poodlefan

I think he's a genuine Bitza.. Probably a few breeds in his background. How old is he?

I have a Liberty "terrier table". 950mm tall and not too big on top. Fits the poodles perfectly so it would be good for Border T's.

I loved the story reported here a while back about them being used to protect nesting penguins on an island in SA. The owner's description of his dogs seeing penguins as "chickens in dinner suits" was a classic.

Yes, Do you know how long before blindness will set in after the initial night blindness etc... I did all the right things in selecting a VCA registered breeder, looking at many different breeders and doing my research and seems so disappointing that this still happens... No, I'm afraid I don't. A friend of mine had a dog (not a CKCS) diagnosed with early onset PRA last year. He was a few years older than your boy. He's pretty much night blind now but can still see Ok during the day. His breeder tested for PRA but the DNA test only covers one type and that wasn't what the dog has. Until your post I wasn't aware that this was an issue in CKCS - it sure is in poodles. Once again, with poodles the DNA test doesn't cover all possible types. Many dogs adjust every well to loss of vision and can use their other senses to have a good quality of life.

Did a specialist diagnose PRA? I'm asking because I've never heard of any breed suffering from PRA so young. Really sorry to hear this.

Have you got someone in Sydney that could take delivery for you and store it till you pick it up???

I imagine that's an individual dog thing whether they are "kinder" or not. If the dog is happy and not pulling the potential for injury is not much worse than a flat collar, which also has just one point of contact at the sensitive trachea... If the dog doesn't pull on a flat collar, where's the damage to the trachea. As opposed to the rather sensitive occipito-atlantal joints in the upper spine that a halti can irrepairably damage? Maybe I'm sensitised to the issue but few dogs I've observed walk on a halti without changing the angle of their head and neck to accomodate having a lead attached to the device. And many users do pull their dogs head up and sideways, even if they don't recognise it. Why have straps over the such a sensitive part of a dog at all if control is not required? If I had to use a no-pull device, I'd choose a harness every time. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one Corvus - as we have done before.

Yes, me. I love all my dogs. They've all got different personalities. I will miss each and every one of them when they go the the bridge. I can't honestly say that I'll miss one above all others.. but maybe I haven't met my heart dog yet.

Why is that so sad? Provided the dog doesn't pull and is still enjoying their walks and doesn't compete in anything where a halti is not allowed, why do they need to be trained not to pull? Why can't they just be managed? I know people that have a Halti permanently attatched to the dog's leash. There is never a reason for those people not to use it. Their dogs don't lean into the head collar. They walk on a loose leash, bright-eyed and tail wagging. Good for them. Management works fine for a lot of people as a permanent fix. Because IMO they aren't "kinder" than a flat collar, you shouldn't ever tie a dog up with one (people do) and the potential for your dog to sustain an injury wearing one is always there. They also pull off pretty damn easily. They don't usually replace flat collars anyway. Dogs rarely wear their ID tags on a halti so wear both. Only a fool would turn a dog loose in a dog park wearing one so a flat collar is needed there too. I fail to understand why you need to double up and have all that stuff on a dog's sensitive muzzle at all if it isn't needed to control it

Sadly for many dogs, once fitted with a halti, they will wear it for life. I can't recall the last time I saw a dog walking with a halti, a flat collar and a double lead outside of a training environment. Around here, its more likely I'll see one with a halti being walked on an extender lead.

I agree GayleK. Kuma is 40Kg at 7 months old and is a chronic puller. It's really hard to settle in and enjoy a walk if he's charging off at a mile a minute. However - he still needs to be walked. We settled on a Black Dog Infin8 Collar - it's a cross between a martingale and a gentle leader - and the difference is like night and day. He can still pull, and does try to, but when he does that, we stop-heel-wait before we go any further. It is well known that any "tool" is only a substitute, but if it makes exercising the dog more enjoyable and enables the owner to train it not to pull, then I don't really see a problem in using them. (IMO) The "problem" is that the original behaviour is often not dealt with and that long term use of equipment like the Infin8 could see a dog develop serious chiropratic health issues, ESPECIALLY if he leans or lunges on it.

It could be a range of conditions, either muscular or skeletal. Pet insurance won't help you with a condition he already has.

They are just fantastic shots!

Mumsy a halti isn't a "method", its a tool. All it does is allow you to turn the dog towards you when it pulls (and thereby refocus on you and deny it access to the direction it wants to go) If you don't use the halti to teach the dog that pulling doesn't profit it and reward the desired behaviour when you get it (that's a training method) , it will learn to set its neck and pull on it (thereby doing itself potential damage to its spine in the longer term). They have their uses in controlling large dogs but a really determined dog can still give your arms a work out on one. It's certainly not a cure for pulling without training.

I have seen dogs haul their owners on haltis, no pull harnesses and just about any device you care to mention (never seen a dog on prong collar though). It's not about the collar.. its about training. A decent trainer could really help with this.

Smiley4444: How a dog behaves in a veterinary surgery and on its own turf can differ. Your aunt's dog was unrestrained in her front yard and she failed to prevent it seriously injuring another dog. I hope she absorbs the gravity of the situation and keeps in behind the fence in future. If she refuses to pay and the other person lawyers up, I think this could get quite ugly for your aunt AND her dog.

If your Aunt's dog is responsible for that injury and hasn't been reported to council, my advice is simple. Pay the amount for the anaesthesia and wound repair and count your lucky stars the dog won't be declared dangerous. Do whatever it takes to make sure there isn't another occurence. Unless your aunt feels like keeping her dog permanently muzzled in public, I'd advise her to pay up. Unless you have x-ray vision you have no way of determining the extent of the wound until the dog is shaved. External punctures are no indication of the damage caused by bites..

A lovely tribute to a gorgeous old girl. Fun free Sally - where your legs are young again. Condolences for your loss Dogmad - she was clearly a treasured girl.

If they're forecasting rain this far out, don't despair.. the BOM folk are rarely that accurate.

And profits have been down at Deshonko without my business partner to help spruik the product.

Yes. My dogs can do it. If he won't stay put, I don't think you've got much option but to crate him. If he's going for the rear seat footwell, my guess is he feels car sick. The ride is more stable lower in the car.

My dogs will eat a full meal and still try to convince you they're starving. He doesn't look even vaguely skinny to me. Resist the urge to pity OR fatten him. He'll live longer and stay healthier if he stays lean.

Get Whippet has contacted Lithgow Jed.. Whippet will be safe. I just hope he/she gets a coat and soon!

Just posted about it in rescue. A Whippet in Lithgow with no coat is not at all good. The poor bugger will be freezing as well as stressed.

LOL, I feel like that at most shows. Must go buy wellies this weekend just in case..... If it rains, I'm showing the red Borzoi! ;) My gumboots have flowers and butterflies. FHRP has pipped me in the fashion stakes though. She has Hello Kitty ones.. bet they go down a treat at retrieving trials.