Staffyluv

West Queanbeyan - another vote. 02 6297 5542 They did a 20kg female for $165 for me (rescue price)..

I don't think that vet fees should be regulated.. It is a business and they all have different overheads. Some may choose to pay higher wages to attract better staff for their practice. Some may be buying their premises and others just renting. Some may own their equipment and some may lease it. Some may have more affiliations with food manufacturers and medical supplies than others, who choose not to promote specific brands. There is a myriad of reasons why one vet charges differently to another..

Her name is Zipp, she is about 7.5 months old and she was surrendered as a staffy cross but I don't see any staffy in her at all. To me she is very boxerish.. Even her play style and mannerisms remind me of a boxer.. He loves having a buddy here to play with. That is one of the things I love most about my boy, his total lack of aggressiveness. He just loves all other dogs modifies his play to suit and they are off and running.. Ziggy and Zipp Zig and Zipp by Jodie Moore Photos, on Flickr One more Zig and Zipp cuddles by Jodie Moore Photos, on Flickr

Wow, just having a catch up read and there has been loads of progress from so many.. (I only read back a few pages). Sounds like Jake is enjoying the peanut butter HD.. Zigs food of preference is plain old homebrand devon in the roll (man that stuff is awful but he loves and will do anything for it).. We are back to training this Sunday (last Sunday was washed out, so postponed).. This time around I am taking the new foster girl to obedience (she starts beginners) and the Z man moves up to advanced - to say I am terrified is an understatement.. But also very excited to see how we go.

I don't think our wonderful vet is the cheapest in town but he is definitely the most awesome vet.. When Zig had what we thought was some sort of poisoning and I rushed him to the emergency vet - ended up costing over $800 for hospitalisation (I don't care, I will pay what I have to pay for my animals when they need it) and my vet found out about it, he called and asked to see Zig. So off we went and he reminded me that I had his mobile number and to call him rather than taking the dog to the emergency vet at such huge costs.. He said the same treatment from him would have cost in the vicinity of $300.. I did point out that he gave me that number when he was treating my old boy, Ollie with cancer treatments and I didn't think it extended beyond that. He assured me that he doesn't like to get the late night calls but understands sometimes it can't be avoided. To call next time it happens with Zig (wasn't food poisoning - we think it may be very minor seizures). I do believe that some vets charge high fees and as business owners with overheads, they are entitled to charge what they like. I work in Accounting and the difference in what one accounting charges to the next is ridiculous (and we are doing the same job).. I had a new client in this week who paid $220 for her individual tax return last year.. When I told her I would be charging her $99, she asked how they others could charge so much. I explained that my office is at home, I have very few overheads as I only have one employee who works one day a week - all these things go into deciding how much a vet may NEED to charge compared to the next vet (one might have 10 employees and the next just 2 or 3).. Sometimes they charge a higher rate for an easy job but give cheaper rates on more complex jobs because the easy job might be something that happens heaps but the complex job might only be once a month.. As customers, you have the right to query an account if it is much more than expected. You also have the right to go elsewhere if you are not happy with the service or price.

OMG, I don't think I have ever seen a Malinois in the pound.. I think K9 Pro and or Huski here on the forum have a bit to do with the breed, maybe they know of a breed specific rescue (in case the owner doesn't get it out of the pound and it goes up for sale)..

Awe, Happy Birthday Renae. What a great party table for her.

Awe that is so cute.. Zig knows where his towel is (kept in his training bag)..

Max can understand d-i-n-n-e-r now One of the good ones that Zig has is 'bring it'.. You can point to just about anything and tell him to bring it and he does.. Although he won't touch my slippers (or other shoes) because he chewed a few pairs up when he was a little tacker and got into trouble for it. The other one is 'water' - you ask him if he wants water and he if he does he starts to walk to towards a tap or water bottle.. The guys that work at the park were stunned when I asked him if he wanted some water and he ran past them and sat at the tap.

When we have to spell words so as not to get a reaction.. Words like park, car, training, dinner, ball

It article looks (to me) like they have tried to write it a bit tongue in cheek (with a bit of humour).. Sadly, there are so many dickheads out there that will read that as a serious article.. I guess we will have the media to thank once again for encouraging the public to purchase dogs that may not really be suitable..

Well when you're into drugs you need something to protect your stash. They're the worst druggies dogs, no control, absolutely mental animals. I had the unfortunate privilege of temp testing one down here, the dog was out of control and countless stitches would have been the best case scenario if you had a run in with it. As for him, setting your dogs on a teenager? Right piece of scum. This is what happens when people have enough of being terrorised. Agree with Nek... Some people don't deserve dogs.. To set your dogs on anyone or anything is beyond disgusting..

Awe bless, what a lovely photo.. RIP Schoep, running at the bridge

It happens to the best of us.. My old Stafford went 13 years without getting fleas and then he got them and I treated him with comfortis.. Zig can't take comfortis, upsets his tummy. But it is good stuff... I think it does something to the fleas so that even the eggs die.. I bombed my place and took the dog out for the day.. Then came home and opened it all up, vacuumed and dusted.. It seemed to work as we never had them again.

Yet again the poor bloody dog pays the price for silly owners.. How sad!

They look awesome.. Sadly they would get eaten here - every foster I have had, has cost me a Ziggy bed. I have given up and he has a mattress on the floor in the lounge and he sleeps on my bed..

I know that the only thing that makes Ziggy itchy is paspalum grass and the only place he has contact with it is at training.. We use a barrier type cream (or neotopic from the vets) and put it on before he goes there and also after he has been and that seems to help our situation. I wouldn't put any more shampoo or anything on it.. Get the dog to the vet to get some cream and if the skin is broken there is the chance for an infection to get a hold as well.. Then do the preventative thing with a cream on the places where her skin gets itchy.. Antihistamine as well - I use polaramine (it is the one I have had the most success with). Ollie was 22kg and had 1 tablet (4mg from memory) and Ziggy is 27kg and I give him the same dose - seems to work fine. It helps with the inflammation. Looks like you have tried everything we can do at home - I would be seeing a vet if it was my dog. Good luck

Ollie dog was never 'fat' until he got sick. When he had chemo, something happened with his thyroid gland and it stopped working. Once we worked out what was wrong, it took about 12 months on limited food and medication to get him right and back to about 22kg, which is where he spent most of his life.. Ziggy is pretty easy to handle but I notice when there is a foster here that gets his food, he becomes a bit more piggy about it all. He also doesn't get fed on Saturday nights or Sunday mornings as we have training and I figure the amount of food I use there, easily equals what I would give him at both those meals (also makes him hungry to do what I ask).. Not sure how we are going to go with the advanced classes that start next week - we are not supposed to use food (all hand and voice commands)... Zig sits around 26kg but I think just that little bit less would probably be better for him.

It's always hard to let them go - they often come in lost and unsure. We love, cuddle, feed, train, vet and reassure them that life is good.. Then we say goodbye.. It took me a while after my last one to take another on (I have just taken a new one on) because I really wanted to keep her but I knew that if I did, I could never help another.. Foster carers are in such high demand, there really are so few of us compared to the amount of dogs that need a foster carer.. I think it will always be hard but it is so rewarding seeing that happy confident dog go to a new home..

The cost from a good breeder is because they test the parents (to make sure they aren't passing on any health or temperament issues that are not wanted). The breeder will vaccinate, microchip and care for the pups before they leave for homes, chosen for the pups - good breeders, really don't sell to just anyone. They want to know their puppies are going to good homes. They register their pups with pedigree papers on main or limited register, so they either go to show or pet homes.. A good breeder will take back a pup that doesn't fit in or there are other issues and the new owner can't keep it. A backyard breeder, does none of the above. They don't care who they sell to and will often charge more for a specific colour or sex.. I have seen more backyard breeders charge more for the 'rare' blue staffs (both amstaff and SBT).. DOL was set up (please correct me if I am wrong) as a 'Pure Breed Dog Community'.. But we are all here because we love dogs and we have the opportunity to learn from the good breeders (and trainers) here, who freely give us novice dog owners so much great advice and information - to make our dogs lives just that bit better.. As a Pure Bred Dog Community, back yard breeding is frowned upon (not the dogs that come from these environments or the people that buy them and come here for advice).. But if someone comes here, with the slightest suggestion that they have a couple of dogs and may be breeding them - you can see why some get up in arms about it. Not saying that is what you have come here for at all Chris. I can see that you had a question about your boy and just happened to get another pup in a short space of time - a situation you seem to have remedied as best you can. Just trying to explain why some members get funny about back yard bred dogs and those that breed them.. Stick around - I have learned so much for the health and well being and loads from the wonderful trainers we are so lucky to have on board here.. As the owner of a powerful breed of dog, it is your responsibility (just like it is mine and anyone else who owns a dog) to make sure that they are the best dog they can be..

Most Staffs play rough and it can be quite intimidating to watch if you don't really know how they play or you have never seen it before. Not to mention the noises they can make sometimes. It is not that the pup is a goer, she just wants to play, probably more than your boy does.. I know my boy walks away from the pup we have here at the moment when he has had enough. I agree with Sandra777 - take the pup back to the breeder and ask for a refund.. A good breeder will take a pup back if it doesn't fit into a new home because they only want the best for their pups.

Great news!

Isn't your boy a pup? Gosh you are brave with 2 pups..

That's true HW.. My Ziggy has been having a right royal feast on alpaca poo for a few weeks now.. I have already mixed in the last of the Eukanuba with the Earthborn food.. I stopped the supercoat the other day, I just couldn't stand the farting the girl was doing.. She has been on the Euk/Earthborn for the last few days.. It has made a big difference to her, she has hardly farted at all the last 24 hours.. Poo patrol today was much better and the poo size has definitely decreased. There wasn't any runny stuff either, which has to be a good thing.

I noticed today while she was asleep that she has scratched herself raw under her neck and chin. So I took her up to the vet and they did a skin scrape and only found dead mites (they took skin from 4 different places). So it has worked already.. She needs to stay on it though.. She also has antibiotics now to help as the scratching has caused a secondary skin infection which is common (according to the vet) in these cases.. It looks so gross poor baby, I bet it feels horrible for her as well. It is like pustules ready to bust and a few have busted by the look of it from her scratching it. He said I can dilute down some malaseb and wipe over the area but she still can't have a bath until it has been 10 days or so since she was spayed. I can give her a tub next Monday at 11 days, I am sure she will feel much better once she is nice and clean again.