Snoopy21

I am loving this show. I love that Noel is so clear in his own decisions when it comes to ethics and is able to explain his way of thinking about what he does. He obviously has a great love of animals which shows through his handling and the respect he shows his patients with each interaction. Check out the video of Oscar's new blade style prosthetics... http://www.fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk/news...t-gets-new-feet

Awesome post poodlefan! Thanks

The thing that worries me about this sort of training is that if either the child or the dog does something unpredictable (as children and dogs sometimes do) then the consequences could be horrible. A child bending over picking up a dogs bowl has its face and hands right at mouth level so if for some reason something is different one day and the dog decides to snap, then it would happen far too fast for me to stop it even if I were right there. That being said I am only training my first dog, and she shows no sign of any food guarding.

Hardly a funny topic.

What that got to do with anything? You are bringing pit bulls into a discussion that has nothing to do with them. What an horrific thing to happen to this child and her family. A good reminder to all of us with children to keep enforcing those rules. I cannot imagine what would go through your mind if you saw that happen to your child. Not to mention the physical and mental scars this child will bear for the rest of her life.

I tell people mine is a Greater Southern Snorehound. Most people giggle and say "No....really". But the few that believe me deserve what they get.

I don't think there is an easy way do this. It sucks because you care so much. The only way to make it easier would be not to care anymore, and I can see that isn't an option for you and Toby. For now he is happy and pain free which is awesome. Try and enjoy these good days, and love him while you have him. I can see how it is breaking your heart knowing that you will lose him sooner than you should, but in reality that can happen with any dog - sometimes they are taken too soon. Toby is just beautiful, and I can feel your love for him shining out of posts. I hope he keeps you smiling for a while yet.

Mycotoxin poisoning from mould in the grass clippings perhaps? Can result in liver failure or neurological damage in extreme cases. I hope the dog is feeling better soon.

Oh Dwynwen - I am so sorry. How heartbreaking for you Rest easy big guy

My bull arab type girl is the same SpotTheDog. She will chase anything that runs from her (humans excepted) and seems to be very prey driven. She never chased our old cat, but then again Skip never ran from her either. I have no doubt she would chase (and probably kill) a cat in our yard, especially if it ran from her. She has caught a few rabbits (wild), birds (including a currjong!) and has even caught and killed some lizards ( ). Now at 40kgs she has a lot of weight and speed behind her and she could seriously hurt it just by rolling it, so we are very aware of her strength and speed, but have no idea how to curb her instincts in this direction. I agree with the others - trap the ferals and have a safe space to separate the dogs to.

Maybe try an enzyme based laundry detergent to remove the smell and see if that deters him? I wouldn't know what else to try other than that. Good luck!

Our dog seems to like being hugged. She will go up to the kids and shove her head under their arm from behind. She also face plants in our laps too. I guess each dog is different in what interactions they prefer. I would never let my kids hug someone else's dog. The strange thing with this article is that the study was done by a MD who obviously assesses dog bites as part of his profession. Early on in the piece he is saying that any dog can bite, especially family dogs, but then at the end he says So as a parent do I understand that any dog can bite or do I "recognise aggressive breeds"? For me it is clear - any dog can bite, supervise your children and teach them appropriate behaviours around dogs. But that's pretty confusing for other parents who may not be very dog savvy. I also think that it is a shame that people may be put off having a dog in their family by articles like this with graphic descriptions of bites and emphasis on the family dog being the perpetrator.

So sorry for your loss Moselle. Sleep peacefully Sophie.

Fingers crossed for good news here.

Steve11 - I think that crossbred dogs are often referred to as staffy crosses for the simple reason that when assessing what breeds a dog might be you look at the physical characteristics, and staffy crosses (and other bull breed crosses) often have a very recognisable skull shape. I was walking my dog (on lead) through my neighbourhood and we were rushed by a builder's ACD. The dog was all business, hackles raised snapping and snarling. My girl dragged me out onto the road in fright. It could have been a very bad ending for us, but luckily the ACD backed off when its owner called it. He didn't apologise to me though . I hope the little pom is ok. And I think that the tradesman responsible should pay any veterinary costs.

Wishing you all the peace in the world Taylorbelle Our last kitty developed a brain tumour and some of the symptoms were quite distressing for all of us including her. She is resting over the bridge now too, so maybe she'll take Taylorbelle under her wing and show her how to be a sun-snoozing, lap sitting, purr-filled kitty again.

COngratulations!! It was an awesome shot.

Oh - I have tearies after watching that. That man was lovely - wrapping kitty gently and reassuring the owner as he did so. Fabulous job!!

That would have to be one of the most beautiful old faces I have ever seen I'm very sorry for your loss. I can imagine he will leave quite a hole in your family for a while. Run free gorgeous boy - I have been told they have the best stuff on the bench tops over the bridge!!

I think he was trying to calm his terrified children.

I'm sure it says something.....

And done. What an awesome smile pic!!

Gorgeous!! ;)

I think you'll find that sometimes reaching out and asking for help is impossibly difficult.

That is just sad. That woman must have had a pretty serious mental health issue to behave like that. It's a tragedy that her children and pets suffered because she couldn't get help.