OSoSwift

Sometimes if I don't have time I say I already donate to that charity, quite often not the truth but it lets me get going!

From memory - although I have never actually seen them being used or know of a dog they have been used in - they need to measure the dogs testicles to get the correct size. They would have to be ordered, then put in when they dog was castrated. What exactly are the reasons you are going to desex? is a vasectomy an option?

Another option to look at is getting a puppy who is a good specimen to show and good enough for dog sports, they do exist. Who knows the breeder may show for you, and you get to do the bit you like. Personally I want a dog who has it all and can do it all. A dog that is sound enough to do dog sports is sound enough for the showring and vica-versa. Personally in my breed there are some trends that I do not want in my dogs as I do not believe put under the pressures or racing, chasing or dogs sports they would not stay sound. That is not to say what I do want, is not what a good show dog should possess. I do understand that a dog that is a great sports dog may not possess the finer points that make it a best in show winner. My last dog - different breed - was a BIS winner, a Champion who also had obedience and temperament titles as well as an endurance title. She was then the 42nd dog in her breed, in Australia to become a Register of Merit(ROM). A good dog should be able to do it all. This is always my aim. My dogs I own now are handicapped by a young family, a 7 day a week business and distance. They still have passes or titles in obedience, dog sports and endurance along with either points or other class or group awards in the showring. If I lived closer to where a vast majority of where shows and trials as held then they would have more. As it is to try and gain my dogs next two passes towards his next obedience title we will have to 750kms one way. The point is they can do it all, they may not be BIS winners, they may not ever become OB or AG Champions, however I believe they may, should they not be handler handicapped and lived closer.

I like the clicker as it is very precise, non-emotional and fast - especially for those fast dogs who can have given you what you want and be onto the third thing by the time you ahve give a verbal marker and a treat. You need to teach her over time and very small increments to extend the time she does something ie a sit stay. if you get whay you want - bang click/treat. not to two seconds later unless you are training a stay or stationary exercise and then you need to work up to that 2 seconds. Have a food/toy obsessed dog is brilliant :) I created a ball obsession. Best reward I ever had for training weavers. Oh adn if anyone fed my dog at training without getting a specific okay, I would take their head off their shoulders!

I like your thinking. Me too. A vet should do those things DM, but unfortunately even a complete arsehole can become a vet.

Look up premacking. Learn to harness that desire to work in your favour

If he has done that he is a vile morally corrupt unethical excuse for a human being. Not only that the dog ( and others) were kept in squalid conditions, there are no excuses. This a good reason why you stay with your pet while it is euthanased. 99.99% do the right thing, but I would not risk that 0.01% being able to pull that shit with one of mine!!

Beautiful dogs. I personally do not relaly want dogs who fawn over anyone they meet. Stand offish is fine by me and I have a Whippet or two a bit that way inclined :)

I am polite in my decline. I give money if and when I feel like it/want to. I do realise that it is the persons job so that is why I am polite when I decline. However should someone push me or roll their eyes at me, then yes, I would tell them exactly what I thought of them/go elsewhere. I have once or twice said, no I do not like their values, when asked why not as I am known as an animal person locally. If I say no once and I am pushed I get very snappy very quickly, I only say no (or yes) once!

It would also depend. If the dog was stolen, say impounded, not claimed then rehomed it may even be harder! Not an easy one, but if it was my dog that was stolen and sold/rehomed I would fight tooth and nail to get it back!

Riley is a Goldie Cross What a complete idiot. Since he used to breed Pedigree dogs he should have a bloody clue!

Oh and I currently have a little rescue dog that is staying until she is desexed etc healed and then will fly to her new home. She is spending quiet and bone chewing time in her crate. She is only the size of the cats so at night she is being crated so they don't stalk or hurt her, plus she will be flying so it will be a much better flight for her should she be relaxed in a crate.

Mine sleep in crates by choice with the doors open. I have a very large crate in the back of my car for safety and do I can have all the doors etc open and my dogs are safe - yes I have had a moron allow their dog to jump up and put it's front feet into the back of my van whiile my dogs were tethered in there. I have a crate at the kennels that is generally open but they do get zipped in when dogs turn up as people like to shove fluffy at the baby gate and Rommi will snap at them. I don't have a huge issue with dogs being crated overnight as long as they are let out late for a toilet and then again fairly early in the morning. I would not and will never crate my dogs inside for a working day. I built a dog yard so they can have a nice brick dog run to go into but also have some room to play/toilet and lay on grass/under a tree. I also do not agree with dogs being locked inside all day while people are at work. Dogs need fresh air to stay healthy and fit. All of my dogs are crate trained as they are crated if required after injury/surgery. They are also crated for travel and at shows and trials. They get much more rest and are much more relaxed if crated at competitions. All my dogs are trained so should the need arise they are relaxed about it. I have seen the results caused by people trying to suddenly crate a dog after surgery and it is very stressful for all. Or people who have dogs that should be crated after certain surgeries, they refuse because it is cruel then end up with a dog who doesn't heal properly and is in a degree of pain all it's life - that's okay but short term crating is cruel, go figure. I have also seen repairs that should have healed beautifully totally fail because people will not crate. Used moderately and for things such as recovery they are a wonderful tool. Use them instead of a pair of eyes or training and they are cruel. However using them if you need to do something when you cannot watch pup or as an aid with toilet training and they are a useful tool as well.

I would get a full blood profile done and a faecal float done to test for parasites and also tested for Pancreatic Insufficiency ( not unheard of in Shepherds - but yes normally occurs younger and comes on more slowly) In the mean time try one of the prescritption diets mentioned.

So very sad to hear that and just not fair. Out of interest there is a book called poisonous 2 pets. It is a very easy to use, well written and researched book regarding plants and their potential issues in relation to pets.

Letric soda crystals work very well for inducing vomiting in most dogs - one of mine it is in seconds! There are little to no vets across the Nullabour.

To be perfectly honest if a dog takes a bait, there is no treatment, the dog will die. I have seen vets try to treat them and I do not know of one who has survive despite intensive treatment. Keep your dog on a lead, keep a muzzle on, one lick of a bait or a bait in the mouth then pulled out is enough to kill a dog. Crows and foxes can and do move baits. Stick to well populated areas to exercise your dog as there are exclusion zones around houses, town etc. much safer than pulling over randomly to let them run.

Mine seek it out but that may be because they are highly reinforced from a young age to have eye contact. My Dobe would give you hard and unwavering eye contacted - what I wanted and trained for. Only problem is when you have someone who doesn't know the dog that well is getting eyeballed by a black dog with very dark eyes. If she decided she liked someone, she would sit dead still and stare at them waiting for permission to have cuddles.

Lewis only speaks to Whippets and Greyhounds. Rommi generally only speaks to ours, doesn't want to interact with any outside dogs. Wilson tends to stand back from breeds he is not familiar with - he loves Whippets. I say they are breedist :)

Apparently we are Kal's local beach :)

I have read and re-read both those books. I find it fascinating. A friend had and extremely well trained Dobe that at the day she was 6 months pregnant went into guard dog mode and she just couldn't take her out without her guarding not matter what she tried. It lasted until the baby ( who was then also under her web of protection) until she was around 8 months old. Suddenly it was like you have it now, I've done my bit and she went back to her normal self :) Interesting creatures our dogs:)

Yep seems everything is black and white to many, no room for anything else.

Just because someone has an entire dog does not mean they are irresponsible and should be burnt at the stake. Just because a dog is entire does not mean people are going to take it mating all over the countryside. Give people a bit of credit. Not everyone is a money grubbing lowlife hell bent on making money from pumping out a rare breed( or cross). I would love to hear updates on this boy if that is possible. It sounds like the perfect home and it would be fantastic to see him working and in the roll he was bred for.

On the flip side I have some dogs that do not pick up on anything and it isn't until their owner is standing infront of them that they register anything! Some will even run past their owners back to their dog run and have to have their owner planted infront of them patting them for it to sink in-bless their little socks!

I own boarding kennels. I often have dogs who will start acting up on the day their owners are coming (usually the perfectly behaved ones do you know something is up), quite often I don't know they are coming a day early. Anything from being unusually hyper to barkng non-stop to refusing to eat etc.