Diva

Does Abrantes do a good seminar? I have one book of his and found it ordinary.

Thanks for the heads up. I wonder if I can afford him and Bob Bailey. Mmm.

It happened to me recently, a person wanting to use my dog to produce a hunting mix with his bitch. It took me by surprise - mostly because all my dogs are female and he thought they were male - and I just told him I don't do that. He took my response well enough but I have had people get mad in the past. At least he had a purpose, when they ask saying how much money they reckon the pups would go for, I get a little blunter.

Those kind of comments turned me off too - so I put a stop to the donating I used to do. I will continue to buy registered dogs from good breeders of the pure breed that suits me the best, and the zealots who resort to attempts at emotional blackmail can take a running jump off a short pier imho.

It wouldn't be a customs matter, they deal with tariffs, duties and trade rules, and things prohibited from import by law, like weapons, some chemicals etc. I think it will be Quarantine (AQIS) will be who seize it, if it is seized, on the grounds that it is a disease risk, or may be infested with insect pests etc. Highly processed foods are often OK, it depends on specific things like cooking temperature, and the less processed the more issue you are likely to have. Australia Post would get to say what they will carry, but not what can enter the country. I guess you'll know one way or the other soon anyway.

It doesn't always work. I'd say I stop 95% of charging dogs this way, including bull breeds, but I have had three occassions over the past 5 years where the dog has attacked anyway. And I am pretty dog savvy, it isn't a lack of technique, some dogs just really, really want to attack the on-lead dog and have no respect for humans at all. I reported the one on Saturday to the rangers - given that it was an entirely unprovoked, highly aggressive attack which it took the kind efforts of a passing motorist to help stop. Times like that I am grateful my dogs are large, adult and not easily scared.

Thanks Fliss, I gave the other premade patties the flick a while ago so happy to try a new supplier.

I don't own them so others can answer better. But I have found that the asiatic sighthounds like Salukis tend to be more 'sighthoundy' than the western breeds like greys - a bit more independent than the average whippet. Best ask in the sighthound thread, there are people there with lots of experience with them.

They are exquisite dogs, but not for the average owner. I'd suggest spending time with some before making up your mind. If they are for you, you'll probably be hooked for life, LOL.

There are breeders in Australia. Over 20 are listed just on the DOL mainsite. Several DoLers own them, and post sometimes in the sighthound thread.

According to the sizing notes the small cups fit pipe that has a 1.05 inch outside diameter, so on that basis I picked the small ones for those poles. Hope they work. I'm not game to make another order as I had to work hard to cull the last one down. Amazing all the things on that site that I think I need, LOL.

PSML. It's interesting the first time, but after that poo is just poo, LOL. I guess part of my point is that there are so many other things to do, even with the dogs, that it's very easy to move on to something more fun or more meaningful. Probably that does give the bullies and the fakers a lot of power as they can make it 'not fun' very quickly, there is very little consequence for bad behaviour in reality, and all the factors that others have mentioned which affect judging quality have already made it less than meaningful. The social time around the ring with friends is mostly what showing has going for it. That's is certainly something good, but I am not sure it's enough given all the other pressures. It has the feel of being a very old fashioned and somewhat eccentric sport, with noone really looking out for its future. Just mho.

That's true, but for me the difference is the incentives at play - I resolve/put up with/slap down crap at work I wouldn't bother engaging with in a hobby context, and I deal with a lot more boredom and croynism much more happily too. I won't do that for a hobby when there are so many other hobbies and amusements competing for my time and money. If a hobby or sport isn't enjoyable, engaging and fair I'll just walk away and go to one that is, quite likely to a different dog sport. The dogs are important enough to me to endure almost anything for - but the show ring isn't, not to me anyway. It has to be fun. Personally, I think the main drivers of declining show numbers are more structural - restrictions on dog ownership, decline in interest in purebreeds, very busy lifestyles etc. But recruitment and retention into the sport don't seem to get much attention. I think perhaps being a big fish in a small pool is good enough for most. And perhaps it is, I have no idea what the sustainable critical mass is for the sport and the strategy of getting the same few people to show the same dogs more times through things like the changes to the grand and supreme champion might be enough to keep it alive.

Don't let them anywhere near the kitchen when food is being prepared, and probably not at all as they know that is where the food is. I'd avoid them being together around any potential triggers which increase the liklihood of conflict - the presence of food, exciting events which increase arousal like chase games and dinner time, a highly prized toy, jostling each other going through doorways etc. Teach them to wait and defer to each other on cue, you control the resources so there is no point in them fighting for them. I'd institute a NILIF program and increase general training and exercise as well, esp for the youngster - won't solve things if they are destined to hate each other but should help you get control and can be enough to avoid minor niggles. I'd get at least the older dog vet checked, don't leave them alone together if no-one is around, and if problems continue get some pro help.

I think the bran on the chicken wings is an old idea to provide the roughage that feathers would have provided if the dog had access the whole bird - not that they would have deliberately eaten the feathers, but that some feather matter would have been ingested alongside the meat and provided roughage. Same for fur on rabbits etc. The diet you have been provided is very complictaed and old fashioned, and in my view quite unnecessary. But Juliette de Bairacli Levy was a well respected very early Afghan breeder and herbalist, a proponent of natural feeding long before it was fashionable and when rearing practices and prepared foods were pretty basic and refrigeration not common. Breeders had to deal with parasites and serious diseases like distemper without modern medicine and did try to use diet and herbs more to prevent and treat serious issues, they had few other options. I love her books, her passion and dedication shines through them. But it is very old work, you have much easier options conveniently at hand.

If he were mine I'd get him off any puppy kibble. Whatever the brand, make it the adult food. I know many breeders of large and giant breeds who will never feed a puppy food because of what it can do to the fronts - you do not want large dogs growing too fast. Pat Hastings advised something similar at her recent talks in Australia. I'd also make sure he gets enough sunlight and grass/dirt to walk on, not too many hard smooth floors or concete.

I'm no expert, but I think you would need to apply for an import permit for a food not currently sold in Australia, and there is no guarantee AQIS would issue one. It would depend on the ingredients and manufacturing process used. Not really a straightfoward thing to do.

I don't find it funny, I have the same issue. I worry that after a dozen attacks by small, loose, aggressive dogs, mine will quite reasonably stop tolerating it and defend themselves - that's what I am trying to avoid. No matter how well I socialise my friendly large dogs with well mannered, polite small dogs, it can all get undone by attacks on the street. It's not funny having a couple of big dogs on-lead when they are being attacked by anything, it ruins a walk and risks a fall, and one small aggressor felt a hard kick in the ribs recently from me when they refused to heed my yells at them. I know it's far worse to have a small dog attacked by a large one, and I do feel for the owners of small dogs, very much so. But take my word for it, it's no picnic the other way around either. efs

Assuming that there is nothing physically wrong with this pup, like deafness, it sounds like you have a very independent natured dog on your hands. Some people like that - but it sounds like it's not your cup of tea. I imagine you are going to have to compromise a bit on your expectations, as well as find what motivates this particular pup so you can train it more easily, if the relationship is going to work.

For the bowing I would start by getting the pup on a high quality adult kibble - I wouldn't go to a puppy food as I woudn't want this pup growing too fast, but I would want it getting decent nutrition, which I doubt it has had, and the opportunity to move about naturally on grass. But I'm not a vet - the vet should have had that advice for her. If it didn't start to improve in a short time on a proper diet I'd assume it needed more than that, but I'd start with diet. I have heard of such legs being splinted but have no experience of it. I can't help with any advice on raising money for the hernia ops. I don't think there is any easy way to do that, apart from credit. Edited to ask: how old is the pup?

Oh Kinsella, I could cry at what he went through at that place.

None of my breed prejudices come from any concern for my own safety.They are all about breeds where I have run into very dog aggressive individuals and come from experience, not how a breed looks.

Did anyone but me see that recent study finding that females Rotties desexed before 6 years of age averaged shorter life spans than those desexed later? Basically it said that for female dogs the longer they keep their ovaries the longer they lived on average - it's only one study on one breed, but still very interesting.

Better he go while he was still happy - but so very sad.