Staffyluv

I will have to make time to go back and have a read of this thread - it has been a while, since I have checked in. I just wanted to share a pic I took today of Zig at the dog park with his newest foster sister, Bella.. They had a wonderful time with a couple of small fluffies that showed up to play.. Ziggy and Bella Doggie park fun by jamoore photos, on Flickr

Super update - yep, pics needed :)

Here you go My link This story is everything that is wrong with BSL..

They should lock the bitch in a bunker for the rest of her life.. Jesus, I hate people sometimes.

Zig being a staffy cross has managed to chew through everything I have ever given him, except the kong tennis ball. The kong tennis ball is a squeaky tennis ball (the squeaker is eventually taken out by him or us) but it doesn't puncture and split like normal tennis balls. The black kong is good and he doesn't chew through this one (but he did the first one I bought). He also has a cheap treat ball that I got from Pet Stock ages ago - no specific brand. Apart from the tennis balls, this has to be his favourite thing. He gets his kibble in it daily and he has loads of fun rolling it around and chucking it in the air or standing on the arm of my lounge chair and dropping it so the kibble comes out easily. The K9 Pro tug pack, is awesome and he has a fave in those as well.

My old Stafford had many surgeries because of mast cell tumours.. My vet told me once that there are a couple of different types of anaesthetic that can be used. He explained the differences and we opted for the one that was a bit more expensive and the old boy never had an issue with anaesthetic.. A lot of people don't think the pre-op tests (blood work) are important but, personally and for peace of mind, I had them done. I also opted for post surgery fluids.. These are areas that you can cut costs on a surgery, if funds are tight. I chose not to cut costs but it is a personal decision.. Keeping up with the after surgery pain meds and resting the dog are important as well. If the pup isn't crate trained, I suggest spending some time teaching pup that the crate is a great place to be. I train by offering treats to go into the crate, then feeding in the crate (always leaving the door open until pup is comfortable with closing the door, with just a few seconds, then minutes).. If you don't like the idea of crate training, then you can do the same thing with a bed or mat. Teach the pup that the bed or mat is a great place to be. That way, when you tell pup to go to the mat, he does so, happily. It's a positive thing.

Maybe attend a couple of mixed breed dog shows. So you can see a lot of breeds at the same place. Check out the dog breeds 101 forum here to look at some that might be suitable. We also have the breed forums, where you can ask questions of those that already have a breed you might like to know more about. Good luck, I think researching is half the fun of finding your new family member.

I would imagine it is like most ligament repairs, in that they put some anchor points into the bone and then attach the 'fake' ligament to the anchor points to secure the joint. Some are trickier than others, I believe after talking to my vet about my current foster girl - who just had the ligaments in her knee done (as well as a femoral head removal).. Bella was up and around the next day. It has been 3 weeks now and she is putting it down and using her leg. Obviously keeping them calm and not letting them go tearing around the place, is important. We were encouraged to get Bella using her leg quite soon after the operation. We also do physio with her, stretching her leg out and I had her on the fit disc this week as well (it is a balancing disc, that they stand on). Keeping them lean is important - not just for this but general overall health. All the best - they do bounce back a whole lot faster than we humans do.

lol, so do I Anne - such a great pic.

Don't be fooled - it ins't the shower he hates, it is the photo being taken Day 26 - Fun Time (shower time)... by jamoore photos, on Flickr

Yep, most of Zig's issues were me and the way I was doing things with him. Once Steve showed me some things to get around the unwanted behaviours and I started using them every day - I made the world of difference. It sounds so simple but the thing that has stuck most with us, is the word 'yes' and what it means to Zig, now he knows what comes after it.. I promise, if you go see him, follow his suggestions and the plan he sets up for you, then you won't be disappointed. I would have been happy to pay double what I paid for the success I have had from one visit and an 8 week email follow up.

I went to see Steve (I am in Queanbeyan) for a two hour consult with some training issues I was having. In less than two hours, he had basically solved my problems and the follow up was awesome - I think it is 8 weeks of emails back and forth, updates and further suggestions. It was less than a few hundred dollars but our issues were easy for him to deal with. I would do it again in a heartbeat and wish I had done it 12 months earlier.. 100% recommend him.

Sorry to hear about the little on who didn't make it.

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*facepalm* Please stop making this about you and yours? Yeah, you might be lovely and yeah, your son might be great but no one here is talking about you. Again, what was said was that certain breeds (because of perceptions) often attract undesirable owners for those breeds. As for judgments not being fair.. your breed got the reputation it did because of bad owners. Simple. As. That. Wow, there really isn't any reason to be rude..

I never said bull breed owners were bogans either. In fact, the exact opposite was my point. My son is six feet tall and covered in tattoos - so he must be the 'certain' type of person?? Rough looking guy and all.. You (people) can't judge people by what they look like or the type of dog they choose to share their life with - it simply isn't fair.

I didn't. I said a majority of dogs loose here are bullbreeds and it's the owners slack attitude that worries me especially after the recent attack on my greys. Any breed of dog can do damage to mine, remember I have the original breed subjected to BSL we are already muzzled by law, but any larger breed can kill mine in minutes. I was talking to a friend of mine who was with Bull Terrier Rescue here on the Central Coast and he said himself (as Remarkabull did) his beloved breed tend to attract a certain type of person which makes it difficult when rehoming. He said for example people don't want a greyhound to put on the back of the ute to protect to tools or in the yard to protect the house, they want something big tough and scary looking and if they bite then that's an added bonus I know you didn't HW.. But so many on this forum do.. I have run my own business since 2004 as an accountant. I have had bull breeds most of my life. I don't consider myself anything like what some seem to think we are, all because of the type of dog I choose to own. My dogs are trained, well socialised, have nice manners and are good dogs - but because of 'what they are', I must obviously be 'a certain type of person'.. Certain members of DOL wonder why the bull breed people get up in arms and want to defend our choice, when we are put in the same 'bucket' as those who are irresponsible. It is not just bull breed dogs but sadly that seems to be the only ones the media reports on.. I don't judge all poodle owners based on the irresponsible owner at the local park and her horrid dogs who bully every dog they can. There are good and bad dog owners of every breed.. Edited to add, if you knew my current boy - there is nothing big, scary or tough about him. He lays down for puppies to play, he belly crawls to smaller dogs to say hello and he rolls over if another dog growls at him.. They aren't all like the persona that people think they are - sure some are but most are not.

BSL for humans now.. The bull breeds are bad, so their owners must be as well.. Dump us all in the same bucket..

Thanks, I remembered as soon as I hit post :) I have sent him a message.

Just asking for someone on another site - they are in Tassie and need some help. Does anyone know of good dog trainers down that way? I did a google search and it came up with barkbusters There was one whose website looked OK (Sit Drop Stay) - he appears to do the 'dog whisperer' type stuff but I don't know anything about it to recommend it.

Thank you when the police want to send my husky to the vet but have no item to carry my dog. My neighbour and I made a simple stretcher with board and blanket. But the police said the dog is too heave to be moved on the board, as only one male police there and others are female. To be honest, my dog is really too heavy for woman. You know what happen, my dog somehow understood us and walked and lie down on it. That was the last thing he did for me. Whenever I recall this, I feel my heart was broken again. I imagine your heart will break over and over for quite a while yet.

I read this yesterday and I really couldn't express how sorry I am that you, your family and your dog have suffered like this. I honestly can't imagine what I would do under the circumstances (I know what I think I would do and what I would want to do). I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved family pet at the hands of someone else's pet. Thankfully the other pet has been PTS/died but it won't be coming back again.

Contact Team Dog - they seem to deal with this sort of thing.. I would also look into creating a run for the dog - maybe let the man know that you are doing something along these lines and he may see no reason to report it, if he thinks you are being proactive in containing a dog that should be contained for public safety. Good luck.

Thanks Leanne. I didn't realise that folic acid could help prevent this. I find all this sort of genetic stuff so interesting.

A quick question for the breeders (as it applies here)... If this bitch has had one pup with a cleft lip, is the potential there for it to happen again, in subsequent litters, or is it a random act of nature and nothing to do with genetics? Sorry to go a bit off track but I thought perhaps the owner of the bitch might like to know the answer to this, if she doesn't already. Edited for typing..