Sudokuaholics Anonymous 2

Yes Julie you have got their temperment right. You can get two types of English cocker spaniels.. pet/show dogs and working ones. Main difference is in their coat and the fact that now the pet/show dogs can't have their tails docked

hey, I want one.

Good afternoon.

a dog or a topp, max?

Hi, topper! I thought you might be around. I hope you're having a good afternoon/evening/whatever it is wherever you are.

Good afternoon topper.
I hadn't realised that we were nearly ready for a page change

Sorry, Max, you don't get either this time.

Congrats Brenda, you probably had no idea we were close!
Sorry Max and Topper, maybe next time.

a dog

Brenda, I didn't know docking a spaniel's tail is no longer allowed. (But I'm glad.)

If you want a pet Max, but have allergies you could try a Labradoddle, these are bred to be non allergic

dogs are great, but they can be a lot of work.

Why did they cut off the tails to begin with?

I don't know if it is banned in the USA, but from April this year it is baned here. I am pleased too as I don't like to see tails docked for no reason

I agree with Brenda & topper!

Poodles, Bichon Frise and Portuguese Water Dogs are also said to be non-allergenic, as they have 'hair' and not 'fur'.

Originally it was done because most doges were working animals and sometimes the tails would get in the way or cause problems while they are doing their job

Dogs are also probably expensive since health insurance doesn't cover them, and then there's food. Is a labradoodle a cross between a labrador and a poodle? I wouldn't think those would be hypoallergetic since a labrador sheds so much.

I am used to having a long coated dog with my sheltie so a spaniel will be no harder to look after. Though they do need to be clipped whereas the sheltie didn't.

With dobermans (dobermen?) and german shepherds, I've read that the ears stay cleaner and are less prone to infection if docked, but I don't know if that's really true these days.

Stella, I believe labradoodles were initially bred in New Zealand (yes, a cross between poodle & labrador). They were bred to be assistance dogs for people who had allergies. I'm not sure how the cross made dogs who were non-allergenic.

When I was a kid, I wanted a collie like lassie. I was not allergic then, but we had a house full so could not have a pet.

Yes it is a cross between the Lab and poodle. it has the poodle hypoallergenic qualities. And yes they are very expensive to buy. We don't have the problem here of having to have health insurance, our National Health service is paid for by contributions from our natioal isurance which is taken from earnings

Stella, you can now buy health insurance for pets, but I don't know the cost.

Rough Collies are nice, but I preferred the daintier Shetland sheepdog. Lots of people thought Lady was just a miniture 'Lassie'

Brenda, are you saying that when a pet is sick, in need or surgery or treatment, then it is covered by the government?

Brenda, do mean that veteranarian's bills are paid by National Health, or are you just talking about allergy medicine for people?

I don't know why they docked the ears of some dogs but I think it is barbaric and can't see the benefit of it

snap, Stella

Can barely afford health insurance for us, would not be able to purchase insurance for a pet.

I thought you meant that your health insurance wouldn't cover you for problems caused by pets.
We can buy insurance for animals here (I didn't have it for Lady and never really needed it) though I am thinking of taking it out on this dog

Isn't it very expensive to take a dog to the vet for routine maintenance, like shots, worms, clippings, etc.

My brother has a couple of cats that his wife got and he is deathly allergic. Has been his whole life. He has to work in a studio built over his garage or he can't play his flute because he can't breath with the cats. I don't know why they have them. It doesn't make sense to me.

I would say it would cost roughly $200 a year for the run of the mill treatments Clipping you wouldn't go to a vet. It is when you have operations and major work done with a vet then it becomes extremely expensive

Is Max waiting to pounce, Stella?

Are we getting close?

I cannot see why they would have them either. If I found out any of my family were allergic I would have to rehome the offending animal

Now he is getting ready! lol

didn't realise we had chatted so much

Maybe weshould let him win

Hi.