B-Q

Sheesh!! :rolleyes: That council sounds as if it needs some edumacation. Glad the dogs who have bitten me when I was breaking up fights weren't in that council! I havn't heard anything following it up yet though. Hopefully someone with some power has some sense. I can't stand Qld's dog laws in general, BSL is terrible here and you can;t even own a pet rabbit. I wish people would relise how important picking the right breed is I love Malamutes for example but I just don't think I would ever match a spitz breed. I like trainability and dogs that are really interested in everythign I'm doing. I've talked to so many people that want husky's, I don't want to make the breed sound like a terror but I know they arn't suitable for most people. Quickly mentioning the sheer amount of hair that comes off them, that they are quiet independant and that being bred to pull sleds all days means they have a lot of energy and are often escape artists makes a lot of people step back and go "oh, I just liked how pretty they are" ETA My Mum has always loved bully breeds but I think she summed it up well the other day when she said you have to be prepared to think for them so they don't get themselves in bad situations. I see what she means, having that terrier edge on something with so much power does require the right owner, I don't know if I could handle that either.

It's stupid enough that any breed is banned. I can't find much about this on google though?

What is this going to mean for ANKC registered AmStaffs already here?!

This si one video that sickened me, Emily's reactions are pretty much the same as Buster's. I spent a lot of effort trying to bring him out of his shell because I believe he was very shut down when younger. His DA has improved significantly. I can't imagine how much this would put him backwards. Its disgusting. Sure Buster would probably calm down if I choked him to exhaustion aswell. I ended up tears the first time I watched this, he's flooding her and he's not setting her up to succeed. She doesn't have a chance and I can't imagine whats going on in her head. He seems good at shutting dogs down very quickly, and then encouraging them when they stop trying. Dogs know we arn't dogs, if they did I would have a serious problem with Buster. They arn't all trying to dominate us, they are usually just doing what works for them. Honestly, we invented the "Dog Whisperer Game" here and our dogs love it. We put them all in a down stay and then wander around them, everytime they move we yell "TSHH" and then wrestle them onto their back and yell "ALPHA ROLL!" They think its great.

I don't have a problem with teh tricks, I do have a problem with them never really getting a home, travelling all the time etc. One of my favourite zoo's is Australia zoo, they're elephants are ex-circus elephants, they're keepers are in the enclosure all day playing with them and keeping them stimulated. The tigers have keepers that come and take them out the back for a walk, even the wombats have keepers in with them so they have someone to interact with. I think that is a great idea. There are also times when they take some of the animals out in teh zoo for a walk with a sign that says its their walk and their time so please don't talk to them. Thats a great way to run a zoo imo.

It seems to be mostly dogs they expect to be humans. People still expect cats to scratch and horses to kick but dogs should be able to be pushed and pushed and pushed and never react. I heard on the news yesterday something about a dog "attack" I'm pretty sure the headline read "Pregnant woman mauled by dogs" turns out she had her arm bitten while breaking up a dog fight. Council has seized the dogs. On the weekend I did attend Woofstock in Eumundi, it was nice to be around so many people that genuinly liked dogs. Quinn met a little girl thay first went to get in her face (which Quinn loves anyway) and her mother stopped her and told her thats not how you approach dogs. She sat down quietly and Quinn lay down in front of her and then the girl copped licks all over the face. I saw another boy slap his staffy on the backside, his father turned around and slapped him on the shoulder and asked him how he liked it.

I used to love going to circus's just for the animals. Not so much for the tricks but just because I would take any chance to be in the same place as animals. I havn't been to one in years and won't ever go again. I can't believe its still happening really, you can't give such exotic animals a good life like that. Just an example of why it shouldn't happen anymore, there is another video on youtube of an elephant that snaps, attacks its trainer, escapes and starts unning around the street and ends up being shot. Its really traumatising to watch actually, it has to die an awful death stressed, confused, hurt and terrified just because someone wanted to make it do stupid tricks for a crowd.

I need to start spending some time in there.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAISY!!! I love that last pic of both of you, that'll be such a nice one to have forever.

if you go into "My Controls" at the top righthand side of your page there should be an option to add a signtaure. Then you can add a pictureyou uploaded to flickr or photobucket.

I think some of his methods are okay but they are the ones I see every decent trainer using. But most of his philosophy on "the pack" and "dominance" scares the crap out of me, I think he is one of the most dangerous things that has happened to the future of dog training and I wouldn't let him anywhere near my dog.

It is not dog owners who have created that attitude. It is a general idea that dogs/animals are unclean and will ruin the hygiene/decor. There may be a point in that... HOWEVER people have been sneaking in animals for yonks, especially with smaller, more easily handled dogs, and there is nothing to say that they are being irresponsible in deciding that their dog will not mess up the place. If you are travelling with bigger or multiple dogs it is obviously harder. But don't blame dog owners for the attitude by motel owners...a bit of a silly conclusion. It IS actually dog owners who have created the attitude. Ask the owners of accomodation that were previously pet friendly why they are now No Pets.......nearly all would say because owners didn't keep the place clean or the dog destroyed something. Great too see that people think it's acceptable because their dogs are small though The the people that are sneaking them in and out and not leaving a mark behind arn't really causing the problems, it comes back to irresponsibe dog owners. There is only so much you can do if you break down in a town that doesn't have any motels that allow pets or the day you leave town where you thought you were dropping off a second dog to stay with another suddenly turns into moving first dog back home again with no warning. Or a family member is sick, needs to travel for medical care and you have an 8 week old puppy at home. No evidence left, no harm done. Its not like we are sneaking them in,letting them crap on the ground and chew on the table legs and then pretending like nothing happened.

When we drove from Orange to Mackay we had all the pets, the cat took to motels very nicely. The dogs slept in the car though. When we had Daisy we used to sneak her in everywhere, and when Mac was a puppy we had to sneak her in a couple fo places. We just make sure we don't leave any evidence. Coming up form Orange about a year ago we didn't expect to have the dogs with us but we had Buster and Mac, we had to stay overnight 2 nights on the way up. The first place in Gosford we got Buster coming in with the dogs in the back of the car, we were only going to leave them in the car in the carpark but they wernt too keen, eventually they said yes but if they made a noise we were out. Thats when I relised we had no food and had to walk down to the servo to get somehting for them and then run around for an hour digging out dog bowls form the luggage and running up and down stairs feeding, watering and toileting them. The next night was easier, the place we stayed said we were welcome to have them in the car so we didn't have to sneak them past reception to walk them. Both were dead silent both nights despite it pouring rain.

I'm possibly looking for a new dry food for Buster, I was looking at Black Hawk but I don't know if I'd be able to get a bag delivered up here. I think Buster has developed allergies, we've been struggling with his itchyness for months. I've put him on Artemis Maximal and taken him off all grains and he improved, I didn't replace it fast enough and the scratching has returned. I'm waiting on a bag of the Artemis but its expensive ($80 for 6.8kg with postage) and the protein level is huge. But he is on mostly raw anyway so Ive just taken him off all kibble till it arrives. I'm also wondering what might be a good match for Quinn, she is also mostly on raw, about 70% raw to 30% kibble, but I want to give her the best chance to grow up healthy as possible. I noticed Artemis Maximal has a huge protein percentage and I've heard a couple of times that too much protein can cause growth problems? I've heard some places that puppy specific food isn't required but I have had her on Artemis puppy. She's 4.5 months atm, should I keep her on puppy kibble?

When we introduced Quinn a couple of months ago it changed the dynamics a bit here. We have 4 dogs but Harry is seperated because he doesn't get on with the other dogs. Buster is almost 8, Mac is almost 5 and Quinn is now 4.5 months. At first Buster was very intense like he might want t eat her, but she started sleeping on my bed form the second night she was home. He was a little snarky but within a week he adored her. Mac didn't like her, wouldn't talk to her, would snark at her if she came near. After a few weeks Buster started to get over bouncy puppy hurting his hips, taking his bed, ALWAYS wanting to play and Mac came around and became her best friend. Now Mac and Quinn play constantly, Buster and Quinn play occasionally and the rest of the time Buster plays the fun police, taking toys that the girls are playing with, snarky her for things he has nothing to do with ("Don't jump up on the door! Its annoying!!!) He's my grumpy old man but I think he secretly adores her. Mac is Busters special little sister, he's always been really intolerant of the other dogs but he'll let her get away with murder. It wasn't liek that when she was young and annoying though so hopefully in a few years Buster and Quinn will be really close aswell.

I'm glad your enjoying him. Buster is very lazy for a kelpie/catte dogs mix but we don't know his background. He likes learning tricks and his daily romp in the paddocks, I think he could have been a good agility dog but he's equally happy to just sprawl out asleep all day. Quinn on the other hands is the most energetic puppy I've ever met and has the stamina to go all day. She's been learning tricks since the first week I bought her home and already knows msot of the ones Buster knows (figure 8 through my legs, spin etc) I want to start teaching her things to help out in the house. Like to put away her toys or hit the snooze button on my alarm. lol

When I was looking for a puppy I was trying to work out wheather I wanted a kelpie or BC or koolie this time round.I ended up finding Quinn but I am still very interested in Noonbarra as a breeder and they are probably who I would aproach first. From What I've heard about them they place a lot of importance on breeding for good temperment an dtake a lot of time matching the right dog to the right home. As well as this they are understanding of people buying them as a pet. I emailed them about a litter earlier this year but ended up finding Quinn. So they might be worth contacting.

Chezy & Chopper, are they very sturdy? Buster won't chew his and Quinn hasn't had a go at her current bed but I'd hate to come home and find my room flooded.

I see her point, but she should recognise the parents never get out. It is one thing that does annoy me though, seems a little hypocritical when I see so many people up in arms about puppy mills and are still happy to eat food that comes from factory farmed animals when they know better. The animal doesn't care if its being raised for food or companionship, it still wants and deserves a nice life.

I think it can also depend where you get the dog from, not all breeders are breeding for working ability and may not have been for some time so instinct may have disapeared or become less obvious in some lines. And I suppose you'll always have it come through more obvisouly in some dogs than others. Quinn showed some instinct from the day I bought her home, this is a photo from her second morning here. Cat = not impressed. And now at 4 months how she plays with the other dogs.

I wanted to buy a couple of cooling mats for Buster and Quinn's crates this year, the house gets so, so hot in summer, especially in my room and I want them to have a cool place to go. (They are in my room when I'm away) Has anyone bought one before or is there something else you would recommend?

Go Daisy! I remember the day I called Buster off a rabbit he was 2 feet behind and going flat out. I was so surprised he listened at all.

Cabin booked, how exciting.

Harry is badly bred, we suspect he was treated badly before we got him at 4 months of age and he's always had issues. Around a year old he became very HR and DA, he's a good dog but he is messed up in the head. He can't be trusted with any of the dogs he lives with, he gets nervous easily and deals with it by reacting. He was well socialised when young, never had any bad experiences with us, we are used to raising dogs, we can provide structured routine for our dogs and we do, we have 4 so its important that they behave for us or life would be a nightmare. His saving Grace is that when he is comfortable (most of the time now that we are used to managing him) he is just adorable, he's such a happy boy when he's feeling confident and he absolutly adores his life. Buster I don't know his past before we found him at 8 weeks but I believe he is a good dog that grew up in a bad situation, my stepdad treated him terribly because he and I didn't get on and Buster was my dog. Nothing was consistent and I am amazed he's such a good dog still. His only really issue is his DA and that has improved a lot in thepast few years. I just wish I knew 8 yeas ago what I know now, I would have been able to give him a much better start. I do think its important to relise what your limitations are with dogs/breeds. I know I would have to watch myself with a small breed that I didn't let it get away with things because it was little. I would struggle with the independance of a spitz breed although I do admire them.

Sweet, I'm still annoyed I didn't go to the last one.