OSoSwift

I have had very little to do with pound dogs on a rehab or day to day basis. I had a dog brought here that the next door neighbour found. She was extremely timid, almost catatonic and very skinny and sore. I held her over until the Monday after speaking to the rangers. She came out of her shell oevr a few days, started offering me sits and eventually shaking paws. She pulled like a bloody freight train, and would have eaten the sheep and cat given a change. She was fine with my dogs thorugh the fence and even eating ont he other side of a fence in my dog runs. Showed no human aggression but was very very wary. When she bolted to the end of the lead after the sheep, I growled no quite firmly and she hit the deck that hard she created dust. She layed there, slowly looked around and when I told her she was a very good girl she got cautiously up and we kept going. In the nearly 5 days I had her she was a lovely girl that pulled if allowed but had fantastic manners otherwise. She went into the pound and as I know one of the rangers, he commented on how hard she was to deal with. I wasn't sure he had the same dog. Shocking dog aggression, fence fighting, growling at people etc. The pound is a stressful environment for a dog. How she would be i a new home I don't know but based on taht one dog I would never get a dog straight from the pound as the first few days she was extremely quiet, then good but full on adn needed training. In the pound rather manic and agressive. I would only get one after going through a very good rescue/foster situation. If I was to get a rescue but the chances are extremely slim!

I know of a bitch that had 8, went 10 hours then had another 2, all fine

I wouldn't get a dog straight from the pound with 5 kids in the house. Too much risk. I would go to a good rescue who does thorough temperment testing, and also has a policy where you can return the dog should things not work out. Personally I would go to a good breeder who health tests what needs to be done and where you can meet some of their other dogs. Also if looking for a Collie I would look for a breeder who already has progeny in the dog sport arena's if possible. Because you would like to do dog sports and that requires a very sound dog I think even an older rescue can be a gamble unless you get hips xrayed etc before taking the dog home. As they may be sound as a dog being walked, running around the yard etc but put the extra pressure of training, jumping and sharp turns etc and they may not be sound enough. Never feel guilty for choosing a well bred dog from a good breeder.

I figure with fencing if the end of their nose can fit through the holes in the fence then other bits can. Mine have 8x8mm holes in the mesh between their dog runs and that has served me well over a couple of bitches and dogs. You know what sometime shit happens. Different people do different things in the same situation, each to their own.

Agreed Esky would not risk her dog :)

I think you will find Esky has a canopy so he dog is protected but gets better airflow than when inside the cab. My dog would be in the canopy as well if it was covered in mud!!!! I have seen thousands of dogs in utes etc. I live in a rural community and also worked at the vet hospital where we attempted to piece them back together when it all goes wrong. I am not sure I have seen thousands injured due to back of ute mishaps. I have seen dogs hung, fallen off then run over, fallen off and shredded, fallen off and broken up, fallen off and killed. I have seen a couple of dogs have eyes taken out and I have seen some close calls. I have also seen many well restrained, safe dogs who are tethered or crated correctly and have long and happy lives. I would say due to my place of employment I would have seen more than the average person.

If they are small litters and the bitch is not totally physically drained after her litters then physically I don't see much of an issue on that front. The alizen injections have not caused to many issues with later fertility that I have seen- not a large number of bitches though. Having said that I would not use it unless totally necessary, or any hormonal therapy for that matter. I would contact your canine control and go from there.

Just to get my shire approvals for the kennels on a 2000 acre agricultural property was over $2000. And to be honest it is a headache and not easy. I think things on that front would be a little easier if you were building in a kennel zone as they ahd no idea what-so-ever down here.

Two of the puppies have no such bubbles, maybe they will be the lucky ones???????

Very true Steve

With the 4X2's the do have afair bit of salt, they contain wheat and preservatives. Something to keep in mind, especially if any of her dogs have any allergies or sensitivities to preservatives etc. I would only feed them as a treat

From someone who does two dogs and three cats weekly, they need to be sharp, do it top to bottom not side to side as Becks said, and do it quickly, so line it up and snip nice and fast and cleanly. If you go slowly it puts pressure on the nail and they don't like it :)

Okay if you want to build 50 kennels and associated yards you will easy crack a million not to mention purchase of propery. Of course the exact materials you use will play a part. Size of dog runs, exercise yards also play a part. I would have made my exercise yards twice the size had I had the money to do so. When I do extend (up to 22 to 24 dog runs) I will do bigger outside exercise yards as I do not need to rush to get the next lot done. I now have a very good idea on costs and I know I can also install my own chainmesh fence and lace all the bloody stuff on!!!

A chain only long enough for them to stand up anchored to the floor in the middle of the tray and towards the front is best. Do be aware though that it will not stop eye injuries from rocks etc that are flicked up - yes I have seen it. I am guessing you have a GSD from your picture? If so most GSD's would be long enough to be tethered correctly and still get their back feet over the side of a ute tray. Personally I think a cage bolted to the floor with shade cloth attatched to the front and down the sides to be the safest. Cannot hang anything off, less likely to get the dog hit by a high speed projectile and if there is a roof over the top, less likely to have issues with the sun or rain.

Excellent news, so glad, such a worry with all the snakes out and about.

I built 12 and I think Showdog is not to far off the mark with the amount you would need for 50. We did a vast majority of the work ourselves, basically what we could do legally we did. It was a hard slog and took 7 months of pretty much 7 days a week to build. My dad also came down for around three months over a couple of visits to help us out. The quotes we got for a builder to do it would have meant it would cost us more than double what it ended up costing. Luckily my husband had 6 months of long service and he took that to build these. Not only that you would need extra staff for 50. The 12 keeps me busy when they are full. If you spend individual time with each dog and make sure all are exercised adequately I just don't think one person could do that with 50 kennels.

Would you build them or look to buy a property that has the facilities already?

I have had a dog do brilliantly on Bonnie and others do very well on Optimum from the supermarket.

Just delete it, I don't kill any dogs becasue I bought a purebred, I would never have bought a pound dog or a mixed breed to begin with so nope I killed nothing.

So close and yet so far. Have fun on the Prospector, I have travelled on that train a few times :) I remember buying choolate from the stewardess's

There is nothing wrong with that horse other than an incompetant fool on the end of the lead rope!

Autralian Farmers federation I think you will find - I might be wrong

I put links up to the guidlines and pages about a page ago, is that what you are after? Thanks I will have a look. I want to make sure I give my local parliamentarian all of the information I can. This is idiocracy at it's best.

I put links up to the guidlines and pages about a page ago, is that what you are after? Will go check, thanks :) I want to make sure I give my local parliamentary person all the info as this is just idiocracy at it's best

Could someone please put the link up to the relevant area on the RSPCA site? Thank you