megan_

Something is amiss- she has a few choices. She can: 1. Get a vet to sign a declaration that they are not pitbulls, and therefore just get normal ergo OR 2. she can register them as a restricted breed (not dangerous dog) and live with the rules around that (no offleash etc). The council can only PTS dogs that aren't registered by Friday. However, if she just does normal ergo and then the council decides they are pitbulls or crosses, then the can PTS.

You could try black hawk ( there is a thread about it). It is premium and most probably cheaper than what you feed now. You can get it delivered. You can freeze bones. Lamb necks, chicken wings and frames are good options. If you want to feed mince ( I wouldn't, meaty bones are a healthier alternative) then feed chicken Pet mince which contains bones so she gets calcium. But NEVER cook it as cooked bone can cause all sorts of problems). A pre- made diet of normal mince, rice and veg wouldn't contain enough calcium for a dog.

Regardless of her weight, I'd change her diet. It sounds more like a human diet, not a balanced diet for a dog. I'd stick to 1 - 2 meals a day at her age, I don't see the point of lunch? I'd ditch the porridge (not much nutritional value for a dog, no wonder she is snubbing it). What mince are you feeding her? Mince that is just meat isn't a great meal for dogs as it won't have enough calcium. I'd go for a good quality dry food (Black Hawk, Nutro etc), with some raw meaty bones. If you want to feed veges for some reason, they need to be pulverised as they won't be digested otherwise. If your vet thinks she needs to lose weight then chances are she does. A few kilos is a lot of extra weight for a dog her size (it would be like you lugging around an extra 15 kgs!). ETA: Gently press her sides, do you clearly feel her ribs? If not, chances are she is overweight. Bear in mind that the majority of goldies that you see would be overweight too, so it can be easy to think that your dog is a normal weight.

No. Only pedigree certificates or a certificate from your vet is sufficient. However, the AVA does not support BSL and is recommending that vets have no part in this. The issue is though that many dogs will suffer as a result of them not participating.

Have a look at the standard they've defined and the pics contained therein. Many of the dogs shown look like SBT-crosses to me. Anything that has a certain look (and no certificate proving that it isn't a pitbull cross) will be deemed a pitbull cross. The onus is on the owner to prove that it isn't, and they don't accept DNA tests. So bull breed owners have two choices: i) Register as a restricted breed before Friday's deadline. Build a run with a concrete floor, never let your dog off leash, muzzle at all times outside your property etc. OR ii) Don't register as a restricted breed and run the risk of having your dog seized and PTS if, in a council officers opinion your dog had a pit-bull type look. There is an avenue of appeal but unless you can PROVE that your dog isn't a PB cross (and if you have a mutt how do you do that when they won't accept DNA evidence?). There hasn't been much outcry yet because most people don't seem to understand the new laws and that they apply to them. They think "my dog is registered and isn't a pitbull" that they'll be okay. Wrong.

No EF - they have to register their dog as a restricted breed and comply with that legislation - just because the dog fits the description (any amstaff without papers for example, most staffy types). It is not the same as registering your dog with the council, far from it.

yip - and he didn't bring up his dog to be viscious either - because we all know you have to actively try to make a dog DA.

Saving money for a bad day only works if your dog doesn't get injured/ sick for the first 5+ years. I have pet insurance and it has paid fir itself and then some. My healthy boy got severe gastro on a weekend. The symptoms mimic an obstruction. All up it cost me over $4000.

Are you the trainer you want to be for this pup? That would be the deciding factor for me -assuming you can afford it financially, can make the time commitments etc

If the approaching dog isn't aggressive, your yelling and body language could cause a fight. My girl reads my reactions to know if something is friend or foe. I often want to yl obscenities but I always smile and talk cheerfully when I tell someone to get their f()$&&, dog now. If you have a reactive dog and you react, you may well be contributing to their problem ( not said with judgement, I have been a negative influence on Lucy too)

If she didnt have the leg issue, what would your position be? What is her temperemant like? When you say she is highly strung, what do you mean?

I carry acsqueky ball, I sqeak it then throw it perpendicular to me. I have only used this once when a friendly dog ran over the road to say hello Timothy. Given that it wasn't trained, it just carried on playing with the NAND we got away. Lost the isqeak though

I know that at AAE offices in Melbourne you can buy a crate there when you drop your dog off.

My dogs have been trained by Erny while boarding, not because I didn't want to train them, but they were going to boarding anyway and I think a bit of training helps tire them out and keep them happy. That said, we had trained in Erny's classes beforehand so I was comfortable leaving my dogs alone with her.

thanks Agility Dogs - always looking out for new things to do with the pooches

does your dog need to be able to catch a frisbee to attend?

$24 not sure what the postage is. thanks. It's less than that on cleanrun with free postage so I'll give it a miss.

I'd imagine that the survey is answered by only a few pet owners. The people answering it are more likely to be a certain type of owner - those that source mutts from shelters rather than breeders. I don't think you can read anything more into the stats eg shelters breeding dogs.

how much is "the Focused Puppy" going for?

I wonder if people tipped over the bin/shredded paper etc, went out of the room and then walked in again, would the dog show "guilt"? Ie is the dog associating big mess = I'm in trouble and therefore looking "guilty"?

I think wayrod on this forum sells the ones that Steve posted - for a lot less than retail

Like x1000. If people don't get their dogs out-and-about they will have fewer social skills which could lead to more tragedies.

I've read in a few places that ProHeart isn't considered effective anymore? I think it was on DOL!

I like all breeds - there small and the kennels are fully climate controlled. The owners are lovely too. These days inuse cosmolo's pet sitting service. Costs mire than a kennel but they stay in a home and they're flexible about drop off and pick up times.

I've got both. In terms of easy reading for the pet dog owner, click to calm breaks things down nicely - it is an easy read. There are a few thing I dont like ( eg head collar), but I ignore them. Control unleashed is also fantastic, but reading it is a but more involved. It is very useful for pet fog owners too, but you need to abstract the agility examples. If you van afford it, get both, but plan which elements you'll use before you confuse the dog!