genghisdad

I'd work on breaking the twirling habit now, if at all possible. OC behaviors like that become more ingrained and more difficult to stop ... Yup. I'm trying to intervene in a consistent way that diverts her, without rewarding (or punishing) the twirling -- that's my theory, anyway. Wish me luck!

From the picture, it does look to me as though she has some brown tones to her head (the picture or my computer could be misleading, though). One thing about the coloring on the rest of the body: one of my boys, Jack, is black and white, but the undercoat on his body is that same mahogany as your girl. Although on your dog, it does seem as though it is definitely a reddish-brown, no black. Does she have any black in her body coat? What color is her nose? That is usually an indicator of coloring. Interesting, but still beautiful! Her head and tail are darker, with some brown mixed-in. There's a breeder/boys' home hereabouts that comes up with a gorgeous shade of chocolate brown -- one shelter boy I think may have been born there was so strikingly handsome I just had to name him Clooney. I may check-in with them about Mocha, as well, although they had no recollection of Clooney. Thanks again, everybody -- big help!

Yes indeedy -- vet and I made quite a racket -- she's deaf as a post. Thanks for the tip -- I might've tumbled to it eventually, but only after some frustration regarding her ignoring my communications.

She also sleeps like the dead whenever she sleeps, but she is deaf, so noises don't disturb her. I have to touch her or stomp on the ground to wake her up. She doesn't always realize when she is tired, so sometimes when she's running in circles, I will put her in her crate and she'll be out like a light in a couple minutes. Interesting comment about deafness -- I just named her and she not been responsive to it yet, but I will pursue the possibility that she can't hear it. Thanks!

Hi folks: I have received some excellent, thoughtful (lifesaving, even) advice hereabouts in the past, and thought I would run this one by you-all. I just pulled a yearling female BC from a local shelter as a foster. She has several odd traits, that I wonder if anyone has seen in combination: 1 -- she will sometimes act like she sees something that's not there -- like a collie would follow a light beam or an insect -- except there isn't one (honest!) 2 -- she will twirl in place and yip, many times/day -- not constantly, but often. She did this in the shelter, in her kennel, I'm told -- might this be left over from that, or more likely independent? How can I help her to stop? 3 -- she sleeps like the dead -- verry soundly, in her crate. 4 -- she has a normal black/white head and tail area and rough, but her back coat is a rich mahogany. Could she have bleached-out in the NorCal summer sun? Selectively? She is well-fed, and her coat is thick and fine-textured. Thanks for any thoughts you might offer. Her image may be found here: http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j13/tfcu...pg?t=1247777262

Thanks Windam. I will keep rechecking EBay. The stuff they had there last week was pretty bad. I'm hoping some trainer, somewhere is replacing or upgrading, and would rather make $50+/- than have a disposal problem.

On-line prices for new ones seem pretty steep. I can build lots of the other equipment. Any ideas, pls post here or email me at-- monopolypower@hotmail.com I'm in SF bay area. Thanks!