Diva

I googled that article Mita. I like a lot of what they say.

Nope. If a dog approachs me in a friendly manner I'll usually say 'hi there' in a friendly tone of voice, but not pat.

Me too, at least when they are unlocked and extend. I assume they have their place but it isn't a vet waiting room, a footpath where other people and dogs want to get past, or the local outdoor cafe where they enable your dog to wrap themselves around passers by.

When I was in my local vet's very small wating room a while back a very large GSD came out of the consult room and dragged itself against a long flexi-lead straight onto my dog. When I asked very politely that it be pulled off my girl's back so we could actually stand up and go into the consult room, the owner looked suprised and said "oh I didn't even see a dog there" and then to the dog "Sorry sweetie, the nasty person doesn't want to say hello". Amazing and somewhat puzzling because a) it is a tiny space where a dog, any dog, is hard to miss, b) I had a giant breed, pure white, dog with me, that stands out anywhere, and c) somehow the owner convinced herself I was at fault and needed to say so out loud, lol.

I think in those few breeds where such exaggerations have become a health issue, it has been the result of hundreds of small decisions by breeders and judges over many years. No-one would have wanted to breed or award excesses likely to cause health problems, but there was just a bit of the 'if some is good, a lot is better' mentality. Not all breeds, and not all breeders. But a little more extreme head, more wrinkles, more angulation, more whatever, made them stand out in the ring. Many years ago, and I mean decades, I was having good breeders tell me they deliberately sought stud dogs that were extreme examples of the breed, as 'nature' kept pushing back with moderation. They truly felt you had to breed for extremes to keep breed specific features, and these people were by no means cowboys. They wanted to improve their breed and as they bred primarily for the show ring, which was regarded as very ethical, they were therefore influenced by show results, and the endorsement and reinforcement by judges and peers that show wins represent. And as many breeders are also judges, it can become a self-referential loop. Pebbles is right too, sometimes it is just one very impactful personality or dog that can make a huge difference to how a breed looks in a particular country. I think there is much more awareness of the need to not over exaggerate in recent years, which is a good thing. And if a hundred small decisions or a couple of influential thought-leaders made a difference in one direction, they can also reverse that trend. I kind of think that's the good news, and I don't think any of the breeds need be a lost cause, especially with the globalisation of the pure breed scene. I do think there is a risk that the baby might get thrown out with the bath water though.

It reads like a media release from an AR group picked up as written by a lazy journalist. Increasingly media release of all sorts seem to get copied into the press with no critical thinking by the media.

doesn't look too babd, but for me it is not grain free if it contains rice! Yeah, I'd be immediately wary of any food that is marketed so dishonestly. That aside, the ingredient list really isn't all that great. Two meats listed together, probably to bump them to the top of the list, ahead of the rice (the grain-free rice, no less). Which means your first ingredient is probably rice :/ I don't think it is marketed as grain free usually, just wheat and corn free.

I never separate, except for individual walks, shows etc, unless there is a large age difference and I am safeguarding a pup or geriatric from rough play. Again I may just be lucky with the breed I have. Very sensible to have the facilities ready if you need to though.

You will get lots of views, often diametrically opposed. That is how these threads go as people have had very different experiences. It seems to depend a lot on breed, individual temperament of the bitches, management and luck. All I can say is that I have kept bitches together for many years, some desexed but most entire, and have never had a fight. Touch wood.

Certainly see more pugs and pug crosses around here over the last couple of years. I find it one of the great ironies that people can on the one hand become incensed over 'irresponsible' breeding by whatever the current definition is but on the other hand enthusiastically jump on the latest breed/crossbreed/pound dog bandwagon with barely a serious or considered thought as to whether it actually suits them, let alone connect the dots back to breeding practices.

Yes I agree, I have had reservations about the way the incentive structure in the current show scene impacts breeds for some time, but those concerns have become marginal in the face of the current push against pure breeds and breeders. I have a friend who is a vet in the US, and also a breeder of many dual performance/show champions, who recounted how a newly graduated vet told her she should be ashamed to be a breeder. Aparently that attitude is not at all uncommon now.

Do you mean litmus paper? If so it is stll available, no idea if breeders still use it. I remember it from chemistry classes.

Oh, really? I had no idea dogs couldn't be in a playground! I regularly take Thundercleese to playgrounds, kid's play equipment is his agility equipment :laugh: Of course, he has his fear aggression issues, so if we're doing something like that it's in the middle of the night when no sane person would have their children at the park anyway (and when most normal people are in bed, not taking their dog for a play session)... I know in Canberra dogs are prohibited from being within a certain number of metres of play equipment, the exception is if you are walking on a made path which goes closer than the minimum distance. I always assumed it was as much about dogs peeing on equipment etc as it was about dogs and kids directly interacting.

Didn't work for me, might however have something to do with one of the dogs taking them out of the water bucket all the time. 'hey there's ROCKS in my water, not having that!'

I know some pig breeders have been using the stuff since at least the eighties when I first heard about it. Oddly enough I knew someone who ran a cordial factory back then and he was well across it. But as Steve says, getting the 'real thing' these days is harder as they often just contain flavouring. I have been told of dog breeders using it but have no direct experience with it.

Can't remember if my vet recommended the three yearly protocol or I asked for it but they were certainly comfortable doing it. Boarding kennels here also happy to accept it if the canine cough component has a separate booster annualy.

Me either. I want my breed clubs to focus on the breed and nothing else. Not on all pure breeds, not on all dogs, just their own responsibilities, the breed community, the breed as a whole and any individual of the breed that needs help, breed health, history and expertise, a voice for the breed, a public face for the breed and an organiser of breed events. Done well, that is a great deal.

When the cat eats ALL her food, instead of leaving a teaspoon of it for you to lick out of the bowl. Cats are selfish!

One of the local radio vets was promoting byb pups as the best option on her program a few months ago. I stopped listening to her after that.

I am not sure if the number of dogs registered necessarily directly corelates with breed club decline, my breed maintains 3 state breed clubs. Not easy I am sure but we have a lot less registered each year than Maltese do. And while I don't want to add to the negativity, I think a lot of clubs, not just dog clubs, struggle to maintain a working membership base these days, there is so much else competing for people's time. Add in the aging demographic in dog showing, a little breed politics and a few exclusive cliques (and I am not saying that is so for the Malts, I have no idea about them), and maybe combining into multi breed clubs does become a better solution for some breeds. Or even better having a strong non-showing/companion/performance presence on the executive. I am a member from a distance of 2 or our 3 clubs - I haven't joined the third and closest because I am allergic to breed politics, and it is easiest to avoid that in the more distant clubs. Not perhaps the bravest of attitudes but once bitten and all that.

It might be worth contacting the Beagle Club of NSW to see if they can take them into foster care. Contact details are on the main DoL page.

That is a very powerful reply, well done.

I have been told the Costco food is quite good, I think it is called Kirklands Signature. Don't use it myself but have had it recommended as a good cheap option.

National Farmers Federation, and I don't think they have had a name change since they were established in 1979. That is why I asked if you meant to say NFF. But I agree with your main point if that is who you meant, they have the influence to stop this. Especially as it won't make sense to the average person either, working dogs are an aussie icon.

You've got me curious, is the AFF a group I haven't heard of, or did you mean the NFF?