SilverHaze

I guess i just have feral slippery siberians who will take any chance to jump out - whether they are tied in or not! Depending on how many dogs i have in the car, i must admit i'm a bad owner and don't tie them all in. And especially if the car is packed to the hilt and dogs are packed on top of gear, there isn't any real option of tying them down!

I really loved my Rav 4 it was brand new when I bought it, it still had the 4 cylinder motor but it was a 2.4 not the 1.8. Just not practical and big enough when I kept accumulating dogs hence the Wagon. Your V6 model sounds awesome, my dream car, now just to win tattslotto. What is the benifit of the false floor? is it a space to put stuff? Thanks for all the replys I had never looked at the Rav4 before i got mine, and i'm quite shocked at how much smaller the older models are compared to the one i bought. I guess with the V6 they just upped the size of the car overall??? I have friends with outlanders & xtrails, and i feel my Rav4 V6 has alot more room inside. The false floor just gives you that much more storage space - you would be surprised at how deep the area is. I do forget i have things in there though! The only complaints i have are the fuel tank is too small, and the side opening back door means it can't open when i have the trailer on. However the side opening door is much safer for getting dogs out, as opposed to the lift up door.

I have a Rav4 - V6 model and i love it. So much room - enough power to tow our big ass dog trailer, and heaps of room for the dogs, show gear/race gear/whatever gear. Prior to this i had a CRV - the older model, and it was great, but not enough power in the end. But the rav 4 has heaps more room! I love the false floor in it as well!

For great value, and reliable stock, can't beat Dishlickers kennels in Pearcedale! I haven't found anywhere cheaper yet!

lol - well i got two sets, at $24.90 each (i think) - they make great gates as well to stop big dogs going places as well :D

Brilliant! Two sets should do i think!

I know you can pick up panels which can be used as a puppy pen at bunnings. Can anyone remember how much they are? Or does anyone have any recommendations for something more suitable or cost effective? The bigger the area we can make the better!

BTW no point taking the papers to your local council - that step is only if your in NSW. The vic councils aren't linked to the NSw ones, so details will be updated in NSW. A great scheme that sure isn't interstate friendly.

I would rather take my dogs to someone who has had years and years of experience, great results and no qualification, than to a young whipper snapper vet chiro with minimal experience. I bet Barry would love to be referred to as a young whipper snapper

Well considering i just dropped off my 11 year old bitch at the vets this morning, with a brief explanation of ear infection - youll have to sedate her to look at it, i don't know how much help i can be :D Vet called back later saying they had tried the hard way (looking without sedation), but that she was REALLY strong, and a wiggle worm so that didn't work - like duh! Of course she's been sedated, the ear cleaned, and now i have 10 days worth of drops to give - oh goody! I tend to follow this method. a) have drops out of sight, but within hands reach. b) dog gets lovely head rubs c) progress to the ear, i find they seem to like a good rub around the base of the ear, kinda like your itching their scratch d) fold ear back - continue to rub e) apply drops - and then quickly continue the ear rub, don't let up on the rubbing, they enjoy that even if they hate the drops, and of course you need the drops to stay down. f) repeat process for other ear if you still have the dog any where near you! Good luck Erny!!!

But at least they aren't hounds

I guess what you find as a hardship, i find as normal, and part of being a responsible owner. It's unfortuante that you obviously don't have a fenced in house yard, and there fore have to watch that doors are shut at all times etc... I'm glad he's getting to go on big long walks - he shuld be enjoying that. The dog isn't suffering from the sounds of it, it's just that your having a hard time dealing with his special requirements. There are many many breeds in this world that can't be trusted to just "hang around". Siberian Huskies just happen to be one of them.

I absolutely agree! He is completely the wrong sort of dog.I live on very large acreage so would like be able to take him for a run with my other dogs but I am too scared to as I know it will take me two hours to catch him. It is a vicious cycle, he is penned up so he need to run and he probably runs because he is penned up.It is a very large pen with trees and shade but still I hate leaving him in it. It is either that or the house where I have to watch his every move. He is completely obedient when he choses to be but you have heard that one before, I know. I have one more month of the most stressful five months of my life trying to keep this much loved dog ( by his owners) alive until they return! Why can't you take the dog for a run on lead? Or as suggest above, put the dog in harness. and try your hand at sledding. You need to take the dog out of the pen and take him on walks. It's not fair to leave the dog penned for a month without adequate exercise and stimulation.

All dogs are either transported back to anchorage or up to nome, where the mushers have organised people to pick them up. Until they are picked up their are cared for by volunteers and vets. I love following this race, you can really get sucked into it, and it's amazing what the dogs and their mushers accomplish.

or land on really hard ice on evil s bends! and never ever think that it's a good idea to belly slide down a dirt track holding onto a rig - coz it's not!

But it does hurt when you fall off!

Coz his second name is Lance!

Mackey made the run from Nullato to Unalakleet in one long run - something thats only been done once before. He's now leading Jeff King by about 40 mins... This is really amazing to watch (from afar). One of the best places for information is www.adn.com/iditarod

Dare i say sometimes it better to have never owned a dog before, because then you have no expectations of "normal" dog behaviour. You just accept the quirks of the breeds, and deal. People who have other breeds often find it hard to cope with Sibes & Mals as they just aren't normal dogs, and your going fail dismally if you try to fit them into that mold.

An interesting article that also includes sections on how dogs metabolise fat different to humans. http://outside.away.com/outside/bodywork/2...research-1.html

why dont you clip his harness to something like a car tyre and walk him along next to you? I know AmBull people train weight pull conditioning like that I met a bitch that wasnt happy unless she had dragged a car tyre a couple of k's a day. Better then ripping your arm out of your socket. lol - thats our pre season pull training! But a tyre is a bit hard to manage when your trying to walk 3 dogs at once late at night along the footpath! Almost cool enough to pull out the tyre and the scooters though

I must say, i think the easy walk harness tought me a lesson in regards to my severe puller. He doesn't get satisfaction from "a walk", walking sedately at my side just doesn't satisfy him. He needs to be working, and by putting his body into the walk, and feeling the resistence, i think he feels more satisfied. Does it make it more pleasant for me? Nope - but such is life lol I just persevere until the weather gets cooler and the racing harnesses get pulled out, and i can work the dogs in a way that satisfies them in a much better way than walking!

I used an easy walk harness - and it did stop my older boy who's a shocking puller from pulling on the lead. A bit like power steering. Of course we did have a nasty side effect - he started screaming at me everytime he got to the end of the lead and was stopped by the harness!!! Not being able to pull left him just a tad frustrated

Well done - he looked gorgeous out there!

Me and my little sister saw u guys with the mali's! gorgeous dogs everywhere hehehe Too funny - did you see the evil Mol bashing up poor big Quake? He was very good to take multiple paws to the head