RuralPug

Get a behaviourist to see the dog at her new home, as soon as it can be organised. There is not necessarily any abuse happening, intentionally or otherwise, but occasionally I have known a perfectly behaved dog to become headstrong and stubborn in a new home, either (a) because they are confused due to a lack of routine when previously their life has been fairly consistent or (b) simply because they could get away with it and NILIF is no longer applied. Even if you don't use NILIF consciously, you might at a subconscious level, especially with a breed that is super bonding to individuals and is therefore extremely alert to body language. It might just work out that this is NOT the right home for this dog unless changes are made. I would be letting a decent behaviourist assess what changes would be needed and then the new family can decide whether or not they are willing to make those changes.

Hooray! Terri S, spot on! I've been reading through and, given that Saint Bernards were in consideration, I cannot believe that no-one (until Terri) had recommended a Great Dane. They come in black (think Hound of the Baskervilles lol), are not a really high drive breed, need only moderate exercise (especially when young). are generally aloof with strangers but quite focused on their own person/family and need very little in the way of fancy grooming. And they are GREAT cuddlers!

Whatever you use will need to be either cheap and disposable or really hard wearing as it will be rubbing on hard surfaces all day. Have you thought about modifying neoprene drink coolers - pair of scissors and a couple of nappy pins should give you a nice hard wearing joint protector which has plenty of flexibility. If they work well perhaps you could swap the nappy pins for some attached velcro. These are the sort I mean: You would have to get him used to wearing them gradually. Just a thought...

Antibiotics or no antibiotics, that infection is very, very likely to recur. I understand your sister's reluctance to have a senior dog undergo surgery, but I would vote for it being necessary surgery, because it is better done to a healthy bitch at age 11 than in an emergency (closed pyo flares FAST and is life-threatening) on a very sick bitch at age 14 or 15. It is a sword of Damocles dangling over the poor dog's head. I hope your sister does decide to proceed with the spey surgery, and soon.

I would not recommend a Standard Schnauzer as a first dog. They are totally wonderful when trained properly but can be a challenging breed to train. I agree with Nekhbet, stay away from the working breeds and their mixes, I would also avoid the all purpose gundogs as those tend to be fairly high drive dogs also. Don't put too much emphasis on the shedding, all dogs shed but regular thorough brushing usually cuts down on loose hairs about the place. Deciding on how much time you have for grooming is a better way to sort breeds. One good way to see different breeds in the flesh is to attend dog shows. Once you have decided on your breed of choice, then contact the breed club and ask for the dates of their Fund Days and/or Member's Competitions etc. when you can meet many examples in a fairly relaxed atmosphere and then find a breeder who you "click" with, who can guide you. You have stated your preference for a medium size dog, but be aware that golden retrievers are considered "large", so your search should probably include "large" but NOT "giant" breeds. For a first dog owner, I would actually recommend an adult dog rather than a baby puppy or, heaven forbid, an adolescent. Baby puppies are a lot of really hard work for a busy family. Well bred adult companion dogs are available from breeders from time to time for various reasons and I urge you to consider this possibility as well.

Good question. Firstly, they must be ready for rehoming - so no too hard behavioural issues or vetwork left undone. Secondly , it MUST be the right home - not just the first person who applies (sadly most pounds and a few rescues do this). In my opinion, while they are in a good foster home, time does NOT matter. If necessary, you can switch long-term dogs between foster homes, so that they do not get too set in their ways and also so you can observe them making the home change. BUT if they are in a kennel environment then time IS of the essence. Kennelling should be for pounds and emergencies only. Rescues, in my personal opinion should get dogs out of kennels and into foster homes ASAP. I understand that some have the viewpoint that saving a life is more important than quality of life, but I do not personally think that it is right in the long term. And there are many dogs for whom kennelling is akin to hell. So that is my take on it, for what it is worth.

Most garden places have that split bamboo screening - you can attach it to your side of the fence (their dog would probably chew holes in it so definitely your side) as a temporary block while the landlords come to an agreement about the new fence. Or a cheaper but less attractive option might be to source some second-hand roofing iron and attach it horizontally to the fence. Your dog has the right to enjoy toys and foods in his own yard without incursion from your neighbour's dog and vice versa. The current fence is secure enough to keep your dog in, but not the neighbour's dog, and if the two landlords don't come to an agreement about a new solid fence (which is the ideal solution) then your neighbours will have to find some other way to keep their dog in their own yard.

Very good point!! If it is, I also hope they will stop selling his seed.

RIP Grover. Run free and happy at the Rainbow Bridge.

Sit down and have a heart to heart with your friend. If they really dislike the other breeder there may or may not be a good reason, but if they are reserved they probably haven't said exactly why. Explain that type really appeals to you and why. Then ask if you could source that type from another person than the EVIL one would it bother her? If it turns out no, then you are going to have to winkle out why the EVIL breeder is considered EVIL by your friend. It might be nothings that matters to you, some sort of personal spat, but on the other hand if, hypothetically, the EVIL label was because of being careless with pedigree accuracy or having cheated puppy purchasers in some way, then that is something you really do need to know. And if so, you will probably need to have it verified by a third party. Sigh. It's all part of research, research, research. If it turns out that the type is just wrong to her and not the other particular breeder then you two will have either lots of time to convince each other or can agree to disagree. If, after the heart to heart, you still want to proceed and your breeder friend can't accept or deal with that, then you are going to have to find another mentor in the breed. But if she does accept it, then you have a ready made advisor you will feel really comfortable asking all the stupid questions that we need to ask with a breed we haven't reared before! Summing up, be honest - now. It would be less of a "betrayal" to let her know what you are planning and why than to suddenly appear to side with the enemy by selecting a pup from them!

RIP Grover...run free at the Rainbow Bridge darling boy.

I have shared this on a nationwide rescue forum and will PM to you any interest. :)

It is a concern of mine that CEO's for large charities these days are all about maximizing the business side and not particularly concerned with the ethical side. This is not restricted to animal welfare and decisions can sometimes be made that are more about what would look good on the CEO's LinnkedIn profile than what would be in the spirit of the organisation's mission statement. RSPCA(ACT) currently has a better name for welfare than some of the other RSPCA state branches. I sincerely hope that that tradition will continue under Ms Van Dange.

The title of this thread just might be your answer. So if you want to avoid your title coming true with poisoned grass AND dogs then I would ask for the chemical composition of the herbicide or the brand name and then check with the manufacturer to see if you need to send your dogs on a boarding holiday for three or four days.

My view is that all males not intended for breeding should have that ability removed as soon as possible. The safest way to do that and not affect growth hormones is Tubal Ligation surgery at 10 weeks or so. Owners can then decide after the dog is fully mature whether to also castrate. In the case of really tiny breeds (Chihuahuas, Yorkies, Miniature Pinschers, Maltese etc.) TL surgery may actually be too difficult to perform until they are sexually mature (5 months) but in the case of a large or giant breed there are huge advantages in TL surgery on baby puppies. Whether or not councils will or even should apply desexing discounts to dogs that have undergone TL but not castration is a whole other discussion.

Yes, I have a 12yo bitch currently in my rescue who came with a mammary tumor. Xrays of the chest are always done first in case the cancer has spread to the lungs (which is a really poor prognosis) and they found another four small lumps on the same side. The cancer was not so advanced that they needed to take the whole strip, so she ended up with five incisions (actually six because a huge sebaceous cyst the size of a grapefruit was removed at the same time). The tumours were not malignant and as soon as my wallet has recovered from the cost of that surgery she can have a dental and be happily rehomed. Removing mammary tumours early is also the best way. The likelihood of mammary cancer is linked to how long a bitch is entire as an adult, but doesn't appear to matter whether she has had pups or not.

Personally I would not be sprinkling the stuff around in a profligate manner. Basically you are sprinkling minute razor blades that cannot discriminate between unwanted insects and helpful ones. By all means sprinkle away indoors, but if you like to share your outdoor space with native birds/butterflies etc.etc. please don't use it outdoors. It cannot harm birds directly but it will remove some food sources for the insectivores and basically unbalance your soil condition as well. Just my opinion, I am only sharing in the hope that it may prompt a bit more thought and care. In the end it is a personal decision you make.

How about we require any animal owners at fault of not taking reasonable steps to protect their community to wear a forehead stamp proclaiming then as such? This idea was inspired by the "some people should be muzzled" comment by Christina. Crime: dog has never been trained to basic obedience or been socialised adequately and the owner regularly just lets the dog out in the evening to take itself for a walk. Result: owner must wear green IPO (Irresponsible dog owner aka Idiot Prick Owner) stamp on forehead. Ink takes six weeks to wear off. Crime: owner selects dog for aggressive traits and encourages aggression towards other dogs or cats or people Result: owner must wear red IPO stamp on forehead. Ink takes six months to wear off. During that six months owner may not reside in a household where dogs are kept.

That is really interesting, I was always taught that a yawning dog (excluding obviously sleepy yawns) was a dog experiencing conflict. Did he mean that yawning was a way for dogs in that state to attempt to lessen stress levels? And that yawning was infectious so that hopefully it would be transferred to the stressed dog? Thought provoking that it works for one of your dogs but not the other. Michaela, you are doing brilliantly. I have always found that the "cold shoulder" is the best way to react to any dog who is behaving in an unwanted way towards you. Perfect for teaching self-control at dinner time (although TOT also works very well with that). If only we could also use it when the dog is displaying unwanted behaviour towards something/someone else our lives would be so much easier LOL! Bonnie's training is training you to be a fantastic foster parent/rehabilitator. You will be able to share your insights with future adopters of your fosters and help them to settle the dogs down with them.

Yes, true, the undercoat does not help to cool the dog at all, the outer coat does do so by shading/insulating the skin. Too much retained dead undercoat may even add to cooling problems as moisture can be trapped in the matts. Therefore a well groomed long coat will keep a dog cooler than a shaved coat. To put it another way: Shaving a dog removes the outer coat as well as any dead undercoat, thereby removing the shade that the outer coat provides to the skin and allowing the skin to heat faster and sometimes burn. In climates where it is hot in summer and cold in winter, animals evolved to those conditions will not shed their outer coat during "blowing" or "seasonal shedding" but do shed a large percentage of their undercoat. Shaving removes almost all the outer coat, not as evolution intended. Thorough grooming removes undercoat that is ready to be shed without disturbing the protective outer coat. (Of course all parts of the coat shed somewhat all year round, as in all mammals including humans.) Comparing dogs to people does not help, as people have sweat glands all over their bodies to provide a heat exchange device whereas dogs only have sweat pores in the pads of their feet and use panting as a heat exchange device. (Personally if I were outdoors on a 30+ day I would rig that doona as shade rather than burn to a crisp. ) To me shaving horses in summer is sense, as they sweat all over their bodies and less hair will assist the sweat to evaporate faster, giving better heat transfer. This simply does not apply to dogs, and I have never understood the claim that "shaving makes them cooler". In fact, in hot temperatures where the dogs need to be outdoors I will add a layer in the form of a cool coat, which keeps them much cooler in spite of "keeping body heat in". I think of the cool coat as artificial sweat glands LOL.

I want one to sit in myself...I have a couple of bullarab sized fosters ATM, I could get another pair, teach them all to harness pull and have a four-dog coach!

Very sorry. Gremlins multiplied the post.

Hmm your club doesn't permit the use of food as rewards but I bet there is no rule that says you can't have the treats in your pocket while you are there. Just a rule that says you can't use them. Your dog will know that they are there in your pocket. This is a short term solution only, you will also need to work on getting him happy to drop for a lesser reward - the above suggestions are well worth pursuing.

My everyday training treat is cat kibble...enticing smell, very small pieces, won't leave mess on your fingers or in your pocket or pouch. Alternatively, withold the treat until you get either focus or the dog offering heaps of behaviours trying to figure out what you want. Sometimes you are better, rather than dialling down thhe level of drive, to encourage focus in drive. I have been guilty in the past of reinforcing over the top slavering rather than than trying to switch on the dog's brain. Of course it is an easier way to get the reward than actually focusing so I was just making a rod for my own back. These days if they are way off focus, the treat goes back in the pouch and I will substitute a different command, a really basic one such as "sit" "drop" or "speak" and reward with praise and pats and then put the session on hold for at least 10 minutes. Edited for typo..

The names of the acceptable courses are listed clearly in BBJ's link. You would have to contact providers near you in order to to get those details, as it will depend upon which course of study you undertake. Most of the ones that I am aware of are part time for four or five years, or full time for two. Not sure about the Cert III ones listed, they could be shorter. Passing one of those disciplines would entitle you to implant, but I'm not actually sure that it would entitle you to purchase chips, etc, for use in Victoria on dogs (except greyhounds) and cats. Your best best is to phone the friendly people at DPI and patiently be transferred from one to another until you find one that does know the answer.