there could still be issues as your dogs would then be deemed 'dangerous'. I had a similar, though not so severe problem with next door's dog coming in and killing my chickens. Its owner is totally ga-ga and useless so I've had to be the one to make sure the bloody thing can't get into my garden: fix your fencing so it can't get in and the problem is solved. Alternatively: set a cage trap where it gets in, trap the bugger and take it to the local dog's home: presumably the owners wou
  9. Just wanted to add: I've lost several dogs during the course of their work, and yes, its horrible and heart wreching when it happens, but like Woodga says, if its in your blood you just have to carry on. And just think how much happier our working dogs are than some more pampered pooch which spends its life on the end of a flexilead, never being allowed to fulfil its natural instincts. If I had to die doing what I love doing I'd not have it any other way: better to go doing what you love than sit on the side lines all your life for fear you might hurt yourself or get killed.
  10. Congrats K9delboy: good read in this week's mag: and they didn't cut any out either! And so what if someone writes like a factory worker: its real life stuff, that's the best of it.
  11. Who was it said: better to have lived one day as a tiger than a lifetime as a mouse? OK I suppose it depends on your personality LOL But seriously, even pet lurchers have horrific accidents and a friend of mine once out jogging with his lurchers ON LEADS beside him was almost killed by a hit and run driver who left him and his dogs for dead: one dog died, the other and the owner did recover but they had been seriously injured. Ferreting is probably the least dangerous of lurcher work, though of course that does depend on where you are ferreting: cliff tops spring to mind as somewhat d
  12. Phantom pregnancy is completely normal in bitches. Not necessarily any milk, just enlarged mammary glands. Treat her as normal, plenty of exercise to take her mind off her rioting hormones and not too much food: don't starve her but just don't let her get too fat. All my bitches do phantoms, some more severe than others. Symptoms can include: being much quieter than usual, sleeping a lot, wanting to eat more, being possessive over toys, bones etc. Problems to look out for: drinking an excessive amount and/or discharge from the vulva: possibility of pyometra (infection in uterus) whic
  13. Thank you every one for your good wishes and pms: if I haven't got back to you yet its because I'm having problems with my pm box. Both dogs have now found new homes subject to visiting but I'll confirm this once everything is certain.
  14. Thanks J: as you doubt know, A. is very happy, more than happy with Roo: little belter she is.
  15. Recent pic of the pup Moonshine: not very good one but she's going to be a big strong dog. thanks for your kind words folks: I'm replying to pms as I can: won't let me reply to more than one every ten minutes or so
  16. I have had to make a few life changing decisions in my time, but none as hard as this. Due to ongoing health problems I'm having to cut down the number of dogs I keep, so the following are looking for new homes. Good permanent homes are the main priority here Firstly my GSD cross bitch, now 2 1/2 years old aprox. 26", 30kilos, very fast, agile and moves like a giant fox through cover. Very intelligent, biddable, retrieves to hand. Lamps very well, ferrets very well. Very good nose and hunter: excels on open rough ground such as set aside etc. Easy to live with in kennel or house. Godd with
  17. As I already said on another thread: go to B&Q or somewhere like that and get some weldmesh: the rigid mesh that has tiny squares: no more than 2cm big. Perspex bad news: won't let in air: ferrets die of heat stroke very easily. And make sure the hutch/court is in the shade all day: if not hang a white sheet a few inches away from the front of the cage: white reflects heat and cuts out the sun.
  18. Unlikely to be a blister: more likely to be an abcess that has burst: probably as a result of a thorn/foreign body in the pad. Clean out thoroughly using salt water and make sure there is nothing inside the wound. If there is any heat/swelling in the pad or toe then poultice: warm bread poultice is a good old fashioned remedy: pour boiled water onto brown bread and wrap the toe in it and bandage. Don't leave on for more than 6 hours. Animalintex is my poultice of choice available from tack and horse stuff shops. Keep foot clean and dry until healed.
  19. Muscles shouldn't be worked hard until the bones have finished growing: depending on the breeding and size of the pup from 1 year to 18 months old. That's not to say you shouldn't get it out in the field, but take it easy and use that first year as a learning curve for the pup. The muscles will develop fully once the skeleton is grown: I don't bike pups of under 12 months: just let them run about in the field chasing a few rabbits and eachother. A good hour's exercise a day, about half free running and half on the lead at a brisk walk.
  20. Now that is one noble fine looking beast. And obviously beautifully reared And only 7 months! My God: you'd be able to take the fabled 'cowly critter' with himLOL
  21. Weldmesh is what you want: buy it at any DIY store: squares of 2 centimetres or less. Rigid, strong and lasts for ages.
  22. I'm posting this on behalf of JREarthdog whose computer has died. Henry Johnson in the USA (Airedales and Pats) heard that John Parks was ill and wanted to speak to him but has lost his phone number: does anyone have the number: if so please pm me and I'll pass it on.
  23. Not again! Somehow these scum must be brought out into the open and stopped.
  24. Certain injuries will never get better or just go away if you lay the dog up: you really need to get a canine chiropractor/bone man to see him. If he has trapped nerves in back or badly scarred muscles due to severe tears which have healed wrong etc. Depending on the severity of the damage a bone man may or may not be able to sort him out, but you'll never know if you don't try. Any injury that you can't identify and treat yourself straight away that is still causing pain months later should be seen by a specialist, though by now (sorry to be gloomy) I would have thought that not a lot c
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