Maddy

I can certainly see why someone felt the need to start that page but unfortunately, they're going at the issue wrong and ultimately, rescue will suffer for it. A better use of their time would be providing some basic information about what to look for in a rescue and encouraging consumers to use common sense. Sometimes good rescue will stuff up- when you're dealing with living creatures this is inevitable- but the occasional mistake does not make them a shoddy group. The obvious problem is.. the 99 satisfied customers won't be writing emails to FB groups about their experiences but the 1 dissatisfied customer will.

Exactly. The pup may have an more assertive temperament than the adult dog and as soon as it is old enough to enforce its will, it'll be doing just that. Being younger or new doesn't mean the pup will just bow down to the older dog. As for the digging.. as others have said, lack of stimulation may have nothing to do with it. I have one dog who digs trenches to sleep in when it's hot (we have a sand area for that), another dog who'd digs holes to stash toys/interesting twigs/any food she could make off with and a new dog who just loves to dig because it's fun (he and his "sister" dig them together). Digging isn't some aberrant behaviour to be dealt with, it's normal and provided there's no issue behind it (like trying to escape the yard, etc.) it really is better to just work with the behaviour- pick out somewhere for the dog to dig (a sand area makes it a lot easier for them to learn) - rather than trying to stop it.

Our dogs get four chicken frames each a week and we've never had any problems. The frame is stuffed with a mix of lamb and roo mince to get the weight up to 1kg (they're larger dogs, obviously.) and then put in the freezer for a few hours to harden up the mince and kill some of the bacteria. The definite downside to feeding chicken is that you really have to be careful with the food handling. If I'm not going to use it within two days of purchase, it has to be frozen. Also a good idea to check your meat before using it (or buying it, if you can)- the meat should not feel wet or be leaking blood and it should have no "meaty" smell. Chicken that feels slimy or has flesh coloured greyish, yellowish (except for corn-fed chickens) or greenish is probably best discarded rather than risking food poisoning for your dog.

"Interesting" is certainly one way of putting it, yes. As I said before, it's a good fat source (especially for dogs that are fed kibble) but the claims of it being useful for HIV, autism, asthma, herpes (and so on and so forth- that list wasn't much different from every other "miracle" natural product) are, if you'll excuse the bluntness, bullsh*t. It's not a miracle product and should be used the same as you'd use any other sort of fat source. You wouldn't shovel lard into your dog without considering very carefully how it contributes to your dog's overall energy intake, lipids are still lipids. I honestly don't think it can be of much benefit to most dogs beyond use as a fat additive. We use it for the hounds for two reasons- to get condition on dogs quickly to make desexing a little easier and in winter to help them maintain weight and proper coat (some will grow a kennel coat if they drop too much in winter). Actual skin conditions need to be treated with a product containing active ingredients of proven efficacy. Anyone can post a claim on the internet without even a shred of evidence to back it up- before you believe anything about a "health" product, look for peer-reviewed studies (preferably not conducted by the company selling the product) to confirm what's being claimed. typo

I'd be using proper sunscreen and learning to cope with having paler skin. Tanning is dangerous and coconut oil provides no sun protection. Your skin may be more moist after tanning using coconut oil (like how a roast leg of meat that's been basted with fat with be moist) but the damage is still done and in time, it'll all catch up with you. Anyways.. If you want to eat a particular amount of it per day, it can be used in place of butter or margarine in cooking or food prep. You do have to use much smaller amounts for savoury food though as the coconut taste is pretty strong. I give my greyhounds a tablespoon every couple of days so for a BC, I'd probably give less. Also, I'd be reading those pro-coconut articles with a healthy dose of skepticism. Lots of things slipped in there that aren't researched but still claimed.. It's a palatable fat source and great for giving dogs a bit of extra fat in winter but I'd not be putting too much stock in some of the other claims.

I have no idea what you are referring to. Perhaps you are confusing my posts with somebody else's? It seems Troy has done some ninja pruning of this thread ;) Edited to add.. Not to any of Greytmate's posts, just to clarify. The stealth deleting of posts may have caused some confusion about who said what Re-edited for derpy typing skillz

Sighthound people are tewwibly mean Back on topic.. While I could totally understand wanting a purebred dog of known lineage, I can't understand not going through a breed-especific rescue for that dog when breed rescue means you can get an adult dog of tested temperament, level of prey drive (this applies to more than just greyhounds) and health. That said, to each their own- if someone came to me wanting a dog for agility, I'd be pointing them in the direction of a breeder of a more appropriate breed for dog sports, for example.

Some really good information posted here already, only thing I'd add is that crate are also really good for feeding, especially when it's a higher value food (like raw meat or bones) or when there's any chance of food stealing or fighting. I crate one of my fosters at dinner time because he's a terrible food thief and he'll also eat more than his stomach can handle (and then has to be watched for hours because he'll vomit and there's always that risk of choking). When crated, the dogs never seem to rush their food as much and because they associate the crate with food, the crates can be used to separate dogs in an emergency (they'll jump in as soon as the crate door is opened). Good crate training makes a big difference. Also seems to make them more willing to sleep in confined spaces which would be useful if the dog was expected to sleep in a kennel outside at night.

CAR - Central Animal Records CAR NSW - Companion Animal Registry AAR - Australasian Animal Registry NPR - National Pet Register Petsafe HomesafeID (seems to be just for QLD)

There's a lot of greyhound people up there so tagging along at a hound meet should be easy enough. Might even be some with roman noses. they're really striking. Muzzled, ripped dogs in muscle vests probably are a little intimidating but that's really not the best representation of how they are. This is probably more accurate.. they're just dogs. They can run a bit faster than most other breeds but they'll still eat crap out of the bin, leave noseprints on your windows and sometimes vomit up grass in your hallway. The dog below, Doug, actually thinks he's a labrador- anything that isn't nailed down, he'll try to eat (learned the hard way to keep the sponge mop in the linen cupboard :rolleyes: ). (Excuse the kennel coat and calloused elbows, photo was taken when he'd just arrived)

Not having a go here but I have to admit I find it odd that someone would be scared of some really people-friendly breeds when you're more likely to get bitten by some of the "cuter" (but more reactive) breeds. I've been fostering greyhounds for a few years now and I've never known anyone to be even nipped by one, let alone anything more serious that that. They're gentle and very tolerant dogs, even when they have good reason to bite- One of my fosters got bitten by another dog, resulting in her side being torn open from literally her shoulder to about halfway down her ribs and I was able to check the wound, strap it closed and get her in the car without so much as a grumble. Would I attempt something like that with other breeds of dog? I'd be very wary. Same goes for the bully breeds, really. They get a lot of bad press (likely just crossbred dogs that look bully enough to label them as such) but the reputation is just misinformed and really quite unrealistic.

I think they're fully to blame, who else could be held responsible? Yes, we had to advise everyone that called to come in, many still didn't though. I also hope other places do this too. Another part of the problem is the difference in colour naming between breeds. We've actually had a call from a vet before, asking if we wanted a "brown" greyhound that someone had brought in. Given how unusual duns are, we went out there.. it was a black greyhound with kennel coat :rolleyes: (we took Josie anyway) While it's easy for those who are knowledgable about a breed to recognise colour/breeding (pure, cross)/other things to look for (in greyhounds, ear brands, for example), those without that knowledge just to have base information on what they can see. I have no doubt that this can sometimes lead to owners calling pounds and pound staff honestly believing that they haven't seen the dog in question. Unless owners keep accurate records to refer to (markings are a good way of identifying individuals, for a lot of breeds), they really can't expect pound staff to be performing miracles based on vague information such as "black and white border collie" or.. "yellow labrador".

Why is it surprising to you that the OP's dogs don't like sardines?My two love sardines but then again they would eat dirt if I put it in a bowl.The OP is asking for advice not critisism. Exactly. Of the three foster dogs I currently have.. One will scoff down roo tails as if they were the first thing he'd ever eaten (Doug). The other two will back away if they smell them (Sophie, Ru). Two will eat kibble if mixed in with meat (Doug, Sophie). The other one will eat around the kibble and if the amount is anything over a quarter of a cup in his meat, he just won't eat it (Ru). One will gobble down worming chews (Sophie). Two have to have their worming chew coated in peanut butter (Doug, Ru). Not all dogs like fish. Not all dogs like egg or egg shell. Plenty of dogs don't really enjoy chewing on bones. I do know why the OP's dogs might turn their noses up at sardines- they're not Sheena's dogs and they have different tastes. People need to bear this stuff in mind when making suggestions. What works for one dog might not work for another, I think even the most enthusiastic raw vs commercial debaters will admit that "what is best for the dog is what the dog does best on", there's no exact formula, even for individuals of a certain breed (I feed my greys raw but know plenty of people who feed their hounds kibble- both groups are doing just fine).

I almost lost a cat to "finders, keepers" and when I finally got her back, it was more than six months later. My mother was walking to work and saw Panda sitting in someone's front yard, about a 20 minute walk from our house. Apparently the children had found her and took her collars off to convince the parents she was stray. I'd spent the last six months searching for her (she was my first ever pet) and being a child, I was absolutely heartbroken when we didn't find her after a few weeks (assumed she'd been hit by a car, but at least wanted to find her body or who disposed of it). She was obviously a much-loved cat, wore two collars (a flea collar and a collar with one of those little name discs on it), was clean, desexed, well-fed and extremely friendly- I can sort of understand why the children did what they did but the parents should've known better- those six months were just horrible. Most pounds would much rather sell you back the animal after the impound period is up than pay a vet to destroy it and then have to dispose of the body, anyway. I can still remember that thread on here (not too long ago) about the pregnant cat that someone took and was "caring" for. It made me so angry- that cat could've been someone's pet. And I know how much it hurts to not know where they are. typo

You might want to do a bit of googling. I think this might be all bullshit. Did you try googling before posting? http://www.sodahead....estion-1636663/ You don't think it's bullshit? The fact that they did the study? It seems as though they did do one. Or did you mean the findings? What findings? Nobody did any study, there is no Bijon-Frize Care Institute or French skincare giant Bonpeau. It's all just bullshit. Copied and pasted from a weblog posted on April 1st, 2011. Lies. The links in the article direct to a Wikipedia page for the company "April fools". Clearly Greytmate is just one of those anti-saliva people. Probably thinks homeopathy is just poo-water, too

Before submitting, spellcheck. Or.. maybe it's the correct spelling if you have a NZ accent..

Letting my dogs lick me causes an allergic reaction. Not as severe as cats cause but if it gets near my eyes (like, touching face after having hand licked) it can get really uncomfortable. That aside, super awesome antibacterial or not.. my dog pees on his own front leg and then licks it off again. No thanks.

You wouldn't want a puppy eating 50% bone anyway, that's the point. The OP wasn't imposing on you by asking about these things, you chose to come in here and reply. If you don't have time to post something of use (besides "You don't know what you're doing"), perhaps spend your precious time doing something else? Anyways.. http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/172826-rawnatural-chitchat/page__hl__raw+feeding http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/229646-starting-to-feed-raw/page__p__5587238__hl__%2Braw+%2Bdiet__fromsearch__1#entry5587238 http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/229010-joint-supplements/page__p__5568627__hl__%2Braw+%2Bdiet__fromsearch__1#entry5568627 http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/228131-raw-meat-for-puppy/page__p__5540877__hl__%2Braw+%2Bdiet__fromsearch__1#entry5540877 http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/227319-raw-diet-for-dogs/page__p__5514442__hl__%2Braw+%2Bdiet__fromsearch__1#entry5514442 The first thread is very good, lots of discussion there.

Rather than make comments like that, why not actually try to provide her with the knowledge required (I'm assuming you must have plenty of it?). For what it's worth, Teela, I'm of the opinion that Sandra's suggestion of 50% bone in a puppy's diet is totally inappropriate. If you ask, many places will be happy to mince up roo or chicken frames into meat (rather than just throw them out) and the meat can be frozen to help exercise their jaws. Done that way, the risk of choking or injuries to the gut are pretty minimal. Raw feeding for puppies does take a bit more research but there's heaps of information here and plenty of other people with a decent understanding of the issues around it. Shmoo's list of dangerous foods is also definitely worth reading, while you're at it. Some foods that are generally considered safe do actually have some risks (like eggs).

I don't mind cats but since the age of about 19, I've been getting increasingly sensitive to cat saliva and cats give me a nasty case of the itchies- or the bright red, itchy, huge rash, if they rub their faces on any exposed skin. My last cat, Benson, used to leave long red marks on my calves from rubbing his face against them. The allergies aside, I have greyhounds now (and foster greyhounds) so another cat would be out of the question anyway. If it came down to a choice between a cat or a dog, it'd be a dog.

One of my fosters, Doug, is obsessed with Roundup so I suppose it's possible for another dog to be scared of something similar. Doug has to be locked away while I'm spraying weeds because I caught him following along behind me, licking at the sprayer where the Roundup was leaking out a little. He focuses very strongly on the sprayer and will ignore most things to try to get a lick at the precious Roundup. In Doug's case, it seems to be a habit- he also eats rocks, the bristles of brooms and anything made of that really hard plastic.

Some definitely seem to go grey earlier than others. Grace was aged at approximately four years old and she had very obvious white beard happening. I can sympathise with the greying greys though, I'm only 27 and it's already creeping in here

Most of the trainers I've spoken to seem to believe that black dogs run the fastest. I doubt they breed for colour though, greyhounds can carry black as either dominant or recessive so the chances of it popping up are quite high. The colour they are superstitious about is blue dogs. Apparently blue dogs are slow. The white hairs come up on all colours but I suppose they might be more apparent on black. I always thought it looked kind of cuter than just a black face though

My greyhounds only bark at family and friends :/ Even then, it's more of an excited "OMG WE HAVE VISITORS! OMG U GUIZ VISITORS OMG!" kind of barking. If they don't recognise a car or person, they stay completely quiet or scurry off to hide in bravely guard the spot behind the garage. Kiff sleeps in the hallway that leads to the front door and has been known to sleep right through someone knocking on the door and then me trying to step over him to answer it. If all burglers had to carry liver treats in their pockets, maybe they'd get more of a response from my pack of fatties.

We don't offer a choice (although some groups do, for whatever reason) but that doesn't tend to stop people wanting "one of those biscuit-coloured dogs" and saying so on their application in the extra information section. *Puts on used car salesman suit* Have I got the dog* for you.. *Totally not the Doug who dug the Sarlacc pit in my backyard to throw jedis/toys into.. that was surely some other dog named Doug >.> But seriously.. Lazy Doug is a lovely boy but he has everything stacked against him- he's black, he's male and he's on the larger size. I expect Doug will be with us for at least ten months, if not much longer, mostly because he had the misfortune to have a particular hair colour. In greyhounds, black is almost like being one of those pale, freckly people with bright ginger hair.. there's a niche market out there but it isn't big. Personally though.. I could never understand the black hate- with the right tools, you can take a fluffy, brownish dog and make them look amazing. I have a white and fawn dog but despite my best efforts, I've never been able to get him looking quite as stunning as a glossy, black dog. Black, of all the coat colours, really does come up the best.