Dame Aussie

This. I have smacked / slapped my dogs before - always my correction is instantaneous, almost to the point where I'm aware what I've done only after I've done it. (If that makes sense.) Smack/slap/tap is always in response to disrespectful behaviour, like pushing, barging, nipping, snarl - puppy / adolescent shenanigans. Agree. I have smacked on the bum if behaviour has been very bad such as the above, when I say smack though I'm a softie and Mosley rarely even looks round if I smack him on the rump!

Odd isn't it. When I have suggested to friends they keep their cats indoors instead of letting them roam all over the place, get in fights, go and catch diseases and what not, they are horrified at the thought of taking freedom away from cats. I just don't understand it. All animals want to be free, I'm sure all of our dogs would love to be allowed to roam, but we don't let them roam because we LOVE them and don't want them to be hurt, why do so many cat people not feel the same way? I have a hard time feeling sorry for someone when their cat gets hit by a car when it has spent the last 4 years running around on roads... it was bound to happen, and if you loved your animal wouldn't you try to prevent this from happening? I just really don't "get" cat people! Exactly. They would complain that a neighbour brought their cat in because it was pooing in his garden...well I bet if his dog was in pooing in their garden they'd have something to say about it!! Completely double standards, I believe the law should be the same for cats and dogs, both on their own property at all times unless on a lead.

I worked in a shelter for 3 years. I can tell you right now that at least half the dogs we got in were surrenders. Various reasons such as: We're having a baby We got a NEW dog I don't have the time She's stupid My backyard is too small He's getting out These people see the dogs as a throw away item, not a family member. Cats are a bit different, the amount of stray/wild cats we had in was unbelievable, basically people don't neuter their cats and they let them wander, if we tried to tell them to build a cat run or keep kitty inside they were mortified. I had to leave the job as I couldn't stand it anymore. I do not blame the shelters/pounds, they are there to help clean up the mess, yes they need improvements, but ultimately the blame lies solely with the owners/breeders of these animals. I apologise for sounding defeatist, but I honestly don't believe education will help. Yes it will make some kind of difference but there is always going to be a large amount of people who just don't give a toss.

I have to agree, this sounds like a disaster. A new Mum with no idea of how she will take to parenting, no idea if there may be issues around the pregnancy which could mean she is in hospital or babies are.... Each to their own but I could not cope with 2 newborns and 2 puppies. That's madness IMO. Maybe try and get her to think about getting one, then getting another when bubs are a bit older? ETA: Terrible spelling

What a spunk perse, he definitely looks younger than his years

I'm the same whenever I stay away from them, all I talk about is them and how I hope they're ok and how much I miss them :rolleyes:

Mosley does this, although I don't think he is eating the dirt, he seems to go after bugs and things in the dirt, he will dig, eat, then roll all over it I wouldn't worry, it's not that unusual, unless he's eating a LOT!

This. Mosley flew into the house the other day from right down the back of the yard, like a total headcase, and promptly went skidding into the shopping bags on the floor, which he then proceeded to pillage. Feral. I often worry he'll snap a leg or something the way he slides round corners sometimes..... Our are also very feral when it's wet, they wrestle 100 x more than normal and getting them in and "Pee Pees" (as it's known in our house) is a nightmare.... Lili doesn't like her feet getting wet and Mo will just sit out there in the rain like a numpty.

I don't really see an issue... Personally all my dogs when they are pups are kept inside when I'm not home till they're a bit bigger, but that's just me. He is very little, but as long as there is nothing dangerous he can get into or any way for him to escape then I imagine it's fine. Is he going to be outside when you are out when he is older? If so then it's probably a good thing to get him used to it while he's little. I wouldn't leave him too long at that age, only for short periods of time. Others may disagree though.

Ah ok, sorry BP, I totally agree with you anyway, the bolded part was what I was getting at.

You may be right, but I think it would only be the case because good dog owners are already more likely to buy well bred dogs, not the other way around. I have one purebred and one rescue and to be completely honest, I would trust my rescue more than my purebred when it comes to how they act around strange people.

This threads making me all emotional!!! Dezzy is absolutely divine

Awwww tearies here How gorgeous, I have this as my desktop at work now hehe

Oh look at them!! They're lovely wee girls and you should be very proud of them! I have to say Mawson is a very handsome boy aswell!!

They should have the same done to them, simple.

Nice one, hope it all goes well! Good decision

awwww Gayle that's so beautiful

That's like Weimeraner, it is supposed to be pronounced vy-ma-rah-ner but not many Australina pronounce it that way.

How gorgeous!!!!

Of course it's preferable to desex when not pregnant but vets will still do it and it is far better than having an unwanted, unknown litter of pups you then need to find homes for. I would have her desexed immediately, and if the other one isn't done yet keep her inside when she is in season so this doesn't happen again. Best of luck.

He's lovely, welcome!

Where can one get deer antlers??

Can't breathe......

If Mosley is an Anatolian (and I think he is from memory ) then I doubt he will suffer from bloat The genetic predisposition for bloat in Australian Anatolians in extremely low. I have not heard of an Anatolian dying or suffering from bloat in Australia for many years. There is no known incidence between myself and other breeders in more than a decade. Yes he is I didn't know that lilli, you've eased my mind, thank you!