UpNatEm

Ditto here on what Jaime says. I also worked for years as a vet tech and assisted the vet in surgery. Undescended testicles are not that big a deal when it comes to surgery. And at 9 weeks old if one hasn't dropped yet,so what. It will later. As far as that vet,I'd change because he sounds like a jerk.With that kind of attitude he sounds more like the type of vet who would recommend euthanasia for certain problems rather then solving with compassionate and realistic solutions. I'd shop around for a new vet. Sue Barta

The registry is AIBC because both parents are AIBC an the bitch had gone to her new home"so to speak" one week after delivering the pups so the new owner had the mom and litter already and the papers show the owner of the sire and dam as the deceased one but the new owner listed herself as breeder. This bitch then went on to find herself a good working home after pups left.But why sign the papers with your name if you weren't the one who bred them in the first place and didn't own the dog at the time? As far as I know the dog's registration was never transferred to this new person.And it shows on the papers. Sue

So say your buddy for30 some years breeds and herds and has well known lines(working and trial) everyone wants.They breed their dogs and while they are pregnant the breeder dies. So another breeder comes along to help take in a dog or two and one is the already pg bitch. When it comes to registering the litter the new owner lists as breeder herself. Not right don't ya think? Slam to the original person who was well known? I did contact the registry for a heads up and what would they do.

Agility is a blast and I highly recommend learning as a team. I didn't know a thing except watching trials and around here any basic dog training school offers agility. In fact the key is learning as a team. I have a laid back girl who loves to please and just found by hit and miss what turns her on. My laid back girl now quivers in the truck when we go for rides as she thinks or just knows we are going trialing. All dogs are differant in learning and you will find some who say frick off,it's not for me. So I don't push it. As far as learning the sport- just like any dog competition,you start from scratch and enroll in dog schools to learn the basics. Next level is learning handler techniques. Aftr learning basics I was gung ho and started trialing. It may have been too soon but was fun. Next level of lessons I learned sequencing,body moves and how to teach a dog by moves or sound "go left,go right,get out,switch this way or that, and how to make a dog manuever by crossing in front or behind the dog. Many people think if they get agility equipment and set up their backyard they are fine. But actually it takes a school to tell you and watch you what you are doing wrong and correct it. So if agility is what you want to learn, check out your local dog schools and go from there. They are used to starting people from scratch. Then you get addicted.LOL Sue Barta Bartas Border Collies www.bartasborders.com bartasborders@webtv.net

Hey coastisclear-ever hear of d-limonine? I just learned this one on a new forum at www.holisticdogs.com There's a forum you'd like if you haven't discovered it. Sue Barta www.bartasborders.com

Hey coastisclear-What's your herbal repellant? I feed raw and believe in no internal or external chemicals.I'm just starting now to see ticks and so far only pulled one off of one of my dogs and two off me.Eeeuuww.Maybe the lil critters find me more appertizing. Sue Barta bartasborders@webtv.net www.bartasborders.com

Sorry Eileen for being sensitive I guess.And you are right this subject of diet isn't or shouldn't be up for debate or controversal remarks.It's to each his own.Alot of us who feed fresh foods are ALWAYS up to controversal or sarcastic remarks and just try to defend our way of thinking.When you have been in both worlds/both sides of diets for awhile like months and seen the differance, you can make a verified or goood judgmental opinion of both diets.Oh now look it-someone started a thread on puppyfood and their we go again.But hey it seems more popular don't you think? I mean in the last year when someone mentioned food hasn't more of us gotten on and mentioned raw fresh foods and raved about it? Sue Barta

O.K,now I feel like a dense one because I didn't get that.--"Maybe that filmy stuff you're feeling is the emperor's new clothes?" My dog's don't feel filmy but extremely soft now.And I think what s important in this household is two with seasonal allergies for years to what the vet called ragweed went away after going raw.LOL,Eileen I think you live for debates. Sue Barta

Just another anecdotal and proof.When I quit raw 1 year ago and went back to kibble(Purina or even Diamond),first few weeks their breath,burps and body odor smelled of corn.Then you get used to it and don't notice.When you change back to raw you notice because the body like in the beginning was sweating the toxins.Just an anecdotal Eileen BUT I have two links of sound verified proof for yo,,but what would it matter? That's fine but we all who feed and believe in fresh foods will always be here to educate those who ARE willing to listen.Seems you are just too easyily wanting to debate the issue no matter how many links,sound proof or anecdotes are thrown at you.Hey I had my dogs on Purina and thought they were doing good(shiny glossy coats) but once I went raw I saw the huge differance. Sue Barta

"You can't go wrong with a company like Purina"...LMAO.Here's a quote for you and then a good link and that is all I have to say- "According to City Paper, Valley Proteins "sells inedible animal parts and rendered material to Alpo, Heinz and Ralston-Purina". The link to this and a good read is http://www.nexusmagazine.com/Petfood.html Sue Barta P.S.yesterday I was reading my Borderlines magazine which the editor has a big article going on diets.Anyway I threw it out already but if anyone has this latest one if you can,post here what was said towards the end about how human babyfood is made.Came fromthe real source and is shocking.Like Eeeuuww.

I say go for it.It's a plus he gets along with your other dog.As far as growling when petted in certain spots-could be a sore spot,could be bad memories or maybe it's a friendly growl.I have a female who growls when you hug her but she doesn't mean it.Kind of a bluff when you learn to read the dog.It's just her way of talking and objecting.If this dog gets along with your other I say give him/her a try.Maybe his/her growling is just noise making that can be worked out or understood. Sue Barta

Coastisclear-I'm with you.I feed your way,and for the last 8 years never gave preventative and know tons of other Border Collie owners,breeders,competitors here in MN that don't either.Remember MN 's statebird is the mosquitoe.And even my allopathic/traditional vet doesn't carry certain types like Interceptor or ProHeart 6 because of too man iffy cases on that.ProHeart 6 is awful and has way too many death cases including one of my own offspring of 4 years in Wisconsin this year. My natural ways?-Avon Skin So Soft and spraying the yard periodically with lemon dish soap and vinegar.But hey to those who love to give your dogs chemicals internally for piece of mind,have at it.Just like the yearly vaccinations now they say aren't necessary-have at it,,it's your comfort zone.But don't ever say those of us who choose not to chemically induce our dogs yearly are wrong.It's all a matter of getting well informed and finding out the real truth through word of mouth. Sue Barta

The info has been known for years but I posted the link for sound proof from the Veterinary schools stand point to show those who needed actual data.My traditional vet also doesn't believe in over vaccinating(giarddhia,lymes,heartworm) and this link was nice to see about the traditional Distemper combo routinely given.Last year one of my dogs went in for her distemper/rabies yearly shot and got very sick.My others never did but it was enough of an experience to make you think twice.But let's keep our awesome vets happy and continue with yearly physicals or check ups. Sue Barta

One weekend we were doing NADAC and were in the fun and hilarious Gamblers class.It's a blast yet can be stressful because you have 45 seconds to do any obstacles for points and can even repeat the same obstacles and hope when the whistle blows you are near the "Gamble".So we did tunnels and Aframe and repeated them twice in a row.No problem until the next weekend when we were in an AKC trial and when Belle was supposed to do a tunnel and then the Aframe and then off to a jump she decided to repeat the tunnel 3 times and then do the Aframe several times.Like "will you knock it off".I just laughed knowing we screwed up and really did say that to her the third round of the aframe.And she was just laughing and flipping me off.Weeee mom this is fun.Uggh. Sue Barta

This has come up in many discussion groups or word of mouth out in the competitive fields for at least a year and now here is the official url for interested parties.Just an FYI and the URL is for those who need sound proof.Please leave this discussion or your opinions at an intelligible level. http://www.srdogs.com/Pages/news.apr.may.3.html Sue Barta BartasBorders www.bartasborders.com