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skycat

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Everything posted by skycat

  1. skycat
    A friend took two cubs after a dig: they were only a couple of days old: his cat that had kittens at the time reared them with her own young. One was always fearful of strangers whilst the other was very tame. In the end the wilder one was released but he kept the tame one, but it wouldn't go near anyone but him: lived in a huge run with branches and things and a kennel. Another time a vet nurse I knew reared a cub which was eventually allowed to go free, but it always came back and scratched on the kitchen window if it wanted a meal. It was a vixen, and even came back with its first litte
  2. skycat
    Just put some warm baby oil, or even warm vegetable oil on it and gently pull the skin of the sheath back over it: but be VERY gentle!
  3. skycat
    Good haul there: can't wait to see little Ted in action! LOL
  4. skycat

    TIGGER

    skycat replied to MOO's topic in Lurchers & Running Dogs

    All the very best with him: the summer will hopefully see him right for next season.
  5. skycat
    Just tell her your dog is infertile! Say you had him checked out and he's firing blanks: that way you don't need to fall out with her.
  6. skycat
    It's a sad old day when someone as committed as him has to give it up: from what I've heard of his dogs they should do a bit of the business in whatever game they're tried: need to keep those old lines going at all costs.
  7. skycat
    That must be one determined bitch: and a good vet too: seen toes amputated that have never been right after.
  8. skycat
    Just to add: if the bitch is throwing a phantom pregnancy this could also affect her: making her unwilling to do much or leave the home if she thinks her imaginary pups are there. Also: could it be that she has injured herself in another way: such as trapping a nerve/damaging tendonss or muslce when she originally injured herself: that would account for not wanting to get into/out of the van. OR: did she get taken to the vet when she injured herself? Did you have to leave her there? And if so did that freak her out: did she get hurt (accidently) or frightened by a female vet nurse or ve
  9. skycat
    Why must the dam be a greyhound? You could have a bit of a wait either way, unless someone who has a dog is willing to let it be used over such a bitch. I shan't be breeding from my bitch for at least another year or so: she's just 12 months old now. And I'll say it again: they are not the easiest dogs in the world to train: very strong huntaway instinct and slow to mature: when I breed my litter they'll be going to approved homes only. I'd hate to think what they'd be like in the hands of impatient people who can't train a dog!
  10. skycat
    Sosme dogs are super sensitive: I had one that wouldn't come near me if I was in angry/fed up or whatever. She was empathetic to a ridiculous degree and read my moods as well as any barometer. If you are at a loss I would strongly suggest getting in touch with someone like Jim Greenwood: he's a dog behaviourist/lurcher man/hunter: excellent guy. Sorry lost his website link: just google his name. Other behaviourists may be OK, but lurchers are sometimes on a whole new level to other types of dog. This really is one case where whoever is helping needs to see the dog in the flesh as her
  11. skycat
    How anyone can sell a good bitch they've 'had a long time' is beyond me. Are dogs just tools to buy and sell as the fancy moves you? Don't you have any feelings for the bitch? I guess in that case she'd be better off with someone who will at least give her a good permanent home: though sadly she's more likely to be bought by another wannabee fly by night who'll get rid as soon as she shows signs of injury or age. Makes my blood boil! I've got a 12 year old, a 10 year old and an 8 year old here: all semi retired but still more than capable of the odd rabbit or something else! A dog that
  12. skycat
    Don't let a little pup go in the water when it's cold like at this time of year. They get hypothermia very quickly as their body mass isn't sufficient to keep the cold from their internal organs. I've never yet known any dog be unable to swim. If your pup is going to be around water a lot let it get to 6months old then introduce it to swimming: with a little dog like that you can wade in and encourage the pup to come with you: but not at this time of year!
  13. skycat
    Yes, that's the Big Mog. Lovely dog she is and very keen. Sadly there was not a lot of work for the dogs yesterday as 90% of the rabbits hole hopped to unnettable holes in the middle of the hedge or were back netted or held by the ferrets. Good fun all the same: I missed a whole heap of photo opportunities as it's impossible to ferret and be photographer at the same time, especially when the rabbits were bolting well and at regular intervals. The worst part about ferreting hedges like this is the length of time you spend taking the crap out of your nets each time you reset them LOL. A
  14. skycat
    I read somwhere many years ago that a dog's body needs to be conditioned to utilize carbs effeciently, so just feeding one meal of pasta some hours before a hard day or night wouldn't do much good, I'd have thought. Apparently it is better to feed small amounts of carbs on a daily basis for the dog to convert efficiently. I have noticed that my Saluki based lurchers do need more carbs than the faster/sprint type dogs, particularly with those containing a fair amount of Collie. They just get fat on carbs!
  15. skycat
    Bringing a rabbit or dummy right to you is often a matter of cofidence. Holding a 5 month old pup's mouth shut won't do her any good at all. She'll be teething right now as well: sore gums etc. Hold off the serious retrieving until she is at least 6 months old, though personally I would leave it until the pup has gone through the silly teenage stage. A lot depends on what breeds are in your pup too. Concentrate on messing about with very light weight articles such as an empty small coke bottle. Make it a game: it MUST be a game! The pup must want to come to you all happy and bouncy
  16. skycat
    Human beings and guinea pigs are the only animals that cannot produce their own vitamin C. All other animals' bodies produce it in their own bodies so no need to supplement with that particular vitamin. I do think that a well balanced diet shouldn't need supplementing, though things like glucosamine etc are very helpful to arthritic joints in older dogs.
  17. skycat
    It all depends on what breeding the lurcher is: if it is a big old thing then I'd wait. If she is well grown, no growth plate lumps left on her wrists and isn't going to make more than 24" tops then keep going now: try and only slip her on rabbits a long way from their holes and on nice rough grass: no bowling green/golf course stuff. Its a difficult time of year for a pup as the rabbits are canny and strong: early autumn is best for daft rabbits that don't have a clue.
  18. skycat
    She's at precisely the wrong age for open field training as she's going through the 'teenage' stage. A lot of mine have gone like this between the ages of 6 to 12 months. Keep her training to enclosed spaces, attach a line to either dummy or dog depending on dog's temperament. Reel in dog or dummy with lots of praise, and keep working on the recall in as many different situations as you can: once your recall is spot on the rest will follow. Something else I do for pups that are bored with just retrieving a dummy (that can make them want to messa bout with it too) is to hide it in long g
  19. skycat
    I've only had one bitch with that problem: within months of getting her on completely raw food it had virtually disappeared. Not saying this would work with every dog, but its worth a try. Also try Keeper's Mix from Dorwest Herbs: it seemed to help too.
  20. skycat
    I should have added that I don't run my bitches hard from around the 6th week after a season until their muscles start hardening up again. I have one bitch who is soft and 'blubby' under her belly for a full 3 months after each season! They are all different and some don't lost much condition at all, but hard running when they're full in milk and soft is a sure way of damaging their muscles and tendons.
  21. skycat
    I've not had a lot of experience when breeding terriers for coat (as long as its waterproof and tight I don't mind if they're rough or smooth) but I do know that in lurchers if you have one parent that is woolly coated and the other parent is smooth you often improve the woolly coat, getting a harsher yet still rough coat.
  22. skycat
    Quite normal for bitches to go all mopy and strange after a season. Her Body thinks it is pregnant and all her hormones are all over the place! Keep your routine as normal as you can, don't fuss over her and make her think she's precious, but do make allowances for her behaviour: mine who are normally brilliant retrievers tend to want to eat what they catch: it is nature's way of making sure the mother to be gets lots of good food to feed the imaginary growing litter inside her! Cut down on the carbohydrates so she doesn't put on too much weight, work her normally until about the 6th week a
  23. skycat
    Cracking pics: looks bloody cold though. Didn't know Alan Whicker went ferreting! :11:
  24. skycat
    Salukis do tend to need more carbohydrate than most Western orientated dogs, but if she is a finicky eater I'd get her off the complete 'food' you have her on. Beta: rubbish IMO. Chappie: just fish and rice and water. Ditto. Like has already been said: get her on raw breast of lamb, chicken, beef mince: and it wouldn't hurt to give her rice and pasta too. Don't try to feed all at the same meal. Breast of lamb to keep her occupied: make sure she is in a quiet place on her own to eat where other dogs and people can't see/disturb her. Feed chicken the same way: wings and carcases. Pasta an
  25. skycat
    The best thing to do is just go and fetch the pup back: don't hit it or say anything. Keep her close to you, holding her if need be by the collar. Whilst I don't like making a ferreting dog keep still (leads to bordeom and resentment) you do need to show her that the best rewards happen if she stays near you, the ferrets and the burrows where the ferrets are working. Try and only work warrens which are shallow (so she can hear what is going on below ground), and in calm (not windy) condtitions or where there is little or no distracting noise, and where you KNOW there are definitely rabbi
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