poodlefan

I have seen leather dog boots before but I have no idea who makes them and I know they ain't cheap.

No, I'm not being precious and I don't humanise my dogs. I simply don't encourage them to behave in a manner that could result in serious injury. In the case of one of my dogs, it did. So strangers in public dog parks deserve less courtesy than elsewhere?? Your expectation is not only false but potentially dangerous to the health of your dogs and others. Dogs are injured by other dogs (both intentionally and unintentionally) and occasionally die in public dog parks. Don't believe me? Ask other DOLers. You don't get to renew the license. Other dogs won't grant him one. Once again you miss the point. It's not Oscar's behaviour you have only to worry about but how other dogs will react to a maturing male. Telling the wrong dog to back off will result in a full on dust up. My advice to you is to intervene before your dog needs to tell others to back off or he'll end up in an incident. Suit yourself though It seems you're going to have to learn about this the hard way.

MumtoShelley is 26 years old?? If that's the case she's a grown woman. If you don't like what's happening in your parents home MTS the solution is simple. Leave. Your parents house? Their rules. If they don't have an issue with your Aunt's conduct then you've only got one option - find your own place to live and set your own rules.

I am not a breeder either. I am a Whippet owner who fails to see why new breeds need to be introduced to the Whippet blood line to solve problems that don't exist. I also fail to see the relevance of a "genetic rescue" article that discusses issues in a population of wolves derived from only 12 individuals (of whom only a few would be breeding pairs) has to do with the issues in purebred dogs.

I'd heard it was two. You need to leave Qld - no limit on Associates in any other state.

Me: How many current breeds of dogs confront the same scenario - quoted from the article you've posted. If you're going to use that article to suggest that the situation that confronts most modern populations of purebred dogs is analogous, then you are simply wrong. Oh gees is right. Comparison of the genetic diversity in the two populations is ridiculous. Sorry but your credibility in this discussion is taking a dive here. The fact that you refuse to name your own breed ain't helping you.

It also amazes me how many people think that because their dog doesn't have issues with what happens in dog parks, no other owner should be able to object to what happens. I've jumped fences at our club to be the first person to wade into a dog fight... people assume that because their dog is lovely in their back yard, it will be the same in a group of 3 or more highly aroused dogs in an offlead setting... and then an incident is triggered between two dogs, or a dog objects to something and the whole lot weigh in. If you've never seen or experienced your dog behaving as a member of a pack, don't ever assume it won't happen. Lovely family pets can do truely shocking things in such settings. I've watched groups of dogs winding themselves up to that point with owners oblivious to what's going on. Add a new dog, a ball, food, or a scuffle and it becomes a whole new dynamic. Dog trainers don't call offlead dog parks "a license to print money" for no reason. Plenty of vets do OK from patching up after incidents too. There is an excellent book and plenty of guidance online on how to behave safely and courteously in public dog parks. Most suggest an approach slightly more considerate and cautious than "do what works for you".

Sticks are a common source of mouth and upper respiratory tract injuries. Ask your vet. I think you're missing the point here. Its not about what works for YOU. Its about preventing incidents and giving other dog owners choices about who their dogs run with. The issue is not how nice or how gently any one here's dogs are with other dogs. The issue is that unless someone knows your dogs, they don't know that. You also don't know about dogs you're just seeing for the first time. So asking a stranger if its OK for your dogs to mix gives them time to inform you if there's an issue and protects your dogs from any adverse reactions they might have encountered. An ounce of prevention and all that... It will be interesting if Oscar's behaviour changes as he matures and with Zsa Zsa on the scene. Many male dogs (desexed or not) tend to be protective of bitches in their pack. What you can rest assured about is that other male dogs attitudes to Oscar will start to change now. His puppy license is about to expire.

Do you also assume that the dogs will enjoy being visited by large dogs, who may have different play styles, arent' old, or young or mildly dog aggressive? The reason so many of us can't or won't use public dog parks is complete lack of courtesly and lack of consideration by folk who assume because their dogs can pretty much tolerate anything, that everyone else can just suck it up or leave. And yet, with the use of a few courtesies to other dog owners, more folk can use such areas and encounters like the one Aussielover had won't happen. If nothing else, asking if you can enter gives the other owners a chance to leave. And no, Oscar and Zsa Zsa, it is not fair to throw a ball into a park full of dogs and expect that other folks dogs will ignore it, not want it, not chase it and not compete to get it. In a park full of strange dogs already at heightened levels of arousal, that's an invitation for aggression. Do it often enough and you'll start a dog fight.

Glycosulphate is fine once its dry..

Sounds to me like the problem is with your aunt, not her dog. Tackle the problem at its source. I'd have woken my aunt every time the dog woke me.

Resist the urge to fill the pup with treats. With a long drive ahead of him, I'd want a fairly empty stomach and I'd be offering water at stops but not much more. I would recommend you invest in a quality travel crate (or hire one) for the trip. Be VERY careful about where you toilet the pup on the way home. Frankly I'd avoid popular rest stops and try to pull off the road in a place where other dogs wouldn't have been. You can't be too careful about parvo.

I've experienced that on any number of occasions.. at my dog club!! Someone with a large dog asked, we said please use another area (and why) and she stopped and said "no it will be OK" and entered. Immediately her dog was mugged by about five very interested entire males.. she THEN decides its not a good idea. Or the Toy Poodle owner who sees three poodles in a paddock (with five large dogs), pushes open the gate and wonders why her little dog isn't keen on the big dogs greeting. Her comment "I thought the other poodles would want to play". The other poodles looked at the new dog like it was an alien.. the Whippet was keen though. I think that ladies response was over the top.. but gee I can see how a few encounters with others people could push you to that level. Always ask and you can't go wrong. Hell, I'll even vacate an area to give people a go if I've been in there for a bit.

And of course, being telepathic and an expert in dog behaviour, every other dog park user can look at you and your dog and know that you are responsible, your dog is always under control and that her style of play will suit theirs. Its a common courtesy to ask before entering with unknown dogs - for the benefit of everyone. In that case, don't use them in an area with other dog users. This is more than about you and your dog. Its about dynamics that occur when strange dogs and multiple dogs use a common area. If you're not prepared to compromise for the safety and benefit of other park users the solution is a very simple one. Don't enter the gate.

That's how Cairns and West Highland White Terriers were divided.

Sounds like you hit the self appointed park prefect. However she was right about some things; Agree. There's a sign to that effect on the gates at my dog club. Can definitely cause resource guarding dust ups. She had her point but certainly didn't win you over expressing it. However if her dog couldn't be let off lead, why did it need to be in the fenced area?

The pup's breeder should have done that for you before you arrive to pick him up.

How often was "too often" in your pup's case?

Steve: I don't see anyone attempting to deny it. The issue is with people concluding that if some breeds are in trouble, then ALL breeds are. I personally take issue with the idea that outcrossing is the magic bullet for all health concerns. No one knows for sure what introducing new genes will produce when offspring are again linebred to re-establish type.

In a truely rare breed, they have to get 17 BOBs (x 6 points) now.

I am sometimes struck by the irony of a thought process that will see the same folk who constantly lament the decline of entries at shows, point fingers at the objectivity of the judges and the quality of dogs made up to Champion status. They lament the lack of new faces to the fancy but won't sell a dog to a show newb (or indeed to anyone on Main Register) or allow their stud dog to be used outside their own kennel. This behaviour reaches fever pitch on Ozshow. I rarely bother to read posts there anymore. Leaving aside the brags and the offtopic stuff, either the sky is falling, the judges are crooked, someone's dogs are crap or all of the above. And then we have the constant "hear hears" from a few posters adding no value at all. We don't need to look outside the purebred dog fancy for the source of the decline in numbers.. we have enough folk contributing to it from within. I do think the term "petrol champion" is an insulting one. The system exists to refuse dogs challenges. Lets stick with it. LovemyGSD: You need to get out more.. I've seen it reasonably frequently. Not in Group 5 but definitely in Groups 3,4 and 7 I've seen an entire Challenge line up refused CC. I've seen BOB refused. And I've definitely seen plenty of classes refused. I've seen dogs excused from the ring too. Mind you, this was all in the country.

The country folk have their fair share of GR CH's too. But they are only petrol GR CH's apparently. ;)

8, one from TAS/VIC/SA/WA/QLD/NSW/ACT & a Polo to NT (maybe a jacket still deciding). They will all be put into "State" groups and then a "Walking Coat Hanger" will be drawn from each group, that way it is all spread out and fair. :D Eridor's from NSW.. you need to give a jacket to meeeeeee!!!

Move the foster on before he decides he has had enough of this behaviour and retaliates or your dog ups the ante. The result won't be pretty. Sounds to me like your dog is not an ideal candidate to share a home with large foster dogs. I'd be sticking to the littlies from now on.

The "problem" as I see it is that some folk think its too easy to gain a title. And yet, you can go anywhere in this country and hit metro based folk with GR CH's. LovemyGSD, just out of interest, are you currently exhibiting a dog?