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Gentle Lake, Thanks for the feedback, greatly appreciated. I've heard the same about ducks and have avoided researching further based upon similar feedback. Another option I'm considering is guinea hens although I've heard they are loud and may not be suitable for a neighborhood although they mow through bugs and flock well like sheep. Has anyone raised guinea hens? I laughed out loud at your description of your rooster. I don't plan on raising further chickens would like to avoid the hassle of a rooster where possible!

My dream of owning a ranch is still out of reach but I've considered raising chickens to herd in the mean time. Does anyone else have experience? I'd plan on keeping 4 chickens and and allowing them to explore the backyard during the day (I work from home). My plan would be to have the dogs move the chickens around the backyard gently as well as encourage them into their coop at night. My border collies have worked sheep and a little bit of cattle, know their manners around livestock, etc. If this is a good idea - is there a preferred breed of chicken?

Thanks to everyone that has replied so far. You've offered me invaluable insight that is helping me immensely. @GentleLake Thanks for the reply and my condolences go out to you during what I can only imagine is a tough time. The following link helped me during some dark times in my life and I hope it helps you as well. To answer your question, their prognosis is 3-6 months if we do nothing but the frustrating part is they haven't provided a prognosis with either of the first two paths and only speak in general terms. To your point, I plan to have a more direct conversation looking for answers soon.

Recently had one of my dogs (10yr old American bulldog mix) diagnosed with thyroid cancer and wanted to get some help on deciding how to move forward based upon everyone's experience. Unfortunately, the cancer has already metastasized to the lymph nodes and lungs so it will be terminal but I've been presented with a couple of options after working in depth with Texas A&M Small Animal Vet Hospital. Initially I noticed some atrophy on the right side of her head and her third eyelid exposing itself more than normal. Despite how it looks she doesn't know anything is wrong with her as her exercise, mood, and appetite remain unchanged. Option 1: Radiation therapy over two weeks Context: This would require her to live @ the hospital for a week at a time (two weeks total) and be put under for the radiation six times over that time span. During the initial triage we also found she had a 2/6 heart murmur which would require a cardiology work up before proceeding. Option 2: Chemotherapy indefinitely (Palladia) Context: The oncologist doesn't have many specific examples of Palladia efficacy with thyroid cancer although they claim an 80% success rate (palliative) for three to four months. It would require frequent blood work to ensure no harm is being done to her liver / kidneys. Option 3: Do nothing I've already asked if there are any alternatives to Palladia but have had very bad experience with doxorubicin with my first Border Collie, Tate. What approach have others taken when presented with similar options? The hospital is 2hrs away and the radiation approach seems extreme when considering quality of life over the rest of her time here. I'm accepted our fate, just trying to find a good balance as we move forward together in this phase of our time together.

Such a great topic! I'd be interested to know how you all selected the land / plot that you ended up on. What criteria did you use? I recently moved back to where I grew up only to find out that my dogs have a hard time with the humidity we get out here. This has me looking elsewhere in the US for greener pastures and lower humidity. For those of you on a farm - did proximity to sheep / cattle trials play into your decision at all? Anyone willing to share their experiences about making the transition from suburban life out to the farm? Thanks in advance. This information is fascinating to me.

Did you continue working Willow once the murmur was found / her heart enlarged? Both of my boys are still within the normal limits but I'd rather not work them if that means shortening their lives. Especially when dealing with whether you can push a dog or not to keep working after a bad gather, etc. How to tell the difference between the dog not wanting to work for you and not being able to?

Great to hear a first hand account of the drastic difference this treatment can help supplement.

Sue R - thanks for the reply. Sending good BC vibes Megan's way!

Both of my boys have been recently diagnosed with heart murmurs which has been confirmed as mitral valve regurgitation referred to as myxomatous mitral valve degeneration (MVVD). Luckily we seem to have caught it early as both of their hearts are within normal range despite the confirmed diagnosis. Took them to see a cardiologist @ Texas A&M and the experience was great. During the visit the cardiologist referred to a recently completed trial that I did some research on below: There have been two veterinary medicine trials within the past couple of years that have proven that pimobendan (vetmedin) can significantly increase a dog's life span and quality of life as compared to an ACE inhibitor (like benazepril / enalapril) which have been the gold standard prescription once a dog has entered the CHF stage (algongside other supplemental drugs like furosemide, beta blockers, etc). This was discovered in the QUEST trial. https://www.epictrial.com/epic-trial/faqs/#whatisquest Not only that, but it gets better! Following the QUEST trial they then posed the question, "Well, if pimobendan is this effective at elongating and improving a dogs life that has entered CHF - does it help stave off CHF in a dog with MVVD that is pre-clinical (not showing symptoms like coughing, fluid build up, significantly enlarged heart)? Turns out, YES IT DOES! https://www.epictrial.com/epic-trial/faqs/#whatisepic Here's the cliff notes of the latest study which is very promising: "Prolongation of preclinical period by approximately 15 months represents substantial clinical benefit." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27678080 Would be interested to hear if anyone else was aware of this new information and what you all think. Hoping to pass this on to give you & yours a better shot when dealing with MVVD / CHF. Here's a link to the full EPIC study that went in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvim.14586/pdf

Looks like the recommendation is 1/4 tsp per 10lbs - is this what you guys go by?

Thanks for the suggestion - I will look into seeing if anyone offers acupuncture therapy near us and give it a try.

Nothing has seemed to work out for our dog Tate. He was diagnosed with hip dysplasia by our vet after getting x-rays as I've posted on here before. First we were prescribed a NSAID that I can't recall the name of at the moment and also tried Cosequin + Fish oil capsules which I can't tell if they are working or not. We decided to try the Adequan route and were very pleased with the initial success - he seemed like a brand new dog during the loading dose phases but once he was transitioned to once a month you could tell he was back to discomfort. What's next? He's 6 or so and we just don't want him to be in pain - has anyone tried other alternatives?

I adopted a similar behaving dog and it was one of the best decisions of my life. She was unsure of herself on stock and quite timid when meeting new people. My wife & I adopted her and she is the love of our life. I worked hard to make a good connection with her and she is now incredibly confident on sheep & cattle and a perfect addition to our family. I say go for it!

It was very exciting to see the results of the trials online. Great job Anna! I can't wait to see what both dogs do next year Congratulations!

Have any plans for your future BC's name?

My BC Tate has been pretty itchy lately and I took a look the other day and on his underbelly near each leg the skin has some black dots like you would see if he had run in some mud and I can scrape them off with my fingernail. The hair around the area which is usually white is now a maroon / reddish color. Anyone have any idea what type of rash or skin issue is causing this? Gave him a batch and it doesn't go away. Both dogs are on K9 advantix.

Would this fish body oil do the trick? http://www.nordicnaturals.com/en/Pet_Produ...0/For_Your_Pet/ What else do BC owners recommend to have my dogs on?

I give both of my dogs beef neck bones from the local grocery store. No risk of choking and their teeth are pearly white. They love them.

I'm looking to put both of my dogs on Cosequin; and found what seems like a great deal on the chewable tablets / capsules. PetCareRX & 1800PetMeds sell the 250ct bottles for $150+ and right now Amazon has a sale for $70! http://www.amazon.com/Cosequin-Chewable-Ta...1155&sr=8-1 Not advertising and I don't have any affiliation with any company - I'm just looking for good deals.

Both of my dogs seem to have gotten fleas that I just can't get rid of. Here are some things I've tried so far to get rid of them without much success: 1. Used frontline, and other flea preventatives ad nauseum including flea collars etc. Result: No noticeable differences 2. Bathe both dogs in Dawn and let them sit for 5-10 minutes in a thick lather before rinsing completely. Result: Didn't really do much except dry their coats out and make their skin dry as well. 3. Put both dogs in their crates while I laid down a flea killing powder in the entire house, let it sit for 1hr, then vacuumed the entire apartment. Then, bathed both dogs in a flea killing shampoo. Result: Annihilated all fleas on both dogs but within a day or so I was able to find a couple on each dog. 4. Wash both dogs every 3 days for 2 weeks while also vacuuming the place along the same duration. Result: Same as before What are some things that I can try to get rid of these fleas? I take my dogs out 3-5 times a day to a community park where a lot of other dogs come & go and I'm sure that's where they originally got them. What can I do?

I would start concentrating on challenging the dog's mind more than it's body. Sounds like agility could do the trick if that's all you have to pick from.

Just for future searching reference my Tate cut his pads quite a bit last winter and we took him to the vet once and have copied their procedure since then. If there is any loose / dead skin cut it away then apply neosporin generously to the affected area. Pack the paw with cotton balls then wrap with gauze. After the gauze wrap with the self adhering colored wrap (buy for $3 @ Petsmart) and you are good to go. Keeps the cut clean, the neosporin helps it heal fast and you won't have the wound split open unexpectedly. You can also grab a sock + a hair tie and cover up the affected paw while inside to let it heal / keep it dry.

Both of my dogs get 1 cup of California Natural (Herring & Sweet Potato ((their favorite))) in the morning and another cup + 1/2 can at night. Both are doing excellent on it and it put weight on my younger pup after I adopted her. I highly recommend it.

If you're having trouble with a pushy dog I was taught to revert back to basics and start building an artificial bubble around your sheep. As the dog is walking up you keep an eye on him and when he gets to where the sheep start to get flighty you lie him down. With enough practice the dog starts to respect that boundary and will back off a bit on the sheep.

I think Eve looks fine.