poodlefan

Note the significant qualifier.

OP can't responsibly rehome this dog.. so other options must be looked at. My first port of call would be to find out where the dog came from. Ideal solution would be to see her returned. 13 months old and not desexed tells me it wasn't a responsible rescue, that's for sure. Astro would be living in a constant state of stress. This dog would not be in my home a single day longer.

Nice looking boy! Bronson is my suggestion for a name.

They'd have to catch him first! I've caught a wandering Pharoah hound before. Put him in my back yard to make a call and next thing he was in the neighbours yard. They sure can jump! Hope this one gets a happy ending.

And if you cannot feel her ribs with the flat of your hand without pressure, get that weight off her. Fat puppies are far more prone to joint issues than lean ones.

If he wasnt rinsed in running water, I'd say there's every chance its shampoo that's made the flakes. Rinse him off in a bucket of warm water with just a dash of white vinegar. That may help. He really shouldn't smell. A daily brush and wipe with a damp chamois will help keep him in good nick.

I think whilst some cafes might be "dog tolerant" they aren't all that "friendly" from a dog's perspective. I'd rather buy a take away and sit in a park without having to worry about my dog being trodden on, having things dropped or spilt on them, being accosted by other dogs or kids or presenting a risk to service staff. If I want to have a coffee and a gas bag with my friends, the dogs stay home or we go to somewhere more genuinely dog friendly. We may like to kids ourselves but Australians aren't all that tolerant. I tend to go for conflict avoidance and simply don't take my dogs places where some won't welcome them. On another note, I think a lot of accommodation that advertises itself as "dog friendly" isn't. A place that won't allow dogs inside isn't "dog friendly" in my book.

Some have rear and some have double dew claws on the rear legs. What's required for each breed is specified in some breed standards. Many breeders remove them because pet owners tend not to keep them short and they can be torn off. If your dog has them on front legs they need to be trimmed regularly or they will grow a full circle into the skin. As Bisart says, they're also bloody sharp if a dog paws you with a front leg. ETA: Here's pic of double dew claws (on a Beauceron)

I don't see admitting that perhaps a different home might be better for Harper as "giving up". I see it as doing right be the dog. Patricia McConnell once commented that there is no shame in rehoming a dog to a home that suits it better than yours. I think there's a lot of wisdom in that statement.

Yes it did I knew it wasnt a police matter but i was just asking if i could do something about it. But obviously i cant and a few people on here think its okay what if this dog gets out and attacks someone. He is basically buying it to be pts, I know he hasnt got it yet but its the fact he is looking for a dog that will bite someone. People on here sure change opinions a lot. Why would you think you SHOULD do something about it? I don't think its "OK" but gee you're jumping to a lot of conclusions based on not a lot of facts. I fail to see the point of constantly drawing our attention to ads or websites that upset you. Its a breach of forum rules for a start. If you want to discuss guard dogs and issues that surround them then start a thread about it. Pointing at ads, making judgemental comments about their authors and expecting us all to shriek in sympathetic horror is rather tedious. After all, you're the only person whose seen the actual ad anyway. There are plenty of folk who both want and own dogs that will bite intruders to their yards. Its called territorial aggression and some breeds have been selectively developed to display it. Many of the same dogs display no aggressive tendencies off their own turf OR in the presence of their owners. And all kinds of folk both want and own dogs that will defend territory. That doesn't necessarily make them irresponsible or idiots. It doesn't necessarily mean their dogs will escape to wreak havoc in their communities either. If you want to discuss your concerns about people owning guard dogs then fill your boots. I just get rather tired of posters jumping on chairs, drawing up their skirts in shock/indignation and expecting everyone to empathise with their point of view. Lets discuss facts/situations not feelings.

Buy white chocolate from now on - no risk to dogs. Seriously, I'm glad both are fine. Dogs sure now how to worry us sometimes.

Why would anyone raise a litter of pups, vaccinate and microchip them and then give them away? Sometimes you get what you pay for. If a pup is free, you'd have to ask yourself why. And if it is "free" and you have to vaccinate, microchip etc then you're shelling out for the purchase anyway.

Oh great we need her interfering like we need a hole in the head Watch the horse racing industry quietly put that idea to bed. Mind you, if Ingrid had said "all livestock for slaughter overseas" she'd have not heard a peep out of me.

She wants a purebred GSD pup for free? I'd give her very long odds of finding one from any source.

There's a way you can report threads like this for breaching forum rules. Seriously, what's the point of this post.. paying out on a person you don't know based on a few words? Encouraging others to do the same? It's not illegal to own a guard dog.

That's a lot of pressure to put on both him and you.

I'm thinking that that feeling might not be right. Harper, the right dog for you will make you happy, not nervous anxious and depressed whenever you're alone together. The "OMG what have I done" moments shouldn't be constant. I have been tempted a couple of times, to tell you to breathe, relax and not wind yourself up so tight about everything Harper does. However, that may not be who you are. To be frank if I were looking for a more laid back poodle, I would not choose one of Harper's colouring. It is possible that he is quite highly strung and not a candidate for a lot of time alone. By contrast, my first poodle Ted, was on his own five days a week, all day, from the age of 11 weeks. My guess is that this may be a combination of great owner, great dog, but not necessarily for one another. Clearly neither of you are finding it easy to 'fit' with one another. My honest advice is to let him go, look around and go for a colour more likely to be of solid temperament (ie. black) and to wait until you have a yard to get a mini poodle - a yard gives them a space to explore without you and time wiithout you is important so a dog can learn to be alone. They are an active breed and without space to run and play, nervousness can just ramp up. Honestly, it doesn't have to be this hard. You need to relax more and to find a dog that will fit more easily into your home. The right pup will be out there.

Hope he turns up safely and quickly.

Shite, that's not good. Is it possible he's climbed the fence?

Is that because you need a great big box for the great big Great Dane brushes??

I know you said there was no trouble between them - but the stance of that Staffy is exactly when I go and grab Boonie away - maybe I'm overracting but I reckon that Staffy is on high alert. could just be a trick of the photo in this pic. Would I be reading the language of dogs wrong by acting this way? Tail up and looks to have piloerection.. dog in high state of arousal but not necessarily an aggressive display. Certainly would warrant caution and in that breed, I'd be avoiding if possible. My experience is that such dogs don't generally have issues with submissive dogs but a dog that's not tolerant of attempts to dominate might start something a Stafford would finish. And I have a dog that doesn't deal at all well with such displays. We met such a Stafford on our local oval some months back. I let the Whippet deal with him. Its extremely difficult for a dog to give a dominance display to a Whippet running laps around him Stafford owner couldn't stop saying "I've never seen a dog run so fast". In the end it was just a game of chasey.

You should take that up, Poodlefan - Ish's young girl has met my lappie and she was an absolute delight :-) Sorry, I think you've confused me with someone else?? Poodlemum perhaps?

Given that dogs are now domestic animals, I don't really see what realistic alternative exists. All you can do is try to make the most knowledgeable decision about that you can. Nature's selection process for "best breeding animal" can be nasty brutish and short. We need to step up and admit to the fact that we've altered dogs in ways that mean they are no longer viable in the wild and then do our utmost to ensure that we don't breed any dog whose welfare is compromised by its features. There is an argument we've crossed that line and in some breeds I'm inclined to agree. The reason why only one or two dogs in a litter might be considered "ideal breeding prospects" can be a combination of structure and type (although I find it hard to separate those). Whilst a litter may be nearly identical genetically, phenotype does vary and that's what you're working on. By the way, your average show Lab is, IMO, carrying far too much weight. Slim them down and most look far more capable of doing what they were bred for. However as we know, there's more to a retriever than how it looks.

Perhaps not but others did. You are entirely responsible for the behaviour of your dog. Your level of control over the weather, the structural integrity of your gazebo, the strength of ropes and pegs and ground conditions is far less certain. Why you'd conclude that the VCA or show committee should assume liability for such things beats me. Personal injury is a whole different ballgame for which all VCA affiliates are insured. Shit happens. It doesn't always mean someone is responsible. Even if responsible, it doesn't mean someone should be financially liable. It would be nice to think that if a person caused preventable damange to your property that they'd shuddup and pay up. But sadly, it aint always so.

Depends on what you call "expensive". I pay waaaay more for my dog's shampoo than for my own!