Odin-Genie

I don't think refusing to kill a dog is treating it like a mini human. That's just showing respect for life. I wouldn't get my dog killed if it bit me once. I would get it vet checked and get the help of a good trainer to identify the cause. However, this woman does need serious help. She is trying to justify this dog's behaviour in human terms without making any effort to train or get this dog checked for underlying heath issues. This can only end in disaster.

I agree that biddability and intelligence are not the same thing. My Golden Retriever is biddable, learns fast and is mostly predictable. My elkhound, like most spitz breed dogs, is stubborn and has a mind of his own. He finds unique ways of doing things, would sometimes turn a training session into something totally different, and seems to have an innate ability to sense things. He is actually easier to train in the sense that he gets it really quickly. But he wouldn't always do what he is asked to do, or find a different way to do what he is told to do.

The vets my dogs have been going to are now part of Greencross. I haven't seen any changes. They charge the same. They get to see the same vet. Service and support is excellent. In fact I have taken injured wildlife a few times to these guys and they have been very helpful.

You could also check out Andrew Morgan. He is in Berowra: http://www.veterinaryhospitals.net.au/veterinarian-profile.aspx?id=446&Council=HORNSBY&businessname=A+J+Morgan+Veterinary+Practice&veterinarianid=446&veterinarian=Andrew+Morgan

My elkhound is scared of storms and barks at thunder. My golden retriever just looks bored.

I voted 'never bitten' for the first two questions since my dogs have never bitten a person or a dog. But I voted "fatally attacked" for the last since once a blue tongue got startled and jumped up on my dogs, who in return got completely spooked and picked up the blue tongue and shook it, causing fatal internal injuries.... and the vet we took the blue tongue to had to put it down.

+1 I would definitely return the dog even if I bonded with it. If the dog has a loving family where it s comfortable and happy, it would be selfish of me to keep it just because I want it.

I don't think getting a cloned animals is any different from getting from the same breeding lines from a breeder in terms of impact on dogs in 'need'...(if cloning ever became an acceptable breeding practice and was done by ethical breeders with full health checks). In both instances, dogs in 'need', ie rescued dogs, don't get a home but I don't buy into the argument that people shouldn't buy from registered/ethical breeders since rescue dogs lose out. I personally would never clone my dogs. They are individuals and I would find it insulting to them to try and get a replica (however perfect or imperfect it might be).

That wouldn't be nice for the dogs. Many dogs don't need to get their anal glands done. Our dogs get checked every year and they've never had to get their anal glands emptied.

I've seen Cesar Milan do that, put his hand in a dogs food bowl while it's eating, I can do it with my dog but I'd never let a child, that's asking for trouble with any dog. I've seen food aggression appear in a puppy and I've seen what happens if no one does anything about it, but training them out of it should be done by an adult who knows what they are doing. Once a dog is food/toy aggressive and their are kids around, sooner or later there will be an incident. : ( I do that with my dogs every once in a while...but I would not let a stranger or a child do that. When I do it, I usually add some extra yummy treats to make my dogs feel that when I put my hands in their bowl while they are eating, it's a very good thing.

While I am not a dog trainer and don't know much about dog behaviour, I agree with this post from personal experience. My goldy was like this whenever her nails had to be clipped. She had never been abused. We got her as a puppy from a reputable breeder. But she would always get highly anxious if anyone so much as brought out the clippers. We took her to two different vets who, after trying to clip her nails, said it could only be done if she is sedated. I didn't want to keep sedating her. So we handled her paws all the time without using the clippers. Then we brought the clippers out and would gently brush her paws with the clippers. Then we started to put her in the bath, and while my OH massaged her, I would clip a few of her nails. It took a huge amount of patience over two years, but now she stands still and offers me her paws on her own for clipping her nails.

What's wrong with having two or more dogs to keep each other company? Many people work full time and it's good for the dog to have another dog at home. I have two dogs and I am really glad I decided to do so. While my dogs get walked twice a day, they are on their own during most of the day. Even when we are home, sometimes my dogs would just go out and play with each other. From a training perspective it would definitely be a nightmare to get two puppies together. I got my second puppy six months after the first.

Same here. I keep a few cans of Ziwipeak or Artemis grain free and put a little bit with the kibble when I have to feed medicines.

Not saying it was a bull mastiff, but the lighter ones can be described by the general public as grey and white..

Ok, what about Nancy's situation, that she describes here on a thread discussing her response to Jamie's letter. (Side note - follow Kim's posts for more progressive, compassionate sheltering information). Read that whole thread if you can, there's so much interesting discussion that may cause people to consider other's situations a little more open mindedly: Was Nancy's situation worthy enough? Or does she also deserve abuse based on the condition of the dog she was surrendering and the fact that she wrote she was moving on the intake form? Does she deserve compassion or a blog post calling her by name going viral condemning her in hateful, vitriolic language? Also, no kill shelters are very often closed admission. Not many will take an elderly dog with a low chance of rehoming. Those that do almost always have extensive wait lists. Just because there was a No Kill shelter there doesn't mean it was an option for Cocoa's owner. I can't comment on this because I would never allow anyone to treat me or my dogs this way. But looking at the number of oldies in the pound list, I doubt that people in general only surrender them as a last resort.

+++1 I can't think of a circumstance where I would find it acceptable to dump a dog at a kill shelter, not when a no kill shelter is 20 mins away. But I'm sure I can't think of all the dire situations!!!

I don't agree with Nancy. I don't have much sympathy for people who dump their dogs. Those who put in the effort to rehome or hand over to rescue because of dire personal situations, or if they are too old, PTS, I can sympathise with. But to dump at a kill shelter is unthinkable.

Another one.... At the dog park, a woman looking at my Elkhound: Woman: Is that a husky? Me: No he is an elkhound Woman: So is it a husky crossed with a German Shepherd? Me: No, he's a pure breed elkhound Woman: He's obviously a husky cross! You probably were duped when you bought him!!!

Oh me too! It drives me batty. But then one person said to me "it's so hard to keep their weight down isn't it? They eat so much". Huh? She gets a set amount of food a day and that's it. Plus we exercise her regularly. Pretty easy I'd think. They eat what we feed them. My goldy would eat all day if I let her.

Don't they put multiple dogs together (about 3) in their regular kennels? I boarded my dogs with them a few times, but only in their suites.

....And I get told all the time that my Golden Retriever is skinny and I should feed her more!!!! Just because majority of GRs are overweight!

Ok, I was sitting in the car with my dogs on the back seat, fully buckled, windows down half way. OH had gone to pick up some shopping. Teenage boy (TB) walks up with a pie in his hand. TB: Can I feed your dog (trying to put his hand through the window) Me: No you can't, they don't eat pies (while putting the window up) TB: Oh, I wasn't going to feed them, I just wanted to tease them

Not sure. They didn't mention any threats from wolves. However, the dogs are not kept in a secluded area. There are people who stay up on the glacier with them so I assume if they hear the dogs barking, they will have guns to scare the wolves.

My dogs use to have full access inside and outside through the dog door, but now that my Elkhound is not allowed out in the sun (due to health issues) they are both inside the house during the day.

It was :) I will upload more....