Lhok

Oh that is good news! 43 days is a long time, so I reckon you've solved the problem for good. Now if only you could make something that will stop people dropping kebabs on my nature strip All I can think of is someone drunk walking down your nature strip with their 2am Kebab then your Dane scares the beejeebus out of them and they drop it and run away :laugh: --Lhok

My dog used to be on a chain, then we got her a run as she was thunderphobic. I can tell you she was much happier with her run and soundproof box which was attached to the run then she ever was on the chain and I had peace of mind that she was home safe without worrying she would be strung up on something. --Lhok

The one of the issues you can have with an older dog/rescue is a reduced working life some others are handling the stress of assistance dog work. However in saying that here is no guarantee that the pup you get will be able to handle the stress of being an assistance dog. Some dogs are not cut out for it no matter how much training you put into them and of course there is the issue of washing out due to medical issues. One the major benefits of getting an adult/rescue dog is that you already know what you are working with and you don't have to wait the 6 months provided the rescue is older then 6 months. Most rescue dogs already come with all the vet work done many are also desexed so they are pretty much good to go once they complete a basic obedience course to start public access training. The main thing about getting a assistance dog is that thinking how they will help mitigate the symptoms of your condition. --Lhok

Breeders do their best to minimise the risk of inherited disease but sometimes it doesn't work out that way a breeder could screen and select away from various health issues only for something else to appear in a pup. Shelter dogs are exactly what they are there isn't much known about their health status apart from what work they have had done (chipped, vaccination status etc) I also mentioned the cat option because like I said I had friends in a similar situation to yours, however you might be more willing to bend on things whereas they weren't and hadn't considered cats before they were mentioned in a conversation we had so I thought it might be worth considering. --Lhok

I know these guys are large but could be worth a look. https://www.petrescue.com.au/listings/358798 --Lhok

I had friends who had a similar criteria to the above and after a few weeks of talking to them they decided no dog could fulfill the criteria and got a cat instead. --Lhok

The chow's temperament is pretty serious and they can be quite dominant dogs. On top of that you have a dog that ranks pretty high up there for independent thinking so general obedience could be harder, they certainly have the spitz what is in it for me personality in spades. --Lhok

Whenever frogurt is mentioned all I can think about is that cursed froghurt episode of the simpsons lol. Hope your little one mends well DDD. --Lhok

Akita named after the Akita prefecture in northern Japan. --Lhok

My pups came from Canberra but Raiden was on limited and his was an orange colour, Treble was on Main reg as I was going to show him and his were blue. Not sure if that helps or not. --Lhok

The owner wasn't having a stroke when the nurse arrived. She was providing follow up care for the patient at home. From the article: The carer who works for Peninsula Health, had just stepped into the home of a patient who recently suffered a stroke, when she was attacked by three Mastiff cross dogs. If the owner wasn't able to put them away while the nurse was tending to them then the dogs probably shouldn't be on the property as they more then likely won't be able to control them if something else was to happen. --Lhok

I was wondering the same thing too. I know the midwives would ask if there were dogs on the premises when they were about to visit me at home and if there were they asked that they be locked away or otherwise restrained. So I wonder why this person didn't have them locked away. --Lhok

https://au.news.yahoo.com/vic/a/30393609/woman-viciously-mauled-by-three-dogs-on-the-mornington-peninsula/?cmp=fb A woman has been mauled by three dogs on the Mornington Peninsula, while visiting a patient she was caring for. The carer who works for Peninsula Health, had just stepped into the home of a patient who recently suffered a stroke, when she was attacked by three Mastiff cross dogs. “I heard the dogs barking and going off, just fighting, I didnt realise they were attacking anyone,” neighbour Melissa Skeats told 7 News. The woman suffered deep bite marks on her face, upper body and ankle. She was taken to Frankston Hospital in a stable condition and had surgery on the wounds on Thursday afternoon. The dogs also attacked their owner when he tried to pull them off the carer. He was taken to hospital with minor injuries. The three dogs were seized shortly after the attack, but it is not yet known if they will be destroyed. Residents claimed the dogs had caused trouble in the neighbourhood before. Andy Jones said one of them jumped his fence last month and killed his dog, Gypsy. He said his pet dog was found in the mouth of one of the Mastiff cross dogs. "She had a couple of bite marks on her." Melissa Skeats said she was forced to increase the size of her fence because she was worried they would get in her yard and attack her son. “It’s a concern, everyday I’m watching the backyard, making sure he's fine and the dog's fine.” Both police and the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council are investigating the matter. --Lhok

How odd. 3 people saying it wasn't the dog at all. I can't watch the video for some reason, do they say what they believe caused the injury? --Lhok

While Akitas are love bugs to their owners I wouldn't say they are super obedient more stubborn and have a what is in it for me mentality they also hate repetitive training I guess they don't really see the point of it all :laugh: | They most certainly aren't IPO dogs as you can teach them to bite but they will decide when to let go (although I do know 2 that have done schutz type training before) Their coat also sheds in one whole dump which requires grooming and you will find hair everywhere. Also if the owner is anxious when out and about and isn't on top of it when out with their Akita they can become quite a handful. They will also push you all the time and are very quick with sussing out your weaknesses. If you don't think you can handle a dog that you have to constantly stay on top of then an Akita isn't the dog for you. --Lhok

The non eating and the ups and downs sounds like Addison's disease which is the opposite of Cushings. Not saying it is addison's but since having a dog that had it the non eating and being really quiet/depressed is something I noticed with him. It sucks so much to see them practically change overnight and not be able to do anything about it. The constant shuffle back and forth to the vets to try and the worry about if they will be coming back home that night or will they have to stay in is awful. I hope you guys get some answers and can get a treatment plan in place. --Lhok Ahh I should have finished reading all the thread before I commented. So sorry to hear about the results.

The original purpose for Akitas was hunting bears with the Matagi hunters in the Japanese mountains in pairs or as a solo dog. However they haven't filled this role for a while now, the characteristics that made them good hunting companions still make them excellent home guardians and pets for the right homes. --Lhok

Finding it hard to be sympathetic to your cause when it sounds like money is the driving factor. You got a dog at a discounted rate and now you have changed your mind about the contract, sounds like you need to honour it and move on. --Lhok

I don't know why people compare dog ownership in European countries and dog ownership here in Aus. They are like apples and oranges. Many of the European people I know through dog pages and some pet owners I know through online games are very socially responsible. This was bound to happen due to the Aussie "she'll be right" attitude when it comes to things. --Lhok

Yup taking that with a grain of salt, most pet owners know nothing of dog behaviour. How many times do you hear from owners of dogs that bite "Oh dog has never bitten before" yet the signs were there that it was going to happen. It doesn't take long for a dog to bite, in an strange environment where there would be lots of people and an owner who wouldn't be watching the dog while they are focused on shopping. --Lhok

Whoa that's a pretty big jump to conclusions there. Yeah sure the child might have done something, however if your dog isn't used to children and or gets stressed out enough to bite someone maybe the you shouldn't take it to area where it is likely to react. In the article it states that the child wasn't close enough to pat it but the dog grabbed the child just under the knee when it lunged. --Lhok

I would imagine humidity would play a large role as to why you wouldn't want to cover completely up in Brisbane as opposed to somewhere like the desert. Spf is great but having the sun directly on your skin is awful if you are going to be spending a large amount of time in the direct sun. Where as covering up still allows the skin some cooling. I used to play cricket, on very hot summer days we would wear long sleeved shirts, popped collars, wide brimmed hats and long white pants. The places with higher humidity we would be covered in sweat as well as being very hot. The other places with a drier heat we would be relatively comfortable while playing (still hot but not dripping with sweat and feeling like we were about to pass out). So again I wonder more and more about humidity playing a role with dogs and their coat. Editing to add, one of the vets I used to work with was against people shaving down their dogs unless they were going to apply sunscreen to the dog when it when outside in the sun. He believed that it left the dog exposed to more risk of skin cancer and therefore if the owner wasn't going to do it then grooming out the dog was better in the long run. --Lhok

To be honest while the conversation is very interesting regarding the science, I do have to wonder about double coated breeds that were bred for the desert/hot climates. Canaan dogs,Cattle dogs and Anatolians hell even the desert dingoes of Aus have double coats so it isn't always for the colder climates. I also have to wonder if humidity is the reason why most dogs when clipped down feel better or act like they are happier. Even humans struggle in very humid climates so I would imagine that a dog with a coat who only really has to rely on panting/pads and digging a hole to lay down in they would have a really awful time. Actually thinking about this and thinking of the dingoes only the northern ones lack the double coat so I am now really wondering if humidity is the key here rather then hot vs cold. --Lhok

Another update this time from the news. news story. --Lhok

Seems like the German Shep running around did have a lead on it, but I can't see it while it is running around the rangers and the guy. This was pulled from the video footage above by a person who commented on it. --Lhok