Fevah

Looks like fun. Sorry I missed it too. Had a severe case of bad hangover You would be pleased to know Remy and Jacques were being fantastic hot water bottles all day. I'll be there next time :D

My first dog Remy, really strongly bonded to me and it is been like that ever since. He is, and always has been 'my' dog and although he warms up to family members and friends you will never see him cuddle up to or pay attention to them like he does me. I never meant for this to happen, it just did. Unfortunately it brought with it some very negative circumstances too - I work as a teacher and when he would be left at home he would cry all day. I have since learnt that male dogs, in particular for my breed, are much more sooky and needy then the female dogs who rejoice in being independent. So getting a second dog was very much strongly influenced by the fact that I couldn't spend every single moment with Remy and also that I wanted him to be alright/happy/content when I had to go somewhere; whether it was work, to see friends, to go shopping etc. I had tried what many DOLers suggested to make him less 'anxious'; treat coming and going as if it wasn't a big deal, leave him lots of toys and treats to play with etc. but it wasn't working. Remy was over a year old and desexed when I got Jacques, and Jacques was 5 months old. I think the age difference helped with the assimilation because Remy could play the part of 'older brother' and from the first protected and nurtured Jacques. Jacques turned out to be a very laid back, easy going fellow so they balanced each other's emotions out too - I think he has even helped Remy to settle more and become less anxious (although an element of that will always be there, that is just the way he is). Furthermore, Jacques is so cuddly with EVERYONE that he allows Remy to continue to be 'my' dog, which suits Remy just fine; they don't get jealous of one another. They are both so easy to care for and have gotten along so well that I have never regretted my decision - and I definitely make sure to have enough time with both; training, exercise, play wise etc.

No, no, no. This is a more polite way of expressing the argument of 'If you get a dog from a breeder, you're killing a dog in a pound' that's used so often by animal rights whackjobs. Frankly, I do not like being told that I have to rescue a dog instead of getting one from a breeder and the argument is illogical anyway. If I could not have a breed that I liked, I wouldn't rescue a dog, I would simply not get one. No I'm not saying that Sheridan. Of course those of us who are set on a certain breed will wait and be responsible. You can't change a whole society from being consumer driven and wanting everything now, now, now overnight - so instead of pointing the general public to BYB/Puppy Farms/Pet Stores there should be a move towards giving rescue dogs a second chance. I never said it was either one or the other nor do I believe; 'If you get a dog from a breeder, you're killing a dog in a pound'. If a breeder can guarantee all their pups will be placed in good homes then good on them, continue breeding but there are more irresponsible and impulse buying people out there than not so they might as well be directed to saving animals rather then to 'Oodle Institutions'. I don't think I'm expressing myself very well, but I hope you understand what I mean.

Hmmm. Ok I apologise for not understanding your point but you've made it very clear here. Perhaps there needs to be a study done in regards to which breeds need more breeders to speak for them? I've never had an issue with finding my heart dog (Min Pins) even though there are only 3 breeders here in SA and not a lot (compared to many other more 'popular' breeds) across Australia. I still believe though, if you are one of those people who can't wait, go to a rescue! I don't understand why in the USA/UK they have shelters and pet stores working together and yet here in Australia there doesn't seem to be the same trend. I never realised some breeders regarded pets in such a negative light :/ I guess a lot of my good experiences have come here from DOL and I haven't really come across that sort of attitude. As for the bolded bit - agree with you 100% but I do believe at the moment, since we are dealing with so many dogs being euthanized each year, that we should move the public towards rescuing until we get a better balance of supply vs. demand. ML You express yourself far more eloquently then me, but this is essentially what I wanted to say. I do not believe dogs should be kept in 'livestock' like conditions either just because of our consumer driven market!

P.S. Muh daddy is very MANLY but he doesn't have much space so can I haz one of these: Kthxbai

I'm pretty sure it is photoshopped. They are pretty medium size dogs from memory Hyenas aren't dogs. Yup and for anyone who is interested: Myth: Hyaenas are closely related to dogs. Reality: Although hyaenas look rather dog-like, they are more closely related to cats than to dogs, and their closest living relatives are mongooses and the fossa, a mongoose-like carnivore found only in Madagascar. Myth: Hyaenas make good pets. Reality: Although a few people in Africa and Asia find very young hyaenas in nature and raise them as pets, these animals generally appear to be extremely unhappy as “domestic companions” as adults, and must often be kept muzzled at all times so that they do not harm people or property. A muzzle prevents the hyaena from being able to groom itself properly. As spotted hyaenas need several years of practice to become proficient hunters, and as they are deprived of this practice when reared as pets, it is effectively a death sentence for a captive-reared hyaena to be released into the wild. In addition, pet hyaenas cannot be released for fear that they might transfer new pathogens from captive environments into the wild. Upon reaching adulthood, many "pet" hyaenas must therefore be euthanized.

The reason why puppyfarms, BYBs and pet shops are able to get away with it is because of people who won't wait for a puppy. I waited for four months for a wheaten puppy but I lucked out in meeting a breeder who had just mated his dog. No guarantee of getting one, put on a waiting list, interrogated, and observed, and there aren't a lot of people who are prepared to go through that. Unfortunately, 'I want it NOW!' and 'Gimme' are well entrenched in our society. Agreed. But I am also unsure, SP, where you get the idea that breeders think 'companion animals' are a bad idea? After all, breeders will keep 1 or 2 pups a litter for future breeding and/or showing, what do you think happens to the other puppies? The breeder can't afford to keep each and every canine they have bred so these others go to forever homes; first and foremost as pets although some owners go on to show, train in obedience, agility, fly ball, etc. Dogs are not plasma TV's which we should be able to buy by the dozen whenever the hell we want. They are living, breathing creatures with needs - I think if you aren't prepared to wait, or prove to a registered breeder/shelter/rescue group that you are the right owner for a particular dog, then you aren't being responsible in the least. The average pet store, BYB or puppy farmer doesn't care whether you are the 'right' owner, they generally give the wrong information and they don't give a damn whether a dog they have sold will end up dead or abused. This is the main difference between an ethical, registered breeder and a pet store who sells live animals/BYB/puppy farmer. As many have said before, owning a dog is a privilege, not a right, and if there are 250,000 or so dogs being put to sleep a year then there is definitely more supply then demand!

And how many of these 600,000 are now in shelters across Australia, have been put to sleep or live in conditions that are detrimental to their health and well-being?

If it is the case it is only because a large percentage of the population remains clueless about shelters and rescue groups or people are so selfish that they would rather buy a puppy (without knowing anything about its origin) then give an older dog a second chance at life. Unless you are interested in a very rare breed or in the 'flavour of the month' I believe it is fairly easy to obtain a pup from a registered breeder (as long as you yourself are believed to be suitable candidate for their puppy). This is made even easier by the fact that most breeders are happy to fly dogs interstate or overseas. Responsible dog owners also don't mind waiting a few months or even a few years for the perfect dog to come along. Why should we create a 'companion animal' market for people too lazy to research which breed would best suit their lifestyle or so obsessed about the 'puppy stage' in a dog's life that they will never consider adopting (even though there are plenty of pups in shelters too)?

May I ask why? Yes, I should explain a little better. I don't mean keeping hundreds of dogs in a cage. I mean keeping any number of dogs each in their own separate kennel or crate (or possibly paired up) in the interests of health, safety and good kennel management. A small number of dogs can be looked after in a home, but when the numbers exceed what is appropriate in a house, kennels ensure that dogs are safe. Every dog is entitled to be checked daily for health, and kennels mean that a dog and its surroundings can be checked for any problems before the dog is allowed out onto dirt or to mix with other dogs. If you have dogs just out in yards, you may not see problems like blood or diarrhoea or parasites straight away, and by the time you do, the whole dirt area may be infested or infected. You may have trouble knowing which dog has the problem too. Enrichment will be different for each breed and each individual, and dogs can certainly be taken out of their enclosures for that. Some enrichment can be given while a dog is in en enclosure too. But just letting them roam around a property isn't enrichment. I have no problems with yards being attached to kennels so the dogs can easily be let out into them. I have a problem with dogs being kept in those dirt yards all of the time with no clean, dry, washable sleeping area. Thanks for that. Would you say this type of 'kennel' is appropriate for larger scale breeding? If so, what do you think the maximum allowed number of dogs should be?

x 2 :D

:D So did she say WHY she is a puppy farmer? If she says she provides what she does, how can there possibly be any profit involved?

May I ask why? I've always considered a dog a companion animal not a 'herding' animal so how is living with so many other canines a benefit to them? Will you still be ok with it if there are many different breeds in the same 'kennel'? How is someone going to be able to provide what is necessary for each and every different breed? How will you balance the needs of a toy group dog to that of a gun group dog? This whole subject is so depressing. How did dogs even end up in 'farms' - they aren't being used for their meat or their skin or anything they can produce and they've been 'man's best friend' for thousands of years so where did this shift come from; this belief that they can be put into the same category as sheep and cows etc.? I myself am guilty of accepting and not really thinking about how farm animals are treated, that they are there for my use and yet it horrifies me to think of dogs in the same way...how hypocritical of me! I don't think there is an easy answer but I do appreciate that this thread/forum has opened my mind to the many issues affecting the canine world and forced me to confront uncomfortable thoughts, feelings and issues. I think the biggest difference between registered, ethical breeders and puppy farmers is socialisation and enrichment. One does provide, the other does not. It also baffles me that when buying products a large percentage of people are happy to do their research and yet so many don't bother when looking for an animal that could be living with them and their family for up to 15 years.

Jacques gets stressed if there is a strange/new man he doesn't know and of big dogs who pay too much attention to him, and unfortunately most are curious and do get in his space Remy is by nature quite an anxious fellow but I've noticed he gets more freaked out by things if I'm not there.

I would say no as well, but then again I wouldn't even dream of ever getting a pet sitter, I would entrust either my parents or a close friend to look after them - in other words someone who knew them and their routine really well. I don't think it is fair on your GSD or the pets who you are looking after to have to deal with a new and potentially unsettling/uncomfortable situation. I know that my boys dislike being away from their home for an extended period of time, can you guarantee your GSD would not have similar issues? There is just too much risk involved to even consider it.

Meh. My dogs mouth my hands, but only gently. I assume I wouldn't allow this if they were bigger. They don't do it to anyone else, and I believe because I have taught them what is acceptable 'pressure' that is the reason they play so well together. I know, I know - it goes back to the you wouldn't allow your dog to do it if it were bigger, well I can't really comment on that because I've never had a medium/large sized dog.

No advice here, just wishing you all the best with your beautiful 'brat' dog Let us know how it goes!

R.I.P - Run free Ruby I missed this too. So sorry Longclaw. Hope Tommy is doing ok.

Oh no I always loved Tyson from your siggies Pandii. So sorry for your loss. Run free gorgeous boy

Just an update. Crate training is working really well, turns out no wonder I didn't catch him in the act during night time because he whines to go out anywhere from 3am to 6am (and its pretty random). So guess who has had a fair bit of broken sleep? He did have one accident when I wasn't home and mum let him out of the crate. I had to explain to her that either she keeps him with her 100% of the time so he's never out of her sight or puts him in the crate and that it isn't 'cruel' or 'punishment' (I've made it really cosy in there, he has a soft pillow, towels go over the holes - its an airplane crate - to stop cold from entering and his favourite stuffed ghost toy is in there). We go out for our main walk as well as 'mini' walks around the block after dinner to encourage 'movement' but ultimately I would like him to realise the backyard is his toilet too (for those extremely cold/hot days). So yeah, so far, so good, thanks for all the tips

I wasn't making assumptions, just pre-empting a possibility, which is why I wrote : " And if you were to ... ". Sorry, I do get angsty about it, I love them both equally yet I have to put up with Jacques getting favoured in this household (and out of the household) all the time (because he is smaller, and therefore somehow that correlates with being cuter according to the general population) even though he is the 'naughty' one (and like people have mentioned, only because the majority of the household allows him to be).

No no no no no no. I've said it before, I'll say it again - they do NOT know their stuff. I know its open later and all that, but it doesn't make up for expertise. wire, I live in Glenelg too. I've been vet hopping. I can not speak highly enough of Dr. Nick Male at Marion Small Animal Hospital, 827 Marion Rd, Mitchell Park. We will have to agree to disagree. When our dog was diagnosed with some quite serious kidney problems, they were spot on with their diagnosis and advice. Our dog ended up seeing a specialist at AVSARC on Magill Rd on a regular basis, and he spoke very highly of Fulham Gardens Vet Clinic,and the advice/treatment etc they had offered. Fevah, everyone has different experiences I suppose, but just like you I have tried many many vets. Right now I see no need to take my dogs anywhere else. Don't just snipe at me, two other posters agreed with me so I have no idea why you decided to single me out. I went through a very traumatic experience with my old girl and they had absolutely no clue, I finally got so frustrated I went to my previous vet that lived an hour away from me, he told me the problem within a minute, gave me the medication needed and she had a heart attack after the visit before we got in the car and passed away. He even let me ring my parents who were overseas at the time, and let me stay and cuddle her and bawl and grieve until I felt strong enough to drive home. This was after a week of going to Fulham, day after day, they even made me take an x-ray even though the problem was clear (no, not to the everyday pet owner, but should of been damn clear to a vet). She was old and in pain and someone should of had the guts to tell me to put her out of her misery, like my old vet did when I finally took her there, but the Fulham vets I saw (and yes it was more than one) didn't seem overly concerned, probably because she was an old dog so who cares right? So, yes, our opinions differ - greatly.

Indeed he does. You should have seen his face when I stood outside with him for half an hour in the rain a while ago. I might try the doggy pants too, any ideas where to get them from? I might sound frustrated at Jacques but in reality I'm more frustrated at my parents, who clearly favour him and let him get away with murder (which they would not allow with Remy). That is why my tone is annoyed, I'm not saying Remy is better than Jacques so please don't make assumptions.

Thanks cowanbree, that is also a fantastic idea. Will try all the strategies listed in this thread and will update in a month Thanks again everyone.

Some great ideas here, which I will put into play soon. At the moment I am waiting for my parents to leave to go to Poland as they don't follow my rules (e.g. someone always opens the lounge room when they are inside, even after I've closed it ). They will be away for 8 weeks so hopefully I can re-train him during that time. Back to basics - I like that, I have a crate and I will definately use it. I think this might be the only fail-safe way to make him understand. Will definately suggest to mum that the carpet gets a proper cleaning so that it doesn't smell like his place. And taking him on lead outside is a great idea, I have no idea why I didn't think of it (lack of common sense over here!). O hail ye DOLers of wisdom :D