Monah

True, I;ve llived rural nearly all my life.

That's a shame. I understand what it is like to have a plan and then it goes awry. I had 'plans' for 2 dogs of mine (in the past) and one had big health issues and one temp issues so plans out the window... I don't think you are horrid at all. It's completely up to how your knee is and if you are able to manage the dog in other ways. None of us know what is around the corner. I do have friends who do obedience and do very well and the woman is in an electric chair!! Also have a paraplegic frined who breeds min ponies and rare parrots and does whale photography as a job. really anything is possible, it's just finding a way to suit you. I too have had health issues in the past and had to care for crazy, exuberant gun dogs.. and not been able to walk etc.. imagination comes into play in these circumstances I'm sure you will find the right course of action that is best ffor both you and the dog. Good luck with it all, a very hard time for you.xxxxxx

I only have 2 rugs in the whole house, they get filthy. I hoover daily, other than that I just put up with it, spinone and 2 acres of garden and RUGS dont add up The viz makes no mess at all, 4 cats and the spin make up for it though. The spin also has ruffwear boots to stop her slipping on the floors, but she is very good now and does not do any zoomies in the house, too scary and dangerous. My house is a sea of blankies and bits and pieces to either protect the house or the pets... :D

Yep Oonga thats the ones I have, in blue... love them and the storage sections are terrific too. ours are also in the lounge room, metal ones in the other room, another use, our cats all love to lay on top of the soft crates on a blankie :D its sort of like laying in a hammock, all cosy!!!

I have extra large royale 2 crates here and love them, awesome

I was wondering if they are huntiing gophers how do you know they are not eating other animals? With worming, they can be wormed and if they eat an animal they can get worms again, through eggs etc, straight away.. I'm afraid I am a softy and no way could I see my dogs hunt and kill to eat when I can feed them myself. I dont see this as domestic dogs being dogs. If they are fat, it seems like that dont have the self control of wild dogs who only kill when they are hungry. :D

Sounds like a beautiful place to live.. :D My views are that I don't agree at all with any dogs/cats killing wildlife. There are plenty of great diets out there, Barf etc. for dogs without resorting to killing animals even if they do make holes in the vineyards... also you can keep an eye on exactly what they are eating and how much and there are no parasites, worms, diseases etc. in a 'home made' meal. I also prefer my dogs to have some self control, and I too have gundogs and have had many terriers so understand this can be a challenge ;)

FHRP :D you need a few bracco!!!!! :nahnah: i'll babysit The description fits the spin too! as you would know. :D

My dream breed...well, along with spinone and vizsla... From the club web pages.. JUST FOR FUN BBQ - 14 August 2010 News Archives The "Alternative" Bracco Breed Standard by Dr Ros Roden GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Bracco Italiano is a hunting dog of Ancient Italian Origin. He came over to the UK in 1988 on a Thomson Square Deal holiday - and decided to stay! He's characterised by his ability to melt your heart with a gaze whilst simultaneously removing anything edible from your pocket. In general he's more suited to a working environment - but he's also quite partial to the sofa! HEAD: Noble, dignified expression. Certainly far too good for anything that's going on around him! Head planes must diverge, although nobody seems to know quite where! EARS: Should be long enough to dangle in his dinner and water! MOUTH: Large enough to carry game and a sandwich at the same time! NOSE: Must be prominent with large nostrils - to enable him to drink and blow water all over the kitchen floor simultaneously! BODY: Well built and muscular - to enable him to get through any door which is mistakenly (of course!) closed against him! HINDQUARTERS: Females: Should be slightly "saucy". Tuck up should be frowned upon as opposed to "Tuck in" which Bracchi are exceptionally good at! FEET: Very large; certainly large enough to attract your attention when placed on your foot! TAIL: Medium length, but long enough to swipe any low lying expensive ornaments off occasional furniture! COAT COLOUR: Depends on where he/she's been in the last 24 hours! (see Ellie right!) GAIT/MOVEMENT: Long loping extended trot - nearly always in the opposite direction to the one you're going in! Has an amazing ability to change direction suddenly - defying any attempts to get him back on the lead! SIZE: Small enough (in his eyes!) to fit on your lap! - but large enough to deter other dogs without actually getting involved in any unpleasant "argy bargy". MALES: Should have two normal testicles fully descended, enjoy watching sports, going to the pub with their (male!) owners and lolling around the house looking really bored!!! (see Nico - left above) FEMALES: Should have a cheeky expression and expensive Italian tastes. (See Ruby on right - modelling this season's Prada!) FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing should not be considered a fault, it's entirely understandable and will certainly not stop you loving your Bracco!!! Take it from those who know!!!!!!!!!!! back to top or back to topic list

I know many excellent trainers and behaviourists. If how good someone is is based on having a TV show, then Charlie Sheen, Andrew Johns etc. must be truly wonderful. agree staranais.xxx I've watched a few shows so I can see what others are talking about, but I'm not a fan. Great posts Aidan, very imformative.

I was trying to keep him out of my hair... Jerojath. sorry about NRL, I was at a friends place...afraid I dont like either rugby or afl.. ;) I grew up watching Spurs!! babies?

When I was a child 2 neighbours had littermates, dachshound x labs. both very short legs, massive heads..fat... but really lovely temps!

My facebook is 80% breeders, Bracco, Spinone and vizslas.... I'm on it for hours,...

Am I now an honorary Warrnambooler!!!

scary actually, unbrushed hair, naked face, $2 tshirt... my usual look!!!

very true. watched his show tonight and enjoyed it much more. It was logical and sensible One show does not turn me into a fan though. Like everything, if you can take the well done parts, and ditch the bits that dont gel with you very well, you can get somethinig out of it. Most that do that though would have a bit of knowledge and not take everything he does literally and it's those people that he needs to target which is what I think he managed tonight.

I have not killed any snakes.. I had a play with a friend's 2 pythons on the weekend, will try and upload the photo from my phone, lovely! except the male got stuck in my hair, v e r y interesting we have a wonderful snake catcher here, inhis 70s, Roy. we are on a very friendly basis, I think I see him more than his wife does!!! He comes to get snakes and then we talk snakes for the rest of the day There was a lovely snake, poisonous with a yellow belly, run over near my letterbox this morning makes me so angry!

babies yet? very exciting. we had heaps of tiger snakes on KI, the kids would bang their feet on the floor to 'scare' them off(nests under the house and front steps) before they went out the door. Never had any trouble with them (snakes not kids! ) had a few red bellies here lately and OMG! they are thicker than a man's arm...and very long! Moo found one a couple of days ago...both stared at each other but Moo is a scaredy cat and very pleased to come to me, phew! More grey hairs and wrinkles!!!

I have not seen many of his programs as I've never had pay TV but have seen a few on HD recently. I am not knowledgeable re training, but have had many many dogs for many years. I don't like him at all. HIs programs should come with a 'dont try this at home' warning. Much of it is downright dangerous if used by people who do not have understanding. The program I saw on the weekend showed him alpha rolling a DA pitbull, walking it with another dog (on the show it appeared to happen within minutes... ) and then walking into his 'pack' with this dog and letting it run with the pack. Anyone watching with a DA dog may think they can do this and it's a fix all.. To me the dog also looked very nervous all of the time, very unhappy. So, it appeared she was now OK with other dogs and he said when the owners came that the dog may attack now as they are there, and of course it did attack a dog. It also played up as usual when back home...but there were (apparently) many 'reasons' for this too. I'm not sure what was gained , but I'm not educated in training. I saw him eyeballing and trying to take a bone from a resource guarding vizsla once too, this family had kids, and the dog was really nasty. I felt sick from what could be the consequences of him showing the viz that he was boss. What if his veiwers tried it at home? Or kids tried it?

Keira, I'd have to look up the regulations too, but I know they were fined (as were everyone else on the beach who had a dog) simply because to get there, the rangers knew they had to drive through the national park (I think it was near on on woodgate) and even though they were not even seen doing it etc. and the dogs were in the car the whole time, they did not stop, they HAD the dogs in the national park, so fined. the beach was not national park, just the road to get to it was partly in one. I realise that of course you really cant have dogs in a national park at all, but I think they should use common sense and they should have had a warning first.. I think it was on australia day, so lots of people out having a BBQ etc. Ruined it for many people.

I grew up in the 60s and also remember dogs being everywhere, even at school, and no problems re fights or attacks, we had many purebreds, they were more the norm where I was than crossbred dogs. I've been checking out wildlife sanctuaries and national parks OS (as I want to visit some) and many have kennels available to place your dogs while you visit! and also stipulate how dangerous it is to leave your dog in a car etc. With our long distances here I think aust should have this service available too. I know many people who go round aust, and hit trouble when they wish to see Kakadu and many other places, they either cannot go, or have to board their dog/s a few hundred ks away while they visit the park, then go back and pick dogs up etc. many just dont go at all. recently friends here went to a beach near Bundaberg that is ok for dogs, but you have to drive through a 'national park' area, they had dogs in the car (yes, not allowed I know) and when they got to the beach, they and many others were fined for having dogs there, no signs etc. anywhere. told you can only take dogs if you have a boat. :p how silly. fined $400 for each dog! re cafes, we had one for several years, always had dogs and fed them and watered them. fine with council and health dept. BUT, there are regs here in QLD (and I think elsewhere) that state this is not allowed. it is up to very LOCAL authorities what you can or cannot do, and they CAN fine you, change their miind etc. anytime. We even had PR pics done with our dogs inside the cafe , all over the paper, nothing said.that does not mean it's 'allowed' though.

thankyou so much.

Ha memory lane. I just remembered going to dog show classes with my Chihuahua puppy in a room in the Disley Hotel, near Buxton UK in about 1975. Near there in a little village called Leek 3 years ago there was a man in the pub with his dog too. Different culture. Many people also travel over to france(to catch flights) as often they can take their dogs on the plane with them... Aust is dog unfriendly, nearly always has been, I have no idea why it is as it is, doesnt make any sense at all, we have such a small populations and many wide open spaces and the most coastline of anywhere, yet NO DOGS is a very common sign. ;) I have many many 'facebook' friends from all sorts of Euro places (dog breeders/show) and the lovely photos of their dogs is all sorts of places is wonderful to see.

Hope the frog is OK.. :D Keep in mind that green frogs also give off a toxin that is poisonous! Usually a dog will lick it then keep away..usually Mine dont touch them at all, we have heaps, all over the windows etc.. lovely. very interesting about the snakes! I got a pigeon out of my spins mouth, not 'swallowed', she was carrying it around right inside her big mouth and brought it to me but I had no idea it was in there!! I wiped the slime off and it flew away. I;m sure it would have been mentally scarred!!!

;) :D