Henrietta

Ahh ok, it certainly works. No stress for me that's for sure. I worried that maybe it could cause resource guarding.

Hi everyone, I didn't want to interrupt the other thread, but it did get me thinking. I have always fed the dogs separately. Every now and again they will get a treat in the living room but they are at separate ends and are watched like hawks. Meals have always been fed separately. If I couldn't separate from other ends of the house or one in, one out etc, I would crate. Am I wrong in my approach and am I actually running the risk of causing resource guarding? I obviously got this off my parents who fed their dogs separately, from each other and also young children. Could this be detrimental? Should dogs be able to eat together? I feel like I have missed something from dog ownership 101. Can you guys educate me about this? I am quite happy to keep doing what I am doing, it is no hassle to me... but am I doing more harm than good?

I think the third dog was actually a Himalayan cat named Sassy? I remember in the book the older dog was a Bull Terrier and the younger dog was a Labrador Retriever and the cat was a Siamese. I like Eddie from Frasier!

I do prefer adulthood. But puppies are undeniably fun. What I loved about puppyhood was seeing my girl's personality develop. I would be much better prepared for a puppy next time. I kind of went in blind the first time. It's a lot of work, but very enjoyable. All and all, I just prefer adulthood. Heaps of exciting things to do and learn, they still have puppy brain moments. I felt that I only formed a very strong bond once my girl reached maturity and I 'knew' her better. Not saying that I didn't love my pup, but I adore my dog. Edit - gorgeous puppy pics!

No collars at home. I haven't had a dog escape yet... *touch wood* The risk of a choke hazard outweighs the identification purpose of a collar. My dog is microchipped. It worries me slightly that I have soooo many collars and only one has the council registration tag on it. They aren't exactly easy to take on and off... I wonder if I could pay for multiple tags. Although I haven't had a dog escape outside of the home either, I do like to have the council tag on if possible.

http://www.holisticselect.com/ Have a look at that one, it has all the formula's but if you want samples etc email the australian eagle pack contact email from the eagle pack website, they have sent me samples twice now within 3 days of my queries Thank you!

Thank you Masons_Mum, I will check out their website. Edit - Is it just me or is there no info on the different formulas available? I can't seem to find a link on this website. http://www.eaglepack.com.au/

Ok, where could I go wrong feeding a kibble diet supplemented with RMBs/fish? I currently feed my girl raw, but I have had trouble introducing a wide range of meaty bone sources. She doesn't like pork or lamb. She has the occasional oxtail piece, which is really just a recreational bone (she is 4 kg). I worry about missing out on important nutrients. I have made my own BARF and used premade patties on occasion. I will say that she REALLY loves when we do it with roo, I feel it is a good meat for her. I feed sardines once a week, add some natural yoghurt once a fortnight, a whole egg occasionally and an offal meal usually once a fortnight (usually liver, had trouble with getting her to accept that at first, but sometimes kidney). I would feed this weekly, but because my barf patties contain offal I don't feed as often. She has a high metabolism and leads a pretty active life. I would say that she is a tad under what I feel should be her ideal weight. She does have good muscle tone and she is bright eyed, nice coat etc. And she doesn't smell. I always thought dogs just came with that doggy smell, but her smell is virtually non-existent unless she rolls in something nasty. Should I introduce some super premium kibble? Any recommendations? The only dry I have tried is Royal Canin and neither of us were fussed on it. I'm not saying it was bad, but it just didn't seem to be good for us. I am thinking about sending out for some samples this time if available, rather than just buy a whole bag on a whim. I am happy to keep going raw, actually we would never cut out raw completely, but I am just worried we are missing something, seeing that she doesn't like certain meats and seeing that she is a tad underweight. ETA - What should I look for in a dry food if I want to still feed chicken, sardines, even some barf patties?

Purebred pup, may or may not be a DOL breeder, not for a long time. Yes, DOL has influenced my future dog ownership in a big way.

Thank you Diva, Cosmolo and Corvus for answering my question. It is a very interesting discussion.

A slightly off topic question... I hope you don't mind Cosmolo. Can a dog that is fearful and displays some aggressive responses to triggers (ie lunging, barking), still have a low or high bite threshold/inhibition? Are these all dependent on each other or are they completely separate? A fearful dog will always have a low bit threshold?

I would be worried if the continuation of your permit was subject to complaints to council. Although I have never had a complaint lodged against me before that I am aware of *touches wood* that is not to say an issue may not arise in the future. And although I would endeavour to never have a complaint against me, again it could happen to us if we had a barking issue that we were not aware of whilst we were out. I guess this is where having great neighbours that will tell you if there is an issue is such a blessing. And it would come down to self-monitoring as well, for example recording whilst not at home, just to be sure. It just doesn't quite sit well with me that continuation of a permit for a third dog is subject to complaints, a third dog should be treated the same once approved. I don't know if I'm making sense today. Edit - I am not saying complaints shouldn't be taken seriously though, or that I think complaints are not valid. They are, but I would hate to think it is a case of one strike you're out for the third dog.

Great thanks PF!

Wide Bay area, QLD. My best bet would be some trips down to Brisbane I think...

Ok, this is all great info. Poodle - more people focussed Brittany - harder to gain focus, but great trainability once there I would imagine given their natures in general, many gundogs would tendency towards being scatterbrains during adolescence... although I'm sure that's not a gundog exclusive thing. Dog will be an inside dog. As a general rule exercise around 1 hour - 2 hour a day, mixture of walking and offlead exercise. Being able to miss a day or two without going bonkers is a plus though. I think my first port of call is a dog show/ agility trials . I need to meet some of these dogs and talk to their owners. Thanks again!

Let me rephrase that. Most dogs I know quite enjoy water. I mean are they very drawn to water?

Thanks guys, this has sure given me some food for thought. The dog will be companion/ sports dogs. No children. I do think I have two different breeds here for sure. I've read that the Brits are affectionate and trainable, but at the same time can be a challenge. The Brits are the ones I have never met (yet). Would you describe them as willfull? Harder to focus? The thing that drew me to the breed was it's build (for agility - seems fairly light), size, temperament. I had my heart set on a gundog at first, GSP was on my list originally... I won't lie, the grooming thing worried me at first with the mini poodle, but between finding a good groomer and me learning myself (it may not be pretty, at least not at first!) I have figured that I can handle the grooming side of things. It would certainly not put me off the breed. Activity levels for each are not a concern, I'm active etc, but I'm also an inexperienced trainer... Another miniature poodle question also. Do they generally like water? They were originally a water dog weren't they?

Thanks guys for your stories. I guess fate/circumstance does tend to play a part a lot of the time. I would be happy to wait for a pup (of either breed) if I felt a particularly breeder and dogs were exactly what I wanted. I always imagined researching, making a decision, researching and then move towards getting to know some breeders. Do you think it comes across as indecisive if you tell potential breeders that you are still considering two breeds? In my case the breeds are Miniature Poodle and Brittany. I have met a handful of Minis, but quite a while ago and not whilst considering potential dog breeds. My cousin used to own one also and I remember her intelligence and active nature stood out to me at the time. I have not met a Brittany, but I plan to be visiting some shows around the place soon, to see both breeds. I have a rather long time frame for my next dog, so it will be a while before I actually bring a dog into the family. Monah, Spinone = Edited to change a word.

In my case, neither are very common although one is harder to come by than the other. I have seen both in rescue at least on DOL. It is quite possible that it will come down to breeder, circumstance etc, rather than choosing one over the other.

Hi, If you have ever been torn between two (or a number) breeds, what has ultimately contributed to your decision to choose one over the other. Obviously, if one is more suited to your lifestyle than the other, that would be an easier decision. What about if you had a couple of choices, both of which you felt were right for situation. What has swayed you in the past? I know it will differ from person to person, that's a given because we all look for different attributes in our dogs. This is more of a general musing kind of thread, not a 'help me make a decision' kind of thread. I myself am researching two breeds, haven't made a decision as yet. It will be a long process which is fine. When I do choose one, I will keep researching the other one for the future. I have spent a lot of time considering and reading about other breeds which I have been drawn to, but that I have ultimately crossed off the list. I was a bit overwhelmed by my long list at first. Please share your experiences.

We had a series of massive rockets go off at about quarter to eight, quite close. Once upon a time, my girl would have basically shut down and spent most of the night pacing, clingy and even shaky. I am so pleased to say that when she heard the rockets, she ran out and barked and was quite alarmed but she recovered and spent the rest of the evening in a relaxed state. Something that I wouldn't think possible. I am quite impressed. What a great way to finish off the year Funnily enough, the neighbourhood was extremely quiet after this incident... too quiet for NYE! EFS

Excellent suggestion PF. Something I will have to plan for the new year!

Its always great if you can go and see the pups and meet the breeder in person. That said, two of my dogs came from interstate. Definitely, I'd love to meet the breeder, parents and pups. Although not ideal in a practical sense, I could do the same if I found a great breeder interstate. I'm probably getting a bit ahead of myself, please tell me it's never too early to start researching. My next dog will be at least 2-5 years away but the miniture poodle is my number one choice, followed by one more breed. I am going off-topic though.

Yep, that'll be my poor mite. I'm in Qld. I don't know anyone in minis up there. Perhaps you could ask in the poodle thread for recommendations for a breeder for a dog sports dog. In NSW, I'd be talking to Elire. Thanks PF, I will ask in the poodle thread. Although I'd prefer as close as possible, I'd certainly not rule out interstate breeders.

Yep, that'll be my poor mite. I'm in Qld.