Borders Rock

If you do, what can you tell me about them? I know they are double coated and medium sized. I am a professional groomer but I have never seen a Tibetan Terrier in real life. From all the research I have done, it seems to me that their coat is somewhat like a Bearded Collie's. Am I correct? I have a client who is going to be getting one and, although I am sure she will get information from her breeder, I want to do the best job I can for her and provide her with the best afvice. Any tips I should know? Thanks.

A friend of mine is getting a registered Tibetan Terrier puppy in late March. The pups were born early January. I have never seen this breed live. Does anyone out there have one and can you give me grooming tips?

Has anyone ever wondered why so many people on this site ask where they can find certain brands of dog foods? The are already on the internet. Why can't they search for themselves?

Is it because the dog owners here are more trusted than websites they are not familiar with? Or is it because people are unable to easily find the sites of the manufacturers and stores so they turn here for a quick answer?

Just curious.

So many of the questions are repetitive and I gave up on this site over a year ago (maybe 2). Nothing has changed. I have been able to helf a very few who actually cared. Any other sites you would recommend (non breed specific)?

I have to say that there are certain questions that bug the living crap out of me. One of the first is - what breed of dog should I get (with no research done before hand), another is - what to do with my unruly dog (ummmm...training)

So, my actual question is...what is YOUR pet peeve when it comes to this site? I left it for a long time because I got fed up with the same sh"** every day. I am almost ready to quit again.

Am I missing something? I will ALWAYS help someone to the best of my ability if they truly seem to care.

On this site, most breeding questions involve "mutts". Does no-one understand (yes, I know some of you actually do) that these dogs are NOT fit to be bred? The offspring end up in shelters and there is no telling what kind of temperament and/or physical challenges they may have. Why, oh why are there so many BYB's and puppy mills??? It drives me crazy!

Yes, puppies are cute and quite salable but at what price to the "mother" and at what eventual "price" to the puppies?

How many of you will still have the puppy a year from now?

I only ask this tough question because I have seen far too many "impulse buys" at this time of year and they end up in shelters or new homes. It's sad.

For all of you who have gotten a new bundle of joy, please tell me about them. Breeds, ages, names, etc. I love hearing puppy stories.

Make sure that in the cold of winter you do not keep the pups outside too long. Potty training in the winter is a really nasty thing for both puppy and human alike. That's why I purchased my Border Collie pup (name: Druid, current age: 7 month) in the summertime. He came from a reputable breeder and he really lives up to the breed standard. Smart as a whip. Nice medium size (we have a small house). Gets along well with our other 2 dogs (another Border Collie and a Black Lab mix - the lab is a rescued dog).

I wish you all the best of luck with your new pups! They are a treasure!

I train all my dogs in agility for competition. I currently have 2 Border Collies, a Black Lab mix and an Australian Shepherd. Due to their ages, none of them are competing or training now. One is too young (the Border Collie pup) and the others too old.

Because I am getting older, I seriously want to downsize in breed. I am considering the Yorkie, the Maltese and the Papillon. Any thoughts? I want a dog with a "snout" so pugs, Frenchies, etc. are out. I have ruled out the Jack Russell terrier and the Miniature Schnauzer. Too crazy and too "barky".

My in-laws are getting a puppy in the middle of next month. It is a fairly pale colored Golden Retriever, male. They are looking for suggestions for unusual names. No "Buddy" or "Charlie" or "Sam", etc.

I have sugested names like Thor, Zeus, Thunder, Lightning. They actually seemed to like "Thunder" but are still looking for suggestions.

They are meeting the breeder and the pup for the first time this coming weekend. He is currently almost 6 weeks old and very laid back (for a Golden pup). They will be taking him home sometime in the middle of May (he will be 8 weeks old then). The breeder has encouraged them to think of a name so she can start calling him by name (a great idea!) and he will get used to it.

Personally, I name my dogs AFTER I have had them for a few days or a week as I see what the personality is. I may give the breeder a "working" name to start (one I think I MIGHT keep) but I have (only once) changed the pup's name when the personality shone through.

So...PLEASE....UNUSUAL NAMES ONLY...

Your name might not be the one the in-laws will pick but best answer goes to what I personaly think is a great "suggestion list". I will be forwarding the answers to the in-laws as I get them.

Thanks!

I am looking for dog owner's opinions...not conventional "Wilkepedia" (or other such source) as to the top breed in each of the 7 major groups as far as intelligence (and cunning) goes and the 8th group which is "Miscellaneous"...since they have not yet been formally admitted to the AKC. This has nothing to do with looks, grooming, ease of training, or conformation. The only requisite here is "brain power".

My list is based upon my experience as a dog owner (not of all the breeds) and my years as a professional dog groomer and Agility Trainer. I have other breeds in the groups that I really like and would want to own but these are my picks for "brain power" alone. I am not getting into ANY other personality traits.

My top 8 list:

Herding Group: Border Collie

Hound Group: Rhodesian Ridgeback

Working Group: Doberman Pinscher

Sporting Group: Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

Non-Sporting Group: Standard (no other size) Poodle

Terrier Group: Parson Russell Terrier (commonly known as Jack Russell Terrier)

Toy Group: Papillon

Miscellaneous: Rat Terrier

I know most people will look at "Standard Poodle" and wonder.....however, if you really work with them and know them, you will see....I have others in some of the groups that I would prefer to have as a family pet/dog/canine athlete but I put aside my personal "likes" over what I believe to be "brain power". I hope you can all do the same.

I will be interested to see the results.

I am one of the most intelligent and quickest learning breeds you will ever encounter. My coloring depends upon my breeding. I am most often black and white (with maybe a little "red" ) or I could be red and white.

I NEED a job. While I love to play frisbee and fetch, I also want MORE in my life than being a friendly couch potato. If you have the time, I would love to herd some sheep or cattle and perhaps play some Agility in my spare time. Then perhaps we could go on a nice long walk or bicycle run. I need a ton of exercise, not too much grooming and I sometimes like to play in the water. I can excel at anything that I am taught. I am as fast as the wind. Once you have exhausted me both physically and mentally (maybe by teaching me new tricks too?) I will have a good night's sleep.

So, who am I?

And, no Alfredo, I am NOT a Golden!!!

For those of you who have seen me on this site, you know that I have 5 dogs of varying breeds. I am counting on those of you who know me to give me your honest input. For those of you who don't, I still want to hear from you.

I have a 14 year old beagle. She has an abcessed tooth which requires removal. The tooth is causing her pain and I don't want to see her suffer. She is currently on pain medication for it until the surgery can be done. In addition there are at least 2 other teeth that should be removed at a total estimated cost of $1500.00+. She also has an enlarged spleen but her bloodwork has come back as fairly normal for her age. Her hind end is getting really skinny and she is having trouble now with stairs, etc. She has been on all the appropriate supplements for joints, arthritis, etc.

So...here is the quandry...

My husband says "put her to sleep" because she is not likely to be around for more than another year or so. My vet says she still "could" have another "few" good years. However, there are no guarantees and the surgery could well end up costing far more than the estimate once they actually "open her up". She was supposed to be MY dog but she bonded with my husband and I feel that he should be the one to make the decision.

My heart says to have the oral surgery done but my head says that we should let her go while she is still having some quality of life instead of waiting for the inevitable.

What do you think?

For all of you out there who are reading all the questions, tell me how many of you have actually toilet trained a puppy and did the research before getting one? Perhaps this will get deleted as a "non-confirming" question...so be it...but does it not make sense to do the research BEFORE getting the puppy?

We have a small 13 acre farm and are considering fostering a couple of horses from a local equine rescue. We understand we will be responsible fully for their care/feed/vet, etc...That is not the question....

They have many horses available...

To all you horse lovers out there...the horses we are considering are:

TENNESSEE WALKER - gelding

ARAB X MORGAN CROSS - gelding

ARAB X QH CROSS - mare

QH - gelding

I do not know enough about the breeds and mixes to make an informed decision. The dirst two are saddle broke and ok to ride (no jumping)...the second two are also saddle broke but can be ridden only in "walk" or "short" trot.

They range in age from 12-19 years.

I don't care about galloping them, cantering them...wnt to know your preferences and why. I am researching the net but need other opinions.

THanks

I am just curious....Everyone has their preference in breed but as far as intelligence, quick learning and overall "smarts" is there a better breed than a Border Collie? I know there are many breeds out there and each has their own attributes. I like Borders because they are smart, easy to train and very sociable when raised right. Feel free to tell me who is more intelligent. Mine are trained in Agility, Obedience and Flyball...they can basically "do it all". Tell me about your choice and why...and for all you Border Collie lovers out there...feel free to brag....One of mine almost has his Agility Title and the other is well on her way....I also have a Black Lab and a Beagle...so please don't think I have no other dog experiences. I am just curious....enough so to start dialogue...

Thanks

I groom dogs for a living and I love it! What I don't love is people who treat the grooming shop like a daycare facility. If I tell a client that their dog will be ready for pick up at 1:00, they often do not show up until 3:00-4:00, etc. Once my day is done, I want to leave. Often I habg around for a couple of extra hours because 1 poor dog has not yet been picked up.

I try to tell clients that they need to come within an hour of the dog being ready but I often get stuck...

So...I am considering adding and extra charge if the dog is not picked up within an hour of completion (unless previous arrangements have been made - I am not heartless).

How do you deal with it? I am afraid I am being too accomodating and I am getting fed up now. I have been in business at the same location for the past 5 years and feel that I am being taken advantage of.

Please let me know.

Thanks