RuralPug

Substrate preference -- he LIKES the rug as a poop depository. Of course you have sprayed it with an enzyme cleaner like Nature's Miracle or UrineOFF or similar, but try changing the rug's scent profile by spraying it with essential oil diluted with water, you may need to experiment to find one that you like the smell of, but deters him. Try Tea Tree or Peppermint oil for starters.

OOOPS sorry for posting old news. It was in my news feed this morning, I did check the first page of the forum to see if someone had already posted...what I DIDN'T check was the date on the news article. Apologies.

You are wonderful, gillbear!!! Now to find a rescue with room to take this old dear on...

Would like to see more blame allocated to owners, rather than the dogs. http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/murder-charged-calif-dog-pack-mauling-death-19289452#.Ubpsgec3CSq

They have said that there has to be a lock on latch on the door, but not that it must be latched all the time! There has to be a latch on your front door for most insurance companies but that doesn't mean you can't use it.. Most commercial pet doors do have a latch and are lockable when required, I'm sure the Pig In Mud and other sliding door inserts probably do as well. :)

OOOPS double post, sorry!

Your local hospital should have a social worker with a list of contacts: people who will run errands, help with the dogs etc. Sometimes they are volunteers, sometimes paid carers. If one can't be found close to your small town that chat with your local postmaster/postmistress to direct you to the 'goto' person in your local area. Good luck!

Just back from there...result great big tick. If I had a suitable candidate I would not hesitate for a nanosecond to rehome to her there. Have PM'd you the details. Edited for Fat Finger Syndrome

hardly a rumour when it is stated on their website: "Please do not ask to adopt one of our pugs if you have to leave for work in the morning and are away all day ... these rescues need people and company around them for most of the day. They have been locked in sheds, tied up on farms, left in backyards, caged on verandahs or locked on apartment balconies up until now ... we owe it to them to start their new lives living the way pugs were meant to live .. as companion dogs surrounded by people for most of the day. Thank you for your understanding." not trying to pick a fight, but don't assume people haven't done their research. edited to include entire quote from website. OOOPS. I do stand corrected. The reality is that every application is assessed on its merits, but as Belinda pointed out, having to troll through, say, 400 unsuitable applications to find the 40 suitable ones is just too much to ask of a volunteer. But people who are committed enough to follow up and enquire directly of Pugs SOS will more than likely be told "do apply and we will assess on total merit". You might look at it as a sort of extra hoop to jump... People who just give up on reading the website are not likely, in my personal opinion, the be the right match for a stubborn little clown of a companion breed anyway!

I should be able to assist please PM me details, thanks.

This text is copied from a post on the RSPCA South Australia facebook page (mind you, the dog in the accompanying pic is a siberian but you can't expect total sense at a photo op LOL) Tim Vasudeva (RSPCA SA CEO), Kerriann Campbell (RSPCA SA Executive Manager of Animal Operations) and Ana Costa (Australian Working Dog Rescue Adoptions and Rehoming Coordinator for SA) met today at RSPCA Lonsdale shelter to formalise a cooperative arrangement between the two groups to rehome working breed dogs into their forever homes. Tim recently joined RSPCA SA from Animal Welfare League NSW and brings with him many years of experience in progressive animal sheltering and working cooperatively with rescue and welfare groups to improve outcomes for shelter and rescue animals. Tim, Kerriann and Ana were joined by Manny, Kerriann's adoptee from RSPCA Lonsdale. This is not the first occasion that an RSPCA branch shelter has worked with rescue but I think that EVERY time that they do it should be applauded (positive training :;) I know we are very good already at warning people about the non-welfare stuff RSPCA can do (public education :;) so say for good welfare behaviour! Click! Treat!

There IS another option. Find a vet who will do a tubal ligation on PJ. This can be done right now, and will allow all hormonal development and growth to proceed normally while at the same time preventing him from siring puppies. You will need to manage any hormonal-related behavioural issues with training. Once he is an adult (from 15 months to 3 years depending on size and breed) you can have him castrated as well if you wish.

Thank you SO much for setting the record straight, Belinda! I hope there are no more of those blanket statements going around and that people learn to do their research and not assume that a rumour is correct. Too much of that around Pugs SOS do a wonderful job and it is really heartwarming to see all the feedback from the loving families of rehomed dogs!

Best of luck for little Bazza ... Are you able to compare the roof of his mouth (as far as you can see) with that of the other puppies? If there is no obvious abnormality and he is not actually suffering at this stage, I would probably adopt a wait-and-see attitude.

There are a lot of people who will swear their pug is perfectly content being alone for 8 or more hours a day most days. They are entitled to their opinion, and if that is all the pug has known since a tiny baby puppy, then maybe he/she has never had the chance to know there is a better way of life. But I, and most other pugaholics can tell you that although they may sleep all day, they do NOT choose to sleep apart from each other or far away from people if they have thee chance. Pugs crave companionship and on the one occasion in my life when I had only one dog, I delivered her to a pet-sitter where she could romp with other small dogs every workday on my way to work. Some may consider that overly fanatic, but I was concerned that she had NEVER been alone - always had had other pugs or other dogs within snuggling distance. Rehoming an older pug (especially one that may have had abuse or neglect) I consider it my responsibility to find the IDEAL home, where that pug WILL have companionship, animal and/or human for most of the daylight hours as well as at night and on weekends.This can be a luxury when rehoming mixed breeds, sometimes I am grateful to find homes where they will be loved and well-cared for. Fortunately for rescue Pugs though, that is an affordable luxury as the demand is high. So, I, for one, support the PUG breed rescues in putting prospective adopters through the wringer - when there are a heap of applications it would be a dereliction of duty to NOT approve the best possible match. Just trying to explain a point of view..

I wouldn't rehome a Pug, or several other companion-focused breeds, to be the only pet in a household where no-one is at home during the day. As a breed they are focused on companionship, and being totally alone for the daylight hours except on weekends is NOT an ideal home. However, I would happily rehome to a family who are not at home weekdays if one or two other small dogs of a compatible nature are sharing the home and I could see and meet them and know they had plenty of interaction with their human family evenings and weekends. There are breeds who will occupy themselves if left alone a lot. It is a rare Pug that will be able to.

Another place to try is Pugs SOS (website or facebook). They will not adopt out of state, but they have carers in quite a few states now, including NSW and those pugs are adopted out in the state in which they were found.:)

I agree 100% with what Snook has said.

You attend the class, but work outside the trigger distance away. Eventually, the trigger distance should be short enough that you can actually join the class. I'm not sure if I've explained that clearly enough, but one of the professionals may be able to clarify.

Cat kibble is heavenly to some dogs, it is very strongly flavoured/scented. Also the little dried fish treats designed for cats. Mix it up a fair bit, last show mine got excited about left over BBQ sausage, sliced very thinly. Quite often they are on their toes for home-made mackerel biscuits (thanks to DOL for that recipe!).:)

Umm, I was told (on a US forum) that the term "Alaskan Husky" was just another name for a multiple mix much as we might say "Heinz 57" or "Bitzer" (bits of this and bits of that). The only criteria was that the mix was intended for sledding, so I guess much like pig dogs here - mixes but bred for a purpose.

I don't mean this to sound harsh, but there is a hellavu difference between loving dogs, and giving them a decent quality of life. So called "rescuers" who get truckloads of dogs out of the pounds and drop them off anywhere, with hardly any thought to assessment or suitable homes or back-up for their foster carers - let alone back-up for the poor families that end up with them, don't love dogs at all. I suspect they think that every dog is a sort of Disney hound that can adapt happily to any home... they seem to think that anywhere away from the euthanasia room is good, even if the poor animal has to suffer months of institutionalisation or even neglect when adopted out for use as a garden ornament. Even if the dog and/or its new family have to suffer due to lack of basic common sense by the so-called "rescuers" they still feel as though they have done a good deed and they will howl shrilly if anyone suggests that they should take more care. To truly love dogs, you have to want the best for them. Sometimes not to suffer IS the best. There ARE good rescuers out there, who are careful with their placements and give extensive training and support to their foster carers. Yes, it hurts when after all the vetwork is paid for, you just can't change a behaviour that is a danger to the dog or others, and if it is not a behaviour that can be safed by choosing the correct home, then to truly do the best by that dog, euthanasia is the only answer. Most, if not all, of these danger behaviours are driven by fear - and it is just as kind as euthing to prevent the pain of an untreatable medical condition. Rant over. My apologies for not giving a cool reasoned response, trying to fight fire with fire sometimes works...

I quite like the format, clearly defined minimum enforceable standards and optional best practice standards - that goes some way towards what we could point to when we say "choose a good breeder" - which would be one who proves to use the best practice standards (and probably goes beyond IMO). Interesting to note that in NSW displaying microchip numbers on sales advertisements is optional best practice, here in Vic it is mandatory for anyone selling regardless of whether or not they are a business. But I do agree, the biggest hole in it is not defining a breeding "business". At least the Vic law attempts to pinpoint that as anyone who has a certain number of entire dogs or cats, whether or not they make a profit from selling puppies or kittens (I'm simplifying here).

I didn't realise this had actually posted - my pc crashed and I thought it hadn't. here is the comment I meant to add to the news article: I wonder that the attitude "regulate the manufacturers" instead of educating the customers and retailers is really the way to go? Why "protect consumers" (from their own ignorance?) rather than train the retailers to fit the product properly to the customer when the 'product' is not a made thing but a living, feeling, breathing potential family member? Personally I don't think this kind of regulation will help. The puppy farmers will just reconfigure so that their broodstock is housed on easily disinfected concrete with the minimum 'exercise' that their chosen shonky vet will let them get away with - same sort of thing has happened here in places already in response to council and state regs. So how DO we get the message out there to puppy buyers to check for ethical breeders and NOT impulse buy and stop retailers selling to just anyone? Decadence I agree that it won't stop the suffering of dogs owned by $$-only driven breeders but I'm not sure that regulation of breeders in general will acheive that either. Really the only thing that will stop them is for demand to be less impulsive and more selective in regards to health and care of parents as well as health of offspring - but how to acheive that?

http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2012/07/cuomo-signs-puppy-mill-bill-into-law/ Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed legislation: S7268A, also known as “Charlemagne’s Law”, into law. The legislation, sponsored by Senator Greg Ball (R,C-Patterson), will improve the health and quality of life of animals by providing duly licensed pet dealers with updated standards of care. In May, Senator Greg Ball enlisted the support of his Animal Advisory Council, concerned constituents, the Westchester County SPCA, and their furry friends at a Puppy Mill Protest in Somers, N.Y. in support of this bill. “This is a great day, and showcases what can get done when you reach across the aisle. This is the first step, in what is sure to be a long journey against inhumane practices, but it is a solid first step to protect our four legged friends. It is horrifying to think that dogs and cats are being raised in such inhumane conditions, stacked atop one another drenched in feces and urine with no room to exercise. I’m certainly focused on my core issues of less government, lower taxes and job creation, yet thrilled that Governor Cuomo has signed this bill, that will protect these animals and the consumer,” said Senator Ball. “I’ve had friends and constituents whose families have suffered through extreme emotional and financial damage, while the immoral businesses that abuse these animals make high profits. It is my belief that government should stay out of the way of small business, but when it comes to harming animals or families, it’s time to intervene,” he said. “Puppy Mills” house dogs in shockingly poor conditions, solely for the purpose of breeding. After their fertility wanes, these animals are often killed, abandoned or sold cheaply to another mill. The result of all this breeding is millions of puppies, many with behavior and/or health problems. Puppy Mills continue to thrive because they prey on unwitting consumers who see these poor animals in pet store windows and on legitimate-seeming websites. This legislation will provide that any licensed pet dealer must: •Designate an attending veterinarian to care for the animals at the facility, who will be available, if needed for emergency, weekend and holiday care; •Comply with a written program of veterinarian care provided by the attending veterinarian; •Allow regular visits by the attending veterinarian; •Provide appropriate facilities, personnel, equipment and services for the animals to implement the plan developed by the attending veterinarian; •Develop a program to prevent, control and respond to diseases and injuries; •Designate an employee, trained by the attending veterinarian to provide daily observation of all animals to assess their health and well-being; •Develop, maintain, document and implement an appropriate daily exercise plan approved by the attending veterinarian. This plan will include providing positive physical contact with humans that encourages exercise through play and other similar activities; •Designate and provide an isolation area for animals that exhibit symptoms of contagious disease or illness in order to prevent or reduce the spread of disease to health animals; •Vaccinate as required by the state or local law all animals; •Not sell any animal that has been diagnosed with a congenital condition or contagious disease. “Our mission is to protect the puppies, kittens and consumers from the unscrupulous breeders and pet stores,” said Charlemagne’s Law advocate Lorriane Pagano. “These stores and breeders are knowingly selling sick animals in turn people are being forced to euthanize their pets or turn them over to a shelter because they cannot afford the outrageous vet bills associated with their sick pets. I am very grateful to Senator Ball and his awesome staff.” “The signing of Charlemagne’s Law marks an important step into protecting animals for inhumane treatment and abuse of animals sold in stores. Senator Greg Ball’s compassion and support for our four-legged family members has been clear and unyielding,” said Senator Ball’s Animal Advisory Council Chair, and animal rights advocate, Lisa Giordano. “This is a step in the right direction, to many more great accomplishments for New Yorkers and all our loved ones.”