poodlefan

Last time I checked the RSPCA was the leading animal welfare organisation in this country. For better or worse, they have tremendous influence on all aninal related legislation. At least one State RSPCA is on record as not supporting BSL. There are others expressing similar sentiments. I suggest you might like to investigate the issue a bit more thoroughly before declaring the entire organisation hostile to your aims.

If it goes out Cal, it will be because the organisation you currently refer to as "pissweak" is onside for the change. If people really want to see BSL overturned, perhaps its time to recognise who the key stakeholders are and get them onside for the process rather than continuing on with the same old abusive tirades that got absolutely nowhere last time around. Don't kid yourself about how change might be made and who will need to advocate for it.

The NSW Act looks good, but it does seem, in Section 55 (Restricted Dogs), to be quite breed specific. That's the BSL part.

I suggest you explore other breeds that may be more suited to your housing situation or get a mature (even senior) Lab that won't need as much mental and physical stimulation as a younger dog. What is it about Labradors that attracts you?

The first thing I'd do is remove her collar whenever they are together. Collars can get wrapped around jaws and lead to disaster. I'd be discouraging any mouthing of her (and you) for a start. He will be big enough to injure her unintentionally now.

If existing dangerous dog legislation was effectively enforced with we wouldn't need any more laws.

Conformation issues. Eg. Hip or stifle issues? An injury to the spine? Is the vet looking at xrays?

What breed are your dogs? Some breeds seem more prone to it than others. Diet also plays a role.

Your vet is a gem. Glad to hear she is recovering well.

I need to read more carefully too. When you go home Nixter, try to be there for a while. If you duck in, feed her and go I expect she'll be pretty frantic.

Have posted in your other thread. I suggest you ask the Moderators to combine the two.

You've brought home a puppy one week earlier than a responsible registered breeder would have let her go. This is a very important stage of puppy development and what happens now is very important. She's just left everything she knows - the constant companionship of her littermates and a routine she was established in. She's in an unfamiliar place, alone for the first time in her life and socially isolated. She is stressed. Pick the crate up and put in the same room you are in. She can stay in there but she will take comfort from your presence. Now is not the time to be working on independence. Let her adjust to her new home first. Personally I'd have the crate in the bedroom overnight. If she stirs, get out of bed, take her to her toileting place and once she's done what she needs to, put her back in her crate and go back to sleep. Maintain that routine and she'll be sleeping through the night pretty quickly. The crate can be slowly moved to a more permanent place if you don't want her sleeping near you. Where will she be while you're at work. Are you aware that such baby puppies ideally have a lunchtime feed?

Thats the idea we are going for, our vet is very helpful and knows what Millie is like so hopefully she will figure out an easier/safer option. Time to dust off the Lilo. If she doesn't need drips changed or anything, hopefully they'll go for it.

Would they let a family member stay overnight with her and have someone on call? I'd not be keen to move, transport and move her again only to have to reverse it tomorrow. Plus the $$$$ of spending the night at an emergency vet can be very

How does he know that only one of the two dogs is barking?

Hope all goes well.

unlikely- but it could follow injury. Poor boy... it is a hard one to crack- as if it is boredom/anxiety related... then you have to provide a substitute to get the 'feel-good' stuff happening for him. My dog chiropractor says licking can be a symptom of a dog being out of alignment. Dogs do lick where they hurt. Is it possible he's carrying some soreness?

Well what about the professional mushers perspective. If they make their living sled racing, are their dogs working dogs?

Midolt: Actually, nowadays, very few Iditarod teams do anything but race. If they are bred, selected, trained and kept as race dogs, not pets, how is this not a "living" from the dog's perspective.

You seem to consider that a "working" dog is not a dog competing in any sort of sport. Is that correct? Unless the task is related to the instincts specifically developed in the breed, the task cannot be "work"? So a team of dogs trained and conditioned to successfully complete the Iditarod three times could not be 'working dogs' because the Iditarod is a race or because they weren't a sledding breed? I'd argue that they were more 'working dogs' than anything else. Here is the team. How this breed ever ended up in the "Non-sporting" Group defies logic IMO

If I wanted to say that it was limited to the task the dog was originally designed for then I would have. I didn't. So Quarantine Beagles are not "working dogs"? Explosives and drug detection dogs are not "working dogs"? Assistance dogs are not "working dogs"? Huh? A better way to put what I said (because you don't seem to be getting it) would be the dog is using his instincts to perform a job. If its regardless of breed Midol, then how can you define "working" by saying that its when the dog was specifically bred for the task. Some of the best "working" drug and explosives detection dogs in the UK are working line English Springer Spaniels. They certainly aren't bred for that job. Would you consider a sled team that's successfully completed the Iditarod as a "working" team regardless of breed?

If I wanted to say that it was limited to the task the dog was originally designed for then I would have. I didn't. So Quarantine Beagles are not "working dogs"? Explosives and drug detection dogs are not "working dogs"? Assistance dogs are not "working dogs"?

By your definition Midol, your dog will never be a "working dog". Possibly only the Dobermann and the Black Russian Terrier would be a "working security dog"

Is a Guide Dog a "working dog"?

Is sledding considered to be "work" by folk? Is a sled racing team competing in the Iditarod "working"?