poodlefan

Dont' rant. Report. If people can't motivate themselves to control their dogs, the council might do the trick. That was enough to see the dog declared as dangerous.

If you want to avoid having the council involved, you'll have to deal with the barking quickly. There are quite a few threads on here about resolving barking issues but a start point is probably to buy and fit an aversive "anti-bark" collar. There are several kinds with the jet spray type and the electronic collar type. I'd be starting there.

Old horse rug washing trick: Soak the blankets overnight in a solution of water with a good dash of vinegar, THEN wash. Some commerical laundries have special machines for horse and dog stuff - might be worth looking around.

I think the reason is more likely to be the amount of cereal in the kibble than chicken. Switch up to a better quality one and see what happens.

It's indicative of something not being right and certainly won't do anything to empty anal glands.

Royal Canin make a German Shepherd specific kibble. Most larger pet suppliers would sell it. A quick online search should find stockists in your area or you can have it delivered. The working GSD folk I know feed Proplan - performance one I think.

You've just described the overwhelming majority of members of the public. The classic example: "a dog who is wagging his tail is happy". Nope, not always. If the guy got off his bike and approached the dog to stab it, not that's not preventable. But lets bear in mind that was not how the original report described what happened.

Trust me, this ain't a timid dog.. here's Howie heading into water after his kong wubba!

A factor of what? If you're talking about the cal/phos ratio, meat on the bone (as the OP is feeding) is balanced. I fail to see how supplementing kibble with appropriate raw foods is going to create issues.

Riiiiight. And she didn't have a vested interest in that statement. I'd like to see a single independent study that supported any of it. Using scare tactics on pet dog owners - classy.

Calcium by the way hardens stools...fibre does not. As Rappie says, its not hard stools that express the glands - its BIG ones. Fur and feather used to do the job but few dogs get that now. Pumpkin and pysillium are both useful.

In case you were wondering why I seem to contradict that information, the Brittany isn't a spaniel. Its a utility gundog. They are far lower maintenance than a spaniel. Much less hair and far less troublesome ears.

You need to increase the amount of fibre in his diet (bone isn't much help by the way), learn to express them yourself, or have them done regularly by a vet or groomer. How much exercise does your dog get and what is he fed now?

I'd not rate any Spaniel as "low maintenance" in the grooming department. Most are professionally groomed. Those that arent' tend to look like woolly mammoths. Whippets are fine with cats they know if socialised with cats. A strange cat that runs, on the other hand, is fair game for many. Most Whippets I know aren't soft or timid dogs.. BUT they've been extensively socialised. That said, they don't deal well with being yelled at or jerked around. I think its time you headed out for a dog show Haven!! My guess is you'll see breeds that you may not have considered.

When I think of "easy to train" dogs, terriers aren't the first group that comes to mind. However, within the Group, I'd be looking at an Aussie or a Border Terrier as "easier".

I agree. I constantly reminding a friend of mine (who gets frustrated with her old girl) that she's living with a geriatric dog. They need routine, understanding and lots of love. I love the oldies. I can live without being woken twice a night EVERY night to let Princess Lil out to the loo but I'll make the most of her while she's still here.

There's a special sub-forum for senior dogs now Huski! I feel your pain. Lily is now 13 and barks to go in and out the dog door when I'm home. I figure responding to her barks is better than puddles so I just let her out. I think all you can do is keep carrying her. Stairs are a big ask on a little oldie

I'll loan you Howie.. he's made a few converts.

I'd say your OH just needs a bit more time around them. Sighthounds have plenty of muscle on a lean frame. Of course if your OH wants a BIG sighthound, there's always the Irish Wolfhound , Nothing skinny about them.

WHIPPET!!! Most would be under 15kg. Larger males would make that weight and the males are great pets. Indoor access would be a must.

You misinterpet me. I don't think the attack was justfied. I think it was preventable. No approach = no attack. That's why I keep bringing up the issue of recalls., A dog and its owner don't have to put up with this if the owner exercises a reasonable degree of control. Why anyone who gave the matter thought would conclude that everyone enjoys an unknown dog rushing up to them defeats me.

Don't worry about the edit above, I hit the wrong button With appropriate adult support, I don't see why not. They're generally great kids dogs. Choose an outgoing pup from a reputable breeder, socialise and train it and you'll have a great family dog. My one caution would be to remember that this is a breed that can cover a lot of ground VERY quickly and that doesn't tend to demonstrate road sense. I'd be insisting he keep his Whippie onlead unless in safe fenced areas.

Train to do what? They ain't Border Collies but they are definitely trainable. Much would depend on the child. A calm patient kid would be OK. Whippets don't deal well with tantrum chuckers of any age. ;)

Best bet in Wagga would be Norman Duck Oval at San Isidore on the Adelaide side.. drive through town and on the left you'll see a road with a big grassed area. Its where the dog club train and they hold agility trials. If you get to the Kapooka turn off, you've gone too far.

Personally I think the more you 'interfere' with the treasure, the more you make the dog anxious and likely to guard. I'd be opting for feeding bones in crates. If you must get the bone, offer a swap or practice calling the dog off the bone and reward like crazy. I agree that a professional consult is a good idea but resource guarding can be a hard wired behaviour that can recoccur under different circumstances. The easiest and safest option IMO is a crate and to remove the dog when there is food around kids.