~Shepherd~

kids are unpredictable. They are kids. Not all parents are dog savvy. Do some training with kids interactions or stick up muzzle on if the dog is aggro. Smile at people and welcome interaction under your control. Dogs sense everything. If you are shitty and being a sour puss, this will be something the dog will adopt if not, already has.

Jed, could you write a basic list of things you would like to start collecting for when you start over? You will need that monet to cover your repayments obviously. Perhaps Dolers can put their name next to an item, or a business may like to donate?

Ichanged from Royal Canin for this very reason. Always worth buying a small bag to put away for when its out of stock.

Where are you, I know how to get on to a stockist as she supplies a friends shop. Shes great and delivers almost next day if it is ordered.

I swear by it. Love it. Use it. My dogs look a million bucks if I do say so myself.

I hope you are ok today Jed xx

Maybe it was a Golden Shepherd?

I hope Woofter gets a few.

Woofter needs a medal. Such a fantastic person!!

sorry OP, unfortunately I cant agree with people who engage in risky behavior. I will refrain from further comments now I have made my point.

You said "I have a doberman, and when he goes to the park, strange kids come up and want to play with him. They literally jump on him, take sticks away from him, pull his tail, sometimes half whack him with the sticks etc. He loves little kids. He sits and waits for them to throw the sticks even though he's bigger than them. He loves them to chase him, and he runs with the stick in his mouth looking back to make sure they're still following, just running slowly. We watch him to make sure he still looks like he's having fun, and we teach the kids on how they should approach dogs. The parents always comment on what an excellent temperament he has, but they don't know he's a doberman because he's red with a long tail and floppy ears, and when we tell them they are always surprised" Well you certainly supersized your story if thats all that happened. Perhaps you should have prevented the situation from half stick wacking to NO stick wacking. This is how accidents happen, particular breeds get a bad name and children get injured. Re read your post. Children should NOT be chasing any dog but you encourage it, then you go on to say you teach toddlers how to approach dogs? Poor confused toddler may end up with severe injuries some day and a poor confused dog may get the green dream. Children should not be chasing a dog? How about you reread my post. If they stop chasing he comes back to them, it's a game and the dog knows it, initiates it and enjoys it. The kids always meet the dog first, and then the games begin. But that said, there have been several occasions when I've been at the dog park, particularly when he was a puppy, that kids literally just hugged and patted him without any introduction. He has never had a problem with it, and short of avoiding, oh, I don't know the world, I don't see how it's possible to ensure 100% that these sorts of situations won't arise. My old dog was no where near as tolerant, or interested in playing with children and so these sorts of things didn't happen. With this guy though, if you get to the park and there's kids, he's always overjoyed. Of course though if you know you have a less tolerant dog, well you wouldn't risk it would you? And of course we don't just wander off and leave them unsupervised, I am constantly watching my dog to see where he's at, physically and mentally, but I'm not going to keep him isolated just because there is always the chance something could happen, or tell everyone to leave him alone. I sometimes wonder what some of the people on this forum actually do with their dogs. They don't take them to dog parks, they don't let them interact with strangers, strange dogs etc. I guess you know your own dogs and what they will and won't tolerate/enjoy, but you don't have to attack everything that is different from how you raise your dogs. I would never let anyone or anything hurt my dog, and my dog knows it. If you have ever seen kids and dogs play, you would know what I'm talking about, and it seems a lot of the other posters here do understand. are you serious???????? My daughters 4th birthday party was a disco dog party with Rottweilers interacting the whole time including playing musical chairs I took my newborn, 2 year old, 4 year old and GSD to a DOL meet at Kepala for mothers day, My dogs are run every day at an off lead park whilst my kids play soccer! You have totally missed the point. No one said to isolate dogs, I have said dont take stupid risks like you claim to have done. ETA as far as other members go here, they helped me organise my daughters party, and they were Rotties owned by a member here!! There are often kids at DOL meets, and many kids at dog shows.

its not the children who dont have respect for the dogs, its the people supervising them. We dont rough play, we do hi 5's and other rewarding games. We teach respect.

I have 3 kids under the age of 5. I have an indoor young GSD bitch and a Whippet bitch all sharing the same space. Prior to the GSD I had a Goldie and a Belgian Shepherd with the oldest child. All dogs need to be conditioned to their environments as do children. As responsibles pet owners, it is up to us to ensure that prevention is better than cure.

You said "I have a doberman, and when he goes to the park, strange kids come up and want to play with him. They literally jump on him, take sticks away from him, pull his tail, sometimes half whack him with the sticks etc. He loves little kids. He sits and waits for them to throw the sticks even though he's bigger than them. He loves them to chase him, and he runs with the stick in his mouth looking back to make sure they're still following, just running slowly. We watch him to make sure he still looks like he's having fun, and we teach the kids on how they should approach dogs. The parents always comment on what an excellent temperament he has, but they don't know he's a doberman because he's red with a long tail and floppy ears, and when we tell them they are always surprised" Well you certainly supersized your story if thats all that happened. Perhaps you should have prevented the situation from half stick wacking to NO stick wacking. This is how accidents happen, particular breeds get a bad name and children get injured. Re read your post. Children should NOT be chasing any dog but you encourage it, then you go on to say you teach toddlers how to approach dogs? Poor confused toddler may end up with severe injuries some day and a poor confused dog may get the green dream.

Thought I would share another favourite quote with you Jed. Needing so much time to get your health back when you just want your life back must be hell. This is one I shared with a few of my friends after Feb 7. The risk of love is loss, and the price of loss is grief But the pain of grief is only a shadow when compared with the pain of never risking love. Hilary Stanton Zunin

Your a fabulous person, well done.

I have a doberman, and when he goes to the park, strange kids come up and want to play with him. They literally jump on him, take sticks away from him, pull his tail, sometimes half whack him with the sticks etc. He loves little kids. He sits and waits for them to throw the sticks even though he's bigger than them. He loves them to chase him, and he runs with the stick in his mouth looking back to make sure they're still following, just running slowly. We watch him to make sure he still looks like he's having fun, and we teach the kids on how they should approach dogs. The parents always comment on what an excellent temperament he has, but they don't know he's a doberman because he's red with a long tail and floppy ears, and when we tell them they are always surprised. He is also a guard dog and goes mental if he thinks anyone or anything is threatened. I'm 23, I have no kids and neither did the breeder, but if you get a dog from a good breeder (took me 5 years to find mine) and you put the effort in (training sessions every day, NILIF etc) I don't think the breed makes much difference to how good they will be with kids. He is extremely easy to train. He also lives with 2 cats and has never had any issues with them. He has a very high pain threshold - doesn't notice when he has needles at the vet etc and that makes him good with kids too. I prefer working dogs to gun dogs because working dogs, and esp the protective breeds have one interest in life, that being people. They don't typically become obsessed with chasing birds or balls or anything else. But I would also say that to maximise a working dog, you need a dominant personality. I have seen how quickly my dog determines whether someone should be listened to or not, and whilst he's never been aggressive, he is completely deaf and even a bit rude with people who are do not sort of give off those dominant vibes. Eg my mother. He loves her to pieces and is always practically ecstatic to see her, but, he will not listen to anything she says. He will always lean against her, get in the way etc (and he's a big 40+kg boy so he really gets in the way), but she doesn't seem to mind this and it works for her lol. She hugs him when he asks for it and feeds him when he looks at her etc, not the way to raise a working dominant breed if you want to have decent control. If you can be dominant, go the working breed or the retriever - whichever you prefer on looks or whatever. If you can't, go the retriever. Or some other smaller breed even. 'jacqui835' Are you sure you are not telling Porky Pies about the stick whacking children? Sounds a little far fetched to me. As a responsible dog owner if you are being 100% honest, then you should not have let the interactions get to that point. Ridiculous and irresponsible IMHO

I have had both, with newborns and toddlers. GSD a whole lot easier to train, wont steal food off the kids, knows when to back off etc. Have you investigated a White Swiss Shepherd or a White GSD? I know a few breeders that have had excellent bombproof lines.

Ive always liked this saying, its seems a fitting reflection. “Strength of character means the ability to overcome resentment against others, to hide hurt feelings, and to forgive quickly.” Sleep soundly Jed.

Im so sorry Jed. RIP Meg xxxx

Can you cross post this to the rescue pages?

Do you have any photos? Could you contact some media about your situation? ACA etc? Talk back radio in Brisbane? Some wonderful person may donate transport or desexing costs. I am from Melbourne, are there any Dolers in QLD with media contacts??

SORRY for not updating sooner. She spoke to her vet yesterday but the dogs stools had already firmed up again. Shes fine. Thanks for the concern.

well the green is true in babies, often caused by lactose overload. Dont put on weight as its straight in, not absorbed at all, then straight out.

Not sure. Will ask her in the morning, but she doesnt have any fruit trees, just a stack of natives and gums.