RuralPug

My guess would be that the time your son is ten that the type of dog he likes will have changed anyway, which is probably a pity as it is often several years' wait for a show quality pup to be available in many breeds. If you do choose a toy sized breed, pick a sturdy one first and foremost to avoid broken bones and tears due to clumsy hounds, then from the list of sturdy ones choose a temperament and grooming and exercise levels that will suit your son and household. Edited to add: Some of the small terriers might be great, they mostly need stripping but are otherwise wash and wear - or a smooth coated terrier like the Tenterfield might be ideal they all think they are big dogs anyway!!!

Bless 'em!!

Actually if they are short people.... :wink: And kidding aside, many pet people I have met describe their dog as waist high because they are using the top of the head to measure and not the withers. Certainly no excuse like that for the weight braggarts (or are they getting pounds and kilos confused? )

Was trying to offer advice to someone whose dog kept escaping and wandering..gave up after they insisted that there was no point in fixing the fences as their dog could clear jump 25ft without touching the wall..... I didn't consider it exaggeration though...I assumed another motive altogether.

It doesn't have to be the right balance every day, it DOES have to the the right balance on average over each week or so. When you are thinking about how much of each food group to feed (on average) it may help to think of a rabbit carcass. How much of that is bone, how much muscle meat, how much edible organs, how much skin etc. etc. That is probably a good rough ratio for a prey diet, especially if supplements are given and meat types are varied, fishes included, blended green leafy veges (in proportion to the stomach content of a grazer) and the odd bits of fruit etc. It is really great if you can find other body part type foods, such as green tripe, bird feet, hooves and horns (those last two for chewing rather than eating if that makes sense) in the sort of proportion you would find on an animal carcass. (Not that you would find a rabbit with hooves and.or horns - I hope! ) There are probably as many types of diets as there are raw feeders LOL and the one that works best for your dog is the best one.

Thanks for the info Esky...2007 is very recent, given that bullarabs have been around since at least the 1970s (and probably before!) I am all in favour of development registers for recognition and standardisation of a new breed, but I find it a bit confusing and somewhat sad when there are competing registers. If the breeders involved in cementing the breed type until it breeds true cannot agree, it could delay the recognition of the breed. I suspect that this is happening with Australian Bulldogs-Aussie Bulldogs-Bosdogs. Is there a difference in the type of Bull Arab being certified in the two different registries or do they share the same standard but differ politically in some way?

Do you mean the one which everyone is whinging about, where vets are no longer allowed to ring the owner of a stray dog (via microchip info) to come and collect him/her from the vet but now MUST hand over to the local government authority? Previously they would often hold it for a day or two while trying to locate owners, and would get council to collect if no owners were found in that time span. February 2013 the DPI advised vets that they would be fined if they continued the practice. The laws had been in place since 1994, but microchips came to mean that vets could easily ID the owner and the dog would avoid the stress of impounding. A very few shires and councils have given permission for the vets to continue to accept and reunite strays with their owners, but most of them take the "new" law quite seriously, collect the dog, impound it and fine the owners. Again some councils will not fine the owner for a first offence of straying, provided that the dog is registered with the council, is microchipped and is wearing it's registration disc or tag. Most impounded dogs though will incur an impound fee at the very least, especially if the council has sub-contracted to the Lost Dogs Home. OK found a newspaper story from back then in the Herald Sun. Must say that I don't think too much of the vet if he is repeatedly holding the same dog for collection, after two or three times being a stray it fits the definition of a "nuisance dog". EFS

Oso, yes that's a thought - maybe it should be pinned somewhere puppy seekers can find it. Or should the DOL brains trust perhaps tweak it a little first for local conditions? Sandgrubber, I see the point you are making and can agree that historically, exaggeration of desired breed features has often created problems for a breed. I personally believe that now is decreasing in kennel club affiliated breeders as genetic knowledge becomes more widespread. I, too, would like to see some provision for ethical breeders outside the breed club/showring spectrum. Breed clubs can sometimes be extremely political and unhelpful to ethical breeders. I think this basically has the aim of turning people away from BYBers, puppy farmers and careless breeders and it has my full support for that reason. Mita, Steve and Jed, I agree that there is certainly overlap and would perhaps like to see to last two columns renamed to perhaps "Ethical Breeder" and "Doyen Ethical Breeder". MQ thank you for that link! HW, yes that is my intent in posting here. I am looking at it as less of a label and more of a guide for Joe Public.

Hmm to me breed specific rescues often include crosses, near cousins of the breed etc. Breed CLUB rescue on the other hand, I notice often restricting themselves to purebreeds (although not all of them do.) Often the reason for a breed specific rescue is that one or more of the characteristics of the breed means it is best for them to be cared for by breed experts and rehomed carefully, rather than sit in a pound and be sold off to the first applicant, or be fostered without knowledge of special needs. Some examples of this: rescues for a small brachy breed may take crosses and other small brachy breeds as within their field of specialty/competence. A Saluki or Afghan rescue might take on most of the less common sighthounds. Some spitz rescues may take most large spitzes and their crosses. A Mastiff rescue might take on any Mastiff or giant breed. I pretty much consider any rescue that selects for its carer's expertise in a particular type or group of types of dogs to be breed specific. I suspect one of the extreme examples of this is Australian Working Dog Rescue Inc. which will take on pretty much any of the farm terriers or Australian herding breeds or their crosses. I consider them a breed specific rescue (perhaps many wouldn't) since they are trying to rehabilitate and appropriately place those dogs that share the background and needs of Australian Working dogs. That is my personal opinion, and I can understand why some might consider the title "breed specific rescue" inappropriate for some of these groups, but we don't really have any other label. Perhaps there should be more...

Love the powderpuffs! There are more than a few in rescue lately.

I would just like to give kudos to whoever designed this matrix (I am trying to find out) It is easier to read on this webpage. I think this is brilliant and a great way for the general public to come to a quick understanding that not all breeders are the same. I may have minor quibbles and niggles here and there but overall I think it is fantastic. What do others think? Edited to add the link (thank you MQ!)

Thanks for the info! I didn't realise there was a development register and a standard - when did those things happen?? No point my trying to educate all the hunting breeders around here - they are still using mastiff types and pointer types with the odd dollop of staghound type... Bullmastiff x GSP x Dane is a common mix. I have one here here - adult and just under 50 kg last time I had him weighed. He was from a rural pound though, and I doubt very much would be on any register - most of the ones we see here aren't.

I agree with all of the above advice, and the only thing I wish to elaborate on further is the level of commitment needed if you are serious about getting a quality puppy. Learn as much as you can about dog confirmation and movement in general and how the basic ratios etc apply to your breed. Learn the breed standard by heart but be prepared for a lifetime of learning to interpret some of them!! Be prepared to learn from those willing to share knowledge (this may not always be a person in your chosen breed). Be prepared to unlearn it all and see it in a new light after a concentrated span of time. Breeders are not necessarily going to place their best show prospect in a litter in a home that hasn't established a commitment to showing as well as being an excellent home. So you will need to demonstrate a commitment to showing - the best way to do this is to turn up regularly at dog shows two or three times a month for six months or more. Some will suggest this is overkill - but if you want to demonstrate that you are someone who will make all the effort to strut someone's bloodlines in the ring, you will have to make the effort. Talk to breeders in your chosen breed and use the advice above to sort the wheat from the chaff to start with. Take that six months to understand dog showing as a hobby - ask to visit breeders and if they can teach you ringcraft. (Attending ring training handling classes (even without a dog)if you are city-based and have access to them, is another excellent alternative.) Another sign of commitment is to join your stater ANKC affiliate even before you approach breeders for a puppy. I'm not sure about all states, but certainly in some you cannot even help someone else by handling one of their extra dogs in the ring unless you are a financial member.

Yes, I understand the position that RSPCA(WA) are in. My post was badly worded. I would like there to be approved foster carers for long term evidential holds much as there are approved foster carers for children in cruelty cases. This would mean changes in the law, not necessarily in the RSPCA.

Temporarily make a barrier of rolled up towels or the like pinned around his neck and middle of his back that prevent him from twisting his body around. It might also help if the e-collar is more rigid, so duct tape chopsticks or similar to it to brace it if bending is allowing him to reach the surgery site. As a last resort - cover the surgery site with loose pyjamas or similar.

Agreed.

A good relationship with your vet and mutual trust is one of the very best treatments available!!! All paws crossed for Stussy's continued improvement!

I cannot understand why the dog has to remain impounded while the court case drags on...if RSPCA(WA) charges daily impound fees that they expect to recoup once the case has been settled, then even if the owner was found not guilty (unlikely), the chances of her being able to afford 18 months of impound fees accruing are slim to none. She would than have to sue the prosecutors to try and recoup impound fees and the whole thing would drag on further... Surely domestic pets could be granted the same rights as children in this sort of circumstance and be placed in a long term foster home or with an approved relative while the wheels of justice grind their exceedingly slow way round?

Was the breeder aware of your intent? Did the breeder assist you to pick a potentially show quality puppy or did you choose by yourself? Did you ensure that the hip scores of the parents and grandparents were suitable for a future breeding program? Have you ensured that the growth/weight ratio and exercise routines were well within the guidelines for optimum large breed rearing? If the answer to any of these questions is "no", then I humbly suggest that you should have researched more carefully before selecting a puppy and/or been more up front with the breeder regarding the purpose of the pup. Many show dogs will have already had a puppy class or two or at least show training by seven months old - has your pup been shown yet? Ethical breeders do their utmost to eliminate HD and other ortho diseases from their lines. The best chance of avoiding getting a pup that develops some form of HD is to select from good stock with excellent hip scores and to very carefully rear the puppy to avoid stresses on the hip joints. However it is not an iron clad guarantee - just your very best chance, there are unknown elements which can mean bad luck has a small role to play. Work with the breeder - an ethical breeder would refund on return of the pup or offer a suitable replacement from a future litter. They would want to know that the pup has developed HD and would try to work out how it happened, given that parental and grandparental hip scores were excellent.

German Shepherds were not even called German Shepherds in Allied countries during WWII. No one wanted to be thought of as supporting the enemy by owning a German breed (sadly many many Dachshunds were put down in Britain during the two world wars for this reason ) However GSDs were so awesome and useful, putting them down didn't happen. Instead they had a name change so as not to be associated with the enemy. They were called Alsatians. Australian Shepherds are NOT an Australian breed, but an American one... Before they had ever been heard of over here if you had a dog that was an Aussie, it was the rugged feisty little Australian Terrier. Sorry..nothing funny about my response - just lots of trivia!!!

Fantastic post, Wundahoo! Rescuers need to be accountable to society as well and take care NOT to place unsuitable dogs unless they can find a cast-iron safe place for that dog to be rehabilitated - such places are very rare, and should only be used when there is a very good chance of rehab being successful. Quality of life for the dog is very important, and to "save" a dog only to have it spend its life locked up is not, in my opinion, quality of life. Ososwift, Steve and moosmum - great posts, too! Leema, you put a great many of your own resources into rescue. I KNOW you are frustrated due to recent events, and I can sympathise. However, not every apple in the barrel is rotten, nor should clean up be forced on those who do not have the resources to undertake it. It is like insisting for example, that every parent take in to their own home an asylum seeker, until that person has established their own household or becomes part of another. Ethical breeders and rescue can and do work together - this should be encouraged and applauded. Even when frustration is running high due to unethical behaviour on one side or the other, it will only create divisiveness to tar the entire crop, be it rescues or breeders, with the same brush.

It will vary from state to state and from time to time. Breed specific rescue seems to burn out rescuers more rapidly than all breed, but I'm not sure why. I don't think that an up to date list would stay up to date very long is what I'm trying to say. Good luck with that. Sometimes the breed club in the state is a great place to ask for breed rescues...

Nice to see a positive update! More healing vibes and positive thoughts being sent her way (and yours!).

Of course it goes without saying (to anyone reading this thread) that you will need to get your girl checked by the vet in case there is a UTI or other condition that needs treatment before you use the corn silk. Having said that, it sounds wonderful for incontinence arising from desexing (which can happen) or just age.

No breed standard as bullarabs are a type rather then a breed. Mostly they are mixes of various mastiff types and various pointer types, but anything can be thrown in... they do tend to be handsome dogs - I have a long term foster bullarab type here who is stunning!