tdierikx

To be fair huski, I'd say that you would probably see more of the problem dogs than the average person - being that dog training is your line of work... *grin* The worst thing for me is when I take any of my dogs out in public, there are so many "experts" out there trying to analyse the slightest little thing each and every dog is doing - rather than focusing on their own bloody dogs and enjoying their outing... *sigh* I have a weak nerved failed foster pup that I wouldn't dream of taking to a dog park - not because she isn't good with other dogs, but because she's terrified of people she doesn't know. I know she won't bite anyone, and if left to just happily play with another dog, she's completely unaware of strangers that may be around her - but it's that initial stupid barking and cowering thing (with humans only) that tends to make people very leery of letting her play. The thing is that at home, and at places she's been before, she's a normal cheeky overgrown puppy - she just doesn't cope with meeting strangers in strange environments. I've had her meet other dogs just fine in public, and she acts appropriately with them... and she's fine if people ignore her fear display and give her a gentle pat, it's as though she only then realises that they are fine to be around. Huski - how would you approach rectifying the above issue? I have another failed foster pup who has neurological issues which manifest in a mobility disablity - her body language isn't easily read by others (dog or human), so she doesn't go to dog parks either - even though she'd enjoy it immensely. She does go to dog days where all dogs are leashed, and laps up all of the attention she gets with complete relish... My other 2 dogs are fine in public. T.

I really love this summation of the issue... *grin* T.

A few other threads here have had me thinking about what goes in to raising a happy, healthy, and socially proficient dog nowadays. We have SO much information about all sorts of things that could contribute to creating the above - or detract from same. Much of that information is or can be conflicting, is downright wrong, or may not apply to every single dog out there. Training methods, feeding, weak nerve, prey drive, etc, etc... it all gets so confusing, and I'm starting to think that maybe - just maybe - we may not actually be doing many of our dogs a favour by overthinking every single thing they do or don't do that is "perfect"... My childhood memories are of dogs roaming the streets and playing with all of us neighbourhood kids with very few incidents - there were very few general dog training groups or "puppy kindergarten", dogs were just dogs and allowed to be dogs, and everyone treated each other with kindness and due respect. Neighbourhood dogs were our best ever playmates. Fast forward to my early adult years and I got my first "only mine" dogs - taught them sit, stay, drop, and took them out with me whenever it was appropriate. I was blissfully unaware of any/all potential behavioural or emotional issues that could raise their ugly head at any moment (if we believe all the stuff going around nowadays) - and I managed to raise a good 8 dogs over the years who were well mannered and lovely dogs in every respect - despite the fact that they came from pet shops or BYBs. The only common thing used with each of them was common sense and a little respect for the fact that not everyone is going to instantly adore my large breed doofus dogs, so I just made sure that they had plenty of good socialisation with people and other animals, and not much else really. Nowadays though, it seems like everyone is so focused on trying to raise the "perfect" dog, that we seem to be losing sight of the fact that they are dogs... not four-legged furry humans. The constant bombardment of TV shows regarding problem dogs and how to "fix" them, the constant media hype about dog attacks, the conflicting "advice" regarding training from so many different sources... is kinda making it seem so less rewarding an experience to live with a furry companion... instead it's a constant "am I doing the right thing" feeling, or "if I don't act on xyz right away, is Fluffy going to become one of 'those' dogs"... T.

She looks so pretty... and certainly doesn't look her age at all... My old girl will be 15 in a couple of weeks - still has prety good eyesight (except in the dark), can hear just fine, but can be selective at times... she has some arthritis, but it actually hasn't been bothering her too much this winter - which might be because she has a nice new warm beddy, and I leave the heater on in her bedroom until I go to bed so her room is warmer than all the rest of the house. Haven't needed any meds this winter, yay! She's a bit slower getting up the back stairs nowadays, but can still bolt down them and up to the back of the yard to tell off the neighbour's dog when he has one of his manic moments (he's a bit "speshul" and decides to attack a bush in their back yard near our fence every now and then). Pickles plays "bodyguard" for Zeddy nowadays - and stops Harper the horse puppy from knocking her over or being rough... it's nice to see Pickles looking after "granny" Zeddy like that - they do seem to have a special bond. T.

An xray will show up objects inside, and most importantly, the positions and likelyhood of being passed naturally. T.

Yep - that's a female Fairy Wren - a Superb I think... the Splendids are a little different in colouring. T.

The trick with the Fairy Wrens is to just be still, quiet, and patient... they will come close to you and give you the shots you are after... *grin* T.

So are some of the others if you look closely. Ummm yep........I did.............. I didn't... *grin* T.

I think I know where it is... last time I drove by there, it had a sign out front selling "Rotty pups"... T.

Absolutely wicked photos GrufLife! Wish I'd taken those! T.

As an owner of larger dogs, I am constantly aware of how they may be perceived by the general public... However... I am not in the slightest bit amused when someone's smaller dog decides to use one of my dogs as a chew toy. My dogs will rarely react in kind when out in public, but they really shouldn't have to put up with that sort of thing at all. I usually stare straight at the owner of the offending dog and say, "it's not funny - how would you feel if my dog was doing to your dog what yours is currently doing to mine?". Usually the response is along the lines of "oh small dogs don't do as much damage as bigger dogs"... as if that somehow justifies my dog being bitten by their dog... *sigh*... my next words are not usually as polite as the first approach. T.

With the particular media focus on anything bull breed looking being a "pitbull", anyone owning a dog that even vaguely fits the description should be extremely aware that others may look at their dogs with suspicion and fear. sarsaparilla admits that media stories have managed to heighten her fear of such dogs - whether it's irrational or real is of no consequence, as she is frightened of dogs that look like her idea of a "pitbull". I actually own a dog that is part pitbull, but you'd not guess it by looking at her... she's friendly and loves going to the vet because it means she'll be getting handled all over by the vet and then will be getting liver treats. I've never had anyone express concern about her in a vet clinic waiting room... but I still don't allow her to approach or be approached by other dogs in that environment... who knows what the other dog is there for, or how IT actually handles going to the vet? My staffy/dane horse puppy is a completely different story. She is a big girl who is quite fearful of strange environments and people - although she absolutely loves other dogs of all sizes, and is socailly appropriate in her dealings with them. It doesn't help that she has strange coloured eyes and puts on a stupid fear display when she sees people she doesn't know. I know she will not bite, but a stanger doesn't... so we are always careful with her interactions with same - especially in places like a vet clinic which is usually a confined space and can get rather busy at times. Dog help us all when my camp dog needs to go to the vet... she has a scar in her brain that means she moves differently to other dogs, and they can have difficulty reading her body language. She's a complete trollope when it comes to people and other dogs, which can be confronting to some. She's 15kgs, but I have a large crate to fit her and will usually carry her in that into the vet clinic - everyone is safe that way... *grin* Funnily enough, no-one seems to be frightened of my Labrador... *sigh*... but she's the most likely to arc up if another dog is behaving inappropriately... T.

I was thinking the same thing... where's his meat pie? Happy gotcha day Stan! T.

Love how he's looking at you at the midway shot... too cute! Stunning boy, and an amazing grooming job... T.

Contact mita... she may have a lead on a lovely Tibbie... T.

The fact remains that even though you sprayed the yard, it will still be contaminated for 12 months or more. Parvo is a complete bitch to kill when it's hit a porous surface like unsealed concrete or wood, or soil. Do not allow anyone to bring an unvaccinated dog or small puppy to your place for at least 12 months, OK? Do not take your pup anywhere outside your house/yard for at least the next 6 weeks either, as it will still be shedding the disease through it's faeces for that amount of time. You certainly wouldn't want to be responsible for anyone else having to go through what you've been through, would you? T.

According to the OP, the vet diagnosed and treated for Parvo... to the tune of a $1400 vet bill. T. I meant what did the vet say re the incubation period. I would have thought the vet, after treating the pup, knowing the size, progress of the symptoms etc may have the best knowledge and information to estimate the possible incubation period Vets don't have a crystal ball - there is no way on the planet any vet worth his/her salt would specify that sort of thing. Parvo can have an incubation period from 2 to 14 days, depending on all sorts of other external factors, not all of which the vet would be privy to. Some vets also haven't seen many cases of Parvo, and may not be terribly au fait with the latest strains, etc... the treatment is the same no matter which strain, but the incubation period can vary a lot. What a vet will say in conversation to a puppy owner, and what they will actually put in writing so said puppy owner can chase someone else for a refund for vet bills, are usually 2 completely different things. In this case - and based only on more detail that has now come to light - the most likely place the pup contracted whatever made it sick is the place it was held for 4-5 days prior to being shipped onwards to the new owner.... but it still could also have contracted it at any stage of the transport over from NZ - or from Brisbane to Broome for that matter... Davext - did the vet do an actual Parvo test, and show you the positive result? There are other diseases that do present very similarly to Parvo, but are somewhat less scary to deal with. What has the vet advised you about quarantine for your pup now that it's been diagnosed and treated for Parvo? Has he/she explained that you will need to be very careful about where your pup defecates for the next 4-6 weeks - the fact that even though your pup has been treated and is on the mend, it can still shed the virus via it's poo for at least the next 4-6 weeks - and that wherever you pup has pooped can stay infected for up to 18 months if not cleaned properly... oh, and if your pup has pooped in your yard, you can't clean that with any substance that will kill the virus in the soil, so you have an infected yard for the next 12 to 18 months, and any unvaccinated dog/pup coming into your yard could possibly become infected and get sick too now... However, if your pup had something other than Parvo - say Coronavirus - then the repercussions are a hell of a lot less severe. It all rides on whether your vet actually did a Parvo test that came up positive before declaring that said pup had Parvo. T.

The look Don has for you is a look only very special and amazing people get from a dog... he knows he's picked his heart person well. T.

No answer to op but am curious as to how the above would be relevant to parvo ? PS Hope your puppy is ok now & has responded well to treatment. Sometimes if a pup has a heavy worm load when it's wormed, it can produce symptoms not unlike those of early stage Parvo - diarrhoea, lethargy, etc... and in some extreme cases, the pup can die from the worming treatment. Transport companies do their utmost to minimise the risk, but there is still a chance for disease transmission - handling policies aren't always totally sterile, even though they may sterilise the actual transport crates. I can guarantee you that staff moving the animals about aren't washing their hands before and after handling each animal. This is not a condemnation of the transport companies - just saying how it actually is. I'd be a little miffed if the breeder hadn't contacted me back after being made aware of the situation a week ago... but that doesn't necessarily mean that the pup contracted the disease under their care either. More like the breeder is in shock and is contacting other families who have received littermates of the OP's pup and making sure they are all OK - especially if they were transported within similar timeframes and/or by the same transport company. T.

According to the OP, the vet diagnosed and treated for Parvo... to the tune of a $1400 vet bill. T.

There are a couple of strains of Parvo... and the onset of symptoms can come on as quickly as 24-48 hours from exposure to it - especially in very young pups. Pups can also give a false positive for Parvo if they've been vaccinated recently. There are other conditions that may present with similar symptoms to the early stages of Parvo. Vaccinosis comes to mind. More info is needed before one can come to the conclusion that a) the pup actually had/has Parvo, and b) whether it is the breeder's responsibility to pay vet fees for the treatment. I have a few questions... 1. How old was the pup in question when you brought it home? 2. When did it have it's last vaccination before you brought it home? 3. When was it's last worming before you brought it home? 4. Did you physically pick up the pup from the breeder, or was there a transport company involved in getting it to you? I'm not a breeder, nor have any affiliation with any - but I do have extensive experience with young pups, having fostered nearly 200 of them for rescue. I've seen and dealt with more puppy illnesses than I care to mention over the years - and sometimes the vets can actually get a diagnosis wrong (in my experience anyways). T.

Oh Jebus! Just looking at that trailer has me in tears... *sob* Crossing fingers that those that didn't make it went quickly... run free sweet souls... T.

That page is definitely worthy of a "like"... *grin* T.

I can see it happening if the child's head struck something solid - but there would be obvious injury marks from that scenario. The report above doesn't have enough info to make any judgement either way for me... I'll let the police do their investigations... T.

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