BJean

I don't see how you can be offended. The woman does not know your dog or yourself and your dog fulfilled the criteria for what is small dog syndrome (according to the lady). Really who cares what someone you don't know thinks . Unless you want to go around explaining to everyone your canine ethos and training program - but why would you want to do that You know what you are doing with your dog ... if people want to label your dog small dog syndrome (because he barks/growls) ... really I think there are more meaningful things to get offended about.

The Vet Centre in Hallam provides 24 hour Emergency Service. Address: 1/261 Princes Hwy, Hallam. PH 0500 525 003 Mobile (emergencies only) 0418525002 www.vetcentres.com.au It is on the Princes Hwy in Hallam so could be mistaken for Hallam AEC. I hope you can find her soon NB: There is also a 24hour Emergency Vet on Dandenong Road in Clayton.

The Greater Swiss is a traditional family guardian dog if you do not want a dog that shows any form of aggressive tendencies I think you a looking at the wrong category of dog.

Anatolian Shepherd will easily make your size and drool requirements requirements same with the Central Asian Shepherd but maybe that is too big as they are significantly taller and heavier than Bernese. They have less coat ... but a lot more guardian instinct. And this is the sticking point for most (as it should be). Both Anatolian and Central Asian will keep up with the BC no problem though. And everything else

If you purchased Akida from a person selling puppies for $700-$800 and advertised in the trading post/gumtee and a few other online sources a couple of months ago - the puppies were not Central Asian Shepherds. The puppies were Central Asian Shepherd X Maremma or Anatolian. Otherwise, have you discussed your situation with the breeder of Akida?

The instinct to guard should come naturally. Training / raising shows the dog how to direct this behaviour. But the basic instinct to guard is inherent. At 6 months I'd expect CAS to exhibit guarding behaviour. What is it that Akida does or doesn't do? NB: By dark brown I am guessing you mean red???

Yes this is pretty much the situation. I rang council and dog owners are not allowed to let their dog run or rush or BE PERCEIVED to run up towards anyone. If an off lead dog runs up to my personal space and the owner does not call the dog away as asked, council interprets me requesting the owner to call away their dog as I am afraid of dog attack. Not that my dogs are aggressive.

Yep

Well, it's usually pretty obvious, I find. Friendly dogs are loose with tongues flapping around and ears back while they run. Unfriendly charging dogs have ears forward, tail stiff, hackles up, often teeth showing and growling or roaring. I think they carry their heads lower. I don't often see unfriendly dogs charging. I don't agree. In my experience polite dogs dont run up to strange dogs period. Polite dogs (ie dogs not seeking confidence and not requiring to boss / lead / dominate other dogs) approach other dogs trotting or cautiously or in an arc; seeking also tacit permission form the dog they are approaching - this cannot be done at a gallop. imo galloping up to a strange dogs is reserved for the confident assertive types. And if they gallop up into the personal space of another like minded dog, this is when problems start. This is why any dogs running towards mine get called off, not because "my dogs are aggressive" but because the act of running directly towards myself and my dogs is not an act of peace. Actually DA dogs don't need to approach roaring/growling either. Alpha true dominant individuals will approach directly with no need to bark or growl, they are always certain of any outcome and themselves. What is certain also is that they will immediately flatten any dog that does not give way to them. Sometimes they will flatten the dog for other reasons. So I dont think we can be looking for lolling tongues as the yard stick.

Sorry it is a normal park, playground, BBQ areas etc and dogs can be offlead in this park. It looks as if the park is specifically designed for people or families with young children. Most of the people in the park have children playing on play equipment and have their family dog with them. I have no problem with the dogs from families with children. I guess the dogs from these families, are raised to not stray from the parents' eye and have good obedience also :D

Then according to this rule of thumb, no dog has any place at an off lead dog park. true that wasn't well thought out. I don't go anywhere near them, hear nothing but trouble, not willing to take the risk to be honest, to many dickhead owners around these days. Yes until recently I have never gone to an offlead dog park. Actually i didn't even realise I was 'in' one until I realised that dogs were offlead week after week. And if DOL is the barometer of everything DOG, I never even replied to an offlead dog park discussion and am still omg that I started another dogpark :rolleyes: here-we-go again thread. lol

This is the only rule that councils need to write in front of dog parks. All problems solved. No misinterpretation of what is effective control and what is not.

omg does this man have a doppleganger in Vic with two GSDs? Yes my ethos also.

So I guess the inference is that only dogs under effective control are legally allowed off lead. That's how I'd interpret the statement. If you can't have your dog under effective control then no, it should not be off-lead. If the dog park isn't fenced and your dog uncontrollable dog decides to head off towards a main road, there's a high chance it could get hit. Not a smart thing to do really. The dog park I frequent with my guys is at the back of a fenced in cricket pitch, but even though it's a good kilometre from the highway, it's still accessible if a dog decides to take off. And there's a Westfield Shopping Centre right beside it and a McDonalds on the other side of the road. Any dog with a nose like my beagle cross and not under control could just pick up the scent of burgers and make a beeline across the highway -- and it's bumper to bumper during rush hour! If my guys didn't come to me when I called then hell yes I'd bolt up to them and try everything in my power to stop them. Zeus is faster than a greyhound when he runs so is quite hard to catch but I'd still try my damnedest! And should one of them be bitten by an on-leash dog after they've continued to ignore my calls and I haven't gotten to them soon enough then no. I'd never blame the person with the on-leash dog. My guys should've returned to me upon command and if they didn't then that's my fault -- they're clearly not 100% recall proof. If it's really bad damage then I'd get the owner's number so I can let them know how I got on at the vet, but would never blame. There's no point in blame -- IMO it doesn't solve anything. What's done is done, it's time to move on. Hope I've helped! Yes, thank you.

The interchange attack-response-attack does not always go the way we humans see. So if my dog attacks another dog where the other owner is at fault, I am not mortified. Regretful yes, but it cannot be said which dog perceived aggression from the other dog first. If a dog I own is DA/HA, and I allow it out in public space and it attacks, I am mortified, yes. Among other things.

I do not take aggressive dogs to the park. I understand there are people with dogs who do not know basic dog behaviour and/or who project the sum and possibility of their dog onto others' dogs; however to me I feel I have just as much right to utilise public space as every other person. As long as I follow the rules of that public space. Then according to this rule of thumb, no dog has any place at an off lead dog park.

Dogs of mine that I know will not tolerate outside dogs approaching, I do not take to this park; I don't take these dogs into the grounds of suburbia at all. My "dog friendly" dogs I do take - but it is not possible to predict how your dog will react to other dogs, as every interaction between two dogs is different. My dogs are generally larger than all the others and if another dog is aggressive towards them they will meet the other dog with the same. It could be that the approaching dog is actually quite pushy and annoying, but every other dog in the park accepts that behaviour so the owner thinks their golden dog does no wrong. This is an inner city park in Melbourne, and I dont think everyone knows each other. Families utilise the BBQ areas and people walk through with their dogs offlead. Most dogs stay near their owners. But some owners let their dogs run all over the place. I'm actually quite selective in the dogs I chose to bring, but if something happens I know by virtue of size and my warning to the owner to call their dogs away, the presumption will be that my dog is the aggressor. Anyway it's good to read of and learn about the general ethos. Thanks

I think so. Well hope so. I visit my friend again tomorrow, but will call the council beforehand. My friend is housebound for the next few months at least (illness) and they like to see the dogs. My dogs like the car ride also.

I've already figured owners will attempt to blame me (particular the ones who get angry when I tell them to call away their dogs ) , but it is the law/ranger and the dog it will blame which concerns me. NB: I read your signature, and I am sorry you lost your Poochie Pie.

So I guess the inference is that only dogs under effective control are legally allowed off lead. If someone asked you to call your dog away, and your dog did not respond to your recall, would you walk/run to your dog to stop it approaching? If your dog gets bitten, because your dog and the other dog (onlead) do not get along, do you consider it the fault of your dog or the other dog, or would it depend on any physical damage to your dog? Thank you!

I don't know much about offlead dog parks as I don't utilise them for that purpose. Lately though I visit my friend who lives opposite an offlead park, so we have a chat in the park and I bring one of my dogs onlead. Anyway each time I go, invariably someone sees a big dog and thinks its glorious that their offlead dog is now running towards the big dog. So I yell out and tell the owner to call their offlead dog(s) away - I don't want their dog(s) near me or my dog. Always I am told: "I's an offlead park. If you dont like it you should not be here. My dog is not aggressive" And I go, "yeah I know but my dog might be, so call your dog away." I had one lady argue the toss with me, and I'm thinking wtf okay let your elderly GSD get bitten and taken to the vet. So how do offlead dog parks work - do dogs in offlead parks have the right to run up to other dogs and these other dogs must be friendly? If my dog bites an offlead dog that runs towards my dog and myself, is it my dog's fault for being reactive in an offlead park? Basically I want to know, if my dog is in control on lead and bites / attacks an offlead dog that rushes us, is my dog okay legally? And: am I void of financial responsibility for any damage that may happen to the offlead dog? Those who use offlead parks: If your dog runs up to another dog after the owner has asked you to call your dog away - and your dog is bitten because the two dogs did not get along - do you consider it the fault of the dog onlead or the fault of your offlead dog who you did not call back? I guess I should call the Council and ask them also.

Yep, bet they're your most dependable and predictable too. Well.......that can depend on the day ;)

Yep, bet they're your most dependable and predictable too.

When you tweak with temperament inevitably you always effect the dog's nerve. Always when we make guard dogs 'softer' and independent dogs more needy the result is dogs that are not as steadfast in their response. Clingy, hyperactive, neurotic - I hope the independent spitz (btw what is plural for sptiz? ) do not become that. There should be no argument. Breed Huskies for less independence and you will change a whole lot more than propensity to sink in the ice. Everything about the way the dog looks at its natural environment and human interactions is altered. Also the dogs sense of self in this context.