Longclaw

Tried to leave a message on Dr Katrina's website but can't from this computer. I'm so sorry for her loss He was such a beautiful boy

hey Longclaw, You raise a fair question. By breed specific legislation I mean BSL governing all breeds. BSL has come to be synonymous with the banning of breeds, and blanket laws that only serve to scare the public (but still don't manage to educate owners or the gen'l public regarding responsible dog management), so that's my main focus, and it is a broad one. I am mainly referring to the breed bans in place, and the negative stereotypes perpetrated re: certain breeds, as stated in the petition. Thanks for signing, btw. Are you referring to the laws re: muzzling Greyhounds in some areas? I know it's generally not advised to take them to dog parks because of their propensity for a high prey drive. But they are great dogs otherwise. Many 'bully breed' enthusiasts also advise against dog parks for their breeds. I guess this comes down to owners knowing our dogs, managing risks, erring on the side of caution, and using common sense. Hope this answers your question. k Ok, thanks for clarifying. I am referring to the laws that require greyhounds all over Australia to wear a muzzle, even when walking on lead around the block, except in SA, Vic and QLD, and then only if the greyhound has been through a GAP assessment. There are many many breeds with high prey drive, and many individual greyhounds do not. This is also BSL, and perpetuates negative stereotypes about greyhounds.

Oh that's just sickening, I was really really hoping it wasn't real Glad the owner was charged, I hope he was also convicted and given a suitable punishment.

Surely that's photoshopped? I bloody hope so anyway, if it's real the owner needs to be charged with animal cruelty

I have no idea, I just wanted to congratulate you on making 26 new threads in 16 days. That's got to be some kind of record!

Just because a cross breed dog doesn't have the coat of a maltese or westie, doesn't mean there isn't maltese or westie in there. The other breed(s) could be responsible for the coat. Just look at the 'designer dogs' like cocker spaniels x poodles. Some have the poodle coat, some have the cocker coat, some have a coat which is neither here nor there. Cross breeds are just that, they don't breed 'to type', so there will be wild variations in appearance between one JRT/malt and another especially if the parents weren't pure either. The predominant breeds I *think* I can see in Byron are maltese and JRT, but really, does it matter? How long has he been with you, how do you interact with him, and what specifically about his behaviour makes you think he is having trouble settling in? If you can describe his issues, perhaps we can give you some practical advice? For example, dogs that are very timid and unsure often benefit from being virtually ignored until they pick up the routine, gain some trust in you and approach you of their own accord. Showering uncertain dogs with cuddles and affection can confuse them, and even reward timid/frightened behaviour.

That's the best kind!

No photos (unfortunately!) and not really suckling, but Nissa had us in stitches a couple of weekends ago when she picke up our neighbour's kid's dummy and ran off with the sucker part in her mouth like she was a baby

ACTCDC - dachshund in Tommy's class went from barking the ENTIRE time, to letting out just a couple of excited barks during the last session. This was with the owner putting in a lot of effort at home implementing the strategies taught during classes.

I could have the wrong end of the stick here, but it sounds like they are breeding the original littermates to each other Totally agree that exploiting animals (God's creatures, yeah?) for profit is abhorrent. St Francis would be spinning in his halo.

Me too Huski... I would be imagining if he died because his treatment was just a few minutes too late... Having said that - who knows, perhaps the husband was getting the chaff bag while the wife was taking the photo, and no time was actually wasted :D It's a pretty horrifying read, would have been very frightening. I dread my guys coming into contact with snakes, and we had a close encounter on Saturday which is no doubt making this story a little close to home for me. I wonder if the owners are DOLers???

Gorgeous pics Fran! How cute are they all curled up together after a big day of play

Is that the one with the deathly fear of squeaky toys? :eek:

This thread lists some really good resources on finding a lost/stolen dog. The feelings of grief at losing a loved pet are common, yes, but that doesn't mean it should hurt less. I hope there is some comfort though, in knowing that others understand how you feel. And I hope you find her soon.

I'll sign it regardless, but I would be interested to know if, by 'BSL', are you referring specifically to removing parts of legislation targetting APBTs and similar 'types' of dog, or are you going for a wider removal of ALL BSL, including those singling out greyhounds?

No, as long as the yard is securely fenced there should be no problems. I have farm fencing (4 foot something), we've been here nearly two years and our greys have never considered jumping over the fence... in spite of rabbits, roos, alpacas, horses, cattle... just on the other side. Even a greyhound with high prey drive would be safely contained within 6 foot fences, so long as there's no gaps or broken palings or anything Letting them loose in an unfenced area is just asking for trouble though. If they run, you will not catch them, and they could be under a car before you even have a chance to yell at them to come back. If off-lead walks really appeal, greys aren't the dog for you. I find ON lead walks are really good for bonding though They do enjoy a full-stretch run every now and then, but there are places you can let them do this safely - dog club paddocks are a good one, and some dog racing parks will allow you to use their grounds for a small fee when they are not otherwise in use. eta: Nissa Greyhound has just come back inside - she's been pottering around on her own outside for around half an hour. No doubt eating roo poo. As long as the yard is securely fenced it is beneficial for them to spend SOME 'alone time' outside, so they don't become too dependent on your company and freak out when you have to leave them for some reason.

From what I understand (regarding greyhounds, whippets and Italian greyhounds - same shape, different sizes), activity levels increase as size decreases, but Iggies are lovely little dogs nonetheless I don't think they are live-wires or anything. If you have some mobility/pain issues, I think greys (or another suitable large breed) would be the way to go. They are tall without being too heavy... the larger size means you don't have to bend down far to pat them and you're less likely to trip over them accidentally. Plus ex-racers generally have beautiful manners on lead, and don't pull like trains... not that Iggies would either I suppose You can probably tell, I am VERY biased towards greys!

Greyhound Greyhound A bit of a challenge to train, or to own in general? Greyhounds are VERY easy to own and walk beautifully on lead, but aren't as biddable as say border collies. They can do well at obedience (basic, everyday obedience as well as competition) with a good handler. Check out the greyhound info thread and the greyhound chat thread

I'm so very sorry for your loss Jaana

Nissa sits all the time. If one of us has something that she wants, be it a toy, food (hers OR ours!), wool, or just simple affection, she will sit down in front of us radiating purity and obedience She also likes to sit when she's outside on her own, and watch the alpacas in the next paddocks. AND she sits on the couch all by herself, often facing the back so she can see out the window. Whereas Tommy will only sit if you ask him to, or in the process of getting up or lying down, or to tell you that he REALLY REALLY wants what you've got. If I ever saw him sitting for no reason, I would probably be worried.

How is he this morning? I'm hoping no news is good news, and that he's back to being a nuisance on your birthday

There are three types of acidosis - acute acidosis can be caused by over excitement, barking and panting, general huffing and puffing especially if in hot or humid conditions (quite possible if he is affected by Daphne on heat). Acidosis isn't always to do with over exersion in a physical excercise sense. This in itself could lead to loss of the electrolytes that buffer (neutralise) lactic acid - which would explain colapse, blood in urine etc. That's interesting anniek, thanks for that. Could acidosis cause a white cell count of 0.4?

Nissa does it when she's hot.

Great news that he seems to be improved again this morning! I had no idea Daphne was a dog, I thought you were talking about the plant, although I thought it was odd that it was flowering so late in Albury. Must have sounded bizarre when I asked if he had eaten any daphne. :D

I'm so sorry for your loss. He was such a beautiful boy. Big hugs to you, in your time of sadness.